The Witch's Call

**Chapter 20: The Depths of Power**

Dara’s hand still hovered above the crystal as its pulse vibrated through her entire being. The sensation was unlike anything she had ever felt—more than a mere hum, it was a deep thrum, reverberating from the very core of the earth itself. The cavern around her seemed to hold its breath, the silence pressing in on all sides as though the mountain itself was waiting for her to make a decision. A decision that could change everything.

The moment her fingers touched the crystal, the flood of energy had nearly overwhelmed her. It had felt as if the earth’s very soul had reached out to her, pulling her into its depths. Her vision had blurred, and for a moment, she thought she might lose herself to its power entirely. But now, in the aftermath, the feeling had settled into something that was not entirely unfamiliar. It was like a deep ache in her bones, a constant reminder of the ancient force that pulsed through her veins.

She pulled her hand back, her fingers trembling. The light from the crystal dimmed ever so slightly, but its presence remained palpable, like an echo vibrating against her skin. Dara took a slow, measured breath. The hunger she had felt before was still there—beneath the surface, a relentless force, hungry for power, for control. But now, it was tempered by something else. Something more ancient and wise, something that whispered of balance.

"Is this... is this what you meant?" Dara whispered to the cavern, to the crystal, to the mountain itself. Her voice sounded small in the vast space, but her words seemed to stir the stillness, as though the very stone was listening.

The answer came not in words but in a wave of understanding that washed over her. The hunger was not an enemy to be defeated. It was part of the earth's natural cycle, just as the storms were part of the seasons, the death of the old trees gave way to the life of the new. But it was a hunger that needed to be contained, to be understood, or it would consume everything. And the earth itself had chosen her to understand it.

Dara’s mind raced as she knelt before the altar, the weight of the crystal still pressing upon her thoughts. She understood now that this was no simple quest for power. This was a test. The earth was giving her a choice: to wield its power, to control it, or to become consumed by it. To accept its darkness, or to bind it to her will.

There was no clear answer. Every part of her screamed that this was dangerous, that power like this should never be controlled by one person. But she knew that if she didn’t make a choice, if she didn’t do something, the earth would slip further into chaos. The hunger would continue to rise, consuming everything in its path until the land itself was unrecognizable. She could feel it in her chest, this gnawing certainty. The earth was changing, and it was changing because of her.

But what had Elara said? She was a guardian, not a master. She was meant to understand, not to command. Dara closed her eyes, her hands gripping the sides of the stone altar as she gathered her thoughts. If she was truly to restore balance to the earth, she could not approach this with arrogance. She had to respect the land, respect its power. The hunger, as overwhelming as it was, could not be destroyed—it could only be contained, guided into the earth's natural rhythms.

Her breath slowed, and the power of the crystal seemed to settle in her chest, a steady pulse in time with her heartbeat. It was almost as if the land itself had recognized her determination, her willingness to listen, not just to command. In that moment, she felt something shift in the air, a subtle but unmistakable change. The hunger had not gone away, but it had quieted, waiting. It was patient. It was as ancient as the earth itself.

Dara’s mind cleared, and she knew what she had to do. She could not wield the crystal as a weapon. She could not dominate the earth with its power. But she could learn to speak its language, to guide the energy flowing through the land. She could become its steward, its guardian. And in doing so, perhaps she could bring the balance back.

With a final, steadying breath, Dara stood and raised the crystal above the altar. She didn’t hold it like a tool of power but as an offering. An offering to the earth, to the land she had loved for so long, to the forces she had barely begun to understand. She closed her eyes and let the pulse of the crystal synchronize with her own.

As she focused, the vibrations around her grew stronger, deeper. The walls of the cavern seemed to hum with life, the power of the earth responding to her touch. Dara could feel the hunger again, but it was no longer a force she had to fight. It was a part of the earth’s very essence, like the darkness of the night that gave way to the light of the dawn. It could not be denied, but it could be guided.

The air thickened, swirling with the magic of the land. Her body trembled as the raw power of the earth surged through her, flowing through her veins like molten fire. But she held firm, focused on the crystal, on the task before her. She wasn’t trying to control the power, she wasn’t trying to bend it to her will. She was simply listening, letting the earth speak to her, letting its pulse guide her.

In the silence that followed, something extraordinary happened. The hunger quieted, not because it had been banished, but because it had been understood. The earth had its dark side, its destructive force—but it also had its light. Its life-giving pulse, its ability to heal and to grow. Dara could feel both within her. She was the bridge between those forces, the one who could walk the delicate line between destruction and creation.

She opened her eyes and saw the crystal glowing in her hands, no longer a source of overwhelming power but a symbol of balance. It hummed softly, its light steady and unthreatening. Dara felt a deep sense of peace, of purpose, settle within her. She had not solved everything. The hunger was still there, still a part of the earth’s cycle. But now she understood it. Now, she knew how to live with it, how to guide it.

Dara placed the crystal gently back in the stone basin, and the chamber around her seemed to sigh, as if the mountain itself had exhaled a breath it had been holding for centuries. The power in the air slowly faded, and the cavern grew quiet once more. Dara turned to leave, but before she did, she looked back one last time.

The carvings on the walls seemed to shift in the dim light, their lines and symbols now clearer than before, as if the mountain was offering its approval. She wasn’t alone. The earth was with her. The land, the magic, the hunger—it was all part of a greater whole, a greater balance that she had only just begun to understand.

As she exited the cave, Dara felt the change in the air. The winds, which had howled around her for days, now carried a soft, almost hopeful whisper. The storm that had plagued the mountain had passed, and the first rays of dawn pierced through the clouds, casting the world in a pale golden light.

She was not alone. The land had not turned against her. Instead, it had embraced her, chosen her as its protector, its guardian. And now, she had a duty to fulfill. To restore the balance, to teach the world what she had learned. To walk the line between light and dark, destruction and creation, and to guide the forces of the earth with the wisdom she had gained.

The journey ahead would not be easy. There were still many challenges to face, many unknowns to confront. The hunger might rise again, and when it did, she would have to be ready. But she had faith now, faith that she could face whatever came her way, because she understood that the earth’s power was not something to fear—it was something to honor, to work with, and to protect.

And with that, Dara began her journey back, her heart steady, her mind clear. The path ahead was long, but for the first time, she felt truly connected to the land beneath her feet, to the forces of nature that flowed through her veins. She was no longer just a girl who had fled her village to find a missing witch. She was the earth’s guardian, its protector.

And she would not fail it.