you’ve been acting... strange

The air was thick with tension as the group stood together, each one battered and bruised from their recent battle with the shadow creature. Emily tried to catch her breath, leaning heavily on her staff, her hands trembling. The relic hung from her belt, humming softly, as if feeding on the chaos it had helped unleash. Sam walked over to her, his brow furrowed in frustration, while Clara sat nearby, tending to her wounds in silence. The relic's presence felt more palpable than ever, its invisible fingers reaching into the minds of everyone around.

"We need to talk about what just happened," Sam finally said, his voice cutting through the thick silence. "Emily, you've been acting... strange ever since you got that thing. It's affecting you."

Emily flinched, knowing what he meant. She felt the relic's influence deep in her bones, pulling at her thoughts, tempting her with its power. But she couldn't let them see that. She had to be strong, for them.