The air was thick with anticipation as Kain followed the mysterious woman through the dense forest. The fire he'd left behind now only a faint memory in the distance, they moved in silence, the only sounds the crunch of leaves beneath their feet and the distant calls of nocturnal creatures. Kain's thoughts swirled as he walked, unsure of what to expect, yet unable to shake the feeling that this moment, this encounter, was a turning point in his life—a crossroad where every decision from here on would have irreversible consequences.
The woman led him through the trees with ease, as if she knew the forest like the back of her hand, her movements fluid and purposeful. She walked as though she had no fear of the dark, no concern for what lay ahead. Kain, however, couldn't shake the unease gnawing at him. The words she had spoken echoed in his mind: The Luck is a curse. And those who do not learn to wield it will become lost to it.
Was that what had happened to those shadowy figures? Had they failed? Were they now lost, consumed by the Luck they sought to control?
He glanced at the woman ahead of him, but her face remained unreadable, her expression a mask of calm that revealed nothing of her true thoughts. She had claimed to understand the Luck, to know what it meant to wield it. But Kain could not shake the suspicion that she was hiding something. Still, for all the uncertainty, there was an undeniable sense of trust that tugged at him. He had no choice but to follow. The Luck had chosen him, and now he needed to understand it—to truly control it—before it controlled him.
After what felt like hours of walking, they arrived at a clearing. The moonlight filtered through the trees, casting long, ghostly shadows across the ground. In the center of the clearing stood a stone altar, weathered by time, its surface covered in ancient runes that seemed to pulse with an otherworldly energy. Kain couldn't help but feel a sense of reverence, even awe, as he stepped closer.
The woman halted just short of the altar, her eyes focused on the stone, her expression now solemn. "This is where it begins," she said softly, her voice carrying an almost reverent tone. "The Luck doesn't simply choose anyone. It chooses those who are marked by fate—those who have a purpose in shaping the world. But to wield that power, to understand it fully, you must first recognize its true nature."
Kain's brow furrowed. "What do you mean by 'its true nature'?"
She turned to face him, her eyes piercing through the darkness. "The Luck is not just power. It is fate itself. It is the weaving of destinies, the thread that binds the world together. And yet, it is also chaos—unpredictable, uncontrollable. It does not follow the rules of men. It doesn't care for order. It simply is."
Kain felt a chill run down his spine. He had always believed that fate was something that could be shaped, controlled through willpower and action. But hearing this woman speak of the Luck as a force beyond human comprehension made him question everything he thought he knew.
"The Luck is chaos?" Kain asked, trying to grasp the concept. "How can something like that be controlled?"
The woman nodded, her face a mix of pity and understanding. "It's not about controlling it, Kain. It's about understanding it. And more importantly, it's about accepting it. You see, fate is never fully in our hands. We are all part of something larger—something that we can't always see or predict. But the Luck... it is the key to seeing that larger picture."
She gestured toward the altar, where the runes glowed faintly, responding to her presence. "This is where you begin your journey. The altar is a conduit for the Luck. It channels its power, allowing those who are chosen to touch it. But it's not just a matter of standing before it. You must open yourself to it. Let go of everything you think you know about power. The Luck will show you the truth, but only if you're willing to look."
Kain hesitated, his heart pounding in his chest. Everything about this felt so foreign, so out of his depth. He had come seeking answers, seeking control, but now it seemed as though the more he learned, the less he truly understood. The Luck was not something to be understood in the conventional sense. It was a force beyond comprehension, and the idea of surrendering to it—of accepting it—felt terrifying.
"Isn't there another way?" Kain asked, his voice betraying his doubt. "Can't I simply choose my own path? Can't I use the Luck to... change things, to make the world better?"
The woman's eyes softened, but her expression remained serious. "You are not the first to think that way. Many before you have tried to control the Luck, to bend it to their will. But the Luck does not work like that. It does not serve individuals. It serves fate. And in doing so, it shapes the world in ways no one can predict. You cannot simply make the world better. You can only guide it—and sometimes, you must be willing to let things unfold, even when they do not go as you expect."
Kain's mind was racing. The woman was right, he realized. The Luck had already proven itself to be far more than he had ever imagined. It wasn't a force that could be commanded. It wasn't a tool to be used. It was something far more ancient and powerful, something that existed beyond his understanding.
His grip on the hilt of his sword loosened, and for the first time since he had accepted the Luck, he allowed himself to truly consider her words.
"Will I... will I lose myself?" Kain asked, his voice barely a whisper. "If I accept this... if I let the Luck guide me, will I lose who I am?"
The woman's gaze softened, and she stepped closer to him. "The Luck does not erase who you are. But it will change you. It will show you parts of yourself you may not be ready to face. It will challenge you in ways you cannot predict. But it will not take you away from yourself, unless you choose to let it."
Kain stood there, the weight of her words sinking in. For the first time, he wasn't sure what he should do. But as he looked at the altar, the runes glowing softly beneath the moonlight, he knew one thing for certain—he couldn't turn back now.
"I'm ready," Kain said, the words coming more easily than he expected.
The woman nodded, a small, approving smile on her lips. "Then let the Luck reveal itself to you."
She stepped back, giving him space. Kain took a deep breath, his heart beating in his chest, and approached the altar. As he stepped closer, the runes pulsed, their light growing brighter, more intense. He reached out, his hand trembling slightly, and placed it against the stone.
The moment his skin touched the altar, a surge of power coursed through him, far more intense than anything he had felt before. It was as if the very fabric of reality was shifting around him, bending and warping. Visions flashed before his eyes—images of people, places, events, all interwoven with the threads of fate. He saw the paths that led to victory, and the ones that led to destruction. He saw lives intertwined, choices made and unmade. And at the center of it all, he saw himself—his actions, his choices, the power of the Luck, shaping the world in ways he could never have imagined.
The world blurred, and Kain felt himself being pulled into something much larger than himself. The Luck was not simply a tool to be wielded. It was a force that connected everything, a part of the very essence of life. And as he felt the power of the Luck coursing through him, he realized that the real journey had only just begun.
---
End of Chapter Ten: The Path Revealed.
---
Volume 2 continues...