The will to defy fate

The shaman's aged fingers traced the carved stone, lingering on the image of the unknown figure who would stand against Nanthaan. His expression was unreadable, as if deciphering the will of the spirits themselves.

"The future is not set in stone," the shaman murmured. "It can be changed, shaped by the choices of those who walk the path. But there will be one—someone who will attempt to alter fate itself. Whether for salvation or destruction, that is yet to be seen."

Austin's patience was running thin. "So you're telling me this whole prophecy might not even come true? That someone could just… derail everything?"

The shaman nodded. "Yes. There is a force at play that seeks to disrupt what has been foretold. But…" His voice grew quieter, his gaze shifting toward Sonya for just a moment before returning to Austin. "A girl… a woman, will become an obstacle in this path. Whether she acts knowingly or unknowingly, she will hinder the course of destiny. We do not yet know if this interference will bring salvation or doom."

Sonya stiffened. "And just who is this girl?"

The shaman exhaled through his nose, the sound almost like a sigh. "That, too, is uncertain. The spirits only offer glimpses, not answers. What is certain, however, is that the tides of fate are restless, and those caught within them must tread carefully."

Austin scoffed. "So basically, you're telling me nothing is certain, everything is up in the air, and someone might mess up the whole damn thing? That's helpful, old man."

The shaman chuckled, the sound dry like rustling leaves. "That is the nature of prophecy, Austin Ravenclaw. It is not a script—it is a warning."

Sonya's brow furrowed at the shaman's cryptic words. "What about me?" she asked, her voice steadier than she felt. The room seemed to grow quieter, the flickering fire casting eerie shadows across the carved stone walls.

The shaman turned his gaze toward her, his old, weathered eyes peering into something beyond the present moment. "You…" He hesitated, as if weighing whether he should speak at all. "You will live a good life, but you will lose something dear to you."

Sonya's breath hitched, her fingers curling into fists. "Lose?" Her voice had an edge to it now, a mix of defiance and fear. "What do you mean by that?"

The shaman sighed, his expression neither cruel nor kind. "The spirits speak in riddles, but their meaning is clear. There is something… someone… who holds a place within your heart, whether you acknowledge it or not. And in due time, you will be forced to watch as they are taken from you."

A chill crept down her spine, colder than any wind that had ever brushed against her skin. "Who?" she demanded. "Who will I lose?"

The shaman shook his head. "That, even I cannot see. The threads of fate shift with every choice you make. But the pain… the grief… that is certain."

Sonya clenched her teeth, her nails digging into her palm. "If fate is so uncertain, then I'll change it," she snapped. "I won't lose anything or anyone."

The shaman chuckled softly, not unkindly. "Spoken like one who still believes she can defy the heavens themselves. But tell me, child—if fate brings you to a moment where you must choose between your survival and saving the one you cherish… what will you do?"

Sonya froze.

For the first time, she found herself without an immediate answer. The thought unsettled her.

Austin, who had been silent through most of this, scoffed. "Enough with the dramatics, old man. You're just trying to mess with her head."

The shaman turned his gaze to him. "And you, Ravenclaw? Would you do the same? Would you throw away your future for another?"

Austin smirked, his arms crossed as he looked at the shaman, completely unfazed. "I've been throwing myself into the mouth of the dragon for a long time now," he said. "If fate suggests I should do something, I will do what is necessary—not because some unseen forces tell me to, but because I choose to. I will decide what is right, and I will carve that path myself."

The shaman let out a deep breath, as if he had expected such an answer. He stepped closer, his presence heavy despite his frail appearance. "That is precisely what worries me, Ravenclaw."

Austin raised an eyebrow, but the shaman continued before he could speak.

"You chase something that should not be chased. Knowledge that has been lost for a reason. Power that should not be wielded by mortal hands."

Austin's expression didn't waver, but Sonya saw something flicker in his eyes—curiosity, perhaps? Or was it something deeper?

