Nat stared at the stone in his palm, its surface glowing with a soft, rhythmic pulse—like a heartbeat in sync with the world's natural energies. The faint hum it emitted resonated in his bones, stirring something ancient and unexplainable within him.
He looked up at his teammates, their eyes reflecting the same awe that gripped him. "This stone... it's not just a power source. It's something more," he said. "It awakened something inside me."
The group gathered around as Nat placed the stone on a flat rock. Its glow intensified, casting shifting shadows on their faces. "It's called a Resonance Catalyst," Nat explained, recalling what the system had whispered to him. "It amplifies our elemental connections—but it's not without risk."
Curiosity burned in their eyes.
"Let's test it," Zephyr said, unable to hide his excitement. "If it enhances affinity, I want to feel it for myself."
Nat hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
Zephyr stepped forward, touching the Catalyst with one hand. His body stiffened, and then relaxed as a wind stirred around him, lifting dust and leaves in a swirling pattern. His eyes widened. "It's like the wind is listening to me. No—responding to me. I feel... lighter. Faster."
With barely a push from his legs, Zephyr blurred forward and reappeared a dozen meters away. The others gasped.
He returned, panting lightly, the wind dying down. "Incredible. But... I felt something else. Like it was pulling energy from me."
Lyra was next. As she touched the Catalyst, her eyes briefly glowed a rich brown. The ground beneath her feet trembled, and crystals erupted from the dirt like blooming flowers. She drew her hand back, breathing heavily. "I could feel every mineral in the ground. Their shapes, their density... it was like my mind could speak to them."
Atlas went third, his fingers brushing the Catalyst cautiously. The air around him grew damp, then rippled as if underwater. He raised his hand, and a stream of water emerged from his flask, coiling like a serpent before launching into the air in a high-pressure arc. "It's not just more power. It's more precision. I can feel the flow, the resistance... even the pressure changes."
Each of them had a different experience, but the results were the same: the Catalyst unlocked a deeper layer of their affinity—one they hadn't known existed.
But the euphoria didn't last.
Zephyr sat down abruptly, sweat beading his forehead. "That took more out of me than I thought."
Lyra looked pale, her hands trembling slightly. "It's like it fed me power... but also drained me."
Atlas nodded in agreement. "I felt stronger for a moment—but now I feel like I've just fought a beast."
Nat picked up the Catalyst again, turning it in his hand. The glow dimmed slightly, as if exhausted from being used. "It's a double-edged sword," he said quietly. "The more we draw from it, the more it takes in return."
They decided to test it no further that day. Instead, they made camp and reviewed everything they knew so far. Nat, with the help of his system, tried to decipher more of the stone's origins.
Resonance Catalyst: Wind Element confirmed.
Function: Amplifies elemental affinity. Boosts perception, control, and synchronization with elemental energy.
Warning: Extended use drains stamina and spiritual energy. Risk of overexertion and elemental backlash.
Status: Dormant (Recharge Required).
That night, as the others rested, Nat stayed awake, flipping through the ancient journal they had recovered from the ruins where the stone had been found. The pages were fragile, filled with cryptic symbols and faded ink. But one passage caught his eye.
"...and thus the Catalysts were scattered by the Ancient Orders, each attuned to one of the primal elements. They are keys—not just to power, but to balance. To awaken them is to disturb the slumber of the old guardians."
The phrase sent a chill down his spine. "Old guardians?" he whispered aloud.
The next morning, he shared the journal entry with the group.
"So there are more of these stones?" Lyra asked.
Nat nodded. "According to this, there should be one for each major element—earth, fire, water, wind, lightning, and possibly others."
"And they're guarded?" Atlas said, brow furrowed.
"Seems like it. The Resonance Catalysts weren't meant to be used freely. They were hidden—sealed, maybe—to prevent their misuse."
Zephyr stood, stretching. "Then we're lucky to have found this one. But if there are more... what if others are looking for them too?"
The question lingered in the air like a storm cloud.
Neph, who had been silently observing the group from a distance, approached at last. "Power like this always attracts ambition. If we found one, others will too. And not everyone will use it wisely."
The weight of her words was not lost on anyone.
Nat clenched his fist. "We can't ignore this. If these Catalysts really unlock elemental potential... and if the wrong hands get to them first…"
"Then we need to find them," Lyra said firmly. "And protect them."
It wasn't just about strength anymore. It was about responsibility.
Later that day, as they resumed their journey deeper into the forested region, the Catalyst stored safely within Nat's ring, they began planning. Each of them would train to improve their stamina and affinity control—so that if they needed to use the stone again, they could do so without risking collapse.
They also marked locations on their map—possible ruins, elemental hotspots, and ancient sites where other Catalysts might be hidden. Nat's system marked one of them with a golden pin: Unconfirmed Fire Resonance Detected – 243 miles southeast.
Their next destination was set.
As they walked, a question echoed in Nat's mind.
Why now?
Why were the Catalysts reappearing?
The system gave him no answer—but in the back of his mind, he felt it too.
Something ancient had stirred.
And the Catalyst's call was only the beginning.