When Alice insisted we explore Thysa, I never imagined I’d end up in a weird hut on the outskirts of the city, sitting at a table covered with various trinkets that together made no sense to me. It was Alice’s father who told us to see the seer. And now, we patiently waited for him to return with a ‘spiritual’ mixture that I had to drink to proceed with the ritual. Honestly, had Alice not been behind me at that moment, I would’ve touched everything on the table. Especially the sketchy-looking rocks and smashed bones.

The seer returned to the candle-lit room, holding a cup full of oozy green liquid that smelled bitter.

“Drink this,” he said, placing it on the table in front of me. “Make sure to drink it slowly so that you can absorb the power within.”

I felt no mana coming from the cup, but I had no reason to doubt his words. Letting out a sigh, I picked up the cup and looked at the middle-aged-looking elf covered in tribal tattoos before downing the drink slowly.

Never in my life had I tasted anything as atrocious. Not only was it bitter to the point where I wanted to throw up, but it also had a strong smell that didn’t mash well. The fact that I had to drink it slowly didn’t help at all. I even resorted to pinching my nose, but it didn't do much. However, somehow I powered through it, placing the cup on the table and letting a sigh of relief escape.

“That was. . .” As soon as I was going to comment on how awful the drink was, I heard snickering as Alice tried her best not to burst into laughter. The smirk on the seer’s face only confirmed my suspicion. “Alice. I want you to be honest with me. I didn’t need to drink that, did I?”

She tried her best to hide it, but she burst into laughter after I called her out on it.

“Sorry Alex,” she said tearfully. “But the look on your face!”

I burped, making it even worse as the taste passed through me again, causing Alice to almost fall over from laughter.

“As an apology for our mischief, I shall lend you my assistance by allowing you to ask any three questions you might have.”

“Questions?”

“My gift is to commune with the world, allowing me to ask questions that could be answered with a yes or a no. However, the future, much like the present, is complicated and ever-changing, so the more complex the question is, the likelier it is for the spell to fail in predicting accurately.”

“Does that mean that questions about the present have better odds of being answered truthfully?”

“Naturally.”

“I see. . .” I said, pondering what questions I could ask while looking at Alice as she struggled to breathe once she stopped laughing.

“Would you like her to leave?” He glanced over at Alice.

Alice instantly regained her composure upon realizing she’d get kicked out, taking a deep breath before glancing at me with an apologetic look.

“It’s fine.” I chuckled. “Saves me the trouble of having to tell her what happened.”

Olvar Kelthyra, the seer, was Alice’s uncle. He was the Queen’s older brother, but due to his gift and lack of leadership skills, he passed on the throne to his younger sister, a decision no one protested.

“I’ll behave,” Alice said, letting out a swift sigh.

“Good,” Olvar said before looking back at me. “Do you have any questions in mind?”

“I do, but I need a few more clarifications if you don’t mind.”

“Ask away.”

“The power you’re using isn’t omniscient, meaning it doesn’t know what I’m thinking when asking questions. Right?”

“Correct. You should be as specific as possible, but keep in mind that only yes or no questions are allowed.”

“How often can you do this?”

“Once in a while, depending on the weight of the questions.”

“I see. . . And lastly, is there a way to defend against such a spell?”

“Defend?” He got confused for a split second. “Ah. Are you asking if someone could hide their future or identity?”

“That’s right. So if someone, let’s say Alice, asks if I’m allergic to something, could I hide that information?”

“There’s certainly spells that could do that. Why do you ask?”

“Hmm. Then it’s better not to risk it. I should stick to answers that are guaranteed.”

“Did you want to learn more about the ambush?” Alice asked.

“Yes, but considering I don’t know who it is exactly and can only guess, it’s not worth the risk.”

“I get it. A wrong answer will do a lot more harm than not asking.”

“Sorry,” I said to Olvar. “It’s a long story, but I’ll be happy to explain it if you wish.”

“We’ll leave it for another time. You should think of questions now.”

“I’m ready.”

“That was quick,” Alice commented.

“Then let us begin.”

The seer closed his eyes and hovered his hands above the table while mumbling words impossible to understand. It sounded like an ancient language spoken by a tribe. Mana gathered around us, lifting the stones in the air and spinning them erratically. His soft-spoken voice turned guttural, almost as if he was possessed.

“Ask the first question.”

