The night passed in uneasy silence. Kael couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching them—something ancient, something powerful. His senses were heightened, his connection to the Heart making every rustle in the wind feel like a threat, every shadow on the horizon a potential enemy.
Seris and the others had managed to find a small cave to rest in, hidden from the dangers of the Expanse. But even in the darkness, Kael couldn't sleep. He sat by the flickering fire, his eyes lost in the flames as his thoughts churned.
What had he become? He could feel the Heart's presence inside him, a constant, oppressive weight that seemed to push against his every thought. It was like a part of him was lost, swallowed whole by the power he had embraced. The darkness that called to him was seductive, tempting him with promises of power, of control.
"You are not weak, Kael," the Heart whispered. "You are destined for greatness. Don't let them hold you back."
Kael's fingers clenched into fists as he tried to block out the voice. But no matter how hard he tried, it wouldn't go away. He could feel it gnawing at him, urging him to take the next step. To let go of the restraint and embrace the darkness that pulsed within his chest.
A cold sweat broke out on Kael's forehead as the visions began. The firelight flickered and warped, casting grotesque shadows on the cave's walls. The shadows twisted, forming shapes, forms, faces. Kael's mind was assaulted by flashes of a future that he did not want to see. Images of war, of cities burning, of people kneeling before him in fear. His eyes were wide open, yet the visions continued to play before him, unstoppable and horrifying.
"You will be the ruler of all," the Heart murmured, its voice now a gentle caress in the back of his mind.
"Everything will bend to your will. They will fear you, Kael. They will worship you."
The temptation was overwhelming. Kael could almost taste it, the sweet promise of absolute power. He had fought so long, so hard, to get to this point. The Heart had made him stronger. It had given him everything he needed to succeed, and yet...
And yet, as he looked into the fire's flickering light, something inside him resisted. He wasn't like them—he wasn't like the monsters that had corrupted the land. He wasn't meant to rule through fear alone.
"Kael, snap out of it!" Seris's voice cut through the darkness like a blade. He blinked rapidly, and the visions evaporated, leaving only the steady flicker of the fire.
"Seris..." Kael murmured, his voice hoarse. He wiped the sweat from his brow. "It's happening again."
She knelt beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "The Heart is messing with your mind. You can't let it take you. We need to get to the Heart's core. That's the only way to stop it."
Kael nodded, though the doubt still gnawed at him. Was he truly strong enough to resist? Could he control the Heart's power without succumbing to its will?
"We move at first light," he said, his voice steady despite the turmoil within him. "We're getting to the heart of this."