Even if it meant facing the darkness within myself.
The weight of the crystal in my pocket seemed to grow heavier with each passing second, as though it sensed the uncertainty in me. The air in the clearing felt charged, thick with tension, and even the faint rustling of the trees did little to calm the storm brewing in my chest. I tried to focus on Zara's instructions, but my mind kept drifting to the unknown that lay ahead, to the risks that loomed like shadows, waiting to consume me.
"We'll need to draw a circle," Zara was saying, gesturing to the ground. "A protective ward to keep the entity at bay while we work. This ritual is delicate, and any disruption could make things… worse."
"Worse?" Raven's voice cut through the tension, sharp and filled with disbelief. "How could it get any worse than Jade losing herself to the crystal? Or the entity taking over completely?"