“Is my family doing okay?” I gulped, nervous as to what he would say.

“Yes,” he answered, allowing me to let out a sigh of relief. Alice smiled, placing a hand on my shoulder. “Second question.”

“Did Amon, the old man that helped me form a frozen mana core, do something else to my body, such as possession?”

“No. Third question.”

“Does Alice want me to stay for the festival?”

“What?” Her eyes went wide, caught off guard by a question she’d never admit herself.

“Yes.”

The stones lifted by mana suddenly dropped to the table as the seer opened his eyes again.

“Why would you ask that?” She protested, sounding flustered.

“I already knew the answer, but seeing your reaction was well worth it,” I explained with a coy smile. “You can call us even now.”

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

“You wasted a question just for that?”

“It seems you two have quite a bit to talk about.” The seer chuckled. “However, your questions are quite peculiar. There was certainly something else you could’ve asked that would yield you a better reward. For example, will you see your family again?”

“I’ve thought about it. However, you mentioned that the answers might be wrong because the future is ever-changing. Besides, knowing won’t change anything. My questions gave me immediate results that somewhat ease my mind.”

“Still,” Alice mumbled. “You didn’t have to waste your last question on something like that.”

“You knew I would miss out on the festival if I went to find the flower, but you didn’t say anything because you don’t want to be selfish.”

“But now it doesn’t matter since I’ve indirectly admitted it.”

“That’s not how this works.” I chuckled, finding it oddly charming how defensive she was about it. “Relax.”

“My wife mentioned you’ll be looking for the Astral Moonflower.” He got up. “Wait here. I might have something that’ll help you find it.”

“I’ll wait outside. . .” Alice walked out, looking a bit down.

I began wondering if it was a bit much asking something like that right in front of her.

“Okay. . .” I mumbled, thinking of a way I could apologize.

With both of them gone, I was left alone with the stones laid out in front of me. My desire to touch them outweighed any logical reason I had to stop myself, but as soon as I reached out, I heard footsteps.

“If you want to touch them, go right ahead,” the seer said, smiling as he reentered the room, holding a lantern with blueish glass. “There’s nothing special about them.”

“Really?” I asked, placing a finger on the nearest one. Of course, nothing happened. “Well, that was boring.”

“Infusing them with mana allows me to focus on my spells. Randomly shaped objects would do the same, but I’m used to using the stones.” He placed the lantern on the table. “Here.”

“A lantern?”

“It might seem ordinary now, but it possesses quite unique magical traits.” He sat back down. “Once lit, the flame glows blue and turns white the closer you are to the Astral Moonflower. I used it often for-”

Before he could finish explaining, strong wind of unknown origin appeared within the room, snuffing out all the candles. Luckily, my vision couldn’t be impaired as I glanced back at the seer who was suddenly engulfed by mana. His eyes were open, but I couldn’t see anything other than his sclera. He grunted a few times as his voice slowly shifted back to sounding guttural.

“Within the Halls of the Forgotten, shadows lurk in the eternal darkness bound for the sin of rebelling, begging for forgiveness. Their cries fueled by the guilt of wrongdoing, quelled only by foolish hope at redemption. The evil unleashed has yet to find a way out, but when it does, it shall mark the end to all that we know.

The faceless maiden that whispers, a shadow darker than the others, is bound by golden chains that seal her soul to the pillar of power, preventing her from passing. Nothing but her memories and the source of the first arcana remain, waiting for the fated to claim.

Nobody knows how long it had been since she first whispered within the timeless prison, but her warning remained unchanged, for the one who wanders down the path shall bathe in a river of blood.”

He screamed before collapsing to his knees with his eyes back to normal. I was too shocked to do anything, but luckily Alice rushed in.

“Uncle!” She ran over, grabbing him under the arm as he regained control over his body. “What happened?”

His eyes returned to normal, but his breathing was heavy.

“I’m. . . Not sure.” I mumbled, repeating what he said over and over.

“A Prophecy,” Olvar said, holding his chest. “I must go see your father immediately.”

“You should rest first,” Alice said.

“There’s no time for that,” he argued, making her click her tongue.

“Fine.” She turned to me. “Alex, help me get him up.”

“Right. . .” I walked up to him, grabbing him by the other arm as we carried him out of the hut.

