The Guardian’s Call

*(Lena's Point of View)*

The tunnel seemed narrower with every step, as if the walls were closing in on me. But it wasn’t the space that suffocated me—it was the weight of the decision. Being the chosen one meant carrying a responsibility I never asked for. And yet, a part of me couldn’t ignore the call that seemed to grow within my chest.

That’s when everything changed.

As we walked, a sudden pain slashed through my head like a blade, and my legs buckled. The world around me dissolved, and I fell to my knees, losing control of my body.

“Lena!” Kael rushed toward me, but his voice sounded distant, as if it was being pulled into a place beyond time and space.

Then, the vision began.

The world stretched and shifted before my eyes, and suddenly, I was in another place. A vast, desolate field, with gray skies and gnarled trees whispering ancient secrets. In the center of that field, a tower rose alone—a monolith of black stone, with symbols glowing on its surface like a map of stars.

The Guardian was there. He wasn’t a physical figure but an immense, ethereal presence made of light and shadow. His voice reverberated through the space, deep and powerful, like the echo of a thousand eras.

— “The time has come, Lena.”

— “Time for what?” My voice sounded small before him.

— “To accept what you are.”

In the blink of an eye, I found myself inside the tower. There were winding corridors and chambers filled with ancient objects, but one door stood out at the end of the main hall. Behind it, I sensed a power immense, wild, and pulsating, waiting for me.

— “You must open this door.” The Guardian’s voice echoed throughout the space. — “There, you will find what you seek. But the path to it is dangerous. You must decide if you are willing to face it.”

Suddenly, the vision shifted again. I saw Kael fighting by my side, his body covered in scars, yet his eyes still burned with determination. I saw Mia clutching Lily tightly, trying to protect the girl as sinister shadows surrounded them. Danger was everywhere, and at the center of it all—me.

With my hands outstretched, a golden energy surrounded my body, and I finally understood what it meant to be the chosen one.

— “You are the link between the past and the future.”

The tower reappeared for a brief moment, then shattered into pieces like glass, and the vision ended. Darkness gave way to the tunnel once more, and I awoke with a gasp, trembling from the intensity of what I had seen.

I opened my eyes, gasping for breath. Kael and Mia knelt beside me, their faces full of concern.

“Lena, what happened?” Kael asked, gripping my arm to steady me.

“I…” My voice faltered, and I took a moment to catch my breath. “I had a vision.”

Mia frowned. “Of what?”

“A tower,” I replied. “A black stone tower. The Guardian was there. He wants me to go to it.”

Kael narrowed his eyes. “Do you know where this tower is?”

I closed my eyes for a moment, and the answer came to me clearly. The Guardian had imprinted the location in the vision.

“Yes,” I said. “I know exactly where we need to go.”

Mia exchanged a worried glance with Kael. “Is it safe?”

“No.” Nothing in this world was safe. “But we don’t have a choice.”

Kael nodded, his expression grim. “Then we’ll go to this tower.”

We gathered our supplies in silence, each of us lost in our own thoughts. As we moved forward, I noticed a change within myself. The Guardian’s presence lingered in my mind, like a flame burning softly in the dark. For the first time, I felt something new stirring within me—power.

It wasn’t just a sense of purpose; it was a force waiting to be unlocked, a potential I hadn’t known I possessed. I could feel it humming under my skin, as if the vision had awakened something ancient.

Mia gave me a questioning look but said nothing, perhaps sensing the shift. Kael, too, walked closer to me, as if instinctively aware that I was different now. I wasn’t just Lena anymore. I was becoming something more—something the Guardian had foreseen.

The tower awaited, but I knew the journey wouldn’t be easy. The vision had shown me glimpses of the dangers ahead, and I understood that once we reached the tower, there would be no turning back. The path was set, and I had to walk it, no matter the cost.

I looked at Kael and Mia, realizing that they were trusting me to lead them into the unknown. The weight of that trust settled heavily on my shoulders, but this time, I felt ready. Whatever awaited us at the tower, I would face it.

The Guardian’s words echoed in my mind once more.