The village square was silent again.
But not out of peace — out of tension.
The woman with silver hair stood tall near Erik's doorstep, dressed in flowing azure robes, trimmed with patterns that shimmered like moonlight. Her presence felt like frost in spring — calm, but unnatural.
Her name was Seris.
Behind her stood two warriors in armor that bent light like water. Their faces were hidden, but their posture was sharp, ready.
And her eyes — pale as snow — locked onto Erik's the moment she spoke.
"Because he was seen."
Garrick stepped forward, chest rising.
"My son is not going anywhere with strangers."
Seris met his gaze, not flinching. "I understand your fear. But the mark on him calls to powers far beyond this village. If we don't move now — others will come. Not all as civil."
Mira held Erik close. "He's just a boy. He's never harmed anyone."
Seris's voice remained steady. "He won't stay a boy for long. The heavens themselves confirmed that."
Erik said nothing.But inside, he heard the soul speak.
"The Azure Order still exists…""They were the ones who hunted me last."
Erik's eyes narrowed."You know them?"
"I knew their founders.""They cloak righteousness in silk and call it justice."
He looked up at Seris.
"I'm not going anywhere until you tell me who you are. And what you want."
A flicker of respect passed through her gaze.
🏛️ Seris Speaks
"The Azure Order is one of the Five Celestial Watchtowers," she said. "We monitor divine anomalies… and contain what cannot be allowed to roam free."
She stepped closer, voice lower.
"A shard fell from the sky two nights ago. A shard that only appears when the Seal of Fate is touched. That seal… was bound to a soul that vanished a thousand years ago."
Erik stayed silent.
Seris continued, "Our records said the soul was destroyed. But then the shard responded. And your body stood in its light — untouched."
Garrick's fists tightened. "So what do you want with him? Take him? Train him? Use him?"
Seris paused.
"No. We offer him a choice."
⚖️ The Choice
"You may stay," she said, looking at Erik. "But others will come. Those who don't knock before entering. And when they do, your family will not survive the blast meant for you."
"Or…"
"You come with us. Learn. Grow. Understand what you are — and why you were found."
Mira's voice trembled. "You'd take him away from his sister? His home?"
Seris turned her head slightly. "We would protect him. And through him — protect you all."
Erik looked at Lia, clinging to his leg. Her wide eyes, her silent grip.
He knelt beside her. "If I go… will you still sing me lullabies when I visit?"
She didn't answer. But she hugged him tighter.
"You don't have to go,"the soul whispered."I can protect this village — for a time."
"But it won't last," Erik replied inwardly."They'll keep coming. And every time, someone here will be in danger."
He stood up.
"I'll go."
Mira gasped. Garrick's face dropped.
"I don't want to," Erik continued, "but I need to understand what I am… before someone else decides it for me."
🏚️ Goodbyes
That night was quiet.
Too quiet.
Erik packed little — a few clothes, a wooden carving Lia made, and a journal Mira had written in when he was a baby.
His father said little, but placed a hand on his shoulder. "Whatever you become," he said softly, "don't forget how to plant."
His mother kissed his forehead again and again. "You'll always have a place here, no matter what they say about you out there."
And Lia?
She handed him her doll. "She keeps away bad dreams," she said. "Even the ones that talk."
He took it gently.
"You have a strong soul,"the voice inside said."Maybe stronger than mine ever was."
🛡️ Departure
Just before dawn, Erik stood beside Seris near the edge of the village.
No one else dared come.But in the distance, eyes watched from windows. Some in fear. Some in awe.
Seris turned to Erik.
"You're brave," she said.
"I'm curious," he replied. "There's a difference."
She smiled faintly. "You'll fit in."
The two armored warriors drew sigils in the air — ancient symbols that bent the space around them. A circle formed beneath their feet, swirling with mist and silver light.
Just before they stepped into the portal, Erik glanced back one last time.
Lia stood by the fence, waving with both hands.
He smiled.
And vanished.
🌫️ Elsewhere…
In a forest far beyond known maps, beneath a sky that never fully turned day — a figure in rags stepped barefoot through the mud.
His eyes were blind. His lips sealed by stitches.
But he felt it.
The soul.
He turned north, grinning with broken teeth.
"The heir has moved,"he mumbled through sealed lips."And now the hunt begins."
To be continued…