It didn’t take long for guards to approach us and take over, allowing us to sit on a nearby bench to rest and talk about what happened. She looked worried, but her uncle seemed strong enough to move on his own when we left him.

“What happened in there?”

“It’s hard to explain. It all happened so quickly.”

“Take your time.” She rested her hand on my shoulder. “I’m sure it must’ve been shocking to see.”

“It was.” I sighed, taking a deep breath. “His voice changed as well as his eyes. It’s like a demon possessed him for a moment, telling us something about the Halls of the Forgotten.”

“Do you remember what he said?” She ignored the fact that I described his prophecy as something spoken by a demon.

“I do. . .” I said, closing my eyes and recalling the scene. “He mentioned the Halls of the Forgotten and how shadows lurked in the darkness, bound for their sin. I’m certain it mentioned rebelling and how they felt guilty for their wrongdoing. They hope for redemption after they’ve unleashed an evil capable of destroying everything.” I took a deep breath, trying to gather my thoughts. “There was also a mention of a faceless maiden that whispered something about how the one who chooses to walk down the path will bathe in a river of blood. Oh! And her soul was apparently sealed away, preventing her from passing into the afterlife. Your uncle also spoke of the first arcana which was waiting for someone to take it. Happen to know anything about that?”

“No, but my parents probably will, and it seems my uncle does too since he’s rushing over to them.”

“Is your mother back?”

“I don’t believe so, but she’s arriving today. Nothing’s going according to plan.” She sighed.

“That’s not true,” I reassured her. “We still have a whole day ahead of us.”

“Yeah, but-”

“And, I wanted to apologize for what I did back at the hut. I shouldn't have asked such a question.”

“Oh, that? Don’t worry about it. I deserved it.” She shyly smirked. “But I still think you should go collect the flower. I’d help you, but I’m unable to skip out on the festival.”

“How come?”

“There’s a tradition they asked me to uphold this year, so I must stay behind. Sorry. . .”

“Can we stop apologizing to each other constantly?” I chuckled, giving her a wink.

“Sure, but only after you tell me you’re not mad for tricking you with that weird drink.”

“I’m not. What was in it anyway?”

“Not sure. I was forced to drink it as a kid when I got sick, so don’t worry. It’s actually extremely helpful for recovery, despite its horrendous taste.”

“At least that’s something.”

We both laughed it off, sitting in silence for a bit.

“I’ll see if I can get someone to help you find the flower,” Alice said eventually.

“There’s no need for that,” I reassured her.

“I’m not letting you go alone.”

“Who said I was going alone?”

“Huh?”

“You’ll be coming with me.”

“Alex. . .” She sighed, showing a meek smile. “I already told you that I can’t.”

“Yeah, now. But what about a month after the festival?”

“Huh?”

“Did I say something confusing?”

“Wait, does that mean. . .”

“That’s right. Now that I know my family is okay, I made up my mind. I’ll be staying here for a while before going back home.”

“Sweet!” Alice yelled cheerfully, genuinely happy to hear I’d be staying. Without thinking, she hugged me only to feel embarrassed seconds later as she let go. “I mean, that’s great. . .”

“I’ll still have to talk to your parents to see how long I’ll stay. I don’t want to intrude.”

“My dad is obsessed with training you, so I doubt he’d mind if you decided to move in permanently. . .” Alice sighed, feeling a bit embarrassed by her father. “Still, I have no idea what my mom will say.”

“What’s she like?”

“I’ll leave it a mystery. You’ll meet her today anyway. So, does that mean you’ll be going to the festival?”

“Of course. There’s a tradition that I can’t wait to see.”

“See? Oh, no. . . You’ll be participating.”

“Wait, what?”

“Yup! And it’ll be fun. I promise.”

“Okay,” I said meekly.

“But what about the flower? Do you really intend to wait a month longer to cure your blindness?”

“I know it sounds crazy, but now that I’m staying, I don’t feel the need to rush. Besides, I don’t want to wait a year to see the festival.”

“I’ll see if someone can collect it for you.”

“Nah. I’d rather do it with you or alone if your parents don’t let you leave Thysa.”

“I’m sure I can convince them, and if I can’t, then all we need to do is run for it.” She chuckled.

“How about we don’t get your parents to hate me,” I said, awkwardly smiling.

“Killjoy,” she teased. “Come on. Let’s go see the city.”

Chapter End.

Thank you for reading.