Leonelle's POV:
I walked down the hallway of the hospital, my footsteps heavy with each step. The morning breeze that flowed in from the open window was cool on my skin, offering a refreshing respite from the stale air of the hospital. I looked out the window, and I could see people moving about outside. Some were healers, while others were patients, making their way to their appointments or to their rooms.
As I neared the door of the room, I took a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves. I raised my hand and knocked lightly on the door.
"Who is it?" came a voice from inside.
"It's me," I replied. "I wanted to talk to you."
There was a moment of silence, followed by the sound of shuffling footsteps and the tap-tap-tap of a cane against the floor. The door slowly creaked open to reveal an old man with long white hair cascading down his back and a beard that reached his chest.
"What do you want?" he asked, his voice still commanding despite his age.
"I would like to discuss something with you," I replied, doing my best to keep my voice steady.
The old man gestured for me to come inside, and I stepped into the room. It was sparsely furnished, with only a bed and a small table and chair in the corner. The old man settled himself onto the chair and looked up at me expectantly.
I remained standing, not sure if I should take a seat or not.
"You can sit on the bed," he said kindly, motioning towards it.
"Thank you," I said, feeling a sense of relief as I sat down.
"So, would you tell me what you came here for?" the old man asked. "It's rare to see you looking so distressed, Leonelle. Did you come here in the hope of finding an answer to your question?"
I took a deep breath and nodded, trying to calm the nerves that had been building inside me. "You've lived for over a hundred years, old man. I believe you have knowledge that could help me with what I want to ask."
"Was my age the only reason you came to me, and not your father?" he asked, a small smile playing on his lips. "He's more knowledgeable than I am."
"Father is certainly knowledgeable, but time is the greatest factor in what I'm going to ask of you," I said, meeting his gaze. "Would you hear me out?"
The old man looked at me with a glint in his eyes. "Of course, child. I'm all ears."
I took another deep breath, this time even deeper than the last. After letting all the air out of my lungs, I finally asked, "Do you know about the power of premonition?"
The old man widened his eyes for a moment, then narrowed them once more. "The dormant power that lies within high elves," he said.
I was surprised that he knew about it, but then again, he had lived for more than a century. I hesitated for a moment before I spoke again, "My wife has this power."
To be honest, I didn't want anyone to know that Elisa had this power. But I knew that in order to change the future, I had to make preparations in the present.
"I see why you've come here, Leonelle. Your wife has had a vision that has caused you to seek me out, hasn't she?"
I didn't respond, not even with a nod. It wasn't necessary anymore.
"Well, let me guess what she has seen. Could it be the death of your son?"
Again, I remained silent. There was no need to say anything if he already knew this much.
"Fate can be cruel," he continued. "It can strike where you least expect it, and it is now targeting your son."
"Is there any way to prevent her vision from coming true?" I asked, hoping against hope that he would have an answer.
"I'm certainly old enough to know many of the world's tales, myths, and legends, but I have no idea how to change the course of fate."
My heart sank. I had hoped that I would get an answer by asking this old man, but it seemed that I was wrong.
"Fate is kind and cruel in equal measure," he went on. "It can either bring you fortune or misfortune. The thing about fate is that it cannot be changed. The same goes for reality and time. They are fixed and unchangeable. No matter how much you try to bend them to your will, nothing will change. Because fate, reality, and time were already set in stone. Accept the fact that your son is going to die, Leonelle. Nothing can change that."
The old man watched me with a pensive expression, and for a moment, I thought he was going to say something more. But he remained silent, his gaze focused on some distant point beyond the walls of the small room.
I sat there for what felt like an eternity, feeling the weight of his words settling heavily in my chest. Accept the fact that your son is going to die, he had said. But how could I accept something like that? How could I simply stand by and watch as Fate took my child away from me?
"Is there nothing we can do?" I finally asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
The old man shook his head slowly. "I'm afraid not, child. As I said, Fate cannot be changed."
"But there must be something we can do!" I exclaimed, the frustration and desperation I had been feeling for hours finally boiling over. "I can't just sit back and watch my son die! I won't!"
The old man shook his head slowly. "I'm sorry, child. I wish I could give you a different answer.
The old man's words hit me like a heavy blow. I knew that he was wise and knowledgeable, but his blunt response left me feeling helpless.
"But surely, there must be something we can do. Some way to prevent it," I said, desperation creeping into my voice.
"I understand your pain, Leonelle. But Fate cannot be altered. It is a force that is beyond our control. We can only accept it and prepare ourselves for what is to come."
I couldn't accept that. The thought of losing my son was unbearable, and I couldn't just sit back and do nothing.
"But what if we tried to change the course of events? What if we altered our actions and decisions in the present to prevent the future from happening?"
The old man sighed deeply. "I understand your desire to try and change the future, but it is not that simple. Changing one action or decision could have unforeseen consequences that could lead to an even worse outcome. The future is a fragile thing, and meddling with it is like walking on thin ice."
I sat there for a long moment, my mind racing with thoughts and emotions. The old man's words had opened up a deep well of sadness inside me, but at the same time, they had also given me a sense of clarity. Maybe there was no way to prevent my son's death, but that didn't mean that I had to give up hope entirely.
"Thank you for your time," I said, standing up from the bed. "I'll have to think about what you've said
The old man nodded, his expression sympathetic. "Take care of yourself, child," he said as I made my way towards the door. "And remember, even when the road ahead seems bleak, there is always a glimmer of hope to be found."
I left the room feeling more despondent than when I had entered. I stepped out of the small room and back into the world beyond. A world that felt somehow different now, altered by the weight of the knowledge I had gained. But I was determined to use that knowledge, to find a way to protect my son and my wife from the cruel hand of Fate.
Lost in my thoughts, I barely noticed the sound of footsteps approaching me. It wasn't until a young girl's voice broke through my haze that I looked up.
"Grandfather, I'm here!" the girl called out.
At first, I paid no attention to it, too consumed by my own worries to focus on anything else. However, something about the name that the old man had just spoken caught my attention.
"Oh, Shionne! You're here!"
"Shionne," I murmured to myself, almost in disbelief. It was the same name that my wife had mentioned in the vision she had seen. Could it be a coincidence?
With my curiosity piqued, I turned back to see the source of the voice. It was a young girl, about the same age as my son, with striking purple hair and purple eyes. She was talking with the old man, whom she had just called 'grandfather.'
I watched as the old man greeted her warmly, his face lighting up at the sight of her.
"I want you to teach me healing and barrier magic again. Can you?" she asked him.
"Of course, anything for my granddaughter," he replied with a warm smile as he ruffled her hair.
I stood there, rooted to the spot. The name Shionne had been mentioned in Elisa's vision, and now, here was a young girl with that very name.