The glow on the horizon grew brighter as Kael and Elena pressed forward, their footsteps crunching against the withered grass beneath them. The golden meadow behind them was a fading memory, replaced by a barren expanse of jagged rocks and lifeless terrain. The air was heavy, as if the land itself mourned.
Elena glanced at Kael. “Do you feel that?”
Kael nodded, his hand gripping his sword. “It’s like the air is alive. Watching us.”
As they moved further into the desolation, the faint glow sharpened into a flickering beacon. It sat atop a distant hill, its light pulsing in rhythm with their bond. The closer they got, the stronger the connection grew, pulling them forward like an invisible tether.
“Whatever it is,” Elena said, her voice low, “it’s tied to us. To the bond.”
Kael tightene
