Chapter 3 – Whispers in the Shadow

The faint light of late afternoon refracted off the stones of the wasteland, tinting them with purplish hues. The air was still, as if waiting for a breath that would not come.

Kayla watched Yuri from a distance, in silence.

The girl was kneeling, focused on controlling her breathing, her hands resting on the ground. A faint vortex of wind stirred her hair, but it was unstable, inconsistent. Like her.

"Not bad," Kayla murmured. "But still too tied to what she was. Not to what she could become."

She turned, walking slowly toward the edge of the promontory. From there, the entire expanse of the Wasteland opened up like a dead sea. In the distance, the mountains looked like broken teeth, and the horizon faded into the gray of eternal clouds.

Her thoughts were heavy. Heavier than usual.

"The Dark King is stirring," she said to herself, as if the shadows could hear her. "And when he truly moves, there will be no time left to prepare. Not alone. Not with my magic alone."

She lowered her gaze.

"I didn't bring Yuri here by chance... but neither out of certainty. She is a possibility. A gamble. A risk."

She stood still for a long moment, then added: "If she can become the beacon in this darkness... then I must make sure she's ready. Or it will be the end, for everyone."

Kayla turned to look at her again. Yuri was now standing, her gaze fixed on the horizon. The breeze lifted her hair, as if whispering something to her.

"Soon," Kayla whispered. "Soon we will see who you truly are."