The Earth Calls

****(Point of view of Lena)**

I didn't know how much time had passed since I had fainted. When I finally opened my eyes, the sky was covered with dark, heavy clouds, as if the world was mourning something. A throbbing pain pulsed in my head, and the taste of dirt and blood still lingered in my mouth. I tried to get up, but my body felt heavy, as if it were trapped by an invisible force.

When I looked around, I realized I was alone. The battle had taken place, and the guardian... where was the guardian? The memory of his imposing presence returned with an intensity that almost made me faint again. I had tried to connect with him, to try to control him, and I had failed.

But something else was happening. A soft voice echoed in my mind, an ancestral call that seemed to come from the heart of the Earth. It was a whisper that reminded me of my role, of my connection to this place.

"You belong to us," the voice said. "The Earth is in pain, and you are the only one who can help it."

What did that mean? I had been kidnapped, used as a tool in a game I didn't fully understand. The rebel leader wanted the connection I had with the guardian, and yet, there was something deeper within me, something that could not be ignored.

I sat up, trying to clear my thoughts. The Earth was calling, but what if that meant I had to choose a side? What if I was forced to decide between my freedom and the well-being of the world I had always known?

"Kael and Thorne need me," I thought, but the voice continued to whisper. "You must choose. What is more important: your freedom or the fate of this Earth?"

I hesitated. Somewhere within me, there was a battle between loyalty to my friends and the need to answer the call of the Earth. Fighting alongside Kael and Thorne meant risking everything, but if the Earth was truly in danger, would it be selfish of me to ignore what it was asking?

"If you do not act, everyone will suffer," the voice insisted, now stronger. "You know what you must do."

With a deep sigh, I felt determination growing within me. I needed to find a way to gather my strength and wisdom to deal with this new reality. But at the same time, I didn’t want to distance myself from Kael and Thorne. They were my anchor, my connection to what was human and familiar.

"I need to find them," I murmured, as the voice of the Earth gradually quieted, as if waiting for my decision. I got up, the pain still present, but determination overcoming my weakness. I could not let my choice become a burden, but the pressure was mounting, and the Earth was crying out for my help.

I moved forward, knowing that the fate of everyone could depend on the decision I would make.

As I got up, the pain in my body was a constant reminder of what had happened. I could still feel the waves of energy that had coursed through me, connecting me to the guardian. But now, that connection felt distant, almost like a dream fading away. I needed to find Kael and Thorne; I needed to understand what had happened to them and how the battle had ended.

The trees around me were restless, as if they were aware of what was happening. The wind whispered through the leaves, and I could almost hear the Earth calling my name, beckoning for my attention. Each step I took seemed to echo not only on the ground but also in the depths of the soil, where the pain of the Earth pulsed.

"I will find you," I promised aloud, as if my words could cross the space and reach Kael and Thorne. But solitude enveloped me, and uncertainty left me restless.

When I finally reached a clearing, I was met with a sight that made me stop in my tracks. The remnants of the battle were scattered across the ground, and the air smelled of smoke and destruction. Bodies of rebels lay strewn about, but there were also familiar figures fallen among them. The sight of the guardian, now still and covered in dust, made my heart ache. It had fought by our side, and somehow, I had failed it.

As I approached, I noticed a faint energy surrounding it, a dim light that seemed to pulse in response to my presence. I knelt beside it, feeling the need to reestablish the connection. If the Earth was in pain, perhaps the guardian was as well. And if I could restore that link, maybe I could help both it and the world itself.

Gingerly, I reached out, touching the cold, rough surface of the guardian. The energy I had felt before began to intensify, and the gentle voice resonated in my mind once more. "Feel the pain, Lena. It is a part of you now."

I closed my eyes, focusing on the vibrations of the Earth. I was not just a bystander; I was part of it all. Feeling the connection pulse between us, I realized that my choice was not just about fighting or being free. It was about accepting my role as the defender of the Earth, of the guardian, and the balance that existed between us.

"I will do this," I declared, opening my eyes and feeling a new determination. "I will restore this connection and find Kael and Thorne."

But before I could concentrate, a familiar presence interrupted me. Thorne's figure appeared at the edge of the clearing, his gaze focused and serious, but there was a concern in his expression that I had not seen before.

"Lena!" he shouted, running toward me. "Are you okay?"

And in that moment, I knew my decision was about to become even more complex. Thorne was an ally, but there was something in his expression that made me hesitate. The Earth's call still echoed in my heart, and now, before Thorne, I had to balance my loyalty to him and Kael with what the Earth was asking of me.

"Thorne, we need to talk," I said, determined. "The Earth... it needs us."