The silence that followed Tarin's words was heavy, thick with the unspoken fears that weighed on everyone's hearts. Elara stood before the gathered villagers, her hands clenched at her sides as she fought to maintain her composure. She had known this moment would come, had felt it building with every glance, every whisper. But now that it was here, the reality of it hit her harder than she'd expected.
They were afraid of her.
"Elara," Tarin's voice was quieter now, almost pleading. "We trust you. We do. But the artifact... it's too powerful. We've seen what it can do, and we can't risk losing everything we've rebuilt."
Elara glanced at Kael, who stood at her side, his expression tight with frustration. He had been her rock through all of this, standing by her even when she doubted herself. But now, she could see the worry in his eyes too—the same worry that echoed in the faces of the villagers. They weren't just afraid of the artifact; they were afraid of her.
"I understand your fear," Elara said slowly, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside her. "The artifact is dangerous. I know that. But it's also the only thing standing between us and the ancient ones. Without it, we wouldn't have survived."
Tarin nodded, but there was a flicker of doubt in his eyes. "But what if the next time, it's not the ancient ones who suffer? What if the power turns on us?"
Elara's breath caught in her throat. She had asked herself the same question countless times since the battle. Every time she used the artifact, it pulled her deeper into its magic, deeper into something she didn't fully understand. And while she had been able to control it so far, she wasn't sure how much longer she could keep the balance.
Kael stepped forward, his voice firm. "Elara has fought for this village since the beginning. She's saved us more times than we can count. We need to trust her, now more than ever."
There was a murmur of agreement from some of the villagers, but the unease lingered, thick and heavy. Elara could feel the tension growing, and she knew that words wouldn't be enough to quell their fears. Not this time.
"I won't lie to you," Elara said, her voice stronger now. "The artifact is changing me. I can feel it. But I'm not going to let it consume me. I'll find a way to control it, to stop it from becoming a danger. But I need time."
Tarin's eyes narrowed, but he didn't argue. "And if you can't control it? What then?"
Elara met his gaze, her heart heavy. "Then I'll leave."
The words hung in the air, a promise that both terrified and reassured the villagers. Elara knew the risk she was taking, knew that by offering to leave, she was admitting that she might not be strong enough to handle the artifact's power. But she also knew that she couldn't stay here if it meant putting the people she cared about in danger.
"I'm going to find answers," she continued, her voice steady. "I'm going to find out where this artifact came from, and how to stop its power from growing. But if I can't... I'll leave. I won't let it hurt you."
---
The council meeting ended in uneasy agreement. The villagers dispersed, returning to their homes with a mix of relief and lingering fear. Kael stayed close to Elara as they walked through the village, his expression troubled.
"You didn't have to say that," Kael muttered, his brow furrowed. "You didn't have to offer to leave."
Elara sighed, her shoulders slumping with exhaustion. "I did. They need to know that I'm not a threat. That I won't let the artifact take control."
Kael's jaw tightened. "And what about you? What about the fact that you're the only thing standing between them and the ancient ones? If you leave, they'll be defenseless."
Elara stopped, turning to face him, her eyes filled with both determination and uncertainty. "I don't want to leave. But I won't put them in danger. If I can't control this... I'll have no choice."
Kael's gaze softened, but there was still a flicker of frustration in his eyes. "We'll find a way, Elara. We always do."
Elara wanted to believe him, wanted to believe that they could find a solution before the artifact's power consumed her. But deep down, she knew that the road ahead was more dangerous than anything they had faced before.
"I have to find out where the artifact came from," she said quietly. "That's the only way to stop this."
Kael frowned. "And how do we do that?"
Elara's gaze drifted toward the mountains in the distance, the same mountains where the ancient ones had once ruled, where the artifact's magic had first taken root.
"We go to the source," she said softly. "We go to where it all began."