Kael's grip on the stone tightened, the cold surface pressing against his palm. There was something unsettling about it—a foreign energy, almost as if it were alive. The wanderer's gaze bore into him, as though waiting for him to make a decision.
"I don't need more riddles," Kael said, his voice steady but tinged with caution. "What is this, and what do you know about the beasts?"
The wanderer remained silent for a moment, as if contemplating whether to reveal what was hidden beneath the surface. Finally, they spoke, their voice low and serious.
"There's a pattern to these attacks, a strategy that's been unfolding for years. The beasts aren't simply attacking to survive—they're being driven, pushed towards something far darker than anyone understands. The stone you're holding is a key, Kael. A key to something much older than the beasts themselves."
Kael's brow furrowed. He knew there was something different about the beasts that had attacked the bastion. But this? A key to something older? What could possibly be more ancient than the primal forces he had already witnessed in the wilds?
The wanderer took a step forward, their face still hidden by the hood of their cloak. "I've been following the signs, watching the movement of the beasts. There's a force out here, something far beyond any creature you've faced. And they're preparing for something—a cataclysm. The beasts may be the tip of the iceberg."
Kael's mind raced as he processed the words. Was this the real reason the beasts had come? A larger, more incomprehensible force than he had ever imagined? And why had the beasts been so coordinated this time? Why the sudden shift?
"I'm not interested in fairy tales," Kael replied, though a part of him couldn't dismiss the weight of what the wanderer was saying. He had seen things in the wilds that defied reason—beasts that fought with purpose, not just instinct. A larger enemy, a cataclysm, might not be so far-fetched.
"Then you're blind," the wanderer retorted, their tone fierce. "You think you've seen the worst of it, Kael, but you've only scratched the surface. The beasts are just a symptom, not the cause. The real battle is ahead of you, and this"—they gestured toward the stone—"is the only way to stop it."
Kael studied the stone again, a feeling of inevitability settling over him. He had always fought for survival, for the bastion, for the ones who had cast him out. But now, with the weight of the stone in his hand and the gravity of the wanderer's words, he felt the stirrings of something far larger than his past struggles.
The path ahead was uncertain, and Kael had no idea where it would lead, but one thing was clear: he was no longer just fighting for his home. The world was changing, and if he didn't find the answers soon, he might be too late to stop it.
"Tell me what to do with this," Kael said, his voice low but resolute. "I'll listen—but only if you tell me what comes next."
The wanderer's lips curled into a knowing smile, their eyes gleaming with a hidden knowledge. "It's time to learn the true cost of survival, Kael. Time to uncover what the wilds have been hiding from you all along."
And with that, Kael's journey into the unknown began.