Volume 2 Epilogue 2

A pair of silver eyes shone beneath the starry night sky, their reflection tracing the patterns of constellations overhead. A soft breeze rustled the treetops, carrying the scents of the ancient forest. Above, the stars twinkled like distant gems, and on a night such as this, the twin moons and distant planets were also visible. The chosen night—an auspicious alignment— was perfect. It was why V’aleirith, the elven elder of the Leth’thae tribe, had selected it for her yearly ritual. Her hand tightened around the smooth wood of her staff, dark veins pulsing as it hummed with energy. V’aleirith moved gracefully, waving her staff through the air, a shimmering light following her movements when she did. Around her, the air crackled with power, and from the shadows, dark spirits began to emerge—spectral figures twisting and writhing in a macabre dance. These were the Eirethals, spirits bound to the natural world, summoned by her will. They spiralled upward into the sky, and with a silent command from V’aleirith, they shot like arrows into the sky. Moments later, the stars themselves began to move. At first, they shifted lazily, as if stirred by some unseen force. Then, one by one, they detached from their celestial positions, floating downwards like falling embers. Yet they never touched the ground. Instead, they hovered in the air, orbiting around her in slow, careful circles. Her eyes narrowed as she watched the spectacle unfold. The floating stars clashed with one another, sending out sparks of light in every direction. Each collision created a shower of energy that rained down around her, yet the sparks dissipated before they could harm her. V’aleirith’s expression remained serene as she continued to observe, knowing that these early clashes were merely the beginning. The energy was still in its nascent state, unbridled. Soon, the chaos would grow. More stars would collide, their violent interactions producing even greater flashes of destruction. The stars were forming a constellation. Her heart sank as the familiar pattern emerged— a shape of doom written in the cosmos. Styx, a constellation that foretold death and destruction. The jagged lines, connecting the fallen stars, painted a nightmarish image of chaos. It was a sign. One she had seen many times before, but this time, its significance felt heavier. The world, her world, was on a path to destruction. The signs were all there. The prophecy, foretold generations ago, was unfolding before her very eyes. V’aleirith took a slow breath, her shoulders drooping at what she had just seen. Would the end truly come? Was this fate inevitable, or could it still be avoided? A long sigh escaped her lips as she stared into the swirling vortex of clashing stars above. The Styx shifted, growing fiercer. She had hoped—no, she had prayed— that the prophecy would never come to pass. But the signs had already begun to manifest. She could no longer deny it. The end of their world had already started. But then, just as her despair threatened to overwhelm her, something caught her attention. Out of the corner of her eye, a subtle shift in the starry sky drew her gaze. A small, lone star. It didn’t move like the others. It wasn’t part of the Styx. Instead, it stood apart, shining brightly against the backdrop of cosmic chaos. V’aleirith’s breath hitched. Her gaze remained locked onto the lone star, her eyes widening as something unbelievable began to happen. Her once serene face shifted, lips parting in disbelief. She couldn’t tear her eyes away. The star, defying all the chaos and destruction around it, began to pull smaller, dimmer stars into its orbit. One by one, they were drawn to its light, their pale glow brightening as they clustered together, forming a new pattern against the night sky. It was subtle at first, but as the stars aligned, a shape began to emerge. Not a shape of ruin, not like the Styx, but something entirely different. Something that stood tall and resilient in the face of chaos. Her breath caught in her throat as the constellation completed itself, a figure of defiance glowing proudly in the night. It radiated an energy that felt ancient yet full of promise as if it had been waiting for this moment for ages. V’aleirith’s voice trembled as she whispered, "Fatebreaker..." The word escaped her lips like a long-buried secret. A name not spoken in centuries, a symbol of those who dared to stand against destiny itself. Her heart pounded in her chest as the realization settled over her. The star—no, the Fatebreaker— was more than just a sign. It was a call. An anomaly, a force that challenged the inevitable doom foretold by the Styx. "I must reach it or him..." she muttered, watching the night sky till her magic faded away. *** Zuri, barely seven summers old, crept down the stairs as quietly as her tiny feet would allow. She glanced over her shoulder, making sure her mother wasn’t nearby. The midday light filtered through the windows, giving way to a warm glow on the wooden floor, but she was more interested in what lay outside. She reached for the door handle, her fingers barely brushing it, when— "Where do you think you're