Reborn as an Elemental Wisp

Chapter 8: Shadows of The Past

The night air was crisp as we made our way through the forest, the faint light from the Heartstone dimly pulsing from Ren's pouch. Every step felt heavier, as if the weight of the world had shifted onto our shoulders. Sorin's warnings echoed in my mind, and I could tell from the silence that Ren was thinking about them too.

We had only been walking for a few hours, but it felt like we were already deep into a journey we couldn't turn back from. The forest was quiet, save for the occasional rustle of leaves in the breeze. It was peaceful, yet that peace felt fragile, like it could be shattered at any moment.

"So," I said after a while, trying to break the silence, "where do we start looking for these other stones?"

Ren's eyes were fixed ahead, his expression distant. "Sorin mentioned people who know about the Heartstones. If they've been guarding these relics for centuries, there must be records somewhere. Legends, maps, something."

"Any idea who might have those records?"

He sighed. "There's a place. The Tower of Aven. It's an ancient library, filled with old texts and forgotten knowledge. If there's any place where we might find clues, it's there."

"The Tower of Aven?" I repeated, trying to place the name. "Isn't that a little... notorious?"

Ren smirked, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "It's not exactly a place for tourists. It's hidden, guarded, and well-protected by those who don't like outsiders digging around in their archives. But if we can get in, it could hold the answers we need."

"And you think they'll just let us waltz in and ask for directions to the Heartstones?"

He glanced at me, his expression serious. "No. That's why we'll need to be careful."

Careful. It was starting to feel like that was the theme of our entire quest. Still, we didn't have many options. The Heartstone in Ren's possession was already attracting attention. If others knew about it, we'd have more than just Guardians to worry about.

I floated a little higher, scanning the horizon as the trees began to thin. "How far is the Tower?"

"Another day's travel, maybe two if we run into trouble."

I gave him a skeptical look. "And when do we not run into trouble?"

He smiled, but there was a weariness behind it. "Fair point."

We camped for the night at the edge of the forest, a small fire crackling between us. Ren sat quietly, staring into the flames while I hovered nearby, the warmth of the fire unnecessary for me, but comforting in a way. It felt almost normal, sitting there like that, like we were just two travelers on a simple journey.

But normal wasn't something we could afford anymore.

"What if someone's already after the stones?" I asked after a while, my voice low. "Sorin made it sound like we're not the only ones who know about them."

Ren didn't look up, his gaze still locked on the fire. "Then we'll have to be faster. We've got the advantage—we already have one of the Heartstones. That gives us a head start."

"Yeah, but we don't even know where the others are."

He finally met my eyes, his expression determined. "We'll figure it out. We don't have a choice."

I could see the strain in him, the pressure of what we'd taken on. But there was also a fierce resolve, a refusal to back down. Ren wasn't the kind of person who gave up easily, and even though I wasn't sure how we were going to pull this off, I knew he wouldn't stop until we did.