Chapter 7:
The forest of Veilwood seemed darker as Arlen carried Kael in his arms, her faintly glowing eyes unsettling him. Though she claimed to feel fine, her weakened state said otherwise. The shard, now fully restored, pulsed faintly in Arlen's satchel, but its light felt less like a victory and more like a reminder of the growing cost of their mission.
Kael stirred, her voice barely a whisper. "You... didn't have to carry me."
"You collapsed," Arlen said curtly, though the tension in his voice betrayed his concern. "We're leaving this cursed forest before something else tries to kill us."
Kael managed a faint smile, but it quickly faded. "I felt it, Arlen. The shard's power. It was... wrong. Like it wanted to tear me apart."
Arlen didn't respond, but his grip on her tightened.
A Safe Haven
By nightfall, they reached the edge of the forest and stumbled upon an abandoned outpost, its crumbling walls providing a semblance of shelter. Arlen laid Kael on a makeshift bed of his cloak, his expression grim.
"Rest," he said. "You've done enough."
Kael grabbed his wrist as he turned away. "Arlen, you need to understand—this isn't sustainable. These shards, the rituals... they're breaking us."
Arlen pulled his arm free, his glowing eyes dimming as he sat against the far wall. "We don't have a choice."
"You keep saying that," Kael said, her voice sharper now. "But what happens when there's nothing left of you? Or me?"
"I don't know!" Arlen snapped, his voice echoing in the empty outpost. He looked at her, his expression softening. "But I can't stop. Not now. Not when we're this far."
Kael's gaze lingered on him, sadness and frustration mixing in her eyes. "Then let me help you. Don't carry this alone, Arlen. You don't have to."
He didn't answer, turning his attention to the shard in his satchel. Its faint glow seemed to mock him, a reminder of the impossible burden he bore.
Dreams of the Past
That night, Arlen dreamed. He stood in a vast void, surrounded by fragments of memories—his own and those of the Blood Souls before him. The voices that had whispered in the shadows now spoke clearly, their words a haunting chorus.
"You are the vessel. The Sovereign's will flows through you. Surrender, and the pain will end."
Arlen clenched his fists, his glowing Eyes blazing in the darkness. "I'll never surrender."
The voices laughed, a sound that reverberated through the void. "You already have. With every shard you restore, you bind yourself to him. You are his harbinger, Blood Soul."
A figure stepped forward from the shadows—Lysara. Or at least, a twisted version of her, her eyes black and her voice dripping with malice.
"Did you think the seals were meant to stop him?" she asked mockingly. "They were created to prepare him, to strengthen him. And you are his greatest creation."
Arlen awoke with a start, his breath coming in ragged gasps. The outpost was silent except for the faint rustling of the wind. Kael lay sleeping nearby, her face pale but peaceful.
Arlen clenched his jaw, his mind racing. Was the dream just another fragment of the Sovereign's influence, or was it a warning of the truth?
A Growing Divide
The next day, Kael insisted she was strong enough to travel, though her steps were unsteady. Arlen didn't argue, but his silence was heavier than usual.
"What happened in your dream?" Kael asked as they walked.
Arlen hesitated, his eyes fixed on the horizon. "It doesn't matter."
"It does," Kael pressed. "I can't help you if you keep shutting me out."
Arlen stopped abruptly, turning to face her. "You want to help? Then stop questioning everything I do. We don't have time to second-guess every step we take."
Kael flinched at his harsh tone but didn't back down. "I'm not second-guessing you, Arlen. I'm trying to keep us alive. And if you keep ignoring what this is doing to us, we're both going to fall apart."
For a moment, they stood in tense silence, the weight of their shared burden pressing down on them. Finally, Arlen sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I dreamed of the Sovereign," he admitted. "Or maybe it was just another fragment of the past. I don't know anymore. But it said... it said I'm helping him."
Kael's expression softened. "Do you believe it?"
"I don't want to," Arlen said, his voice barely above a whisper. "But what if it's true? What if every shard we restore brings us closer to destroying everything we're trying to save?"
Kael placed a hand on his arm. "Then we figure it out together. We've made it this far, Arlen. Don't let him break you now."
The Road Ahead
As they continued their journey, the landscape began to change. The barren plains gave way to jagged cliffs and roaring winds, the path ahead growing more treacherous. Lysara's map indicated that the next seal lay within the Stormspire, a towering mountain said to be home to powerful storms and ancient guardians.
But as they neared the base of the mountain, a familiar voice stopped them in their tracks.
"Going somewhere, Blood Soul?"
Arlen and Kael turned to see Lysara standing before them, her presence both reassuring and unnerving. Her expression was unreadable, but there was a tension in her stance that set Arlen on edge.
"What are you doing here?" he demanded.
"I came to warn you," Lysara said, her voice calm but firm. "The Stormspire is unlike anything you've faced before. The guardian there won't simply test your strength—it will test your resolve. If you're not ready, it will destroy you."
Arlen's Eyes flared. "I've made it this far. I won't stop now."
Lysara stepped closer, her gaze piercing. "Then you need to understand what you're walking into. The guardian doesn't just guard the seal—it judges whether you're worthy of wielding its power. If it deems you unworthy..."
She trailed off, leaving the implication hanging in the air.
Kael frowned. "Why are you telling us this now?"
"Because I believe in you," Lysara said simply. "But belief won't be enough. You need to decide, here and now, if you're willing to face what lies ahead."
Arlen met her gaze, his determination unwavering. "I am."
Kael looked between them, her own resolve hardening. "We both are."
Lysara nodded, a faint smile touching her lips. "Then may the gods be with you."
As she disappeared into the mist, Arlen and Kael turned toward the Stormspire, their path set but their future uncertain.
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