Kael drifted in a haze of pain and exhaustion, his senses fragmented and dull. Shadows and light flickered in his mind like restless memories, accompanied by the faint hum of Veyrune, steady and insistent. He didn't know how long he had been unconscious, but the ache in his body made it clear that whatever time had passed, it wasn't enough.
When his eyes finally fluttered open, the flickering glow of a fire greeted him. The room was dim, its stone walls damp and cracked. The scent of soot and decay lingered in the air. He tried to sit up, but a sharp pain in his side made him wince and drop back down.
"Easy," came Elara's voice, soft but firm. She appeared beside him, her face pale and tired. Her arm was still bandaged, and there was a fresh gash on her cheek. "You're not ready to move yet."
Kael swallowed, his throat dry. "Where…?"
"An old cellar," Elara said, pulling a waterskin from her side and holding it out to him. "We found it after you decided to play the hero and pass out in the middle of a fight."
Kael managed a faint smirk, though it quickly turned into a wince as he took a sip of water. "Is everyone…?"
"They're fine," Elara interrupted, her tone sharp. "No thanks to you."
Kael raised an eyebrow. "I thought I was buying you time."
"You bought us time, all right," she muttered, sitting back with a scowl. "But next time, maybe don't get yourself nearly killed in the process."
As his mind cleared, Kael glanced around the room. The villagers were scattered in small groups, huddled together on makeshift bedding made of tattered cloth and straw. Korin sat against the far wall, clutching his carved figurine tightly. His mother was beside him, whispering softly, though her worried eyes darted toward Kael every so often.
"They're scared," Kael said quietly.
Elara followed his gaze. "Can you blame them? First the shadows, then that… thing." She shook her head. "This city feels wrong. Like it's rotting from the inside."
Kael nodded, his jaw tightening. "It's not just the city. That creature—it wasn't random. It was here for a reason."
Elara frowned, her arms crossed. "You think it was after Veyrune?"
Kael didn't answer immediately. He reached for the sword, which lay nearby, its runes faintly glowing even in the dim light. The blade felt heavier in his hands, as if the battle had drained it as much as it had drained him.
"It spoke," Kael said finally, his voice low. "It said the blade calls."
Elara's brow furrowed. "What does that even mean?"
"I don't know," Kael admitted. "But I think we're starting to find out."
The group rested uneasily through the night. Kael drifted in and out of consciousness, his body refusing to cooperate. When morning came—or what passed for morning in the perpetually overcast city—he forced himself to his feet despite Elara's protests.
"You're barely standing," she said, scowling as she steadied him. "You think you can take on another one of those things like this?"
Kael leaned on Veyrune, using the blade more like a crutch than a weapon. "We can't stay here. If that thing found us once, it'll find us again."
Elara muttered something under her breath, but she didn't argue further. Instead, she began organizing the villagers, gathering what little supplies they had left. Korin approached Kael hesitantly, his small hands clutching the figurine.
"Are you okay?" the boy asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Kael managed a faint smile. "I will be."
Korin nodded, his grip tightening on the figurine. "You're strong. Like my dad was."
Kael's chest tightened at the boy's words. He rested a hand lightly on Korin's shoulder. "Your dad was a good man. Brave. I'll make sure we all get through this. For him."
Korin nodded again, his eyes bright despite the fear that lingered there. He returned to his mother, leaving Kael with a renewed sense of responsibility.
The group moved cautiously through the city, sticking to the shadows and avoiding the main streets. Veyland was as lifeless as it had been when they arrived, its broken buildings and silent alleys oppressive in their stillness. As they passed through a narrow street, Kael felt the faint hum of Veyrune grow stronger, a vibration he couldn't ignore.
Elara noticed his change in posture. "What is it?" she asked, her knife ready in her hand.
"Veyrune," Kael said, his voice distant. "It's… pulling me."
"Pulling you?" Elara asked skeptically. "To what?"
Kael didn't answer immediately, his gaze scanning the empty windows and crumbling walls around them. Then he saw it—a faint glow, just barely visible through the gloom. It came from the far end of the street, where a large building stood shrouded in shadows. The structure was sturdier than most of the ruins, its stone walls reinforced with rusted metal supports.
"What is that?" Elara asked, following his gaze.
Kael shook his head. "I don't know. But whatever it is, Veyrune knows."
Elara frowned. "You think this is smart? Walking straight into something we don't understand?"
Kael smirked faintly. "When has this journey been smart?"
Elara rolled her eyes but didn't argue further. "Fine. But we scout it first. No rushing in like you're invincible."
The building's double doors hung slightly ajar, their heavy wood warped with age. As they approached, the faint glow became more distinct, emanating from within like a beacon. Kael felt the pull of Veyrune intensify, the sword's hum now resonating in his very bones.
Inside, the air was damp and heavy, carrying the scent of mildew and something metallic. Crystals embedded in the walls cast a faint, pulsing light, illuminating shelves lined with crumbling books and strange artifacts cloaked in dust.
"This place…" Elara murmured, her fingers brushing against the spine of a faded tome. "It's ancient. Older than anything I've seen before."
Kael nodded, his gaze drawn to a pedestal at the center of the room. A crystalline orb rested atop it, its light pulsing faintly in rhythm with the hum of Veyrune. The resonance was almost deafening now, as if the sword and the orb were in conversation.
"This is it," Kael said, stepping toward the pedestal.
"Wait!" Elara snapped, grabbing his arm. "We don't know what it does."
"We don't have time to wait," Kael said, shaking her off. "Whatever's happening, this is part of it."
He placed his hand on the orb, and the world around him dissolved into light.