Erold stood beneath a waterfall, his features now marked by a ruggedness he had never known before. His beard had grown thick and wild, and his hair was disheveled and stiff from his relentless immersion in training; he hadn't found a single moment of leisure to groom himself. He sat under the roar of the waterfall, eyes closed, submerged in deep meditation while the water crashed violently against his broad shoulders. Time flowed around him like a flash of lightning.
Jasmin shattered the silence of nature, shouting from the top of the cliff adjacent to the waterfall, her voice struggling against the noise of the water: "Hey! Food is ready! You've been like this for two full days, and you've been training relentlessly for three months… We must move, Erold. There's a nearby village at the foot of this highland."
Erold moved slowly, as if shaking the weight of the water from his body. He muttered in a faint voice heard only by the one within him: "Arthur, you must master that technique; we will reap great benefit from it."
Arthur's reply came, his voice carrying the tone of a mocking smile: "Talk is easy, my friend, but I will try."
Erold climbed toward the top of the waterfall, where he glimpsed Utma eyeing him with a sharp look. He approached to pat his head, but the horse lunged, trying to bite him. Erold recoiled, avoiding him, then turned toward Jasmin, asking: "What have you prepared for us?"
She replied with a proud smile gracing her face: "Meat stew. I caught a rabbit by myself for the first time."
A warm smile appeared on Erold's face and he said: "Well done, Jasmin. It seems my teaching hasn't gone to waste. But, how did you know how to skin it?"
She laughed lightly, saying: "I learned that since I was young, hehehe."
Erold patted her head affectionately, repeating: "Well done."
Jasmin yawned deeply, as sleepiness began to tease her eyelids: "I won't eat, I feel full… I just need to sleep." Then she stepped into the tent, leaving Erold alone with the stillness of the night.
Erold raised his gaze toward the clear sky, where a distant star shone with a fleeting brilliance, and he smiled calmly. Suddenly, his ears caught the sound of faint footsteps approaching. His body stiffened, and his muscles tensed in preparation. He felt a hand placed on his shoulder, and in a fraction of a second, he prepared to spin and attack—but a familiar feminine voice flowed quietly: "May I join you for food?"
Erold's muscles relaxed, and his heart rate slowed as soon as he recognized the owner of the voice. He turned, smiling, and said: "Of course… Astra."
Astra sat across from Erold, and he handed her a plate of what Jasmin had prepared. She tasted it and then smiled, saying: "She is truly talented."
Astra replied in a gentle tone: "You know that I already know that… don't you?"
Erold scratched the back of his head and said: "Ah, excuse me… I forgot that the stars oversee the hidden depths of things, but I didn't expect them to know that Jasmin is a skilled cook. Isn't that somewhat strange?"
Astra laughed a pure laugh: "You're right, it is strange… I apologize for my behavior."
Erold: "No, no… don't mention it."
Suddenly, Arthur's laughter boomed inside Erold's mind, his voice manifesting as if he were rolling on the ground laughing: "Hahaha… damn it, man, are you on a romantic date or what? And with whom? The Lady of the Stars herself! Hahahaha!"
Astra laughed and turned as if addressing the air, saying with a veiled sternness: "Be polite, Arthur, or you will know the consequence of your insolence." Then she fixed her gaze on Erold's eyes, as if piercing through them to look directly at Arthur lurking in his depths. In the blink of an eye, the internal scene changed; instead of lying down laughing, Arthur found himself standing, bowing in fear and respect, and muttering: "I'm sorry… Astra."
Erold raised his eyebrows in amazement: "That's something strange… but I liked it." Then he followed up with curiosity: "Right, Astra, I want to ask you… how did you manifest in this form? Isn't your mission limited to observation?"
Astra answered while fiddling with the edge of her robe: "True… it is very rare for me to manifest; I have only done it six times throughout my existence. But, I found that I had some spare time, and I wished to walk with you for a bit. Does this bother you?"
Erold replied in surprise: "Why would it?… But what about Jasmin?"
