In the time of legends, five kingdoms once thrived in harmony, each wielding a unique and powerful magic gifted by ancient deities. These kingdoms were united by a mysterious sixth realm, Elyria, whose magic of Synergy could combine all their powers...
The village of Brighthollow was a place where time itself seemed to stand still. Tucked between dense forests and gentle hills, it was the kind of quiet, unremarkable place that didn't make it onto maps. Nothing unusual ever happened here—just simple folk going about their simple lives. It was the kind of place that made you forget the rest of the world existed.
For Eidan, that was the problem.
At 18, he had spent his entire life in Brighthollow, doing odd jobs for villagers and trying to find a purpose. Mara, the old woman who'd taken him in as a baby, often reminded him that he should be grateful for a peaceful life. But something always stirred in his chest—a yearning for more, for something beyond the endless routine of orchard work and fence-mending.
As he pushed an old cart of apples down the village road, Eidan sighed and glanced up at the distant mountains that marked the edge of the forest. He had heard rumors, whispered among the elders, of strange lands and ancient kingdoms far beyond the trees. Not that anyone in Brighthollow cared much for those tales.
"Dreaming again, Eidan?" a voice teased from behind.
Eidan turned to see Jori, his best friend, grinning as he approached with a handful of wildflowers. "You've got that look—the one where you're halfway to some imaginary adventure."
Eidan smirked. "Maybe I'm just trying to figure out how to escape tonight's festival."
"Oh no, you're not getting out of that," Jori laughed, tossing a flower at him. "The whole village is going to be there. Even you can't hide forever. Besides, I hear Lara might be looking for a dance partner."
Eidan groaned. "I'm not interested in Lara."
"Sure you're not," Jori said with a wink. "You only stare at her like she's the last piece of apple pie at Mara's table."
Eidan rolled his eyes. "Anyway, what's the point? It's the same thing every year. Dancing, feasting, pretending nothing outside Brighthollow matters.
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"That's because, to most of us, it doesn't," Jori shrugged. "But hey, it's still fun. You might even enjoy yourself if you'd stop brooding about mysterious adventures."
Eidan was about to respond when a loud chime echoed across the village square, signaling the start of the Festival of the Sun. The sound snapped him out of his daydreams, and Jori gave him a playful shove.
"Come on, hero. Let's go see if you can actually enjoy yourself for once."
The village square was alive with music and laughter by the time they arrived. Bright banners of gold and red hung from every rooftop, and the scent of roasted meats and fresh bread filled the air. Children darted between the stalls, their faces painted with bright suns, while villagers gathered for the evening feast. It was the kind of joyful chaos that made Brighthollow seem so perfect, so far removed from the troubles of the world.
