Lena stood alone in her quarters, the quiet hum of the ship's engine filling the background. The weight of the decision she had made was pressing down on her chest, suffocating. She could feel it—her connection to the core growing stronger, more invasive, more relentless. Every time she used its power, it felt as if a part of her soul was being siphoned away, replaced by something darker, more distant.Her reflection stared back at her from the darkened window, but it didn't look like her anymore. It was as if she were watching a stranger, someone consumed by the very thing that had once been her salvation.She had chosen this path. She had chosen to wield the core to save the galaxy, to protect the people she loved. But now, every decision felt like a betrayal.What if I'm wrong? she thought, her hands shaking as they gripped the railing in front of her. What if I'm losing myself to this power?She closed her eyes and tried to focus on the sensations of the core, the pulsing rhythm inside her, but the connection felt more chaotic than before. It was like trying to control a storm. And the storm was getting stronger, every day, every moment.The door slid open behind her, and Elias entered, his footsteps soft but determined. He didn't speak right away. He never did when she was like this. He simply watched her, waiting for her to acknowledge him.Lena didn't turn around. Instead, she stared at the empty void beyond the ship, lost in the sea of stars."I don't know if I can keep doing this," she said quietly, the words slipping from her mouth without her permission. "Every time I use the core, I feel like I'm disappearing."Elias was at her side in an instant, his presence a calm contrast to the turmoil inside her. He placed a hand on her shoulder, the weight of his touch grounding her in the moment."You're not disappearing," Elias said softly, his voice carrying a mixture of tenderness and strength. "But I see it, Lena. I see how it's affecting you. You're not the same person you were before the core. And that scares me."Lena turned to face him, her eyes filled with a deep, raw pain. "I know. I feel it too. But what else can I do, Elias? The Rhytil won't stop. They're coming for us. If I don't use the core, we'll lose everything. The galaxy will fall into darkness, and it will be my fault."Elias' gaze softened, but his voice remained steady. "You're not alone in this. I'm with you, always. But you have to trust that we can find another way. You don't have to carry all of this by yourself."Lena's heart clenched. She had always been the one to bear the burden of responsibility. She had always been the one to make the hard choices, to stand in the face of danger for the sake of others. But now… now, the weight was unbearable."I don't know how much longer I can hold on," she whispered, her voice cracking. "Every time I tap into the core, I feel like it's pulling me deeper into its grip. I'm afraid of what I might become."Elias took her hands in his, his grip firm, a silent promise. "You're stronger than you think. And I'll be right here, every step of the way, to help you fight it."For a moment, the two of them simply stood in silence, the unspoken bond between them stronger than any words could convey. Lena leaned into him, feeling the warmth of his embrace, the one thing in her life that hadn't changed.But even as she clung to him, the core still pulsed inside her. A reminder that no matter how much she wanted to fight it, she was becoming something else—a weapon, a force of destruction.