Eiji Sora had barely gotten used to the idea of being the Oracle of Misfortune when he was promptly dragged—literally—into the royal palace.
"Stand here," barked a panicked royal assistant, shoving him toward a golden podium. "The king awaits your prophecy!"
Eiji stumbled. His head still smelled faintly of… well, pigeon. "Prophecy? Me? I barely survived the stairs!"
The podium shimmered magically, glowing like it was alive. Eiji's scroll floated to his hands, flapping impatiently. Pyra, his sarcastic fire-elemental companion, hovered near his shoulder.
"Great," Pyra muttered. "Time for you to publicly fail. I'll just enjoy the fireworks."
Eiji cleared his throat. "Uh… Your Majesty… I… um…" He looked at the scroll. Words shimmered and twisted like they had a mind of their own:
"A great disaster approaches the kingdom. Beware… the thief in the royal hall…"
The king leaned forward, eyes wide. "A thief? In the palace?"
Eiji's heart raced. I guess I better point… somewhere? He nervously gestured toward the corner of the throne room. A shadow moved. The king gasped.
"Seize the intruder!" he shouted.
Guards ran… and promptly tackled the royal cat, who had been napping elegantly on a throne cushion.
Eiji froze. "Wait… that's not—"
Pyra snorted. "Congratulations, Oracle. You just predicted a crime… committed by a cat. The kingdom applauds your genius."
The court erupted in laughter. Nobles gasped, guards scratched their heads, and the king… sighed. "Eiji Sora… your reputation precedes you already."
Eiji winced. "Reputation? I haven't even… you know… figured out how to survive today!"
Before he could process the humiliation, the scroll shimmered again:
"Next, the fire dragon will strike… the royal kitchens…"
Eiji's eyes went wide. "Wait, that can't be real—"
A loud CRASH! echoed from the palace kitchen. Smoke poured out. Something large, scaly, and very flammable had just set the kitchen on fire.
Pyra floated above his head, rolling her glowing eyes. "See? Told you. Your prophecies are catastrophic, but technically… accurate."
Eiji groaned. "I am doomed."
And thus began Eiji's life as the most unlucky oracle in Zorynthia: making correct predictions that caused absolute chaos wherever he went. Little did he know, this accidental knack for seeing truths would soon unravel the mysteries hidden deep within the kingdom—and attract the attention of someone very dangerous, watching from the shadows.