The chamber's energy intensifies, the symbols on the walls pulsing one final time before the relics make their choice. They no longer hover passively–they move, drawn toward the three young explorers as if responding to something deep within them.
Rivena feels it first. A flicker of light, then a sharp, burning sensation as the relic merges into her, as if her very being is absorbing it. Pain rips through her, stretching, twisting–her muscles tighten, her limbs feel both foreign and unfamiliar.
"Ahh–!"
Her body reacts violently, like something inside her is breaking and reforming at once. Her breath catches as she drops to one knee, gasping as the transformation overtakes her.
Then Elandor feels his own relic strike. The moment it collides with his form, it floods him like a shockwave, electricity tearing through his veins. His limbs numb, then burn, pulsing with an overwhelming sensation he can't control.
"This… this isn't normal."
He grips his hands, trying to steady himself, but it's impossible. The force has already embedded itself, his body no longer entirely his own.
Varenoth is the last. He tries to step back, tries to resist, but it's too late. The relic surges forward, consuming him without hesitation. The pain is slow, not a single burst like the others–it's deep, curling into his bones, his mind.
"What… the hell?"
His first instinct isn't fear–it's rage. Whatever this power is, it doesn't ask for his permission. It forces its way in, carving into him, altering what he is.
And then, silence. The chamber settles. The transformation is complete.
The three of them remain there, collapsed, shaking, struggling for breath. They aren't the same as when they entered this place. They can feel it.
But they don't yet know what they've become.
The chamber slowly falls silent. The air is still thick with tension, as if the space itself is watching them, but the pulsing energy is gone. Rivena, Elandor, and Varenoth rise shakily to their feet, still feeling the weight of the transformation, but none of them can yet explain what happened.
Rivena moves first, shaking her head as if to clear it.
"We can't stay here. We have to get out before something else happens."
Elandor nods but pauses for a brief moment–his fingers twitch involuntarily, as if something feels unfamiliar about his own movements. Varenoth silently watches the walls before finally giving a short nod in agreement.
They move quickly through the mine's abandoned tunnels, the shadows feeling different now, as if something unseen lingers just beyond their sight.
By the time they reach the sealed gate, none of them speak. The only sound is a quiet exhale from Varenoth.
Elandor glances back, unease flickering in his eyes.
"Let's go to my place. We need to figure out what just happened."
As they step into Elandor's home, the tension lingers in the air, a stark contrast to the quiet stillness of the room. Rivena, Elandor, and Varenoth settle in, but none of them speak immediately.
Finally, Rivena breaks the silence.
"This isn't normal. Something happened to us."
Varenoth stares at his hands, as if expecting something to change, then exhales sharply.
"Do you feel it? Like…"
Elandor nods, momentarily clenching his fingers, as if testing whether the sensation is still there.
"Like our bodies are reacting differently. But I can't quite explain it."
Rivena leans back, furrowing her brow.
"If we really did change, then we need to figure out what that means."
Elandor stands, moving toward the window. Outside, the night seems quiet–but they no longer are.
"This isn't something we can just ignore."
Varenoth slowly straightens, finally speaking.
"The question is: how are we going to find out?"
Elandor's home is quiet, but within the three of them, there's a storm brewing. They sit around the table, yet the silence between them grows heavier–not just because they changed, but because they don't yet know the cost.
Rivena is the first to speak, her voice carrying the same excitement that had led them into the mine.
"Whatever happened, it wasn't an accident. The mine was hiding something, and we found it."
Varenoth scoffs, folding his arms.
"We didn't find it. You forced this. You were the one who was obsessed with going in–and look where it got us!"
Elandor raises a hand, trying to diffuse the tension.
"Pointing fingers won't help–we don't even know what exactly happened yet."
Rivena turns toward Varenoth, her eyes flashing.
"Do you seriously think this is all my fault?"
Varenoth leans forward, his voice low but filled with restrained anger.
"Isn't it always like this with you? Always pushing forward, never stopping to think–and now look where we are!"
Elandor watches them, knowing this fight isn't just about the mine. It's about something deeper between them, something that had been simmering for a long time.
Rivena takes a sharp breath.
"I'm not going to sit here apologizing for wanting to go in. But I didn't force you."
Varenoth is silent for a moment before turning away.
"Maybe you didn't. But somehow, you always make it feel like there's no choice."
Night slowly settles over Elandor's house. Outside, everything is quiet, but inside, the weight of uncertainty lingers.
Rivena sits curled up in a chair, her gaze distant. Elandor remains on the edge of his bed, trying to piece together what they've been through. Varenoth stands against the wall, his posture tense, the shadow of frustration still etched across his features.
"If anything happens tonight, at least we won't be alone," Elandor finally says, looking out at the dark sky.
Rivena nods, though she doesn't look at him.
"I don't mind staying. But let's hope nothing strange happens."
Varenoth lets out a quiet, humorless chuckle.
"I wouldn't count on that."
The silence between them stretches. They all feel it–the shift within themselves, the knowledge that something in their bodies has changed, but they still don't know what.
Elandor exhales softly.
"Let's just try to sleep. Tomorrow, we'll figure it out."
The three sit quietly, exhaustion weighing heavily on them, yet none of them are truly at peace.
Varenoth stares at the ceiling, his thoughts pulling him into a restless haze. Something feels off–not from outside, but from within.
It's not a sound, not a physical presence. It's like a shadow brushing against his mind.
Like something calling him.
His breathing shifts, slowing without his control. For a moment, he can't tell if he's awake or dreaming, as something stirs inside him–a tension, a sensation he's never known before.
The room remains still–but in his world, something moves.
The silence in the room is broken–by Rivena's breath.
But it's not like before.
Elandor and Varenoth notice immediately as she slowly raises her hand, uncertainty flickering in her expression.
"I…?"
Her voice is unsure, almost unfamiliar to herself. Her breathing deepens, uneven, as if she's struggling to control it. Something moves within her, something foreign, something unexplainable.
Varenoth sits up instantly, eyes sharp.
"Rivena, what's wrong?"
Elandor watches closely, sensing a strange shift in the light–not dramatic, just subtle, as if something in the room has tilted slightly out of balance.
Rivena looks at them, but for a fleeting moment, her eyes shimmer differently, as if something within her is no longer entirely Rivena.
The change has begun.