A rhythmic knock echoed through the cozy wooden cottage, interrupting the soft crackling of the fire.

Osric opened the heavy oak door with practiced ease, revealing the village street outside. The cobblestone path was lined with vibrant flowerbeds and the thatched roofs of the neighboring homes. He had relaxed his demeanor and completely adopted the casualness of the village on the surface, but deep inside, a constant, vigilant cautiousness remained.

“May the blessings of the Hearthlord be with you,” declared Cain, standing tall in the dim glow of the moonlight.

“And may you also tend to the lush gardens if you want to be his follower,” added Osric with a playful smirk.

“I can be his follower even if I am not a famrer, alright? Don't be classist!”

“Are you his devout follower?”

“No.”

“My point exactly.”

“Enough of the nonsense, follow me,” Cain said, his eyes twinkling with excitement. “I have some good stuff to show you.”

“Lead the way.”

***

Despite the season teetering on the edge of spring and the cusp of summer, the night air had taken on a chilly and unexpected quality. The warmth of the day had given way to a cool, crisp breeze that seemed to cut through the air like a knife, sending shivers down their spines.

They both walked side by side, leaving the comforting lights of the village behind them. They moved along a winding path, framed by dense foliage and the sweet scent of wildflowers, until they reached the towering ridges that marked the beginning of the canyon.

The canyon itself was awe-inspiring, with sheer cliffs that seemed to stretch up into the sky, their craggy peaks illuminated by the ethereal light of the Snowmoon. The canyon appeared to go on forever, its depths swallowed by the darkness, creating an unfathomable abyss that spoke to the mysteries of nature.

Glucia was already there, sitting gracefully on one of the flat boulders, her gaze fixed on the brilliant tapestry of stars overhead.

“Well, you guys are late. Made me wait for quite some time,” she chided gently.

“I blame Cain. He had to pray to the Hearthlord on the way here,” Osric exclaimed, settling down beside Glucia on the boulder, looking towards the beauty of the canyon.

"Ha. Ha. Very funny," Cain retorted sarcastically as he gracefully lowered himself onto the boulder beside his friends, rummaging through his worn leather pouch. "I was slow because I was carrying these," he said, producing three delicate glass cups that caught the moonlight's reflection. "Heavy little devils, I tell you."

With a flourish, he revealed a bottle of alcohol, its liquid contents shimmering and dancing enchantingly in the silver moonlight.

"This is no ordinary brew," he said, his eyes ablaze with excitement. "This is a concoction made with crushed bluedew berries, fermented with the purest wipswater, and aged for a full decade. My father said this was a prized, limited creation of one of the council members."

“You’re about to get an earful tomorrow,” Glucia playfully warned as she carefully placed one of the elegant glasses in front of each member of their little gathering.

“Well, tomorrow is tomorrow. We have to live in the present,” Cain declared, his voice carrying the wisdom of the ages as he meticulously poured the fragrant liquid into each glass.

All three of them picked up their glasses, the moonlight casting a celestial glow around them. Their eyes met, each gaze brimming with anticipation and camaraderie.

“May Solisilva watch over our backs,” Cain said, his voice strong and resolute as he raised his glass. “I wish to make my father proud of having a son like me. I want to protect our beloved village, its inhabitants, and all that bring me joy. I yearn to find happiness in this seemingly forsaken world.”

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“May Hearthguard bless us,” Glucia added, her voice soft yet determined, as she raised her glass. “I wish to see my family pass away peacefully in their sleep, aged and content. I desire for our village to bask in prosperity, and for all its people to sleep with full bellies and wake not in fear of ravenous beasts but in the warm embrace of satisfaction.”

“May Providentia guide our futures,” Osric intoned, raising his glass as well. “I wish to explore the world beyond, to witness the boundless wonders it holds and revel in their majestic presence.”

“Cheers!”

The potent liquid burned as it made its way down their throats, eliciting twisted grimaces from each of them. Cain coughed violently, Glucia spat out the fiery concoction, while Osric was the only one who managed to maintain a semblance of composure, albeit barely.

“You’ve got quite the mouth there,” Cain remarked, attempting to suppress the lingering taste of the potent alcohol.

