For days, Rael wandered the outskirts of the city, keeping to the shadows and avoiding any signs of life. The further he traveled, the more he realized that the world had changed drastically. The landscape was no longer recognizable, with large rifts splitting the earth, and the remnants of human civilization lay in ruins, overtaken by nature and time.
But even amidst the desolation, Rael could feel it—the growing sense of unease, the subtle tremor in the air. Something was coming. The figure's warning echoed in his mind constantly. It will find you soon.
Rael couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. At first, he thought it was just his paranoia, but then the signs became clearer—the faint rustle of movement in the distance, the glint of eyes in the dark, and the whispers that seemed to follow him wherever he went.
It wasn't long before Rael realized he wasn't alone.
One evening, as he rested near the edge of a crumbled building, he heard a voice—clearer than the whispers, sharp and commanding.
"Boy. Don't move."
Rael froze, his hand instinctively moving to the stone in his pocket.
From the shadows, a figure stepped forward, cloaked in dark leather armor. His face was hidden behind a mask, but his eyes glinted with a cold, calculating intelligence. He moved with the confidence of someone who had seen many battles, his hand resting on the hilt of a blade that was strapped to his side.
Rael tensed, his muscles ready to react. But the man didn't make any sudden moves.
"You're not from around here, are you?" the man asked, his voice steady. "You're carrying something important. Something that doesn't belong to you."
Rael's grip tightened on the stone, but he didn't answer.
The man tilted his head, his gaze never leaving Rael. "I've seen that look before. The confusion, the fear. You're in over your head, boy. But don't worry—I'm not here to kill you."
Rael frowned, unsure of whether to trust him. "Then what do you want?"
The man smiled beneath his mask, though there was no warmth in his expression. "I'm here to make sure you survive long enough to understand what's coming. Whether you like it or not, you're part of something much bigger than yourself."
Rael's mind raced. Was this man connected to the figure he had seen in the vision? Was he an ally—or another enemy?
Before Rael could respond, the man turned his back to him, his gaze scanning the horizon. "Follow me. There's much to discuss. The storm is gathering, and you're standing in its path."