"It's time to push him to his limits…" Vern Kael spoke softly.
His voice was calm, yet it carried a quiet weight.
The world around him did not respond. The wind did not change. The mountain remained silent, as if even nature chose to stay still while he spoke.
His thoughts slowly settled into place.
"I can't let the past repeat itself…" he muttered under his breath.
There was no hesitation in his tone this time.
He took a slow step forward, his foot pressing lightly against the cold ground.
Small stones shifted beneath him, rolling a short distance before going still again.
His gaze remained steady.
"…however, it's still a wonder," he continued, his voice lowering slightly, "how that woman has followed him time after time."
A faint expression appeared on his face.
"It still amazes me… that despite being a mere soul, her life is connected to his like glue."
The wind brushed past him again, moving his long hair slightly across his face before drifting away.
