The trek to Caldrith Pass was a grueling one. The villagers moved like ghosts, their steps slow, their eyes hollow. They carried only the barest of supplies scavenged from the wreckage of the village—broken tools, scraps of food, and faint hope. Kael led the group, his hand never straying far from Veyrune. Every snap of a twig, every whisper of wind, set his nerves on edge.
Elara walked beside him, her knife tucked into her belt. Though she didn't say it aloud, Kael knew she was watching his back, her sharp eyes scanning the tree line for threats. The shadows seemed deeper here, darker. The forest, once familiar, now felt alive with menace.
"Kael," Elara said softly, breaking the silence, "how much further?"
He glanced at the map he'd taken from the ruins of the Order's library, its edges singed but still legible. "Another day's travel, maybe less if we keep pace."
She frowned, looking back at the villagers. Many of them were stumbling, their strength waning. "We're not going to make it if they collapse."
Kael slowed his pace, his jaw tightening. She was right. He turned to the group, his voice steady but firm. "We'll rest here for a while. Gather your strength."
The villagers sank to the ground with quiet relief. Kael watched them for a moment, then moved to the edge of the clearing, his mind churning. Elara followed, her expression unreadable.
"You're pushing yourself too hard," she said. "If we're going to make it to Caldrith, you need to rest, too."
"I'll rest when we're safe," Kael replied curtly.
Elara crossed her arms, her gaze sharp. "And when will that be? When Eren's dead? When the shadows stop following us? You can't keep carrying this alone."
Kael sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I'm not carrying it alone. You're here. These people are here. That's why I can't stop."
Elara's expression softened, but she said nothing more. Instead, she sat down beside him, the silence between them stretching into something almost comfortable.
The night fell quickly, the forest growing colder and darker with each passing hour. Kael took the first watch, though he doubted he would sleep even when it was over. Veyrune lay across his lap, its faint glow the only light in the oppressive darkness.
As the villagers slept fitfully, Kael's thoughts returned to Eren. His words, his actions—it didn't add up. The Eren Kael had grown up with would never have sacrificed innocent lives. He would never have turned his back on everything they'd fought for.
And yet, Kael couldn't ignore the conviction in Eren's voice. The way he spoke of the Rupture, of the Order's secrets—it was as though he truly believed he was right. That the world needed to be broken to be saved.
Kael's grip on Veyrune tightened. If there was even a shred of truth to Eren's words, Kael needed to know. But he couldn't let that truth blind him to the devastation Eren had caused.
The sound of footsteps pulled him from his thoughts. He looked up to see Elara approaching, her face pale in the sword's glow.
"You should sleep," she said, sitting down beside him.
"So should you," he countered.
She smirked faintly, though it didn't reach her eyes. "Touché."
For a while, they sat in silence, the night wrapping around them like a heavy cloak. Then Elara spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. "Do you think Eren can be saved?"
Kael hesitated, the question striking a nerve he hadn't wanted to acknowledge. "I don't know," he admitted. "But I have to try. If there's any part of him left that can be reached…"
Elara nodded slowly. "And if there's not?"
Kael didn't answer. He didn't need to. The weight of Veyrune in his lap was answer enough.
By dawn, the group was moving again, though the strain was evident on every face. The forest thinned as they climbed higher, the air growing colder and thinner. By midday, they reached a narrow pass, its rocky slopes treacherous but navigable.
"This is it," Kael said, scanning the cliffs. "Caldrith Pass."
Elara stepped beside him, her gaze sweeping the terrain. "Doesn't look like much."
"It wasn't meant to," Kael replied. "The Order's outpost is hidden. If it's still intact, we'll find it at the peak."
The climb was slow and arduous, the villagers struggling to keep pace. Kael and Elara took turns helping the weakest among them, their own exhaustion mounting with every step.
When they finally reached the top, the sight that greeted them stopped Kael in his tracks. The outpost was there—or at least, what was left of it. The stone walls were crumbled, overgrown with moss and vines. The tower that had once stood sentinel over the pass was a shattered ruin, its remains scattered across the plateau.
Kael's chest tightened. This place had been a sanctuary, a stronghold of knowledge and protection. Now it was just another grave.
Elara touched his arm, her voice gentle. "Kael…"
He shook his head, pushing forward. "Search the ruins. There might be something left. Supplies, records—anything."
The villagers spread out cautiously, their steps hesitant as though afraid the ground might collapse beneath them. Kael made his way to what had once been the library, the ache in his chest growing with every fallen stone and scorched beam.
Inside, the air was damp and cold, the scent of decay clinging to the walls. Shelves lay toppled, their contents reduced to ash. But as Kael sifted through the debris, his hand brushed against something solid.
It was a book—or what remained of one. Its cover was scorched, its pages brittle, but the runes etched into its spine were unmistakable. This had been part of the Order's archives.
"Elara!" he called, his voice echoing through the chamber.
She appeared moments later, her eyes widening as she saw the book. "Is it readable?"
Kael carefully opened it, his fingers trembling. Many of the pages were damaged beyond recognition, but one section remained intact, its text faint but legible. It spoke of the Rupture, of the magic that had once bound the world together—and of the cost of that binding.
Kael's blood ran cold as he read. The Rupture hadn't been an accident. It had been deliberate.
"Elara," he said, his voice barely a whisper. "This changes everything."
She frowned. "What does it say?"
Kael looked up at her, his eyes filled with a mixture of fear and determination. "The Order knew this would happen. They knew the world couldn't hold the magic they created. And they did it anyway."