"...The waves have shifted, yet the storm hath yet to arrive. Let the storm come... Then We shall returneth to the universe."
**
Caela had the dream again.
Since she was a child until today, she had never missed a single night without dreaming—or perhaps witnessing visions—of war and destruction in a place she never recognized, of people suffering, crying, screaming, and drowning in fear. She could feel it all so vividly, and always, the same voice would echo repeatedly in her mind.
As usual, her pillow was damp with sweat in the morning because of the dream. She quickly sat up and closed her sky-blue eyes for a moment, letting out a sigh. Her shoulder-length white hair partially covered her face.
"You had the dream again?" asked a woman with crimson eyes and long black hair, whose face had started to show fine wrinkles. She approached Caela, carrying some bread and a drink, placing them on the table beside her.
"Aunt Rieva…" Caela nodded toward Rieva and shifted to the edge of her bed, slowly reaching for the drink.
Rieva gave a small smile and knelt beside her. "Don't worry, it's only a dream," said Rieva.
Caela didn't respond at first. She took a sip from the glass and looked at Rieva. Silence lingered between them. Rieva was always kind and gentle with her. Sometimes, Caela found herself lost in Rieva's gaze—those crimson eyes unlike anyone else's in the village, eyes she had never seen before.
"What are you thinking about now?" Rieva asked with a slight smile.
"Nothing," Caela smiled faintly. "I still wonder why Aunt Rieva is so kind to me."
Rieva chuckled softly. "Oh my, you're still thinking about that?"
Caela nodded with a small smile. "Yes, I guess I am…"
Rieva giggled. "Just eat first, then we can practice magic or read more books if you'd like," she said.
"Alright… But honestly, your hair's starting to turn brown now," Caela said, grinning slightly.
Rieva raised an eyebrow and looked through strands of her hair, trying to spot the parts turning brown. Slightly surprised, she smiled. "I guess I've been under the sun too much," she replied.
Caela laughed quietly with Rieva. After that, Caela ate and Rieva left her. Caela nibbled on her bread and drifted back into her thoughts. Since she was little, she had lived with Rieva in the village of Tevira. A village surrounded by sand, with only a few wooden houses. The winds were often strong and the sun relentlessly scorching.
Everyone here had tanned skin, but Caela and Rieva both had fair white skin. Rieva never talked about her origins, no matter how much Caela asked. She only told her that she had found Caela unconscious in the village, and from that moment, took her in. Rieva taught her to read, use magic, and shared many stories about the Gods.
After drifting in thought, Caela raised her eyebrows. She heard noise coming from outside. She stood up slowly and walked to the door, which was only covered by a cloth. She pulled it aside to see what was happening.
In the center of the village, a crowd had gathered around a man named Valia, a former villager. But this time, he had returned dressed neatly like a fine magician. Curious, Caela made her way toward the crowd.
"Lord Valia, what a blessing from the Gods… You've become one of the Hosts," a villager said.
"Of course, it wasn't easy. There were many trials to overcome in order to communicate with the God," Valia said proudly.
"What God do you serve, Sir?" a child asked with a smile.
"The God of Fire, Agi."
"No wonder, you're a skilled magic wielder. Of course the Gods favor you," said one of the village Elders with a smile.
Caela pushed through the crowd, stepping closer to Valia.
"How did you summon that God?" Caela asked bluntly.
"Call me Lord Valia," he replied, turning to her.
"I'm asking you a question," Caela responded coldly, locking eyes with him.
Valia paused for a moment, then scoffed. He pulled out a red crystal pendant from inside his robes.
"With this crystal. The Fire God, Agi resides within it, and only I, the Hosts can summon Him," he said with pride.
Caela quickly took the crystal from his hand and examined it closely, as if trying to analyze it. How could a god be contained inside a crystal? Seconds passed, and suddenly, images from her dreams came back vividly. Her sky-blue eyes turned white, the cries of suffering people echoed loudly, and then, one final voice pierced her ears:
"Come… the Chosen One…"
It all happened so quickly. Valia grew angry, and the villagers were shocked by Caela's boldness. She snapped out of the trance, accidentally dropping the crystal into the sand, her eyes now red, her body drenched in sweat.
"Hey, hey! Be careful with that crystal!" Valia shouted.
Without a word, Caela turned and walked back to her house. Valia fumed at her behavior and picked up the fallen crystal.
"Tch, what a brat," Valia muttered sarcastically.
***