The path back to Mornvale stretched longer than it should have. Silence weighed heavily between them, broken only by the crunch of gravel beneath their boots and the occasional rustle of wind through the ruins. Even Finnick, who was usually quick with nervous humor, remained quiet, his gaze fixed on the horizon as if afraid to look back.
Caelum's thoughts churned as he replayed the events of the past hours. The vial in his pocket felt heavier now, its faint pulse like a second heartbeat. The voice from the light still echoed in his mind, its calm certainty both comforting and unsettling. What was this power—this Spark—that now coursed through him? And what price would it demand?
They reached the outskirts of Mornvale as the first hints of dusk painted the sky in muted shades of orange and purple. The district felt more alive than before, though its decay remained. The distant hum of forgotten magic vibrated faintly in the air, as if awakening to Caelum's presence.
Amara stopped abruptly, turning to face him. "We need to talk."
Caelum raised an eyebrow. "About?"
"About everything," she snapped, her frustration bubbling to the surface. "The shards, the Veil, whatever this… thing is you've awakened." She gestured toward his pocket. "You're not telling us everything, Caelum. And if we're going to keep following you, we deserve to know what we're walking into."
Finnick nodded, though his expression was less accusatory and more pleading. "She's right, mate. We've stuck with you this far, but this is… it's bigger than us. Bigger than anything we've ever dealt with. We can't keep fumbling in the dark."
Caelum sighed, running a hand through his hair. He couldn't blame them for their frustration. He barely understood what was happening himself. But they were right—they deserved the truth, or at least as much of it as he could give.
"I don't have all the answers," he admitted. "But I'll tell you what I know."
He pulled the vial from his pocket, its glow faint in the dimming light. "This vial… it's not just a piece of the Veil. It's connected to the Spark, to the magic that flows through Cindrelle. When I touched the crystal back in the tower, it unlocked something—something ancient. The shards are pieces of that magic, and they're scattered across the Veil. If I can find them, I might be able to restore balance."
"Balance?" Amara frowned. "What does that even mean? The Veil isn't some broken machine you can fix with spare parts. It's… it's alive, Caelum. It has a will of its own."
"I know," he said quietly. "And that's what scares me. The Veil isn't just a barrier—it's a prison. And whatever's trapped inside is trying to break free."
Amara's eyes widened, her earlier anger giving way to fear. "You think the Veil is… weakening?"
Caelum nodded. "I don't just think it—I know it. The magic flowing through it is unstable. If we don't act, it could collapse entirely. And if that happens…"
Finnick swallowed hard. "Then what's trapped inside gets out."
A heavy silence fell over the group as the weight of his words sank in. Amara was the first to break it, her voice steady despite the tremor in her hands. "Then we don't have a choice. We find the shards, we figure out how to use them, and we stop whatever's coming. Together."
Finnick managed a weak smile. "I hate to agree with her, but she's right. Again. We're in this now, whether we like it or not."
Caelum felt a surge of gratitude toward them both. He didn't deserve their loyalty, not after dragging them into this mess. But he couldn't do it alone, and their presence gave him strength he hadn't realized he needed.
"Thank you," he said softly.
Amara rolled her eyes. "Don't thank us yet. You still owe us an explanation for that light show back there."
"I'll explain when I understand it myself," he promised.
She nodded, satisfied for now. "Good. Because if you turn into some glowing magic monster, I want fair warning."
Finnick chuckled nervously. "I'm with her on that one."
The tension eased slightly, replaced by a fragile camaraderie that felt like a small victory. They didn't have all the answers—far from it—but they had each other. For now, that was enough.
As they approached the edge of Mornvale, Caelum's gaze drifted to the horizon. The distant mountains loomed like dark sentinels, their peaks shrouded in mist. Somewhere out there, the next shard awaited.
And with it, more questions.
That night, as they set up camp in the ruins of an old library, Caelum sat apart from the others, staring at the vial. Its glow cast faint shadows across his face, its warmth a constant reminder of the burden he carried.
The voice from the tower echoed in his mind once more: The Veil will test you, Caelum. But remember: even in the darkest shadows, there is light to be found.
He didn't know what lay ahead, but one thing was certain—this was only the beginning. And the path forward would demand more than he ever thought possible.
For the sake of Cindrelle—and the world beyond the Veil—he couldn't afford to fail.