Kael's eyes fluttered open, but the world around him was not the one he'd known. He found himself standing knee-deep in a sparkling forest stream, the cool water rushing around his legs. The air was filled with the hum of vibrant life—birds singing, insects buzzing, and the faint rustle of leaves swaying in a gentle breeze. The trees here were impossibly tall, their trunks thick and ancient, and their leaves shimmered with hues of green and gold.
Kael looked down at himself. His hands were smaller, his limbs slender, and his reflection in the water revealed the face of a young boy with bright, curious eyes. He felt an odd mixture of innocence and familiarity, as if this moment were both entirely foreign and yet deeply personal.
The boy—Kael—laughed as he splashed through the stream, delighting in the way the sunlight sparkled on the water. He darted to the riverbank, flipping over rocks in search of shiny stones or wriggling creatures. Each overturned stone revealed treasures of the forest—tiny fish darting away, shimmering minerals, and once, a startled frog that leapt into the stream with a splash.
But when he flipped over one particular stone, a strange object caught his eye. Beneath the rock lay a mask, carved from dark wood, its features smooth and intricate. The design was unlike anything Kael had seen before, with elegant patterns etched into its surface and two hollow eyes that seemed to stare back at him. Despite its age, the mask looked remarkably sturdy, as though it had been preserved by some unseen magic.
Kael reached out, his small fingers brushing against the wood. The moment his skin made contact, a jolt of energy surged through him. The world around him seemed to darken, and the sound of rushing water faded to silence. The mask emitted a faint glow, its carvings pulsing with a life of their own.
And then, in a flash of light, the mask dissolved into wisps of energy and flowed into Kael's body.
Agony followed.
Kael dropped to his knees in the stream, clutching his chest as a searing pain tore through him. His veins burned with an unnatural heat, and his vision blurred as waves of energy coursed through his small frame. It felt as though something ancient and alien were rooting itself deep within his soul, its power overwhelming and unrelenting.
The vibrant forest around him twisted into shadowed shapes, the once-brilliant colors now dull and foreboding. The animals scattered, their cries distant and distorted, as though the world itself recoiled from the change.
Kael's vision dimmed, and he felt his body slump forward, the cool water of the stream rushing past his face.
When he opened his eyes again, he was no longer a boy.
He was Kael once more, his adult body aching as he gasped for breath. His surroundings were dim and unfamiliar—he was back in the grove, surrounded by the faint glow of the totem and the worried faces of his companions.
Nyxara's voice broke through the haze. "Kael! You're awake!"
He blinked, struggling to find his voice. The memory of the forest, the mask, and the unbearable pain clung to him like a phantom. "The mask… it's inside me…"
Nyxara and Aldric exchanged worried glances, while Lireal leaned in closer, her hand resting on his arm. "What do you mean?"
Kael took a shuddering breath, his voice trembling. "I… I was a boy. In a forest. I found a mask… it's ancient, powerful. It's inside me now. I can feel it."
Aldric frowned, his holy aura flickering faintly. "Another vision? Or something more?"
Kael clenched his fists, the memory of the pain still fresh. "It wasn't just a vision. That mask… it's part of me now."
Nyxara placed a steady hand on his shoulder, her brow furrowed in thought. "Whatever this is, it's tied to the corruption and the totems. We need to understand it before it consumes you further."
Kael nodded weakly, his gaze shifting to the totem at the grove's center. Its energy pulsed faintly, as if in response to his awakening. He could feel something stirring within him—something powerful and dangerous.