The sun was dipping below the horizon, casting a fading light over the old ruins. Ashar sat on a broken stone wall, his gaze drifting across the treeline, where shadows stretched long and dark into the forest. Kaelen's abrupt departure was still fresh in his mind, a hollow ache settling in his chest. Without Kaelen's guidance, the world suddenly felt a lot more dangerous and a lot less certain.

Elara was nearby, pulling up tufts of moss absentmindedly, her brows furrowed in quiet thought. She glanced over at Ashar and sighed, as if the weight of their circumstances was finally catching up to her.

"Do you think he left because of us?" she asked, her voice soft and hesitant.

Ashar shook his head.

"I don't think so," he replied, though his voice was unsure. "But it feels like he was in a hurry, like there's something he didn't tell us."

Elara gave a rueful laugh.

"Everything about him is a mystery, isn't it? One day he's training us, the next… he's gone. And we're here, trying to figure this all out on our own."

Ashar's gaze fell to the mark on his arm, its shadowy lines still faintly pulsing. Since Kaelen had left, it felt like the shadows had become more intense, whispering at the edge of his mind. He didn't know if he was truly in control, or if he was just holding back something far more powerful than he understood.

"Without him, I don't even know where to start," Ashar admitted.

"There's so much I don't understand. These marks… they feel like they're more than just power. Like they're… alive."

Elara nodded, tracing her own mark with a thoughtful expression.

"I feel it too. Sometimes it feels like the abilities are just the beginning, like there's something deeper beneath the surface."

Silence settled between them, and Ashar found himself glancing toward the forest again, feeling that same eerie unease he'd had since Kaelen left. The darkness felt heavier, almost watchful, as if something unseen was lurking just beyond their reach.

"We should keep training,"

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Elara said, her voice steady with newfound resolve.

"Kaelen might not be here, but we still have to get stronger. He wouldn't have left if he didn't think we could handle it."

Ashar nodded. "I know. But where do we even begin?"

Elara looked around, her gaze falling to the clearing's edge, where old, crumbling statues stood silent and imposing, reminders of a long-forgotten past.

"Here, I guess. There's nothing stopping us from pushing our abilities."

Ashar felt the weight of her words. Without Kaelen's guidance, it was up to them to explore and understand their powers. And the truth was, they had little idea what they might be up against. The Seekers weren't their only enemies; he could feel it in the way the shadows stirred around him, as if hinting at greater threats waiting in the dark.

"We don't even know the full extent of what these marks mean," Ashar muttered, clenching his fists.

"For all we know, they're leading us into more danger."

Elara placed a hand on his shoulder, her gaze steady.

"We'll figure it out. One step at a time."

They both fell silent again, each lost in their own thoughts. Ashar could feel the shadows tugging at him, an urge to explore his powers more deeply. For all the uncertainty, the power inside him felt more alive than ever—like it was waiting for him to take control.

After a few more moments, he stood, flexing his fingers as he focused on the mark. "I think… I need to try something."

Elara watched him with a curious, slightly wary expression.

"You sure about that?"

He gave a small nod.

"I think so. I have to start somewhere, right?"

Stepping into a darker corner of the ruins, Ashar focused on his mark. It pulsed softly under his skin, as though reacting to his intent. He whispered the name of the ability he'd come to understand recently:

"Veil Shift."

A dark ripple passed over his vision, and the shadows around him thickened. He reached out, feeling the pull of the shadows, and in a sudden rush, he vanished—only to reappear a few steps away, his vision clearing as he solidified back into himself.

Elara's eyes widened, and she stepped back, looking both startled and impressed.

"You… you just teleported."

Ashar grinned, a hint of pride breaking through his usual unease.

"Looks like it worked."

But as he steadied himself, the shadows continued to pulse around him, whispering of possibilities he hadn't yet explored. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was just scratching the surface, that there were depths to this power he hadn't yet touched.

Elara seemed to sense his hesitation.

"You're in control, Ashar. These powers chose you for a reason. You just have to trust yourself."

Her words were reassuring, but he couldn't ignore the lingering dread gnawing at him. This power was intoxicating, and with it came a responsibility he wasn't sure he was ready to bear. Still, he nodded, doing his best to keep his doubts hidden.

They sat together in the ruins for a while longer, sharing stories of their training, laughing softly at memories of Kaelen's gruff advice. But as the stars emerged overhead and the quiet settled over them, both knew that the path forward would be far from simple.

For now, they had no choice but to keep moving, to keep training, and to trust that they would find their way through the dark, together.