Chapter 288 The Heartstone's Echo

• Ariella stood at the altar, the Heartstone before her, its glow bathing the chamber in an ethereal light. Her fingers tingled with the power radiating from it, and for a moment, the world outside seemed to fade away. The pulse of the stone resonated within her, filling the space with an energy that felt both familiar and foreign at the same time. It was as though it was calling to her, beckoning her to claim it, to wield its power.
• But as her hand moved closer, a cold voice echoed in her mind, a whisper carried on the wind.
• *Do you truly understand the weight of this choice, Ariella Valenwood?*