Ren closed the door behind Kael, a tad edgy. The voices in his head sounded louder and clearer now. With Kael in his dark apartment, the room suddenly felt much smaller. She walked around, observing the old furniture and faded walls; everything seemed to fall into place in her keen eyes as if she was piecing his life story together from the surroundings.
He had so many questions, but the weight of the influence of the Beacon hung over him like a storm cloud. The power was heavier inside of him now, almost too much to handle. He didn't know what to do with it, yet somehow Kael knew more than she was saying.
"So," Ren said, breaking the silence, "you know about the Beacon. About the Resonance. How?"
Kael stopped walking back and forth and turned to him, crossing her arms. She looked serious, and her eyes were focused.
"The Beacons aren't just old myths, Ren. They're real, and they're dangerous," she said, her voice calm but firm. "You've been marked by one of them, and now you've got a piece of that power inside you. But that kind of power doesn't come for free."
Ren furrowed his eyes. "What do you mean? What kind of cost?
Kael drew in a great breath of air and turned to the window. The sky outside was red, though largely obscured by a thick blanket of fog that rendered the city strange. "There are others like you," she said. "Others who have touched the Beacons and felt their Resonance. Sometimes, people gain power, and sometimes, they lose themselves. The cost. it's different for each person. But the longer you keep it, the more the Abyss asks from you.
Ren clenched his fists. The voices in his head had not stopped since the instant he first touched the Beacon. They urged him to move ahead, yet they tugged at him, like he was going to get lost within the confusing words.
"What do the Beacons want?" he asked.
Kael shook her head. "That's the problem. No one really knows. Some people say they are leftovers from an old civilization, while others believe they are something much older. All we know is that those who have the mark are never the same.
Ren looked at her, his mind racing. He had always been careful, stayed away from the secrets of the city. But now, it seemed, he was entangled in something much bigger than he had ever thought.
"Why did you come to me?" he asked low.
Kael moved closer, her boots making soft sounds on the varnished floor. "I have seen this before, know what happens when people try to do things by themselves. They either lose who they are or turn into something they cannot handle. I don't want that to happen to you.
Her words had an impact on Ren. He was unsure if he could actually trust her, but from the way she spoke, the assurance, the experience that seemed to scream from her eyes, he thought she knew more than she was letting on.
"What do you want from me?" Ren asked.
Kael smiled a little. "I want to help you. But I also need your help." She paused a moment, watching him before speaking again. "There's a bunch of us, people who have survived the Resonances and learned how to control them. We call ourselves the Seekers. We're trying to find out the truth about the Beacons-to understand what they are, why they're here.
Ren scowled. "And you want me to join you?"
Kael nodded. "If you want to stay alive-if you want to manage the power inside you-you will need friends. The Abyss is waking up, and you cannot face it by yourself.
Ren didn't answer immediately. He stared out of the window into the mist-shrouded city. The Beacon had altered him. He could feel its power surging through him, strengthening with every passing hour. Yet with that power came peril. The voices in his mind warned him of what the price might be, yet they also promised something more-something far greater than he had ever known. Kael spoke softly yet confidently, his voice closer now. "You don't have to make a decision right now, but if you want to know what is happening to you, we can show you."
Ren squinted back at her. He still didn't quite trust her, but she was giving him answers-and right now that was more than anyone else had given him.
"Where would I find these Seekers?" he asked.
Kael's smile came again, but with a touch of wariness this time. "I'll take you to them once you are ready. But first, we have to make sure that you can get through what comes next. The Resonance. it's going to test you."
"What kind of test?" Ren asked, skepticism creeping onto his face.
Kael wore a grimmer expression. "The power in you is linked with the Abyss. It will continue to tempt you and wish for you to do its bidding. If you cannot control it, you will lose yourself. That's why you have to learn to fight against it.
His mind was consumed. First having felt the pull of the Beacon when he had touched it, even now the whispers were growing louder, promising him power, promising him knowledge, promising him everything he had ever wanted. Yet simultaneously, they brought a darkness which threatened to consume him if he wasn't careful.
"And what if I fail?" he asked softly.
Kael's eyes darkened. "Then the Abyss takes you."
A heavy silence fell between them. Ren's pulse quickened as he considered his options. He could try to face this alone, keep running and hope that the power didn't overwhelm him. Or he could trust Kael, join the Seekers, and maybe—just maybe—find a way to control the Beacon's influence.
Ren took a deep breath, his decision made.
"All right," he said, meeting Kael's gaze. "I'm in. What's the next step?"
Kael smiled, but there was a flicker of something in her eyes—relief, or perhaps caution. "We'll start tomorrow," she said. "But for now, get some rest. You're going to need it."
As Kael turned to leave, Ren felt the whispers in his mind stir once again. The Beacon's call was growing stronger, and he knew that whatever test awaited him, it would be unlike anything he had ever faced before.