Kael's boots crunched over the dusty ground as he passed through the village gates. He paused for a moment, taking in the sight before him. The village had changed. Banners of vibrant reds, blues, and yellows fluttered in the wind, and fresh wreaths of flowers adorned nearly every doorway. He frowned, a pang of something unfamiliar tightening in his chest. Celebration? While he had been gone, lost in his own darkness, the village had carried on without him, as if his absence had been nothing more than a fleeting whisper in the wind.
His eyes darted across the crowd that was slowly gathering, drawn to his sudden, unannounced return. Faces he knew well—people he had once protected, once lived among—stared back at him with wide, wary eyes. The whispers rose, carried on the breeze like the rustling of leaves. Each voice seemed louder than the last, laced with curiosity, disbelief, and suspicion.
"He's back…"
"Why now, after all this time?"
"Does he think we've forgotten?"
Kael's jaw tightened. He ignored the voices, pushing his way toward the village square, his heart hammering in his chest. As he approached, Jorvan stood waiting at the square's center, as if anticipating his return. The old village elder leaned heavily on his staff, the lines of age deepening the stern expression on his face. His gaze locked onto Kael, hard and piercing, the disappointment palpable.
Jorvan stepped forward, blocking Kael's path, his grip tightening around the weathered wood of his staff. "Why did you leave without a word, Kael?" The elder's voice was calm, but there was a razor-sharp edge to it that cut through the whispers. "Do you have any idea how spooked you left this village? People were scared. You left us in the dark."
Kael shifted, his gaze dropping to the ground. He felt the weight of guilt pulling him down, threatening to drag him into the depths of it. But he wasn't ready—he couldn't tell them, not yet. His voice came out low, almost detached, as if the words weren't his own. "I had business to take care of."
"Business?" Jorvan scoffed, his brow furrowing in disbelief. "That's all you've got to say? You vanish into the night, not a word to anyone, and now you come back expecting everything to be the same? Do you know what that did to us?"
The villagers' murmurs grew louder, their faces twisted in confusion and hurt. Kael's gaze flicked to the crowd, feeling the collective judgment settle over him like a suffocating fog. His chest tightened, but he forced his voice to remain steady, blunt. "I did what I had to do."
Jorvan's patience wore thin, and without warning, he grabbed Kael by the arm, his grip surprisingly strong for someone his age. "That's not good enough, Kael," he snapped, pulling him toward the edge of the crowd. "You owe more than vague excuses. Especially to her."
Kael stumbled slightly but resisted the urge to pull away. He followed Jorvan's gesture, his gaze landing on Elara. His breath caught in his throat. She stood with her arms crossed over her chest, her posture stiff, her face a mask of cold disdain. The warmth that had once danced in her eyes when she looked at him was gone, replaced by something sharp, bitter.
Jorvan shoved him forward, forcing him to face her. "You left her behind without a word. Do you have any idea what you've done to her?"
Kael stood there, frozen, unable to look Elara in the eye. His throat tightened. He had imagined this moment a thousand times on his journey, but standing before her now, the weight of her gaze felt unbearable.
Elara's lips twisted into a bitter smile. "So, you finally decided to come back?" Her voice was laced with venom, each word a dagger she aimed at him with precision. "Did you think you could just stroll in here like nothing happened? Like you didn't leave us all behind?"
Kael swallowed hard, his hands curling into fists at his sides. The truth sat heavy on his tongue, but he couldn't bring himself to say it. "I told you," he muttered, his voice rough, "I had something to do."
Elara's eyes narrowed, anger flashing in them like sparks from a fire. "That's it? That's all you have to say? You're always so cryptic, always keeping everything to yourself. I thought…" Her voice wavered for just a moment before the steel returned. "I thought you were someone I could trust. I thought you were different."
Her words hit him like a punch to the gut, harder than he had expected. Kael forced himself to meet her gaze, though the weight of it nearly crushed him. "It wasn't that simple, Elara."
"Then make it simple!" she snapped, stepping closer, her voice rising. "Why did you leave? Why did you push me away?"
The image of her lifeless body flashed in his mind, the nightmare that had driven him to leave the village—the blood, the darkness, her stillness. It haunted him every time he closed his eyes. How could he tell her? How could he tell any of them what he had seen, what he had feared? His voice was barely above a whisper when he finally spoke. "You wouldn't understand."
Elara's eyes burned with fury. "You can't even look me in the eye, Kael," she spat. "You're not the man I thought you were. I thought you were strong. I thought you cared. But you just left, like it was nothing."
Kael clenched his fists harder, the tension building inside him like a coiled spring ready to snap. "Can you just be patient?" His voice was harsher now, the frustration bleeding through. "I'll tell you when I'm ready."
A snide voice cut through the tense atmosphere like a knife. Aeris, the arrogant young boy who always seemed to relish in causing trouble, sauntered forward, his eyes glinting with malicious amusement. "Oh, look at this. The great Kael, back from wherever he ran off to, and now he's too much of a coward to tell us why."
Kael's jaw tightened, but he kept his temper in check. He wasn't about to lose control in front of them all. "Mind your own business, Aeris," he said through gritted teeth.
Aeris sneered, his voice dripping with mockery. "Mind my business? You left us all behind, and now you expect us to just welcome you back with open arms? You're a joke."
Kael's patience was at its limit. He turned to the gathering crowd, holding up the crystal for all to see. The artifact shimmered in the dim light, its unnatural glow casting eerie shadows over the villagers' faces. A collective gasp rippled through the crowd as their eyes locked onto the crystal.
"You want to know why I left?" Kael's voice rang out, clear and sharp. "I left because I had no choice. This thing—" he shook the crystal for emphasis, its light flickering ominously—"it's cursed. Someone powerful is after it. If I had stayed, we'd all be dead."