"You seek the truth," the shaman said, his tone low and grave. "But what will you do when the truth demands more of you than you are willing to give?"

Austin scoffed. "If it comes to that, I will give whatever is necessary."

The shaman's eyes darkened, the firelight reflecting ominously in them. "Even if it means sacrificing those you hold dear?"

For a moment, the cave was silent. The crackling of the fire seemed deafening in the stillness.

Austin didn't answer immediately. Instead, he exhaled through his nose, his expression unreadable. Then, he spoke, voice calm but firm.

"If it means reaching my goal, then so be it."

Sonya felt something in her chest tighten at his words. It wasn't surprising—this was Austin Ravenclaw, after all. The man who had never hesitated to walk over others to get what he wanted. But somehow, hearing him say it so plainly, without an ounce of hesitation…

It made her uneasy.

The shaman studied him for a long moment before shaking his head. "You are a fool, Ravenclaw. But even fools have their roles to play in destiny's grand design."

Austin chuckled. "Good to know."

The shaman ignored his sarcasm. He lifted his hand and drew something in the air—a glowing pattern of ancient symbols forming a sigil between them. The light pulsed once before fading, leaving only a faint trace in the air.

"I will give you three warnings," the shaman said. "Remember them well, for they will decide your fate."

Austin rolled his eyes but didn't interrupt.

"The first: The path you walk is lined with shadows, and one of them will betray you before the end."

Sonya stiffened at that.

"The second: The abyss calls to you, and you will stand before it. When you do, you must choose whether to step forward or turn away. One path leads to power. The other… to ruin."

Austin's expression remained impassive, but Sonya could feel the tension in his stance.

"And the third…" The shaman's voice grew heavier, as if the very words carried a weight beyond mortal understanding. "You will be given a choice—one life, or another. No matter what you do, one will fall."

Silence.

Sonya swallowed, a strange coldness spreading in her chest. Austin stood still, his face unreadable, his usual cocky demeanor absent.

Then, after a long pause, he chuckled. "Sounds dramatic."

The shaman didn't respond.

Austin turned away. "Come on, Sonya. We've wasted enough time here."

Sonya hesitated for a second before following him out of the cave, but the shaman's words lingered in her mind.

Betrayal. The abyss. A choice between two lives.

She didn't believe in fate. Not entirely.

But still…

Why did she feel like something irreversible had just been set in motion?

The shaman's voice was heavy with foreboding as he stared deep into Austin's eyes, his expression unreadable. The flames flickered between them, casting eerie shadows on the walls of the ancient cave.

"Be careful, Ravenclaw," the shaman warned, his tone carrying the weight of unseen truths. "For soon… the shadows of someone close to you will betray you. And in the process, someone dear to you will perish."

Austin held his ground, his arms crossed as if the words did not affect him. But Sonya, standing just behind him, felt her fingers tighten against the fabric of her cloak. A betrayal? A death?

The shaman's gaze did not waver. "No matter how strong you believe yourself to be, no matter how powerful the magic at your disposal, you cannot escape the web of fate. The closer you get to the truth you seek, the more tangled you become in the strings that will bind you to your downfall."

Austin let out a chuckle, shaking his head. "You speak as if I've already lost."

The shaman exhaled, his voice turning grave. "Not yet. But the moment of choice is approaching, and you are not ready for what comes next."

Austin scoffed. "I've been making difficult choices all my life, old man. If you think some prophecy is going to make me hesitate—"

"Fate does not ask if you are ready," the shaman interrupted. "It simply arrives."

The flickering flames seemed to darken, as if the shadows themselves were listening to the conversation.

Austin's smirk faded for just a second. Just a flicker of a moment. Sonya saw it.

Then, just as quickly, his mask returned, his expression hardening as he took a step back. "If that's all, we'll be taking our leave."

Sonya hesitated for a moment, her instincts screaming at her to ask something—Who will betray him? Who will die?

But she bit her tongue.

Some things were better left unknown.

