In a secluded forest, where the trees whispered secrets and the air was thick with the scent of earth and moss, a woman knelt beside two injured eagles. With deft hands and a gentle touch, she worked to mend their wings, one white as snow and the other as black as the night sky. Each eagle required a single feather to complete its healing, and when their wings were finally fixed, they soared away into the boundless expanse of the sky.
Meanwhile, amidst the bustling city beyond the forest's edge, Theodore Ordit, a man of towering stature and extraordinary intellect, grappled with the complexities of everyday life. Standing at an impressive height of 6'8" and possessing a mind that seemed to race ahead of the world around him, Theodore struggled to find his place in society's rigid confines.
As he marked his 23rd year and graduated from university, Theodore embarked on a quest for employment. Yet, despite his exceptional qualifications, his interviews often ended in disappointment. His mind, which processed thoughts in a manner that confounded others, proved to be both a blessing and a curse, leaving him adrift in a sea of rejection and uncertainty.
On one fateful day, Theodore found himself hurrying to catch a train, clinging to the hope of a stroke of luck in his arduous job search. Boarding the train, he embarked on a journey that would lead him through a tunnel carved into the heart of a towering mountain, emerging into a forest where a mysterious river flowed.
As the train clattered along its tracks, Theodore overheard snippets of conversation from his fellow passengers. They spoke of the river, its waters said to bestow divine blessings upon all who traversed its span. Though skeptical at first, Theodore couldn't help but feel a flicker of hope ignite within him.
However, as the days turned into weeks, and the weeks into months, Theodore's optimism waned. Rejection after rejection wore him down, casting doubt upon his faith and his place in the grand tapestry of existence.
His doubts weighed heavily upon his mind as he boarded the train once more, the echoes of his fellow passengers' conversation ringing in his ears.
Was he truly cursed, destined to suffer while others thrived in the river's benevolent embrace?
Stepping off the train and into the gathering twilight, Theodore's thoughts turned somber. Yet, just as darkness threatened to engulf him, a call from his girlfriend pierced through the shadows, her voice a beacon of light in the encroaching gloom.
"Hey, how did the job interview go?" she inquired, her concern palpable.
Theodore sighed heavily. "As usual, no progress," he lamented, the weight of his words hanging heavily in the air.
"Don't lose heart," his girlfriend reassured him, her voice a soothing balm to his troubled soul. "Take a moment to clear your mind. Go to the terrace, listen to some music, and relax."
"What can I even do?" Theodore's frustration boiled over, his voice tinged with exasperation.
"Take a breath and calm down," his girlfriend urged gently. "You'll figure it out. Just take things one step at a time."
Realizing the wisdom in her words, Theodore nodded. "You're right," he conceded. "I need to clear my head and focus."
With a renewed sense of purpose, Theodore bid his girlfriend farewell and made his way to the terrace, the strains of music floating on the evening breeze as he sought solace in its melody.
And as the sun dipped below the horizon and the moon rose to take its place, Theodore found himself standing at the crossroads of heaven and hell, his hands outstretched in a silent plea for guidance.
In that moment, two eagles streaked across the sky, their feathers drifting into Theodore's hands as if guided by an unseen force. White and black, symbols of light and darkness, they left Theodore feeling as though he stood at the precipice of destiny, poised to embark on a journey that would forever alter the course of his life.
Chapter 1 ends