The crowd erupted into murmurs, fear and disbelief spreading like wildfire. Some took a step back, their faces pale with shock.
A villager near the front, an older man Kael didn't recognize, spoke up, his voice trembling with anger. "And we're supposed to believe that? After you left us, after you betrayed us?"
Kael's shoulders sagged under the weight of their mistrust. He sighed, the fight draining out of him. "Believe what you want," he said, his voice quieter now, more tired than angry. "But I didn't leave to betray you. I left to protect you."
Without waiting for a response, Kael turned and walked away, the crystal still clenched tightly in his hand. The villagers parted, letting him pass, but their whispers followed him like a dark cloud. He kept his head down, his heart pounding in his chest as he made his way to the small home he had once called his own.
Once inside, Kael slammed the door behind him, leaning against it as if to hold back the storm of emotions threatening to break free. He stared down at the crystal in his hand, the cursed object that had turned his life upside down, and cursed under his breath.
The Voice echoed in his mind, dark and mocking. "They'll never understand, Kael. You're alone in this."
Kael gritted his teeth, shoving the crystal into his pocket and pushing away the haunting words. Alone or not, he had made his choice. Now, he just had to live with it.
He clenched his fists, forcing himself upright. He couldn't afford to let it end here. Not like this.
Suddenly, a loud bang echoed from outside—something heavy smashing against the village gates. Startled, Kael rushed to the window, his heart racing. The villagers, who had barely begun to disperse, were frozen in place, staring at the source of the noise. A thick, ominous cloud of dust billowed from the gates as they shuddered under another powerful blow.
Jorvan's voice cut through the rising panic. "Get back! Everyone, retreat to the square!"
Before anyone could react, the gates exploded inward with a deafening crash, sending wood and metal flying in all directions. Screams filled the air as villagers scrambled for safety. Kael's eyes widened as the dust cleared, revealing the hulking silhouettes of armored figures emerging from the wreckage, their eyes glowing with unnatural light.
Kael cursed under his breath. The invaders had found him. The ones hunting the crystal.
They moved with deadly precision, cutting through the few villagers who dared to fight back. Kael's pulse quickened, the weight of the crystal in his pocket feeling heavier than ever. His gaze flicked to Elara, who stood near the square, her eyes wide with shock. Her healing magic was no use here, not against these monsters.
Without thinking, Kael charged out the door, sprinting toward the chaos. His hand shot to his waist, drawing a long knife—his only real weapon. The attackers moved toward Jorvan and Elara, and Kael knew he had to act fast. His muscles burned with the surge of adrenaline as he closed the distance.
One of the armored figures, a towering brute wielding a massive war axe, swung at Jorvan. The elder barely managed to deflect the blow with his staff, but the force of it knocked him off his feet. Kael lunged forward, his knife slicing across the brute's exposed wrist, forcing it to drop the axe. The creature snarled in fury, but Kael didn't stop, slamming his boot into its knee and driving it to the ground with a swift, brutal strike.
The other invaders turned their attention to him, their glowing eyes locking onto the crystal he carried. Kael took a defensive stance, his heart hammering in his chest. He knew this fight wasn't just about survival—it was about protecting the village from the darkness he had inadvertently brought to their doorstep.
The brute let out a roar and rose, but Kael was already moving. He sidestepped a vicious overhead swing, spinning around to drive his blade into the brute's exposed side. The creature bellowed in pain, but Kael twisted the blade and yanked it free, dark blood spilling onto the ground.
Just as Kael readied himself for another strike, a voice cut through the chaos—Jorvan's. "Kael, the crystal! Use it!"
Kael's breath caught. He hadn't used the Crystal of Creation in a long time. He feared its pull, its corrupting influence, but there was no time to hesitate. With a growl of determination, he yanked the crystal from his pocket, its surface shimmering with a pulse of energy that made the ground tremble.
The moment his fingers wrapped around it, Kael felt a surge of strength flood his body, his muscles burning with raw power. His vision sharpened, the world slowing around him as his senses expanded. The invaders rushed at him, but they moved sluggishly, their movements predictable.
With newfound speed, Kael sidestepped an incoming blade, his knife slashing out with blinding precision. In seconds, two of the invaders fell, crumpling to the ground. The brute charged again, but Kael met it head-on, his strength amplified tenfold. He grabbed the creature by the throat and, with a roar, hurled it back against the gates, splintering them further.
The remaining attackers hesitated, their confidence shaken. Kael advanced, the crystal's power radiating from him like a storm. They had underestimated him.
Behind him, he heard the sound of clattering footsteps—Elara rushing to Jorvan's side, helping him to his feet. Kael glanced over his shoulder at her, their eyes meeting for the briefest moment. Gone was the icy disdain. In its place, Kael saw something else. Something warmer.
One of the remaining invaders snarled and rushed at him, but Kael didn't even flinch. With a single punch, he sent the attacker flying backward, the crystal glowing brighter in his hand.
The village was safe—for now.
Kael stood amidst the fallen enemies, his chest heaving, the power of the crystal still thrumming through him. He felt invincible, alive in a way he hadn't felt in years. The weight of his secrets lifted, his burden shared at last.
For the first time since he had returned, Kael smiled.
[Crystal of Creation](Ability Update)
+ Absolute Creation
Grants the ability to forge anything imaginable, constrained only by physical limits like size and complexity.
+ Infinite Creation
Creations remain permanent, but each one drains a portion of the crystal's strength over time.
+Muscle Creation
Creates muscles that would never have been there.
New Abilities Locked – Awaiting Unlock