East Gardens, Celesthall Castle
Two days after the dawn meeting
The ancient trees towered silently like steadfast guardians, providing a calming shelter amidst the high sunlight. This secluded place was hidden behind a labyrinth of hedges, a secret even the palace servants remained unaware of. Only Sheena and a select few of the Caereth nobility knew this path. Within her mind, Sheena felt the weight of simultaneous hope and fear, pondering whether the change she longed for would truly come to pass. The hidden provisions of this secret felt like two sides of a coin—courage and threat—symbols of the inner conflict she faced.
It was here that Sheena invited Fitran to meet her again.
Fitran walked confidently along the gravel path, where the wind carried the scent of blooming roses and aging leaves, creating an atmosphere that was bright and filled with hope.
Among the trees, Sheena was already waiting. Her golden hair flowed gently under the soft light, and her dark blue dress contrasted beautifully with her pale skin. She stood next to a small stone circle hidden by bushes. When she saw Fitran, her eyes sparkled with hope. "Finally, you are here," she said, her voice like a fresh breeze on a morning. She raised her hand, signaling Fitran to come closer, attempting to hide the anxiety that lingered in her heart.
Fitran stopped a few steps away from her.
"Sheena," Fitran called, his tone filled with warmth and concern.
She turned her head, her expression no longer somber. There was a determination in her gaze. In that fleeting moment, they locked eyes, and within that glance, a newfound resolve ignited between them. "We cannot turn back," she said slowly, affirming the decision they had made, even as they battled against the conflicting doubts and hopes within their souls.
"I want to show you something more valuable, something that has only been passed down in my family." Her voice was soft yet trembled with courage. "A secret that keeps this curse alive... and perhaps the only way to end it."
Fitran felt the mounting tension in the air, as if the surroundings had fallen silent, listening intently to a conversation that transcended mere words. His curiosity intensified; he could sense the weight Sheena carried, a legacy that might be heavier than the pen that inscribed it.
The stone circle was not merely decorative. Fitran recognized its significance immediately. Thin carvings adorned each stone, forming an ancient pattern beyond the reach of modern magic.
Symbols of Willcraft of old.
Glyph of Binding Will.
Seal of Veyrundis.
Scriptura Pactum—an ancient script etched into stone.
Each symbol seemed to speak, warning those brave enough to draw near. Fitran's heart raced, matching the rhythms of an unseen force surrounding them.
He stepped closer, moving cautiously. "This... is a contract circle."
"Rite of Binding—a ritual designed to summon the ancient will of Veyrundis. My great-great-grandfather meticulously recreated this circle to allow his descendants to renegotiate the terms should the curse become unbearable, offering new hope for future generations."
In his eyes, Fitran detected glimpses of longing and determination, as though a deeper story yearned to be told, yet was bound by the limitations of words.
Fitran sensed an ancient aura emanating from the stones. It felt as though the magic inscribed there was not merely a spell, but a crystallized will.
"I studied it quietly for years. They think I was just silent like a puppet. But I've been reading." He looked down. "I hoped to find a way to break this curse on my own. Without involving anyone."
His every word was laden with profound sadness, as if he were sharing a long-buried secret from his soul. Fitran felt like a witness to someone lost in the search for identity, amidst the shadows of difficult choices, creating an emotional tension that tugged at the heart.
He lifted his face, his eyes reflecting the sunlight filtering through the leaves. His expression, though trembling, revealed a determination that was hard to diminish.
"But I failed."
Doubt crossed Fitran's mind. Was it a deep failure, or a salvation? Was there hope, or had everything been shattered by this curse?
"And now you want to summon Veyrundis?" Fitran asked cautiously.
Sheena bit her lip. "I want you to know... what could happen."
She pointed to the circle. "If I begin the Rite of Binding, I must be accompanied by a Wielder of Will. Someone willing to share part of the burden of the contract. Because Veyrundis will not speak to anyone who stands alone."
"There is something that happens to those who dare to walk alone," he added, his voice nearly trembling in the silence. "And I don't want to see you trapped in that darkness."
Fitran immediately understood what he meant. "Someone like me."
"Yes."
He continued quickly, as if afraid that if he didn't say it now, he would lose his courage.
"But if you become a Willingness Bearer, half of my curse could flow into your life. It may not be a touch of becoming gold. But... something else. Something Veyrundis has chosen for you."
Sheena turned her face away, feeling it cling to her chest like an unbearable weight. "You don't know how much I wish there were another way."
"I'm afraid. I want to free myself, but I don't want to drag you into the old will."
Fitran fell silent, feeling the tension envelop the air between them like a fine thread that was almost about to snap.
The wind stopped. The falling leaves floated slowly, as if time itself held its breath.
"Sheena," he finally said. "When I fought in the Heaven Wars, I led a team that knew they could die. But they pressed on, not because I promised safety, but because I walked alongside them."
