After he went to sleep, several shadows moved above Sartor's bed. His right eye noticed the opening of a red eye in the largest shadow, before a voice came out as if from the depths of hell:
"The time has come. According to the teachings, I will absorb your curse so that you can control your blessings."
There was a small shadow with a blue eye on the side, from which a sound came, like broken glass scraping:
"¿¤&*%&?"
The large shadow showed no anger toward the small shadow before replying:
"The boy will die if he does not learn to control the curse using his blessings. But I will make him feel terror when he reaches the age of eighteen. That is my pact with the Taklahouti."
After the shadows did what they came for, they vanished.
Sartor began to toss and turn in his bed, then sat up, sweating, unable to remember. But a strange glint passed through his dull right eye before it vanished.
He grabbed his ear to calm himself, then went to the bathroom. When he returned, he forgot the worry and fell asleep peacefully.