The silence of night had gently settled over Élise's home, like a veil of velvet. A light breeze drifted through the tall branches outside, carrying with it a discreet music, almost imperceptible, that seemed to accompany each of their breaths.
Daniel, still seated on the edge of the bed, stared at an invisible point before him. His mind, whirling with images and memories torn from the mysterious flow of Lysandra, wrestled between clarity and shadow. Since their encounter, a certainty had taken root within him: this journey was not just the wandering of an adventurer. No, it was a march toward a vaster legacy, an invisible thread tying his destiny to forces older than millennia.
Élise entered with soft steps, her eyes carrying a gentle gravity. She hesitated before sitting beside him. Her hand brushed against the blanket, as if the gesture itself sought an anchor in reality before daring to speak.
— Daniel… she whispered. I've entrusted you with fragments of what happened a thousand years ago, but the whole truth… it still slips from me at times, like shattered pieces in my memory. Yet every fragment that returns resonates with what you are living now.
Daniel nodded. Deep within him, Lysandra pulsed with a subtle presence. She did not need to take shape: her voice already echoed, soft, ironic at times, yet profoundly lucid.
You already know, Daniel. You carry the scars of an age that was never yours. Listen to her. Her words are but the resonance of what I've already shown you.
The young man drew a deep breath, finally meeting Élise's gaze.
— It feels like I know this story even before you tell it, he said in a low voice. As if a part of me already remembers…
Élise's pupils widened, caught between surprise and relief. She leaned closer, as though that closeness diminished the distance separating two worlds.
— Then you understand, she said softly. You understand why I fight, why I fear that all of this may repeat.
For a moment, silence wrapped around them. Then Élise spoke again, her words more animated, her gestures weaving through her speech. She described the ancient city, the flames of war, the divine beasts clashing under a sky split apart by light. Every word she spoke conjured vivid images in Daniel's mind, as if Lysandra herself opened the gates of that ancestral memory to reveal its colors and scents: the hot dust of the battlefield, the metallic gleam of spears, the distant cry of a horn shattering against the echo of the mountains.
Élise trembled slightly as she spoke, but her eyes never left him. She sought not only a listening ear; she sought recognition, proof that she was not alone in bearing this burden.
Daniel, despite the weight of the revelations, felt a new strength awakening within him. His inner voice — that of Lysandra — intertwined with his own, like a fragile yet powerful harmony:
Do not let her carry this weight alone. Your place is already drawn at her side. What you fear is not a curse, but a key.
Then he reached out and laid his hand over hers. That simple touch sparked a shiver, like an ember lighting up the room's darkness. Élise lowered her eyes, her breath short, but did not pull her hand away.
A discreet smile, almost timid, crossed Daniel's lips. Despite the shadows of the past, despite the abyss of a thousand years yawning beneath their steps, there was in that moment a promise of light.
— Together, he said. Whatever happens, I will walk with you.
Élise slowly raised her head. In her gaze glimmered a light he had never seen before, a fragile yet resolute flame. She allowed herself a faint smile, and for the first time in a long while, she seemed relieved — even if only by a breath.
The night continued its discreet song, and in that quiet corner of the house, destiny had just sealed a new vow.
---
The morning had already progressed when Daniel finally got up, still a bit dazed from the soft light filtering through the curtains. Beside him, Elise was still in bed, curled up under the blanket, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment and her eyes fixed on the floor. She clutched the blanket to herself like a shield, hesitant, as if the slightest movement might betray her.
Daniel took a deep breath and sat at the edge of the bed. He coughed lightly, searching for the right words, and finally blurted out:
— "Well… we… uh… slept in the same bed… it's… I mean… it feels like… a thing…"
No sooner had he spoken than Elise, red as embers, gave a small shove to his side. Daniel almost choked from the surprise and restrained laughter:
— "Hey… hey… wait! Are you trying to kill me or what?"
Elise, a little flustered but still with a mischievous smile, stepped back a few paces and raised her hands. From her fingers, tiny red and golden sparks began to flicker in the air: fire spells, simple but visibly potent, ready to hit him if she wanted.
Daniel stepped back, raising his hands in surrender, his voice loud and dramatically exaggerated:
— "Hey, hey, hey… careful! Calm down! We're not in the battle of the century yet, okay!"
Elise burst into a light laugh, despite her embarrassment, and took a step forward:
— "Ah yes… that's exactly what I want to do!"
Before Daniel could react, she shot a small jet of magical fire that made him stumble back, shouting:
— "Hey! Wait! I'm going to get burned!"
The scene instantly became a comical moment, almost worthy of an animated show, with Daniel trying to dodge awkwardly while shouting, and Elise, flushed but amused, concentrating on her spells and following closely. The entire room seemed to vibrate with the energy of magic and shared laughter—a mix of adrenaline and pure humor.
Daniel finally stopped, panting, his face slightly scorched by the heat, but his eyes sparkling:
— "Okay… you win this round… but tomorrow, I choose the game!"
Elise, finally calm, let her hands drop and sat on the bed, laughing softly:
— "Hmm… you're truly incorrigible… but that's why I like you."
Their eyes met for a moment, a mixture of complicity, embarrassment, and that little spark of magic that made this morning unique. Even the spells, the magic, and the fire couldn't erase this moment of lightheartedness amidst a world of adventures and quests.
---
After the commotion and laughter in the room, an hour had passed. The house had regained its calm. Daniel and Élise now found themselves in the living room, where the smell of a warm meal floated in the air. The dining table, simple yet welcoming, was carefully set: a light tablecloth, a few porcelain plates, and a basket of still steaming bread.
Élise, dressed in a light dress, was arranging the dishes with care. Her face still bore a trace of earlier embarrassment, but her gestures remained precise, almost ceremonial.
— "Come, sit down," she said softly, inviting him to take a seat.
Daniel, still a little amused by their morning misadventures, let himself be guided and sat down. When he tasted the first bite, his eyes widened immediately.
— "But… this is delicious!" he exclaimed, giving a thumbs up. "Honestly, you're a real magician, not just with magic, but with cooking too."
Élise looked away, a timid smile on her lips.
— "You're exaggerating… it's just a breakfast."
— "No, I assure you," Daniel replied sincerely. "Thank you… for this meal, and also… for letting me spend the night here."
A slight silence settled. Élise looked at him for a moment, her eyes veiled with discreet softness. She inhaled, as if she was about to ask an important question. Her voice, hesitant, finally found its way through:
— "Tell me, Daniel… would you like… to stay a little longer…?"
Before Daniel could answer, a sharp knock sounded at the door. Knock, knock, knock.
They both jumped, almost in sync. Élise quickly stood up and went to open.
On the threshold stood a member of the guild they had met the day before. His features seemed marked with a certain gravity, and in his hands he held a scroll sealed with a red ribbon. His gaze first rested on Élise, then on Daniel, with unusual intensity.
— "Forgive my intrusion," he said in a firm voice, "but I come with a message of importance. A special mission awaits you."
Silence hung in the room for a moment. Daniel, with a half-chewed bite still in his mouth, swallowed awkwardly and blurted out:
— "A special mission… at breakfast? Seriously?"
Élise pressed her lips together to keep from laughing, but her eyes were already shining with a spark of complicity.
The guild member, unperturbed, extended the scroll.
— "The future of more than one territory will depend on your answer."
Daniel exchanged a glance with Élise, a mix of curiosity, seriousness… and a lingering trace of humor from their lively morning. A new page of their adventure had just opened.