The village of Black Hollow lay nestled deep within the northern forests, a quiet place untouched by the ambitions of kings and sorcerers. But on the night the Crown of Eternis shattered, the winds carried whispers of fate to even the most remote corners of Eldoria.
Kael darted through the dense underbrush, his breath coming in short gasps. The moon cast a pale glow over the forest, illuminating the fresh tracks of a wounded deer. Bow in hand, Kael moved with practiced silence, his every step guided by instinct. At just sixteen, he was already the best hunter in Black Hollow—agile, sharp-eyed, and unafraid of the wild.
His fingers tightened around the bowstring as he spotted his prey: a stag with an arrow lodged deep in its flank, struggling to escape. But something felt… wrong. The air crackled with unseen energy, and a strange hum resonated through the trees. Kael hesitated. The deer's eyes glowed faintly, as if reflecting an unseen fire.
Then, with a sudden, violent burst, the ground trembled beneath his feet.
A surge of light erupted from a nearby clearing, forcing Kael to shield his eyes. The stag bolted, forgotten, as Kael crept forward. What he saw next would change his life forever.
In the heart of the clearing, a shard of deep blue crystal lay half-buried in the earth, pulsating with a rhythm that felt almost… alive. It was unlike anything Kael had ever seen, radiating an unnatural heat despite the cold night air. He felt his heart pound in his chest, drawn toward the fragment by an invisible force.
A whisper brushed against his mind. A voice, ancient and distant, spoke a single word:
"Choose."
Kael's hand trembled as he reached for the shard. The moment his fingers brushed its surface, a jolt of energy surged through him, searing through his veins like fire. Visions exploded in his mind—cities in ruin, warriors locked in battle, a shadowy figure upon a throne of bones. And then, a flash of his own face, older, hardened by war… crowned in silver flame.
Kael staggered back, gasping for air. The shard hummed, its glow now fading, as if satisfied with its new master.
Then came the sound of approaching voices—angry, urgent. Kael turned just in time to see torchlight bobbing through the trees. A group of armed men was making their way toward the clearing, their leader's voice sharp and commanding.
"They said the shard fell here! Find it before anyone else does!"
Fear surged through Kael's chest. He had no idea who these men were, but one thing was certain: they were looking for the very thing he had just touched. And if the intensity of their voices was any sign, they would kill to claim it.
Without a second thought, Kael turned and ran, the shard burning like a brand in his palm. The hunt had begun.