Mia lay flat on her back, overwhelmed by the whole series of events that happened in the past couple of weeks. Sadness, anxiety, and anger took their turn to torture her whole night. Their friends were hunted, tortured, and betrayed, both by the Vistior Army and their trusted friend, Celeste.

The dim glow of moon beams cast a gloomy shadow in her tiny bedroom. The quilt she had above her wasn’t enough to warm her in that chill night.

She buried herself deeper in the quilt at the thought of the damn quest. Part of her wanted to hide forever, but she knew she had to finish what she had started. The quests are evil and if she didn’t carry the task till the end, the quest will take what she loved the most. And what she loved the most? Certainly its Edgar, Baddie, and Oyen.

No, she will not let the evil quest took them away.

Seven days from now, she had to head back to the Temple of Destiny to receive her blessing. Seven days from now, she wouldn’t have the luxury of playing around or messing with Edgar anymore.

Seven days.

***

Seven days came too soon. Instead of her waiting for the day to come, she felt like the day itself came running to catch her.

The day Mia dreaded the most arrived on one rainy morning.

The day of the blessing has come. She jiggled by the gate of the Temple of Destiny, reluctant to enter. Edgar, Oyen, and Baddie stood by the gate, unenthusiastic with what the blessing has to offer. The long line of young man and woman chatted excitedly out the temple without caring about the cold rain. What was so good about the quest that the cold autumn rain couldn’t stop them from appearing here?

She braved her heart and marched into the temple.

The crowd stared at her as she walked past them. Faintly, she heard them cheerily discussing her. After a long walk on the cobblestones pathway, she arrived at the end of the pathway.

She gazed at the white temple standing alone in front of her. For thousands of years, the Temple of the Guardian of Destiny, also known as the Temple of Deonoa had bestowed thousands of blessings to the citizens of the Kingdom of Agrierd.

Marveled by the glorious design of the temple, Mia loitered outside the temple until an old man in a silver-white coat rushed her in. Her nose twitched at the strong incense smell gushing out from the temple as soon as the door creaked open.

A huge statue of Deonoa, the Goddess of Destiny erected at the front of the altar. Two huge fire torch was lit on each side, emitting a burning purple fire. Carving of languages and shapes she couldn’t understand carved on the stone wall. Drapes of white linen fabric stretched in the ceiling.

Another man in white and silver robe stood by the altar, smiling as if he had been expecting for her arrival.

“Come here, my child, do not fear. The Goddess will not harm you.” The old man extended his hand but Mia didn’t dare to reach. She pretended she didn’t see anything and proceeded to the altar. “Come here, my child. The old temple keeper would like to see you.”

They entered through the door on the left side of the altar. An old man sat on the carpet in the dim room. Mia barely could see his face if it wasn’t for the lantern next to him. His bones were sticking out under his flesh. His worn, sallow face was covered with deep wrinkles, a token of his old age. The dim room shrouded the old man with mystery.

“Mia, I have been expecting for you to come,” Said the temple keeper. He turned his head to her side and pointed to a space in front of him. “Sit here, Mia, my child.”

Not taking her eyes off from his cloudy gaze, Mia sat carefully on the carpet. She coughed when the temple keeper added more incense to the incense burner next to him.

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“I have been expecting your arrival,” The temple keeper spoke again. His voice was hoarse and shaky. “Tell me, Mia, are you afraid? Nervous? Do you hate the Goddess of Destiny?”

“Yes… No… I’m not sure. I don’t know what to feel.” Mia muttered.

“It happens, Mia. It happened to all of us.”

“How did you know my name?”

“Deonoa had spoken to me in my dream about a young girl who will change the course of the wind.”

“Are you not afraid of me?”

“Why?”

“I’m a sorceress.”

“I’ve seen far more terrifying things than a sorceress.”

“Like what?”

“Fellow men who fight against their destiny or failed to accomplish their quests.”

Mia shuddered at his word.

“Now, enough with this conversation. Let the Goddess of Destiny bestowed her blessing to you.”

Mia listened to the light footsteps heading to the room. Soon after, the old man appeared again. He gestured Mia to follow him outside. Mia stood up and without a word, left the room.

She trailed behind the old man as they headed to the blessing altar.

“You shall bow and respect the Goddess of Deonoa,” Said the man as he gestured her to stand in front of the stone statue of Deonoa.

Following the man’s instructions, she paid her respect to the statue out of courtesy and did everything he instructed. She closed her eyes and let her spirit took over.

Mia Giselle Dendragon, The Goddess of Destiny bestowed to you the blessing of the quest.

Stunned by the faint, sweet, and enchanting voice, she immediately opened her eyes. A strange feeling stirred inside her. Something foreign. Something she’d never expected. She felt something was missing from her heart as if her happiness was slipping away from her. Was that the mark of the quest?

She closed her eyes again, trying to understand that weird feeling.

The righteous and generous Goddess of Destiny gifted you with the Destiny Staff.

Still, with eyes closed, she spoke to the invisible goddess.

“What should I do now?” She said.

“Listen to the wind. It will tell you where to sail.”

“Umm… wind doesn’t talk to me, even if I’m a sorceress.”

“The wind travels all over the world. In the wind of change, we find our true direction.”

Mia was confused. Should she go and sat by the sea all day to listen to the wind?

Slowly, she opened her eyes.

A staff made of a wooden handle and a glowing red ruby on its top lay on the palm of the statue. As if it was calling for her, her hand reached for the staff. It was such a weird design. Was the Goddess of Deonoa so poor that she took a random wooden stick and named it the Destiny Staff?

The blessing had been received. Mia thanked the Goddess of Destiny and hurried to leave. Edgar paced outside the temple with a complicated look. The moment he saw her, he grabbed her hand and took her to the riverside.

Under the cherry tree, they sat on the grass and stared at the passing cloud. When no one was around, Edgar asked her everything in detail of what happened inside the temple. His mouth kept shut the whole time, drowned by her voice and his worries.

When the afternoon passed, Edgar teleported them back to their cottage.

***

Perhaps, Edgar had succumbed to her fate. He was back to his usual demeanors. His once abandoned working room had turned hectic with his cursing and occasional boom and explosions.

On the oak tree, Mia sat on the branches as she listened to the hushing of the wind. The werewolves shook their heads each time they walked past her. The owls hooted angrily at the presence of the unwanted stalker on their branches.

When evening came, Mia struggled once again in the kitchen as she tried to cook in the commoner’s way. Ah, she really missed the nosy pot and knife. She frowned at the deep wound she had when she accidentally cut her finger.

“Garlic!” She exclaimed. She threw a generous amount of garlic into her stew, afraid that Edgar might turn into a vampire if she kept feeding him secretly with her blood.

Darkness found its way creeping in their cottage. Suddenly remembering that the lantern won’t lit on their own, she rushed to light the lantern. Edgar came out from his working room and sat on the dining table, studying her clumsy movement. Growing impatient at the rebellious lantern who refused to be burned, he cast a spell on the skeleton chandelier and turned back the lantern into a firefly.

The firefly escaped from his grasp and flew away to chase after his freedom. Too bad for him, Oyen appeared out of nowhere and excitedly chased after the firefly and destroyed his dream. The defeated firefly lay motionless on the ground. Dead.

The ginger cat sat on the chair with an innocent look. Realizing the two pairs of eyes staring intensely at him, he asked. “WHAT?”