Kael lay on the cold, hard stone floor of the alcove, staring up at the dark ceiling above him. His chest rose and fell in heavy, uneven breaths, the remnants of adrenaline still pumping through his veins. His limbs were numb with exhaustion, but it wasn't the kind of fatigue that would send him to sleep. No, this was something else entirely. His body felt alive, buzzing with a strange energy that refused to let him rest.
He grimaced and rolled over onto his side, wincing as his muscles protested the movement.
"Great", he thought bitterly.
"Thrown into some hellish forest and almost eaten by two creatures straight out of a nightmare. And now I can't even catch my breath without feeling like I'm going to vibrate out of my skin."
Kael sat up, groaning as his body ached in protest. His eyes flicked toward the entrance of the alcove, where the faintest traces of moonlight filtered through the thick canopy of trees below. The massive abomination that had chased him earlier was nowhere to be seen. He could only hear the occasional distant rumble of its movements as it stalked through the forest, likely searching for something else to tear apart.
At least it wasn't him.
For now.
With a sigh, Kael forced himself to stand, the cool night air brushing against his skin. He leaned against the rough stone wall for support, trying to gather his thoughts. He had to figure out what to do next. The last thing he wanted was to stay put in one place too long, but venturing back out into that forest without a plan was asking for a swift and bloody end.
He took a few steps closer to the alcove's edge, peering down at the forest below. The canopy was so thick that it almost seemed to swallow the light, making the woods appear even more foreboding than they already were. The other creatures prowling the shadows only added to the sinister atmosphere.
"What the hell is this place?"
The thought echoed in his mind, but no answers came. His memory was a fragmented blur—he remembered nothing about how he'd gotten here, what had led him to this point. Only flashes of darkness, the name Acheron, and the unsettling figure of the Seer remained.
Kael exhaled sharply, frustration boiling under the surface. He wasn't the kind of person to sit around and wallow in despair, but this situation was pushing the limits of his patience. Still, despite the chaos, the panic, and the fear gnawing at the edges of his mind, he couldn't help but crack a wry smile.
"First things first," he muttered under his breath. "Don't die. Step two… figure out how not to die again."
The dark humor helped, a little. It kept him grounded in a strange way, as if laughing in the face of certain death was the only thing that kept him from tipping over the edge into despair. If he was going to get through this, he'd need to hold onto that stubborn streak of his.
Kael turned his attention back to the alcove. It wasn't much—just a narrow opening in the hillside, large enough for him to stand up straight but not by much. The walls were rough and uneven, the ceiling low and jagged. It provided cover from the creatures below, but he knew it wasn't a permanent solution.
He took a few cautious steps deeper into the alcove, feeling the uneven stone beneath his feet. There was nothing of note inside, no hidden pathways or supplies waiting to be found. Just cold, hard rock and the overwhelming sense that this place hadn't been disturbed in centuries.
Still, it would have to do for now. At least it was defensible.
Leaning against the wall, Kael crossed his arms over his chest and let out a long sigh. His body still felt strange—different. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but ever since he'd woken up in this forsaken place, something had changed. It wasn't just the adrenaline from being chased or the terror of almost dying. No, it was something deeper, something inside him.
He glanced down at his hands, flexing his fingers. His skin seemed… paler than he remembered. Or maybe it was just the lack of light in this place. Either way, he felt stronger now—more alive in a way that made no sense, especially considering the state of exhaustion he should be in.
"What the hell is wrong with me?" he muttered to himself, turning his hands over as if expecting some kind of answer to reveal itself.
Of course, nothing happened. But that nagging sensation wouldn't leave him. Something inside him had shifted, and it was only a matter of time before he figured out what it was.
There was one thing Kael knew for certain: he needed a plan. He couldn't stay here forever, and sitting around wasn't going to solve anything. He needed to get water. His throat was already dry, and the taste of fear still lingered in his mouth. Food could wait, but water was essential.
And then there was the problem of his body.
Kael shifted his weight uncomfortably, feeling the subtle hum of energy coursing through him. It was faint, but now that he was paying attention, it was impossible to ignore.
"Where is this coming from?"
It didn't feel natural, not like any burst of energy he'd experienced before. It felt… foreign. And yet, somehow, familiar.
He frowned and sat down on the floor of the alcove, crossing his legs beneath him. There was no real reason to do it, but something deep in the back of his mind whispered that this might help—that sitting still and focusing might allow him to understand what was happening to him. Meditation. The word came to him unbidden, and he couldn't help but chuckle at the absurdity of it.
"Right. Meditate in a death forest. Good plan, Kael."
Still, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, letting the air fill his lungs before releasing it slowly. He wasn't sure how this was supposed to work, but it was worth a try. He had nothing to lose.
At first, there was nothing. Just the sound of his own breathing and the distant rustle of leaves outside the alcove. But then, slowly, he began to feel it. A gentle pull, deep within his chest, almost like a second heartbeat.
Kael's eyes snapped open. He placed a hand over his chest, his pulse racing. There was something there, something swirling just beneath the surface. He closed his eyes again, focusing on that strange sensation, and the more he concentrated, the more he could feel it.
A core.
The word drifted into his thoughts, unbidden and unclear, but it felt right. There was something inside him now, something foreign yet undeniably a part of him. The more he focused on it, the more he could feel the energy pulsing within his body, circulating through him like a river of power. It wasn't just adrenaline—it was something far more potent, more tangible.
This was what had been fueling him when he ran from the creatures earlier. This was the reason why, despite the exhaustion, his body felt more alive than ever.
But where had it come from? And why did it feel so… familiar?
Kael furrowed his brow, his mind racing with questions that had no answers. The more he focused on the core, the more it seemed to respond to his attention, swirling and pulsing with an almost sentient awareness. It wasn't just some passive force—it was active, alive.
"What the hell did they do to me?" Kael muttered, opening his eyes again.
His thoughts drifted back to the Seer, to the cryptic words and the trial he had been thrown into without warning. The Seer had mentioned something about the Tower, about being chosen, but Kael had been too focused on surviving to ask the right questions.
Now, sitting in this cold alcove, alone with the strange energy pulsing within him, the reality of his situation was starting to sink in. This wasn't just about surviving the forest or the creatures lurking within it. This was about something far bigger—something he still couldn't fully understand.
But Kael wasn't the type to let confusion stop him. He'd figure it out, one way or another. For now, the core—whatever it was—was the only thing keeping him alive. He didn't know how to control it, didn't even know what it truly was, but he'd use it to survive.
"Okay," Kael muttered, pushing himself back to his feet.
"First things first—get water. Then try not to die."
His lips quirked into a humorless smile.
"Again."
He cast one last glance at the dark forest below, the mist swirling between the trees like fingers of some unseen predator. Then, he turned back into the alcove and sat down, preparing for what would come next.