The days that followed were uneventful, yet Kael couldn't shake the gnawing sense of unease that had settled over him. The ship sailed through calm waters, the horizon stretching endlessly ahead, but no matter how far they went, his thoughts remained tethered to the rift, to the True Shard, and to the strange power that still thrummed beneath his skin.
He hadn't told Tess or Aro the full extent of what had happened. They knew about the shard's influence on him, but Kael couldn't bring himself to speak of the whispers that had filled his mind, the fragmented visions of something ancient and unknowable that had come in the rift's wake.
And that was just the beginning.
Late one night, as the moon hung heavy in the sky, Kael stood on the ship's deck, staring out into the starless sea. The air was thick with salt, and the waves, though calm, lapped gently against the sides of the ship, as if the ocean itself were watching him. He could feel the energy of the True Shard again, like a distant storm on the horizon, waiting to strike.
"You're awake," Tess's voice broke the silence, and Kael turned to find her standing beside him. Her dark eyes glinted with a mixture of concern and suspicion. "I thought you'd be sleeping."
"I couldn't," Kael said, his voice strained. "I can't stop thinking about it. The shard... that rift..."
Tess exhaled, her gaze flickering toward the ocean. "I know. I've been watching you. You've been distant. Changed. What's going on in your head, Kael?"
He hesitated, his fingers tightening around the railing as he tried to put his thoughts into words. "I... I felt something, Tess. When I touched the shard, it wasn't just power. It was... knowledge. A glimpse of something ancient. Something more than just magic."
Tess stiffened, her eyes narrowing. "What kind of knowledge? What are you talking about?"
Kael swallowed, his mind flashing back to the images and sensations that had overwhelmed him. "I don't know. It was... a place. A world. Something alive, like a consciousness, waiting to be awakened. I saw it, Tess. I felt it. And it's still there, inside me, whispering."
"Kael," Tess said softly, her voice tinged with fear. "This isn't just about power. You're telling me the shard is controlling you?"
"No," Kael replied quickly. "Not controlling. But... it's changing me. I can't explain it. It's like I've been given a key to something, but I don't know what it unlocks. And I can't ignore it."
Tess watched him closely, as if weighing his words. She stepped closer, her expression growing more serious. "The True Shards aren't just ancient relics of power. They're dangerous. They can warp a person's mind. You're not just carrying a shard, Kael. You're carrying a piece of a forgotten world. And if that power grows, you may not be able to control it."
"I know," Kael said, his voice strained. "I know, Tess. But I have to understand it. If I can... if I can control it, maybe I can find my sister."
The mention of Lyra hit Tess like a physical blow. Kael saw her stiffen, her eyes briefly flashing with emotion, but she quickly masked it. "You're not alone in this, Kael. We'll help you. But you have to promise me one thing—don't lose yourself in this. We can't afford to let that power change you, not when the Council is hunting us."
Kael looked at her, the weight of her words sinking in. He didn't want to be a danger to his friends, but deep inside, a part of him believed the True Shard might hold the key to everything—the answers he'd been searching for, the truth about his sister, and the power to face whatever was coming next.
"I'll try," Kael said quietly, turning back toward the ocean. "But I can't stop now. Not when I'm this close."
Tess remained silent for a moment, and then, almost reluctantly, she nodded. "I understand. But don't say I didn't warn you."
Morning in Telmaris
The first sight of Telmaris came at dawn, the towering city of spires rising from the sea like the bones of some ancient beast. Telmaris was a city of secrets—its walls were lined with scholars, mages, and archivists who searched the remnants of lost civilizations, and it was here that the true history of the shards was rumored to be hidden. Kael had never been here before, but he had heard the whispers—the legends of the city's forbidden knowledge.
As the ship docked, the crew disembarked, and Kael, Tess, and Aro made their way into the city's labyrinthine streets. Telmaris was unlike any place Kael had ever seen. The architecture was a blend of old-world elegance and ancient mysticism, with stone buildings inscribed with runes, their surfaces glowing faintly in the soft light of the morning sun. The air was thick with the scent of incense and parchment, and the streets were filled with scholars and traders haggling over rare artifacts.
"Stay close," Tess muttered as she led the group through the bustling marketplace. "The less attention we attract, the better."
Kael nodded absently, his thoughts still weighed down by the power of the True Shard. The city had a strange energy, almost like it was alive, its very stones whispering forgotten truths. He felt the pull of the shard again, faint but insistent, as though it recognized the city for what it truly was: a place where secrets lived and died.
Aro walked beside him, his eyes darting around as if scanning for danger. "There's an old library here," he said, his voice low. "It's said to hold the greatest collection of knowledge about the shards and the True Shards. If there's any place where we can find answers, it's there."
Kael's heart quickened at the mention of the library. This was it—the place where the answers might finally be revealed. He glanced at Tess, who looked back at him with a mixture of skepticism and concern.
"I know this place is full of knowledge," Kael said quietly, "but we need to be careful. The Council could be watching us."
Tess met his gaze, her eyes sharp. "Don't worry. They don't know we're here. Yet."
As they made their way deeper into the city, Kael couldn't shake the feeling that something—someone—was watching them. There was a tension in the air, an unease that settled over him like a shadow. The city of secrets was hiding its own, and Kael could feel it in his bones.
The closer they got to the library, the stronger the pull of the True Shard became. It was as if the shard itself recognized the significance of the place, and Kael couldn't ignore the feeling that whatever lay ahead, it would be a turning point—one that would change everything.