The night was cold and silent, with only the crackling of the campfire breaking the quiet. The group was tired, but the relief of having completed the mission gave them a momentary breath of peace. Dante sat by the fire, sharpening the blade of his sword with meticulous precision, while Elara organized the recovered items, her attention split between the gear and her two companions. Kael, on the other hand, moved away, his thoughts focused on the pulsating crystal stored in his backpack, a strange sensation lingering in his chest. Something was happening, and he knew this was just the beginning.
As always, Dante was the first to break the silence.
— This mission was... interesting. — he said, not lifting his eyes from the sword's edge. — Although some of us almost got ourselves killed.
Kael, arms crossed, feeling Dante and Elara's gazes on him, didn't respond immediately. He already knew what was coming. But before he could speak, Elara interrupted with a question she had been pondering for some time.
— Kael, I need to ask. — she said, her voice curious and direct. Her eyes were fixed on Kael's face, but her attention, seemingly, was drawn to his left eye. The red glow emanating from it didn't go unnoticed, and she couldn't ignore the mystery surrounding it.
Kael slowly lifted his gaze, his expression cold and impassive, but the surprise in his mind couldn't be disguised. What did Elara want this time?
— Ask what? — he replied disinterestedly, but deep inside, he knew this question was bound to come sooner or later.
Elara looked him straight in the eye, without hesitation, as if she feared no impact from her words.
— Your left eye. — she said bluntly. — Has it always been like that? How did you do that? I... felt something during the battle against the golems. Your eye seemed... to react to the energy of that crystal. As if there was a connection.
Dante raised his head, now intrigued. He gave a wry smile but said nothing. He was waiting for Kael's reaction.
Kael fell silent, studying Elara for a moment. His gaze remained fixed on her, but there was no trace of emotion in his face.
— Why does this interest you? — he asked, calculating. His voice was soft, but there was a certain coldness to it that made it clear he wasn't willing to talk about something so personal.
Elara took a step closer, not backing down. Curiosity had taken hold of her, but she knew Kael wouldn't give away information easily.
— I... feel like there's more to you than you show. We all know you're not just a skilled warrior. You have something more, Kael. Something that can't be explained by strength alone. — She looked at his left eye, feeling an almost tangible energy emanating from it. — Your eye seems to possess great abilities.
Dante, who had been quiet until now, couldn't contain himself any longer.
— Ah, now I get it! — he exclaimed, standing up with a mocking smile. — The great Kael Tenebris, the mysterious, the unreachable! Always with this air of someone hiding a secret, right?
Kael glared at Dante with impatience. He didn't like the provocation, but he also wasn't willing to give him the satisfaction of a fight right now.
— I'm not interested in games. — Kael replied, his tone sharp. — And I don't need a reason to do what I do.
Elara, who had been trying to understand the situation, didn't back down. She didn't believe Kael's words. There was something more behind his behavior, something he wasn't willing to share. She moved closer to him, feeling an increasing pressure in the air. Kael seemed to be hiding something from them all.
— Why don't you just tell us? — she insisted, once again with an unsettling calmness. — I can try to help. After all, we're teammates. You don't have to be so stiff, Kael. We're a team, and we all have our secrets. But this... — she pointed to his left eye, — This isn't something common. I can't ignore it, you seem to carry sadness inside of you.
Kael let out a long sigh, as if he were preparing to say something that troubled him. He moved away from Elara and Dante, walking a little further, gazing at the horizon.
— It's not something I chose. — He finally spoke, his voice low but grave. — The eye... is a mark of something that happened in the past. Something that... isn't worthy of being remembered.
Elara moved closer, her words soft but sincere.
— Kael... what happened? You don't have to be so closed off. We trust you, and you trusted us in the battles. You don't have to keep everything to yourself.
Kael turned to her, his gaze fierce, but there was something in his eyes that, for a moment, revealed vulnerability. He didn't want to talk about it. Not yet.
— It doesn't matter, and it's not like I know much either. — he said, his voice cold and resolute. — I am what I am, and that's enough.
Dante, who had remained silent for some time, stood up and gave Kael a pat on the shoulder.
— Look, Tenebris. There's no point in trying to push us away. Curiosity will get the best of us. And you know what happens when someone gets too curious... — he smiled, trying to ease the tension.
Kael didn't respond. He moved a little further away, turning his back on both of them, and looked up at the dark sky. The only thing he wanted now was solitude to deal with his own demons.
As silence lingered, Elara looked at Dante, who shook his head disapprovingly.
— He's not ready. — Dante said, his voice low, almost inaudible.
Elara sighed but didn't push any further. Kael had his own ghosts, and she knew that someday, he would have to face them. But not today.
That night, Kael stayed on guard while the others slept. He held the crystal in his hand, eyes closed, trying to feel its energy. His left eye began to glow again, as if it were in tune with the artifact.
— I don't understand either. — he murmured to himself, tucking the crystal back into his backpack. — But I will understand. And when that happens, nothing will ever be the same.