Chapter 117: The Ancestor’s Offer

I stood in the darkness, Anara’s warning echoing in my ears. The Shadow Stone pulsed against my chest, its energy a constant reminder of the power I was struggling to control.

I clenched my fists, the weight of the decision bearing down on me like a thousand tons.

“You must find the balance, Sera,” Anara’s voice whispered in my mind, even as her form faded into nothingness. “Trust in yourself, and you will find a way.”

But how could I trust myself when the visions had shown me a future I didn’t want to face? How could I believe I wouldn’t become the very thing I feared if I continued to wield this power?

A faint glow appeared in the darkness, and Anara’s form re-emerged, more solid and vivid this time, her eyes fixed on mine with a look of determination.

“Sera,” she said, her voice stronger now, “there is another way. A way to control the artifact, to harness its power without losing yourself.”

I took a shaky breath, my heart pounding in my chest. “How? What do I have to do?”

Anara s