The tension in the chamber was suffocating. Kael could feel the weight of the Watcher's gaze, each word they spoke sinking deeper into his mind. The True Shard in his hand pulsed again, its heat growing unbearable, and Kael could sense a shift—a change in the very air around him. It was like standing at the precipice of a vast, unknowable abyss, the darkness threatening to pull him in.
Tess stepped closer, her eyes flicking between Kael and the Watchers. She could sense the danger, too. There was something unnatural about the Watchers, something ancient and wrong, but also strangely familiar. They weren't just guardians; they were something more.
"Why do you protect them?" Kael asked, his voice low, filled with the weight of a thousand unasked questions. The Watchers hadn't even drawn their weapons fully, but their presence was as oppressive as any army. "If the shards are a curse, why not destroy them? Why leave them here?"
The smaller Watcher cocked their head, the eerie glow of their eyes flickering. "Destroy them? You still don't understand, do you? The True Shards are the world's anchor. Without them, everything unravels. They are not simply magical artifacts—they are the foundation of reality itself. A world without them would collapse into chaos."
Kael frowned, his mind reeling. The implications of what they were saying were staggering. He had always seen the shards as tools—ways to gain power, level up, unlock abilities. But what if they weren't just tools? What if they were the very threads that held everything together?
The larger Watcher, still silent, moved toward the pedestal, their heavy steps echoing through the chamber. There was an unsettling grace to their movements, as though they had all the time in the world. They placed a gloved hand on the pedestal, and the room seemed to hum, as though the stone itself was alive.
Kael felt a tug at his chest, a gnawing sensation that made his heart race. The shard in his hand pulsed again, this time in response to the Watcher's touch, as if it recognized them—recognized something ancient and buried deep within the ruins.
"What do you want from me?" Kael demanded, taking a step forward. He could feel the shards pulling at him, as though they were calling out for something, but what? He wasn't sure. But one thing was certain—he wasn't going to back down now.
The Watcher slowly turned to face him. "We want nothing from you," they said, their voice a calm, chilling whisper. "But you are on the path to something far more dangerous than you realize. You awaken these shards, and you awaken the forces that were meant to remain dormant."
Tess, still standing to the side, tightened her grip on her dagger. "So, what now? Do you kill us to stop us from using the shards? What exactly are you protecting?"
"We are not your enemies," the Watcher replied, their voice almost serene. "We are the last line of defense. Against you, against the Shard Council, and against the true nature of the shards. If you wield them, you will shatter everything."
Kael's mind raced. He could feel the weight of their words bearing down on him. The True Shards, these ancient powers, were not just tools of destruction—they were the keys to maintaining the balance of existence itself. But what would happen if someone like him—someone with the power to control all elements—unleashed their full potential?
He looked at the shard in his hand. For the first time, it didn't feel like just a weapon, but a burden. He could sense its immense power, like a storm waiting to break, ready to reshape everything. But was that what he wanted? Was that what the world needed?
"I didn't ask for this power," Kael muttered, more to himself than to the Watchers. "I just want to find my sister."
The smaller Watcher took a step forward, their eyes narrowing. "And yet, you are the one who is most capable of unlocking the True Shards. The one who could change the course of fate." Their voice was laced with something like sorrow. "But you do not understand the consequences."
A sudden burst of light erupted from the pedestal, blinding Kael. He raised his hand instinctively, shielding his eyes as the brightness grew more intense, flickering like a dying star. And then, just as suddenly as it began, the light vanished, leaving a lingering sense of dread in its wake.
The large Watcher stood motionless, their face unreadable. "It has begun," they said, their voice hollow. "The Shardborn are awakening. And once the balance is tipped, there will be no returning to what once was."
Kael stared at them, heart pounding in his chest. "What do you mean, the Shardborn are awakening?"
The smaller Watcher's eyes flickered with recognition. "You are not the first to awaken the True Shards," they said, their voice a whisper now, filled with warning. "Others have come before you. And when they did, the world trembled. The Shardborn are the living embodiments of the shards themselves. And those who seek to control the shards will find themselves in conflict with powers that cannot be contained."
Kael frowned. "Other Shardborn? What happened to them?"
"Some have perished," the Watcher said coldly. "Others have ascended into something... different. But none have ever succeeded in controlling the True Shards. No one, not even the Shard Council, understands the full scope of their power. The cost of tampering with them is always too high."
The words hit Kael like a physical blow. He had known there were dangers in seeking the True Shards, but he hadn't understood the true extent of it. This was no longer just a search for his sister—it was about the future of everything.
"What are you trying to say?" Kael's voice was rough. "That I should stop looking for the True Shards? That I should abandon everything and leave the world to fall apart?"
The Watcher's gaze softened, but there was no pity in their expression. "I am not telling you to abandon your quest. I am telling you that you must understand what you are dealing with. The Shard Council wants to control the True Shards because they fear what will happen if they fall into the wrong hands. But there are far greater forces at play here, forces that not even they understand. The power of the True Shards is not something to wield lightly."
Kael felt a shiver run down his spine. He had always known that the Shard Council's obsession with the shards was about more than just power. But now, standing here, facing the Watchers, he was beginning to understand the true scale of the conflict.
"You're not telling me this just to warn me," Kael said, his voice growing more insistent. "You're telling me this because you want me to take a side. You want me to choose—whether to help the Shard Council, or to destroy the shards altogether."
The smaller Watcher nodded, their expression grave. "In the end, the True Shards will choose the one who is worthy of their power. But you must be careful, Kael Ardan. The world is at the crossroads. And if you make the wrong choice, there may be no world left to save."
Tess, still standing off to the side, glanced at Kael. She could sense the weight of the moment—the enormity of the choice he faced. But even she didn't know what the right answer was.
Kael tightened his grip on the shard. He was no longer just a boy searching for his sister. He was caught in the web of something far greater—a power that could change everything.
And it all rested in his hands.