Rynn turned at the urgency in Kael's voice, her eyes wide with concern. "What did you find?"
Kael's fingers trembled as he flipped through the pages of the book, finding the passage again. His mind raced as he absorbed the implications of what he'd just read. "The Hunger," he whispered again, more to himself than to Rynn. "It's not just a force, Rynn. It's an event. An awakening."
Rynn stepped closer, her gaze flicking down to the pages, her expression hardening as she read over his shoulder. "The Hunger of Aelyria. I've heard the name before, but never in this context. I thought it was just another myth."
"It's not," Kael said, his voice strained. "It's real. And it's connected to the storm that killed the wargs. The storm in the east."
Rynn's eyes narrowed. She knew the storm he was talking about. The one that had passed through the region days before the wargs appeared. "If this is connected to the storm, then we might be dealing with something much worse than just a few rogue wargs."
Kael nodded, his heart hammering in his chest. "This is bigger than we thought."
Rynn pulled back slightly, biting her lip as she considered their options. "If this 'Hunger' is a real threat, then it's possible the wargs were just the first wave. And if we're seeing them this close to the village, it could mean that something… something far worse is coming."
Kael stared at the book, at the faded ink and the ancient words that had been written long before his time. He could feel the weight of what he had discovered pressing down on him. His mind swirled with questions, but one thought stood out among the rest.
"How do we stop it?" Kael asked, his voice low.
Rynn sighed, a deep, frustrated breath. "We don't even know what we're dealing with yet. The old records mention the Hunger awakening when the land is unbalanced, but there's no clear way to fight it. No simple weapon or magic that can fix this."
Kael's eyes scanned the pages once more. The mention of the storm, the unbalanced land, the monsters gathered under some unseen force—it all pointed to something vast and ancient. Something that could change the fate of the entire region.
"I'm not waiting for it to come to us," Kael said, his resolve hardening. "We need to find out what's causing this disturbance. If we can stop it before it spreads… maybe we can prevent whatever's coming."
Rynn hesitated, but then nodded. "You're right. If this is as big as it sounds, we need to act fast. But we need more information, Kael. Whatever's causing this disturbance, it's probably been around for much longer than we've realized. If there's any chance of stopping it, we'll need to know its source."
Kael closed the book, setting it aside gently. "I'll go to the east," he said. "The storm came from there. I want to find out more about it. Maybe there's something there that can give us a clue."
Rynn's eyes widened in surprise. "You want to go to the heart of the storm? Do you know what you're asking? It's dangerous out there. There's no telling what you'll find."
"I have to, Rynn," Kael said, his voice firm. "If the Hunger really is tied to the storm, I'm the only one who can face it."
She studied him for a moment, then sighed. "I'm going with you."
Kael started to protest, but Rynn shook her head. "We're in this together. And you're going to need help. Besides, I know the eastern lands better than anyone else in this village. You won't get very far without me."
He didn't argue. The decision was made.
The two of them left the archives behind and began to prepare for their journey. Kael wasn't sure what they would find at the heart of the storm, but the more he thought about it, the more he understood that there was no turning back. Virestead had become a part of something much larger, and it was only a matter of time before whatever was coming would overwhelm them all.
As they gathered their supplies and made their way toward the village's edge, Kael felt the weight of his new role settling on his shoulders. He was no longer just the orphan boy who worked odd jobs for the villagers. No, now he was something else—a man who had already killed monsters, whose blood carried the strange magic of the storm. He had a power he didn't fully understand, and he had to learn to control it quickly. Lives depended on it.
By the time they reached the outskirts of Virestead, the sun had begun to set, casting long shadows across the land. The eastern horizon was already darkening, a low rumble of thunder hinting at the storm's presence.
"We should rest before we head out," Rynn suggested, though her tone was more practical than concerned. "The road to the east is treacherous, especially with all the flooding after the storm."
Kael agreed. They found a small clearing near a stream, just far enough from the village to avoid being overheard. Rynn quickly set up a campfire while Kael surveyed the surrounding area, his senses sharp. He could feel the storm in the air—thick and oppressive, like the world was holding its breath.
As they sat by the fire, Kael felt a strange tug in the back of his mind, a quiet whisper that seemed to come from the direction of the storm. His thoughts drifted back to the wargs—the way they had attacked with such coordination, as if driven by a force greater than instinct. They weren't just beasts anymore. They were part of something.
"I'll be ready in the morning," Kael said quietly, breaking the silence. "We'll leave before dawn."
Rynn nodded, her eyes flicking to the fire. "I'm not sure what we're going to find, Kael. But we can't turn back now."
"No turning back," Kael agreed.
As the night grew deeper, they settled into their makeshift camp, the crackling of the fire the only sound that kept the darkness at bay. In the distance, the storm rumbled louder, its fury building as it drew closer. Kael could feel the storm calling to him, a force that seemed to resonate with something inside him. The power he had felt before—the storm in his blood.
Was this why he was chosen? Was he meant to face whatever the Hunger was, to stand against it and protect the world from the darkness that was gathering?
The answers didn't come easily. But they were out there, waiting. And Kael would find them—one way or another.
By the time dawn's first light broke over the horizon, Kael was already on his feet, preparing for the journey ahead. Rynn was ready too, though she looked more tired than she had the night before. It was clear that the weight of what they were about to face had settled on her as well.
Together, they set off toward the east. The road was quiet at first, the stillness broken only by the occasional chirp of birds and the soft rustling of trees. But the further they traveled, the more the land began to change. The air grew thick with moisture, and the trees grew twisted and gnarled, their branches clawing at the sky like dark fingers.
And then they reached the edge of the forest. The storm was there—hovering on the horizon like an ominous cloud of darkness, its edges crackling with strange energy.
"This is it," Kael said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Rynn glanced at him, her expression unreadable. "We're not alone, Kael. I can feel it."
Kael's hand went to Veyrion's hilt. Whatever waited in the east, they would face it together.
And as they stepped into the heart of the storm, they knew this was just the beginning. The true battle was only just beginning to unfold.