The serpentine woman's agreement hung in the air, a chilling pact sealed in the heart of the shadowed forest. Isla, her heart pounding, began to speak, revealing carefully chosen fragments of Elara's power, the intricate workings of the amulet, and the subtle energies that flowed through the land.
She spoke of light and shadow, of balance and corruption, of the ancient magic that shaped their world.
The woman listened intently, her golden eyes gleaming with avarice. She absorbed every word, her serpentine form shifting with a restless energy.
Kai, his breathing shallow, remained unconscious, his fate hanging in the balance.
Isla, though reciting the information, held back the most vital secrets, the core of
Elara's power, the true nature of the amulet's light.
She offered enough to satisfy the woman's immediate hunger, but not enough to give her complete control.
As she spoke, she felt a subtle shift in the woman's energy, a growing impatience, a hunger for more. The woman's desire for power was insatiable, a dark abyss that could never be filled.
Isla knew that she was walking a dangerous tightrope, balancing the need to save Kai with the risk of unleashing an even greater darkness upon the world.
The price of knowledge, she realized, was a heavy burden to bear.