Capítulo 20: the Unknown

The wind was howling as David, Ivane, and Giorgi emerged from the white expanse. Their breaths came in ragged gasps, eyes wide with disbelief at the events that had just unfolded. The figure they had encountered was still fresh in their minds—the Builder, or whatever it claimed to be—had left them with more questions than answers.

David rubbed his temples, trying to shake the feeling that they had just crossed into a new threshold, something far bigger than they had ever imagined. The ruins, the prophecies, the ancient symbols—all of it felt intertwined now in a way that made the hairs on his neck stand on end.

"We need to talk," Ivane said, breaking the silence as they trudged back through the dense forest toward their camp. His voice was tense, and David could feel the weight of his friend's thoughts pressing against the atmosphere.

David didn't answer right away. He didn't know how to. His mind was still racing, trying to comprehend what the figure had said—the way its voice had echoed inside his head like a whisper that refused to fade. He glanced at Ivane, seeing the worry etched into his brow, and nodded. "Yeah. We do."

Giorgi was silent, walking just behind them, his eyes scanning the woods as though the trees themselves might hold some clue. It was clear the encounter had shaken him, but he wasn't the type to admit fear, not even to himself. His hand stayed close to his sword, fingers brushing the hilt every few steps.

The camp was quiet when they finally reached it. A fire crackled in the centre, casting long shadows across the tents. For a moment, it felt like the world had paused, as though the forest had taken a deep breath, waiting for something to happen. The tension in the air was palpable—a quiet unease that settled over them all like a heavy blanket.

Ivane sat down heavily by the fire, running a hand through his hair. "That thing we saw, David... whatever it was—it wasn't just some hallucination, was it?"

David shook his head, sitting across from him. "No. It was real. As real as any of this."

"And it called itself the Builder," Ivane said, his eyes narrowing. "Which means it's tied to the prophecy, right? The one about the hero who can release the full power of the symbiote?"

Giorgi finally spoke, his voice low. "Prophecies are tricky. You know that. They rarely play out the way people expect."

David sighed, leaning back on his hands as he stared into the flames. "I don't know if it matters what the prophecy says. What matters is what we do next."

Ivane nodded, though his expression remained troubled. "But what if we're part of it, David? What if you're the one the prophecy was talking about?"

"I don't want to think about that," David muttered, feeling the weight of the possibility pressing down on him. "We can't get caught up in legends. We need to focus on what we can control."

"That's easier said than done," Giorgi added, his eyes still scanning the trees. "We've already crossed a line we can't come back from. There's no undoing what we've seen."

David knew he was right. There was no going back, not now. They had already ventured too far into the unknown, and the path ahead was only going to get more treacherous. But that didn't mean they could afford to lose focus. If anything, it meant they had to be more careful than ever.

A long silence stretched between them, the fire crackling softly in the background. The sky above was growing darker by the minute, stars slowly appearing, their light flickering weakly against the vast emptiness of the night.

"What if this is it?" Ivane suddenly said, his voice almost a whisper. "What if everything we've been doing... it's all been leading up to this moment?"

David frowned, turning to look at him. "What do you mean?"

Ivane shrugged, his gaze distant. "I mean... the ruins, the symbols, the symbiotes... maybe this is why we're here. Maybe we're meant to find the Builder, or whatever that thing is. Maybe it's all connected."

David's stomach twisted at the thought. He didn't want to believe in destiny, fate, or any of that nonsense. But deep down, he knew there was some truth to what Ivane was saying. Things had started changing the moment they stepped foot in that ancient ruin. The world itself seemed to shift around them, pulling them deeper into something they couldn't fully understand.

Before David could respond, Giorgi stood up abruptly, his hand still resting on the hilt of his sword. "Enough talking. We need to get some rest. Whatever comes next, we're going to need all the strength we've got."

Ivane gave a tired nod, lying back on the ground and staring up at the stars. David watched as his friends settled into an uneasy silence, each of them lost in their own thoughts. He didn't say anything more, though his mind was racing. There were too many questions, too many pieces of the puzzle that didn't fit.

The fire crackled softly as the night wore on, and soon the camp was quiet, save for the occasional rustle of leaves in the wind. David lay awake, staring at the flames as they flickered and danced, his mind filled with visions of the Builder and the prophecy.

He didn't know what the future held for them, but one thing was clear—there was no turning back now.

Morning came too quickly, the sun rising over the forest, casting long shadows across the camp. The group stirred slowly, exhaustion weighing heavy on their limbs after the restless night. There was little conversation as they packed up their things, each of them preoccupied with their own thoughts.

As they prepared to set out again, Ivane glanced over at David, his expression serious. "We're heading deeper into the ruins today, right?"

David nodded. "Yeah. There's more we need to find out. We're not done yet."

Giorgi adjusted his sword, his face set in determination. "Let's just hope we don't run into any more'mysterious figures' this time."

David smirked, though it didn't reach his eyes. "I wouldn't count on it."

They set off once more, the forest closing in around them as they made their way toward the next set of ruins. There was a tension in the air now, something that hadn't been there before. The weight of the unknown pressed down on them, each step bringing them closer to whatever destiny awaited.

But even as they ventured forward, David couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched, that somewhere, out in the darkness, the Builder was still waiting, watching their every move.

And whatever came next, he knew it would change everything.

comentario 0 comentario

Votar

ENVIAR REGALO

Load failed, please RETRY