The rain came with the dawn — soft at first, then steady, washing the blood from the leaves and the ashes from the earth.
They walked beneath the dripping trees in silence, heading east. Elric led, his cloak soaked through but his grip steady on his staff. Lyra followed behind him, hood drawn low. Kale brought up the rear, one hand pressed against his chest where the seal had burned the night before.
The forest was quiet, unnaturally so. No birds, no insects — only the whisper of rain on leaves and the occasional snap of a distant branch.
Kale's mind, however, was far from still.
" Aurelion".
The name pulsed in his head like a heartbeat. Every time he blinked, he saw flashes — gold light, a ruined tower, and a voice calling his name that wasn't his own.
He gritted his teeth. "Elric," he called quietly, "who is Aurelion?"
Elric didn't stop walking. "You heard that name?"
"It was in my head," Kale said. "After the pact."
Elric's steps slowed. "Then it's worse than I thought."
Lyra frowned, glancing between them. "You know who that is?"
Elric nodded grimly. "Aurelion was not a myth — though the witches have tried to make it one. He was the first wizard ever recorded to rival their power."
Kale blinked. "The first wizard?"
"Yes," Elric said. "Back when the world was young, and magic ran wild. In those days, witches and wizards weren't divided by birth. Power came freely to those who sought it. But Aurelion changed that."
Lyra tilted her head. "How?"
"He tried to merge the essence of mana and blood — to unite magic and life itself. He believed that true balance came from combining creation and destruction."
Kale frowned. "That sounds… familiar."
Elric's gaze flicked to him. "It should. Because you carry the same mark."
Kale stopped. "You mean—"
"Yes," Elric said. "Whatever's inside you — it's not just power. It's a fragment of Aurelion himself."
The rain seemed to fall heavier then, the forest darkening under gray skies.
Lyra's eyes widened. "You're saying he's possessed by a god?"
Elric shook his head. "No. Aurelion was no god. But he was the closest thing mortals ever feared."
Kale stared at the ground, his heart pounding. "Then why me?"
"Because your birth broke the balance," Elric said quietly. "Male wizards aren't supposed to have such power. It's forbidden because once — long ago — Aurelion was one of us. And the witches sealed him away to ensure it never happened again."
Lyra folded her arms. "So they hunt Kale because they're afraid history will repeat itself."
Elric nodded. "Afraid — or eager to finish what their ancestors started."
Kale shivered, not from the cold. "If he's sealed inside me… does that mean he can take control?"
Elric's face was grave. "If the seal breaks completely — yes. You won't just lose control of your magic. You'll lose yourself."
"And then I'll make something beautiful from your ruin," the voice whispered in Kale's mind, smooth and calm.
Kale's breath caught.
Lyra noticed immediately. "He's talking to you again, isn't he?"
He nodded weakly.
Elric sighed. "You must resist him at all costs. Aurelion is patient — and he feeds on despair. If he senses weakness, he'll twist it."
Kale swallowed hard. "How do I stop him?"
"For now?" Elric said. "You don't. You survive. You learn. You get stronger. Until you can face him on your own terms."
Lyra smirked faintly. "No pressure, then."
They continued walking until they reached the edge of the forest. Beyond it stretched a wide plain, the ruins of an old town visible in the distance — stone towers crumbling, half-swallowed by vines.
Elric pointed ahead. "We rest there. The witches won't track us across consecrated ground."
Kale frowned. "Consecrated?"
"An old battlefield," Elric said. "Where witches and wizards slaughtered each other centuries ago. Their mana still lingers — too chaotic for magic tracking."
Lyra sniffed the air. "Smells like death."
"Good," Elric said. "It means we're safe."
As they walked into the ruins, the air grew colder. The stones glowed faintly under the rain, runes long faded but still humming with power.
Kale brushed his fingers against a wall, feeling a pulse — like a heartbeat deep underground.
"Someone died here," he murmured.
"Thousands," Elric said quietly. "Including him."
Kale turned. "Aurelion?"
Elric nodded. "This is where they killed him. Or at least… where they thought they did."
Lyra's eyes flicked between them. "Then this is sacred ground to your kind?"
Elric shook his head. "No. This is cursed ground. Aurelion's death marked the end of our age — and the beginning of the witches' rule."
Lightning cracked across the sky, illuminating the ruins in stark white light.
For a heartbeat, Kale thought he saw a shadow — tall, cloaked in gold, standing among the stones, watching him. When he blinked, it was gone.
"Home," the voice inside him whispered softly. "You've finally come home."
Kale's breath trembled. He looked up at the sky, where thunder rolled across the clouds, and whispered —
"I'm not yours."
The whisper came back, calm and amused.
"We'll see."