"You're asking me to turn back?" Vardy finally said, lifting his gaze to meet hers. His voice was calm, as though the uncertainty she felt didn't touch him at all.
Selene didn't answer immediately. Her fingers fidgeted with the edge of her cloak, and her lips pressed into a thin line.
"I'm not asking you to turn back," she said finally, her voice quiet, almost hesitant. "I'm telling you that it's not worth it. The island will change you. I've seen it happen before. It twists your mind. It breaks you, Vardy. Even if you survive, you might never come back the same."
Vardy didn't speak for a long moment, his mind grappling with her words. He understood the weight of what she was saying.
But Vardy wasn't like the others who had failed before him. He had trained for years, honed his skills, and built his resolve. No mist, no curse, no twisted vision of the island's horrors would stop him from reaching his goal.
