Alex hesitated as he crouched near the pulsating artifact, its crimson light casting ominous shadows on the chamber walls.
The Heart of Calamity lay motionless on the cracked floor, but its presence still weighed heavily in the air.
He squinted and leaned closer, noticing the faint forms of the Hydra's three heads within the heart, writhing as though trapped in some eternal torment.
Ding!
A notification window appeared, breaking the tense silence.
[Heart of Calamity (Artifact): The first person to interact with this artifact will be trapped inside. The second person to touch it will become its master.]
[There are many more perks to it, but that is all that can be revealed to you.]
Alex frowned, his eyes darting between the artifact and the notification. "Trapped inside, huh? That explains the Hydra..."
The warning was clear, but there wasn't much choice.
The cave was sealed, the artifact his only means of progress.