Innocence Born

The Harbinger stumbled slightly as she tried to step over a fallen log, her movements awkward and uncoordinated. Alex, walking a few paces ahead, turned around and offered a hand. She stared at it like it was a foreign object before cautiously taking it.

"Thanks?" she said, her voice lilting at the end, as if unsure she was using the right word.

Alex gave her an awkward smile and helped her over the log. The group had been walking for hours, heading north through the dense forest, and while they were making progress, Harbinger's childlike wonder—and lack of basic knowledge—had slowed them considerably.

Freya sighed as she watched the Harbinger dart off to inspect a cluster of wildflowers. "We can't keep calling her the Harbinger. It feels... weird."

"What are we supposed to call her?" Pip asked, tossing her pack onto the ground as they paused for a rest.

"Something simple," Alex suggested. "Like... I don't know, Sarah?"

Antigone raised an eyebrow. "Sarah? That's your idea of a name for a magical being?"

"Well, she's not exactly magical anymore," Alex shot back, gesturing toward the Harbinger, who was now crouched next to a butterfly, watching it with wide eyes. "She's human, remember?"

"Barely," Pip muttered under her breath, earning a glare from Freya.

Ophelia tapped her chin thoughtfully. "We should let her pick a name. It's only fair."

The Harbinger turned at the sound of her voice, tilting her head like a curious bird. "Pick a name?" she echoed, walking back toward the group.

"Yes," Ophelia said gently. "Something we can call you. Do you have a name?"

The Harbinger frowned, her brows knitting together as she tried to think. Finally, she shook her head. "I don't think so."

"Okay," Antigone said, pulling out a piece of parchment and a charcoal pencil. "Let's come up with some options. How about..." She scribbled a few names down. "Lila? Rowan? Ember?"

"Ember!" the Harbinger exclaimed, her face lighting up. "I like that one. It sounds... warm."

"Ember it is," Freya said with a smile.

"Great," Alex muttered. "Now can we please get moving? We're wasting daylight."

A New World

As they continued their journey, Ember—formerly the Harbinger—proved to be both a source of fascination and frustration. Every few minutes, she would stop to marvel at something new: the rustling of leaves in the wind, the intricate patterns on a beetle's shell, the way sunlight filtered through the trees.

"What's that?" she asked for the fifth time in an hour, pointing at a squirrel darting up a tree.

"It's a squirrel," Freya explained patiently.

"Squirrel," Ember repeated, her mouth curving into a smile. "That's a funny word."

Pip groaned. "We're never going to make it to the village at this rate."

"She's like a baby," Antigone said, watching as Ember crouched down to examine a patch of moss.

"A really annoying baby," Pip muttered.

Ophelia ignored the bickering and focused on explaining their situation to Ember. She described the prophecy, the Fallen, and their journey to find the ruins of the Forgotten.

"So I was... magical?" Ember asked, her expression thoughtful. As she stood there with a pensive look on her face she began

to run the tips of her fingers together. "Is that what this is?" Ember asked holding up her hand to show the others.

There were faint blue sparks jumping from one fingertip to the next, becoming brighter with each jump.

"Yes, but much stronger," Ophelia stated how much do you remember?"

"Not much," Ember shook her head. "It's like there is a wall in my mind. Every time I try to think about... before, it is just blank." Ember looked down at her fingers, "I figured out I could do this by accident."

"That's probably for the best," Alex said. "You don't want to remember the Fallen."

Ember shivered at the name. "They sound... bad."

"They are," Freya said solemnly.

"Bad or not they must be delt with" Ophelia stated "We need you to remember your magic, Ember for we barley know any ourselves. From our understanding you play an important roll in the prophecy. We must practice, and hope the magic will come"

Everyone nodded their heads at Ophelia and they continued their journey.

The Village

By late afternoon, they reached their first village. It was small and quaint, with stone cottages clustered around a bustling town square. The scent of freshly baked bread and the sound of laughter filled the air, a stark contrast to the tense, dangerous journey they had been on.

"We need to find the Keeper of Memories," Antigone said as they entered the square.

"Easier said than done," Alex replied, scanning the crowd.

They began asking around, but most people either shook their heads or avoided the question entirely. It wasn't until they approached an older woman selling herbs that they got a response.

"The Keeper of Memories?" the woman said, her voice low. She glanced around nervously before leaning closer. "She doesn't want to be found."

"We have to find her," Ophelia insisted.

The woman hesitated, then added in a whisper, "If you do find her, don't bring the boy with you."

Alex bristled. "What's that supposed to mean?"

The woman shook her head. "Just a warning. Now, go. I've said too much already."

A Difficult Search

The group regrouped at the edge of the square, frustration evident on their faces.

"This is ridiculous," Alex said, crossing his arms. "How are we supposed to find someone who doesn't want to be found?"

"Maybe we're asking the wrong people," Pip suggested.

"What do you mean?" Freya asked.

"Well," Pip said, pulling out her map. "If the Keeper of Memories is connected to magic, maybe the map can show us where to find her."

Ophelia's eyes widened. "That is brilliant!"

Pip studied the map, focusing intently. At first, nothing happened, but then a faint red glow appeared, outlining a path that led to the outskirts of the village and into the dark forest.

"There," Pip said, pointing.

"Let us go," Antigone said, her tone firm.

Finding the Keeper

The path led them to a small, overgrown cottage on the edge of the village, within the confines of the dark forest.The air felt heavy with magic, and the group hesitated at the threshold.

"Are we sure about this?" Alex asked.

"We don't have a choice," Ophelia said, stepping forward.

She knocked on the door, and after a long pause, it creaked open. A woman stood in the doorway, her sharp green eyes taking in each of them in turn.

"You've found me," she said, her voice cold. "Now tell me why I shouldn't turn you away? You bring much danger to my door."

Ophelia stepped forward, along with her sisters making it apparent they were triplets "We're part of the prophecy. We need your help."

The woman's gaze lingered on each of them before settling on Alex. Her eyes narrowed.

"You brought the boy," she said, her tone icy. "That complicates things." Her sharp gaze bore into Alex's eyes "What if I told you, you will be the downfall of it all?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Alex demanded.

The woman ignored him and stepped aside, gesturing for the others to enter. "Come in. But leave the boy outside."

Alex looked furious, but Antigone placed a hand on his shoulder. "Stay here. We'll handle it."

Reluctantly, Alex nodded, and the others stepped inside.