The camp was alive with restless energy as Lior and Elyra waited beneath the twilight sky. One by one, the companions arrived, their footsteps soft but purposeful on the worn stone path.
First came Mira, her eyes sparkling with mischief and hidden worries, carrying a satchel heavy with arcane trinkets. She offered a quick, teasing smile to Lior but said little.
Kaelen followed, silent as always, his bow slung low and his gaze sharp, scanning the horizon even in the dim light. His presence was steady but distant, like a shadow moving at the edge of a fire's glow.
Sylvi came last, her gentle demeanor contrasting with the tension in the air. She set down her herbs and potions, glancing nervously between the others.
Lior rose to greet them, the Celestial Code thrumming beneath his skin like a silent heartbeat. "We're all here," he said quietly. "The journey ahead won't be easy."
Elyra stepped forward, voice steady and commanding. "Each of you carries a fragment—memories, power, secrets. Together, we can unlock the strength to heal these shattered isles."
Mira's smile faded slightly. "And if we fail?"
Kaelen's eyes met hers, cold and unwavering. "Then we die trying."
A heavy silence fell, broken only by the crackling fire.
Lior felt the weight of their gazes, the unspoken doubts and hopes swirling like storm clouds above them. Bonds would be tested. Trust would be earned—or broken.
Yet, in this fragile gathering, the first spark of unity flickered. They were fragments themselves—broken pieces forced together by fate and the Celestial Code.
And only together could they hope to rewrite their world's fractured fate.