Dorian shifted the conversation to a more personal matter. "If I don't show a Order 4 or 5 Echo talent in dream realm, I don't know what my brothers will do with me," he said, his voice tinged with worry.

"They've already started handling the major responsibilities Father left, Big brother in land ownerships and second brother in trade and commerce leaving me with no opportunity to prove myself," Dorian continued, his tone heavy with frustration.

Dorian belonged to an immensely wealthy and influential family, a status that often left him with few genuine friends.

Levi was one of the rare ones he could trust, someone with whom he could share his personal worries and frustrations.

Wealth, while a privilege, carried its own burdens, it had the power to strain relationships within families, breeding greed and mistrust if not handled with care.

Dorian knew all too well how easily the pursuit of fortune could fracture even the closest bonds.

Levi listened quietly, his gaze steady and calm. When Dorian finished, Levi spoke in a reassuring voice, "Don't stress yourself over it, Dorian."

"The walls of Zul'vharra City can't bound your future, just as they couldn't bound your father's or your brothers'. Forget about them for now. Your path is your own."

Dorian let out a short, humorless laugh, adjusting his glasses as he turned to face Levi. "You say that so easily because you're sure you'll awaken at least a Order 3 or Order 2 talent. It's in your blood, after all.

"That's why you're so calm, chilling here without a care in the world," he said, his tone a mix of envy and resignation.

Levi's expression softened, and he shook his head gently. "It's not about the level of talent, Dorian. It's about what you do with it. Even if you awaken order 1 talent, it doesn't define your worth or your potential.

"The Echo isn't just about power, it's about how you use it to protect, to inspire, and to grow."

Dorian fell silent for a moment, his gaze drifting back to the lake. The water shimmered under the sunlight, its surface reflecting the vast sky above.

Levi's words seemed to hang in the air, offering a sense of comfort, even if Dorian wasn't ready to fully accept them.

Around them, the lively atmosphere continued. The two boys who had been arguing earlier were now surrounded by a group of students, their debate having turned into a playful exchange that had everyone laughing.

The younger students, who had been nervous about the upcoming trials, seemed to have forgotten their fears, at least for the moment.

Dorian sighed, his shoulders relaxing slightly. "Maybe you're right," he said quietly, though his voice still carried a hint of doubt. "But it's hard not to feel the weight of expectations, especially when everyone around you seems to have it all figured out."

"One day, you'll watch the sun set for the last time, savor your favorite meal unknowingly for the final bite, and share a last conversation with someone you love. And the most terrifying part?" Levi paused, letting the words hang like a storm cloud. "You won't know it's the last time."

"So why let others' expectations weigh you down? Why let their judgments dictate your life? You weren't born to be a footnote in someone else's story, measured by their standards or confined by their opinions."

He paused, his voice steady but filled with quiet intensity as he turned to his closest friend, who sat burdened by worry. "You have to ask yourself one question," he said, his words cutting through the noise of doubt and fear.

If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

Dorian, who had been listening intently, leaned forward, his curiosity piqued. "What question?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Levi's gaze softened, but his words carried the weight of truth. "Ask yourself: Does what I'm doing make me feel truly alive? Not just existing, not just going through the motions but alive.

"If the answer is yes, then keep walking that path, no matter how difficult it may seem. But if the answer is no, then have the courage to change direction."

"Life is too fleeting, too fragile, to waste on anything that doesn't set your soul on fire."

Dorian sat in silence, the words settling deep within him. It wasn't about living up to the expectations of others or seeking their approval.

It was about honoring the pulse of his own heart, the quiet voice within that whispered what truly mattered. And sometimes, that meant letting go of what no longer served him, even if it meant walking away from the familiar into the unknown.

Levi leaned forward, his eyes locked onto Dorian's, sensing that the iron was hot enough to strike.

"Do you really want to solve this problem?" Levi asked, his tone uncharacteristically serious, his eyes searching Dorian's for something deeper than surface-level understanding.

Dorian blinked, caught off guard. This wasn't the Levi he knew. The Levi he was closest to was the one who never seemed to care, who floated through life with a carefree shrug, untouched by the weight of the world.

"Why not?" Dorian replied, curiosity flickering in his voice. "If you have a solution, I'd like to hear it." He studied Levi, trying to reconcile this version of his friend with the one he thought he knew so well.

It was as if a stranger had stepped into Levi's skin, someone who carried a wisdom, Dorian hadn't noticed before.

Levi leaned back, his gaze steady, almost piercing. "The problem isn't out there," he said, his voice low but firm. "It's in here."

He tapped his chest, right above his heart. "You keep looking for answers outside yourself, but the truth is, you already know what you need to do. You're just afraid to do it."

Dorian frowned, his mind racing. "Afraid of what?"

"Afraid of change," Levi said simply. "Afraid of letting go of what's familiar, even if it's holding you back. Afraid of stepping into the unknown, even if it's where you belong."

"You fear starting something new something you and your family have never done before. You fear walking a path that no one around you has walked, or ever will," Levi said, his voice steady but cutting through the air like a blade."You're afraid of being the first, of standing out, of doing something that doesn't fit into the mold everyone else has created for you."

Dorian shifted uncomfortably, the words hitting closer to home than he wanted to admit. Levi's tone was calm, but there was a fire behind his words, a quiet urgency that demanded attention.

"But here's the thing," Levi continued, his voice softening just enough to take the edge off. "The people who change the world, the ones who truly live, they're the ones who dared to step into the unknown."

"They're the ones who didn't wait for permission or approval. They just… started. Even when it scared them. Even when no one else understood."

He paused, letting the words sink in. "You can't keep waiting for someone else to show you the way, Dorian. Sometimes, you have to be the one to light the path, not just for yourself, but for everyone who comes after you. And yeah, it's terrifying. But isn't that what makes it worth doing?"

Dorian sat in silence, Levi's words echoing in his mind. For the first time, he felt the weight of his own fears, not as chains holding him back, but as a challenge waiting to be faced.

And for the first time, he wondered if maybe, just maybe, he was ready to take that first step.

For the first time, he felt a shift in their dynamic. This wasn't the carefree, indifferent Levi he had always known.

This was someone who had been paying attention, who saw more than he let on. And for the first time, Dorian wondered if he had been underestimating his friend all along.

"You're different," Dorian said finally, his voice tinged with both surprise and admiration.

Levi smirked, a hint of his old self returning. "Maybe I am. Or maybe you're just seeing me clearly for the first time." He leaned forward, his tone lighter now but still carrying an edge of truth. "The question is, are you ready to see yourself clearly too?"

Levi's words lingered in the air, a reminder that life is not a rehearsal. It is a singular, irreplaceable act, a fleeting chance to live boldly, authentically, and unapologetically.

And in the end, the only question that truly matters is the one you ask yourself:Am I alive, or am I merely existing?

"Don't let my words go in vain," Levi thought, his gaze fixed on Dorian, who sat in silence, lost in his own world. "Wake up, Dorian. Quickly. This isn't just about me. It's about all of us. What I'm stepping into, it's bigger than any one person. I don't want a puppet following me, I need you to rise, not as a follower, but as someone who stands beside me"