NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 7: The gathering storm
Chapter 7: The Gathering Storm
The wind howled through the trees as Reiji walked further into the forest, his boots crunching against the underbrush. The village was a distant memory now, the walls of the homes just visible through the thinning trees. Despite the cool breeze that cut through the air, there was a certain warmth in his chest. The decision he had made with the wolves weighed on him, but it was a weight he could bear. He wasn't just taking from the world anymore—he was giving it something new. But was it enough?
Aeris floated by his side, her golden eyes gleaming in the dimming light. "You've already made your mark," she said, her voice quiet but carrying an edge of concern. "But the world doesn't change that easily, Reiji. Even with your power, you cannot control every outcome."
Reiji grunted, pulling his cloak tighter around his shoulders. "I never said I could control everything. But I can try."
They had been walking in silence for some time, the only sounds being the rustling leaves and the occasional snap of a branch underfoot. Reiji couldn't shake the feeling that something was coming. The wind had shifted, and the trees no longer seemed so welcoming. It was as though the very world around him was holding its breath.
"Are you sure you want to go further?" Aeris asked, her wings flapping once as she hovered closer to him. "The forest is not safe at night, especially not with the changes you've set in motion."
Reiji paused, his senses tingling. "I know. But I have to see it for myself."
Aeris was silent for a moment before nodding, as though accepting his decision. "I won't stop you. But know that the further you go, the more danger you invite."
They reached the heart of the forest by nightfall. The air grew heavier, thicker with a strange energy that seemed to pulse in the very ground beneath their feet. The trees were taller here, their branches twisting and reaching like the arms of ancient giants, and the shadows grew longer, darker. This part of the forest was avoided by even the most daring adventurers. Strange rumors had circulated about the place for years, but most brushed them off as fairy tales meant to scare children. Reiji, however, had a different idea. He needed answers, and they lay deeper within the forest, where even the bravest dared not tread.
Aeris floated above him, her expression thoughtful. "You are not the only one with power, Reiji. You can feel it, can't you? The pull of the unknown."
Reiji's grip tightened on the hilt of his sword. He could feel it—the presence of something ancient, something far older than anything he had encountered before. It was like a dark whisper at the back of his mind, a presence that sought his attention.
"I feel it," he admitted, his voice low. "It's like the forest itself is alive, watching me."
Aeris didn't respond immediately. She was lost in her own thoughts, her golden eyes scanning the shadows around them. "There are forces in this world that are beyond even the reach of Fate Points. These forces are ancient, powerful, and they do not take kindly to outsiders."
Reiji frowned, the weight of her words pressing on him. He had expected danger—he had expected the unknown. But now, he wasn't so sure he was ready for whatever lay ahead. Still, there was no turning back. His power, his potential, all of it had led him here. He had to see it through.
They pressed forward, the path growing narrower as they ventured deeper. The trees seemed to close in on them, their gnarled branches brushing against Reiji's face like ghostly fingers. The air grew thick, oppressive, and a strange stillness settled over the forest.
Suddenly, a figure appeared ahead, standing motionless in the center of the path. It was humanoid, tall and imposing, with features that seemed to shimmer and shift in the fading light. A creature of both light and shadow, its form flickering like a flame caught in the wind.
Reiji stopped in his tracks, his instincts screaming at him to turn back. This was no ordinary NPC—this was something else. Something powerful.
Aeris's voice echoed in his mind. "Be cautious, Reiji. This is not something you can control."
Reiji didn't need to be told twice. He took a step back, his hand hovering near the Fateweaver's mark on his palm, ready to summon the power he had already learned to wield. The figure in front of them moved, its form distorting like a mirage before settling into a more solid shape. The figure spoke, its voice a low hum that vibrated in the air.
"You… the one with the power to change fate," the figure said, its voice like wind rustling through leaves. "You've come seeking answers, but not all truths should be uncovered."
Reiji stood tall, his resolve firm. "Who are you?"
The figure's face shifted, an eerie smile stretching across its ethereal features. "I am an ancient presence. An echo of the world before the game, before the world you now know. You, who can shape the world with your will, will soon learn that even the most powerful of changes carry great consequences."
The creature's words hit Reiji like a hammer. "Consequences," he repeated. "You speak as though I'm just a tool in some larger scheme."
The figure's eyes gleamed with an unsettling light. "No. You are not a tool. You are the key. The world bends to your will, but not without its cost."
Aeris floated beside Reiji, her wings rustling as she observed the figure with quiet intensity. "It speaks in riddles, Reiji. But the truth is clear. Every action you take has repercussions. And those repercussions are not always visible."
The creature's form flickered again, its presence growing more intense. "You will understand soon enough. The storms are gathering, and with them, the real test of your power will begin."
Before Reiji could respond, the figure dissipated, vanishing into the shadows as though it had never been there. The stillness of the forest returned, but now it was thick with tension, as though the very air had shifted around them.
Reiji remained silent, the weight of the encounter pressing down on him. His thoughts were jumbled, and he could feel the truth of what the creature had said settling into his bones.
"We've only just begun, haven't we?" Reiji muttered, more to himself than to Aeris.
Aeris was quiet for a long moment before answering. "Yes. And now, you must choose. The path you take will shape everything that follows."
Reiji nodded slowly, his heart heavy with the weight of the decision before him. The world was changing, and with it, his role in it. But was he ready for what was coming next?
There was only one way to find out.
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End of Chapter 7