---
The battle with the creature still lingered in Kaelen's mind as he continued his journey through the desolate landscape. The remnants of the beast's shattered body had dissolved into the earth, leaving no trace but the faint scent of burning metal in the air. Kaelen didn't have time to rest. The victory felt empty, as if the true battle was yet to come.
He needed answers. He needed direction. And more than that, he needed allies.
As if on cue, a soft voice echoed in his mind.
"*Your journey is only beginning, Kaelen.*"
Kaelen sighed, his gaze fixed on the horizon where the sky met the twisted forest in the distance. "*I've heard that before, Lilith. But when do I get to make a choice for myself?*"
"*The world does not work that way,*" Lilith replied, her tone gentle yet firm. "*Choices are not given, Kaelen. They are earned. Every decision you make brings you closer to who you are meant to become—or to the monster you fear becoming.*"
Kaelen clenched his fists, the weight of her words sinking into his chest. He didn't want to become a monster. But at the same time, he had no idea how to stop it. The anger, the power—he could feel it constantly churning beneath his skin. How much longer could he hold it at bay?
"*You are stronger than you think,*" Lilith said. "*And you are not alone. Your path will cross with others—some you can trust, others you cannot. But all of them will test you. And in return, you will test them.*"
The mention of allies made Kaelen pause. *Allies…* He hadn't considered that, not seriously. He had always been alone, ever since the day his power first manifested. But Lilith was right—if he was going to survive the coming trials, he couldn't do it alone. He needed to find others who understood the burden of power, people who could balance his instincts with wisdom.
The sound of movement broke him from his thoughts. He turned sharply, hand reaching for his sword, but what he saw made him hesitate.
A group of travelers emerged from the trees—a ragtag group, their clothes worn and dirty from the road. There were three of them in total: a tall, wiry man with a crooked smile and sharp eyes; a young woman, barely older than Kaelen himself, with silver hair that caught the light; and an older man, broad-shouldered with a serious expression.
They stopped in front of Kaelen, sizing him up with a look of cautious curiosity.
"*Well, well,*" the tall man spoke first, his voice light but wary. "*Looks like we're not the only ones wandering this forsaken place.*"
Kaelen narrowed his eyes but didn't move. The tension in the air was thick, and Lilith's voice whispered in his mind, *Trust your instincts, Kaelen. Not everyone is as they seem.*
"What brings you here?" Kaelen asked, his tone neutral but tinged with suspicion.
The older man, who had remained silent until now, stepped forward. "*We could ask you the same thing, stranger. But we know better than to judge based on appearances. This land is full of danger, and anyone who's been here long enough knows not to go it alone.*"
The silver-haired woman took a step forward, her piercing gaze never leaving Kaelen. "*And you seem like someone who knows his way around trouble.*"
Kaelen didn't respond immediately, scanning the trio. The older man's serious demeanor, the woman's unyielding confidence, and the tall man's playful yet sharp eyes—all of them radiated a certain quiet strength.
Lilith's voice floated in his mind once again. *Don't let your distrust cloud your judgment. These people are more than they appear, Kaelen. They will play a part in your journey.*
Kaelen wasn't sure if he was ready to trust them, but he knew that turning away would leave him with nothing. *Better to have companions than face the trials alone.*
He nodded, still cautious but willing to hear them out. "*I'm Kaelen. And you are?*"
"*Name's Dorian,*" the tall man said with a grin, stepping forward and offering a hand. "*This is Lira,*" he nodded toward the silver-haired woman, who simply acknowledged him with a nod, "*and that's Garak,*" he pointed to the older man, who gave Kaelen a brief but steady look. "*We've been traveling these lands for a while now. Looking for answers, like most people around here.*"
Kaelen's instincts told him that there was more to their story than they were letting on, but he didn't press the issue. "*Answers to what?*"
Dorian gave a shrug, his grin widening. "*Answers to the same thing everyone's searching for in these parts—how to survive the madness. The creatures, the shifting powers, the endless war between factions. You name it, we've seen it.*"
Lira crossed her arms, her expression a mix of skepticism and curiosity. "*We could ask you the same thing, Kaelen. You seem to have a certain… edge about you. A power that's not easy to come by.*"
Kaelen's hand instinctively went to his sword. He had no intention of revealing his full strength to them—not yet. "*I'm just surviving.*"
Garak, the older man, stepped forward, his presence solid and unshakable. His eyes studied Kaelen intently. "*Surviving doesn't mean living. You know that, don't you?*"
Kaelen remained silent for a moment, then nodded. "*I know.*"
The group fell into a brief silence, as if each of them was mulling over the weight of the conversation. Finally, Dorian spoke again, breaking the tension.
"*Well, Kaelen, we've been moving toward a place called Valthera. There's a city there, and we're looking for someone. Someone who might have answers. You're welcome to join us, if you're interested. But the road is dangerous, and we don't take kindly to freeloaders.*"
Lira gave Dorian a sharp glance, clearly unimpressed with his bluntness. "*We're offering you a chance to travel with us. What you decide to do with that is your choice.*"
Kaelen considered their offer carefully. He wasn't sure if he could trust them, but he knew that traveling alone in these dangerous lands was no longer an option. Whatever lay ahead, having companions might be the key to survival.
He looked at them, his gaze steady. "*I'll come with you. But we're clear—I'm not here to be anyone's follower.*"
Dorian's grin widened, and Lira gave a nod of approval. Garak said nothing but seemed to silently accept the arrangement.
"*Good,*" Dorian said. "*Then let's get moving. Valthera isn't far, but we'll have to keep our wits about us.*"
Kaelen fell into step behind the group, feeling a strange sense of camaraderie settle into his chest. For the first time in a long while, he wasn't alone. And maybe, just maybe, this ragtag group of travelers could help him find the answers he was desperately searching for.
---