Kael approached the glowing fissure, each step heavy with trepidation. The light emanating from the crack in the earth was blinding, yet not painful. It pulsed in rhythm, echoing in his chest like a second heartbeat. As he drew closer, the pull intensified—not just on his body but on his mind, gnawing at the edges of his thoughts. A part of him wanted to turn back, but another part, more primal and insistent, urged him forward.
"Be careful," the wanderer said, their voice low but firm. "This is no ordinary place. Whatever you find here will test every part of you."
Kael glanced at them, his expression hard. "You keep saying that, but you're not giving me any answers. What am I supposed to do? Stand here and let it tear me apart?"
The wanderer sighed, their gaze fixed on the fissure. "I don't have all the answers, Kael. But I know this much—if you give in to the pull, you'll lose yourself. You have to confront it on your terms, not its."
Kael didn't respond. He didn't have the energy for an argument. Instead, he stepped forward, his fingers tightening around his spear. The closer he got, the stronger the craving became. It wasn't just the shimmering water now—it was the fissure itself, calling to him with an almost magnetic force. He gritted his teeth, willing himself to stay in control.
The moment he crossed the threshold, the world around him shifted. The light from the fissure enveloped him, swallowing the sounds of the wilds and the presence of the wanderer. Kael found himself standing in a vast, featureless expanse, the ground beneath him smooth and cold like polished stone. The air was thick and oppressive, making it hard to breathe.
"Kael," a voice called out, soft yet unmistakable. He spun around, his spear at the ready, but there was no one there.
"Who's there?" he demanded, his voice echoing in the emptiness.
"You know who I am," the voice replied. It was closer now, coming from everywhere and nowhere at once. "I am the wilds. I am the beasts. I am the power you crave and the curse you bear."
Kael's grip on his spear tightened. "If you're so powerful, show yourself."
The voice laughed, a deep, resonant sound that sent shivers down his spine. "You're not ready to see me. Not yet. But I can show you something else—something you've been running from."
Before Kael could respond, the ground beneath him shifted, and the emptiness around him dissolved. In its place, he saw the bastion—the walls towering above him, the streets bustling with life. For a moment, he thought he had somehow returned home. But then he saw the faces.
They weren't just familiar; they were accusing. The townsfolk glared at him with a mixture of fear and disdain, their whispers echoing in his ears.
"Monster," one of them hissed.
"Abomination," another said.
Kael's chest tightened. He wanted to scream at them, to tell them he wasn't the enemy. But the words wouldn't come. Instead, the scene shifted again, and he found himself back in the wilds. This time, he wasn't alone.
A pack of beasts surrounded him, their eyes glowing with an unnatural light. They didn't attack; they simply stared, their gazes piercing through him. Kael felt the weight of their judgment, their silent condemnation.
"You're not one of them," the voice said. "But you're not one of us either. You exist between worlds, Kael—a tether to both but belonging to neither."
Kael clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms. "I didn't ask for this," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
"No," the voice replied. "But you accepted it. Every time you drew on the power of the wilds, every time you let it change you, you chose this path. The question is, what will you do with it?"
The scene shifted once more, and Kael found himself standing before the fissure again. The light was brighter now, almost blinding. He could feel its energy coursing through him, threatening to overwhelm him. But there was something else, too—something darker and more insidious. The craving. It was stronger now, clawing at his mind with a ferocity that left him breathless.
"Take it," the voice urged. "Give in, and the pain will end. You'll be stronger than ever before."
Kael shook his head, his jaw set. "And what happens when it controls me? When I lose who I am?"
The voice laughed again, a cold, hollow sound. "You think you know who you are? You've already changed, Kael. The boy who left the bastion is gone. The only question is whether you'll embrace the person you've become."
Kael took a deep breath, his thoughts racing. The voice was right—he wasn't the same. The wilds had changed him, twisted him into something he barely recognized. But that didn't mean he had to lose himself entirely. He still had a choice.
"I won't be your pawn," he said, his voice firm. "If I'm going to use this power, it'll be on my terms."
The light from the fissure dimmed slightly, as though reacting to his defiance. "Very well," the voice said. "But know this—your journey is far from over. The wilds will continue to test you, and the price of survival will only grow steeper. Are you prepared to pay it?"
Kael didn't hesitate. "I'll do whatever it takes."
The fissure pulsed one last time, and the light enveloped him completely. When it faded, he was back in the ravine, the wanderer standing a few feet away.
"You were gone for a while," the wanderer said, their tone cautious. "What happened?"
Kael shook his head, his gaze fixed on the fissure. "I saw... something. I don't know what it was, but it felt like the wilds themselves were speaking to me."
The wanderer's expression darkened. "And what did they say?"
Kael met their gaze, his eyes hard. "That this is just the beginning."
The climb out of the ravine was grueling. Kael's body ached, his muscles protesting every movement. The craving was still there, gnawing at the edges of his mind, but he forced himself to ignore it. He couldn't afford to give in—not now.
When they finally reached the top, the wanderer turned to him, their expression unreadable. "You survived," they said. "That's more than most can say."
Kael didn't respond. He was too focused on the road ahead, on the challenges that still lay before him. The wilds had tested him, and he had emerged stronger—but at what cost? He could feel the changes within him, the power coursing through his veins. But he also felt the weight of it, the price he would have to pay.
As they set off into the forest, Kael couldn't shake the feeling that his journey was only beginning. The wilds had claimed him, tethered him to their will. And though he had defied them for now, he knew it was only a matter of time before they tested him again.
The path ahead was uncertain, but one thing was clear: Kael's fight was far from over.