Kael woke to the soft glow of dawn spilling over the rolling hills. Birds chirped, and the village stirred slowly, smoke curling from chimneys. Life here was simple-fields to tend, streams to fish, and neighbors who shared both joy and hardship.
Yet Kael felt restless. While other children played, he wandered toward the edge of the forest, eyes scanning the shadows. There was a pull he couldn't name, a whisper of something beyond the familiar cottages and cobblestone paths.
His mother called from the kitchen, her voice warm. "Kael, breakfast!"
He turned, forcing a smile. "Coming!" But even as he ate, he couldn't shake the feeling that the quiet village held secrets waiting for him- secrets he was meant to uncover.
By mid-morning, Kael slipped out, mapless and curious, ready to chase whatever lay beyond the fields, unaware that today would change everything.