Chapter 85: The Call of the Abyss

Vaiolet walked with steady steps, but her mind was racing at a thousand miles an hour. Though the sunlight still illuminated the horizon, there was something in the air that prevented her from feeling peace. The temple, the sphere, the visions... everything she had experienced kept echoing in her mind. She knew that the knowledge she had gained was not something she could ignore; it was something that had changed her irreversibly.

Kael walked beside her, his presence constant, as always, but he too sensed the tension in her being. There was something more than words could express, and both of them knew it.

—What did you see? —Kael asked, his voice low, as if afraid to interrupt her thoughts.

Vaiolet didn’t look at him immediately. The landscape before them unfolded in deceptive stillness, as if everything were suspended. But inside her, everything was in motion, like a storm that never ceased.

—I saw the future... —she finally said, her voice barely a whisper. She didn’t want to share it, not like this. She didn’t know if she could find the right words to describe what she had experienced. What she had learned.

Kael watched her, not pressing but not averting his gaze either. He knew that no matter how much time passed, Vaiolet wouldn’t be as open as he would have liked. But he trusted her, and he knew that eventually, she would share her thoughts.

—Is it something bad? —he asked, his tone concerned, but without the urgency of someone fearing an immediate danger. Just a deep worry for what had changed in her.

Vaiolet stopped and looked at Kael, her eyes reflecting a mix of determination and fear.

—I don’t know... —she said, closing her eyes for a moment—. The knowledge I gained... what I saw... it changes all of us. But the question is: will we be able to bear it?

Kael furrowed his brow, still not fully understanding the weight of her words. But he knew that there was no point in forcing her to speak more than she was ready to share. Sometimes, the weight of the truth was too great to be expressed in words.

The wind began to blow stronger, as if the world were reacting to their emotions. The leaves of the trees around them moved in a soft, but unsettling symphony. Vaiolet felt the air grow heavier, as if something were about to happen.

At that moment, a distant sound began to grow louder, a vibration in the ground that they could barely hear. It was as though something was waking up. Vaiolet stopped suddenly, her instincts telling her that something important was about to take place.

—Do you hear it? —Kael asked, frowning as he sensed the same vibration.

Vaiolet nodded slowly, her gaze fixed on the horizon. A chill ran down her spine, and without another word, she began walking quickly toward the source of the sound.

Kael followed immediately, without hesitation. He knew that when Vaiolet felt that urgency, nothing could stop her. She was no longer the same girl he had met at the beginning of their journey. She had changed, and so had he. The power that now resided in her, the power that came with the knowledge of the sphere, was something even he didn’t fully understand.

The ground began to tremble beneath their feet, and the vibration increased, accompanied by a deep, low rumble that seemed to come from the very bowels of the earth. In the distance, something began to emerge from the ground, a dark shape, like a giant shadow taking form.

Vaiolet gritted her teeth. The power in the air was palpable, like a pressure that threatened to crush them. But something inside her kept her steady. She knew she was about to face something that would change everything. Something she couldn’t avoid, but that she also couldn’t let destroy everything she loved.

When they reached the edge of a cliff, the vision that unfolded before them was so striking that both of them were left breathless. At the base of the cliff, a dark, giant figure emerged, with enormous wings that beat the air, creating a deafening roar. The creature was a mixture of shadow and fire, with eyes glowing like burning gems.

The creature raised its head toward the sky, as if responding to a distant call. Vaiolet felt a tug in her chest, a connection with that beast, as if in some way, she were linked to it. The knowledge she had gained in the temple told her that this creature was not an ordinary enemy. It was something more, something ancient and powerful, something that had been waiting for a long time.

—It’s the Guardian of the Shadows —Vaiolet said in a trembling voice, as if by pronouncing those words, she could seal her fate—. The creature that protects the balance between light and darkness.

Kael stepped forward, his sword ready, but Vaiolet stopped him with a gesture.

—We can’t face it like this —she said, her voice resolute—. Not now. The Guardian is not an enemy we can defeat with brute force. If we do, everything we’ve tried to save will crumble.

The Guardian turned its gaze toward them, as if it already knew they were there. Vaiolet felt a shiver run through her body, but at the same time, a part of her seemed to understand what the creature represented.

—What do you want from us? —Vaiolet asked, her voice firm despite the fear she felt.

The Guardian lowered its head, as if evaluating her words. Then, with a voice that resonated in their minds, it said:

—I have waited for centuries. The balance must be restored. You, Vaiolet, are the key. But you must choose: follow the path of power or embrace the darkness and destroy everything you have known.

Vaiolet swallowed. The Guardian's offer was clear, and the price, even clearer. She couldn’t simply walk into the darkness, but she also couldn’t reject the power that lay before her. The choice would not be easy. Neither of the two options promised the peace she desired.

Kael looked at Vaiolet with a concern he couldn’t hide, but he trusted her judgment. However, he couldn’t help but feel that the decision she made would lead her down a path from which she couldn’t return.

Vaiolet closed her eyes, breathing deeply. She knew that the decision didn’t only depend on her. The story of her life, the fate of everything she loved, was at stake. She couldn’t afford to take a misstep.

When she opened her eyes, her gaze was filled with determination. She knew she had to make the choice for the sake of everyone. For her future, and for the future of those who had trusted her.

—Power can be a burden or a salvation —Vaiolet said, her voice stronger now—. But I won’t use it to destroy what I love most.

The creature let out a low roar, as if accepting her decision, but at the same time, it seemed that a new challenge was approaching.