Chapter 198 - The Stars

The next day, Vell and Sonder traveled along a desolate road. 

The dirt path stretched endlessly, flanked by dry grass, stubborn weeds, and the occasional old tree. A weak breeze stirred up dust, but otherwise, the world was silent. 

Sonder glanced at Vell, who walked quietly ahead, his mind clearly elsewhere. She decided to take his advice from the previous night. Slowing her pace slightly, she reached for Vell's worn leather satchel, gently tapping it with her knuckle. 

"Hiraeth? Are you in there?" 

The bag shifted after a moment, and a tiny, sharp voice answered from within. "What's all this racket?" 

The flap rustled as a small hand emerged, followed by Hiraeth himself. 

Sometimes, Sonder forgot just how small sprites were. 

He was no larger than her hand. Perhaps she'd simply grown since their last meeting.

He pulled himself out with effort, his tiny feet dangling over the edge as he perched on the flap of the bag.

Blinking in the daylight, he squinted and raised a hand to shield his eyes before offering a small smile. "Ah, Sonder. It's you. Long time no see. Must've been... a few weeks, right?" 

Sonder frowned. "Weeks? Hiraeth, it's been almost a year." 

The sprite's face shifted from confusion to something softer—melancholy mixed with understanding. He nodded slowly. "Ah. Yes. That's... just how it is for us sometimes. Time feels different when you're—" He gestured vaguely around.

"I understand," Sonder replied gently.

Wanting to change the subject, Sonder offered a small smile. "Vell said you know a lot about star magic and astrology. Can you tell me about it?" 

Hiraeth tilted his head up toward Vell, who kept on walking, pretending not to listen. 

The sprite grinned mischievously. "I suppose he's too proud to admit he doesn't understand it himself?" 

Vell snorted softly from up ahead but didn't spare them a glance. 

Laughing softly, Hiraeth folded his arms, then jumped onto the hand Sonder offered, climbing onto her shoulder. Once settled, he leaned back, feet dangling as he began to explain. 

The stars aren't just tiny lights in the sky," he began, his voice more serious now. "They're ancient—older than even Vell here... probably. Like all ancient things, they hold power. Energy. Some call it fate, others destiny, but it's more complicated than that." 

Sonder raised a brow. "Complicated how?" 

Hiraeth extended a finger, tracing an invisible pattern in the air. "Imagine a vast web of threads, all woven together—lives, events, choices. The stars... they don't control the web. But they reflect it, recording everything they have seen from their birth to their death, as if capturing memories in light." 

Sonder frowned. "I don't understand. So, they do show the future?" 

"Not exactly," Hiraeth replied. "Stars reflect what was, what is, and sometimes, fragments of what could be. But they don't predict. Most mages think they can glimpse the future by reading them, but they're only seeing the life of the star itself. And even that energy? Raw. Chaotic. Hard to decipher." 

"If you can't predict the future by reading the stars, why do so many wizards claim they can?" she asked, curious.

"Pride. Fear. And desperation. If someone told you there was a way to see what lies ahead, wouldn't you try? Wouldn't you want to know?" 

"But it can be dangerous." The sprite nodded. "The worst part is, the more you try to force a truth from the stars, the more tangled the web becomes." 

Sonder nodded but frowned. "Does it ever work?" 

The sprite shrugged. "Rarely. A few gifted mages can, but they rarely focus on that type of magic. And for those who can't—the more someone tries to force a truth from the stars, the more tangled their understanding becomes. Trying to bend the stars to reveal the future is like squeezing a river through a needle—truth collapses under the strain." 

"But what if someone could?" Sonder asked, wonder in her voice.

"Well, that's the dream, isn't it? The study of star magic is older than most spells we know. What we do know for sure is that when certain constellations align, or when the planets shift, the energy they emit strengthens. The stars can be tapped for power, yes—but truth?" 

He shook his head.

Then, with a playful smirk, he added, "Who knows? Maybe you'll be the first mage to unravel the stars' secrets and actually predict the future. I hear Vell could use the competition."