Kael moved through the forest, his mind still whirling from the brutal encounter. The beast's carcass lay behind him, the scent of blood thick in the air. But he didn't stop to look back. He couldn't afford to. The wilds were not a place for hesitation, not a place for second-guessing. Every step he took, every decision, could be the difference between life and death.
As he continued, something changed in the atmosphere. The wind picked up, sweeping through the trees with a strange, almost melodic sound. It wasn't the usual gust of wind, but a rhythmic, constant flow of air, like a deep breath the forest was taking. The trees bent and swayed as though responding to some unseen force, and Kael's instincts screamed that he was no longer just walking through the woods—he was walking into something.
A flash of light caught his eye, distant yet bright, like a beacon in the middle of the forest. Intrigued, Kael began moving toward it, his feet light on the ground. The air around him seemed to grow warmer as he drew closer, the light growing stronger with each step.
As he emerged into a small clearing, Kael stopped. Before him was a pool of water, its surface perfectly still, reflecting the bright light overhead. The water shimmered, glowing with an unnatural hue. The relic inside him pulsed, its presence stronger than ever before.
Without thinking, Kael stepped forward, his reflection merging with the strange light in the water. The instant he did, the air shifted. The water rippled violently, and a wave of energy crashed into him, knocking him to the ground.
His vision blurred, and he felt as if he were falling, spinning through the air. For a moment, Kael felt completely disconnected from the world, as if he were caught between two realities. He struggled to keep himself grounded, to make sense of the overwhelming surge of power that coursed through him.
When his senses finally cleared, Kael found himself standing on solid ground again, but this time, he wasn't in the same forest. The trees had changed. The colors were more vibrant, the air heavier, as though the very essence of the world was shifting around him.
He looked down at his hands. The relic's power was surging through him, stronger than ever. His vision sharpened, his senses heightened. It was as though the forest itself was becoming a part of him, like he was no longer just an observer, but a participant in something much larger.
And then, in the distance, Kael saw something moving—a shadow, a shape shifting through the trees. His heart raced, and he instinctively reached for his spear. Whatever this was, it wasn't something he could ignore.