The forest seemed darker than Kael remembered. Shadows stretched unnaturally long, and the canopy above blocked out what little light the moon offered. The sounds of destruction in Torren's Edge still echoed faintly in the distance, a haunting reminder of what they'd left behind.
Kael struggled to keep up as Liora moved swiftly through the undergrowth, her movements precise and deliberate, as though she'd navigated these woods a hundred times. Merek was close behind her, his hand gripping Kael's wrist like a lifeline.
"Where are we even going?" Kael asked, breathless.
"Far enough that the god won't bother looking," Liora replied without turning. "They're powerful, but they're not omniscient. Keep up."
Kael stumbled over a root, barely catching himself. His legs ached, his chest burned, and his mind raced with questions he didn't even know how to ask.
The god. The soldiers. The power he'd unleashed.
It had felt instinctual, like an extension of himself, yet completely alien at the same time. And the way the earth had responded to him—alive, willing, and full of raw, untamed energy—had left him shaken.
"What happened back there?" he finally managed, his voice low.
Merek glanced at him, his expression unreadable. "What do you mean?"
"You know what I mean!" Kael stopped walking, yanking his arm free of his father's grip. "The ground moved. It rose up like it was… like I was controlling it. What was that?"
Merek sighed, rubbing his temples. "I was hoping we'd have more time to talk about this, but I suppose that luxury's gone now." He looked Kael in the eyes, his voice steady. "You felt it, didn't you? That connection to the earth."
Kael nodded reluctantly.
"It's geomancy," Merek said. "An ancient power, older than the gods themselves. Few can wield it, and even fewer survive it. You… you're one of those few, Kael."
The revelation hit Kael like a punch to the gut. Geomancy was a word he'd read in his father's books, always paired with warnings about its dangers. The power to shape the earth was said to come at a cost, one that had driven its wielders mad or worse.
"How long have you known?" Kael asked, his voice tight.
"Since you were a boy," Merek admitted. "But it was dormant. I never thought—"
"Never thought what? That I'd be attacked by a god and forced to use it?"
"I was trying to protect you!" Merek snapped. "Do you have any idea what they'll do if they find out what you are? The gods see geomancy as a threat. They won't stop until you're—"
"Dead," Liora cut in, her tone flat. She stood a few paces ahead, one hand resting on the hilt of her dagger. "You two can have your heart-to-heart later. Right now, we need to focus on surviving."
Kael wanted to argue, but the look on Liora's face stopped him. Her sharp green eyes glinted with urgency and a hint of something else—fear, perhaps.
"Where are you taking us?" he asked instead, falling back into step beside her.
"There's an old safe house deeper in the forest," she said. "Used to belong to a group of rebels who fought the gods centuries ago. It's abandoned now, but it'll give us shelter for the night."
"And you just happen to know about it?"
Liora smirked. "Let's just say I have a knack for finding places most people forget exist."
Kael didn't trust her, not fully. She'd shown up out of nowhere during the attack, and her knowledge of the gods and their soldiers was suspiciously detailed. But for now, she was their best chance at staying alive.
The safe house was little more than a crumbling stone structure half-buried by moss and vines. Its entrance was hidden behind a thick curtain of ivy, and Kael wouldn't have noticed it if Liora hadn't led them straight to it.
Inside, the air was damp and cold, but it was secure. Liora lit a small lantern, its flickering light casting shadows across the worn stone walls. Merek sat down heavily on a wooden bench, while Kael paced the room, his mind refusing to settle.
"What happens now?" Kael asked finally.
"Now, we figure out our next move," Liora said, leaning against the wall. "That god won't stop at Torren's Edge. If they've come back, it means something big is happening. Something dangerous."
Merek nodded. "The gods wouldn't descend to our world unless they had a reason. And if they're targeting villages like ours, it means they're looking for something—or someone."
Kael froze. "You think they're after me."
"It's possible," Merek said. "If they sensed your geomancy awakening, they might see you as a threat."
"Great," Kael muttered, running a hand through his hair. "So not only do I have a power I don't understand, but I'm also being hunted by literal gods. Fantastic."
"You'll figure it out," Liora said, her voice uncharacteristically soft. "That power of yours? It saved our lives back there. If you learn to control it, it might just save a lot more."
Kael looked at her, surprised by the sincerity in her tone. "And why do you care? What's in this for you?"
Liora's smirk returned, though it didn't reach her eyes. "Let's just say I have my reasons. For now, let's focus on keeping you alive long enough to find out what those reasons are."
Kael's dreams that night were restless and vivid. He saw visions of a world consumed by fire, of mountains crumbling and oceans boiling. In the center of it all stood a figure—neither god nor man—wreathed in golden light, their eyes blazing like twin suns.
The figure turned toward him, and Kael felt the weight of their gaze, heavy and inescapable.
"You cannot run from what you are," the figure said, their voice echoing like a thousand whispers. "The earth is your ally, but it will also be your burden. Choose wisely, Kael Ardent, for the fate of this world rests in your hands."
Kael woke with a start, his heart pounding. The lantern had burned out, leaving the room in darkness, but the faint glow of dawn seeped through the cracks in the stone walls.
"Couldn't sleep?"
He turned to see Liora sitting near the entrance, sharpening one of her daggers. Her gaze was steady, her movements calm.
"Bad dreams," Kael admitted, sitting down beside her.
"Let me guess," she said. "Visions of doom and destruction?"
Kael blinked at her. "How did you—"
"Because I've had them too," she said simply. "You're not the only one the gods have marked, Kael. You're just the newest recruit."
Before he could respond, the sound of distant voices reached them—low and guttural, coming from the forest. Liora tensed, her hand going to her weapon.
"They've found us," she whispered.
Kael felt the earth tremble faintly beneath him, a subtle but insistent reminder of the power he carried. He clenched his fists, his resolve hardening.
If the gods wanted him, they'd have to fight for him.