The forest became darker as they moved deeper into the western wilderness.
The two suns had already begun their descent, yet very little light reached the ground beneath the enormous trees. Their branches intertwined high above, creating a natural ceiling that turned the forest into a maze of shadows. Strange blue flowers grew along the roots, opening whenever someone approached and closing again after they passed. Small creatures watched from the branches, their eyes glowing faintly in the darkness, but none dared come close.
Kael walked near the front of the group with Nera.
The strange woman moved almost silently, her feathered cloak barely making a sound as she stepped between the roots. Every few minutes, she would stop and examine the ground before continuing.
Kael had already noticed that she never walked directly through an open area.
She always stayed near trees.
Near rocks.
Near shadows.
It was as if she had learned long ago that the safest place in this world was somewhere nobody could see.
"You've been here before," Kael said.
Nera didn't look at him.
"Many times."
"The western continent?"
"Most of it."
"You've been to the Firstborn's territory?"
Nera's steps slowed.
"Yes."
Kael watched her expression.
"You don't like talking about them."
"I don't like remembering them."
"What did they do?"
Nera was silent for several seconds.
Then she answered.
"They took people."
Kael frowned.
"For experiments?"
"Sometimes."
"Then why?"
"To understand the new world."
Nera looked back.
"They wanted to understand why they were born."
Kael understood.
The Firstborn weren't simply an empire seeking power.
They were searching for an explanation.
They had been born after the old cycle ended. They had no parents, no history, and no clear origin. They had inherited fragments of memories from the old reality, but those memories were incomplete.
And fear had filled the gaps.
"They think the world will end again," Kael said.
Nera nodded.
"Yes."
"And they believe the seed can prevent it."
"Yes."
"Then why steal it?"
Nera finally looked at him.
"Because the seed isn't just a plant."
Kael's expression became serious.
"What is it?"
"Life."
Kael waited.
Nera continued.
"The first life of this world."
"The first thought."
"The first memory."
"The first choice."
She pointed toward the west.
"The seed contains the original blueprint of this reality."
Seraphine, who had been walking behind them, immediately joined the conversation.
"That's impossible."
Nera glanced at her.
"Why?"
"Because this world doesn't have a fixed blueprint."
"Now it doesn't."
Seraphine's expression changed.
"You mean the seed contains what existed before choice became possible."
Nera nodded.
"Exactly."
Kael looked toward his palm.
The silver point beneath his skin pulsed faintly.
"So if the Firstborn awaken it..."
"They can influence what this world becomes."
Seraphine's face hardened.
"They could create a new predetermined system."
Nera smiled bitterly.
"That's what they want."
Aren walked closer.
"So basically, we're stopping another group of people from deciding everything for everyone."
Kael looked at him.
"That sounds familiar."
Aren laughed.
"Unfortunately."
Lyra walked beside them.
"But there's something I don't understand."
"What?"
"If the Firstborn want to control the future, why haven't they already?"
Nera stopped.
Everyone looked at her.
"Because they don't have enough power."
She looked toward the western horizon.
"The seed is the final piece."
"The Firstborn have magic."
"They have armies."
"They have knowledge."
"They have technology."
"But none of that is enough."
"The seed is."
Lyra frowned.
"How much power are we talking about?"
Nera's expression became serious.
"If the seed fully awakens..."
She looked toward Kael.
"...the Firstborn could create their own World Tree."
Silence.
Kael immediately understood.
A new World Tree meant a new center.
A new network.
A new authority.
And perhaps another cycle.
"They don't want to protect the world," Kael said.
"They want to own its foundation."
Nera nodded.
"Yes."
The group continued walking.
The forest gradually changed.
The trees became shorter.
The ground became drier.
The strange blue flowers disappeared.
Instead, pale grass covered the earth.
After several hours, they reached a wide clearing.
Beyond it stood a river.
It was enormous.
The water moved slowly, reflecting the twin moons that had already appeared in the sky.
Nera pointed toward the other side.
"We cross here."
Aren looked at the water.
"How?"
Nera pointed toward several fallen trees.
"Build a raft."
Aren stared at her.
"You're joking."
"No."
"You said there was a settlement where they build boats."
"Two days away."
"Then why are we making a raft?"
"Because the bridge is gone."
Aren looked toward the river.
"How do you know?"
Nera pointed downstream.
The remains of a wooden bridge floated in the water.
Aren sighed.
"I hate this world."
Kael laughed.
"You've been here for one day."
"That's enough."
They gathered wood.
Rowan handled the heavy logs.
Aren cut branches.
