The air was still, unnaturally so. The aftermath of the battle with the shadowy figure left Kael with a heavy silence hanging in the air, thick with uncertainty. They had left the broken ground behind, retreating to a nearby hidden refuge, but Kael couldn't escape the gnawing feeling that he was being watched. That something was closing in on him.
He sat at the edge of the small campfire, his fingers absently tracing the earth beneath him. Every tremor of the ground felt like an echo of the power within him, the pulse that seemed to throb from the core of the world itself. It was growing stronger, and with it, the weight of responsibility pressing down on his chest.
Liora sat across from him, her eyes reflecting the firelight, but they were distant, almost unreadable. Merek, too, remained silent, his brow furrowed as if trying to decipher the path ahead. The three of them had always been a team, united by purpose. But now, an invisible barrier had formed between them. Kael could feel it, and it felt like the earth itself was dividing them.
"You've been quiet," Liora spoke up, her voice breaking the stillness, though her tone was softer than it had been before. "Too quiet. Something's wrong, Kael. You're not just fighting the earth… you're fighting yourself, aren't you?"
Kael's chest tightened at the truth in her words. He wanted to argue, to say that he was fine, that everything was under control, but the lie would be too easy to see through. He couldn't deny the growing unease that had taken root deep inside him. He could feel it—whenever he reached out to control the earth, a part of him fought back. It was as if the earth itself was rejecting him, unwilling to accept him as its master.
"I don't know what's happening to me," Kael admitted, his voice strained. "The power… it's like it's eating me from the inside out. I can't control it anymore. Every time I try, I feel like I'm slipping further away from myself."
Merek's gaze softened, and he placed a hand on Kael's shoulder. "You're not the only one who feels it. The earth is not just a tool, Kael. It's a force. And forces like that don't bend easily. They break things."
Kael met Merek's gaze, the weight of those words settling deep in his gut. He had seen it—the devastation in his visions, the destruction that had swallowed the world in a torrent of power. Was that his fate? To become a vessel for the earth's rage? To watch everything he loved crumble beneath his feet?
"What if it does break me?" Kael whispered. "What if I'm already too far gone to stop it?"
Liora's eyes softened, and she moved to sit beside him, her voice gentle yet unwavering. "Then you fight. You fight until there's nothing left. The earth doesn't own you, Kael. It never has. You have a choice. We all do."
But Kael knew it wasn't that simple. It wasn't just about fighting—it was about control. And he was losing it.
A sudden tremor ran through the earth, and Kael's heart leapt into his throat. He flinched, instinctively reaching out to steady himself, but the power inside him stirred at the touch, responding like a beast awakened from its slumber.
"Did you feel that?" Kael asked, his voice tight.
Liora and Merek both stood, scanning the surrounding area. The air felt charged, crackling with unseen energy. But there was no sign of danger—at least, none that they could see.
"It's getting worse," Kael muttered, clenching his fists at his sides. "I don't know if I can stop it."
"Maybe you don't have to stop it," Liora said, her voice firm with a new intensity. "Maybe you just need to understand it. You've been resisting too much, Kael. The earth is part of you. You can't keep fighting it."
Kael shot her a look, the frustration in his eyes unmistakable. "And let it consume me?" he snapped. "Let it tear me apart like it's done to everyone else? I've already seen what happens when I give in!"
Liora held his gaze, unflinching. "I've seen it too, Kael. But what if you can master it without losing yourself? What if the answer isn't resisting, but embracing?"
Kael looked away, his mind spinning. Embracing the power? That was exactly what he feared. What if doing so meant he'd lose everything he was? What if he became something else entirely? Something dark?
"Liora's right," Merek said quietly. "You can't keep running from it. The power is part of you now, whether you like it or not. But if you're going to control it, you need to face it."
Kael's heart pounded in his chest. They were asking him to take a step he wasn't sure he could—one that might lead him to the same fate he had seen in his visions.
But then, just as quickly as it had started, the tremor passed. The ground settled once more, and the oppressive energy in the air slowly dissipated.
The earth was silent, as if watching Kael, waiting for his next move.
Kael stood, his muscles tight with tension, his thoughts scattered. The weight of their words pressed down on him. He had always thought that mastering the earth's power meant fighting it—holding it back, containing it. But perhaps that was the very thing that was tearing him apart.
He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, feeling the ground beneath him. The power was still there, a storm waiting to break free. But what if he didn't have to control it with force? What if he could flow with it, like the water that wound its way through the earth, carving its own path?
Kael knelt, pressing his palm to the ground. For a moment, the earth was still. And then, the power surged—but this time, Kael didn't resist. He let it come, let it fill him, without fighting it. His mind was clear, and for the first time in days, he felt a sense of calm settle over him.
The earth answered his call, but it was no longer a violent force. It was alive, yes, but it was not out of control. It was part of him.
When Kael stood again, there was a new light in his eyes. "I can't resist it anymore," he said quietly. "But I can learn to move with it."
Merek and Liora exchanged a glance, and for the first time in days, Kael felt a flicker of hope. He wasn't alone in this. He had them. And together, they would face whatever came next.