Chapter 296 The Weight Of Destiny

• The hours in the cave stretched on, each moment like a fleeting heartbeat in the stillness of the night. Ariella sat, her fingers still wrapped around the Heartstone, her mind caught in the delicate balance between its power and the haunting whispers that it fed her. The magic had been an ally, a source of strength, but now it seemed to be slipping away from her grasp, pulling her into a deeper, darker space.
• She could feel the weight of the Heartstone pressing against her chest, its pulse quickening, as if sensing her doubts. Despite her earlier attempts at control, she still didn’t fully understand its true nature. The warning, however, had left a gnawing unease in her heart.
• *You are not ready...*