The air was still, heavy with the weight of the decision Amina had just made. She stood in the center of the tomb, surrounded by the remnants of her past choices, the echoes of the shadows that had once threatened to consume her. The earth beneath her feet no longer trembled, but the silence felt like a suffocating blanket, as if the world itself was waiting for her next move.
She didn't feel triumphant, nor did she feel free. There was no sense of victory, no sense of peace. What she had just chosen was something far more terrifying: the unknown. The future. The path where nothing was certain.
As she stood there, gathering her thoughts, she felt the shift within her. The magic, the power that had once felt like a threat, now hummed beneath her skin, not in anger, but in recognition. It was as though the very tomb—this place of death, of memories, of broken promises—was acknowledging her choice.
The shadows were gone. The figure that had once been her future self had faded into the depths, leaving only its words lingering in the air.
"You will face him. You will understand him. Only then will you decide whether to end him... or save him."
The thought of Valec—the beast, the monster—twisted in her chest. She had faced the truth of him, the darkness that had controlled his every action. But now, the truth of her own power weighed just as heavily on her. Could she really understand him? Could she truly be the one to change him, or would she be drawn into the same madness that had consumed him?
Amina stepped forward, her mind racing. She didn't know how to begin. The task before her seemed impossible. But there was no turning back. She had chosen this path, this uncertain road that would lead her to Valec and whatever awaited them both at the end.
Suddenly, the silence was broken by a distant rumble, a low growl that sent a chill down her spine. It was not the growl of the beast—no, this was something different. It was a warning, an omen of what was to come.
Amina's eyes flickered to the entrance of the tomb, where the once-glowing sigils had begun to fade, their light dimming like a dying star. A sense of urgency pressed upon her chest, and she knew—deep in her bones—that time was running out.
Valec was stirring.
Without hesitation, Amina turned and strode toward the exit. Her thoughts were a whirlwind, a mix of fear, determination, and the terrifying weight of her decision. What had she gotten herself into? What was she truly capable of?
But even as doubt crept into her mind, another feeling emerged—one of clarity. Amina had always felt like a pawn in someone else's game, pushed around by the currents of fate. But now, for the first time, she felt like the one holding the pieces.
The tomb doors creaked open, and she stepped into the cold, barren landscape outside. The sky was painted with streaks of orange and purple, the setting sun casting long shadows across the land. But it wasn't the beauty of the scene that caught her attention—it was the faint flicker of flame in the distance.
It was Valec. His presence was unmistakable, radiating a terrifying power that sent a shiver down her spine.
She didn't know how far he was or how much time she had left. But she knew one thing: she had to find him before it was too late.
With a deep breath, Amina set off toward the flickering flames in the distance, her resolve hardening with every step. She wasn't just walking into the unknown anymore—she was walking toward her destiny.