บท 65: Chapter 65: The Vision
The morning sun rose slowly over the peaceful village, casting a soft golden light across the fields and cottages. Birds sang cheerfully from the treetops, and the air was filled with the scent of blooming flowers and freshly tilled earth. It was a scene of tranquility, a stark contrast to the dark and treacherous journey that lay ahead for Alex and his companions.
As the team gathered outside the cottage where they had spent the night, the villagers waved them off with warm smiles and words of encouragement. The hospitality and kindness of the villagers had been a welcome reprieve from the dangers they had faced in the mountains, but there was a sense of urgency now, a feeling that time was running short.
The village elder, the kind man who had welcomed them, approached Alex just before they set off. His eyes were filled with wisdom and something else—perhaps concern, or even a touch of sadness.
"Safe travels, young ones," the elder said, his voice calm but carrying an undertone of warning. "The road ahead will be difficult, but the light within you is strong. Trust in it, and it will guide you through the darkness."
Alex nodded, his expression serious as he took in the elder's words. "Thank you for your kindness. We'll be careful."
The elder smiled, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Be vigilant, Alex. The light can guide, but it can also be blinding. Sometimes, the shadows it casts are the most dangerous of all."
Alex pondered the elder's words as they set out on the road, his thoughts swirling with uncertainty. The journey so far had tested them in ways they hadn't expected, and he knew that the challenges ahead would only grow more intense. The weight of the responsibility he carried felt heavier than ever, but he knew he couldn't afford to falter—not when so much was at stake.
The path led them out of the village and into a dense forest, the trees towering high above them, their branches forming a canopy that filtered the sunlight into dappled patterns on the forest floor. The air was cool and fresh, filled with the earthy scent of pine and moss.
As they walked, the mood was quiet and contemplative. Each member of the team was lost in their own thoughts, the trials they had faced in the temple still fresh in their minds. The power of the Virtue they had claimed resonated within them, but there was also a sense of anticipation, a feeling that something important was about to happen.
After several hours of walking, the forest began to thin, and the path led them to a clearing where a large, ancient tree stood at its center. The tree was massive, its trunk wide enough to house a small cottage, and its branches spread out like the arms of a great protector. The bark was rough and gnarled, and the roots twisted and curled around the base of the tree, anchoring it firmly to the earth.
"This tree…" Sylvaine murmured, her eyes wide with awe as she approached it. "It's ancient. I can feel the magic within it, old and powerful."
Alex felt it too, a deep, pulsing energy that seemed to resonate with the light within him. The tree was more than just a living thing—it was a beacon, a conduit for the light, and as he reached out to touch the bark, he felt a surge of power flow through him.
"The light is strong here," Jenna said softly, her voice filled with reverence. "But there's something else… something hidden."
Elara nodded, her expression thoughtful as she studied the tree. "It's like the tree is guarding something, or maybe… showing us something."
Before Alex could respond, the light within him flared brightly, and the world around him seemed to shift and blur. The forest faded away, replaced by a vision—a vision so vivid it felt as though he had been transported to another time and place.
He found himself standing on a vast battlefield, the ground scorched and blackened, the sky filled with thick, dark clouds. The air was heavy with the stench of smoke and blood, and the sounds of battle echoed all around him—clashing swords, shouts of anger and pain, the roar of flames as they consumed everything in their path.
In the midst of the chaos, Alex saw a figure—a warrior, clad in armor that glowed with a soft, golden light. The warrior moved with grace and precision, their sword cutting through the darkness with each strike. But despite their strength, there was a sense of desperation in their movements, a feeling that they were fighting a losing battle.
As Alex watched, the warrior was surrounded by a group of dark, shadowy figures. The figures moved with unnatural speed, their eyes glowing with a malevolent light. They closed in on the warrior, their weapons raised, ready to strike.
But just as the shadows were about to descend on the warrior, a blinding light erupted from within them, a light so powerful it pushed back the darkness, scattering the shadowy figures like leaves in the wind.
The light was the same light that Alex carried within him, the same power that had guided him and his team through their trials. But there was something different about it, something darker, more dangerous.
The vision shifted, and Alex saw the warrior standing alone on the battlefield, the ground littered with the bodies of the fallen. The warrior's armor was dented and stained with blood, their sword heavy in their hand. But it was their eyes that struck Alex the most—eyes filled with sorrow and pain, eyes that had seen too much.
The light within the warrior flickered and dimmed, as if the very essence of it had been drained away by the horrors of the battle. And as Alex watched, the warrior fell to their knees, the sword slipping from their grasp as they let out a cry of despair.
The vision faded, and Alex found himself back in the clearing, his heart pounding in his chest, his breath coming in ragged gasps. The light within him felt weaker, as if the vision had drained it, left it flickering like a dying flame.
"Alex!" Elara's voice broke through the haze of his thoughts, her hand on his arm, her eyes filled with concern. "Are you alright?"
He nodded slowly, trying to steady his breathing, to calm the storm of emotions that raged within him. "I… I saw something. A vision."
The others gathered around him, their expressions filled with worry and curiosity. "What did you see?" Valeria asked, her voice gentle.
Alex took a deep breath, forcing himself to focus. "I saw a warrior, a light-bearer, fighting against the darkness. But… it wasn't just any battle. It was like the light itself was being corrupted, turned into something darker, more dangerous."
Sylvaine's eyes widened in understanding. "The previous light-bearer," she said softly. "The one who fell to the darkness."
Alex nodded, his heart heavy with the realization. "I think so. They were powerful, but… they couldn't withstand the darkness. It drained them, twisted the light into something else."
Jenna's expression was filled with sorrow. "So the rumors were true. The previous light-bearer didn't just die—they were consumed by the Shadow."
The weight of the revelation settled over the group like a heavy blanket, the implications of it sinking in. If the previous light-bearer, someone so powerful, could fall to the darkness, what did that mean for them? For Alex?
"The light-bearer was strong," Seraphina said, her voice filled with determination. "But they were alone. We're not. We have each other, and that makes all the difference."
Elara nodded, her eyes filled with resolve. "We've faced so much already, and we've come through it because we've worked together, because we trust each other. The light within us is stronger when we're united."
Alex looked around at his companions, his heart swelling with gratitude and pride. They had faced so many challenges together, and they had always come through stronger for it. The light within him might have flickered in the face of the vision, but it was still there, still burning.
"We're not going to fall," Alex said, his voice steady and filled with conviction. "We're going to keep fighting, keep pushing back the darkness. The light-bearer in my vision—maybe they were alone, maybe they didn't have the support we do. But we're different. We have each other, and that's what's going to make the difference."
Sylvaine placed a hand on Alex's shoulder, her touch warm and reassuring. "You're right, Alex. The light is within all of us, and as long as we stay united, as long as we trust in that light, we can overcome anything."
The others nodded in agreement, their expressions filled with determination. The vision had shaken them, but it had also strengthened their resolve. They knew now what they were up against, the dangers that awaited them, but they also knew that they were stronger together.
As they left the clearing and continued on their journey, the sun began to set, casting long shadows across the path ahead. The light within Alex burned brightly, a beacon of hope and strength in the gathering darkness. And as they walked, he knew that no matter what lay ahead, they would face it together.
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