“Guess I'm just naturally gifted,” Osric replied nonchalantly, turning his gaze towards the vast expanse of stars above.

Glucia and Cain followed suit, their eyes drawn to the mesmerizing celestial display in the night sky.

The stars shimmered above like brilliant diamonds, casting a pale, otherworldly glow across the world below. A river of luminous light seemed to flow endlessly through the darkness, bathing the landscape below in a gentle, ethereal radiance.

“Today is the last day of our carefree youth, the final moment before we're all thrust into the chaotic world that awaits us,” Cain proclaimed, stretching out on the boulder.

Glucia nodded in agreement, “Tomorrow changes everything – for better or worse.”

“Tomorrow, we become part of something much bigger,” Osric added, his voice laced with a mixture of excitement and trepidation.

As they sat, gazing at the stars, memories of his younger days washed over Osric like a tidal wave. A time when anything seemed possible, and the future was filled with boundless opportunities.

However, having been born an orphan and fighting for survival since birth, Osric's memories of his youth were more akin to a relentless struggle. Reality had been unkind, leaving some with more while others were left wanting. Some had the chance to enjoy the gifts of youth, while others were battered by life's harsh realities and never recovered.

In a tale reminiscent of their situation, in chapter 3 of [Dances of Life], the lamb and the wolf wandered the world too, searching for the elusive Darkened Vale.

Their journey was soon hindered by a massive boulder of Reality.

“Oh, Reality, why do you stand in our way? Please move aside,” the lamb implored.

“I do not stand in the way on purpose, little one. You will naturally come upon me as soon as you try to do anything. No matter where you go, I will still be there. I am the force that keeps everyone grounded, the weight that drags down all aspirations. I am neither fair nor equal. I simply exist," the boulder replied.

“Oh, Reality, why must you be so harsh? Why can't you just let us dream and pursue our goals without getting in the way?” the lamb inquired, her voice filled with longing.

“You misunderstand me, little lamb. Reality does not crush your dreams. You must simply pick me up, for anyone who rises from the weight of Reality will find a way to transcend it,” the boulder responded sagely.

“Be cautious, little lamb. Confronting Reality means staking your very existence. If you attempt to move Reality and fail, you risk being crushed by its weight and losing your sense of self, trapped here for eternity,” the wolf cautioned gravely.

“I have made up my mind, wolf. I must face Reality one way or another,” the lamb declared, taking a determined step forward.

The lamb transformed into a young girl, her soft, fluffy white hair cascading in gentle curls that framed her delicate features.

She stood before the colossal boulder that obstructed her path, her eyes filled with unwavering resolve. Crouching down, she placed her hands on the rough, unyielding surface of the stone. She wrapped her arms around the massive rock, her muscles straining with the immense effort as she attempted to lift it from the ground.

Gradually, almost imperceptibly at first, the stone began to shift and move, as if bending to the sheer force of her will. With each passing moment, the boulder seemed to rise higher and higher, until finally, it was hoisted completely off the ground, suspended in the air by the little lamb's unwavering determination.

Beneath the crushing pressure, sweat poured from her pores, pooling at her feet and creating a miniature lake around her feet. As more sweat accumulated, the lamb's determination only grew stronger.

“You have borne my weight admirably, young one,” the boulder shrank, transforming itself into a tattoo on the lamb's back. “However, you must always carry this burden. I have become lighter, but the moment you falter, you will lose yourself. For Reality is unrelenting and unforgiving,” it explained.

The lamb's breath came in ragged gasps, her chest heaving with the effort of her monumental exertion.

“Let us depart, wolf,” she spoke between labored breaths.

The wolf merely regarded the pool of sweat the lamb had left behind. The liquid trembled as a snow-white rabbit emerged from within, its eyes wide with innocence as it surveyed its surroundings before scampering away into the world beyond.

“The pressures of Reality have taken root. Innocence vanishes as soon as the reality of life sets in. That is your innocence, little lamb – now lost, with no one left to remember,” the wolf intoned solemnly. “Innocence is but the first sacrifice in the pursuit of your answers.”

“Now let us go. We have much to witness on our journey.”

The lamb nodded, her hair swaying gracefully as they ventured forth into the unknown.