The Artifact’s Grip
The artifact pulsed with a rhythm that felt alive, its whispers a constant murmur in the back of Lyra’s mind. She sat cross-legged on the floor of the cavern, her hands trembling as she held the jagged crystal. Its energy coursed through her, electric and overwhelming.
“Focus,” Eira commanded from across the room. Her voice was cold and sharp, cutting through the haze of the artifact’s influence. “You’ll never master it if you let it control you.”
Lyra closed her eyes, trying to steady her breathing, but the whispers only grew louder, their words a chaotic blend of commands and promises. The artifact seemed to burrow into her thoughts, feeding on her doubts, her fears, her anger.
Eryon, standing nearby, watched with a mix of fascination and concern. Unlike Lyra, he seemed to thrive under the artifact’s influence. His movements were more confident, his amber eyes blazing with newfound determination.
“It’s not so hard,” Eryon said, his tone almost dismissive. “You just have to stop fighting it.”
Lyra shot him a glare, her silver eyes flashing. “That’s easy for you to say. It’s not tearing you apart.”
Eira stepped between them, her gaze piercing. “Enough,” she said curtly. “The artifact responds differently to each of you because it knows your strengths and weaknesses. Lyra, you doubt yourself. That’s why it pushes harder.”
Lyra bit her lip, her frustration boiling over. “What if I can’t do this?”
“You can,” Eira said firmly. “You must. Power comes at a price, and you’ve only just begun to pay it.”
Eryon smirked faintly, his confidence growing with every passing moment. “It’s worth it,” he said. “This power—it’s everything we need to win.”
Lyra’s hands tightened around the artifact, her thoughts a swirling storm of uncertainty. The whispers grew louder, more insistent, until a single phrase emerged above the chaos: “Trust no one.”
She glanced at Eira, her doubts deepening as the woman’s calculating gaze lingered on her. The artifact pulsed again, and Lyra felt its influence sink deeper into her mind.
Eryon stepped forward, his voice cutting through her thoughts. “We don’t have time for hesitation, Lyra. Either we use this, or we lose everything.”
Lyra’s gaze flickered between Eryon and the artifact, the weight of her decision pressing down on her. The whispers didn’t stop, their relentless chant echoing in her ears as she tried to make sense of it all.
