The Gift of Nature

Inside his mother's room, Xander stood with a serious expression on his face. "Mom, I remembered that you have a piece of rocky land not far from here, part of the Stein family's property," he said, searching his mother's eyes for a reaction. She looked back at him calmly and nodded.

"Yes, I do. It's part of the land that was granted to me by my Stein family. Do you need it for something?" This time she looked him straight in the eyes so that he wouldn't lie to her.

"Umm, I, I actually wanted to plant some herbs there that I couldn't in our garden. Dorian said it was impossible and other plants could die..."

"Today with him, I made a healing paste. I was planning to test it today as well!" Xander suddenly took out a small knife and made a little cut on his finger, wincing slightly at the pain. He then applied the paste to the wound and showed it to his mother.

His mother watched with amazement as the wound began to close up and the pain seemed to subside. "Remarkable, Xander! How did you create such a powerful paste?"

"Talent!" - He said calmly, feeling proud of his work.

"You can do whatever you want on the land then, have fun!" His mom smiled and Xander left the room feeling happy.

Feeling that he had recovered most of his strength, Xander still used his cane, which doubled as a wand. As he left the room, he realized that he had to do something about the sinister voice that had been haunting him for weeks. It urged him to make harmful choices, and he couldn't let it gain control over him.

As he walked through the castle corridors, he heard the voice again, whispering in his ear. "You made the right choice, Xander. The plants you're going to plant will be useful in the future. Trust me." It was a soothing voice, but there was something sinister about it. Xander knew he couldn't trust it.

He made his way to the stables, where his horse was waiting for him. As he mounted the horse, he noticed that Dorian was nearby, tending to the other horses.

"Dorian, I need you to come with me," Xander said, his tone brooking no argument.

"Of course, young master," Dorian replied, falling into step beside him.

As they rode towards the rocky land, Xander observed the landscape carefully, taking note of the best spots for planting. Dorian followed behind, watching him silently.

"Dorian," Xander said suddenly, turning to face him. "I need you to swear loyalty to me."

"Of course, young master," Dorian said, bowing his head.

"I mean it, Dorian. I need you to swear that you won't speak of what we're doing here to anyone. If you go against me, you will face consequences," Xander said, his voice cold and hard.

"I understand, young master," Dorian replied, looking slightly apprehensive.

Xander could sense the fear in Dorian, but he knew it was necessary. He couldn't afford to have anyone betray him, not now, not when he was so close to realizing his goals.

"Good. Now let's get to work," Xander said, turning back to the land and the task at hand.

The rocky land was barren and inhospitable, but Xander was determined to make it work. As the sun began to set, they planted the seeds. Afterward, Xander used the healing paste on a small wound on his hand. Within minutes, the wound closed, and the pain subsided.

Dorian looked at Xander with surprise. "Young master, this is amazing! How did you create such a powerful paste?"

"Talent!" Xander replied calmly, feeling proud of his work.

However, Dorian noticed the dangerous plants Xander had brought with him. "Master Xander, you cannot plant these plants here. They are dangerous and can be deadly."

"I know they are dangerous, but I need them for a potion I'm making," Xander responded, his expression unwavering.

Dorian shook his head. "I'm sorry, Master Xander. I cannot let you plant these plants. They are too dangerous."

Xander's expression darkened. "You will do as I say, Dorian. I am the master here, and you are my servant. You will plant these plants, or else."

Dorian hesitated for a moment but then decided to comply with Xander's demand. As he started planting the dangerous plants, he heard the sinister voice whispering in his ear. "You made the right choice, Dorian. You are doing the right thing."

Dorian nodded and quickly left the land, feeling uneasy and disturbed.

Xander, on the other hand, was pleased. He knew the plants he had planted were dangerous, but he needed them for his experiments. He couldn't let anyone stand in his way. He would do whatever it took to achieve his goals.

As the sun set over the rocky land, Xander felt the presence of the evil voice growing stronger. It was almost as if it was trying to take control of his mind. Xander shook his head and tried to focus on the task at hand.

The air was filled with the scent of earth and nature, and despite the rugged terrain and dry soil, Xander was determined to make it work. With the seeds planted and the healing paste tested, he felt a sense of accomplishment.

But as he turned to leave, he couldn't help but feel a lingering doubt, a battle within himself between the desire for power and the need to do what was right. He knew that he would have to confront the sinister voice within him soon, or risk being consumed by the darkness it represented.