The shaman nodded solemnly. "Then go, Ravenclaw. But remember this—when the moment of betrayal comes, you will have to decide whether to let your heart lead you… or let it break."

Austin turned on his heel without another word, walking toward the exit of the cave. Sonya hesitated only a second longer before following.

Yet, as they stepped outside into the cold night air, she couldn't shake the feeling that the shaman's words had changed something.

That somewhere, deep in the fabric of fate, something irreversible had already begun.

As Austin walked ahead, his voice rang out impatiently.

"Princess, come on, or I'll leave you here."

Sonya snapped out of her thoughts, shaking off the eerie weight of the shaman's words. "I'm coming," she muttered, casting one last glance toward the old man who sat cross-legged inside the dimly lit tent.

Yet, something inside her stirred—an unease, a question she had not dared ask before.

She turned on her heel and faced the shaman once more. "Can I ask you something, Shaman?"

The old man exhaled slowly, as if he had expected this. His eyes, like deep wells of untold knowledge, peered into her soul. "Ask away, child."

Sonya hesitated for a moment before voicing the question that had gnawed at her heart for years. "Will someone from my family—my father, my brother, or someone close to me—die in the future?"

The shaman's expression did not change. His gaze, however, darkened ever so slightly. The fire before him flickered, casting shifting shadows upon the tent's fabric.

"You ask about the future," he murmured, his voice layered with an emotion she could not place. "The future is not set in stone. It can be changed, rewritten, twisted by the choices we make."

Sonya felt a faint sense of relief—but it was short-lived.

"But…" The shaman's voice turned graver, heavier. "The ones you love will not perish… but they will set into motion something far darker. Something that cannot be undone."

A shiver ran down Sonya's spine. "What… what do you mean?"

The shaman's gaze seemed to pierce through her very being. "They will not die by fate's hand. But their actions will awaken a darkness far beyond their control. A chain of events that will spiral into something even the gods themselves fear."

Her heart pounded. "My father… my brother… what will they do?"

The shaman closed his eyes for a moment before speaking again. "The road to destruction is not always paved by the hands of villains. Even the purest intentions can lead to catastrophe. Even the greatest kings can be the harbingers of ruin."

Sonya's hands clenched into fists. Her mind reeled at the possibilities. Her father, Duke Evern, was one of the most powerful men in the empire. Her brother, heir to the duchy, had been trained for leadership all his life. They were both ambitious, cunning… and at times, ruthless.

But were they capable of unleashing something darker?

She opened her mouth to ask more, but the shaman raised a wrinkled hand.

"I have spoken what must be spoken. The rest… is for you to uncover."

A gust of wind blew through the tent, rustling the fabric. It sent a strange chill down Sonya's spine, as if the very air had shifted.

"Sonya!" Austin's voice called out from outside. "I swear, if you make me wait any longer, I will leave you here."

The moment shattered.

Sonya inhaled sharply, pushing down the growing unease in her heart. She turned away from the shaman, stepping toward the tent's entrance. But before she left, she hesitated.

One last question burned on her tongue.

"Can I stop it?" she asked, her voice quieter than before.

The shaman did not answer immediately.

Then, in a voice barely above a whisper, he said:

"The question is not whether you can stop it… But whether you will."

Sonya swallowed hard.

She stepped out of the tent into the crisp morning air, where Austin stood with his arms crossed, impatiently tapping his foot.

"Took you long enough," he muttered, but his gaze flickered over her face, as if sensing something had changed.

Sonya did not respond.

Because deep down, she knew.

Something had changed.

And the weight of the future was now heavier than ever before.

Austin turned back one last time, staring at the shaman with a smirk that didn't quite reach his eyes. "We'll meet again, Shaman. Don't go dying before that."

The shaman chuckled, his aged face wrinkling with an amused grin. "You too, Ravenclaw. I expect you to keep your promises."

Austin simply waved and turned away, his long coat swaying with his movements as he and Sonya walked toward the outskirts of the village.

