Dark Resolve (2)

The room was heavy with the silence that followed Aaron's chilling question. The men lay incapacitated, their fear palpable, their fate uncertain. Aaron's gaze remained cold and unyielding as he absorbed the weight of Carlos's confessions. Each revelation of crime, each stuttered plea, only solidified Aaron's resolve.

As the men began to express their fears more openly, their voices trembling and filled with desperation, Aaron felt a strange sensation ripple through him. A tingle of energy prickled at his skin, making him pause in his contemplation. The fear emanating from the men seemed to be affecting the environment around him, and Aaron's senses sharpened.

Intrigued, Aaron focused on the sensation. He extended his awareness, sensing the subtle shift in the atmosphere. To his surprise, he noticed an increase in the cursed energy present in the room. It seemed to be gathering and coalescing, drawn in by the negative emotions of the men. Aaron instinctively began to passively absorb this surge of energy, feeling it flow into him, enhancing his awareness and strength.

The realization hit him like a revelation. Cursed energy was indeed linked to negative emotions, and the more intense the fear, the more potent the energy. This insight brought a new smile to Aaron's face—a smile that was as much about discovery as it was about the power it offered.

"Negative emotions trigger the flow of cursed energy," Aaron thought, a sense of excitement bubbling up within him. "The more intense the negativity, the purer the energy."

The concept fascinated him. He had always sought freedom and power, and now he understood that he could harness the very essence of fear and despair to fuel his abilities. It was a dark source of energy, but it was also a powerful one, and Aaron found himself eagerly contemplating the possibilities it presented.

Aaron's grin widened as he considered the implications. This new source of energy, born from the very fears and suffering of others, could be a key to mastering his powers. It was an unsettling realization, but one that made him feel more in control than ever before.

He looked around the room, the shadows of his resolve deepening. The men's fears had provided him with a new understanding of his abilities, and he was ready to use this knowledge to further his goals. The path ahead was dark and filled with uncertainty, but Aaron was now equipped with a deeper knowledge of the forces at play.

With a newfound sense of purpose, Aaron prepared to move forward. The energy of the room, the fear of the men, and his own growing power were all intertwined in a complex dance that he was beginning to master. He knew that he would need to stay vigilant, to keep honing his abilities, but for now, he allowed himself a moment of satisfaction.

The room was cloaked in an oppressive silence, disturbed only by Aaron's steady breathing. The men around him, incapacitated and full of dread, formed a stark contrast to the calm control Aaron exuded. He approached the sleeping man with a sense of cold determination, ready to test the limits of his new abilities.

Aaron crouched next to the man still deep in slumber. This was no ordinary sleep; the man was vulnerable and completely at the mercy of Aaron's commands. With a firm grip on his resolve, Aaron prepared for the test that would push the moral boundaries of his power.

His mind raced with anticipation. "How much energy will it take to enforce an unnatural movement?" Aaron wondered. This was more than a test—it was a step toward mastering his capabilities and breaking free from the constraints that once held him back.

Aaron placed a hand on the man's back, feeling the rhythmic rise and fall of his breath. Concentrating, he visualized the effect he wanted to achieve. "Bend," he commanded softly, his voice carrying an unsettling calm. He intended for the man's back to bend in the opposite direction of its natural curve, an unnatural and excruciating movement.

The man's eyes shot open, fear quickly replacing confusion as he realized what was happening. His eyes were wide and pleading, darting around in panic as he tried to make sense of his predicament. The terror in his gaze was unmistakable, his unspoken plea for mercy clear. 'Why is this happening? Why can't I stop it?' His mind screamed as his body began to contort, but no sound escaped his sealed mouth. He was trapped in a nightmare, unable to control his agonizing movements.

Aaron watched with a cold detachment. The sight of the man's body bending painfully confirmed his control. The man's eyes, full of terror and desperation, did nothing to deter Aaron. Instead, they only reinforced his resolve, moving beyond the constraints of his previous life.

The two remaining men watched in horror, their faces pale as they took in the scene. Their own fear escalated with each moment, their eyes locked on the contorted form of their comrade. The man's begging eyes and silent screams made their dread more acute.

The room's atmosphere was heavy with dread. The man's back continued to bend until a sickening crunch echoed through the room. His bones snapped, and his body fell limp, collapsing into a lifeless heap.

