Tale of Vanguard

Kaelen's heart raced as he took in the old man's response. Relief and disbelief washed over him, but it was hope that lingered, brightening the darkness that had weighed on him for so long. His mother had been bedridden for god knows how long, her health was deteriorating without any apparent cause. Now, to hear that there might be a way to help her, Kaelen would grasp at even the faintest possibility. He could feel his pulse quickening as he stammered,

"I'm sorry, old ma—Mr. Cronos. When you said a curse resides in my mother, what type of curse exactly?"

Master Cronos' wrinkled face showed a flicker of amusement at Kaelen's haste, but he masked it with a knowing gaze.

"First, young man, you will address me as Master Cronos,"

He corrected the boy with a hint of authority in his voice. He gestured toward the chair beside the bed, a signal for Kaelen to sit down. 

Kaelen hesitated before grabbing the chair and pulling it over, wondering why he suddenly felt like he was taking orders from this stranger. As he sank into the chair, he caught a glimpse of his mother lying unconscious in the bed. Her breathing was faint, and her once lively face had grown pale and gaunt. His chest tightened, and any thought of defying the old man's demand faded. 

Master Cronos settled back into his chair, his eyes were glinting like coals in the dimly lit room.

"Now, as for the curse… It's a long tale, one that starts far from here,"

He began his explanation, his voice was gravelly yet melodic, like a storyteller conjuring ancient memories.

"I come from a world known as Celestoria, a place unlike your own. There, we understand dimensions to be layers of existence, each governed by the same mystical energy known as the Aether."

"Aether?" Kaelen echoed as the word was foreign on his tongue.

"Yes,"

Master Cronos continued.

"The Aether is an energy that permeates all things. Think of it as a vast ocean, unseen, yet powerful. It links the worlds together, yours and mine. We call these links the Veils. Each Veil is like a thread binding our realms together, fragile and often invisible. Those who possess a special affinity for the Aether can sense these Veils, even pierce them, using the energy to bend reality itself. We call these individuals Seekers."

Kaelen furrowed his brow.

"You're saying… people can travel between worlds? Like, jump through dimensions?"

"In a manner of speaking,"

Master Cronos affirmed.

"However, your world—the one you know—is but a shadow compared to Celestoria. Here, the Veil is weaker, and the Aether flows like a trickle rather than a river. It is rare for a Seeker to arise in this world because the Aetheric energy is so scarce. Yet, despite that, your mother's condition suggests otherwise."

Kaelen leaned forward, a sense of urgency welling up inside him.

"What do you mean?" 

"The ailment afflicting your mother is no ordinary sickness,"

Master Cronos said solemnly.

"I believe she has fallen prey to an Aetheric Siphon."

"A Siphon?" Kaelen repeated, another unfamiliar term was hanging in the air.

Master Cronos nodded gravely.

"An Aetheric Siphon is a node where the Aether is concentrated, a place where reality itself bends and warps. In Celestoria, Seekers draw power from these Siphons to enhance their abilities. But doing so is fraught with danger. The stronger the Siphon, the more chaotic the energy becomes. Those who misuse this energy or are caught unawares can have it turn against them… or worse, it can become a parasite, latching onto their very soul."

Kaelen's mind whirled with the implications. If this Aetheric Siphon had somehow attached itself to his mother, then her ailment was not of this world.

"But... how could that happen?" he asked, voice barely above a whisper.

"Why would a Siphon target my mother? She's just… she's just a normal person."

Master Cronos exhaled slowly, his gaze distant as if reaching through the threads of time.

"There are many mysteries between our worlds, boy. Though the Aether may be weak here, it can still find conduits—people with dormant potential, whether they know it or not. It is possible that your mother's condition was triggered by an encounter with such a force."

The old man's words hung in the air, filling Kaelen with a mixture of dread and curiosity. There was a part of him that couldn't reconcile the normalcy of his life with this explanation. How could a regular woman, a single mother working hard to make ends meet, be caught up in something so… otherworldly?

Master Cronos, as if sensing Kaelen's skepticism, broke the silence.

"This brings me to the reason I came to your world,"

His tone deepening.

"I did not arrive here by chance. There is a prophecy in my world, one given to the King of Calaria himself. It foretells the rise of a power that will shake the very foundations of Celestoria. A power born from a realm beyond our own."

"What does that have to do with me?"

Kaelen asked, though a sinking feeling in his stomach already hinted at the answer.

"I believe that you, boy, may be one of the individuals foreseen by this prophecy,"

Master Cronos declared.

"If you possess even a fraction of the potential your mother harbored, then you might indeed become a Seeker yourself. And if you agree to help me, I swear that I will do everything within my power to cure your mother."

Kaelen's heart skipped a beat.

"So… you're saying if I agree to go with you, if I help you fight… whatever it is that threatens your world, then you'll save her?"

Master Cronos' eyes softened, the sternness replaced with a flicker of sympathy.

"Yes," he said simply.

"But know this: the path of a Seeker is fraught with peril. I cannot promise you safety, only that I will guide you and do all I can to aid you. In return, I ask for your word."

Kaelen turned his gaze toward his mother, her chest rising and falling weakly with each shallow breath. He couldn't remember a time when she hadn't been there for him, even when times were rough. She was his only family, the only person who mattered. If he could give her a chance—no matter how slim—to live, then there was no choice to be made.

"I'll do it," he said firmly.

"When do we leave?"

Master Cronos nodded, a hint of a smile curling his lips.

"Soon, young Seeker. Very soon. I must prepare the ritual that will open a stable passage to Celestoria. It will take a few hours. Make your farewells."

***

As Master Cronos began chanting in a language Kaelen couldn't comprehend, a dark rift formed in the middle of the room. The rift swirled with shadow and light, its surface rippling like liquid darkness. It was unsettling, yet somehow, a strange warmth seemed to emanate from it.

Kaelen felt his pulse quicken as he watched the rift grow. He glanced back at Master Cronos, who stood with his hand outstretched, channeling the Aether into the rift. The old man's face was etched with concentration, beads of sweat forming at his temples. Kaelen swallowed hard, trying to suppress the fear rising in his chest. What would happen to his life here? School, his friends… it would all be left behind.

Master Cronos noticed Kaelen's hesitation.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his voice was gruff but not unkind.

Kaelen blinked, forcing a smile.

"Yeah… I just wondered what's going to happen with school, knowing that I won't be attending for a while."

Kaelen took one last look at his mother, feeling a pang of longing and determination. With a deep breath, he turned toward the rift and stepped forward. The world around him shifted, folding like a tapestry as the veil between realms opened.