racing with questions. Who could have written thi

d, making him feel like he was bein

ought, the room seemed to grow

n his spine, and he knew h

ucked it into his pocket

le Marcus about the note, hop

o find uncle Marcus he noticed some

nd the curtains were b

he footprint on the windowsill. It was

oever had left the note might have come through th

ed on the symbol, his mi

? As he touched the symbol, he felt a sudden jolt

the trail of symbols, which seemed to l

natural energy, and the trees s

nt, until Kael felt like he was being pull

ance, its presence calling

alized that he was being drawn towards the

mbered Marcus's warning about the Ridge, t

range energy seemed to be pulling him tow

hand guiding him. Kael tried to resist, to turn bac

ings, with someone or someth

he walked, the world around hi

his mind consumed by the sing

ing him down a winding path

orldly energy, and the trees seem

his chest, his breath

e fear seemed distant, muffled by t

lling the horizon. Kael felt himself being drawn

ree from the control, but his v

elt himself being pulled towards a specific point, a spot t

the Ridge. The ground fell away beneath him, a vast

pulled forward, towards

The black stone. It was... familiar. Unmistakably

ven glancing at it. And yet, as he gazed at the s

mself, his voice barely above a whispe

own accord. The stone seemed to be calling to

"I don't remember ever seeing this before. But... but it feel

t of electricity run through his body. His heart poun

shouldn't be doing this. Marcus warned me abo

e of its own accord, reach

the cool, dark surface, Kael felt

ke... impressions. Fragments of a

e it was pulsing with a power that

, his voice full of wonder. "

Kael felt a sense of c

something he had been sea

asked himself, his voice bare

in words, exactly... more like... a vibration.

is eyes closed. "I feel... som

world expanding. Like he was seeing things for the

hing within him. A door. A gate. A par

gh him, Kael knew that nothin

g back. Like a dam had burst, the recollections p

d backward, his mind reeling from

rying to make sense of the deluge of im

wave, crashing over him and t

him. He felt himself falling, the stone still clutched i

to assault him, even

he Watchman, of the countless days an

k to him, like a floo

fe rushing back to him with overwhelming force. He saw himse

raining with the Watchman, l

ve, and they seemed to be pu

, his mind struggling to keep up wi

l clutched in his hand, Kael's

him, reshaping him into th

n around him, and Kae

never-ending stream of images and emoti

e memories had left their mark, reshaping him

othing would ever

clutched in his hand, he knew th

bout his past, about the memorie

his voice barely above a whisper. "I need to know what

questions. What had he been

aching him? And why did the m

g louder. "I have to know what happened to me

ness wash over him. The world around him

the darkness that was closing in around him. "I ne

ut beneath him, and he fell to the grou

The last thing he thought about was the Watchman, a

into the darkness. "I'll find you, Watchman. And

n around him, and Kae

ever ending stream of images and emotio

re determined. "He's the only one who can help me make sense

zziness wash over him. The world around hi

ing to fight off the darkness that was closing

as like trying to grasp a handful of sand - the harder

trying to piece together his memories. "I was living a

ughts racing with questions. He felt like he

growing more desperate. "He's the only one who can hel

h a fog. Everything seemed unclear, and he couldn't shake th

pered, his voice barely audible. "W

trying to recall a forgotten song. The melody

wing more determined. "I'll find him, and he'll tell me

in around him. He felt like he was being co

ated, his voice growing more desper

rkness seemed to swallow him whole, and Kael

is voice barely audible. "I need to find him, an

walking towards a precipice. He didn't know wh

etermined. "I'll find the Watchman, and he'll help m

ronger. "I'll find the Watchman. And I'll unc

on, Kael stood up, his ey

he was ready. He was ready to face whatever la

zon. He knew that he had to find the Watc

d, trying to ge

k down the Watchman," Kael mu

n

Kael noticed a figure approa

g hair and a white dress that se

el wondered. "Wha

You're the one who's been searching for the Watc

ed. "How do you kn

. "I know many t

d the Watchman, if you'

ontinuation

all he saw was kindness and compassion in her eyes. He decided

said, his voice firm. "Please

ith warmth. "Come, my child," she sa

skin, Kael felt a sudden jolt of energy. H

began to spin, and he

off the darkness. But it was too late.

longer standing in the Ridge. Instead, he found

laughing and carefree. He saw himself le

bled, like a puzzle that

of emotions, his though

ing?" Kael wondered. "Why do I

shifted, changing to scenes

ning, learning new sk

ggling, pushing him

el felt like he was reliving them,

een. Kael looked around, trying t

his bearings. "What just happened?" Where is the s

. He felt like he had been given a glimps

ories," Kael said to himself. "I n

flood back to him. Kael saw himself as a

overcoming obstacles that the watc

surely. Kael felt like he was piecing together a

e still gaps

he Watchman, to learn the truth

his voice firm. "I'll find the Watchm

e whatever lay ahead. He knew that he had a

continued to flood back to him. Kael saw hims

rowing stronger,

el felt like he was reliving them,

ael felt like he was get

er to understanding

el stood up, a sudden, sharp pain shot through his right arm. He winced, instinctively

eeve up, revealing claw-like marks etched into h

He hadn't felt anything before the pain hit. Panic

lly, but there was no sign of anythi

m seemed to grow thic

t as he stared at the claw marks

le he was unconscious

the sound sending a shiver down Kael

rt on his arm, near the wound. It looked li

he realized that he migh

eone might still