The dragon's final words remained in Kael's mind long after they left the cavern.
Even after the enormous creature disappeared into the darkness beneath the mountain, even after the group began descending the steep path toward the valley, Kael couldn't stop thinking about what it had said.
Here, even you are not the strongest.
Under different circumstances, those words might have sounded like a challenge.
Now they sounded like a warning.
Kael walked at the front of the group, his sword secured at his waist and his eyes fixed on the distant horizon. The western continent lay beyond the mountains, separated from them by an enormous stretch of unfamiliar land and an ocean they had never crossed. They had no map. They didn't know how far away it was. They didn't know who had stolen the seed or why.
Most importantly, they didn't know what kind of world they had entered.
Behind Kael, Aren was carefully climbing down the mountain while complaining under his breath. "I have one question."
Lyra looked at him.
"You've had about twenty since we entered the cave."
"This one is important."
"That makes it different?"
Aren ignored her. "Why did the dragon have to live halfway up a mountain?"
Rowan laughed.
"Because dragons like mountains?"
"Then why couldn't it live at the bottom?"
Lyra shrugged.
"Maybe it wanted a nice view."
Aren looked back toward the enormous mountain.
"I hate dragons."
Kael heard them and smiled.
The conversation felt strangely normal.
Only a few days ago, they had been standing before the end of reality, fighting something that existed before creation itself. They had watched the old cycle collapse. They had seen Aster sacrifice himself. They had stepped into a world that had never existed before.
And now Aren was complaining about climbing.
Kael preferred this.
The road ahead was uncertain, but uncertainty no longer frightened him.
When they reached the valley, they found Varek waiting.
The horned villager immediately noticed their expressions.
He looked toward the mountains.
Then toward Kael.
Then raised his eyebrows as if asking what had happened.
Kael pointed toward the mountain.
Then he made a large shape with his hands.
Varek's face became pale.
Kael nodded.
Yes.
The creature was still there.
Varek looked toward the other villagers.
Several immediately began speaking among themselves.
Kael raised his hands.
"Calm down."
They didn't understand him, but his tone seemed to help.
Varek approached.
He pointed toward the mountain and then touched his chest.
Kael understood.
"You knew?"
Varek nodded.
"You knew the dragon?"
Varek nodded again.
Kael looked surprised.
"How?"
Varek pointed toward the ground.
Then toward the village.
Then toward the mountain.
Kael slowly understood.
The dragon had lived there for generations.
It wasn't a new threat.
It was part of their world.
Aren crossed his arms.
"Ask him why they fear it."
Kael looked at Varek.
He pointed toward the mountain.
Then pretended to be frightened.
Varek immediately understood.
He pointed toward the sky.
Then made a claw with his hand.
Then pointed toward the forest.
His gestures became faster.
Kael watched carefully.
"Something comes from the mountain."
Varek nodded.
"Creatures?"
Another nod.
"Does the dragon control them?"
Varek shook his head.
"Then why fear it?"
Varek hesitated.
He pointed toward the ground.
Then covered his eyes.
Then touched his chest.
Kael frowned.
"I don't understand."
Varek repeated the gesture.
This time Kael noticed something.
The villagers weren't afraid of the dragon itself.
They were afraid of what happened whenever it woke.
Kael turned toward Elara.
"Did you understand?"
She shook her head.
"No."
Seraphine stepped closer.
"Maybe we should learn their language."
Kael looked at her.
"Can you?"
"Not immediately."
She looked toward the villagers.
"But we can start."
Selene opened her book.
"I'll record their words."
Mira smiled.
"And I'll record their gestures."
Aren looked at both of them.
"So while they're learning the language, what are we doing?"
Kael looked toward the ocean.
"Finding a way west."
Aren sighed.
"I knew it."
The village offered them a place to stay for the night.
The houses were small, built from wood and stone with roofs made from large leaves woven together. There were no beds as they knew them. Instead, thick layers of woven grass were placed on the floor.
The food was simple.
Red fruits.
Roots.
A type of roasted meat that tasted surprisingly good.
And a bitter drink made from dried leaves.
