ELDARYA

Prologue.

In 1917, as the shadows of war stretched everywhere, I found myself lost in a desperate journey for survival and hope.

The grass tickles my feet. Deep down, I fear they might come after me, even though I know they won’t. No one is cruel enough to hunt someone down and kill them for petty justice, right?

The witch hunt has begun, and I don’t want to be among the bodies on the stakes. Betrayal, huh? I never expected things to escalate this far. No one did. After what happened, all I want is to start over. Or at least survive.

Fear had become a constant companion. And besides, hiding my wings is exhausting for someone who has always been free to show them. It drains more maana than I’d like. I feel exhausted. The sun is already rising when I finally reach somewhere. A clearing.

The sun bathes the slightly wet grass, creating a magnificent golden aura. For a moment, I forget about the war, about everything I’ve seen. I spot a man watering flowers in his large yard. His wooden house looks terribly cozy. Seeing someone in such tranquility amidst war is comforting.

Hidden behind a tree, I watch the man tend to the soil. I move a little closer, though the feeling of being seen makes me hesitate. The house, simple and rustic, seems like a haven of peace amid the chaos. The man continues his work, oblivious to the storm I carry.

The tranquility of the scene is almost surreal. He moves with a calmness I haven’t known in a long time, as if the world around him isn’t in ruins. The way he bends to adjust the plants, the gentleness with which he touches the earth — all of it is a sharp contrast to the violence I’ve left behind.

I wonder what he would think if he knew about the sacrifices and escapes, about the persecuted angels, and the supposed betrayal that forced me to hide my wings. The curiosity about his life, about what he values, is a temporary relief from my own worries.

As I watch, a sense that maybe, just maybe, I could find a moment of peace here, even if only briefly, begins to emerge. But the fear is still with me, and I know I can’t stay hidden forever.

I take a deep breath, trying to sharpen my mind, to prepare myself for what comes next. Who knows, perhaps this clearing and this man offer more than just a brief respite. Maybe, somewhere between these flowers and the golden sky, I can find a fragment of hope that will allow me to keep moving forward.

Finally, I decide to pull away, but not before casting one last glance at the man, still absorbed in his work. The sight of his serenity is a reminder that, even in times of crisis, there is beauty and peace to be found, even if only for a brief moment.

I turn and head towards the next step of my journey, with a slight sense of comfort and a small spark of hope, knowing that many challenges still lie ahead.