Chapter 9: The Truth Of The Kaelhi
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Eli exhaled slowly, his gaze flickering between the two confused teenagers sitting across from him, making the air feel much heavier than it had before.
Xander sat back in his chair, arms crossed, trying very hard not to go batshit crazy again. Iris rested her chin on her palm, eyes sharp, waiting for answers she had far too less patience for.
Eli folded his wrinkly hands on the table, brown eyes deep with something ancient and wise as almost all old people are.
"You come from a realm separate from ours," he began, voice steady, "a world untouched by the gods and their conflict. But the realm you now stand in—the Earthly Realm, Alcazar—was forged by the hands of divine beings, shaped through war, compromise, and fate."
Xander frowned, rubbing his temple. "Right. So we’re in fantasy world territory now. Got it."
"Shush, nerd." Iris nudged him with her elbow. "Let him talk."
Eli continued without reacting to Xander’s sarcasm. "Long ago, the gods discovered the Veylith Crystals, sacred jewels that drifted across existence for countless ages. They wielded their power to create the Earthly Realm, but greed overtook them. They fought for control, each believing they alone deserved its rule."
Xander raised an eyebrow boredly. "And lemme guess—someone stole the crystals?"
"Yes, wise Kaelhi." Eli nodded. "One of their own. A god now fallen. The Beast King."
Iris narrowed her eyes slightly. "What happened when he took them?"
Eli leaned back, the weight of history pressing against his words. "The gods could no longer reach him. He descended into the Earthly Realm, but in his arrogance, knowing they could be used to destroy him, he scattered them across the land. All but one crystal, which he swallowed so they will never be reunited. Allowing time to bury them beneath ruin, war, and legend."