Chapter 88 Writer's POV
Onyi's black eyes seem to gleam with an otherworldly intensity as he says, "I need... to understand this." He takes another step, his movements becoming more deliberate as if he's adjusting to the new sensations and power within him.
Amanda reaches out to him again, trying to connect. "Onyi, I'm here. We'll figure this out together."
Onyi pauses, his black gaze focusing on Amanda. For a moment, it seems like he's struggling against something inside him. Then he says in a low voice, "The darkness... it's calling me. I can feel it wanting me to... do things."
The queen steps forward, her voice filled with authority but also concern. "Onyi, you need to be careful. We don't know what's happening to you."
The king adds, "We should consult the advisors, see if they know of any... curses or influences that could cause this."
Onyi nods slowly, his black eyes still seeming to absorb everything around him. "I'll... try to understand. But the darkness... it's strong."
After Onyi talks about the darkness calling him and struggling with his transformation with his black eyes, the queen suggests, "Perhaps Onyi should rest. We'll have him taken to a room to sleep, try to calm whatever is happening." But the king stood silent and walked away.
Amanda nods in agreement, concern for Onyi still evident. "Yes, that might help him."
Onyi doesn't resist as he's led to a quiet room in the palace to rest. He's helped to lie down, and Amanda stays with him for a while before deciding to let him sleep, hoping rest will help him cope with the changes.
In the middle of the night, Onyi starts having intense nightmares. He tosses and turns in his sleep, his black eyes moving rapidly beneath his closed lids. In his dreams, he's surrounded by shadows that twist into menacing forms. He dreams of losing control, of the darkness consuming him entirely.
Onyi wakes up abruptly in the dead of night, his breathing heavy, and his body tense with fear from the nightmares. The darkness in the room seems to press in on him.