**Chapter 11: The Heart of the Slough**

As Cormag gazed into the crystal, the vision of himself standing alone and triumphant, yet broken and scarred, lingered in his mind's eye. He felt a shiver run down his spine as he realized the true nature of the Echo's offer. The power of the Slough was not a gift, but a curse, one that would change him forever. He looked at Sith, and saw that his friend was experiencing a similar vision, his eyes wide with a mix of wonder and fear. The Echo's laughter seemed to grow louder, more maniacal, as she gazed at the two friends. "The choice is not just about wielding power," she said, her voice dripping with an otherworldly energy. "It is about becoming something more. Something less. Something...else." Cormag felt a sense of disorientation wash over him, as if reality itself was bending and warping around him. He looked at the crystal, and saw that it was pulsing with an energy that seemed to call to him, to draw him in. He felt a sense of trepidation building in his chest, a sense of foreboding that seemed to grow with every passing moment. Sith's voice was low and rough, as if he was struggling to find the words. "What do you mean, 'something else'?" he asked, his eyes fixed intently on the Echo. The Echo's smile was enigmatic, her eyes glinting with a fierce light. "The power of the Slough is not just a tool, but a transformation," she said, her voice like a gentle breeze on a summer's day. "It will change you, body and soul. You will become a vessel for the power of the Slough, a conduit for its energy." Cormag felt a sense of horror wash over him, as if he was staring into the abyss. He looked at Sith, and saw that his friend was experiencing a similar sense of dread. The Echo's laughter seemed to grow louder, more maniacal, as she gazed at the two friends. "But do not worry," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You will not be alone. You will have each other. And you will have...me." As she spoke, the air seemed to thicken, becoming almost palpable, as if it was alive and responding to the Echo's presence. Cormag felt a sense of unease building in his chest, a sense of foreboding that seemed to grow with every passing moment. Suddenly, the crystal formation began to glow with an intense, blinding light. Cormag felt a sense of disorientation wash over him, as if reality itself was bending and warping around him. He stumbled forward, his hand reaching out to grasp Sith's arm. The Echo's voice was like a command, her words echoing through the air. "Choose, Cormag. Choose, Sith. Will you wield the power of the Slough, or will you turn back? The decision is yours, but know this: once you choose, there is no going back." As the light grew brighter, Cormag felt a sense of clarity wash over him. He looked at Sith, and saw that his friend was looking at him, his eyes searching for guidance. Cormag took a deep breath, his heart pounding in his chest. He knew that he had to make a choice, a choice that would change him forever. He looked at the crystal, and saw that it was pulsing with an energy that seemed to call to him, to draw him in. With a sense of determination, Cormag reached out and touched the crystal. The energy surged through him, a power that seemed to course through his veins like liquid fire. Sith's voice was low and rough, as if he was struggling to find the words. "Cormag, no!" he cried, his hand reaching out to grasp his friend's arm. But it was too late. Cormag had made his choice. The power of the Slough was coursing through him, a power that would change him forever. He looked at Sith, and saw that his friend was staring at him, his eyes wide with a mix of wonder and fear. The Echo's laughter echoed through the air, a melodic sound that seemed to grow louder with every passing moment. "It begins," she said, her voice like a command. "The transformation has begun. Let us see...what you will become."