The forest was quiet as Aeon, Cassia, and Rylen trudged onward, their pace slow but steady. The ground was firm beneath their feet, but the air was thick with unease. Every now and then, Aeon glanced over his shoulder, half-expecting the creature they had trapped to come bursting through the trees.
Cassia walked ahead of him, her staff in hand, while Rylen brought up the rear, his sword resting against his shoulder. Despite their calm appearance, Aeon knew they were all on edge. The encounter on the battlefield had shaken them, and the questions it raised weighed heavily on his mind.
"We should rest soon," Rylen said, breaking the silence. "We've been moving for hours. If something else shows up, we'll be too tired to fight it."
Cassia nodded. "There's a clearing not far from here. It'll give us enough space to set up a barrier."
Aeon didn't argue. His body still ached from the battle, and the faint pulse of the new energy inside him was both comforting and unnerving. As they walked, he found himself replaying the fight in his mind, trying to make sense of the figure's cryptic words.
What was this power? Why had it awakened now? And what did the figure mean when it said the path ahead would not be easy?
The clearing came into view, a small patch of open space surrounded by tall, ancient trees. Cassia immediately began setting up a protective barrier, her hands moving in practiced motions as she chanted softly. Rylen gathered firewood from the edge of the clearing, while Aeon sat on a fallen log, staring at his hands.
He flexed his fingers, half-expecting the golden glow to return, but nothing happened. The energy inside him felt dormant, like a coiled spring waiting to be unleashed.
"Thinking about what happened back there?" Cassia asked, her voice breaking through his thoughts.
Aeon looked up to see her standing in front of him, the barrier glowing faintly behind her. She sat down beside him, her expression gentle but serious.
"It's hard not to," he admitted. "That fight… it different. And this power, whatever it is, feels different too. I don't know if I can control it."
Cassia placed a hand on his shoulder. "You will. Powers like this don't just appear out of nowhere. They're tied to who you are. You just need to figure out how to connect with it."
Aeon frowned. "But what if it's dangerous? What if I can't control it, and it hurts someone?"
Cassia hesitated, her gaze thoughtful. "Then we'll help you. You're not alone in this, Aeon. We're a team, remember?"
Her words brought a small smile to his face. "Thanks, Cassia."
"Anytime," she said with a wink before standing and walking over to Rylen, who was now coaxing a small fire to life.
As the fire crackled and the barrier hummed softly around them, Aeon leaned back against the log, letting the warmth of the flames seep into his tired body. Despite the tension, a sense of calm began to settle over the group.
But that calm didn't last.
A faint rustling sound came from the edge of the clearing. Rylen's head snapped up, his hand immediately going to his sword. Cassia's staff began to glow faintly as she scanned the trees.
Aeon stood, his body tense. "Did you hear that?"
Rylen nodded. "We're not alone."
The rustling grew louder, and moments later, a figure emerged from the shadows. It was an old man, his long, tattered cloak dragging along the ground. His face was lined with age, and his eyes gleamed with an intensity that sent a shiver down Aeon's spine.
"Stay back," Rylen warned, his sword drawn.
The old man raised his hands in a gesture of peace. "I mean no harm," he said, his voice raspy but steady. "I've been looking for you."
"For us?" Cassia asked, her grip on her staff tightening.
The old man nodded, his gaze settling on Aeon. "For him, to be precise. Aeon Realmheart."
Aeon's heart skipped a beat. "How do you know my name?"
"I know more than just your name," the man replied, stepping closer. "I know what you faced on that battlefield. I know about the power you awakened. And I know the danger you're in."
Rylen stepped between them, his sword glinting in the firelight. "If you're here to threaten him, you'll have to go through me first."
The old man chuckled, a dry, hollow sound. "I'm not your enemy, boy. I'm here to help."
Cassia frowned. "Help? How?"
The man's gaze didn't waver from Aeon. "By telling him the truth. About the figure he fought. About the power he now holds. And about the storm that's coming."
Aeon's fists clenched at his sides. "Start talking, then."
The old man nodded, his expression serious. "The figure you fought was an echo—a remnant of a being that existed long before curses, sorcerers, or even time itself. They are fragments of a forgotten power, scattered across the world. And now, for reasons I do not yet understand, they are awakening."
Cassia exchanged a worried glance with Rylen. "If these echoes are awakening, what does that mean for us? For the world?"
"It means chaos," the old man said grimly. "The echoes are not just remnants. They are messengers, heralds of something far greater. Something that has been sealed away for centuries."
Aeon's voice was steady but cold. "And what does that have to do with me?"
The old man's eyes seemed to glow faintly as he spoke. "Because you, Aeon Realmheart, are the key. The power you awakened is tied to the same force that created the echoes. You are connected to them, whether you like it or not."
Aeon's chest tightened. "What are you saying? That I'm one of them?"
"No," the man said firmly. "You are something different. Something new. But your power makes you a target. The echoes will come for you, one after another, testing you, pushing you, until you either unlock your full potential… or fall."
The words hung heavy in the air. Aeon felt Cassia's hand on his arm, steadying him.
Rylen's voice was sharp. "If this is true, then what do we do? How do we stop these echoes?"
The old man's expression darkened. "You don't stop them. You survive them. And in doing so, Aeon will grow stronger. Strong enough to face what lies beyond."
"What lies beyond?" Aeon asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
The man hesitated, then spoke a single word: "Astraeus."
The name sent a chill through the clearing, though Aeon didn't recognize it.
"What is Astraeus?" Cassia asked, her voice steady despite the tension.
The old man's eyes narrowed. "The end. And the beginning."
Without another word, he turned and began walking back into the forest.
"Wait!" Aeon called after him. "You can't just leave! We need more answers!"
The old man paused, looking over his shoulder. "You'll find your answers in time. For now, stay alive. The echoes are only the beginning."
With that, he vanished into the shadows, leaving Aeon and his friends alone in the clearing.
The fire crackled softly, but the warmth it offered felt hollow. Aeon stared at the spot where the old man had disappeared, his mind racing.
Cassia placed a hand on his shoulder. "We'll figure this out, Aeon. Together."
Rylen nodded. "Yeah. Whatever's coming, we'll face it head-on."
Aeon took a deep breath, his resolve hardening. "Then we start tomorrow. If the echoes are coming for me, I need to be ready."