As they left, the chief's son, a young man with broad shoulders and piercing amber eyes, stepped forward. His brows furrowed as he looked at the shaman. "Was it right to tell him the truth?"

The shaman sighed, his fingers tracing patterns in the dirt as he sat beside the dimming fire. "The truth is a double-edged sword. It can guide or destroy, and we can never predict which it will do."

The young warrior frowned. "But now he will act. He is desperate—I saw it in his eyes."

The shaman nodded slowly. "Yes. And that is what worries me. Desperation fuels recklessness, and recklessness leads to ruin." He exhaled, looking toward the distant figures of Austin and Sonya. "Fate is not written in stone, but sometimes… we carve it ourselves with our choices."

The flames flickered. The village was quiet, but the weight of the conversation lingered in the air.

Far Ahead – Sonya's Thoughts

The tribal village grew smaller behind them, and Sonya kept her eyes forward, lost in her thoughts.

If my father and brother won't die in the future… that means history will not repeat itself.

In the Reigning Game, the brutal power struggle that had shaped the empire, betrayal had come from within. Her family had been targeted, backstabbed, and ultimately crushed under the weight of a rebellion. It had all begun with a single act of treachery—Austin Ravenclaw's betrayal.

But if her father and brother would survive… if their deaths were not inevitable…

That means Ravenclaw will not betray them.

Her gaze flickered toward Austin, watching his sharp profile, the way his eyes remained calculating, always scanning their surroundings.

There will be no rebellion.

A sense of unease crawled up her spine.

_But why? Why would history take a different course?*

Sonya had never trusted Austin Ravenclaw. He was unpredictable, unreadable—a man who had made enemies out of necessity and allies out of convenience. If he wasn't the one to betray her family, then…

Then someone else will.

She swallowed hard, gripping her arms.

_And if history has already changed… what does that mean for me?

She had been driven by revenge, by the knowledge of what would happen. But if the script had already shifted, if the future was no longer the same—what was her role now?

She glanced at Austin again, narrowing her eyes.

I have to be careful. This man is unpredictable in too many ways.

She would not let her guard down. Not now. Not ever.

Austin's Perspective

Austin walked ahead, his thoughts swirling.

The shaman's words had rattled something deep inside him.

"Someone close to you will die."

He had heard many prophecies in his life. Some he had ignored, others he had laughed at. But this one felt different.

The shaman had been careful with his words. He had not said who would die, nor when.

But he had also warned of a shadow of betrayal.

Austin's hand clenched at his side.

Betrayal.

He was no stranger to it. He had expected it for years. But if the shaman was right, then this time, it would come from someone close.

His mind went through every possibility. His allies, his subordinates, the people he had carefully placed around him.

Who will it be?

His fingers twitched.

He needed to act before it was too late.

As they continued walking, the dense forest around them gave way to open plains. The sky stretched wide above them, but Austin felt no relief.

Because he knew one thing for certain.

The game had already begun.

As they stepped out of the dense treeline, the wilderness behind them gave way to rolling plains stretching endlessly under the golden hues of the setting sun. The weight of their exhausting journey clung to them, dirt and dried blood painting their once-pristine clothes. The wind carried the distant scent of a settlement—smoke from chimneys, the faint aroma of roasted meat, the sound of distant chatter. Civilization.

Sonya, still catching her breath, turned to Austin. "Where is the academy?"

Austin exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "Far. Much farther than this. We're in the wrong part of the continent."

Sonya frowned. "What do you mean?"

He flexed his fingers, activating his communication magic. A faint, glowing sigil appeared in the air before him, pulsating as it connected to its recipient. After a few moments, a voice crackled through the magical channel.

"Ravenclaw. You must have a reason for not being at the festival."

Austin straightened. "Yes, I do."

"And what is that reason?"

He cast a sidelong glance at Sonya, who folded her arms, her expression defiant. "Miss Sonya here thought it would be wise to take control of a wyvern and fly it over the hunting grounds."

A pause. Then a sigh. "I should have expected this."

