Before the rivers carved their paths and the mountains rose to kiss the sky, the world was raw, untamed, and pure. It was in this time, long before the concept of "supernatural," that Kael came into being not born of womb or blood, but of earth, sky, and the breath of existence itself.
Kael awoke to the sound of wind howling through an endless expanse of trees. His eyes fluttered open, reflecting a pale green hue, like the leaves of spring just kissed by sunlight. Around him, the earth shifted and swayed, alive and vibrant, as if rejoicing at his presence. He sat up, his body unmarked by scars or time, his skin glowing faintly in the moonlight. He felt whole, yet strangely empty.
"What am I?" he murmured. But it was not his voice that spoke because he imitated nature in speaking with the power of the wind to carry his thoughts.
The wind answered with a whisper, brushing through his dark, unruly hair. The language was not one of words, but of feeling. Kael felt the earth beneath him hum with approval, the sky above him pulse with quiet affection.
For what felt like weeks, Kael wandered. His feet touched grass, sand, and stone, but wherever he went, nature thrived. Trees bent their branches toward him, rivers ran clearer in his presence, and flowers bloomed in his wake.
Yet he was alone.
One day, as he sat by a quiet lake, staring at his reflection, the realization struck him.
"I am no man," he said, his voice soft but resolute. "No family, no past." He clenched his fists, the movement sending ripples through the water. "Then why am I here?"
The lake answered with an image a wolf chasing a deer, teeth bared, hunger in its eyes. But then came the next image: the wolf resting, its belly full, the deer's kind thriving because the weakest were culled. Balance.
Kael frowned. He understood instinctively what the vision meant, but he felt no command, no chains binding him to a purpose. The world showed him its way, but it did not force him to act.
"I choose," he said aloud, the words filling the air with power. "I choose to honor this balance."
The world seemed to exhale, as if relieved. A single gust of wind circled him, warm and inviting, and Kael felt something akin to joy ripple through him.
Years passed or was it centuries? Kael roamed the untouched world, learning its rhythms. He watched predators hunt and prey survive, storms rage and then calm, life blossom and wither. And yet, it wasn't until he encountered them that he understood the dangers lurking in imbalance.
One night, Kael stumbled upon a grove where the air felt heavy, suffocating. A group of figures stood in a circle, chanting in guttural tones. Witches.
They pulled energy from the earth, bending it unnaturally to their will. The trees around them withered, their bark cracking under the strain. The grass turned to ash, and the animals had fled long ago.
Kael stepped into the clearing.
"Stop."
His voice was soft, but it carried an authority that silenced the witches instantly. Their leader, a woman with fire in her eyes, turned to him with disdain.
"Who dares command us?" she sneered. "We are the First Witches, born of this world's chaos. Who are you to tell us otherwise?"
Kael tilted his head, his expression calm. "I am Kael. I am no enemy, but I will not allow you to destroy this land for your greed."
The witch laughed, a sound sharp and bitter. "You think you can stop us? We shape the world to our will. What can you do?"
Kael stepped forward, his bare feet touching the scorched earth. Instantly, the ground healed beneath him, lush grass spreading outward like a wave. The witches gasped, but their leader snarled, summoning a bolt of fire to hurl at him.
Kael raised a hand. The fire halted midair, then dissipated into harmless sparks.
"You take from nature without giving back," Kael said, his voice hardening. "You upset the balance."
The witches recoiled as the ground beneath them shook, roots rising to ensnare their feet. Kael looked at their leader, his gaze piercing.
"Leave," he commanded, "and remember: the world gives because it chooses to. If you defy its will again, it will take everything from you."
Terrified, the witches fled, leaving the grove silent once more. Kael knelt, placing his hand on the ground. The earth pulsed beneath his touch, healing, forgiving.
In the years that followed, Kael grew into his role not as a soldier, but as a caretaker. He walked the earth, not seeking power but harmony. He did not act unless necessary, and when he did, it was with fairness, compassion, and resolve.
Nature adored him. The rivers sang when he approached, the winds carried his name, and the earth cradled him like a beloved child. He was not bound to his duty; he chose it. And that choice made him more powerful than any creature that would come after him.
Kael was balance incarnate, not because he was forced to be, but because he wanted to be. And for that, nature cherished him as its greatest creation.
Kael knelt upon the rich, loamy earth of the grove where the witches had fled. The disruption of balance still pulsed in the air, like an open wound in the world. He ran his fingers through the soil, feeling its pain and desperation. Nature whispered to him, not with commands, but with longing a cry for justice, a plea for protection.
"This cannot continue," Kael murmured. His voice carried not anger, but resolve. "If they cannot respect the balance, they shall no longer walk among it."
He stood, closing his eyes. The earth beneath him began to shift and rumble, ancient power rising to his call. Kael reached into the very essence of the natural world, drawing upon the elements earth, water, fire, and air to forge something entirely new.
In his mind, he envisioned a dimension unlike the world he walked. A desolate place, untamed and barren, where no life could thrive, yet no death could find peace. A place for those who upset the balance to dwell, isolated from the world they sought to corrupt.
