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Anna woke up after a while, unsure if what she had seen was a dream or reality. She hovered between sleep and wakefulness, wrapped in a strange sensation that whispered this cave was far more than a simple shelter. Deep down, she knew—this place was alive, hiding ancient secrets within its walls.
Her body felt different. The child growing inside her had changed—her belly now looked as though she were five months pregnant. The water from the cave… it had done something to her. Trembling, she placed her hands on her stomach. A wave of fear rushed through her as she felt the unfamiliar pulse of life within.
Hunger returned, stronger this time. She drank from the glowing water again. There was no pain now—only warmth, as if light itself was flowing through her veins. The sensation filled her whole body with power.
Curious, Anna lifted her hand and summoned her small spell of light. But this time, the glow flared like a burst of fire, flooding the cave with brilliance. She stared at her hand, stunned. The energy inside her no longer felt human—it was raw, vast, and alive.
A spark of curiosity replaced her fear. Instead of escaping, she decided to explore deeper. Something inside urged her forward, whispering that the answers she sought were hidden below.
As she descended, the deeper she went, the heavier her body became—as if the ground itself was pulling her down. Each step grew harder. Then, through the shadows, she saw it—a red, pulsing light flickering in the distance.
Her breath caught. It was the same light from her dream.
Fighting the pressure that weighed on her limbs, Anna pushed forward until she reached another chamber that branched off from the main tunnel. The air there was thick and metallic, almost alive.
And in the center of the chamber, it stood—something that looked like a heart, vast and ancient. It wasn't made of flesh, nor stone, nor metal, yet it seemed to be all of them at once. Red light throbbed within it, and strange glowing patterns crawled across its surface like veins filled with liquid fire.
She could feel its pull. The closer she got, the stronger it became, dragging her forward like invisible hands. The air trembled with each pulse, and the walls themselves seemed to breathe.
Anna's fear melted into awe. Slowly, she raised her trembling hands.
And then, with both palms, she touched the black heart...
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