The stars had begun to fade, and the first light of morning painted the sky with a dull gray hue. Sunny sat beside the dying campfire, his thoughts muddled by exhaustion and questions he dared not voice.
The village was behind him now—Kanah, with its illusions, its secrets, and its horrors. But the scars it left? Those still clung to him.
He hadn't told anyone yet, but ever since he had used his ability to peer into the memories of another… something had changed. He could feel it — like a crack in a mirror, spreading slowly with every thought that wasn't his.
His vision blurred.
The next moment, he wasn't in the forest anymore.
---
Dream Realm
A barren wasteland stretched endlessly, skies heavy with storm clouds, as if the world itself held its breath. Sunny stood in the center, surrounded by a swirling storm of memories not his own.
From the shadows stepped Lysander, his eyes hollow, his presence commanding.
"You sought truth, didn't you?" Lysander's voice echoed. "But your truth was never yours to begin with."
Suddenly, scenes flashed — Ren, crying and bound by chains. A figure with a sword held aloft, masked in darkness. The symbol of the broken seal, bleeding light into the void.
And then, the same line again:
"This… is just the beginning."
---
Reality
Sunny woke up with a jolt, face pressed into damp soil, his breathing ragged.
He wasn't alone.
A hooded man stood nearby, tall, built like a soldier, but his eyes betrayed age beyond time. He didn't attack. Instead, he spoke slowly.
> "You looked into the past, didn't you, boy? That's why your soul trembles."
Sunny didn't answer.
> "You're not the first one to awaken the seal... and you won't be the last."
> "If you want answers, find the Ruins of Erathin. But beware—every step closer to truth costs a piece of who you are."