The night air in Grimbriar was thick with mist, the kind that made even a sane person question if trees were alive. For Eiji Sora, it was perfectly terrifying—and hilarious.
"Why did I agree to patrol the forest at night?" Eiji muttered, tripping over a glowing root. Sparks flew, illuminating tiny woodland creatures that looked like floating lanterns.
Pyra hovered above his head, flicking a spark at his shoulder. "Because, Oracle, no one else is stupid enough to do it. And also, apparently, your bad luck draws out evil things. You're like a magnet for trouble."
Eiji groaned. "Great. That's comforting."
Ahead, the elementals who had been stealing the livestock zipped between trees, carrying tiny glowing animals like enchanted grocery bags. Their mischievous laughter echoed, making the forest sound like a carnival of chaos.
"Stop!" Eiji shouted, waving his scroll. "I foresee doom upon… you!"
The elementals paused, tilted their sparks, then zipped faster. One zipped past Eiji's ear, sending him stumbling into a bush, where he landed face-first in… something sticky.
Sir Nibbles' voice echoed in his head. You're really making a mess of this, Oracle.
Suddenly, a shadow fell over the grove. A figure stepped out from behind a tree—hooded, cloaked, radiating a dark, unnatural aura. Eiji froze.
"So… the Oracle is here," the figure said, voice like ice flowing over stone. "I've been expecting you."
Eiji tried to back away, but tripped over his own feet. Pyra floated above him, sparks flying in frustration. "Congratulations. You've officially met a Shadow Guild agent, and your life is now exponentially more dangerous."
The figure extended a hand. A swirling portal appeared behind him, glowing ominously. "Leave this place, Oracle… or witness the consequences."
Eiji blinked. "Uh… okay, maybe I misread my scroll. Maybe this prophecy was… optional?"
The elementals screeched in laughter and zipped through the portal, taking some of the glowing livestock with them. The Shadow Guild figure vanished with them in a swirl of shadows.
Eiji sighed, covered in sticky leaves and mud. "I just… wanted to do a simple prophecy mission and deliver some goats…"
Pyra hovered above his head, smoke curling lazily. "And yet, here you are. On the radar of one of the most dangerous organizations in Zorynthia. Classic Oracle move."
Eiji groaned. "I'm doomed, aren't I?"
Pyra smirked. "Technically… yes. But also, somehow, this is the start of something big. You'll survive… maybe."
As Eiji trudged back toward the village, sticky, bruised, and utterly confused, he realized something: his bad luck might actually be the key to unraveling the Shadow Guild's secrets.
And if he survived, maybe he'd finally figure out what a prophecy was supposed to mean-before the next disaster struck.