I made a dark bargain.

I found a obsidian blade and picked it up and a dark haired lady in a long flowing green ballroom dress appeared.

"Hello. My name is Lucinin. I can unlock your true potential if you want to make a bargain. Are you interested?"

She held out her hand.

I wish I could tell you there was trepidation. I wish I could tell you I thought carefully. But I didn't. I already knew that I didn't like myself or my current situation and really any change had to be an improvement.

I took her hand.

She picked up the obsidian blade and drove it into my chest. There was a sound like glass cracking, or crunching eggshells, or reality splintering. The blade was gone.

I looked at her.

“I don’t feel any different.”
“You will.”

I looked at me.
“I don’t look any different.”
“You will.”

“How will I know?”
“When you see me in the mirror and not in your mind.”
“How long will it take?”
“The time that is needed and appropriate for you.”

“Will other people be able to tell?”
“Yes. Most will notice before you will. They will tell you but you won’t believe them.”
“I’ll believe them.”
She looks at me sadly.
“No you won’t. But try anyways.”

“When will it be done?”
“When you no longer think about that question.”

And then she was gone.