The world seemed to shudder, the ground trembling as the shard pulsed in Mary's hand. She had claimed it, taken the weapon, and in doing so, felt its overwhelming power surge through her. It was as if the very essence of the Shardlands had fused with her, unlocking something deep within her that had remained dormant. Every fiber of her being screamed with raw, untamed energy. It was too much.
For a moment, everything went white. There were no walls, no floor, no ceiling. Just a vast expanse of blinding light and an overwhelming sensation of weightlessness. She was floating, suspended in time and space. The power of the shard hummed in her veins like an electric current, a fire that burned hotter with each passing second.
And then, slowly, it began to subside.
Mary blinked, her vision clearing as the light faded. She found herself back in the cavern, the altar looming before her, and the dark, twisting tendrils of magic dissipating into nothingness. Her body felt... different. Stronger. More alive than ever before. But something else was there, too. A gnawing hunger. An emptiness she couldn't place.
She glanced at her companions. Lela stood frozen, her eyes wide with shock and concern, while Loosie was on her knees, her face pale. They had witnessed what had happened—what she had done—but they hadn't understood. They couldn't.
Mary's heart pounded in her chest as she examined her surroundings. The air felt thick, almost oppressive, as if the very room was watching her, waiting for her to make a move. And yet, there was no sound. The silence was absolute.
"You did it," Lela said finally, her voice barely above a whisper. "You took it. The weapon."
Mary nodded, her throat dry. "I didn't have a choice."
Lela frowned. "But… do you understand what this means?"
Mary didn't have an answer for her. She didn't know what it meant, not really. She could feel the power, the undeniable force of it, thrumming within her. But she couldn't control it. Not yet. The hunger, that insatiable need gnawed at her insides, and she knew deep down that this wasn't just a weapon—it was something more. Something darker.
The ground trembled again, but this time it was different. It wasn't just the Shardlands shaking—it was the room itself, as if the very walls of the cavern were responding to the power Mary now wielded.
"You must leave," a voice echoed through the chamber, its tone ancient and full of sorrow. It was the Sleepless Kin. "You have taken what you came for, but there is no place for you here now."
Mary turned toward the voice, but there was no figure in sight. The Kin was gone. The room was empty, save for her and her companions.
"Leave?" Loosie repeated, looking around in confusion. "Where are we supposed to go?"
"Back," Mary said, her voice heavy. She turned and looked toward the exit, the long staircase they had descended now visible once again. "Back to where we came from."
Lela looked hesitant, but Mary could see the determination in her eyes. They had come this far, and there was no turning back now. The journey was far from over. They had to press on.
Together, they began the long trek back up the staircase, their footsteps echoing in the silence as they climbed. The energy in the air still hummed, a constant reminder of the power Mary now held. But there was something else, too—something darker. A coldness in her chest, a feeling of emptiness that had nothing to do with the chasm they had just escaped.
"You okay?" Loosie asked, her voice small as she walked beside Mary. "You look... different."
Mary didn't answer right away. She didn't know how to explain it. Her mind was still reeling from what had just happened. The shard had chosen her, but at what cost? She could feel its weight, its power, pressing down on her.
"I'm fine," Mary finally said, though the words felt hollow even to her own ears.
They reached the top of the staircase, and as they stepped back into the open air, the harsh wind greeted them, sharp and biting. The world had not changed, but Mary had. She could feel it in every step, in every breath she took. The power of the Shardlands was now a part of her, and she didn't know if she would ever be able to escape it.
As they made their way back toward the camp, Mary's thoughts turned inward. What had she truly gained from this? The weapon? Or something else? The hunger inside her grew stronger with each passing moment, a dark craving she couldn't suppress.
But as they reached the edge of the camp, something caught her eye.
A figure stood at the entrance, watching them.
It was a woman—tall, with long dark hair that cascaded down her back in waves. Her eyes were cold and calculating, a strange glint in them that Mary couldn't quite place. The woman was dressed in black armor, the design intricate and foreign, with markings Mary didn't recognize.
"Mary," the woman said, her voice low and smooth. "I've been waiting for you."
The words hit Mary like a shockwave, sending a ripple of unease through her. She didn't know this woman. And yet, there was something familiar about her, something that tugged at the edges of Mary's memory, like a dream she couldn't quite remember.
"Who are you?" Mary demanded, her voice tense as she instinctively reached for the weapon at her side.
The woman's lips curled into a slight smile. "You don't remember me? How unfortunate."
Before Mary could react, the woman stepped forward, her presence overwhelming, her eyes locked on Mary's with a piercing intensity.
"I am the one who has been waiting for you to awaken," she said, her voice almost hypnotic. "And now that you have, I have a proposition for you."
Mary's grip tightened on the weapon. The air between them crackled with an electric tension, as if the world itself was holding its breath.
"I don't make deals with strangers," Mary said, her voice sharp.
The woman's smile widened. "Perhaps. But this is no ordinary deal. This is the beginning of something much, much bigger than you can imagine."
Mary's heart pounded in her chest as she studied the woman. Something about her—something about her presence—felt like a threat. Like a shadow that had been watching, waiting for the right moment to strike.
"I don't need anything from you," Mary said firmly, her voice carrying the weight of her decision.
The woman's smile faltered for a moment, but only for a split second. Then, with a soft chuckle, she turned and began to walk away.
"Very well," she called over her shoulder. "But remember, Mary, everything has a price. And sooner or later, you will come to understand just how much yours truly costs."
With that, she vanished into the darkness of the night.
Mary stood frozen, her mind racing. Who was she? And what did she want with her?
But before she could process it further, Lela's voice broke through her thoughts.
"Mary, are you okay?" Lela asked, her voice full of concern. "What just happened?"
Mary took a deep breath, the hunger inside her growing louder with every passing second.
"We need to get moving," Mary said, her voice steady. "There's more to this than we realize."
As they gathered their things and prepared to leave, Mary couldn't shake the feeling that something—someone—was watching them. And that this was only the beginning.