The tension in the room was suffocating, as if the very air had thickened with the weight of impending conflict. Kael could feel his heart pounding, his pulse racing with a mix of fear and defiance. The Shard Council had found them. The whispered warnings Tess had given, the unease that had gnawed at him since stepping foot in Telmaris—everything had led to this moment.
The figure in the doorway, cloaked in shadow, stepped forward. His hood fell back slightly, revealing the sharp, chiseled features of an older man, his face partially concealed by a mask of black metal. But his eyes—those eyes—were unmistakable: cold, calculating, with a glint of something ancient and ruthless.
"You should have stayed hidden, Kael," the man said, his voice like gravel scraping against stone. "You've done enough damage already."
Behind him, two other figures moved into the room, their presence imposing, yet silent. The first was a woman, her long white hair flowing like a cascade of moonlight, her eyes glowing faintly with an eerie silver light. She carried no weapon, but Kael could feel the weight of her power—mind shards, he thought.
The third was a hulking figure draped in dark, tattered robes. His face was obscured by a veil of smoke, but his aura was unmistakable: a Shardmaster, one of the highest-ranking members of the Council. His presence was like a storm cloud, oppressive and heavy.
Tess moved in front of Kael instinctively, her fire shard pulsing faintly at her side, ready for a fight. "You don't know what you're dealing with," she hissed, her eyes narrowed. "We're not the ones who should be worried."
The man with the mask—Kael's best guess was that he was the leader—smiled, though there was no warmth in it. "I disagree," he said, his voice calm, almost mockingly so. "You are the ones who have made the mistake of thinking you can control what's beyond your comprehension." He glanced briefly at Aro, then back at Kael. "And now you've uncovered what should have stayed buried."
Kael's breath caught in his throat. He could feel the weight of the True Shard against his chest, its energy surging in response to the Council's presence. The shard was becoming harder to control—its power, its whispers—they were growing louder. He could hear fragments of the past, faint memories of long-lost voices, and deep within, the promise of something far darker than just elemental magic. He wasn't sure how much longer he could suppress it.
"What do you want from us?" Kael asked, trying to keep his voice steady.
The masked man's eyes gleamed, as if savoring the moment. "What we want, Kael Ardan, is simple. We want the shard." He raised a gloved hand, gesturing toward Kael's chest. "The True Shard is the key. With it, we can reshape the world as it was meant to be—before the cracks appeared. Before everything began to unravel."
Tess's grip on her shard tightened. "You're lying," she spat. "You want it for control. You want to keep the truth hidden, so no one can stop you."
The leader of the Council's gaze flickered with something that could almost have been admiration. "It's not control, Tess. It's preservation. If you understood what you were dealing with, you'd see that. The True Shards are not meant to be wielded by just anyone. They are a delicate force, and those who are unprepared... they will burn the world to the ground. Just like you're already starting to do."
Aro stepped forward, his voice calm but firm. "So that's why you've been hunting Kael. He's the only one who can control it, isn't he?"
The woman with the silver eyes tilted her head, considering Aro's words. "Control is a strong word," she said. "Understand is more appropriate. Kael Ardan is the only one who can access all shards, but he's also the only one whose bond to the True Shard could break the balance of everything." Her gaze shifted to Kael. "He's dangerous."
Kael clenched his fists, feeling the shard pulse beneath his skin as though it were alive, responding to the words, the threat. He could feel its power pushing against his will, urging him to embrace it, to let go of the fear, but he resisted. Barely.
"I won't let you use it," Kael said through gritted teeth. "The True Shard isn't meant to be used. It's too powerful. Too dangerous."
The masked leader stepped closer, his voice lowering into a dangerous tone. "You're not in a position to dictate terms, Kael. You have no idea what you're dealing with. We've studied the shards for centuries. The True Shard isn't just power—it's a stabilizer. It holds the very fabric of the world together. And you... you're a key to unlocking it."
Kael took a step back, his mind reeling. "A key? You want to unlock it? What happens then? What's on the other side?"
The leader's mask gleamed in the dim light. "We don't know yet. That's why we need you. You've already begun to unlock it—what we've seen so far has been... promising." He tilted his head. "But if you refuse to cooperate, Kael, we will do what is necessary to obtain it. And we won't be gentle."
Kael's pulse quickened, his hand instinctively hovering over the shard. He felt the familiar pulse of energy, but this time, something was different. The True Shard wanted him to fight back. It was pushing against him, almost begging for release. He knew what the Council was saying—that they wanted to "preserve" the world—but everything inside him screamed that they were lying. They were not trying to save anything. They were trying to control it, to shape it to their will.
The woman with the silver eyes stepped closer, her gaze penetrating, as though she could see into his very soul. "You don't have to fight us, Kael. You just have to understand. Come with us. We'll guide you."
Kael's mind raced. His thoughts flashed to Lyra—his sister, who had been taken by the Council. He remembered her face, the last time he had seen her, trapped in their cold, sterile halls. She had warned him to stay away. To not trust them.
"I'll never trust you," Kael said, his voice growing stronger. "You've taken everything from me. My sister. My life. I'll stop you."
Tess's eyes locked on Kael's, and she gave him a single, subtle nod. The time to run was now, before they were trapped.
Kael's heart pounded in his chest, his mind pulling him in every direction. He wanted to fight, but the shard inside him throbbed with such intensity that he knew it would be dangerous to unleash it in the heat of the moment. They weren't ready. Not yet.
Without warning, Tess surged forward, her fire shard flaring to life in a blaze of flame that illuminated the room in a flash of orange and red. She thrust her hand toward the nearest Council member, sending a wave of fire crashing into the air.
"Run!" she shouted at Kael and Aro. "Go!"
Kael's mind snapped into focus. The True Shard was urging him to move, but his legs felt heavy, unwilling to comply. But then, he saw Aro, already sprinting toward the far exit, his earth magic swirling around his feet, lifting him toward the shadows beyond the library's reach.
"Kael, now!" Tess shouted, her voice raw with urgency.
Kael's chest tightened as he turned and ran. Behind him, the sound of the battle erupted—shouts, the crackle of flame, and the dark thrum of magical energy as the Council retaliated. He didn't look back. There was no time.
But as they fled deeper into the library, Kael could feel the True Shard pulling him in a direction, deeper into the labyrinth of knowledge. It was calling to him, and he couldn't ignore it.