>>5501637[As Varek clenched his teeth and closed his eyes, his body began to glow with a bright light.]
Soon, his whole body was glowing white-hot with a brilliant aura. His clothes burst apart in a shower of sparks as he rose into the air and floated gently down to the floor.
Taryn stared in amazement as the light emanating from Varek's body increased in intensity. The color shifted from white to yellow, then red, and finally violet, like an enormous star filling the room. By the time the light reached its peak, Varek's entire body had become translucent and luminous, making him appear almost transparent.
In the next instant, the light exploded outward in a massive blast of energy that tore through the cottage walls. Shards of wood flew everywhere as the building collapsed into rubble. Varek's body shuddered violently as the wave of energy washed over him. His skin rippled and stretched as if being torn apart.
"NO!" Taryn screamed as the world around her dissolved into chaos.
All that remained of the cottage was a pile of smoking debris and broken furniture scattered across the ground. Taryn herself vanished instantly, leaving nothing but a trail of smoke and ash in the wake of her departure.
Varek drifted silently to the ground and crumpled to his knees. He looked down at his body and winced in pain. His stomach had completely healed, and yet the wound was still fresh enough to hurt him terribly whenever he moved.
Slowly, he got to his feet and gazed around at the devastation that had been caused by his own explosion of magic. Everything was gone – the cottage, the flowers, even Taryn. Nothing but scorched grass and a few stray pieces of wood remained.
What had happened? How had he done this?
Suddenly, Varek remembered his conversation with the man named Gideon. He'd spoken to him back in the village, telling the man about the strange visions he sometimes experienced. At first, Gideon had scoffed at Varek's story, saying that such things weren't possible. But then, after hearing the details, he had changed his tune.
"You've been blessed," the wizard had announced proudly. "This is what happens when one becomes a true servant of the gods."
Varek had paid little attention to the old man's words, but just a day later the villagers had tried to burn him alive. They claimed that he was a demon sent from Hell itself, and that only a holy sacrifice would save them from certain doom.
Was it possible that the old man was behind all of this? Had Gideon cursed him? Was it his fault that the villagers and the girl with the knife wanted him dead so badly?
If only he could talk to Gideon again. But that would mean going back to that awful place. Back to that terrible village filled with cruel people who hated him for no reason.
How could he go back there now?
>What next?(NOTE: Taking a break for the night. I’ll try to figure out when to do more updates)
