Kael stood motionless in the vast field, the weight of his recent battles and the looming presence of the gods pressing heavily on his mind. His thoughts, however, were not on the celestial beings watching from the shadows or the power he'd just unlocked. He couldn't shake the feeling of longing that had suddenly gripped him.
He remembered his old home—the small village he'd grown up in. The place where his journey had first begun, before the Dungeon had claimed his life, before the Rift had even been a glimmer in his soul's eyes.
The village had been peaceful, a simple, quiet life surrounded by fields and forests, before the call of adventure had taken him beyond the borders of his home. But that life seemed so far away now, so distant, as though it belonged to someone else. Yet, Kael felt a deep ache in his chest—a yearning for the familiar faces, the warmth of his family, the simplicity of his former life.
He closed his eyes, his breath steadying as his hand brushed over the Riftblade at his side. He had crossed through unimaginable trials, wielded power that could shatter worlds, and even clashed with cosmic entities. But still, the pull of home called to him.
He would go back.
With a steady breath, Kael activated Echo Step.
The world around him blurred, the ground beneath his feet fading as he became a blur of motion. Echo Step was a technique he had perfected over his time in the Dungeon, a skill that allowed him to move through space in a fleeting moment, bending reality to his will. It was as if he could leap between echoes of time itself, moving faster than the eye could see.
In a heartbeat, the world around him shifted.
Kael felt the familiar hum of energy pulse around him, the connection between the Riftblade and his body flowing as he entered the momentary shadow between realms. He felt time slip through his fingers as he passed through the void, his senses stretching beyond the physical world.
And then, with a sudden jolt, he arrived.
Kael's boots hit the dirt road with a soft thud as the sound of birds chirped overhead. The scent of fresh earth and wildflowers filled the air, and the sun shone warmly across the horizon, casting long shadows over the fields. He blinked, taking in the familiar landscape—the rolling hills, the wooden homes dotting the outskirts of the village, the distant forest that he had once wandered through as a child.
He was back.
The village looked unchanged, as if the passage of time had not dared to touch it. The streets were quiet, save for the gentle rustling of leaves in the wind and the occasional sound of a door opening and closing. He could hear the laughter of children in the distance, running across the cobblestones. The smell of freshly baked bread wafted from a nearby bakery.
Kael's heart skipped a beat. This was home. His old home. It seemed like a dream, the peace, the warmth—everything he had lost when the Dungeon had claimed him.
But as his gaze shifted, his eyes fell upon the well-worn path leading to his house, nestled at the edge of the village. His heart tightened. He hadn't seen it in so long, hadn't stepped foot in that place since he had left to pursue the mysteries of the Dungeon.
His feet carried him forward before his mind could catch up, his movements automatic. The houses he passed were familiar—old friends and neighbors he had once known. But they were not the faces he sought. His thoughts were drawn to his family. His parents. His sister.
Kael had not expected to feel this way, not after everything he had accomplished. His strength, his power, it all seemed so trivial in the face of this. The world-changing power he had unlocked felt insignificant compared to the simple love of family.
As he reached his old home, Kael hesitated. He stood before the door, his hand resting on the wooden frame, his breath caught in his throat. For a moment, he thought about everything that had led him here—the Dungeon, the power, the trials. Everything had changed, but this place, this world, had stayed the same.
His hand gently pushed open the door.
The familiar creak of the hinges greeted him, and he stepped inside. The house smelled faintly of wood and herbs, the same scent it always had. The stone hearth, still warm with the remnants of a fire from earlier in the day, sat at the center of the room. The table, set for dinner, was still in the same place it had always been.
And there they were.
His mother, standing by the hearth, stirring a pot of stew. His father, sitting at the table, reading a book. And there, by the window, his younger sister, sitting quietly with a basket of flowers in her lap.
Kael's throat tightened as his heart swelled. They were here. They were alive. And yet, despite the peace that washed over him, something felt off. It was as though they were frozen in time, caught in a moment that could not be changed.
His mother looked up first, her expression one of mild confusion, as if sensing something out of place. Her gaze landed on Kael, and for a heartbeat, everything seemed to stand still.
"Kael?" she said softly, her voice warm and familiar. "Is it really you?"
Kael swallowed hard, his voice caught in his throat. He had not expected this, not in the slightest. He had imagined this moment for so long, but now that he was here, he didn't know what to say.
His father and sister turned, their eyes locking onto him as well, the same expression of surprise mirrored on their faces.
"I..." Kael began, his words failing him for a moment. "I came back."
His mother smiled, a soft and gentle smile that carried warmth and love. "Kael, you've returned." She moved toward him, her hands outstretched as if she couldn't quite believe he was truly there.
Kael stepped forward, his body trembling slightly as he embraced her, feeling the comforting touch of home for the first time in what seemed like an eternity. The warmth of his family, the scent of the stew, the crackling fire—it all felt so real, so alive. It was a moment he hadn't realized he'd been craving, the simple reassurance that he was still part of something greater than himself.
His sister looked at him with wide eyes, and her voice wavered. "Kael... is everything okay?"
He pulled away slightly, glancing at her. She was no longer the young girl he had left behind. She had grown, as had his father. Time had passed, even if it hadn't for him.
"I've seen... things," Kael said, his voice strained. "Done things I never thought possible. But I came back to you. To where it all started."
For a moment, Kael let himself forget the weight of the world he had just conquered, the gods that were watching from above, the forces that sought to control the future of all realms. In this moment, in the warmth of his family's embrace, he allowed himself to simply be Kael again—the boy who had once dreamed of adventure, the son who had left home only to return changed.
But as he stood there, in the heart of his old home, Kael could feel the ripple of power still surging through him, the Riftblade still pulsing at his side. He knew that this peace, this moment, was fleeting.
The world was shifting again. And no matter how much he longed for the simplicity of this place, Kael knew that his journey had only just begun.
End of Chapter 12