The night was a merciless expanse of silence, stretching endlessly as I lay on the thin mattress, staring at the cracked ceiling of my room. Sleep didn't come—it couldn't. Every time I closed my eyes, the weight of Veylara's words from the past few days pressed down on me, cold and suffocating. The flickering candle on the desk had burned out hours ago, leaving the room bathed in shadows broken only by the faint silver light of the moon filtering through the window. I sat up, running a hand through my tangled hair, my chest heavy with exhaustion but my mind refusing to quiet. My thoughts churned in an endless loop, replaying every cryptic hint, every chilling promise Veylara had whispered. She was always there, her voice slipping through the cracks in my resolve like smoke, impossible to ignore. The first faint glow of dawn began to seep through the curtains, painting the room in a muted palette of gray and gold. The air felt heavy, the weight of an unspoken presence filling the space around me. I didn't need to see her to know she was there—watching, waiting.
"You didn't sleep," Veylara's voice finally broke the silence, soft and cold, yet laced with a hint of amusement. Her presence drifted through my mind like a shadow, her tone as hauntingly familiar as ever. "No," I muttered, my voice rough with fatigue. "Not that you'd let me, anyway."
"Oh, darling," she cooed, her tone almost pitying. "Don't blame me for your restless mind. You've been carrying those doubts long before I entered your life." I clenched my fists, staring down at the floor. "What do you want, Veylara? Why are you always here?" The air in the room grew colder, her presence settling more firmly around me. "Because I am a part of you now, Noctis. Our pact bound us together, remember? You called for me in your time of need, and I answered. You needed strength, purpose, guidance—and I gave it to you."
"And at what cost?" I asked bitterly, my voice trembling. "What have I lost because of you?"
She was silent for a moment, her golden eyes faintly visible in the shadowed corner of the room. "You haven't lost anything you weren't already willing to sacrifice," she said finally, her voice low and unwavering. "The truth, Noctis, is that the path you're on was always meant for you. I simply helped you see it." I stood abruptly, pacing the room as frustration bubbled under my skin. "Then tell me, Veylara. Stop with the riddles and cryptic nonsense. What is this path? What do you want from me?" Her laughter was soft, almost mournful, as if she pitied my desperation. "Your future, my dear, is not something I can simply hand to you. It's something you must claim for yourself. But I can tell you this—what lies ahead will test you in ways you can't imagine. You'll face trials that will break you, choices that will haunt you, and truths that will change everything you think you know." Her words sent a chill down my spine, but I forced myself to meet her gaze, even as her golden eyes seemed to pierce through me. "And what if I don't want this future?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. "What if I just… walk away?" Her smile was faint, barely visible beneath the veils that obscured her face. "You can try," she said, her tone almost gentle. "But the pull of destiny is a relentless force. It will find you, no matter how far you run. You were chosen for this, Noctis—not by me, but by something far greater."
I sank back onto the bed, my head in my hands as her words sank in. The weight of it all was suffocating, pressing down on me until it felt like I couldn't breathe. "Why me?" I whispered, my voice cracking. "Why not someone else?"
"Because you are unique," she said simply, her voice carrying an edge of conviction. "You have a strength, a will, and a purpose that no one else possesses. You've always felt it, haven't you? That pull? That sense that you were meant for something more? That's why you sought me out, even if you didn't realize it at the time." I swallowed hard, the truth of her words cutting deeper than I cared to admit. I had felt it—an ache, a yearning for something beyond the mundane life I had known. But now that I was on this path, I wasn't sure if it was what I wanted. "Stay at the guild today," she said suddenly, her tone shifting to one of quiet authority. "There's no need to wander aimlessly. Something is coming, Noctis, and you need to be ready for it." I looked up at her, confusion flickering across my face. "What do you mean? What's coming?"
"You'll see," she said, her voice softening into something almost tender. "Trust me, my dear. Trust that I have your best interests at heart. Stay at the guild, and let the pieces fall into place." Her presence began to fade, the air in the room growing warmer as the sunlight spilled through the window in earnest. But her words lingered, their weight pressing against my thoughts like a heavy fog. I sat there for a long time, staring at the golden light pooling on the floor, my mind a storm of questions and doubts. The truth Veylara had shared wasn't comforting—it was terrifying. But somewhere, buried beneath the fear, was a faint flicker of curiosity. Whatever was coming, I couldn't deny that a part of me wanted to see it.
