The forest around the Thorned Sisters seemed to close in as the storm loomed on the horizon. Heavy, dark clouds gathered overhead,
their edges streaked with flashes of lightning. The wind picked up, carrying a sharp chill that bit through their cloaks and armor.
They marched in silence, each of them burdened by exhaustion and doubt. The artifact's hum was constant now, a pulsing vibration
that seemed to sync with their heartbeats, growing louder with each passing moment.
“Feels like the world itself is trying to stop us,” Eira muttered, gripping her spear tightly.
“It’s not the world,” Zarya said, her voice low. “It’s the artifact. It knows we’re close to the Spire, and it doesn’t want to be destroyed.”
“That thing’s a piece of rock,” Lira said, her tone sharp as she gestured toward Zarya’s satchel. “It doesn’t want anything.”
“It’s more than that,” Zarya snapped. “You’ve felt it, haven’t you? In your head, in your dreams?”
Lira didn’t answer, but the flicker of unease in her eyes said enough.
“Enough,” Rhea said, her voice cutting through the tension. “Keep your focus. The storm’s getting worse, and we need to find shelter before it breaks.”
---
#### The Shelter
They found refuge in a shallow cave near the base of a rocky hill, its entrance partially hidden by a tangle of thorny bushes. The interior was cold and
damp, but it was better than being caught in the open.
Nyssa built a small fire, its light flickering against the cave walls. The sisters sat around it, their faces illuminated by the soft glow. Outside, the
storm raged, rain lashing against the rocks and wind howling through the trees.
Zarya sat apart from the group, the artifact resting on the ground before her. Its glow was faint but steady, the runes on its surface shifting in
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patterns too complex to follow. She stared at it, her expression a mix of fear and determination.
“What’s it doing now?” Vira asked, her voice gruff.
“Nothing,” Zarya said. “But I can feel it... waiting.”
“Waiting for what?” Nala asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Zarya didn’t answer. She didn’t need to.
---
#### The Visions
As the sisters drifted into an uneasy sleep, the artifact began to pulse, its light growing brighter. The cave filled with a faint hum, rising and
falling like a heartbeat.
One by one, the sisters were pulled into visions.
Rhea stood in the middle of a battlefield, her axe heavy in her hands. Around her lay the bodies of her daughters, their faces pale and lifeless. The
voice whispered in her ear: *You cannot protect them.*
Nyssa wandered through a forest consumed by fire, her arrows falling short as the flames devoured everything in their path. The voice taunted her:
*You cannot save them.*
Zarya stood before the Spire, the artifact glowing in her hands. She felt its power coursing through her veins, the ability to reshape the world
within her grasp. The voice urged her: *You are strong enough.*
Eira stood in a frozen wasteland, her spear useless against the storm that howled around her. Her sisters’ voices called to her, but the wind
drowned them out. The voice mocked her: *You cannot endure.*
Vira faced a towering beast, her shield shattered at her feet. She raised her warhammer, but her arms felt weak, her strength failing. The voice
sneered: *You are not enough.*
Lira found herself surrounded by shadows, her daggers dull and useless. She reached for her sisters, but they turned away, their faces obscured.
The voice laughed: *They will leave you.*
And Nala stood atop the Spire, the artifact in her hands. Her sisters knelt before her, their expressions blank, their voices silent. The voice
whispered: *You could lead them.*
---
#### The Awakening
The sisters woke simultaneously, gasping for breath. The artifact’s light had dimmed, but its hum remained, a faint echo of the visions they’d seen.
“Everyone alright?” Rhea asked, her voice steady despite the fear in her eyes.
No one answered immediately. The weight of what they’d experienced hung heavy in the air.
“It was just the artifact,” Zarya said, breaking the silence. “It’s trying to divide us, to weaken us.”
“Well, it’s doing a damn good job,” Lira muttered, rubbing her temples.
“Stay focused,” Rhea said firmly. “Whatever it showed you, whatever it said, it’s a lie. We’ve made it this far because we trust each other. That’s
how we’ll make it to the end.”
The sisters nodded, their resolve hardening. But the doubts lingered, unspoken.
---
#### The Storm’s Warning
As the storm began to subside, Rhea stood at the cave entrance, her eyes scanning the horizon. The Spire loomed in the distance, its jagged peak
shrouded in mist.
“Tomorrow, we reach it,” she said, her voice quiet.
“And then what?” Nyssa asked, joining her.
“Then we finish this,” Rhea said. She turned to look at her daughters, each of them battered but unbroken. “Together.”
The storm passed, but its warning remained. The artifact’s power was growing, and the Spire awaited—along with whatever trials it held.
They gathered their strength, knowing the end of their journey was near.