In the grand city of Elaris, the beating heart of the kingdom of Lirathal, the High Seer Myrila stood on the marble balcony of her tower. Her pale eyes gazed beyond the flickering lights of the city to the distant mountains shrouded in mist. She gripped the railing with trembling hands, the echoes of her vision still ringing in her mind.
*"The Keeper has been chosen,"* the voice had said. But the images that followed—flashes of fire, a crumbling palace, and a sky torn asunder—had left her shaken.
Footsteps echoed behind her, and she turned to see Lord Daeren, the king's chief advisor, entering the chamber. Clad in black robes trimmed with silver, his sharp features betrayed a mixture of curiosity and concern.
"You called for me, Seer?" he asked, his voice smooth but edged with suspicion.
Myrila nodded, brushing a strand of silver hair from her face. "The prophecy has stirred, Daeren. The Keeper has awakened."
Daeren's eyes narrowed. "After all these years? Are you certain?"
"I saw the mark," she said, her voice low. "The symbol of the intertwined circles. The Keeper bears it now."
Daeren paced, his hands clasped behind his back. "If the Keeper has risen, the Obelisk of Aether must have been disturbed. But that can only mean—"
"Someone found it," Myrila finished. "And now the balance of the Aether hangs by a thread."
Daeren stopped, his gaze calculating. "The king must know. If the Keeper fulfills the prophecy, the Aetherwells could shift entirely—no longer under the control of the throne. Chaos will spread across Lirathal."
Myrila hesitated. "The prophecy is not so clear. The Keeper could restore balance… or bring destruction. The visions did not show which path he will choose."
"Then we cannot wait to find out," Daeren said coldly. "I'll send agents to search the villages near the Forgotten Wastes. We must find the Keeper before the rogue factions do."
Myrila's face hardened. "Daeren, I warn you: the Keeper's destiny is tied to forces beyond mortal control. If you act in haste, you may doom us all."
Daeren tilted his head. "And if we do nothing? The rogue mages, the Shadowcloaks—they'll exploit him for their own ends. Would you risk the kingdom on the whims of an untested boy?"
The High Seer sighed, the weight of her years visible in her weary stance. "Do what you must, Daeren. But remember: prophecy cannot be silenced. It will unfold, with or without your schemes."
Daeren gave a slight bow, but his mind was already elsewhere. As he left the tower, he summoned a shadowy figure waiting in the hall.
"Send word to the Aetherguards," Daeren ordered. "Scour the villages near the Wastes. Find anyone marked by the Aether—and bring them to me. Alive or dead."
The figure nodded silently and disappeared into the shadows.
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Meanwhile, in Hollowreach, Kael sat alone in his small room above the smithy. The strange symbol on his palm glowed faintly in the dim light. He had tried to scrub it off, but the mark was etched deep, radiating a faint warmth.
He turned the crystal over in his hands, its light pulsing like a heartbeat. Every time he looked at it, he felt a pull—like the stone wanted him to go somewhere, to do something.
Merrit's voice called from downstairs. "Kael! Quit lazing about and get some sleep! You've got work tomorrow."
Kael didn't answer. He couldn't shake the feeling that his life had changed irrevocably, though he didn't understand how or why. Outside his window, the village lay quiet, but in the shadows of the forest, unseen eyes watched.
Far beyond the horizon, forces were moving. The Keeper had been found, and Kael's journey was about to begin.
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Let me know if you'd like to continue with Chapter 3 or explore characters, lore, or specific plot points!