The morning light crept further into the room, warming the cold stone walls and pulling me reluctantly from my thoughts. Veylara's lingering presence felt like a shadow over my shoulder, her words echoing in my mind. "Stay at the guild… something is coming." I let out a shaky breath and stood, my legs heavy as though the weight of her truths had physically settled into my muscles. The thought of wandering the bustling streets of Myra felt suffocating, so I decided to heed her cryptic warning and remain within the guild's familiar walls. I made my way downstairs to the main hall, the hum of activity growing louder with each step. The Adventurers' Guild was as lively as ever, filled with chatter, the clinking of mugs, and the occasional argument over contracts. Yet, despite the noise, I felt oddly detached, like I was watching the world through a fogged window. Alaria spotted me as soon as I entered, her emerald eyes lighting up with a mischievous glint. She was seated at a table near the quest board, idly spinning one of her daggers between her fingers. Her crimson hair caught the sunlight streaming through the high windows, and she waved me over with a grin.
"There you are, sleepyhead!" she called out, her voice cutting through the din. "Took you long enough to drag yourself out of that room." I forced a smile and made my way over, dropping into the seat across from her. "Morning, Alaria." She raised an eyebrow, leaning forward with her chin propped on her hand. "You look like death warmed over. What's going on in that broody head of yours?"
"Nothing," I said too quickly, glancing away. "Just didn't sleep well." Her grin faltered slightly, and she studied me with a rare seriousness. "You've been off ever since the lake. Is this about that… thing we saw? If it is, you can just say so. No shame in being freaked out. I mean, that thing was—"
"It's not about the lake," I interrupted, shaking my head. "It's… complicated." She huffed, crossing her arms. "Everything's complicated with you, Noctis. One of these days, you're going to have to actually let someone in, you know?" Her words stung more than I wanted to admit, but I didn't respond. How could I explain what was really going on? That I had a shadowy, otherworldly presence bound to me, whispering cryptic warnings and impossible truths? She wouldn't understand—no one would. The silence between us grew awkward, and Alaria shifted in her seat, clearly uncomfortable. "Well, if you're not gonna talk, at least keep me company. The guild's a circus today." She gestured toward the crowded hall with a flick of her dagger. "Look at these idiots fighting over copper-level quests like it's a royal treasure."
I nodded absently, my gaze drifting toward the quest board, though I wasn't really seeing it. My thoughts were miles away, tangled in Veylara's warnings and the unease they stirred in me. Hours passed in a blur of idle chatter and the constant hum of the guild around us. Alaria eventually left to haggle with a merchant at one of the side stalls, leaving me alone at the table. I rested my head in my hands, trying to push away the suffocating sense of anticipation that had been building all morning.
"Patience, my dear," Veylara's voice whispered, smooth and haunting. "The waiting is part of the test. You're wondering what's coming, aren't you?"
"Yes," I muttered under my breath, my jaw tightening. "And I'm sick of guessing." Her laugh was soft and almost indulgent, like a mother amused by a child's impatience. "All in due time, Noctis. But tell me—how does it feel to sit here, surrounded by so many people, yet still feel completely alone?" I tensed, her words hitting a nerve. "What are you trying to do?" I whispered, my voice sharp but low. "Break me down?"
"I don't need to break you, darling," she said, her tone turning almost pitying. "You're already broken. I'm just here to help you see the truth of it." Her words sent a chill through me, and I clenched my fists under the table, struggling to keep my composure. "What truth?"
"That the world will always ask more of you than you can give. That the people you care about will never truly understand you. And that, in the end, I am the only one who will remain by your side." I closed my eyes, trying to block her out, but her presence pressed against my thoughts like a heavy weight. "I don't believe that," I said through gritted teeth. "I have people who care about me."
"Do you?" she asked, her voice laced with quiet mockery. "Or are they just clinging to the version of you that fits their needs? What happens when you can no longer meet their expectations? When your choices drive them away?" I didn't answer. I couldn't. Her words cut too deeply, striking at fears I had tried to bury. Was she right? Was I destined to be alone, even among those I called friends? The thought was suffocating. Before I could respond, a sharp rap on the table jolted me from my thoughts. I looked up to see Alaria standing over me, her hands on her hips and a frown on her face. "Are you talking to yourself again?" she asked, her tone half-teasing but with a note of concern. "Seriously, Noctis, you're going to scare people if you keep doing that." I forced a weak smile, shaking my head. "Just thinking out loud."
"Well, stop thinking so hard," she said, dropping into the seat across from me. "You're gonna burn yourself out before we even take another quest." I nodded absently, her words barely registering. My thoughts were still tangled in Veylara's warnings, the weight of her presence lingering like a shadow over my shoulder. And as the day stretched on, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was coming—something that would change everything.