Kael sat outside one of the houses while the sun disappeared behind the mountains.
The two suns created an unusual sunset.
The western sky became orange while the second sun remained pale and white above the horizon.
Elara sat beside him.
For a while, neither spoke.
Then she asked, "Do you regret it?"
Kael looked at her.
"Regret what?"
"Choosing not to kill me."
He smiled.
"No."
"Even knowing what almost happened?"
"No."
Elara looked toward the distant mountains.
"You could have saved everyone by making the old choice."
"Maybe."
"You don't know."
"No."
"Then why aren't you afraid?"
Kael thought for a moment.
"I am."
Elara looked at him.
Kael continued.
"I'm afraid of making the wrong choice."
"Then why choose?"
"Because not choosing is still a choice."
She smiled.
"You sound different."
"I feel different."
"How?"
Kael looked at his palm.
"I don't feel like I'm carrying the world anymore."
He closed his fingers.
"And I like it."
Elara laughed softly.
"That's good."
Kael looked at her.
"What about you?"
"What about me?"
"Are you happy?"
She was quiet.
Then she nodded.
"Yes."
"Even after everything?"
"Especially after everything."
Kael smiled.
The silence returned.
Then Elara whispered, "Kael."
"Hm?"
"When the dragon called me its creator..."
"I know."
"I don't remember creating anything like that."
"Neither do I."
"Do you think it was telling the truth?"
Kael looked toward the mountains.
"I don't know."
Elara frowned.
"You don't?"
"No."
He stood.
"But we're going to find out."
The next morning, they prepared to leave.
Varek and several villagers gathered near the edge of the settlement.
Kael had spent most of the morning trying to explain that they needed to travel west.
Eventually, he drew a crude map in the dirt.
The village.
The mountain.
The river.
The ocean.
Then he drew a line west.
Varek watched carefully.
Kael pointed toward himself.
Then his companions.
Then west.
Varek immediately shook his head.
He pointed toward the forest.
Then toward the ocean.
Then made a gesture indicating something enormous.
Kael frowned.
"There is something between us and the ocean."
Varek nodded.
"Another monster?"
Varek shook his head.
A different expression appeared on his face.
Fear.
He drew a circle in the dirt.
Inside it, he drew several lines.
Then he pointed toward the sky.
Kael studied the drawing.
It looked like a storm.
"Storm?"
Varek nodded.
"A magical storm?"
Varek shook his head.
He touched his chest.
Then the ground.
Then the sky.
Kael stared.
"It changes the land?"
Varek nodded.
Seraphine stepped forward.
"What does he mean?"
Kael explained what he had understood.
Seraphine's expression became serious.
"If the storm changes the geography..."
"We may not be able to cross it."
"Exactly."
Kael looked toward the west.
The journey was becoming more complicated.
Before they could leave, however, Varek grabbed his arm.
He pointed toward the forest.
Then toward Kael.
Then touched two fingers to his eyes.
Kael recognized the gesture.
Someone was watching them.
Kael immediately turned.
Nothing.
The forest was quiet.
Too quiet.
He drew his sword.
Aren noticed.
"What?"
"Someone is watching."
Everyone became alert.
Lyra raised her staff.
The villagers backed away.
Kael stared into the trees.
"Come out."
Nothing.
He waited.
A leaf moved.
A figure emerged.
It was small.
Humanoid.
But unlike the villagers.
Its skin was completely black.
Its eyes were bright blue.
It wore a cloak made from feathers.
A short blade hung from its waist.
It stared at Kael without fear.
Aren moved forward.
The stranger immediately reached for its weapon.
Kael raised his hand.
"Don't."
The stranger looked at him.
Then spoke.
"I know you."
Everyone froze.
Kael's expression changed.
"You speak our language."
The stranger smiled.
"I know many languages."
"Who are you?"
The stranger glanced toward Elara.
Then back at Kael.
"My name is Nera."
"Why were you watching us?"
"Because I wanted to know whether the stories were true."
"What stories?"
Nera's smile disappeared.
"The stories about the ones who fell from the dead sky."
