The wind howled against the wooden roofs of Ardent Hollow that morning, carrying with it a sharp bite that spoke of a storm brewing. Kael stood barefoot in the training field, his breath visible in the cold. His fingers were raw from practice, yet he did not stop.
"You're going to tear your hands off at this rate," Liora called, leaning lazily against the fence. She tossed him a rag. "Or are you secretly trying to impress the entire village with your tragic training scars?"
Kael caught the rag without looking, wiping sweat from his brow. "Scars are just proof of effort," he replied evenly, though the corner of his mouth twitched.
Liora snorted. "Effort is one thing. Being a lunatic is another."
Before Kael could reply, another voice interrupted. "Or maybe he just wants attention."
They both turned to see Ryn, one of the older village boys, swaggering across the training field with two of his friends trailing behind. Ryn was broad-shouldered, with an easy grin that always seemed just a little too sharp.
"You again," Liora muttered under her breath.
Ryn smirked. "Relax. I'm just here to see if the 'prodigy' can actually back up the whispers."
Kael straightened, expression unreadable. "Whispers?"
"Everyone says you're special," Ryn said, circling Kael slowly. "That you move like a ghost, that even wild beasts trust you. But talk is cheap. Let's see if you can handle something real."
Liora crossed her arms. "You really have nothing better to do, do you?"
"Better than watching him pretend he's some chosen hero?" Ryn shot back. "Sure, I've got time."
Kael stayed quiet, only tilting his head slightly. "What do you want?"
"A simple contest," Ryn said, grinning. "There's a tree past the river with a red ribbon tied to it. First one back with the ribbon wins. Loser cleans the animal pens for a week."
Liora groaned. "You're seriously challenging him to a race?"
Ryn shrugged. "Unless he's scared."
Kael looked at the distant treeline, then at Ryn. "Fine."
The race began with a shout. Kael took off like a shadow, silent and controlled, while Ryn charged ahead with raw speed and power. The path was slick with mud from the night's rain, and several times Ryn nearly lost his footing.
Halfway to the river, Kael felt it — that pulse, faint but unmistakable. Something stirred in the forest, near the tree with the ribbon. He slowed slightly, his senses sharpening.
"You stopping already?" Ryn called, grinning as he surged ahead.
Kael ignored him. The forest felt different — the air heavy, humming faintly with energy. He reached the tree just as Ryn grabbed the ribbon, but Kael's eyes were on something else: a faint, floating shard of light hovering near the roots, almost invisible to normal sight.
"What is that…" Kael whispered.
"Hey!" Ryn shouted, waving the ribbon. "I win!"
But before Kael could answer, the shard pulsed — and the wind roared suddenly, nearly knocking both boys back. The forest seemed to hold its breath.
"What was that?" Ryn asked, fear creeping into his voice.
Kael didn't respond. He crouched, extending his hand carefully toward the shard. It flickered once, then vanished into the soil, leaving behind only silence.
The two boys stood there, breathing hard.
"You saw that, right?" Ryn asked finally.
Kael glanced at him. "Yes."
Ryn swallowed, suddenly less smug. "Right. Uh… let's call the race a draw."
Kael didn't argue. His mind was elsewhere — on the shard, the pulse, the way the forest itself seemed to acknowledge him.
Back in the village, Liora was waiting. "Well?" she asked. "Who's cleaning the pens?"
"Neither of us," Ryn said quickly, tossing the ribbon at her feet before walking away, quieter than usual.
Liora blinked. "What did you do to him?"
Kael didn't answer immediately. "Nothing," he said finally. "But something out there… changed."
Liora's teasing expression softened. "Changed how?"
Kael looked toward the forest. The red star was faintly visible in the sky, even though the sun hadn't fully set.
"Like the world just took a breath," he said quietly.
And for the first time, Liora didn't laugh at him.