Seth stared at the writhing parasite within the core, its black tendrils pulsing with malevolence.
A faint, almost imperceptible hum emanated from it, as though it were alive, waiting, watching.
"So I'm supposed to dominate that?" Seth said, his voice flat, masking the churn of unease in his gut.
Zera's face betrayed nothing, but her silence spoke volumes.
Seth clenched his fists, feeling the dull ache in his darkened palm, a reminder of the parasite's creeping influence.
"No barriers. No shields. No tricks. Just me."
Zera's eyes calm.
[Seth, this isn't a mere opponent you can fight with brute force. It's a curse, a manifestation of something far older than you can comprehend and...]
"I've heard enough." Seth cut her off calmly as well, his voice steady.
"I'm done letting it chip away at me, piece by piece, and then we wait until the seal on myself fails? The what, I'll remain human in a magical world because I can't tame a parasite? Why must everyone try to control me?"
