Chapter 11 – Whispers Beneath the Stone
The morning mist blanketed Eravallis like a secret the forest didn't want to share. Dew clung to the leaves, and the scent of moss and blooming herbs lingered in the air.
Ren awoke to a soft pressure on his chest. Orin sat there, gazing into his eyes with quiet intelligence. As their eyes met, the mark on Ren's hand pulsed gently—once, twice, like a heartbeat.
"Good morning," Ren whispered, scratching behind Orin's ears.
The others were still asleep, curled up around the dying embers of last night's fire. The shrine loomed in the background, its presence strangely comforting.
"You are being watched."
Ren's breath caught. The voice from the mark, usually cryptic, now sounded sharper… urgent.
He rose quickly and glanced into the trees. A flicker—like a shadow moving too fast—caught his eye. Orin stood, tails rising, sensing it too.
"Leina," Ren called gently, nudging her. "Wake up. Something's not right."
Kenji and Aiko stirred next, gripping their weapons instinctively. The group fell into silence as the wind stilled unnaturally.
Then—crack.
A figure dropped from the trees.
Cloaked in deep blue robes, his face hidden beneath a veil of silken black, the stranger landed silently on the moss. His hands were marked—faint blue lines shaped like vines glowing under his skin.
"A Keeper…" Aiko whispered. "Like in the books. They were the protectors of ancient knowledge."
The figure raised a hand—not threatening, but commanding attention.
"Four marked by time… summoned from the forbidden river."
"How do you know about us?" Kenji stepped forward, cautious.
The Keeper looked toward Orin, who now sat beside Ren, unmoving. "The guardian chose. So the cycle begins again."
He reached into his robe and pulled out a small stone tablet. As he held it forward, glowing symbols floated into the air.
"You seek answers. Begin in the city of Velmora. There lies a library untouched by war, guarded by flame and riddle."
Leina stepped beside Ren. "But… why us? What are we supposed to do?"
The Keeper simply turned and began walking into the forest.
Before disappearing, he said one final thing—
"Not all who are marked will survive the unraveling."
Then he was gone.
The group stood in silence. The only sound was Orin's gentle humming, as soft glowing rings floated from his fur and vanished into the breeze.
"Velmora," Ren murmured. "That's where we're heading."
They packed their things and began their journey through the forest, unaware of the trials ahead—or the ancient flames waiting beneath Velmora's stone gates.
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