The air pulsed about Kaoru. The aftereffects of his training vibrated. His hands still softly buzzed. Buzzed from energy he had harnessed. This sensation was unfamiliar and exciting. Yet the feeling of accomplishment was brief.
Now there was a chill in the air. Unease settled into his very bones. Something ominous seemed to be just beyond his awareness. Rei stood before Kaoru. She crossed her arms and watched him closely. In her eyes was a mix of approval. There was something deeper too. Something much more serious.
"You did well," Rei said. Her voice was soft. It was unlike her usual manner. "You're learning about the energy. But that was just the start. Kaoru what you did today. That was the first step. There's more to come."
Kaoru nodded. He wiped sweat from his forehead. His mind was still spinning. His heart was racing. Despite the sense of control over the Veil's power, doubts clung to him.
He wasn't certain. He wasn't certain he could manage it. He wasn't certain he could stand against waiting threats.
"So what's next?" Kaoru's voice was calm. The calmness was laced with uncertainty though. Rei didn't answer straight away. Instead she turned. She started walking towards narrow corridor. Her steps echoed in the silence. Kaoru hesitated for a moment. Then he followed her. The room's atmosphere became denser. It felt like the walls themselves were holding their breath.
"Kaoru," Rei began. She glanced back at him as they walked. "You've been in the Veil for a while now. Yet the reality of what's coming might be more than you can imagine."
He caught her somber tone. The seriousness of her words made him worry. "What do you mean? I thought the Hollowed were the largest threat."
Rei's eyes narrowed as she replied. "They are. However they are only one piece of the puzzle. There is something darker out there. Something far more dangerous than anything we've faced until now. It has been making moves for some time now."
Kaoru felt a chill running down his spine. He didn't know how to interpret her words. Yet the way she communicated was clear. They could not easily overcome whatever was coming.
The corridor reached its end. Kaoru and Rei stood before a large door. Rei gestured Kaoru to enter. They stepped inside. The room was dimly lit. Maps covered the walls. Unfamiliar symbols were clumsily scribbled on them. The air felt heavy. It was filled with the weight of knowledge. It carried secrets buried long ago.
A large stone table was at the center of the room. Its surface was cluttered with ancient-looking texts and artifacts. Rei approached the table. She invited Kaoru to join her, gesturing him to come closer.
"These are fragments from old world," she said. Her voice was soft. "Before the Veil's collapse, there were people. They understood its true nature. Seekers they were a force of power. Wielding the energy of Veil they maintained balance. Something went amiss. The Veil turned unstable. Everything began to unravel with it."
Kaoru's mind raced. He looked at scattered texts. Ancient symbols, he couldn't comprehend. Glowing runes scribed into stone. It was like peering at a puzzle. A puzzle with no fitting pieces.
"I don't get it," Kaoru admitted. "What does this have to do with what's happening now?"
Rei's expression darkened. "The Hollowed aren't the true threat. They're just the result of something much more sinister. That something was hidden long ago. Buried beneath the Veil itself."
Turning to face Kaoru Rei's eyes burned with intensity. "There's a force - a being. It's been pulling strings behind all this. It's called the Wraith. It's been manipulating the Veil. Changing it to its will. With a twisted mind."
Kaoru's breath caught in his throat. "A Wraith? What is it? What does it want?"
Rei paused, searching for right words. "The Wraith is creature of darkness. It was born from deepest parts of the Veil. Seekers sealed it away long ago. But now, something weakened the barriers. Now, it's trying to escape. It wants to consume the Veil. To devour all in its path. If it succeeds world we know will be destroyed."
Kaoru's mind was spinning. He had barely understood the fact. Creatures like the Hollowed roamed through the Veil. And now this? A Wraith, being of darkness, threatened to tear everything apart. It felt like nightmare.
"How do we stop it?" he asked. His voice lacked the conviction he wanted. The idea of facing something like that seemed impossible.
Rei met his gaze. Her expression was resolute. She said "That's where you come in."
Kaoru blinked. Her answer surprised him. "Me? How do I stop something like that?"
Rei's gaze softened. An edge of urgency persisted in her voice. "As a Seeker you posses potential. You can tap into deep power of the Veil. The Wraith is manipulating energy of the Veil. But you… you can learn to control it. You can wield it against darkness."
She stepped closer, eyes locking with his. "But you need to grow stronger. Much stronger. Training time is almost over. You'll soon have to confront the Wraith. And when that happens, you need to be ready."
Heart pounded in Kaoru's chest. Weight of her words crushed him like a boulder. He wasn't just training against Hollowed. He was being prepared for battle against ancient evil. The evil that might destroy everything he knew.
"I'm not ready for this," Kaoru whispered. Voice sunk under the weight of doubt.
Rei's expression softened. Yet there was a spark of determination in her eyes. "No one is. But that's why you need to trust the Veil, Kaoru. You're only just beginning to explore your own potential. You have more power than you realize. Only by unlocking it will you survive."
Kaoru gazed at Rei. Weight of responsibility settled heavily on his shoulders. He wasn't sure if he could do this. However something was clear - he didn't have a choice.
Storm was approaching. He needed to find a way to confront it or everything would be lost.
To be continued…