going, young lady?" Her mother's voice rang out from behind, causing her to freeze mid-action. Zuri turned slowly, an innocent smile already plastered on her face. "I'm going out, mother. My studies are done!" she replied, her tone light and carefree. She didn’t want to come out as suspicious to her mother, in case she refused to permit to go outside. She did it often and it wasn't once they Zuri liked it. Her mother crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow. "Make sure you're back in an hour. And don’t go near that old noble house again, you hear me?" "I won’t!" Zuri chirped, her fingers already reaching for the door as she flashed her mother a reassuring grin. Satisfied, her mother turned back to her chores, sweeping the floor with aggression and the need to finish it soon. With that, the girl bolted out of the house, the wind catching her hair as she rushed down the steps and onto the village path. The village of Eden was small, with stone cottages dotting the landscape, their thatched roofs framed by the rolling hills beyond. She waved to the familiar faces of villagers—Ms. Maeve, who always gave her sweets, Uncle Tarn, who was often seen napping on his porch— and continued on her way, her feet carrying her to her secret destination. Her favourite place. The old house stood at the far edge of the village, its once proud stone walls now crumbled in places, and ivy crawling up its sides like hungry vines. She had heard stories about the house so many times, people had talked about how it was one where nobles lived and enjoyed the luxuries but then, something terrible happened and the family who had lived there had long since left, moving to a distant city, or so the rumours said. But to her, it was the perfect playground. The adults always talked about it like it was dangerous, but she loved its quiet, the mystery that lingered in the air like a forgotten secret. She darted through the narrow alleys, her heart racing with excitement. The familiar worn door to the house groaned as she pushed it open, dust swirling in the dim light. Inside, she felt at ease— this was her place. She loved the creaky stairs, the hollow sound of her steps as she climbed them, the way the wooden beams groaned under her weight. It was all part of the charm. Carefully, she moved to the second floor, where the rooms were scattered with old furniture and forgotten belongings. She entered one of the biggest ones and hummed quietly to herself, running her fingers over an old dresser as she explored, just like she had done so many times before. But then, a squeak echoed through the silence. She froze. Her heart skipped a beat, and for a moment, her legs refused to move. The sound had come from the far corner of the room. The voice of her mother rang in her head, telling her to go back. She had done enough exploring for today and didn't need to check out who the sound had come from, but then, Zuri knew she wouldn't be able to sleep well if she didn't find out what it was. Curiosity won over fear. She tiptoed toward the noise, her breath held in anticipation. Peeking around a toppled bookshelf, she saw it. It was a rat. Searᴄh the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Immediately, her curiosity quenched and she began to move back—but as her eyes focused, she realized something was wrong. The rat was completely black, from its twitching nose to its tail. Not just a dark grey like the ones she’d seen before, but pitch black, as though it had crawled out of the shadows themselves. Worse, it emitted a foul, rotting stench that made her wrinkle her nose. She took a step back as the rat's small, beady eyes locked onto her. It stopped for a second, its nose twitching in the air. Her legs shook, but she couldn’t move. Slowly, the rat began to crawl toward her, faster and faster. Her heart raced, panic setting in as she stumbled back, her foot catching on a broken floorboard. She fell hard onto the ground, the impact knocking the breath out of her lungs. Before she could scramble to her feet, the rat was there, its nose brushing against her skin as it sniffed her. She wanted to scream, but the sound was stuck in her throat. Then, without warning, it bit down on her ankle. Pain shot through her leg, sharp and burning. She cried out, her voice echoing through the empty house. The rat darted away, disappearing into the shadows as quickly as it had appeared. Tears welled up in her eyes as she clutched her ankle. The pain was overwhelming, but as she looked down at the bite, something far worse sent a chill down her spine. Her skin around the bite mark was turning black— dark, inky veins spreading outward like the roots of a twisted tree. The blackness crawled up her leg, cold and sinister, and she stared at it, wide-eyed, too shocked to move. The world around her seemed to fade, her breaths coming out in ragged gasps. She didn’t know what was happening, but she knew one thing for sure. Something was very, very wrong. *** A/N - Vol 2 end. For those who haven't checked out our new book Dao of money, please do it if you feel interested in the premise. Thank you for reading. Vol 3 starts with the next update.