Kael's eyes narrowed.
"Who told you?"
Nera pointed west.
"The people who stole the seed."
The atmosphere immediately changed.
Kael stepped forward.
"You know where they are?"
"Yes."
"Who are they?"
Nera looked at the others.
Then back at Kael.
"That depends on what you mean by 'who'."
Kael frowned.
"Explain."
"They call themselves the Firstborn."
"Firstborn of what?"
Nera pointed toward the sky.
"This world."
Kael remained silent.
Nera continued.
"They appeared after the old reality disappeared."
"At first, they were few."
"Then they multiplied."
"They learned magic."
"They built cities."
"They began studying the remains of the old world."
"And eventually..."
Nera looked toward Elara.
"...they found the seed."
Elara's expression tightened.
"What do they want with it?"
Nera's answer came immediately.
"To create a god."
Aren frowned.
"Why?"
Nera looked at him.
"Because they are afraid."
"Of what?"
"Of the world ending again."
Kael understood.
They had inherited the memories.
Not all of them.
But enough.
The Firstborn had discovered fragments of the old cycle and learned that reality had once nearly been destroyed.
They didn't want to repeat that fate.
So they had decided to create something capable of controlling the new world.
A god.
A new center.
A new authority.
A new cycle.
Kael's expression became cold.
"They stole the seed because they want to control the future."
Nera nodded.
"Yes."
"Where is it?"
"The western continent."
"How far?"
Nera smiled.
"Far enough that you won't reach it by walking."
Kael frowned.
"Then how?"
Nera pointed toward the river.
"There's a settlement beyond the forest."
"A settlement?"
"They build boats."
Kael understood.
"We need a boat."
Nera nodded.
"Yes."
Aren looked at Kael.
"So we're going to the coast."
Kael nodded.
Nera turned to leave.
Kael stopped her.
"Wait."
She looked back.
"You said you knew many languages."
"Yes."
"Can you teach us theirs?"
Nera smiled.
"I can."
Selene immediately stepped forward.
"I'll learn."
Mira stood beside her.
"Me too."
Nera looked at them.
"You'll need patience."
Selene smiled.
"I have plenty."
Aren muttered,
"She doesn't."
Selene ignored him.
Kael looked at Nera.
"Why are you helping us?"
Nera's expression became difficult to read.
"Because I don't want another god."
"Why?"
"Because gods always believe they know what is best."
Kael was silent.
Nera looked at him.
"You're different."
"How?"
"You don't want to be one."
Kael smiled.
"No."
Nera nodded.
"Good."
She turned toward the forest.
"Then follow me."
The group began moving.
The villagers watched them disappear between the trees.
Varek remained standing at the edge of the settlement.
Kael looked back.
He raised one hand.
Varek raised his spear in response.
It was the closest thing they had to a farewell.
The forest swallowed them.
Nera moved quickly, but she never made a sound. She knew the terrain intimately. She avoided certain plants, stepped around particular stones and occasionally stopped to listen.
After nearly an hour, Kael noticed something.
They were being followed.
He glanced at Aren.
Aren nodded.
He had noticed too.
Kael didn't say anything.
They continued.
Eventually, Nera stopped.
"Don't move."
Everyone froze.
She pointed toward the ground.
Kael looked.
There was a thin line stretched across the path.
Aren crouched.
"A trap."
Nera nodded.
"One of many."
Kael looked around.
"I don't see anything."
"You aren't supposed to."
She stepped over the line.
A second later, a dozen wooden spikes shot from the ground.
Everyone stared.
Aren slowly looked at Kael.
"Good thing she came."
Nera smiled.
"These aren't ours."
Kael frowned.
"Then whose?"
Nera pointed toward the trees.
"Firstborn scouts."
The group immediately became alert.
Kael looked around.
"How many?"
Nera raised three fingers.
Then five.
Then ten.
Kael understood.
At least ten.
Aren drew his sword.
"Finally."
Kael looked at him.
"Stay quiet."
Aren sighed.
"Fine."
They moved forward carefully.
Then a voice came from above.
"You shouldn't have come."
Kael looked up.
