forward

As I stepped forward, I could feel the intensity of the crystal's power surging within me, humming through my veins like liquid fire. The weight of it was exhilarating and terrifying in equal measure. The entity loomed before me, its shadowy tendrils pulsing with dark energy, seeming to expand and contract as if breathing. This was no ordinary foe—it was a being of pure malevolence, and every instinct in my body screamed that it wanted to consume me.

Raven's voice called to me again, sharper this time, slicing through the haze of power that threatened to overtake me. "Jade! Don't do this alone!"

But I barely heard her. My focus had narrowed to the entity before me, my mind filled with the low, insidious whispers of the crystal. It promised victory, power, control—but at what cost? I pushed the thought away. There was no time to contemplate the price. We had to win, and this was our only chance.