Chapter Ten: The Echo Fades

The dirt road beneath Elara's feet felt different from all the roads she had walked before. There was no weight of destiny pressing her forward, no invisible chains pulling her toward an inevitable fate. Every step was her own.

The village loomed closer, ordinary yet full of life. Children ran through the streets, their laughter ringing like music. Merchants called out their wares, the scent of spiced bread and roasted meat curling in the air. A blacksmith worked at his forge, the rhythmic clang of metal shaping something new.

Something inside Elara stirred—an unfamiliar sensation. Peace.

Kael nudged her lightly. "You're staring."

She huffed a quiet laugh. "I've never seen a place like this. Not really."

Kael smirked. "You've seen a thousand cities."

She shook her head. "I've seen a thousand ruins. A thousand battlegrounds. A thousand ends. But this…" She gestured toward the village, her voice softer. "This is a beginning."

They walked through the gates, met with only passing glances. No one knew her name here. No one feared her power. No one whispered of past lives or fate or prophecy. She was just another traveler on the road, a stranger seeking shelter.

And for the first time, that was enough.

They found an inn at the heart of the village, its wooden sign creaking in the breeze. The scent of warm stew and freshly baked bread wrapped around them like a comforting embrace.

Inside, the innkeeper greeted them with a tired but genuine smile. "Rooms are cheap, food's good, and trouble stays outside," he said, wiping a mug clean.

Elara placed a few coins on the counter. "Then we'll take a room."

As they sat by the fire, a simple meal before them, Elara realized something.

She wasn't waiting for the past to catch up to her.

She wasn't bracing for the next battle.

For the first time in countless lifetimes, she was here. In the present. In the quiet. In the unknown.

And it was enough.

Kael leaned back in his chair, studying her. "So, what now?"

Elara met his gaze, a slow smile forming.

"Now?" She exhaled, feeling the weight of the past finally lift.

"Now, we live."

---