The Hidden Path

The night stretched on, shadows twisting between the dim alleyways as Kael, Ronan, and their new "ally" kept moving. The city was restless tonight, though whether it was because of the organization's response to their escape or something worse, Kael wasn't sure.

The stranger led them down unfamiliar streets with confidence, never hesitating at a turn. The way they moved was practiced, calculated—as if they had walked these paths a thousand times before. Kael didn't trust them. Not yet.

Ronan, however, had already committed to their choice. "So, where exactly are we going?"

The stranger didn't glance back. "A safe house. For now."

Kael narrowed his eyes. "And after 'for now'?"

The stranger let out a small chuckle.

"Depends on whether or not you're as reckless as I've heard."

The building was old—forgotten, tucked away in a part of the city that no one cared to remember. Inside, the air was thick with dust, but it was stocked. Shelves lined the walls, filled with supplies, books, and things

Kael didn't recognize. A map lay open on a wooden table, marked with ink, notes scribbled in a language he barely understood.

"This is where we talk," the stranger said, gesturing to the room.

Kael took a step forward, eyeing the space carefully. Something about this place felt… off. Not like a trap, but like something unseen was watching.

"You're the ones looking for answers," the stranger continued. "So let's get to it. What do you actually know about Dominions?"

Ronan sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "That they exist. That people like us can use them. That the organization seems to love hoarding all the details for themselves."

The stranger smirked. "Accurate, but painfully shallow."

They walked over to the map, dragging a finger across one of the inked lines.

"Dominions aren't just about power—they're about structure. Balance. There are rules that define them, and those rules aren't just made up by people. They're enforced."

Kael crossed his arms. "Enforced by who?"

"The world," the stranger answered simply. "Or something greater than it."

The stranger pulled a worn book from one of the shelves, flipping through the pages before stopping at a particular passage.

They turned it toward Kael and Ronan.

"This is what your little stolen book doesn't tell you."

Kael's eyes skimmed the words, brow furrowing. It wasn't just a list of Dominions—it was laws.

"Dominions can't just be learned," the stranger explained. "They manifest, tied to a person's very existence. But there's more.

Each Dominion has limitations—flaws—that prevent them from becoming absolute. And if one tries to surpass those flaws…"

Ronan leaned in. "What happens?"

The stranger smiled. It wasn't a comforting expression.

"They break."

Kael felt a cold shiver crawl down his spine.

"Break?" he echoed.

The stranger nodded. "Not just their power. Themselves. Their mind. Their body. Their entire being. Trying to go beyond what your Dominion allows is like trying to overwrite your own existence. And that's where things get… dangerous."

They pointed at a passage in the book. Kael read the words slowly.

'Those who attempt to transcend their Dominion cease to exist as they were. What remains is something… else.'

Kael looked up, the air in the room suddenly heavier. "And what about Aetheris?"

For the first time, the stranger hesitated.

They stared at the name in the book, their expression unreadable. Then, with careful precision, they turned the page, revealing something Kael hadn't seen before.

A diagram. A structure. A fragmented list of Dominions… with one at the bottom, completely erased.

The only thing remaining was the faint trace of a name: Aetheris.

"That's impossible," the stranger muttered under their breath. "This shouldn't even be here."

Kael clenched his fists. "But it is."

The stranger looked at him. "Do you even understand what this means?"

Kael stayed silent.

The stranger exhaled sharply. "Aetheris… isn't just a name. It's something that was removed. Erased. Not just from books, but from memory itself."

Kael's mind raced. If even people who knew about erased Dominions were unaware of it, then what exactly had his name been tied to?

The stranger finally stepped away from the book. "If you really want answers, you won't find them in words."

They grabbed a different map, this one smaller, and placed it on the table.

"You need proof," they continued. "Something tangible. There's a place outside the city, abandoned for years. No one touches it—not even the organization. If there are answers, they're there."

Kael frowned. "What's the catch?"

The stranger's lips curled into a smirk. "It's cursed."

Ronan groaned. "Of course it is."

Kael stared at the map, the weight of everything pressing down on him. The organization was still after them. Elias was out there, waiting. And now, there was something else.

Something bigger than all of that.

He exhaled, glancing at Ronan. His friend already had that familiar glint in his eye—the one that meant he wasn't backing out.

Kael looked at the stranger. "What aren't you telling us?"

The stranger chuckled. "Plenty. But you'll figure it out soon enough."

Kael sighed. This was their next step.

"Then let's get moving."

The stranger smirked. "Good choice."

And just like that, the path before them changed once again.