Austin continued, voice clipped with frustration. "It got out of control. We were forced to flee after a King Wyvern engaged. Then, we ran into an Emperor Chimera."

A sharper silence followed.

"An Emperor Chimera? And you're alive?"

Austin's jaw tightened. "Barely."

He could practically hear the disbelief in the principal's voice. "And where are you now?"

He sighed, rubbing his temple. "Right now? We're in Duchy Angar. We'll report back to the academy in three days."

"Three days? That is not a short distance, Ravenclaw."

"Trust me, I know," Austin muttered.

"Fine. Get back as soon as possible. The festival is still ongoing, but your disappearance hasn't gone unnoticed. Expect questioning when you return."

Austin let the communication spell fizzle out, the glowing sigil vanishing into the air. He turned to Sonya, who had been listening intently.

"Duchy Angar, huh?" she murmured. "That's quite far from where we were supposed to be."

Austin gave a humorless chuckle. "You don't say?"

Sonya scoffed, flicking a lock of her hair back. "Well, excuse me for wanting to kill you grandly and dramatically. It's not my fault the universe decided to throw a goddamn Chimera in my way."

Austin arched a brow. "Oh? So if I had died properly, this would all be fine?"

"Obviously." She crossed her arms. "I had the whole moment planned. Epic aerial battle, a tragic yet beautiful downfall—"

"You were about to crash and burn," Austin interrupted.

"That's beside the point," she snapped.

Austin sighed and turned toward the distant settlement. "Forget it. Right now, we need food, shelter, and a way back. Angar isn't exactly a friendly duchy. We should keep a low profile."

Sonya raised an eyebrow. "And what exactly makes you think I can keep a low profile?"

Austin stared at her. "…Fair point."

She smirked. "Besides, I'm a noblewoman. I'm used to luxury. Sleeping on the ground with wolves and chimeras wasn't exactly my idea of a good time."

Austin rolled his eyes. "Well, princess, unless you plan on paying your way through with arrogance, you'd best follow my lead."

She scoffed. "I'll have you know I have connections here."

Austin frowned slightly at that. "Oh?"

Sonya's smirk deepened. "Let's just say… the Duchy of Angar has seen its fair share of illegal trading. A smuggler I once worked with might still be around."

Austin groaned. "Of course, you were involved with smugglers. Why am I not surprised?"

Sonya grinned. "Oh, don't worry, Ravenclaw. This time, I might help you."

Austin sighed again, rubbing his temples. He had a feeling this wasn't going to be easy, he said," Don't, I have someone who can help ".

Austin activated another communication spell, this time reaching out to an old friend—Kael, the Duke of Angar. The glowing sigil formed in the air, and soon, a familiar voice crackled through the link.

"Ah, Ravenclaw! Good friend, how are you? It's been ages since you last reached out. I was beginning to think you'd forgotten me!"

Austin exhaled, a small smirk tugging at his lips despite the exhaustion weighing on him. "Yeah, yeah. I need a favor, Kael."

"A favor? From me? Now that is interesting. What might that be?"

"I need a carriage sent to the outskirts of Fiens. I have… a situation."

A pause. Then Kael's voice took on an amused tone. "A situation? Ravenclaw, you're supposed to be at the festival. What the hell are you doing out there?"

Austin's jaw tightened. "Long story. Can you send it or not?"

"Hah! Of course, of course. But you must have heard, right?"

Austin frowned. "Heard what?"

"The festival is a goddamn mess right now. The Cultists of Somara struck. They unleashed a modified monster into the Black Forest. Something… unnatural. I've been getting reports that many students are injured, and the teachers are hunting for it as we speak."

Austin's expression darkened. "What kind of monster?"

"That's the thing—we don't know. The damn thing doesn't match anything in the bestiaries. It's as if it were made, not born."

Austin's mind immediately went to Sonya and Selen. Sonya was here with him, but Selen… she was back in that cursed forest. And if Somara's cultists were involved, that meant whatever was released wasn't just dangerous—it was likely a harbinger of something far worse.

