The winds had shifted, carrying the scent of decay and destruction with them as Jackeal and Veyra continued their trek through the desolate wasteland. The world felt like it was holding its breath, as if waiting for something cataclysmic to unfold. In the distance, dark clouds gathered, swirling ominously over the horizon, mirroring the storm raging within Jackeal's heart.
"I should've known," Jackeal muttered, his voice barely audible against the howling wind. "The truth... it's been right in front of me all along."
Veyra walked beside him, her eyes scanning the surroundings, her senses sharp. She could feel the unease radiating from him, the weight of his revelations pressing down with every step they took. "You can't blame yourself for not seeing it earlier," she said softly. "The truth was hidden, buried beneath layers of lies and manipulation. You were never supposed to find it."
"I was never supposed to exist, Veyra." Jackeal's voice was hollow, distant. "And now... I can't undo it. The Betrayer, my father, the shard—it's all tangled together in a way I can't escape."
His words were like a knife to Veyra's heart. She had always known Jackeal struggled with the weight of his destiny, but hearing him speak so openly about his despair made her feel powerless. She had never seen him this broken, and she hated that he was carrying the burden alone.
"Don't do this to yourself," she said, her voice firm. "You will escape it. You're not bound by blood, Jackeal. You're defined by your choices."
Jackeal shook his head, a bitter laugh escaping his lips. "I'm not so sure anymore."
The Shattered Dream
Their journey led them to a ruinous city at the edge of the wasteland, its skeletal structures rising like twisted monuments to a forgotten age. Jackeal could feel the pull of the shard growing stronger with each step, its influence gnawing at his mind, pushing him toward a place he could not fully comprehend.
The city, once a thriving hub of life, was now a hollow shell, its streets deserted and its buildings collapsing under the weight of time. As they walked deeper into the heart of the city, they came upon a large plaza where a monument stood—an ancient stone pillar, its surface etched with symbols and inscriptions Jackeal couldn't decipher.
"This place," Veyra murmured, her eyes narrowing. "It's not just a city. It's a memorial."
Jackeal stepped forward, his gaze drawn to the pillar. There was something familiar about it, something that resonated deep within him. As his hand reached out to touch it, the world seemed to blur, and a vision flooded his mind.
A Forgotten Memory
He was standing in a grand hall, the walls adorned with tapestries depicting scenes of great battles and celestial beings. At the center of the room stood a throne, and sitting upon it was a figure cloaked in light. Their face was obscured, but Jackeal knew instinctively who it was. His mother.
She stood up, her presence radiating power and grace. But there was a sadness in her eyes, a weariness that seemed to weigh her down. "You have come," she said softly, her voice echoing in the hall.
"Where am I?" Jackeal asked, his voice shaky.
"This is the Hall of Reconciliation," his mother replied, her gaze distant. "A place where fates are decided, where destinies are forged."
"But I thought... I thought you were dead," Jackeal said, confusion clouding his thoughts.
She smiled faintly, but it was a sad smile, one that didn't reach her eyes. "I died long ago, Jackeal. But not in the way you think."
The vision shifted, and Jackeal saw himself—much younger—standing in front of the same throne. His mother was kneeling before a figure cloaked in darkness, the Betrayer.
"You're the one who destroyed it all," Jackeal whispered, understanding dawning on him. "You betrayed her, didn't you?"
His mother's image turned to him, her eyes filled with sorrow. "It was never supposed to happen this way. I never wanted this life for you, but fate... fate chose for us. Your father made his choices long before you were born. And now, you must make yours."
The vision shattered, and Jackeal staggered back, gasping for air as reality slammed back into place. Veyra caught him by the arm, steadying him.
"Jackeal, what did you see?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.
"I... I saw her," he breathed, still reeling from the vision. "I saw my mother. She's... she's been trying to tell me something all along. She's not dead—at least not like I thought. She's been waiting for me to find this place, to find the truth."
"But the Betrayer," Veyra interjected, her eyes narrowing. "What does he have to do with this?"
Jackeal looked at her, his eyes haunted. "Everything. He's not just my father. He's the one who started all of this. The curse, the war, everything. And I... I'm the one who has to end it."
The Rising Darkness
The ground beneath them trembled, and a deep, resonating roar echoed through the city. Jackeal's heart raced as he sensed the coming storm. It was the Beasts. They had arrived.
"What the hell is that?" Veyra demanded, her hand instinctively reaching for her sword.
The sky above them darkened even further, and the wind picked up in a furious howl. The distant mountains seemed to shift, their peaks splitting open as massive, shadowy figures emerged from the cracks. Each one was monstrous in size, their bodies made of swirling dark mist and jagged rock, their eyes glowing with malice.
Jackeal clenched his fists, the shard pulsing violently in his hand. The time had come. The Beasts had come for Reazeal's body, and with them came the final test of Jackeal's resolve.
"We need to stop them," Veyra said, her eyes scanning the horizon.
"Not just stop them," Jackeal said, his voice hardening. "We need to contain them. All of them. And if that means using the power of the shard..." He trailed off, a cold fury rising within him. "Then so be it."
Together, they began their march toward the source of the darkness, where the first of the Beasts emerged from the mountains.
But Jackeal knew that the battle was only just beginning.
And with it came a choice.
Would he allow the power within him to consume him entirely, or would he remain steadfast in his mission to stop the chaos that his bloodline had set in motion?
End of Chapter 9