The village of Eldermere was quiet in the aftermath of the wolf attack, the air heavy with exhaustion and unease. The wounded had been tended to, the dead mourned, and the damaged sections of the wall repaired as best as they could be. But the scars of the battle were still fresh, and the villagers moved through their tasks with a grim determination.
Aric stood at the edge of the village, his eyes scanning the forest. The wolves had retreated, but he knew they would be back. And next time, they might not be so easily driven off.
"You should rest," a voice said behind him.
He turned to see Lira approaching, her expression unreadable. She had a bandage wrapped around her arm, a reminder of the battle they had fought together.
"I can't," Aric said, his voice quiet but firm. "Not while they're still out there."
Lira studied him for a moment, then nodded. "I get it. But you're no good to anyone if you collapse from exhaustion."
Aric didn't respond immediately. Instead, he turned back to the forest, his mind racing. The energy he had summoned during the battle was still there, just beneath the surface, but it felt different now—more volatile, less controlled.
"What happened back there…" he began, then hesitated. "I don't even know how I did it."
Lira stepped closer, her gaze steady. "You're not like the others. I've known that since the moment I saw you. But whatever you are, you're one of us now. And we need you."
Aric met her eyes, seeing the determination and trust there. It was a strange feeling, being needed. He had spent so much of his life as a prince, burdened by duty and expectation, but this was different. This was a choice.
"I'll do whatever I can," he said finally.
Lira nodded, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "Good. Because we've got a lot of work to do."
----
The next morning, the village was abuzz with news. A traveler had arrived during the night, seeking shelter from the forest. He was an older man, his face lined with age and his clothes worn but well-made. He carried a staff carved with strange symbols, and his eyes seemed to see everything at once.
Aric watched from a distance as Garrick and Elder Mara spoke with the man, their expressions a mix of curiosity and suspicion.
"Who is he?" Aric asked Lira, who stood beside him.
"His name is Kael," she replied, her voice low. "He's a wanderer, someone who travels between villages. He's been here before, but never for long."
Aric frowned. "Do you trust him?"
Lira hesitated, then shook her head. "I don't trust anyone who shows up unannounced. But he might have information we can use."
As if sensing their conversation, Kael turned and looked directly at Aric. His gaze was piercing, and for a moment, Aric felt as if the man could see straight through him.
Then Kael smiled, a faint, knowing smile, and turned back to Garrick.
----
That evening, the villagers gathered in the central square, their faces tense with anticipation. Kael stood at the center, his staff resting lightly in his hands.
"The wolves are just the beginning," he said, his voice carrying easily over the crowd. "There's something stirring in the forest—something ancient and powerful. And it's not just here. Other villages have reported strange occurrences, creatures that shouldn't exist, and rifts in the fabric of reality."
The villagers murmured among themselves, their fear palpable.
"What does this mean for us?" Garrick asked, his voice steady but his eyes wary.
Kael's expression grew serious. "It means you need to be prepared. The wolves are just the first wave. If you want to survive, you'll need to strengthen your defenses and find allies."
"And how do we do that?" Elder Mara asked, her voice sharp.
Kael's gaze shifted to Aric, and for a moment, the square fell silent. "You already have someone with the power to help you," he said, his voice quiet but firm. "But he needs to understand what he's up against."
Aric felt the weight of everyone's eyes on him, and his stomach churned. He didn't know what Kael meant, but he had a feeling it was connected to the energy he had summoned during the battle.
----
That night, Aric lay in the guest hut, his mind racing. He couldn't shake the feeling that Kael knew more than he was letting on.
As he drifted off to sleep, he found himself back in the void, the swirling mists of silver and black surrounding him once more. But this time, the void was different—more vivid, more alive.
He saw the forest, but it was twisted and wrong, the trees bent at unnatural angles and the air thick with a strange, oppressive energy. He saw the wolves, their glowing eyes filled with a malevolent intelligence. And he saw something else—a massive, shadowy figure standing at the edge of the forest, its form shifting and changing as if it were made of smoke.
"You are not alone," a voice said, echoing through the void.
Aric turned, but there was no one there.
"The rift is growing," the voice continued. "And if it is not closed, it will consume everything."
Aric's heart pounded as he tried to make sense of what he was seeing. "What do you mean? What rift?"
But the void offered no answers. Instead, it began to dissolve, the images fading into darkness.
When Aric woke, he was drenched in sweat, his hands trembling. The vision had felt so real, so vivid, that he couldn't shake the feeling that it was a warning.
----
The next morning, Aric found Kael sitting by the fire, his staff resting across his knees.
"You saw it, didn't you?" Kael asked, his voice quiet but firm.
Aric hesitated, then nodded. "What does it mean?"
Kael's expression grew serious. "It means the balance of this world is shifting. The rift you saw is a tear in the fabric of reality, and it's growing. If it's not closed, it will unleash something far worse than the wolves."
Aric's stomach churned as he tried to process what Kael was saying. "How do we stop it?"
Kael studied him for a long moment, then sighed. "That's the question, isn't it? But first, you need to understand what you are—and what you're capable of."
Aric didn't respond immediately. He had spent so much of his life trying to understand who he was, but now it felt like the answers were just out of reach.
"I'll do whatever it takes," he said finally.
Kael nodded, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Good. Because the storm is coming, and we'll need every advantage we can get."