Kael's POV
Kael's eyes narrowed as he pored over the reports, his mind racing with the implications of what it represented. The Asha'e were growing bolder, their powers getting stronger everyday. They were usually weakened by the sun, unable to cause any dire harm though they were still powerful but it made it easier for them to be killed.
Now, there have been reports of the Asha'e attacking during the day. It seemed like just like every other creature, they were evolving. It was only a matter of time before they broke through the boundary, unleashing their fury upon the land.
The thought sent an unwanted shiver down his spine. Thousands of them, perhaps even hundreds of thousands, would storm the land, leaving destruction and chaos in their wake, no one would be spared. Kael's grip on the parchment tightened, his knuckles white with tension.
He pushed back his chair and stood up, pacing across the room with long strides. The Asha'e were a constant threat, a shadow on the horizon that loomed larger with each passing day. Kael's instincts screamed at him to prepare, to ready the defenses and mobilize the troops.
But he knew that wouldn't be enough. The Asha'e were a force to be reckoned with, their power unlike anything the land had seen, because they weren't from here.
The Asha'e were creatures born of terror and death. The only place that had death in abundance was Nyxos. The Afterlife as others liked to call it or more famously known as the Land of the dead.
The existence of Nyxos, the Afterlife, is often met with skepticism, with most people dismissing it as a myth or a product of superstition. The idea that there's more to existence than the tangible world is hard for many to swallow.
Kael's own experience had been a rude awakening. Having crossed into Nyxos himself, he knew firsthand the reality of a realm beyond the living. His perspective had shifted dramatically, from doubt to a deeper understanding of the mysteries that lay beyond the veil of the mundane world.
The memories of Nyxos still lingered, a haunting reminder of the horrors he'd witnessed. Kael's eyes glazed over, his mind drifting back to the desolate landscapes, the twisted creatures that lurked in every shadow, and the overwhelming sense of despair that clung to every stone.
He shook his head, forcing the images away. The last thing he wanted was to relive those moments. The darkness that lurked within him stirred, as if sensing his unease. Kael's grip on the armrests tightened, his knuckles white as he struggled to push the memories back into the recesses of his mind.
The present moment snapped back into focus, and Kael's gaze fell upon the ritual's preparations. The prophecy, Aria's fate, the Asha'e, all of it waited for him, demanding his attention. He couldn't afford to be lost in his head. Not now.
Kael's thoughts focused on the prophecy, the crystals that were the elder constellation and the things he must do that might hold the key to stopping the Asha'e and breaking the bindings of magic. He had to fulfill the prophecy for the ritual to work.
He stopped pacing and turned to face the window, his eyes gazing out into the darkness. The land was vulnerable, and Kael was the one who could to protect it, he had to, as it was his fault that this was happening, he thought bitterly. The weight of that responsibility hung heavy on his shoulders, and for a moment, he felt the crushing weight of the constant guilt he tried to ignore.
Kael's eyes seemed to burn with an inner fire as he wrestled with the conflicting desires that ravaged his mind. The ritual, a desperate bid to bolster his powers against the looming threat of the Asha'e by breaking the bindings, now filled him with a sense of foreboding. Aria, although innocent, would be endangered by it, and the thought stirred a maelstrom of emotions within him.
He tried to convince himself it was the demon's influence, the darkness that had taken hold of him, that made him crave her presence. But deep down, he knew it was more than that. There was something about Aria that drew him in, a spark of light in the darkness that he wanted to consume.
Kael's hands clenched into fists as he struggled to reconcile the warring parts of his nature. The demon's power was growing stronger by the day, tempting him with its darkness and seducing him with its promises of limitless strength. And yet, Aria's presence seemed to awaken a different part of him, a part that he thought had long been extinguished.
He felt like a man torn apart, his loyalties divided between the darkness that promised him power and the people he cared about.
The ritual was never a straightforward solution, but now it seemed more complicated than ever. They were still parts of the prophecy he didn't fully understand and Kael was unsure if he could bring himself to go ahead with it, knowing it might fail and all their efforts would have been for nothing.
Kael's gaze fell upon the book that lay inconspicuous on his desk, its pages yellowed with age and filled with forbidden spells. It was unlike anything anyone had ever seen before, anyone living anyway.
The book was filled with ancient spells that built and ruined civilizations, tore mighty kingdoms down, turning them nothing but rubles and ashes. It was the same book Aria's grandfather had used to bind the magic of Everia.
Kael was still unsure of how he came into possession of such a powerful book, Kael's guess was that he practiced the dark arts, or had someone who did, it was the only way he could have come into possession of such a powerful spell.
It was ironic that the ritual, a calculated risk to ensure the survival of thousands, millions if one added the people of Everia, now seemed to hinge on a single, fragile thread, Aria.
He couldn't shake the memory of her, she plagued his mind, haunted his thoughts. The thought of her dying was a weight that pressed upon his chest, making it hard to breathe. It was a vulnerability he couldn't afford, a weakness he couldn't indulge.
Yet, as he weighed the cost, Kael found himself torn. One life against thousands. The decision should have been simple, the choice clear. But the prospect of sacrificing Aria stirred a deep unease within him.
As the darkness within him stirred, Kael knew he had to make a choice. Would he follow through with the ritual, or would he allow his growing feelings for Aria to sway him?
The fate of thousands hung in the balance, but It was Aria's life that seemed to hold the greatest significance.