---
The sun had barely risen, but Kaelen could already feel the weight of the day pressing down on him. The storm inside him, though quieter now, still lingered. It was like a dark cloud hovering just out of reach, waiting for the right moment to strike again. He couldn't escape it, no matter how hard he tried.
Lira and Garak had kept their distance since the incident, giving him space to process everything. He knew they were worried—he could see it in their eyes every time they looked at him. But there was something else in their gaze now, something that hadn't been there before. It was a subtle shift, a wariness that made him feel more like a threat than a leader.
He couldn't blame them. After what had happened, he wasn't sure he could trust himself, let alone anyone else.
As the group packed up camp, Kaelen stood off to the side, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. The weight of the sword on his back seemed heavier than ever, as if the weapon itself could feel the strain in his body. It was a constant reminder of his burden.
"You're awfully quiet this morning," Garak's voice broke through the silence, startling Kaelen out of his thoughts. He glanced up to see the burly warrior standing a few feet away, his expression guarded.
Kaelen shrugged. "Just thinking."
Garak raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "About?"
Kaelen hesitated, the words caught in his throat. He couldn't exactly tell Garak that he was thinking about how he might lose control again, or how every time he summoned the storm, it felt like a little piece of himself was lost forever.
"I don't know," Kaelen finally said. "Just... everything."
Garak was silent for a moment, watching him carefully. "Look, Kaelen. I know this power is a lot to handle. But you're not alone in this. We've got your back, no matter what. But you have to promise me one thing."
Kaelen raised an eyebrow, intrigued despite himself. "What's that?"
"That you won't keep pushing yourself like this," Garak said, his voice low and serious. "You're walking a dangerous line. And if you keep using that power without understanding it, it'll eventually consume you."
Kaelen bristled at the words. "I'm not some kind of ticking time bomb, Garak. I can control it."
Garak's gaze was steady, unflinching. "I hope you can. But you're not just risking your own life, Kaelen. You're risking ours, too. Every time you let that storm loose, you're putting us all in danger. And one day, it might not be just a forest that gets torn apart. It might be us."
The words stung, but Kaelen knew Garak was right. Every battle, every moment of rage, had the potential to rip apart everything they had worked for. He could feel the weight of their trust in him, heavy on his shoulders. It wasn't just about saving the world anymore—it was about not letting the people he cared about fall because of his mistakes.
"I'll keep that in mind," Kaelen muttered, though he wasn't sure he could promise anything. The storm wasn't something he could just put away like a weapon or a shield. It was a part of him now, and Kaelen wasn't sure if he could ever be rid of it.
Garak didn't say anything else. He just gave Kaelen a look—a look that said everything that didn't need to be said. He turned and walked away, leaving Kaelen alone with his thoughts.
---
Hours passed as the group made their way through the dense forest. The silence between them felt more pronounced than ever. Kaelen kept his eyes on the path ahead, but every step felt like it was leading him closer to a precipice, one that he wasn't sure he could escape.
It wasn't until they stopped to rest that Kaelen noticed something strange. Lira had been quiet all day, far more so than usual. She had always been the calm, supportive one, but today, she seemed distracted, lost in her own thoughts. Every time their eyes met, she would look away quickly, her expression unreadable.
Kaelen didn't know how to approach her. She had been his anchor, the one person who always seemed to understand him. But now, he felt like a stranger to her. And the distance between them was growing.
After a few moments of silence, he couldn't take it anymore. He stood up and walked over to where Lira sat, staring into the distance.
"Lira," he said softly, "are you alright?"
She didn't answer right away. When she finally looked up at him, there was a sadness in her eyes that made his heart ache. "I'm fine," she said, though her voice lacked conviction.
Kaelen sat down beside her, his heart pounding in his chest. "Lira, what's going on? You've been... different today. What's bothering you?"
Lira hesitated, her fingers playing with the edge of her cloak. Finally, she spoke, her voice quiet but filled with emotion. "Kaelen, I... I don't know how much longer I can keep watching you struggle like this. You're my friend, my partner. I want to help you. But I don't know how."
The words hit Kaelen harder than he expected. He had been so focused on the storm inside him, so consumed by his own fears, that he hadn't stopped to think about what this was doing to the people around him. Lira wasn't just a companion. She was someone who cared for him, someone who had risked everything to stay by his side.
And now, she was starting to doubt him.
"I'm sorry," Kaelen whispered, his voice thick with regret. "I didn't mean to drag you into this."
Lira shook her head, a sad smile on her lips. "You didn't drag me into anything, Kaelen. I chose this. I chose you. But that doesn't mean I can sit by and watch you self-destruct. I don't want to lose you."
The words struck Kaelen like a punch to the gut. He had been so focused on surviving, on controlling the storm, that he had almost forgotten what really mattered. He had almost lost the people who cared about him.
"I won't let you lose me," he promised, his voice raw. "I won't."
But even as he said it, he wasn't sure he could keep that promise. The storm inside him was growing stronger every day, and he wasn't sure if he had the strength to fight it much longer.
As Lira reached out to touch his arm, Kaelen made a silent vow to himself. He would find a way to control the storm. No matter what it took.
But he would also find a way to protect the people he loved.
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