The air shimmered as the tree split by lightning slowly collapsed into the forest, sending a sharp crack echoing through the valley. Birds fled the treetops. The mist around Kael thickened, curling protectively as if shielding him from something unseen.
Elenor stood her ground, her grip tight around Thomelin's staff, her eyes locked on the shifting creature before them.
"You need to explain," she demanded. "Who are you? What do you want with my brother?"
The creature tilted its head. "He is not your brother by blood, Wardsman's daughter. But your heart sees him as kin. That alone may be enough to protect him… for now."
Kael stepped forward, the pendant glowing softly on his chest.
"Stormline… What does that mean?" he asked, his voice firmer than before. "Why do I feel like I already know what you're saying?"
The creature's body flickered, caught between shape and shadow. It raised one long-fingered hand, pointing to the mark glowing on Kael's palm.
"That mark is older than your world. It's not a gift. It's a legacy. You are Stormborn, Kael—descendant of the first Keepers of Balance. Your kind has not walked these lands in centuries."
Kael stared at the mark. It pulsed, almost like a heartbeat.
"You're lying," Elenor said. "There's no such thing. That's just a child's tale."
The creature's eyes narrowed. "So many tales begin as truths that mortals forget."
Suddenly, the mist parted again, and the sound of galloping hooves thundered through the village paths. Thomelin burst into view on horseback, a long blade strapped across his back and a satchel over his shoulder. He looked older than ever, his face grim and determined.
"Kael! Elenor! Inside! Now!"
Elenor moved without hesitation, grabbing Kael's hand and pulling him back toward the house. But Kael paused—his gaze locked with the creature's.
"Come to the mountain when the sun turns red," the creature whispered. "Come alone, or not at all."
Then it dissolved into the wind, leaving no trace behind.
Thomelin leapt off the horse and ran to them, embracing them both. His arms trembled slightly.
"It's happening faster than I thought," he muttered, more to himself than to them.
"What's happening, Dad?" Elenor asked, her voice tense. "What is he?"
"He's… more than we were told."
Thomelin led them back inside. As the door shut, the pendant dimmed once more. The outside world was still again—only for a moment.
⸻
Inside, Thomelin placed the satchel on the table and unrolled a series of faded maps, rune-etched scrolls, and old books. The fire roared in the hearth as if sensing the importance of what was about to unfold.
"You were never just left here, Kael," he began. "Six years ago, the moment I saw you… I knew. You carry a mark not seen since the Age of Dusk."
Elenor sat beside Kael, her eyes bouncing between her father and the old relics. "You knew this whole time?"
"I had my suspicions," Thomelin said. "But that thing outside… confirmed them."
He pulled one of the scrolls closer and pointed at a faded drawing—of a boy with glowing eyes, standing beneath a storm-filled sky, holding a staff with a silver spiral at its head.
"Stormline," he said, tapping the symbol. "Your bloodline traces back to the first Skywatchers—the ones who stood against the Shadow Eclipse, who channeled the balance between the natural world and the powers that lie beyond."
Kael felt a pull inside him, like an ancient string vibrating with recognition.
"But that balance was broken long ago," Thomelin continued. "The Stormlines vanished. Or were hunted."
Kael clenched his fists. "So why am I still here? Why did someone bring me to you?"
Thomelin hesitated.
"Because… your mother asked me to."
The world stopped.
Elenor gasped. "She's alive?"
"I don't know," Thomelin said. "But the night she left you here, she spoke only one thing: 'Keep him safe until the storm stirs again. When the red sun rises, he must choose.'"
Kael stared into the fire, his mind racing. The dreams, the mark, the voice, the wind—all of it suddenly made sense, and none of it did.
"I'm going to the mountain," he said at last, quietly.
Elenor looked shocked. "What? No! We don't even know what that thing was!"
"I need to know who I am," Kael said. "If I stay here, I'll just keep putting everyone in danger."
Thomelin placed a hand on Kael's shoulder. "You're brave… but you won't go alone. Not yet. There are places you must go first—hidden places where the Stormlines once trained. The world is waking up again, Kael. And not all of it will welcome you."
Kael nodded slowly, eyes glowing faintly again.
"Then tell me where to start."