Kael stood in silence, the stone still warm in his palm. His mind raced with the weight of the wanderer's words. There was more at play here than just the beasts, more than the daily struggle for survival in the wilds. A darker force was rising, and the stone in his hand was the key to it all. He had thought he was prepared for whatever the world could throw at him, but this—this was different.
The wanderer's cryptic message echoed in his mind. The beasts were just a symptom, not the cause. It seemed impossible, yet Kael knew there was truth in it. The beasts had been too coordinated, too purposeful in their attacks. They had been following some unseen force, something he had yet to fully understand.
As he turned to face the wanderer, Kael felt a sudden, inexplicable shift in the air around him. His body tensed as a sharp, searing pain shot through his chest. His vision blurred, and for a moment, he thought he might collapse. It was happening again—the mutation. The wilds were changing him, warping his body in ways he couldn't control.
The wanderer moved quickly, his hands steadying Kael's trembling form. "This is it, isn't it?" The words were barely above a whisper. "Another mutation. The power inside you is awakening, but it's not just from the beasts anymore. The stone—it's interacting with you. It's part of the reason you're changing."
Kael gritted his teeth, trying to push through the pain. His body was no longer his own, and the wild energy coursing through his veins was becoming unbearable. But he couldn't afford to let it control him. He needed answers—answers that only the wanderer could provide.
The wanderer's face remained unreadable as he helped Kael to a nearby boulder. "You need to learn how to control it, Kael. The mutation is a side effect, but it will make you stronger. In time, it could be the key to stopping the real threat that's coming. But you have to be ready. You're not just fighting for yourself anymore. You're fighting for the world."
Kael nodded, his breath coming in ragged gasps. He had always fought for survival, for the bastion, and for revenge against those who had cast him out. But now, as the stone pulsed in his hand, he understood that his battle was much bigger than he had ever imagined. There was a storm coming, one that he couldn't face alone.
After a long pause, Kael finally spoke, his voice strained but resolute. "Tell me what I need to do."
The wanderer's eyes darkened, and he glanced around, as if searching for something—or someone. "First, you need to understand the wilds in a way you never have before. The beasts, the land, even the forces that shape this world. You must become something more than just a hunter, Kael. You must become the storm."