The spirit was something intangible, detached from the material plane; destiny was something difficult to believe in. In my way of thinking, destiny doesn't make sense. Believing in destiny means believing that things are predetermined before they happen and that they cannot be changed.
However, all this talk of predictions and the like made Itachi feel a certain doubt, especially since he knew of an old toad that went around telling strange things in the Naruto world related to prophecies.
After the process of verifying our identities was over, the elders asked Agata to take us to our rooms to rest.
Taking the opportunity, I asked the blonde elf, "Hello Agata, I have a question about how the elders' destiny readings and their prophecies work. Who should I ask about this?"
Agata smiled, delighted to be able to help, and replied, "The best thing would be to ask the elders. I think some people have the talent, and some techniques exist, but I don't know how they work." Then she thought a little more and said, "I think there might be a book in the library if you'd like to look for it together."
"I would love to go to the library. When can we do it?"
"I'll come by your room tomorrow morning. Then, in the afternoon, you have a meeting with the elder Hilena to begin your spiritual training if you agree. If not, the elders are willing to give you more time to think about it."
"Thank you." I nodded at the charming elf. I definitely need to think about it. I'll see what I find in the library and then make my decision.
When we arrived at the room, it looked like a large bird's nest from the outside, but inside it was warm. It had a large living room with a kitchen, a spiral staircase to the second floor leading to the bedrooms, and a view of the great forest that people on Earth would undoubtedly pay thousands of dollars to have.
Agata showed us our rooms and asked if we wanted to have dinner or explore the village later. She would take care of helping us with all of that.
Shisui looked at me with a big smile. "It would be nice to explore the village, wouldn't it?"
To which I nodded with interest.
"Good," Agata smiled again. "I'll come by for you in an hour."
The sun had already set, and Agata knocked on our door. She was wearing a yellow dress and had put on makeup. She seemed very happy and said with a big smile, "Are you ready, guys?"
I must be honest; I fell in love with Agata's personality and beauty, but I wasn't looking for a relationship. Besides, I look 11 or 12 years old, and she looks about 18 or 20... In my head, I was calculating some things...
The village was something else. The elves loved music, dancing, and were a very happy people. The village had narrow streets where some elves played instruments, others danced alone or in pairs with the wind, children ran as agile as gazelles, and the round lights that hung next to floating gardens made the atmosphere very warm.
We headed to a square where there were vendors of all kinds: roasted food, jewelry and articles, vendors of clothes and fabrics. In the center, there was a dance floor where couples competed for who danced the best.
People greeted us, and it seemed the news had spread: there were young people who had come from the stars to save this world, and they were here with us. The young female elves gave us glances, and the young male elves wanted to shake our hands.
We went into a small restaurant that sold roasted meat, and there we enjoyed a good time. I tried alcohol for the first time and let go of all my worries. Then we sang and talked until late.
The next day, Agata came for them, and they headed to the library. The library was built inside the trunk of the main tree, into which additional holes had been carved for light to enter. The elves took advantage of the circular shape to add shelves that grew upwards.
Itachi, Shisui, and Renji delved into the labyrinth of shelves, guided by the map Agata had given them. The three had their own motivations but shared the same desire for knowledge.
The Awakening of the Dominion
After hours of searching, Itachi found a leather-bound book titled "The Awakening of Consciousness and the Dominion." He opened the book carefully. A sentence caught his attention: "The awakening of spiritual consciousness is the first step to synchronizing the soul, body, and spirit, allowing beings like elves and humans to evolve beyond their limits."
Shisui, astonished, took another book that detailed the different states of awakening. Renji, for his part, was fascinated by the idea that spiritual consciousness was not just an abstract concept but a tool to reach his potential.
Agata found them later, sitting on the floor, surrounded by books. "So you've discovered the concept of the Dominion," she smiled. "It's the manifestation of the power of spiritual consciousness in conjunction with the body and soul, but very few truly achieve it. It requires having a developed soul to feel the energy of nature, a sufficiently sensitive body, and obviously, awakening the spiritual consciousness."
The Fabric of Destiny
They continued their search, following the clues from the books. The group focused on the nature of the Dominion. A passage in one of the scrolls caught their attention: "The Dominion is a fabric that permeates all living beings, analogous to space-time. All sentient beings alter destiny with their own existence. When destiny is analyzed, what you see is the surface of the most probable trajectory of that specific existence."
Renji was thoughtful. "So, destiny isn't fixed?"
"I don't know," Agata replied. "Destiny is a network of cause and effect. You can see a person's path if you have the talent to read that network, but I don't know if we can actually alter our destiny."
Itachi and Shisui felt a shiver. Shisui found a book on ancestral rituals. The text described how, with the help of nature, the threads of the destiny network could be seen more clearly.
"So, to read destiny, you need talent, but also a connection with nature," Itachi murmured, understanding the importance of their journey and the need to seek more knowledge.
Agata urged them to rest. "The road is long, and this is just the beginning," she said, her voice sweet. "What you've discovered today is the first thread. Now, you must learn to weave with it."
On the other hand, Itachi stopped to analyze some of the elves' powers, such as one called the Wind Arrow. It wasn't very different from a normal Wind Jutsu, but it was the perfect type of attack for an elf who had an affinity for Wind.