The figure in the center of the chamber remains still, the only movement the slow, rhythmic pulse of the inner light. Ronan stands protectively beside Nina, his large frame casting a shadow that partially obscures the figure from view. Rex whines softly, his fur on end, his senses clearly overwhelmed by the strange energy emanating from the figure. Nina's voice, though trembling slightly, is firm. "Who are you?" she asks, the question hanging in the heavy silence.
The figure slowly raises its head. The light pulsing within seems to intensify, casting flickering shadows that dance and writhe across the chamber walls. The figure's face remains obscured, yet a sense of immense age and power radiates from it. Its voice, when it speaks, is not a voice at all, but rather a resonance, a vibration that seems to penetrate Nina's very bones.
"I am the keeper," the resonance booms, not loud, but deep and echoing. "Keeper of the Whispers, Guardian of the Threshold. I have awaited your arrival, little monster breeder."
The Keeper's words are chilling, yet there's a strange calmness within them, a sense of ancient wisdom that transcends mere power. Nina feels a surge of unease, but also a hint of... respect? It's a feeling entirely unexpected, given the circumstances.
The Keeper pauses, then adds, in a voice softer, almost conversational: "The awakening of the beings of this tomb alerted me to your approach. The fact you made it here speaks highly of your resilience. Your journey to this point has been fraught with peril. Now, you face a choice. A choice that will determine not only your face, but the fate of this world.
The Keeper's words hang in the air, heavy with implication. The room seems to hold its breath. The subtle energy still emanates from the Keeper, almost a humming that surrounds them. A choice. The words rings in Nina's ears, echoing the countless choices that have brought her here, to this hidden chamber, to this face-off with the powerful Keeper. The fate of the world hangs in the balance. What this choice is, however, remains entirely unclear.