Kieran didn't sleep that night. The woman's words echoed in his mind, each one a weight on his already burdened soul. The campfire flickered weakly, casting long shadows across the forest clearing, but Kieran barely noticed. His body was exhausted, aching from the journey, but his mind was in turmoil. The prophecy, the lake, the voice—it all felt like it was spiraling out of his control. He had once lived a life of quiet obscurity, but now… now he was caught in something much larger, something that would demand more than he was ready to give.
The others in the camp remained unaware of the strange encounter. They continued to sleep soundly, oblivious to the storm that had just stirred in the heart of the forest. Kieran envied them. They were free, their minds unburdened by destiny. But not him. Not anymore.
By the time dawn broke, casting a pale light over the land, Kieran had made up his mind. He had to leave. He couldn't let the weight of the prophecy dictate his every move. He didn't understand it, didn't know how to control the magic or what it meant for him. But he knew that he had to face it on his own terms. The woman's warning—the knowledge that someone was watching him, waiting to use him for their own gain—stirred something inside him. The fear of being used, of being a pawn in someone else's game, was enough to push him forward. He couldn't allow that to happen.
He stood up, his muscles stiff, his thoughts still clouded with doubt. He would leave at first light, venture into the wilderness and try to find some kind of answer. There had to be someone who could help him understand the power that had awakened within him, someone who could teach him how to control it. He couldn't do this alone.
But as he gathered his things, preparing to slip away unnoticed, a voice broke the stillness.
"You're not leaving, are you?"
Kieran froze. His heart skipped a beat. The voice was familiar, but it was one he hadn't heard in years.
He turned, his gaze falling on the figure standing at the edge of the campfire's light. It was a man, tall and broad-shouldered, his face weathered but strong. His dark eyes locked onto Kieran's, filled with a mixture of recognition and something else—a deep, unsettling understanding.
"Kieran," the man said, his voice gruff but gentle. "It's been a long time."
Kieran's breath caught in his throat. "Father?"
The word felt foreign on his tongue, as if it didn't belong. His father had left when he was just a child, disappearing without a trace. Kieran had grown up with only his mother's memory and the shadow of his twin to anchor him. He hadn't expected to ever see the man again. And yet, here he was, standing before him in the middle of a strange forest, like no time had passed at all.
"Father?" Kieran repeated, his voice cracking. "How… how did you find me?"
The man's lips curled into a faint, sad smile. "It wasn't hard. I've been watching you, Kieran. Waiting for the right moment."
Kieran's heart pounded in his chest. "What do you mean? What's going on? What did that woman want?"
The man's eyes darkened, and he stepped closer, lowering his voice. "I never wanted you to be part of this, Kieran. But it's too late now. You've been marked. Chosen."
Kieran took a step back, confusion and fear bubbling inside him. "Marked? Chosen for what?"
His father didn't answer right away. Instead, he looked at the others sleeping nearby, his gaze sharp and calculating. "We can't talk here. Too many eyes. Too many ears."
Kieran nodded, heart racing. He followed his father into the woods, away from the camp. The silence between them was thick, heavy with the years of separation and unanswered questions. The deeper they walked into the trees, the more Kieran felt the tension in the air. Something wasn't right. His father's presence, which should have been comforting, felt strange. Like there was something hidden beneath his calm demeanor, something that Kieran couldn't quite grasp.
Finally, they stopped by a large rock near a stream. His father turned to face him, the shadows of the trees casting a dim light over his features.
"You're the one, Kieran," his father said, his voice low and urgent. "The prophecy is real. The lake… it chose you because you have the power to change everything."
Kieran's mind spun. "Change everything? I don't even understand what's happening. What do you mean, 'change everything'?"
His father sighed, a deep, tired sound. "The lake is more than just a source of magic. It's the heart of something ancient, something older than any of us. It's been waiting for someone to awaken its power. Someone with the strength to control it, to use it to reshape the world."
Kieran's stomach churned. "But what does that have to do with me? I'm not the one you're talking about. I'm just… I'm just a boy."
His father's gaze softened, but there was a deep sadness in his eyes. "You don't realize it yet, but you are. And soon, you'll have to decide what kind of man you want to be. The path you choose will shape everything—your future, the world's future. You can't escape it, Kieran. The power inside you won't let you."
Kieran swallowed hard, his heart heavy with the weight of his father's words. "And what happens if I don't choose?"
His father's lips tightened. "Then others will choose for you."
Kieran felt a chill run down his spine. He had always known his life was different, that there was something more to his existence than what he had been told. But now, it was clear. The magic, the prophecy—it was all connected, and it was up to him to decide how it would unfold.
He looked into his father's eyes, searching for answers, but there were none to be found.
"Why did you leave?" Kieran whispered, the pain of the past slipping into his voice.
His father didn't answer right away. He simply turned away, gazing into the forest.
"I had to," he said quietly. "For your safety. For all of our safety."
Kieran didn't understand. He wanted to know more, but the moment passed, and with it, the opportunity for answers.
The silence stretched between them, both of them standing in the shadow of the forest, with the weight of destiny hanging heavy in the air. Kieran didn't know what came next. He didn't know what path to take. But he knew one thing: the journey had only just begun.