Ada couldn't sleep that night. The weight of Lena's words kept her awake, churning through her mind like a constant storm. The revelation about the person who had been sacrificed—their power, their life—was too much to process all at once.
How could she possibly bear the burden of this truth? How could she live knowing that someone else had given up everything for her to inherit this cursed gift?
She tossed and turned, the sheets tangled around her as her mind replayed the conversation over and over. The person who had been sacrificed was alive—waiting for her. Waiting for what, though? What did they want from her?
The questions gnawed at her, but there were no answers. Just a deep, hollow feeling in her chest that only seemed to grow with every passing hour.
When morning finally came, Ada felt as though she hadn't slept at all. Her eyes were heavy, and her body ached with exhaustion, but there was no time to rest. There was still so much to be done, and the training would continue.
She had to push forward. That was the only thing Lena had made clear—there was no turning back.
Downstairs, Lena was waiting for her, a tall, imposing figure standing near the door, her expression unreadable.
"Good morning," Lena said coolly. "Ready for today's training?"
Ada nodded stiffly, still lost in her thoughts. "What's today's challenge?"
Lena's eyes narrowed as if assessing her. "You'll be training with the artifact."
The word sent a shiver down Ada's spine. The artifact was something Lena had mentioned before but never explained. It was always spoken of in hushed tones, as if it were something too dangerous to discuss openly.
"What is it?" Ada asked, her voice tinged with hesitation.
Lena's lips pressed into a tight line. "It's an ancient relic tied to the family's power. Only those with the bloodline can wield it, and only if they're ready."
"Ready for what?" Ada's heart began to race. "What does it do?"
Lena didn't answer immediately. Instead, she walked to the far side of the room and gestured for Ada to follow. There, in a glass case against the wall, lay a dark stone—smooth, almost obsidian in appearance, its surface covered with intricate carvings that seemed to shift and move when Ada looked at them.
"This is the artifact," Lena said, her voice low. "It amplifies the power you have within you, but it also feeds off your emotions. Your fears. Your desires. It has the potential to unlock your full power... or destroy you."
Ada felt a cold chill crawl up her spine as she stared at the artifact. It wasn't just a relic; it was a weapon. And it was calling to her, in ways she couldn't explain.
She stepped closer, her hand reaching out instinctively. But Lena's voice stopped her.
"Be careful, Ada," Lena warned. "The artifact isn't something to take lightly. It has its own will, its own power. And once you begin, there's no turning back."
Ada hesitated, but something inside her urged her forward. It was as though the artifact was pulling her in, drawing her toward it like a magnet.
Her fingers brushed the cool glass of the case, and in that instant, she felt it—a surge of energy so powerful it nearly knocked her off balance. The artifact hummed with life, as if it were alive, responding to her touch.
"Are you sure you're ready for this?" Lena asked again, her voice tinged with concern.
Ada nodded slowly, swallowing her fear. "I have to be. There's no other choice."
Lena didn't argue. She stepped aside, giving Ada room to approach the case. Ada's heart pounded in her chest as she took a deep breath and lifted the case open. The moment the lid was removed, the artifact's energy seemed to explode outward, filling the room with a crackling, oppressive force.
Ada gasped as the energy washed over her, flooding her senses. Her skin tingled, her heart raced, and for a moment, she felt like she was losing herself to the power that surged through her. The artifact's influence was undeniable, overwhelming, but she fought against it. She had to stay in control.
The dark stone pulsed in her hand, and as it did, the carvings on its surface began to glow with a faint, eerie light.
"Focus," Lena's voice came from behind her. "Don't let it control you. You control it."
Ada closed her eyes, steadying her breath. She felt the power within her stir, the energy that had been growing inside her since the day she first learned of her legacy. The artifact was amplifying it, pushing her to her limits.
For a moment, she felt as if she could do anything. She could feel the world around her, the pulse of every living thing, the flow of energy through the air. But then, the dark part of the artifact—its hunger, its need for more—began to pull at her.
It was like a battle inside her mind, her will fighting against the artifact's demands. She could feel herself slipping, the edges of her control beginning to blur. The power inside her twisted, darkened, and for the briefest moment, Ada feared she might lose herself completely.
But she remembered Lena's words. Focus.
With a force of will, she pulled herself back, steadying her breath, grounding herself. She could feel the artifact pushing against her, testing her limits, but she refused to give in.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the pulse of energy began to settle. The artifact's glow dimmed, and Ada slowly lowered her hand. Her body was trembling with the effort, but she had done it. She had controlled the artifact.
For now.
Lena stepped forward, her expression unreadable. "Well done. But don't get complacent. You've only scratched the surface of what this artifact can do."
Ada nodded, her pulse still racing. The power she had just wielded had been intoxicating, terrifying, and all-consuming. She wasn't sure she was ready for what was to come, but she knew one thing for sure.
She was in this for the long haul. There was no turning back now.