Heart pumping with both fear and determination, Aria went to the altar. She knew the ritual would require a sacrifice—one that would permanently alter her. She knelt before the stone with shaking hands and lay her palm on its chilly surface. Her arm's Crescent Mark started to burn almost instantly with a force that left her gasping. The whole forest seemed to vibrate with old vitality, and the stones on the altar shone in synchrony.
Whispers abound, the voices of her forefathers reverberating throughout time. Their advice was a mix of caution and encouragement, pushing her to confront the ritual with both dignity and might. "You have to first come to embrace the darkness within if you are to ascend. You will only glow with the brightness of a fresh dawn then.
