THE HAUNTING OF WILDERS RIDGE

, she was swallowed by the brightness, unable to see, unable to move. It was as though time it

ht faded, and the wor

She could still feel the hum of the Stone's power, though it was weaker now, as if its grip had loose

as gone, but the weight of its presence stil

omprehend what had just happened. Had it all been a

symbols on the altar flickering faintly, as

ost comforting after the chaos that had just unfolded. For the first time since she ha

lm didn't

silence. Mara turned toward the sound, her pulse q

gaunt, as though he had been through something intense. His

her she should feel relief or anger. After everyt

n dragged through a storm. "I... I didn't know it wou

?" She raised her voice, her frustration building. "You brought me here. You told me I was safe. That you were prote

to you. I thought if I kept you away from it long enough, you would be safe. But the Stone... it's al

he repeated, as if the name alone hel

your father uncovered. He thought he could hide it from you, but it was always part of who

s at his words. "What do you mean 'in

lder than the world itself. It was created long ago by a group of sorcerers who sought to bend reality to their will. It's a source of unimaginable po

e wasn't just a bystander in this story-she was part of

er voice barely a whisp

u can accept the power, embrace what the Stone is offering, and reshape the world

ne? But how? It wasn't just an object-it was a force, an ancient entity that ha

don't have to make this choice by yourself. I'm

much from her, but at the same time, he had come back to help. Had he reall

, her voice trembling with emotion. "What if I don

a tool. It's an entity. It has a will of its own. If you don't choose, if you do

hest. The Stone was more than just a relic-it was alive, sentient, and if s

herself. The cavern around her felt like it was closing in, and

ugh her thoughts. "Please. You hav

s gaze with a newfound resolve.

oice firm. "But it's not going to be the