Elise stood at the threshold, the weight of everything crashing down on her, threatening to overwhelm her. She had never asked for this. She had never wanted to be a part of the darkness, to bear the burden of the ritual, to be the vessel through which the ancient power would flow.
But now, she had no choice. The ritual was inevitable. The prophecy was unfolding before her eyes, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.
Her gaze met Greg's, his eyes filled with a strange mixture of pity and sorrow. He had known this moment was coming. He had known that she would have to make this choice, this final, irreversible decision. But even he didn't know what would happen once she crossed that line. No one did.
Elise closed her eyes, her mind racing with a thousand thoughts. She wanted to fight it. She wanted to break free from the chains that had bound her to this fate. But deep down, she knew it was too late for that. The power was inside her, and it would consume her if she didn't accept it.
"Greg," Elise said, her voice barely a whisper. "What happens if I refuse?"
Greg's expression faltered, and for a brief moment, she saw the fear in his eyes. But it was quickly replaced by something else—something darker, something more certain. "Then it will destroy you. And everyone else."
A chill ran down Elise's spine. There was no escape. No way out. She could either embrace the power and risk losing herself in the process, or she could refuse it and watch the world burn.
The choice was hers.
But as she stepped forward, her hand trembling as it reached for the pedestal once more, Elise knew one thing for certain. This was no longer just a fight for survival. It was a fight for her soul.
And the battle was only beginning.