Kael wandered deeper into the wilds, the strange encounter with the woman still lingering in his mind. The forest, once a chaotic place full of beasts and dangers, now seemed different, like it was waiting for something. The trees loomed larger than before, their roots twisting like ancient serpents beneath the soil. Even the wind carried a weight to it, heavy with secrets.
Kael's thoughts were a whirlwind, his focus torn between the journey ahead and the cryptic words of the woman. The relic inside him pulsed intermittently, its power shifting like the ebb and flow of the tide. He didn't fully understand it, but he could feel it—something was stirring in the wilds, something that would change everything.
As he moved through the dense foliage, he could feel his connection to the relic deepening, almost like it was whispering to him, urging him onward. He reached out, brushing his fingers along the rough bark of a nearby tree. The moment he did, a flash of light erupted from the relic, momentarily blinding him. When his vision cleared, he was no longer standing in the same part of the forest.
The landscape had shifted. The air was thicker, and the trees around him were much older—taller and more twisted, their branches reaching like gnarled hands clawing at the sky. He had stumbled into something ancient, something that lay hidden within the heart of the wilds.
Kael's senses went on high alert, his body instinctively tensing as he realized that he wasn't alone. Something was watching him from the shadows. The very air seemed charged with the presence of unseen creatures, their eyes tracking his every movement.
Without warning, a massive figure lunged from the underbrush, its claws extended toward him. Kael barely had time to react, instinctively raising his spear in defense. The beast collided with him, knocking him back into the dirt. Its breath was hot and rancid, its eyes wild with hunger. But Kael wasn't afraid. He'd fought beasts before, and he had learned the ways of the wilds.
With a swift motion, Kael drove the spear into the creature's side, feeling the resistance of muscle and bone. The beast let out a guttural scream, but Kael didn't hesitate. He twisted the spear, aiming for the heart. The creature went limp, collapsing to the ground with a thud.
Kael stood over it, panting heavily, his grip tight on his weapon. He looked down at the lifeless form of the beast, the adrenaline still coursing through his veins. The wilds had tested him again, but this time, it had felt different. The beast was stronger, more vicious than any he had encountered before. It was as if the forest itself was adapting, evolving in response to his presence.
He took a deep breath, steadying himself. This was just the beginning.