Lyra used controlled magic to remove sharp pieces.
Seraphine examined the river.
Mira and Selene gathered vines to use as rope.
Even Kael worked.
There was something strangely satisfying about it.
Nobody was ordering anyone.
Nobody had to prove anything.
They simply worked together.
When the raft was finally finished, it looked terrible.
Aren stared at it.
"Will this float?"
Seraphine inspected it.
"Probably."
Aren looked at Kael.
"That's not reassuring."
Kael stepped onto it.
The raft sank several centimeters.
Then stopped.
"It'll work."
They began crossing.
The river was wider than expected.
Halfway across, Kael noticed something beneath the water.
A shadow.
It moved alongside the raft.
He looked down.
Nothing.
Then the shadow moved again.
"Everyone stop."
The raft became still.
Lyra raised her staff.
"What is it?"
"Something's beneath us."
Aren immediately drew his sword.
Nera shook her head.
"Don't attack."
"Why?"
"It's territorial."
Aren looked at her.
"That's your solution?"
"Yes."
"What if it attacks?"
Nera pointed toward the riverbank.
"We leave."
Aren looked at the massive river.
"That's not exactly easy."
The shadow disappeared.
Kael waited.
Nothing happened.
Then a massive head emerged from the water.
It was enormous.
But unlike the mountain beast, this creature looked peaceful.
Its body resembled a long serpent covered in smooth silver scales. Two large eyes watched them from just above the water.
Kael slowly lowered his sword.
The creature stared.
Nera whispered something in a language Kael didn't understand.
The creature blinked.
Then submerged.
The raft continued moving.
Aren stared.
"What did you say?"
"I told it we were passing through."
"You can talk to that?"
"Some creatures."
Lyra smiled.
"Useful."
Nera shrugged.
"It's a skill."
Kael looked at the water.
The creature surfaced again several meters away.
It followed them until they reached the opposite shore.
Then it disappeared.
They continued walking.
By the time they reached the next settlement, night had fallen.
Unlike Varek's village, this place was much larger.
Wooden walls surrounded it.
Torches burned along the top.
Several watchtowers stood above the walls.
Nera approached the gate.
The guards immediately raised their weapons.
One shouted.
Nera answered in their language.
The guards looked toward Kael's group.
One of them pointed at Kael.
Then at his sword.
Then toward Nera.
She answered.
The gate opened.
Inside, the settlement was surprisingly busy.
People walked through narrow streets carrying baskets.
Merchants sold food.
Children ran between houses.
Fishermen repaired nets.
It was the first real town Kael had seen in the new world.
And it was already more advanced than Varek's village.
Kael looked around.
"How old is this settlement?"
Nera answered.
"About three hundred years."
Kael stopped.
"Three hundred?"
"Yes."
"So civilizations are already developing."
"Of course."
Kael smiled.
This was what he had wanted.
Not to create everything himself.
Not to become the ruler.
To watch life develop naturally.
A child ran past him.
A woman shouted something.
A merchant laughed.
It felt alive.
Real.
Kael looked at Elara.
She was smiling.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"You look happy."
"I am."
Kael smiled.
They found an inn near the center of the settlement.
The owner was an elderly woman with dark skin and two small horns.
She looked at Nera.
Then at Kael.
Her eyes widened.
She immediately stepped backward.
"What?"
Nera's expression changed.
She spoke quickly.
The woman's fear disappeared.
She looked at Kael again.
Then whispered something.
Nera answered.
Kael frowned.
"What did she say?"
Nera hesitated.
"She asked if you are the Connector."
Kael's expression hardened.
"How does she know?"
Nera looked toward the window.
"Stories travel."
"But the western continent shouldn't know about us."
"They don't know about you."
Nera looked back.
"They know about Elion."
Kael went silent.
The old name felt strange now.
He had accepted that it was part of his past.
But hearing strangers use it made him realize that his history had survived in places he had never visited.
"How many people know?"
Nera shook her head.
"Not many."
"But enough."
Kael nodded.
That night, the group gathered around a table.
Food covered the wooden surface.
Aren ate quickly.
Lyra drank something warm.
Selene wrote notes.
Seraphine studied the strange map Nera had drawn.
Mira was listening to stories from the innkeeper.
Rowan sat near the window.
Caelum was unusually quiet.
Kael noticed.
"You've been silent."
Caelum looked at him.
"I've been listening."
"To what?"
"The future."
Kael frowned.
"You said you could see it again."
"I can."
"And?"
Caelum looked down at his hands.
"It's strange."
"How?"