The mood in the room was thick with fear. The remaining men were visibly shaking, realizing the extent of the power Aaron held.

Aaron stood up, his face expressionless as he looked over the scene. The test had shown his abilities were beyond what he had known before. With this knowledge, he turned away, ready to face what came next with a chilling confidence.

Aaron took a moment to sense the increase in cursed energy around him. The air felt charged, and he could almost taste the heightened presence of CE. He hummed softly, feeling the power resonate through him. As he observed his dry tongue and stressed vocal cords, he realized that using his abilities took a significant toll. It was evident that while he had made strides, mastering these powers would require time and development.

His thoughts turned inward.' Even though I have this power, I can't just go on a mindless killing spree,' he mused.' I need to be stronger like a certain skilled chef in his kitchen.

Determined to further understand his capabilities, Aaron decided to test the extent of his commands. He walked over to the two men who were still paralyzed and in agony, their bodies twitching and convulsing. He picked up the gun from the floor and placed it in one of their hands.

With a focus on his intention, he commanded, "Shoot," without triggering the gun himself.

To his satisfaction, the gun fired, sending a bullet into the side of one of the men. The shot caused the man to flinch, his body jerking in response to the pain. The scream he tried to let out was muffled by his inability to speak, amplifying his suffering.

Aaron observed the scene with a critical eye. The man's pain and the effect of the command confirmed his suspicion—he needed better control to manipulate inanimate objects which act on a distance effectively. The precision required was more challenging than he anticipated.

Undeterred, Aaron moved to the men's side and issued his next command. "Break," directing the intention to shatter a specific bone. The result was immediate: the bone closest to his voice cracked loudly. Aaron noted the reaction with keen interest, watching as the man's body convulsed in fresh waves of pain. 

'Hmmm this needs more tests', he thought as he started his commands.....

Half an hour later.... the room was filled with smell of iron as blood was continued to flow from the men who were now on the verge of death but still conscious, convulsing and foaming thinking what they had done to deserve this.

Aaron continued testing his commands with various intentions, experimenting with different levels of control and power. Each command brought new insights into the extent of his abilities. The room was filled with the sounds of pain and the smell of fear as the two men writhed and foamed, their bodies showing the toll of Aaron's experiments.

As he finished his testing, a satisfied smile crept across Aaron's face. The results had been illuminating, and the process had deepened his understanding of his powers. Despite the grim scene before him, he felt a surge of accomplishment. He was no longer just a spectator to his abilities—he was mastering them, one command at a time.

Aaron glanced at the clock on the wall and was startled to realize that he had been in the building for two hours. The room was now a grim testament to his testing—evidence of his power and the pain inflicted lay scattered around him. He needed to act quickly to cover his tracks and avoid drawing unwanted attention.

His first priority was to erase any evidence of the violent testing. Unable to use cursed energy to reverse the damage at this point, Aaron had to rely on a different approach. He quickly grabbed the broken furniture and debris, piling it strategically to obscure the bloodstains and signs of struggle. The aim was to make the scene look less suspicious, as if the chaos had been caused by something other than his experimentation.

Next, he moved to cover the more detailed signs of violence. Using available materials like old cloths and scraps from the abandoned building, he wiped away blood and cleaned up any remaining mess. Aaron worked efficiently, his movements precise and deliberate. He couldn't afford to miss any detail.

After covering the obvious signs of violence, Aaron took a moment to make sure there were no traces of his presence left. He used some leftover cleaning supplies and old rags to scrub any remaining bloodstains from the floor and walls, making the area appear less conspicuous.

With everything appearing more or less in order, he decided to make sure there were no lingering traces of his presence. He took a final sweep of the area, checking for any overlooked details. Once satisfied, Aaron quietly exited the building.

As he left, Aaron couldn't help but feel a mix of satisfaction and urgency. The testing had given him valuable insights into his powers, but it was crucial to move quickly and not linger. The last two hours had been intense, and he needed to ensure that he was ready for whatever came next.

Walking away from the scene, Aaron's thoughts were already on his next steps. The experiments had shown him the potential and limitations of his abilities, but he knew he had to stay cautious. The day was bright and hopeful, a stark contrast to the chaos he had just left behind.