The square seemed to close in on Kael, the sound of his own heartbeat pounding in his ears. He looked between Elira, who was ready to strike, and the Rider, whose face had grown grimmer with each passing second. Mara stood off to the side, her eyes filled with concern, though there was a flicker of something else there—a knowing, a fear of what Kael might choose.
"You can't just let her take it, Kael!" Mara called out, her voice shaking.
Kael's fingers twitched toward the Heart of Zendar. The warmth still lingered in his palms, and he could feel the crystal's pulse, as if it were alive, urging him to claim its power. But at the same time, doubt gnawed at him—was he truly ready for this?
"Let her take it, and she'll use it against you," the Rider warned, his voice strained. "This isn't just about control. The Heart has a will of its own. Those who seek it without understanding will be consumed. Elira already has no way back. If you let her touch it, it will destroy her, and anyone who stands in her way."
Kael's mind raced. The choice before him wasn't as simple as he had hoped. Elira had made it clear that she would stop at nothing to take the Heart. But the Rider's words carried weight. If Elira obtained the Heart, it could mean the downfall of more than just Kael's ambitions. The entire world could be thrown into chaos.
"Enough!" Elira shouted, her patience clearly wearing thin. Her hand tightened around the hilt of her sword. "You've wasted enough time. Either you give it to me, or I'll take it by force."
Kael's eyes flickered to Mara, and then to the Rider. The tension hung heavy in the air. The decision was his alone. But as his gaze fell back onto the glowing Heart, a part of him knew it had already chosen him the moment he had touched it.
"Take it if you want it," Kael said softly, his voice barely a whisper as he stepped forward. "But I'm not handing it to you."
Before anyone could react, Kael grabbed the Heart, pulling it from the chest. The instant his fingers closed around it, the world around him shifted. The ground beneath his feet trembled, the sky darkening. The power within the Heart surged, filling his veins with energy unlike anything he had ever felt before. It was as if he had become part of the very fabric of existence itself.
"No!" Elira screamed, her eyes wide with fury. She lunged at Kael, but the Rider moved swiftly, stepping between them.
"You've gone too far, Elira," the Rider said, his voice steady, but his eyes burning with a warning. "You don't know what you're dealing with."
Kael stood frozen, the Heart pulsing in his hands, its energy overwhelming. His thoughts were clouded, his mind a haze of confusion and power. For a moment, he felt as though the world had ceased to exist—only him and the Heart. But through the overwhelming sensations, he could still hear Elira's voice, her anger and desperation.
"I've worked my whole life for this!" she shouted. "You think you can just take it from me? You don't even understand its power!"
Kael felt a deep sense of regret at her words. But he could no longer back down. This was his moment, his decision. The path he had chosen was no longer about wealth or success—it was about something far greater. The Heart of Zendar was no longer just an artifact. It was a symbol of fate, one that could either elevate him to unimaginable heights or tear everything apart.
"I understand more than you think," Kael said, his voice steadying as he spoke, his grip tightening on the Heart. "This isn't just power. This is knowledge. And knowledge, when used wisely, can change the world."
Elira's gaze darkened with malice. "You'll regret this. You'll regret ever touching it."
Kael didn't answer. Instead, he turned, looking toward the Rider. The old man's eyes were filled with sorrow, but there was also a flicker of understanding, as if he knew what Kael had chosen.
"Let's go," the Rider said softly, his voice tired. "We have little time. If we don't act quickly, this will spiral out of control."
Kael nodded, though his mind was still a whirlwind. The Heart had marked him, and now, he was caught in a game much larger than himself. There was no turning back, not now.
He turned away from Elira and the mercenaries, feeling the weight of the Heart in his hands. It was no longer just an object. It was part of him, part of his fate.
And as he walked toward the exit of the square, the Rider at his side, he knew one thing for certain:
The journey had only just begun.