Astra smiled reassuringly: "She is in a deep sleep, and if any danger approaches her, I will return you to her immediately, so do not worry."
Astra pulled Erold along, and they set off together through a narrow, winding path between the rocks, where the damp ground exuded the fragrance of wild, dewy herbs. When they reached the lowland, a breathtaking scene revealed itself before them:
A river ran over a wide rocky bed winding through the valley, its waters clear and sparkling like mirrors of liquid silver reflecting the full moonlight. The small waves broke gently against the smooth rocks, emitting sweet watery whispers as they teased the pebbles.
On the banks, the ground was covered with thick green grass, interspersed with yellow flowers that had bloomed specifically to welcome the stillness of the night, emitting a light scent resembling warm honey. The cold breeze sneaked between the branches, moving the flower petals slowly as if waving a welcome to the visitors.
The moon stood in the center of the sky like a pearly eye guarding the place, its silver threads flowing to pave a glowing path over the water's surface extending toward the horizon. The stars were scattered around it like silent guardians, some flashing powerfully, bringing back to Erold's memory images of constellations he had seen in his distant childhood.
Astra was walking ahead of him with lightness, her steps barely touching the ground, as if she were a part of the fabric of this night. Her hair billowed with the breezes, catching the moonlight and turning into glowing golden threads.
Erold spoke to himself, absent-mindedly: "The color of these roses matches the color of her hair…" Then a thought jumped into his mind: "Will she think I'm eccentric for thinking this?"
Arthur's mocking reply came from the inside immediately: "Of course."
Astra turned suddenly, laughing: "Of course what, Arthur?"
Arthur became flustered and answered quickly: "Nothing, nothing."
Erold said in bewilderment: "So you cannot read my thoughts, but you hear Arthur clearly!" Then he added in his mind: "She doesn't seem evil… she seems very kind."
Arthur shouted jokingly in a voice heard by both: "Lady Astra! He described you as kind!"
Erold's face flushed with anger, and he began to scream internally: "You bastard! How can you be my soul?!"
But Arthur replied with a provocative coldness: "You'll thank me later, you idiot."
Astra smiled as she turned her back to continue the walk, saying: "Let's keep walking… your training is progressing at a good pace, but have you managed to control your power?"
Erold asked her in surprise: "What do you mean?"
Astra: "Oh… it seems you haven't realized it yet. In your fight with the King of Thieves, your weapons turned into Light and Darkness. This is one of your latent powers, Erold, and even after the death of the King of Thieves, you didn't find it strange."
Erold knitted his eyebrows: "No, I didn't. And how did I get it in the first place? I felt a certain energy flowing from my palm… and I thought it was due to the heat of battle. As for the Light and Darkness, I thought it was the effect of the Spirit World belonging to the King of Thieves… isn't that a symbol of the Court and the Thief of Light and Darkness?"
Astra laughed and said in a meaningful tone: "It seems you know nothing yet. This symbolizes something deep within you, Erold… even I am ignorant of some of its precise details. But you will know soon.. someone from your past…" Then she went silent suddenly, as if realizing she had said more than she should.
Erold grew concerned and asked: "Is something wrong, Astra?"
She replied in an apologetic tone: "I'm sorry… if I told you now, it might cause catastrophes in the fabric of fate."
Erold sighed and said calmly: "I don't care much about my past. What I know, or what I am sure of, is that my parents abandoned me… let's stop asking questions. You came for a walk, so let's enjoy it."
Astra's eyes widened in surprise and she smiled, thinking to herself: "How strange you are… all humans carry a flood of questions when they win the chance to meet the Lady of the Stars, even if the answer would come in minutes… they fear the unknown. But you, Erold… you are unique."
They continued walking. To break the silence, Erold said: "Let me tell you a story… and act as if you don't know its events. Or I have a better idea: I will change the story so you won't expect it."
Astra smiled enthusiastically: "A brilliant solution."
