The Hat Guy Again? seriously? part(02)

Kael stood frozen. The man's words echoed in the vast, silent tomb like a curse carved into stone.

"Everything that happened?" Kael repeated, his voice tight. Confused. A flicker of anger twisted across his face.

"What the hell are you even talking about? What happened? Who are you? And you keep saying I'll know eventually, but when? I'm done with riddles!"

His voice rose, cracking with frustration. Fear and confusion tangled inside his chest like barbed wire.

He needed answers. Not another mystery.

The man's hand tightened on Kael's shoulder. Way stronger than he looked.

"There isn't much time, Kael."

He said, calm but urgent. The smugness from earlier had vanished. His voice was low, seriously Dangerous.

Even with most of his face hidden under that wide-brimmed hat, Kael could feel the guy's stare burning into him.

"The world is in danger."

Kael blinked. "What world? You mean the apocalypse one?. I been trying not to die every five minutes."

He yanked his shoulder back, but the man didn't let go.

"Look, just tell me what's going on! Why am I here? Why drag me into this creepy temple like it's some kind of twisted scavenger hunt?" 

He gestured wildly at the towering statues around them. 

"What even are these things? You mentioned 'primordial beings'—what do they have to do with me?"

The man didn't answer. His gaze had shifted toward the statue of a veiled woman holding an hourglass.

"You're here because fate chose you," he said softly. "Or maybe something older than fate did."

He finally let go of Kael's shoulder and stepped toward the statue. His movements were slow, deliberate.

Like he was standing in front of a goddess.

"These beings… they represent the foundations of existence itself. Creation. Destruction. Knowledge. Time. And the Abyss."

His hand hovered near the statue's veiled face.

"And this one—time. She weaves the past, the present, and what's still to come."

He turned slightly, his lips curling into the barest smile.

"And I believe you have a… particular affinity for that power. Even if you don't know it yet."

Kael just stared at him.

"Wait, what? Control time? Dude, I don't even have control over my breakfast. I'm not some chosen time wizard! I'm just trying to survive whatever hell this world is!"

He threw up his hands.

"And what's with this whole 'you were chosen' thing? Like, I had a choice? I never signed up for any of this crap!"

He started tapping the floor with his boot, agitated.

"You're gonna have to explain better than that, Mr. Hat Man."

Kael jabbed a finger at him.

"I swear, if you don't start making sense, I'll punch your smug face right off."

The man actually chuckled. Like a parent watching a toddler throw a tantrum.

"Calm down, Kael."

"I am calm!" Kael snapped.

"This is me being incredibly f*cking calm while stuck in a giant haunted tomb listening to some nonsense!"

"You don't need to worry," the man replied, still annoyingly composed.

"This is the Veil."

Kael stopped tapping. "…Wait, this is the Veil?"

He glanced around.

"I thought the Veil was that endless white space. Not… whatever this gothic hellhole is."

"And I thought Laniriel was the only one here. Didn't know there were more of you creepy weirdos."

The man gave a satisfied nod. "Ah. So you have met her. Good. Then I don't need to worry about that part anymore."

"What the hell does that mean?" Kael asked warily.

"You'll see," the man said, raising his hand—

And the ground beneath them shuddered.

A low rumble shook the floor, faint at first—like distant thunder—but it grew fast. The air buzzed.

The crystal pillars around them started to hum.

"Okay, what now?" Kael muttered, eyes darting. "Another earthquake?!"

The figure didn't respond.

He was staring past Kael, his expression suddenly grim.

The floor shook harder. Deep cracks raced across the smooth obsidian tiles, spidering outward like the tomb itself was splitting apart.

"There's no more time," the man said, stepping toward him.

"Wait—hold on—what're you—"

Before Kael could react, the man shoved him hard.

"HEY! What the—!"

Kael stumbled backward—then the ground vanished beneath him.

He hadn't even seen the giant crack behind him.

One second he was on solid ground, the next he was falling.

"You BASTARD!"

Kael screamed as he plummeted into the dark. He flailed wildly, reaching for anything, but there was nothing to grab. Just blackness.

Above him, the man stood at the edge of the abyss, grinning like he'd just tossed a birthday present down a well.

"You'll like this gift, Kael!" his voice echoed down.

"A very special gift!"

Then the rift slammed shut above him.

CRRRUNCH-THUD!

The sound was deafening. And then—nothing.

Just darkness. Heavy. Endless.

Kael was gone.

Above, in the tomb's eerie silence, the man turned back to the five statues. His smile returned—calm, quiet, knowing.

"Yes," he murmured, as if answering some unspoken thought.

"He'll like it."

With one last look, he walked toward the sealed entrance.

The stone shimmered, opening for him like mist parting in moonlight.

And just like that, the tomb returned to stillness.