The wind howled across the mountain ridge, carrying with it a biting chill that made Aric's bones ache. He stood at the edge of a cliff, staring out at the darkened horizon, where storm clouds gathered, obscuring the stars. It felt as though the world itself was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen.
"Aric."
The sound of his name made him turn. Thalon stood behind him, his figure a shadow in the dim light, the hood of his cloak pulled low over his face. Despite the cold, the mage seemed unaffected, his presence almost unsettlingly calm.
"You've been quiet since the trial," Thalon said, stepping closer. "The climb was difficult, wasn't it?"
Aric didn't answer right away. Instead, he turned his gaze back to the storm. "I thought... I thought the hardest part would be learning to control the magic. But I don't know if I'm ready for what's coming. I can't stop thinking about Varen—about my father. And now, all of this... it feels too much."
Thalon regarded him with a long silence, the wind rustling through the leaves at his feet. "You're not meant to be ready, Aric. No one ever is. The burden you carry was not chosen by you, but now that it is yours, you must rise to it."
Aric's eyes narrowed. "But how? How do I face something I don't even understand?"
Thalon's gaze softened for the briefest of moments. "By learning the truth. You must understand what the Veil is, and what lies beyond it, before you can truly wield the power you seek."
Aric frowned. "What do you mean?"
Thalon stepped forward, his expression turning serious. "The Veil is not just a barrier between worlds. It is the thread that holds all things together. The world you know, the one you grew up in, is only one layer of reality. There are others, darker and far more dangerous, that exist beneath it. And the Lurking One—he is the force that threatens to tear all of it apart."
Aric's heart pounded in his chest. "You said you would teach me how to stop him. But how can I stop something like that? How can anyone?"
"You will not stop him alone," Thalon replied, his voice steady. "There are others, Aric. Others who have felt the pull of the Veil and have come to realize its true power. The Council is not the only group seeking to protect it. There are factions, some aligned with us, and some with their own agenda. You must understand that the battle you will face is not just against one man or one force. It is a battle of ideologies. A battle for control over what is hidden."
Aric's mind raced, the weight of the mage's words settling in. Factions, ideologies—this was no longer just a quest to stop a dark sorcerer. The battle was far more complicated, and Aric was standing at the center of it all, uncertain of who to trust or how to navigate the shifting allegiances.
"Who are these other factions?" Aric asked. "And why didn't you tell me sooner?"
Thalon sighed, his eyes narrowing as if searching for the right words. "There are those who would see the Veil destroyed for their own gain. There are others who wish to harness its power, regardless of the cost. And then there are those like us, who seek to protect it, but even we are not unified in how to do so. The darkness is coming, Aric, and it will not just be the Lurking One you face. You will face those who believe that the Veil's destruction is inevitable, that the only way to rebuild the world is by letting it burn."
The words hung heavy in the air, and Aric felt a chill that had nothing to do with the wind. "How do I know who to trust? If there are so many sides to this... How can I be sure we're on the right one?"
"You can't," Thalon answered bluntly. "Not yet. But you will have to make choices. Hard choices."
Aric was quiet for a long while, the storm in the distance growing fiercer. The wind howled louder, and the trees around them creaked and groaned, as if the world itself were in turmoil.
"What happens if I fail?" Aric asked, his voice small against the howling winds.
Thalon's gaze never wavered. "You won't fail, Aric. Not as long as you continue to seek the truth. There are things in this world far greater than you, but none that you cannot face if you stay true to yourself."
True to himself. The words echoed in Aric's mind, but they felt like a distant hope. What did it even mean to stay true to himself when the very world he knew was crumbling apart?
Aric looked out at the storm again, the clouds swirling ominously in the sky. He had never asked for this fate, but now that it was upon him, he had no choice but to fight. The weight of the responsibility felt heavier than any physical burden, and yet, he stood there, unwilling to look away.
"I'll do whatever it takes," Aric said, his voice firmer now. "Even if I don't understand all of it. Even if I'm not ready."
Thalon's expression softened. "Good. That is all you need to begin."
As they turned to head back to the Council's hall, the storm overhead seemed to calm, though Aric couldn't shake the feeling that the darkness was still out there, waiting.
And he was the only one who could stop it.