WHOOOOSH! The massive tree fell with a powerful crash, the sound echoing through the forest as Drake's wind blade cleaved through the trunk.
A gust of wind swept past, whipping through the branches. The tree groaned, surrendering to the force of the magic. Drake stepped back, eyes narrowing with satisfaction.
"Perfect," he muttered, surveying the fallen timber. "Enough for the camp, and it'll serve for food as well."
But then, his gaze shifted upward, a shadow crossing his expression. His brow furrowed. He hasn't returned yet.
Drake exhaled sharply, the air heavy with unspoken concern. What's taking him so long?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the cave, Zarak sat opposite me, his intense gaze never wavering. His voice, low and determined, cut through the stillness.
"We're not like the other Phobians," he said, his words heavy with meaning. "They're plotting something... but I'm not part of it."
He paused, his eyes flashing with raw emotion. "They're hunting me now. But they don't know about my Lord. And I won't betray him, no matter what."
I watched him, intrigued by his conviction. The way he stood, shoulders squared, fists clenched—it was like something deeper drove him.
"You stole the Aetherstone for him?" I asked, leaning forward, trying to keep my voice steady.
Zarak's nod was sharp. His jaw tightened, his eyes glinting with resolve.
"That's right," he said, his voice rough. "But it's more than just a theft... It's the key to stopping a catastrophe."
His words hit me harder than I expected. I leaned back, trying to process what he'd just said. "A catastrophe?"
Zarak's eyes darkened, his gaze flickering around the cave as if the walls themselves might listen. "If the wrong person gets their hands on it... if the Aetherstone chooses someone..." His voice trailed off, and a chill settled over me.
"What's the worst that could happen?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Zarak's jaw clenched. "The Phobians want power," he said, his voice low and urgent. "They're gathering the Aetherstones. They already have two. But if they get all five..."
The air seemed to grow colder as the weight of his words sank in. I could feel my heart race as I waited for him to finish.
"They'll have the power to crush anyone who stands in their way. And the world... will fall into chaos."
"Chaos?" My voice trembled. "What kind of chaos?"
"The worst kind," Zarak said, his voice steady but grim. "A war. A war between humans and Phobians."
His words hung in the air like a storm cloud, and I felt the dread building in my chest. A war? Between us and them?
Zarak pulled the Aetherstone from his clothing, and I couldn't stop myself from staring at it. The stone's pulsing glow seemed to call to me, its colors shifting from deep violet to pale blue, like a living thing.
"Is this it?" I breathed, my hand instinctively reaching for it.
Before I could stop myself, my fingers brushed its smooth surface. A surge of energy shot through me, making my skin tingle.
Zarak's eyes widened in disbelief, and I felt a sudden tension in the air. He stared at me, confusion and something darker flickering in his gaze.
"After 3 millennium Impossible..." he muttered under his breath. "He's... he's the one?"
confused by sudden shift. My hand still hovered near the stone, the faint glow still pulsing in my fingertips.
Zarak leaned forward, eyes narrowing. "What's your name, kid?"
I hesitated for a moment. "Aries."
His eyes flickered with recognition—or was it fear? He reached out, his voice low, urgent.
"Aries, come here."
Something about his tone set off alarms in my mind. But I couldn't resist the pull of the moment, the stone, the tension building between us. I moved toward him, but as soon as I was within reach, Zarak's demeanor shifted.
In a blink, he was on top of me, pinning me to the ground. "What the—?" I gasped, struggling, but he was stronger than I anticipated.
Before I could react, Zarak forced the Aetherstone into my mouth. I gasped in pain as the stone cut into my gums, its edges sharp and unforgiving.
I tried to spit it out, to cry out, but Zarak's grip was relentless. I felt the stone slide down my throat, the world around me tilting as an unbearable energy flooded my system.
My body jolted with searing pain. AAAGHH! My skin burned as a dark red aura exploded from my body. The air around me rippled as if reality itself was warping under the weight of the power surging through me.
The world became a blur—shadows and flashes of light. My hands burned with energy, and I staggered backward, unable to control the power that coursed through me.
"W-What did you do?" I gasped, my voice shaky.
Zarak stood, watching me with a mixture of awe and fear. His hand glowed with green magic as he healed the wounds the stone had caused in my mouth, but his eyes never left me.
"Unlike the others," he said, his voice heavy with meaning, "this Aetherstone is alive. It chooses its...."
I blinked, trying to steady myself as the power surged and receded in waves. "What's happening to me?"
Zarak's eyes widened, realization dawning on him.
"I... I sense him," he whispered, his voice thick with urgency.
I didn't understand what he meant. Before I could ask, he grabbed my arm, his grip like iron.
"He's coming," Zarak muttered, his voice low and filled with dread. "We don't have much time."