THE KEEPER OF ECHOES

The vines had released them, but their trial was far from over.

Kieran and Elara stood in the glowing forest, their minds reeling from what they had just experienced. The air around them still pulsed with unseen energy, as if the world itself was watching, waiting.

"We need to move," Kieran said, his voice steadier than he felt.

Elara nodded, though she was still breathing heavily. "Where?"

Kieran looked around. The forest stretched in every direction, endless and alien. But something inside him—some instinct sharpened by the visions he had seen—told him they weren't alone.

"We're being watched."

Elara stiffened. "By what?"

A rustling sound answered her.

From the dense undergrowth ahead, a figure emerged.

At first, Kieran thought it was another creature—some mystical being born from the strange energy of this world. But as the figure stepped into the light, it became clear that this was no monster.

It was a man.

Or at least, something *close* to one.

He was tall and cloaked in layered garments woven from leaves and silver-threaded fabric. His skin had a faint glow, as if touched by the magic of this place, and his eyes—piercing gold—seemed to see straight through them.

"I was wondering when you'd arrive," the man said, his voice deep and smooth, carrying an accent neither of them recognized.

Elara took a cautious step back. "Who are you?"

The man tilted his head slightly. "That depends. Who are *you*?"

Kieran narrowed his eyes. "You know the answer to that."

The man's lips twitched into a faint smile. "Good. You're learning quickly."

Elara crossed her arms. "What do you mean 'learning'?"

The man didn't answer immediately. Instead, he walked past them, gesturing for them to follow. "Come. The vines have tested you, but your true path is just beginning."

Kieran and Elara exchanged a wary glance, but something about the man's presence told them they had little choice but to follow.

---

### **The Temple of Echoes**

The man led them through the forest, the glowing leaves whispering as they passed. After what felt like hours, they emerged into a clearing.

At its center stood a structure unlike anything Kieran had ever seen.

A temple—half-ruined, half-thriving—stood beneath the violet sky, its stone walls wrapped in shimmering roots that pulsed like veins. Floating lanterns hovered above it, casting flickering golden light over the entrance.

Elara exhaled. "What *is* this place?"

The man stopped at the base of the temple's steps. "This is the Temple of Echoes. A sanctuary for those who listen to the voices of this world."

Kieran frowned. "And who *are* you?"

The man turned, his golden gaze locking onto Kieran's. "I am Callan, the Keeper of Echoes. And if you wish to survive in Natuka… you will need my guidance."

---

Inside the temple, the air felt heavier, thick with ancient magic. Strange symbols lined the walls, pulsing faintly with light.

Callan led them to a central chamber, where a massive stone table stood, covered in carved patterns. He placed his hands on it, and the carvings lit up, forming a shifting map of Natuka.

"This world is unraveling," he said. "Something was broken long ago, and the cracks are spreading."

Elara stepped closer. "Broken how?"

Callan's expression darkened. "A betrayal. A mistake. A power that was never meant to be wielded."

Kieran's stomach twisted. He thought of the visions he had seen—the crown of twisted roots, the storm swallowing the sky.

Callan continued. "You are not the first outsiders to step through the portal. There was another before you."

Elara's breath caught. "Who?"

Callan's eyes flickered with something unreadable. "The one who now walks the path of ruin. The one who seeks to rewrite the past."

Kieran's hands curled into fists. "The *antagonist*."

Callan nodded. "He was once like you—lost, searching. But he made a choice. And now, he stands between this world and its salvation."

Elara swallowed. "Then why are we here?"

Callan studied them carefully. "Because your powers are not random. You were *chosen*—your abilities are tied to the same force that fuels him."

Kieran felt a cold weight settle in his chest. "So he's like us."

"More than you know."

Elara exhaled. "And what if we refuse? What if we don't want to be part of this?"

Callan's gaze sharpened. "Then he will find you. And when he does, he will offer you a choice."

Kieran and Elara exchanged a glance.

The weight of their journey had just become heavier.

And something told them that the hardest choices were yet to come