Tenebris Renasci: A World of Magic and Gunpowder

While the effort to search for him was underway, Alexander sat in worried anticipation of what was to come.

His mind swirled with thoughts of panic and excitement. 

The idea that he could become far more powerful than he ever imagined was a tantalizing prospect, but the harsh pain that was to come in the following moments… terrified him.

Zara, who noticed Alexander's nervous state, offered him a warm embrace. She walked behind him, before wrapping her arms around his waist and pulling him against her chest. 

With Zara's small stature and slender frame, Alexander actually ended up laying his head over Zara's shoulders. 

Alexander was slightly confused by Zara's actions, his once previous leg bouncing was now replaced with a bewildered expression.

"Z-Zara?" Alexander stammered, "What are you…?"

"Comfort," she replied, cutting him off before he could finish, "it helps… calm the mind, especially before… bad time." She replied softly.

Alexander blinked blankly from a moment, still caught off guard by Zara's actions and words.

Comfort….

Alexander took a deep breath afterward, unsure if Zara's actions made him feel any better.

Sure, It was indeed comforting to feel Zara's warmth and presence behind his back, the sound of a strong and steady heartbeat that wasn't his own filled his ears. 

But comfort wasn't the initial problem, it was the wave of sharp pain that Alexander was worried about.

Malla, who quietly sat at the other end of the table, watched the interaction with a warm smile. "It warms my heart to see such care, it's almost as if Zara is your mother, Alexander." 

Alexander chuckled nervously, grateful for a distraction. 

"That's funny, I remember the demon chief saying something similar," Alexander replied as he reached his hands to hold Zara's arms. 

As his small and soft fingers wrapped against her warm and soft skin, Alexander felt a shiver 

Run down his spine.

"You know, I always felt that Zara had a motherly nature since she was a young imp running around the village with the other children." Malla said with a nod, "I remember many would tease that she would become a village matriarch, wife to the demon chief, and mother to many." She said with a warm chuckle.

Alexander felt a smile creep onto his lips, "really?" He asked, turning to look back at Zara.

Zara blushed as she closed her six eyes and burrowed the bottom half of her face into Alexander's back. "No." She replied, her voice muffled, "I am Zara… a scavenger, mother to none." She said, tightening her grasp around Alexander. 

Malla chuckled, "mother to one." She teased, pointing at Alexander.

Alexander's smile widened.

He hadn't given it much thought before, but Zara was indeed a mother-like figure for him throughout his entire time on the continent.

She was the one who found him, fixed him up, cared and stood up for him…

He knew she was doing it all for the simple reason of him being 'important'.

But he couldn't deny that without her, he'd have been dead by now.

"I… I guess you–" Alexander opened his mouth to speak, but was quickly silenced by a sharp and throbbing pain that emerged from his chest.

The pain swiftly began to spread throughout Alexander's body, as if a hundred needles were being pressed into his nerves. 

Alexander winced in pain, his body freezing up as he greeted his teeth in shock and agony. 

The pain grew increasingly unbearable, crawling through his arms and neck like a wildfire that burned hot.

And that was only the beginning, the pain continued growing in its intensity as each second passed.

"It's begun," Malla commented calmly, her eyes glued to the sight of the trembling Alexander, his veins pulsing on his neck and forehead as beads of sweat began to form. 

The white-hot pain began to swell, branching throughout Alexander's body.

It felt as though various points of his body were being tightly squeezed, pinched, and twisted. 

As sweat trickled down Alexander's forehead and dripped from his chin, he tightened his grasp on Zara's arms.

And in turn, she tightened and held him. "Stay strong." She encouraged, whispering into his ear, "You can… do it."

Alexander's grip tightened in response, his body trembling harder as the pain continued to evolve and grow.

"Gah!" A primal and painful roar began to emerge from the depths of Alexander's body, "I… I can't!" He shouted, "it… hurts!" His voice was strained, his words coming out between painful grunts. 

"Hold on Alexander." Malla said encouragingly, "The pain will pass, you're almost done."

Alexander barely registered her words through the overwhelming pain and his own grunts and withheld shouting. 

Every muscle fiber felt as if it was being squeezed and pulled, while his mind was clouded with agony and endless thoughts.

His breath began to grow ragged as he continued to sink deeper and deeper into the overwhelming sea of excruciating pain.

Alexander felt as if it would never end, yet as the process continued, something else began to stir deep within him. 

A faint pulse of something warm and powerful. 

It was completely foreign to Alexander, as he had never felt such a sensation in his life, such clear and vivid sense perception. 

As the sensation grew, the pain Alexander felt began to slowly numb and subside, while his mind began to grow ultra-focused. 

His heartbeat slowed, as the warmth began to spread to his limbs.  

The sensation smoothly transitioned within him, as if a dam had broken and water began to escape a once overfilled reservoir.

Alexander squeezed his eyes shut as the pain continued to dissipate, replaced by this newfound strength and energy. 

His body, once sluggish and heavy, now felt lighter and more agile. 

He felt stronger too, and with his clear state of mind, it almost felt as if he was floating.

Alexander's eyes snapped open, now glowing a more vivid gold than when he had previously closed them. 

Both Zara's and Malla's tails flickered with curiosity as Alexander stopped grunting and trembling in pain. 

Alexander looked up at Malla with a curious expression.

His glowing eyes now see her in a more vivid and crystal-clear detail. 

But it was just Malla, Alexander could now see everything in sharper detail. The dust particles floating in the air, the uneven texture of Malla's robe… everything.

And it wasn't just sight, all of Alexander's senses seemed to have grown sharper.

His hearing, smell, taste, and even touch.

Something was clearly different about Alexander and the world he inhabited.