Erold pulled her along gently as he walked and began the narration: "One day, in the Kingdom of Egypt, there was a brave boy named the Big Tiger…"
Astra interrupted him, laughing: "Wasn't it the Little Tiger?"
Erold held his head in mock despair: "She's distorting the story! Astra, I'm trying to author here…"
She apologized while struggling with her laughter: "Sorry, sorry… please continue."
Erold finished telling his altered story, and Astra reacted to every event with genuine surprise, until he concluded in a theatrical style: "And thus the Big Tiger saved Erold, Elizabeth, and the entire Kingdom, and freed Horus from the grip of that evil Jinn."
Astra clapped warmly, saying: "I didn't know you were so skilled at weaving tales, Erold. I have truly had a magical time with you… but unfortunately, I must return now."
Erold bowed a mock, exaggerated bow: "Of course, Lady of the Stars."
Astra smiled and warned him with her finger: "Don't you dare do that again."
He replied with a broad smile: "Sorry, Lady of the Stars… as you wish." Then he added in a sincere tone: "Come visit us next time, Astra."
She replied with a gentle smile: "Of course, when time allows, I will return to see you." Then her voice lowered and she hesitated a bit before saying: "Erold… my powers to know fate have been taken from me. I can no longer see your fate or the fate of those around you. The condition was that I must not harbor feelings for any creature or think of helping them, and if I broke that, these powers would be taken from me… and that is what happened."
Erold felt sorrow and said in a low voice: "I truly apologize for this, Astra… I didn't imagine that my existence or my questions would cost you such a heavy price."
Astra (calmly): "You bear no guilt in that, do not worry… I still possess great power. Why don't we strike a contract? When you are close to death, you can summon me only twice, and my help will be restricted by certain limits."
Erold asked: "And what is the price? What must I do?"
She answered him, her eyes shining with sincerity: "Something simple… that you remain as you are, and promise me not to change."
Erold firmly: "Fine, I promise."
She looked into his eyes for the last time and said: "Farewell… see you soon, Erold and Arthur, and send my greetings to Jasmin."
She began to crumble slowly into shards of pure light, fading into the air until she vanished completely, while Erold continued to follow her trace with his eyes, muttering: "Farewell, Astra."
Arthur commented mockingly: "How was your sweet date?"
Erold's face darkened and he said with boredom: "Shut up, Arthur."
Erold returned to the tent, approached Jasmin, and patted her head while she was sleeping, then headed to the front of the tent to lie down and close his eyes. But no sooner had he surrendered to sleep than the place began to darken gradually. While his body was sinking into a deep slumber, his consciousness was diving into a pitch-black darkness; it wasn't just a void, but another world… a bottomless abyss.
The sound of heavy footsteps echoed in the nothingness, each step booming like the strike of a massive hammer on his chest. He raised his head with difficulty, only to see a massive-bodied person sitting on a primitive throne of black stones, lit only by a single trembling candle, casting distorted shadows dancing on his mysterious features.
The man had a majestic body, his arms like the trunks of ancient trees, his eyes glowing like an unquenchable ember. His red eyes stared at Erold with a piercing look that almost penetrated his soul. The man smiled a slow, terrifying smile, and said in a hoarse voice that shook the corners of the void: "Pathetic."
Beside him was a person whose features the shadows had erased, but atop his head was a strange distorted shape resembling a broken plate or a twisted crown. The whole place trembled, and the shadows began to move as if they were hungry creatures trying to devour Erold's body. He tried to scream or reply, but his voice disappeared in his throat.
The massive man took one step closer, and the throne shook, and the ceiling of darkness almost collapsed on Erold's head. He extended his massive hand, around which broken chains were wrapped, and said with a threat: "When the barrier collapses… when the jewel breaks… you will know the taste of the suffering that I tasted."
Erold gasped suddenly, and in that moment the candle went out. Before the total darkness swallowed him, he woke up in a panic, gasping, causing panic in Jasmin, who dropped the pots from her hand, crying: "What's wrong with you?! You terrified me!"