His voice rang out like a thunderclap: "Let this place be the In-Between, a prison for the unrepentant and a warning for the wayward. Here they shall exist, neither alive nor dead, unable to harm the world they have forsaken."
A rift opened before him, a tear in the very fabric of reality. It shimmered with an eerie green light, pulsating like a heartbeat. On the other side lay a barren wasteland: jagged mountains rising to meet a perpetual twilight sky, cracked earth stretching endlessly beneath swirling winds. It was a realm devoid of the life and harmony Kael cherished, a reflection of the chaos its inhabitants would bring.
Kael took a step back, his hands lowering. The rift remained, faintly glowing, a silent sentinel awaiting its first prisoner.
"Nature offers forgiveness, but only once," Kael whispered. "The In-Between offers none."
Kael's creation of the In-Between sent ripples through the world, its very existence a testament to his power and resolve. The stories spread quickly, carried by whispers in the wind and visions sent by nature itself. Creatures who had lived in secrecy began to step into the open, seeking out the being born of nature to understand the truth of his legend.
But not all came in peace. Some feared him, some sought to challenge him, and others simply wished to understand the one who carried the weight of balance upon his shoulders.
Kael's journey brought him deep into a vast, untouched forest where the moon hung low, its light spilling through the treetops like silver threads. He felt them before he saw them predators lurking in the shadows, their eyes gleaming like molten gold.
As Kael stepped into a clearing, the largest of the wolves approached, shifting mid-stride into a towering man with broad shoulders and eyes that burned with suspicion.
"You tread on sacred ground, stranger," the alpha growled. "State your purpose, or leave."
Kael's expression remained calm, his gaze unwavering. "I come seeking understanding. Does your pack honor the balance of this forest?"
The alpha's lips curled into a snarl. "We take what we need, nothing more. But why does that concern you?"
Before Kael could respond, a silver-furred elder stepped forward, her movements slow but deliberate. She knelt before Kael, bowing her head low.
"It is him," she murmured, her voice reverent. "The Arbiter. The one born of nature itself."
The pack fell silent, the tension in the air dissipating. Even the alpha, so full of pride, faltered. "The Arbiter?" he echoed.
Kael inclined his head. "I am Kael. I walk to preserve the balance. If your pack honors the balance, you will find no quarrel with me. But if you disrupt it, you will answer to me."
The elder looked up, her gaze filled with awe and fear. "We have heard of you. Nature has whispered warnings to us. You created a prison for those who defy its will."
Kael's eyes hardened, his voice quiet but firm. "The In-Between is not a threat it is a promise. Respect the balance, and you will never see its gates."
The alpha straightened, his gaze meeting Kael's. After a long pause, he bowed his head. "We hunt only what we need. We do not disrupt. We will honor your balance, Arbiter."
Kael nodded, satisfied. "Then continue as you have. Nature thrives in your care."
Far to the east, Kael came upon a crumbling stone temple where the air buzzed with magic. A group of witches stood in a circle, their hands raised as they chanted, drawing energy from the earth beneath their feet.
Kael's arrival was silent, but the youngest of the witches gasped, her voice trembling. "He is here."
The chanting ceased, and the coven turned to face him. Their leader, a fierce woman with fiery red hair, stepped forward, her hands glowing faintly with residual magic.
"We know who you are," she said, her voice steady. "Nature has warned us of your power. Are you here to destroy us?"
Kael's gaze swept over the coven, his expression unreadable. "That depends. Do you take from nature without giving back?"
The leader faltered, her confidence cracking. "We… we borrow its power."
"Borrow," Kael repeated, his voice colder now. "Borrowing implies repayment. Do you return what you take?"
The witches exchanged uneasy glances, and Kael's expression darkened. The earth beneath them trembled, cracks forming as roots snaked upward to ensnare their feet.
"Nature does not exist to be plundered," Kael said, his voice like thunder. "If you will not give back what you take, you will not remain part of it."
The leader dropped to her knees, her voice desperate. "We will! We will return what we've taken. Please, grant us a chance."
Kael studied her for a long moment before lowering his hand. The roots retreated, and the earth stilled.
"This is your only warning," he said. "Respect the balance, or the In-Between will become your home."
The witches bowed their heads in unison, trembling. "We understand," the leader whispered.
Kael turned, walking away without another word, but his presence lingered like a stormcloud. The witches would not forget the Arbiter, nor the consequences of defying him.
Kael's encounters spread quickly, carried by whispers and warnings from nature itself. To some, he was a savior, protecting the balance they lived by. To others, he was a harbinger of judgment, a force to be feared.
But Kael sought no titles and no followers. Not yet anyway. He walked the earth not as a ruler, but as its guardian, his footsteps light and his resolve unyielding. Those who disrupted the balance learned to fear him. Those who honored it found him to be a quiet ally.
And through it all, Kael remained true to himself not a servant of nature, but a being who chose harmony, and who would defend it with every fiber of his being.