Eyes in the Mist

As Kael and Lira stepped beyond the Plains of Nivareth, the mist swallowed them whole. The crystal shard still emitted its glow, yet the shapes within the fog began to look increasingly menacing.

“This mist isn’t natural,” Lira said as she slipped the book into her backpack. “There’s something here. It’s watching us.”

Kael tightened his grip on the crystal. The light carved a narrow path through the fog, but shadows stirred along its edges.

Suddenly, a voice rose from within the mist:

“Turn back. This path does not belong to you.”

Kael and Lira froze. The voice sounded human, yet a deep resonance echoed within it—as if multiple beings were speaking at once.

The mist thickened, and a figure emerged before them. Tall and semi-transparent, with eyes glowing like crystal. Its skin was veiled in fog, its feet never touching the ground.

“I am Veyrith,” the creature said. “Guardian of the Crystal. Those who wish to pass this path must prove the light within their hearts.”

Kael stepped forward. “The crystal called to me. I carry its shard. The light is with me.”

Veyrith drifted closer, its gaze fixed on the crystal fragment. “The light is within you, but darkness watches as well. This journey is not yours alone. Lira’s heart must be tested too.”

Lira stepped forward. “I know the prophecy. It’s written in the book. We must walk together.”

Veyrith raised its hands. The mist retreated, and the path became clear. “Pass. But remember: with every step comes a trial, and with every trial, a price.”

Kael and Lira nodded silently. The journey had become more than a physical passage—it had turned into a battle of the soul.

As the mist dispersed, the silhouette of a mountain appeared in the distance. At its peak, a radiant light shimmered.

The source of the crystal was there.