'Oh dear lord…'
I watched the Crystal Hart take its first step back onto the water, the sight of its crystalline hooves touching the liquid surface without breaking the tension was mesmerizing. It was not just an animal; it was a living monument to nature's purest magic.
I knew what I had to do.
I stepped out from the willows, allowing the magical silver of Silas to dissolve instantly back into my forearm. I stood before the majestic creature unarmed, exposed, and vulnerable. The Hart watched me with those large, deep, pure eyes that seemed to hold the entire blue sky.
"Mulllllll."
It lowered its head slightly, not in challenge, but in a silent acknowledgment, almost a question.
I took a deep, steadying breath, my own heart pounding not from fear, but from a profound, overwhelming sense of rightness. It was the same feeling I got when Silas first manifested, when the dungeon core chose me—the feeling of destiny aligning.
