Kael's feet crunched through the thick underbrush, the sound barely audible over the wind whipping through the trees. The Citadel had faded behind him, just another memory swallowed by the vast wilderness. With each step, the air grew heavier, thicker with the scent of earth and decay. The wilderness was alive, vibrant in its chaos. Yet, despite the beauty of it all, Kael couldn't shake the feeling of being watched.
He hadn't fully realized how unprepared he was for the world outside until he found himself miles from the Citadel, deep within the unknown. The landscape was unforgiving, and every rustle in the trees, every sudden shift in the air, made his instincts flare. He had no clear path ahead, but that didn't matter.
Kael was used to uncertainty. The unknown didn't scare him—it drove him forward.
The sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows that stretched across the landscape like fingers. Kael had spent the last few hours testing his control over his Ecliptine power, but it was more difficult than he'd expected. Each time he called upon it, the energy pulsed, wild and untamed, threatening to overtake him. His body, still adjusting to the constant mutations, couldn't handle the full force of the power. It felt as though the energy inside him was just waiting to explode, but Kael had learned to be patient.
There was no hurry. Not yet.
Kael set up camp for the night, his thoughts drifting back to the Citadel. The decision to leave had been swift, almost instinctual. But now, sitting alone under the open sky, Kael was struck by the enormity of his choice. He had walked away from everything—everything he had ever known. His training. His future. The safety of the Citadel.
And for what? To wander alone in a world that had no mercy? Was this the beginning of something greater, or had he simply made a mistake?
The crackle of a fire broke through his thoughts, and Kael's attention snapped back to the present. He hadn't meant to light the fire, but the Ecliptine energy had surged again, and now it was blazing before him. The flames flickered higher, and Kael couldn't suppress a smile. There was something exhilarating about it. The power was out of control, but for the first time, Kael wasn't afraid of it. He was beginning to accept it, to understand that maybe his true path lay not in perfect control, but in embracing the chaos that flowed through him.
As the fire burned brightly, Kael leaned back against a tree and closed his eyes, letting the heat wash over him. The sky above was a sea of stars, endless and beautiful. The wilderness was vast, but it felt oddly comforting.
It was here, in this wild expanse, that Kael realized he wasn't just running from the Citadel—he was running toward something. Something bigger than power. Something that would shape him into the person he was meant to become.
Tomorrow, the journey would continue. Kael didn't know what lay ahead. But he was ready.