The forest came alive with noise, a chaotic symphony of snapping twigs, heavy footsteps, and the low hum of energy that made the hairs on Kael's arms stand on end. The guttural voices grew louder, their strange cadence resonating with an unnatural rhythm that made his stomach twist.
Liora pressed a finger to her lips, signaling for silence, as she peered through a crack in the stone wall. Her sharp green eyes scanned the woods with the precision of a predator. Merek crouched low, gripping an old hunting knife as though it were a lifeline. Kael stood frozen, his palms slick with sweat and his thoughts racing.
"What are they?" Kael whispered, his voice barely audible.
"Sentinels," Liora replied, her voice low but firm. "The gods' soldiers. They're relentless, soulless, and won't stop until they find us." She glanced at him, her expression unreadable. "This isn't the time to freeze, kid. If they catch us, we're dead."
Kael swallowed hard, forcing himself to move. He clenched his fists, trying to summon the same power he'd felt back in the village. But the earth beneath him remained still, unresponsive. Panic bubbled in his chest.
"I can't," he whispered. "I can't control it."
"You don't have to," Liora said sharply. "Just focus on staying alive."
The first Sentinel emerged from the shadows—a towering figure clad in silvery armor that seemed to shimmer like liquid under the faint morning light. Its face was featureless, a blank mask of pale metal, and its movements were eerily smooth as it glided through the underbrush.
"Get down," Liora hissed, pulling Kael behind a crumbling pillar.
The Sentinel paused, its head tilting slightly as if sniffing the air. The low hum grew louder, reverberating through the ground like a heartbeat.
Kael held his breath, his pulse pounding in his ears. He could feel the earth's quiet murmur beneath him, faint and distant, like a whisper just out of reach.
Liora's hand tightened on her dagger. "We need to move," she mouthed, her lips barely moving.
Before they could act, another sound cut through the forest—a sharp, crackling noise, followed by a flash of bright light. The Sentinel's head snapped toward the source, and with a fluid motion, it disappeared into the trees, moving faster than Kael thought possible.
"What was that?" Merek asked, his voice trembling.
"Trouble," Liora muttered. "Stay close. We're leaving."
The forest seemed endless as they moved, each step feeling heavier than the last. The air was thick with tension, and Kael couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched.
"Where are we going?" he asked, his voice tight with frustration.
"Somewhere safer," Liora replied curtly.
"That's not an answer."
She stopped abruptly, spinning to face him. "You want answers, kid? Fine. We're heading to the old resistance stronghold. If it's still intact, we might find supplies, maybe even allies. But if we keep standing around asking questions, we're going to end up dead. So unless you've got a better plan, keep moving."
Kael clenched his jaw but said nothing. He hated the way she spoke to him, as if he were a burden, but he couldn't deny that she knew what she was doing.
Merek placed a hand on his shoulder. "She's right, Kael. Let's focus on surviving for now."
Reluctantly, Kael nodded and followed.
By the time they reached the stronghold, the sun was high overhead, its light barely piercing the thick canopy. The entrance was hidden beneath a massive boulder that Liora pushed aside with surprising ease, revealing a narrow staircase leading underground.
"After you," she said, gesturing for them to descend.
The air grew colder as they made their way down, the stone walls damp and lined with faint carvings that glowed softly as they passed. Kael couldn't help but run his fingers over them, feeling a strange warmth beneath his touch.
"What is this place?" he asked.
"An old refuge," Liora replied. "Back during the war, the resistance used places like this to hide from the gods. Most of them have been abandoned for centuries, but some still hold… secrets."
The staircase opened into a vast chamber, its walls lined with shelves of ancient books and artifacts. A large table sat at the center, its surface covered in maps, tools, and strange devices that Kael couldn't begin to understand.
"This is incredible," Merek breathed, his eyes wide as he took in the room.
"Don't touch anything," Liora warned. "Some of these relics are dangerous. Others are cursed."
Kael's gaze fell on a small pedestal at the far end of the room. Atop it sat a crystal shard, its surface glowing faintly with a golden light that seemed to pulse in time with his heartbeat.
Drawn to it, he stepped closer, the rest of the room fading away. The shard called to him, its energy warm and familiar, like an old friend.
"Kael, don't—" Merek's voice broke through the haze, but it was too late.
Kael reached out and touched the shard.
A surge of energy shot through him, and the world around him dissolved into light. He felt weightless, his body and mind untethered from reality as visions flooded his consciousness.
He saw the gods, towering and radiant, waging war against humanity. He saw the earth torn apart, its energy drained to fuel their power. And he saw himself—standing alone against a sea of light, the ground rising and falling at his command.
The visions faded, and Kael collapsed to the floor, gasping for air.
"Kael!" Merek knelt beside him, his face pale. "Are you all right?"
Kael nodded weakly, his mind reeling. The shard's energy still lingered in his veins, and with it came a terrifying clarity.
"They're looking for something," he said, his voice trembling. "Something powerful. And if they find it…"
"They'll destroy everything," Liora finished, her expression grim. "Looks like we've got our work cut out for us."
Kael looked up at her, his resolve hardening. The weight of the earth's power pressed against him, but he no longer felt afraid.
For the first time, he understood what he was meant to do.