"Before, I saw a road."
"Now?"
"Now I see thousands."
Kael waited.
Caelum continued.
"Some lead to the Firstborn."
"Some lead to the seed."
"Some lead to the western capital."
"Some lead back to the mountain."
"And some..."
He hesitated.
"...lead to places that don't exist yet."
Kael smiled.
"That's good."
Caelum looked at him.
"Is it?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because that means the future is actually open."
Caelum smiled faintly.
"Maybe."
Kael looked around the table.
Everyone was stronger than when this journey had begun.
But he realized something.
Their greatest growth hadn't come from battles.
Aren had learned discipline.
Lyra had learned to trust her instincts instead of simply relying on raw magical talent.
Selene had learned that knowledge wasn't useful if it remained locked inside a book.
Seraphine had learned that not everything could be solved through calculation.
Mira had learned to preserve memories without becoming trapped by them.
Caelum had learned to live with uncertainty.
Rowan had learned that protecting someone didn't mean controlling their choices.
And Elara...
Kael looked at her.
She had learned to choose herself.
He smiled.
"What?"
Elara asked.
"Nothing."
She narrowed her eyes.
"You're staring again."
Kael laughed.
Across the table, Aren sighed.
"Here we go."
Lyra kicked him beneath the table.
"Let them be."
Aren rubbed his leg.
"I didn't say anything."
"You were about to."
Before the conversation could continue, the inn's door slammed open.
A wounded man stumbled inside.
His clothes were covered in blood.
Everyone immediately became silent.
The man looked around.
His eyes stopped on Nera.
"Nera."
She stood.
"What happened?"
The man's breathing was heavy.
"The Firstborn."
Nera's face became pale.
"What?"
"They came."
"When?"
"Tonight."
Nera stepped closer.
"Where?"
The man pointed toward the western road.
"They're coming here."
Kael stood.
"How many?"
The man looked at him.
His eyes widened.
He recognized him.
Then he answered.
"An army."
The room erupted into movement.
People began running through the streets.
Guards rushed toward the walls.
Torches were lit.
Weapons were distributed.
Kael stepped outside.
The entire settlement was preparing for war.
Nera stood beside him.
"How long?"
The wounded messenger answered from behind them.
"Minutes."
Kael looked toward the western road.
Nothing.
Then a light appeared.
Another.
Then hundreds.
Thousands.
The darkness beyond the settlement slowly filled with torches.
An army was approaching.
Black armor.
Black banners.
The distorted World Tree symbol was painted across every flag.
Aren drew his sword.
"Looks like they came to us."
Kael nodded.
Lyra raised her staff.
"Then we don't have to search for them."
Seraphine looked at the army.
"No."
She pointed toward the center of their formation.
"Look."
A massive carriage was moving behind the soldiers.
It was covered in black metal.
And inside...
something was glowing.
Silver light leaked through the cracks.
Kael's expression became cold.
"The seed."
Nera nodded.
"They brought it here."
Kael stared at the army.
"They know we're here."
"Yes."
"They want us to see it."
"Yes."
Kael smiled.
"Then they're inviting us."
Aren raised his sword.
"Are we accepting?"
Kael looked at the settlement.
People were frightened.
But they were standing together.
They had weapons.
They had walls.
They had something worth protecting.
Kael turned toward his companions.
"We defend the town."
Aren smiled.
"Finally."
Lyra's staff ignited.
Seraphine began forming calculations in the air.
Selene opened her book.
Mira gathered the townspeople behind the walls.
Rowan moved toward the gates.
Caelum closed his eyes.
Elara stood beside Kael.
The Firstborn army stopped several hundred meters from the settlement.
A figure stepped forward.
He wore white armor unlike the others.
A silver crown rested on his head.
He raised his hand.
The army became silent.
Then he spoke.
"Kael."
Kael stepped forward.
"Who are you?"
The man smiled.
"I am Lucian."
"The Firstborn's first king."
He pointed toward the carriage.
"We have something that belongs to your companion."
Kael's expression hardened.
Lucian smiled.
"Give us Elara."
"Or watch this world burn."
The battlefield became silent.
Elara stepped forward.
Kael immediately stopped her.
"No."
She looked at him.
"Kael."
He shook his head.
Lucian laughed.
"You still haven't learned."
Kael looked toward him.
"What?"
"Everything has a price."
Kael smiled.
"Maybe."
He drew his sword.
"But this time..."
His companions stepped beside him.
"...we're choosing the price ourselves."
Lucian raised his hand.
The Firstborn army charged.
And the battle for the new world began.