He replied, catching his breath with difficulty: "It was… a nightmare."
Jasmin approached him and asked with concern: "What did you see in your dream?"
Erold wiped the sweat from his forehead and said distractedly: "I… I don't remember anything."
Jasmin said in amazement: "You don't remember? How strange… ask Arthur, he might know."
Erold gave a forced smile: "Good idea, Jasmin."
Before he could finish, Arthur interrupted him laughing in his head: "Man, each of us has his own dreams. I dreamed that I was devouring mountains of pancakes in the middle of the ocean… is that what terrified you?"
Erold muttered: "No… forget it."
Then he turned to Jasmin and said, trying to change the subject: "Each of us has his own dream, forget about it. I'm going to train." As he was about to go out, he remembered something and said: "Ah, right… Astra sends her greetings to you."
Jasmin gasped and cried: "Was Astra here yesterday?"
Erold replied: "Yes." And he told her everything that happened in brief. She said, her face covered with signs of concern: "Did she truly lose her power for your sake?"
Erold shook his head with regret: "I don't know the real reason."
Jasmin looked at him with a sudden coldness and said: "I know why… being a lady, I can understand."
He turned his face, escaping her gazes, saying: "I'm going." Before he left, he looked at Jasmin laughing and said: "A lady, huh?"
Jasmin flared up with anger and shouted: "Get out of here, you idiot!"
Erold went out heading toward the waterfall, his features shifting from joking to seriousness. He was kicking pebbles on his way and whispering to himself: "No… that's impossible. I am twenty years old, and she is… I don't know her exact age, perhaps thousands of years. But… I don't understand what this is called."
While he was submerged in his thoughts, he glimpsed a person with blond hair standing at the foot of the waterfall. Erold stared at him, as if he were familiar with this form, for he had seen it before. He approached and said hesitantly: "Luce… is that you?"
Luce was in a state of deep focus, but he turned as fast as lightning upon hearing his voice, and cheered in amazement: "Erold! What are you doing here?"
Erold smiled lightly: "I want to ask you the same question."
Luce said while shaking his hands: "I'm training; I just arrived in this region. What about you?"
Erold answered: "As for me… I'm here for the same purpose, but I've been stationed here for four days." Erold asked him curiously: "And where are you heading after that?"
Luce replied, youthful enthusiasm filling his voice: "To Uruk. I'm going to challenge its Prince… they say he is one of the strongest humans."
Erold laughed out loud: "Whoa! Man, you are walking the exact same path as us. Do you want to accompany us?"
Luce's face lit up with a broad smile: "Of course! Traveling in a group is much better and safer."
Erold with enthusiasm: "Great! Let's finish this training round, eat, then we move."
Luce shook his head in agreement: "Of course."
They sat beside each other, contemplated the horizon and the flow of water for a bit, then rose at the same time as if in agreement. Erold said: "Let's go; I think Jasmin has finished reading or preparing something."
Luce followed his steps then stopped suddenly, shocked: "Wait… did you leave the little girl who's with you alone?"
Erold smiled with the calmness of confidence: "Don't worry, I would feel her if any harm occurred. In addition, she is reading now and hates being disturbed."
Luce laughed and said in amazement: "Whoa! That's amazing! Few at her age know how to read."
Erold smiled as he replayed the tape of his memories, and said in his mind: "And when I was her age… I was one of the most skilled thieves, but she is miles better than I was."
The two arrived at the tent and found Jasmin sitting with dignity reading a book, her eyes devouring the lines with intense focus. She said without raising her head: "Eat before we leave."
Erold said with a smile: "We have guests."
Jasmin raised her gaze slowly, was surprised by Luce's presence, and said in a tone suggesting she was expecting something like this: "Did you convince him, Erold?"
Erold held his head in embarrassment, while Luce looked with great surprise at her sentence, causing Jasmin to say as she closed the book with suppressed anger: "Oh my God…"