Chapter 17: Shifting Tides

The village remained still once more, but below the serenity brewed the tension. Days had passed since Kael spoke to the leader of the Harbingers, though folk returned to work, it was anxious. The air felt heavy as if the very earth itself could feel the dissonance the Harbingers promised to bring.

Kael sat outside his small home, watching as people went about their chores. Life was at first glance going on just as it always had. The children were out playing in the streets, the vendors hawking their wares, and the farmers tilling their fields. Yet Kael knew that was not so. Fears still clung amongst the folk. They'd seen too much chaos of late, and trust in peace was made of glass.

She stepped out into the soft dawn light, took a seat beside him. Her ethereal presence usually soothed him, but even she looked subdued today.

"You've been quiet lately," she said softly, laced with a bit of worry.

He leaned back against the stone wall, his eyes fixed on the village. "I've been thinking."

"Over the Harbingers?

Kael nodded, but his head was not only on them. It was on the big picture, on what he was meant to do with the power he had. Sometimes, the Legacy of the Cosmos would teach him that he stood atop the existence, above all others. Still, for all his power, Kael had yet to become certain about his future.

"They won't stop," Kael said after a long silence. "The Harbingers believe in their cause, in dissonance being a natural part of the universe. No matter what I do, they're not going to give up."

Seraphine tilted her head, her pale eyes studying Kael. "And you're not planning to fight them?"

Kael slowly shook his head. "Not yet," he said softly. "I don't think that's the answer, not now. If I kill them, it'll only prove it to them that the universe needs destruction to create life. I need to look for another solution-if there is one-that'll give us some kind of balance without more devastation."

Seraphine sighed softly. "Let me be right, please. But the Harbingers. They've already shown that they are not afraid to hurt people. The village cannot withstand much more.".

Kael felt the weight of her words. He knew Seraphine was right. The Harbingers had already almost used up what little hope they left in the village; another attack could simply shatter what was left. But Kael also understood that going to battle with no understanding of the full scope of the plans of the Harbingers would be very reckless. He needed the right moment.

The Legacy's voice echoed inside his head. "She is not wrong, you know. You may have the power of the universe, but power does not do much in your hands if your enemies can still cause destruction in your wake.".

Kael's jaw aches. He was grateful for Legacy's foresight, but there also lay a weight of expectation. It wanted him to shift, go out and fight with his fullest ability. Kael wasn't quite on that path yet.

"Kael," Seraphine said, her voice piercing his thoughts. "I understand you're trying to guard everyone, but you can't do this on your own. The Harbingers aren't going to evaporate. Let us help you."

Kael turned to her, seeing the concern etched in his little sister's eyes. "I know that. But I have to learn more first. The leader of the Harbingers is still out there, plotting something worse. I can feel it.

Seraphine nodded; the worry didn't leave her face though. "Then we'll be ready for whatever comes," she said.

Kael rose, already thinking of what he would do next. It had been too long, a whole few days since something had happened in the village, but he could not let that make him let his guard down. The Harbingers were still out there, and they would strike again-of that, he was certain.

"Stay here," Kael said sternly. "Keep the village safe. I'm going to find out what they have planned."

Seraphine stood, frowning. "Where are you going?"

His eyes grew deeper with decision. "To where it all started."

He was sitting on the edge of a huge, old forest-a place older than any structure in the village and older than the dissonance brought about by the Harbingers. This is a place of ancient knowledge where even the most powerful being can uncover hidden secrets deep within the roots of the earth.

Kael stepped forward, his boots sinking into the spongy carpet of moss as he entered the forest. The air was heavy with magic, an energy level almost tactile as it churned around him. It was a place that had always been connected to the heart of the universe: a nexus of power few could reach.

But Kael was no ordinary man. He is the Infinite Existence, a being whose power is so immense that it belonged to realms even more fantastic than reality itself could reckon on.

And as Kael went deeper into the forest, so did the trees go upward above him. Their branches ascended like legs of old titans, reaching to the sky. The air was cooled down; hardly did the remaining sunlight penetrate into their heavy canopy above. Quietly spooky here, waiting for something; or rather, waiting for him.

Legacy stirred in his mind. "You're close, Kael. Whatever it is you're looking for it's deeper in the forest. But be careful. With your power there are forces here that are unpredictable.".

Kael nodded, his senses heightened as he moved forward. The deeper he went the more he could feel the pull of the ancient energy. It wasn't chaotic, like the dissonance of the Harbingers; rather it was strong–untamed, raw.

Then finally, he emerged into the open. Before him in the center of the clearing stood a great stone monolith, covered in ancient runes that glowed with the faint soft blue light. It was strange energy; Kael had never felt anything like it before, and yet it seemed to speak of an age that was both ancient and timeless, one connected to the very heart of the universe.

He moved closer, scanning the runes. These were no mark of language Kael had ever seen before, but as he reached out to touch the stone's surface, the knowledge flowed in and filled his mind with ancient truths.

"The Harbingers were correct," Kael whispered to himself. "Dissonance is not a force of destruction alone. It is part of the cycle of the universe. They merely mistook its intent.".

The voice of the Legacy sounded in him; the tone was sharper than usual. "So now, what do you think? Agree with them?"

Kael shook his head, his fingers tracing over the glowing runes. "No. They say that in order for some new evolution to occur, you have to disrupt; the only reason things change is because of chaos. But that's not true. The universe needs a balance. If it had more of what it currently had and less of what it lacked, then the universe would simply implode under its own weight.".

With every word, the runes on the monolith grew more vibrant, as if the words themselves were imbuing it with life. He could all but feel it in his bones that this was what he'd been looking for: a knowing inside of himself that he had to steel himself for before facing the Harbingers.

It was only when the realization settled inside him that a voice cut through the silence.

"You've found it."

He twisted, peering at the dark figure that emerged in the clearing. One of the Harbingers, clad in shadows, and veiled in constant chaotic energy.

The lights of the Harbinger shivered with a dangerous hint. "You found it too late. The leader's plan is already in motion."

Kael's heart sank at the bitter words. He knew the Harbingers would not give up, but he had never thought they would act so soon.

"What plan?" Kael demanded, voice glacial.

The Harbinger grinned-a grimace twisted to cruel extremity, and his spine crawled. "The leader has already started to untangle the threads of balance. Soon, dissonance will spread across the universe, and not even you'll be able to halt it."

Kael's jaw set as he stepped forward, power crackling around him. "You are wrong. I will stop it."

The Harbinger smirked. "Well then, try."

And with that, the Harbinger vanished into the darkness, leaving Kael standing alone in the clearing. The illumination of the monolith dimmed, as if it were overshadowed by the weight of words spoken to Kael.

The plan of the leader was already ongoing. The time was limited.