The air in the chamber grew thick with tension as the Keeper's words settled over the group like a suffocating blanket. The flickering runes on the walls cast eerie shadows across the room, and the dim light barely illuminated their faces. Edward, Lyssa, and Aran stood motionless, trying to comprehend the magnitude of what had just been revealed.
"That's it, then?" Lyssa's voice was sharp, disbelief woven into every word. "One of us has to sacrifice ourselves? And not just die—but live as a prison for the Heart? Forever?"
The Keeper of Truth did not flinch, their expression unreadable beneath the hood. "It is the only way to ensure the Heart does not fall into the wrong hands again. Its power cannot be tamed, only contained. To do otherwise would risk the end of all that you know."
Aran, normally lighthearted and full of banter, was silent for once. He stared at the stone floor, his fists clenched at his sides. He wasn't the sort to back away from a fight, but this... this wasn't something he could punch his way out of. His throat felt dry, and when he finally spoke, his voice was barely above a whisper. "There has to be another way. We've been through hell to get here. You can't expect us to just... choose who dies."
The Keeper's gaze swept over them, emotionless, almost detached. "It is not a choice of death, young one. It is a choice of burden. The vessel will live, but their life will not be their own. They will become the Heart's guardian, bound to it for eternity. A heavy price, yes—but a necessary one."
Edward's mind raced, thoughts tumbling over each other in a chaotic whirl. The Keeper's words hammered in his ears, drowning out the murmurs of the Heart, which had grown steadily louder since entering the sanctuary. Its presence was an oppressive weight, a constant reminder of the danger that lurked within it.
Lyssa stepped forward, her hand gripping the hilt of her sword so tightly her knuckles turned white. "You're saying we just give up our lives to hold this thing? That's no choice at all. There has to be another option—something, anything, that doesn't involve condemning one of us to... to that."
The Keeper was silent for a long moment, as though weighing her words. Then, finally, they spoke, their tone measured but firm. "In the history of this world and others, there have been many who thought they could find another way. All failed. The Heart's power is absolute. It twists and corrupts everything it touches, and those who seek to wield it for themselves are doomed to be consumed by it. What you face is not a force of magic or will. It is an ancient hunger, a void that seeks only to devour."
Edward felt the weight of those words as if a stone had settled in his chest. He had known from the beginning that the Heart was dangerous—more dangerous than anything they had ever encountered—but this... this was something else entirely. The Keeper's warning echoed through his thoughts, clashing with the whispers of the Heart.
He had felt its pull ever since they'd acquired it, a dark and seductive promise of power, one that had only grown stronger with each passing day. And yet, he had resisted. He had held back, knowing deep down that to give in would be the end of him. But now... now there was no escape.
"I'll do it."
The words left Edward's lips before he even realized he'd spoken them. Both Lyssa and Aran turned to him in shock, their eyes wide.
"No!" Lyssa stepped forward, her voice trembling with anger and fear. "You can't do this, Edward. We'll find another way—there has to be another way!"
Aran was shaking his head, disbelief written across his face. "You're not seriously thinking of going through with this, are you? There's no coming back from that. You'll be... you'll be—"
"I know." Edward cut him off, his voice calm but resolute. "But we don't have time. We're being hunted. The Heart's power is growing, and if we wait any longer, it'll consume all of us. The Keeper's right. We can't control it. But I can stop it."
Lyssa's hand shot out, grabbing his arm. "We've fought too hard to let it end like this, Edward. You're not giving your life for this thing. I won't let you."
Her eyes locked with his, fierce and filled with desperation. Edward swallowed hard, the weight of her words pressing down on him. He knew she cared, but this wasn't about him anymore. It was about all of them—about the world beyond these mountains, the people who would be left defenseless if the Heart fell into the wrong hands.
"I don't want to do this," Edward said quietly, his voice breaking slightly. "But I have to. This... this is the only way to protect everyone."
Aran stepped forward, his voice uncharacteristically serious. "We'll find another way, Ed. There's always another way."
Edward shook his head slowly. "Not this time."
For a moment, none of them spoke. The silence in the chamber was deafening, broken only by the soft hum of the Heart in Edward's satchel. He could feel its presence, pulsing with dark energy, whispering promises of power that he would never allow himself to embrace.
The Keeper of Truth watched silently, unmoving. They seemed to sense that the decision had been made.
"If you proceed," the Keeper finally said, "there is no turning back. The Heart will bind to you, and you to it. Your life will no longer be your own, but you will protect this world from its destruction."
Edward nodded slowly. "I understand."
Lyssa's grip on his arm tightened, her voice trembling. "Edward, please... don't."
He turned to her, his heart aching at the sight of the fear in her eyes. "I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice barely audible.
And with that, he stepped forward, toward the Keeper of Truth. Toward the choice that would define the rest of his life—or whatever was left of it.