The library was cold and dim, the scent of old parchment and ink hanging in the air. Dorothy and Mark sat cross-legged on the floor, surrounded by stacks of heavy, dust-covered tomes. For days, they had combed through the orphanage's neglected archives, searching for answers about the "Celestial Eye" and the mysterious power tied to Dorothy.
Mark rubbed his eyes, groaning. "How much longer are we going to do this? My head feels like it's full of cobwebs."
Dorothy didn't look up from the crumbling pages of the book she was reading. "As long as it takes. I can't keep walking around blind about what I am, Mark. You saw what happened last time."
Mark sighed but kept flipping through the thick volume in his lap. "Fine. But if I see one more dusty, unreadable—" He stopped, his eyes widening. "Wait. Dorothy, look at this!"
Dorothy scrambled over, peering at the aged page Mark held out. The text was faded, but the words were legible enough:
"In the heart of the Whispering Forest lies a forgotten shrine. Beneath its stone, the secrets of the celestials slumber, waiting for one with the eye to awaken them."
Dorothy's heart raced. "A shrine… it's real," she whispered, tracing the words with trembling fingers.
Mark grinned, his exhaustion forgotten. "Looks like we've got our next adventure."
The sun was just breaking over the horizon as Dorothy and Mark slipped out of the orphanage the next morning. Armed with nothing but a map scrawled on a scrap of parchment and a few supplies hastily stuffed into Mark's satchel, they made their way into the Whispering Forest.
The trees loomed tall and ancient, their gnarled branches casting long shadows over the forest floor. Every step seemed to carry them deeper into an otherworldly silence, broken only by the occasional rustle of leaves.
"This place is… unsettling," Mark muttered, glancing over his shoulder.
Dorothy's left eye shimmered faintly, its faint glow revealing paths and markings hidden to ordinary sight. "Keep moving," she urged. "We're close. I can feel it."
Hours passed before they found themselves in a clearing. At its center stood a weathered stone altar, partially overgrown with moss. The air around it seemed to hum faintly, charged with a strange energy.
"This has to be it," Dorothy said, stepping forward.
But before she could reach the altar, a figure emerged from the shadows.
Dorothy and Mark froze as a tall man stepped into the clearing, his movements as smooth and deliberate as a predator stalking its prey. He wore a leather coat lined with silver accents, a bow slung over his shoulder and twin daggers at his sides. His piercing green eyes locked onto Dorothy, narrowing as they flicked to her glowing left eye.
"So," he said, his voice calm but sharp, "you're the one with the Celestial Eye."
Dorothy instinctively stepped back, her hand tightening around Mark's arm. "Who are you?" she demanded.
The man tilted his head slightly, a faint smirk playing at his lips. "Arden," he said. "Celestial Hunter."
Mark's voice shook as he whispered, "Hunter? That doesn't sound friendly."
"I'm not here to harm you," Arden said, though his tone carried a warning. "But stepping into this forest wasn't a wise move, girl. The shrine you seek isn't just a place of knowledge—it's a gateway to power. And power always comes with a price."
Dorothy swallowed hard but stood her ground. "I don't care about power. I just want answers about what I am."
Arden studied her for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then he gestured to the altar. "The shrine holds those answers. But it's guarded. If you want to unlock its secrets, you'll need to prove yourself worthy."
Mark looked between Dorothy and Arden, his voice rising. "Worthy? What does that mean?
She's already gone through enough!"
Arden's gaze shifted to Mark, sharp and unyielding. "The celestial forces don't care about what you've been through. They care about what you're capable of."
Dorothy's heart pounded, but she met Arden's eyes with a steady determination. "What do I have to do?"
A shadow of approval flickered in Arden's expression. "Follow me," he said, turning and disappearing into the forest.
Dorothy and Mark exchanged a nervous glance before hurrying after him. Whatever awaited them at the shrine, Dorothy knew there was no turning back now.
After Arden had led them through the forest and safely dropped Mark off at the orphanage, Dorothy felt a strange emptiness. Mark's absence left a heavy weight in the air.
Arden, seeing her hesitation, gave a curt nod. "You'll be fine. It's time for your training." Without waiting for a response, he turned and disappeared back into the trees.
Dorothy watched him go, then began to walk back alone. Her thoughts tangled with uncertainty, but before she could steady herself, her foot caught on a hidden root.
The world spun as she stumbled, her vision blurring at the edges. She tried to steady herself, but the dizziness was overwhelming. With a sharp gasp, she collapsed to the forest floor, the pressure of the moment too much for her to handle. Her chest tightened, and her breath became shallow as darkness began to cloud her vision.
Before she could call out or regain control, her world went black.
END OF CHAPTER