"Ravenclaw?" Kael's voice broke him from his thoughts. "You still there?"

Austin took a deep breath. "Yeah. I need to get back now."

"Carriage will be there within the hour. But listen—whatever this thing is, it's strong. Some of my men stationed at the festival reported that it took down three instructors already."

Austin's eyes narrowed. "Three instructors?"

_"Three senior instructors," Kael corrected grimly. "They were among the best, and they still couldn't stop it. It just keeps evolving, as if adapting to every attack thrown at it."

Austin clenched his fists. "I need more information. Who's leading the hunt?"

"Grand Instructor Mikhail and a few others. But Ravenclaw, listen—" Kael hesitated. "There's something else."

Austin's grip on his communication magic tightened. "What?"

Kael's voice was lower now, almost as if he didn't want to say it. "They say the monster… speaks."

Austin went still. "Speaks?"

"Yeah. It whispers in their minds. Not words they understand, but enough to make some of the weaker students panic. Some even ran into the deeper parts of the forest, which is practically suicide."

Austin exhaled sharply. "Damn it."

"That's not all."

Austin was already bracing himself for the worst. "What now?"

"It killed an entire group of cultists, its summoners—and left their corpses hanging like a warning."

Silence.

Even Sonya, who had been listening, tensed. "Wait," she interjected, stepping closer. "You mean the cultists couldn't control it?"

"Exactly."

Austin cursed under his breath. This wasn't just another attack—it was a complete disaster. The cultists weren't just trying to summon something deadly. They had lost control of whatever they had created.

Kael's voice came again, urgent this time. "I don't know what you got yourself into, Ravenclaw, but get back to the academy. Fast. The festival might not survive the next few days."

Austin gritted his teeth. "We'll be there soon. Have the carriage ready."

"Already on it. Just don't die before we meet again, yeah?"

As the communication spell fizzled out, Sonya stood in silence, her mind a chaotic storm of thoughts.

Was it Selen?

Both of them had sworn to kill Ravenclaw. They had been united in their hatred, in their thirst for revenge. But what if… what if Selen had gone too far? What if she had joined hands with the cultists?

Her fingers twitched. If Selen was the one behind this, then the situation was worse than they thought. If the monster was her doing, then this wasn't just an attack on the festival—this was war.

Her breath came out shakily as she crossed her arms, watching Austin's sharp gaze scan the horizon. He had no idea. No idea that Selen had wanted him dead just as much as she had.

She bit her lip, her thoughts racing.

If Selen is involved… if she's the one who unleashed that thing… then does that mean she's already betrayed me?

Her heart pounded violently against her ribs.

She had always known Selen was dangerous—ruthless even. But never had she imagined that her friend would be reckless enough to summon something beyond control.

If that monster was her doing… then what was Selen's real goal?

Sonya exhaled and closed her eyes, forcing herself to think rationally.

Hadn't the shaman just warned Austin that someone close to him would betray him? That someone dear to him would die?

Her fingers curled into a fist.

"Could it be Selen?"

Austin, unaware of her internal turmoil, adjusted his coat and exhaled. "The carriage should be here soon. Once we reach the academy, we need to find out exactly what happened during the attack."

Sonya nodded absently, her mind still on Selen.

"Sonya," Austin said suddenly, turning to her. "You're quiet. That's unlike you."

She snapped out of her thoughts and scowled. "Shut up. I'm just trying to figure out how to deal with this mess."

Austin smirked slightly but didn't press further.

The wind howled around them as they stood near the outskirts of the city of Fiens, waiting for the carriage Kael had promised. In the distance, they could see the torches of approaching travelers, the faint noise of the city's bustling night life echoing through the cool air.

But Sonya's thoughts remained fixated on one thing.

Selen.

She had to find out the truth.

And if Selen was behind this?

Sonya's eyes darkened.

Then she would have no choice but to stop her.