Raj's body lay motionless as the artifact pulsed one final time, its light wrapping around him like a cocoon. Time seemed to slow, and the noise of the collapsing tomb faded into nothingness. His soul was no longer bound to his physical form—it was drawn into the swirling depths of the artifact, swallowed by an unseen force.

In the void, Raj felt weightless yet bound to something far greater than himself. His mind was no longer tethered to his body, and strange sensations flooded his consciousness. He saw fragments of his life—every triumph, every betrayal, every decision that had led him to this moment.

"Is this… death?" he wondered.

But death was not what awaited him. Instead, the artifact's voice whispered again, louder and clearer than before.

"You sought power. You sought answers. Now… they will be yours."

The swirling darkness around him began to take shape. Symbols written in languages lost to time burned into his mind. Knowledge—unfathomable and endless—flooded into him, rewriting the very essence of his being. He saw glimpses of the world beyond this one—a higher realm where gods once walked, where ancient wars raged, and where his destiny lay.

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Raj's Monologue

For the first time in his life, Raj felt small. He had always been the master of his fate, the one who bent the world to his will through cunning and intellect. But here, in this void, he was nothing but a speck in an ocean of power far greater than he had ever imagined.

"Was it worth it?" The question echoed in his mind. "All the sacrifices… the betrayals… for this moment?"

But Raj was not one to regret. He had lived his life chasing the unknown, and he would not turn back now. "If this is the price of knowledge," he thought, "then I will pay it."

The artifact's energy wrapped around his soul, reshaping it. The light intensified, burning away his humanity and replacing it with something… different. Raj felt his body being remade—not in the physical sense, but at the core of his existence.

He was becoming something more—something greater than a mere mortal. His soul expanded, reaching out across the fabric of reality. He could feel the higher world calling him, a place beyond comprehension, where gods and demons once walked side by side.

And then, with a final surge of power, everything went dark.

Raj's eyes snapped open. He gasped for breath, his chest heaving as if he had been underwater for hours.

But this was not the tomb. The air was thick with a strange energy, and the sky above was a swirling canvas of dark clouds and violet lightning. He lay on cold, obsidian-like ground, surrounded by a forest of twisted, ancient trees whose branches seemed to whisper secrets in an unknown tongue.

Raj slowly sat up, his head spinning. His body felt… different. Stronger. Lighter. His senses were heightened—he could hear every rustle of the leaves, feel the hum of energy in the air.

He clenched his fists, feeling power coursing through his veins. A dark smile spread across his face.

"So… this is the higher world," he whispered. "It's beautiful."

But even in his awe, a flicker of caution remained. This world was new, but it was not without danger. He could feel it lurking in the shadows—waiting, watching.

"Time to begin again," Raj said, his voice cold and steady. "And this time… nothing will stand in my way."