I opened my eyes and found myself lying on a barren piece of land. Everything around me was silent, the sky a strange purple, and the air was thick with a burning scent. Struggling, I got to my feet and scanned the surroundings, trying to spot anyone else.
"Eliza!" I shouted, but only my own echo answered back across the vast, empty land.
Suddenly, I noticed a figure not far off. I quickly walked over and saw Kress sitting on the ground, his eyes vacant, staring blankly ahead.
"Kress, are you okay?" I crouched down beside him.
Kress slowly turned his head to look at me, confusion and fear in his eyes. "I... I don't know what happened. That power... it was completely beyond my control."
I furrowed my brow. "What exactly were you playing at? Why manipulate the Crystal like that?"
Kress gave a weak smile. "Sauron's power controlled me. I thought I could handle it, but clearly, I was wrong. The power is far stronger than I ever imagined."