Several figures stood on the branches.
They were humanoid.
Their armor was made from black metal.
Each wore a mask.
One stepped forward.
"The western continent is closed."
Kael looked at him.
"By whose authority?"
The masked figure answered,
"By the authority of the Firstborn."
Kael smiled.
"I don't recognize that authority."
The figure drew a curved blade.
"You will."
Several arrows were immediately fired.
Kael moved.
His sword flashed.
One arrow.
Two.
Three.
He deflected them.
Aren charged.
Lyra released a spell.
The forest erupted into motion.
The Firstborn scouts jumped from the trees.
Their weapons were far more advanced than those of Varek's people.
Black metal blades.
Small magical devices.
Armor that seemed to absorb spells.
Kael blocked the first attack.
The masked warrior moved with surprising skill.
Their swords collided.
The warrior twisted and struck toward Kael's ribs.
Kael stepped aside.
His elbow struck the warrior's chest.
The armor absorbed the impact.
The warrior didn't move.
Kael frowned.
The warrior attacked again.
Kael parried.
Another warrior approached from behind.
Aren intercepted him.
Their weapons clashed.
Aren grinned.
"You're mine."
The masked warrior attacked.
Aren blocked.
Their battle moved between the trees.
Lyra raised her staff.
A black projectile flew toward her.
She created a barrier.
The projectile exploded against it.
Lyra stumbled backward.
"These aren't ordinary scouts!"
Seraphine nodded.
"They're using technology."
"Magic technology?"
"Something like it."
Kael blocked another strike.
The masked warrior spoke.
"You are the Connector."
Kael's expression changed.
"Who told you that name?"
The warrior didn't answer.
Kael knocked his weapon away.
The warrior reached for a device at his waist.
Kael immediately kicked it away.
The device landed several meters away.
It began glowing.
Nera shouted,
"Move!"
Kael grabbed the warrior and threw him aside.
The device exploded.
The blast tore through the trees.
Kael rolled across the ground.
Aren landed beside him.
"Everyone alive?"
Lyra coughed.
"Mostly."
Kael stood.
The remaining Firstborn had already disappeared.
Nera stared into the forest.
"They're gone."
Kael looked at the smoking crater.
"They weren't trying to win."
Nera nodded.
"They were testing you."
Kael's expression darkened.
"And now they know where we are."
Nera looked west.
"Yes."
Kael picked up one piece of the destroyed device.
It was warm.
A strange symbol was engraved on its surface.
Kael recognized it.
The symbol was a distorted version of the old World Tree.
Someone had taken the symbol of connection...
and turned it into a symbol of control.
Kael closed his hand around the fragment.
"Then we need to move faster."
Nera nodded.
"There is a boat settlement two days from here."
"Then we'll reach it in one."
Aren laughed.
"Now that's more like you."
Kael turned toward the west.
Beyond the forest waited the ocean.
Beyond the ocean waited the Firstborn.
And somewhere beyond them...
the stolen seed was growing.
Kael had no idea what kind of world would emerge if the Firstborn succeeded.
But he knew one thing.
He had already destroyed one cycle.
He would not allow another one to be born.
The group disappeared deeper into the forest.
Above them, hidden among the branches, a masked figure watched.
He touched a small device against his ear.
"Their group has entered the forest."
A voice answered.
"Did you confirm the woman?"
The scout looked toward the direction Kael and Elara had gone.
"Yes."
A pause.
"And the Connector?"
"Confirmed."
Another pause.
Then the voice became excited.
"Then the prophecy was true."
The scout lowered his head.
"Should we eliminate them?"
"No."
"Why?"
The voice laughed quietly.
"Let them come."
"The seed has already awakened."
"And soon..."
"The Firstborn will have their god."
The communication ended.
The scout looked toward the western horizon.
For a moment, his mask reflected the light of the two suns.
Then he disappeared into the trees.
Far away, beneath a fortress built on the western continent, something began to beat.
Boom.
Boom.
Boom.
A massive root twisted around a glowing seed.
The seed pulsed with silver light.
And from within it...
something opened its eyes.