"We shared hopes and fears, which became the tapestry of our strength. That unity made us stronger than before."
"I won't ask you to bear the burden alone. If this is a risk we must face together, I am willing."
Sheena bit her lip until it was nearly bleeding. "I'm afraid you would say that."
Those words hung in the air, heavy like dark clouds before the rain. In her heart, she prayed that this choice wouldn't block their path, but on the other hand, that hope ignited a flame within her that had long been dim.
"But," Fitran added, "I won't jump into that circle today. I want to understand the will we are facing."
He gazed at the intricate stone carvings, his eyes scanning every detail that seemed to narrate a story rich with deep history and forgotten times. "I don't want to be a victim. I want to be your choice, not just a pawn in a larger game."
Sheena was taken aback, her curiosity blossoming like a flower in bloom. "Choice?"
"All this time, everyone has tried to control your will. They forced you to become a symbol. They matched you for politics. Even your curse... is the will of others."
She stared deeply into those violet eyes, sensing a soul brimming with doubt and hope. In that gaze, there was an undeniable tension as if time had momentarily halted. "If we are to defy the old will, we must begin with your own desire. I promise I will not be the Bearer of Will unless you truly wish it—
Sheena closed her eyes, allowing the weight of Fitran's words to seep into her being. Shadows of the past flickered in her mind, threatening to pull her back into darkness. Did she truly wish to change her destined path? Was she ready to free herself from the burdens that had long bound her?
Teardrops fell on her cheeks, marking a profound emotional shift as her oppressed heart began to release its weight.
For the first time in her life, someone wasn't offering a promise of salvation.
Yet, she felt a growing uncertainty about what to do, increasingly aware of the heavy burden that choice imposed upon her.
Fitran stepped closer. They stood just an arm's length apart. Sheena raised her hand, wanting to touch Fitran's face, feeling the courage radiating from him, igniting a new hope in her heart that was filled with doubt. Yet, with each passing second, the weight of the choice grew heavier. Was she prepared for all the risks involved, or would she remain trapped in an endless cycle? Only time would tell.
But
tears fell down her cheeks.
In the thick silence of the night, each tear that flowed seemed to carry the weight of the hope she had buried for so long. Sheena felt a tremor in her chest; a battle between hope and despair. For the first time in her life, someone had not offered a promise of salvation.
Yet the choice remained.
Between them lay a space filled with tension and an unspoken understanding. Sheena lifted her hand, yearning to touch Fitran's face, but her worries held her back.
But she held herself back.
"I can't," she whispered, her voice heavy yet resolute. In her heart, she hoped that this decision would guide them towards a path that was at least bearable.
Fitran reached for the black ribbon that had fallen loose from Sheena's hair. The movement felt significant, as if it were breaking the barrier between hope and fear, wrapping the ribbon around his wrist as a symbol of the newly formed bond.
"Then, until that day arrives, I will carry a part of you with me."
Sheena looked at him, tears still lingering in her eyes. In her gaze, there was doubt, yet also strength. She whispered,
"Fitran... this is the first time I wish my curse didn't exist. Not for my people. Not for the kingdom. But for myself."
In the ambivalence of two choices, every word spoken echoed like a reverberation in the silent space, waiting to address a larger question: Could the courage to choose be stronger than the fate that binds them?
Unbeknownst to them, two figures observed from a distance.
Lord Caereth stood alongside a hooded advisor. In the dim moonlight, their shadows danced over the grass like creatures from ancient legend reborn.
"Their connection is growing."
The advisor spoke softly, "Perhaps faster than we anticipated." His voice was barely audible, like the whisper of the wind sharing secrets from the edge of the realm.
"Alright. Let it be," Caereth said thoughtfully. "If Fitran truly enters the Rite of Binding, it will present an opportunity to modify the contract. But if he fails..." He sighed heavily. "We have a new heir ready, yet every step we take on this path could bind us to an unpredictable fate."
"And Veyrundis?"
"He will come. The Ancient Will cannot ignore the call of blood." The words were spoken with deep conviction, as if they were summoning a shadow trapped between this world and the next.
As Fitran and Sheena stood in this meaningful silence, the wind blew once more, attempting to convey something beyond mere sound. Dew fell from the leaves like echoes of unheard tears, creating a magical atmosphere that enveloped them. Each drop of dew that fell filled the space between them, forming an unspoken connection that bound their hearts, symbolizing both uncertainty and intertwined hope.
In the distance, beyond the garden's edge, the wind carried whispers of an unfamiliar voice:
"Choice is the highest expression of will; yet every choice comes with a price to be paid."The voice resonated as if from another realm, underscoring the gravity of their decisions and the consequences they carried. Were they brave enough to embrace the price that needed to be paid?"