The figure before them stood silent, their presence almost overwhelming in its intensity. The air itself seemed to hum with power, vibrating with an energy that matched the heartbeat of the Earth. Rhea could feel it deep in her bones, a tremor of something old—ancient even—that resonated from the figure's very being.
Orin stepped forward, their face unreadable. "Who are you?" they asked, their voice steady but laden with a caution that spoke volumes.
The figure didn't respond immediately. Instead, they raised a hand, a gesture that seemed to calm the restless air around them. Their robes shimmered like liquid silver, catching the faint light from the glowing stones of the ruins.
Rhea's pulse quickened as she stared at the figure, a strange sense of familiarity washing over her, as if she had seen them before in a dream, or perhaps in some distant memory—though she couldn't say from where.
The figure's voice echoed through the air, rich and deep, as though it carried with it the weight of eons. "I am Elara, Guardian of the First Light."
Rhea felt a jolt in her chest. Guardian of the First Light? She had never heard of such a title, but something about it stirred a deep understanding within her. She glanced at Kael, who looked equally confused, his hand still resting on his sword as he studied the figure with suspicion.
"The First Light…" Orin murmured, as if weighing the significance of the name. "The origin of the Heart's power. You were one of the first, weren't you?"
Elara's gaze turned to Orin, their eyes piercing through the shadows of their hood. "I was. But I am no longer what I was. I am only a keeper of the echoes now."
Rhea's brow furrowed in confusion. "Echoes?"
"Elara was part of the original order of those who protected the Heart," Orin explained, their voice low. "Long before the realms fell into chaos, before the Heart was divided, Elara and others like them were entrusted with its care."
Rhea's thoughts were racing. The Heart—this powerful, mysterious entity—had been divided? And the ones who had once guarded it had fallen into shadow?
"So what does that mean for us?" Rhea asked, stepping forward. "If you were one of the guardians, why did the Heart fall apart? What happened?"
Elara's gaze softened, but their voice remained heavy, laden with ancient sorrow. "The Heart's power is not meant to be controlled, not by any single being or order. When the Heart was fractured, it was no longer a force of unity. It became a weapon of control—a tool for those who would use it for their own desires. That is why it calls to you, child of the Light. The Heart recognizes that you are the one who can restore balance."
Rhea's breath caught. "But I'm just one person. How can I restore something as… vast as the Heart?"
"You are more than just one person," Elara said, their voice carrying a strength that resonated with Rhea's very soul. "The Heart is calling to you because it recognizes the spark of its true power within you. You are not the only one who can restore it, but you are the key. Your awakening was not by chance. The others will come, as I have said, but you must lead them. The Heart chose you."
Rhea felt a weight settle on her shoulders, but there was also a flicker of something else—something she couldn't quite describe. It was a sense of purpose, of destiny.
"You said I'm the key," she murmured, looking up at Elara. "But what do I have to do? What's the next step?"
Elara stepped forward, their presence even more imposing up close. "The next step is to awaken the others. Each of you holds a piece of the Heart's power. But first, you must retrieve the First Fragment. It lies deep within the Temple of Veils, in the heart of the Northern Wastes."
The Northern Wastes… Rhea had heard whispers of the place, a barren land that no one dared to enter. The Wastes were said to be filled with untold dangers, a place where few came back from, and those who did returned broken—both in body and mind.
"Why the Northern Wastes?" Kael asked, his voice edged with skepticism. "What's there that's so important?"
Elara's eyes gleamed with a distant knowledge. "The First Fragment is the most powerful piece of the Heart. It is what keeps the realms tethered to one another. Without it, the balance will shift, and the Heart will fall into darkness forever. The Northern Wastes are a place of great danger, yes—but also a place where the power of the Heart is still intact, untouched by time."
Rhea turned to Orin, who gave a small nod. "I know the way," Orin said, their voice filled with resolve. "We will go together."
Kael's brow furrowed. "And if we fail?"
"If you fail," Elara intoned, their voice darkening with an eerie finality, "the realms will crumble. The Heart's light will extinguish, and all that remains will be consumed by darkness."
The weight of Elara's words hung in the air, pressing on Rhea's chest like an iron fist. She could feel the gravity of their mission now—the enormity of what they had to do. There was no turning back.
She inhaled sharply, her gaze steady. "Then we don't fail. We can't."
Elara's eyes flickered, a rare hint of something close to approval crossing their face. "Good. Remember, the path ahead will test your strength, your will, and your hearts. Only those who are truly united can stand against the darkness. Do not let the echoes sway you. The light may seem far away, but it is always within reach."
Orin turned toward Rhea, their expression serious but resolute. "We leave at dawn. We can make it to the Temple in two days, but we must hurry."
Rhea nodded, a fire igniting within her chest. She felt the Heart's power surging in her veins, as if it was ready to awaken fully—but only once she and her companions had completed their mission.
As they began to prepare for the journey ahead, Rhea couldn't help but think of the others, of those like her who would join their cause. She could feel their presence, each one a distant star in the vast, swirling cosmos of the realms.
It was time to awaken them. But first, they had to survive the Northern Wastes.
And that was far from guaranteed.