บท 21: The Weight of the Choice

"You have a choice to make."

Those words echoed in Alex's mind, over and over again, like a haunting refrain. The stranger stood firm, their green eyes still glowing, waiting for Alex's response. The wind howled louder, carrying with it the scent of impending doom, and the sky seemed to darken even more as if the heavens themselves were preparing for whatever was about to happen next.

Alex's heart pounded violently against their chest. The weight of the book felt heavier in their hands, its symbols glowing faintly, pulsing as if it had its own heartbeat. The ground beneath them trembled, as though the earth itself sensed the magnitude of the decision.

"To become or to fall?" Alex repeated the stranger's words softly, uncertainty thick in their voice. "What does that mean?"