Night had settled over Dawnmist Village, but Arya's mind refused to rest.
He sat at the edge of one of the treehouses, gazing up at Eldoria's vast sky. Three moons hung high, their soft glow reflecting off the silver leaves. The night breeze whispered through the trees, carrying the soothing hum of the forest.
Yet, no amount of peace could quiet the storm inside him.
The Reader of Fate.
Since childhood, Arya had always seen himself as just another insignificant piece of the world. He wasn't special. He had no grand ambitions. All he ever wanted was a quiet life, free from expectations that suffocated him.
But this world—Eldoria—told a different story.
He wasn't just some lost traveler. He had a role to play.
"I don't know if I can do this…" Arya whispered to himself.
"Doubting yourself won't change anything," a cold voice came from behind him.
Arya turned. Lira stood in the doorway, leaning against the wooden frame, arms crossed.
"You're still awake?" Arya asked.
"I could ask you the same thing," Lira replied.
Arya sighed, lowering his head. "I was just… thinking."
Lira stepped forward and sat beside him, staring at the same sky.
"You don't believe in the prophecy?" she asked without looking at him.
Arya shook his head. "That's not it. I just don't know if I can be what they expect me to be."
Lira was silent for a moment before saying, "I don't believe in prophecies either."
Arya turned to her, surprised.
"But I believe in choices," Lira continued. "I believe people can decide their own fate, no matter what ancient texts say."
She looked at Arya with sharp eyes. "If you really are the Reader of Fate, then use that power to choose your own path. Don't just follow what others tell you."
Arya stared at her, taking in her words. There was something unexpected in the way she spoke—something that defied the traditions of her people.
Maybe that was what made Lira different.
Arya shifted his gaze back to the moons. "I don't know what to do next."
Lira exhaled and stood up. "Then we start with something simple."
Arya frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Elder Eltheris wants us to leave the village at dawn," Lira said. "There's someone who might be able to explain more about your power."
Arya stood as well, his surprise quickly turning into cautious curiosity. "Someone? Who?"
Lira met his gaze seriously. "A sorcerer named Elzar Kalinori."
The name meant nothing to Arya, but the way she said it told him that this was no ordinary mage.
"Where does he live?" Arya asked.
Lira turned her gaze toward the horizon, where the faint outline of mist-covered mountains loomed in the distance.
"In the Everfrost Mountains."
Arya felt his throat go dry. Even the name sounded unforgiving.
"Great," he muttered. "I barely know how to survive in this forest, and now I have to travel to a frozen mountain range?"
For the first time since they met, Lira smirked. "Don't worry, human. I'll make sure you don't die before your time."
Arya let out a quiet chuckle, but deep down, he felt something settle within him.
For the first time, he didn't feel so alone.
And with that, he knew—this adventure had only just begun.