Chapter 16: Echoes of the Past

Kael's breaths were shallow as he knelt in the grass outside the collapsed cavern. The Heartstone blade rested in his hand, its faint green glow now flickering like a dying ember. Beside him, Sienna scanned their surroundings, her daggers still at the ready, as if expecting the shadowy figure to reappear at any moment.

"We destroyed it," Sienna said, her voice quiet but firm. "The Vessel is gone. That thing should be gone too."

Kael wanted to believe her, but the memory of the figure's burning eyes lingered. "The Heartstone's corruption is already inside you. It will consume you." Those words had struck a chord deep within him, planting a seed of doubt he couldn't ignore.

"It didn't feel like a victory," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "That thing whatever it was it didn't seem afraid of us. If anything, it felt like it was… waiting."

Sienna frowned, sliding one of her daggers back into its sheath. "Waiting for what?"

Kael shook his head, unable to find the words.

The wind picked up, carrying with it the faint scent of charred earth. The Shadowspire Caverns were silent now, their dark presence replaced by an eerie stillness that made Kael's skin crawl.

"Let's move," Sienna said abruptly, rising to her feet. "We're exposed out here, and I don't trust that thing to stay gone , We need to regroup and figure out what to do next."

Kael nodded, forcing himself to his feet. His legs felt heavy, as though the weight of the Heartstone blade had seeped into his very bones. Together, they began the trek back toward the forest, their footsteps crunching against the brittle grass.

As they walked, the memories of the fight in the cavern replayed in Kael's mind. He couldn't shake the feeling that the Heartstone blade had betrayed him. When he had needed it most, its power had faltered, leaving him vulnerable. And yet, when he had struck the Vessel of Shadows, it had flared to life, unleashing a burst of energy that had nearly leveled the cavern.

Why had it worked then, and not before?

"Kael," Sienna said, breaking the silence.

He looked up, startled. "What is it?"

"You're quiet. Quieter than usual," she said, her tone light but tinged with concern. "What's going on in that head of yours?"

Kael hesitated. "It's the Heartstone," he admitted. "Something about it doesn't feel right. It's like… it has a mind of its own."

Sienna raised an eyebrow. "A mind of its own? You think it's alive?"

"I don't know," he said, his grip tightening on the blade. "But I do know that it stopped working when I needed it most. And then that thing the shadow, it said the blade was corrupted and it wasn't mine to wield."

Sienna was silent for a moment, her expression thoughtful. "Maybe it was trying to mess with you. Make you doubt yourself."

"Maybe," Kael said, though he didn't sound convinced.

They continued in silence, the forest looming ahead like a dark wall. The trees swayed gently in the wind, their leaves rustling like whispers. Kael couldn't help but feel as though they were being watched.

They reached the edge of the forest just as the sun began to set, its golden light casting long shadows across the ground. Sienna paused, scanning the treeline for any signs of danger.

"It's too quiet," she said, her voice low.

Kael nodded, his senses on high alert. The forest was usually alive with the sounds of birds and insects, but now it was unnervingly still.

As they stepped into the shadows of the trees, the whispers returned.

"Kael… Kael…"

He froze, his eyes darting around. The voice was different this time—softer, more familiar.

"Kael, are you there?"

Sienna looked at him, her expression alarmed. "What is it?"

He shook his head, his heart pounding. "It's the voice again. It's calling me."

Sienna's hand went to her dagger. "Stay close. Whatever this is, it's not friendly."

Kael followed her, the whispers growing louder with each step. The voice seemed to be coming from deeper within the forest, drawing him forward.

"Kael, please… I need you…"

He clenched his jaw, fighting the pull. The voice was so familiar, so very familiar. It was impossible but it sounded like his mother.

"Sienna," he said, his voice trembling. "It's her. I think it's my mother."

Sienna stopped in her tracks, turning to face him. "Kael, that's not possible. You told me your mother passed years ago."

"I know," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "But I'd know her voice anywhere. It's her, Sienna. I'm sure of it."

Sienna's trying to look the direction. "This place is trying to mess with your head. You can't trust what you hear."

"But what if it's real?" he said, desperation creeping into his voice.

Sienna hesitated, her expression softening. "Kael…"

Before she could say more, the ground beneath them trembled. The trees around them groaned, their roots twisting unnaturally as the whispers grew louder, more insistent.

"Kael… come to me…"

A faint light appeared in the distance, flickering in the Thier direction .

Kael took a step toward it, but Sienna grabbed his arm. "Don't. It's a trap."

He hesitated, torn between her warning and the undeniable pull of the voice.

"I have to know," he said finally, his voice resolute.

Sienna's grip tightened. "If you go, I'm coming with you."

Together, they followed the light, weaving through the twisted trees. The whispers grew louder, overlapping into a cacophony that made Kael's head ache.

Finally, they emerged into a small clearing. At its center stood a figure cloaked in shadow, its form faintly glowing with the same eerie light as the Heartstone blade.

"Kael," the figure said, its voice soft and melodic. "You've come."

Kael's breath caught in his throat. The figure's features were shrouded, but there was no mistaking the voice.

"Mother?"

The figure stepped forward, its movements graceful and deliberate. "My son. It's been so long."

Sienna stepped between them, her daggers drawn. "Stay back. I don't know what you are, but you're not his mother."

The figure tilted its head, its gaze fixed on Kael. "Do you not recognize me, Kael? Have you forgotten?"

Kael's grip on the Heartstone blade tightened. "How… how is this possible? You're supposed to be....."

"Gone?" the figure said, its voice tinged with sadness. "Death is not the end, my son. I've been watching over you, guiding you."

"That's not true," Sienna said, her voice sharp. "You're lying."

The figure ignored her, its gaze never leaving Kael. "The Heartstone brought you to me, Kael. It's our bond, our connection. Through it, we can be together again."

Kael's heart raced. Could it be true? The figure's voice, its presence it felt so real.

"Don't listen to it!" Sienna shouted. "Kael, it's trying to manipulate you!"

"Manipulate?" the figure said, its tone turning cold. "I only want to help my son. Can you say the same?"

Sienna's jaw tightened, but she didn't respond.

The figure extended a hand toward Kael. "Come with me, Kael. Together, we can unlock the Heartstone's true power. We can end this war, end the corruption. You don't need her. You only need me."

Kael stared at the outstretched hand, his mind a whirlwind of emotions. The Heartstone blade pulsed faintly in his grip, as though responding to the figure's words.

"Kael, don't," Sienna said, her voice low and urgent. "Whatever this is, it's not real."

The figure's eyes glowed brighter, its voice a soothing whisper. "Trust me, my son. Trust the Heartstone."

Kael took a hesitant step forward, the pull of the voice overwhelming.

"Kael, no!" Sienna shouted, stepping in front of him.

The figure's expression darkened. "So be it."

The ground erupted beneath them, shadows surging upward and engulfing the clearing. Kael stumbled back, the Heartstone blade flaring with green light as the figure dissolved into darkness.

When the chaos subsided, the clearing was empty.

Kael looked around, his heart pounding. "What… what just happened?"

Sienna grabbed his arm, her expression grim. "We need to get out of here. Now."

Kael nodded, but his thoughts were elsewhere. The figure's words echoed in his mind, and for the first time, he felt a flicker of doubt.

What if it wasn't lying?

As they disappeared into the forest, neither noticed the faint green glow lingering in the shadows, watching, waiting in ambush kael and sienna you wouldn't escape us the voice said out loudly as it echoes in the forest