The morning sunlight filtered through the dense trees as Kael and his companions packed up their makeshift camp. The warmth of the fire Ember had kept alive throughout the night had long since faded, leaving only glowing embers nestled in the snow.
Kael adjusted the satchel holding the artifacts, his shoulders sagging under their weight. Though they were small, the golden and silver crystals seemed to grow heavier with every step he took, their energy a constant reminder of the burden he carried.
Umbra padded over to him, his glowing blue eyes filled with concern. "You didn't sleep," the shadowy cub said quietly.
Kael shook his head, exhaustion etched into his features. "I couldn't," he admitted. "The crystals… they hum constantly, like they're calling out to something. I don't know how to quiet them."
"They're growing stronger," Umbra murmured. "Or… maybe you are."
Kael frowned, the golden thread pulsing faintly in his chest. "If I'm growing stronger, why does it feel like I'm falling apart?"
Before Umbra could respond, Lira's voice cut through the stillness. "Let's get moving. The further we are from here, the better."
She stood at the edge of the clearing, her daggers sheathed but her sharp eyes scanning the horizon. "That thing last night wasn't just some wandering beast. It was hunting us. We need to stay ahead of whatever sent it."
"She's right," Ember said, her flames flickering softly as she padded to Kael's side. "The artifacts are a beacon. If we stay in one place too long, something else will find us."
Kael nodded reluctantly, adjusting the satchel's strap. "Then let's move."
The group continued northward, the terrain growing harsher with each passing hour. The trees thinned, giving way to rocky slopes and patches of snow that glinted under the pale sunlight.
Kael's breath came in visible puffs as the cold air bit at his skin. He tightened his cloak, his thoughts drifting to the golden and silver crystals in his satchel.
The golden thread pulsed steadily in his chest, its rhythm mirroring the faint hum of the crystals. It felt as though the three were connected, their energy intertwined in a way Kael couldn't fully understand.
"Umbra," Kael said quietly, breaking the silence. "Do you feel it? The connection between the artifacts?"
Umbra nodded, his small body moving in step with Kael's. "It's like they're pieces of something larger. When you brought the silver crystal near the golden one, I could feel their energies aligning."
"What do you think it means?" Kael asked.
"I don't know," Umbra admitted. "But I think the answer lies with the third artifact."
Kael's stomach churned. The third artifact—the one in Calder Venric's possession—loomed in his thoughts like a dark cloud. They would have to face him again, and Kael wasn't sure if they were ready.
"Kael," Ember said, her voice cutting through his thoughts. "Look."
She gestured ahead, where a small stone structure jutted out of the rocky landscape. It was weathered and crumbling, its surface covered in faded runes that seemed to pulse faintly in the sunlight.
"What is it?" Kael asked, quickening his pace.
"An altar," Ember said. "Places like this were used to channel arcane energy in ancient times. It might help us understand the artifacts."
The group approached cautiously, their footsteps crunching on the frozen ground. As they neared the altar, Kael felt the golden thread in his chest pulse faster, its energy surging in response to the structure.
"It's reacting," Umbra said, his glowing eyes narrowing.
Kael reached into his satchel, pulling out the golden and silver crystals. Their light flared as he brought them closer to the altar, the runes on its surface glowing in response.
"Place them on the altar," Ember said, her voice steady but tense.
Kael hesitated, then carefully set the crystals on the weathered stone. The moment they touched the altar, a surge of energy shot through the air, and the runes flared brightly.
The group stepped back as a faint golden light erupted from the crystals, forming a swirling vortex above the altar. Images flickered within the light—fragmented and fleeting, but unmistakably vivid.
Kael's breath caught as he saw what looked like a massive tower rising above a darkened landscape, its spire reaching toward a storm-filled sky. The vision shifted, revealing a robed figure standing before a shattered circle of crystals, their hands outstretched as arcane energy surged around them.
"What is this?" Kael whispered, his heart pounding.
"Fragments of the past," Ember said, her voice quiet with awe. "Or a warning of what's to come."
The vision faded, and the light dimmed, leaving the group in silence. Kael reached for the crystals, their warmth steady in his hands.
"What was that tower?" he asked, his voice trembling.
"I don't know," Ember admitted. "But whatever it is, the artifacts are tied to it."
Kael's chest tightened as the weight of the crystals seemed to grow heavier. The golden thread pulsed faintly, its energy both comforting and ominous.
"We need to move," Lira said, breaking the silence. "If the altar reacted to the crystals, then whatever's hunting us might feel it too."
Kael nodded, slipping the crystals back into his satchel. "Let's go."
As they continued their journey, Kael couldn't shake the images from the altar. The tower, the shattered crystals, the robed figure—they felt like pieces of a puzzle he didn't know how to solve.
"We're being drawn into something bigger," he said quietly, his gaze fixed on the horizon.
Umbra glanced up at him, his glowing eyes filled with quiet determination. "Whatever it is, we'll face it together."
Kael nodded, though the knot of unease in his chest didn't fade. The road ahead was uncertain, but he knew one thing for sure—their journey was far from over.