Clara was a different person than Erik had imagined. The shy girl who carried books with her most of the time and hated any kind of attention was now energetic, one might say assertive as she grabbed Erik’s hand without a second thought and dragged him across the streets.

  She had lived here her whole life and seemed more than happy to show someone from outside her favorite things.

  First, she brought him to a market that sold various enchanted wares. She said that here you can find lots of magic items—that while they aren’t that strong or useful, had interesting gimmicks.

  “See that?” Clara pointed to a stall displaying small, glass orbs that glowed with shifting light. “Touch one.”

  Erik hesitated, his eyebrows raised as he looked at the vendor, who gave him an encouraging nod. He reached out, and the orb pulsed with a warm golden glow before forming a small flame inside.

  “Fire affinity,” Clara said. “Pretty obvious, huh? Mine always makes rain.” She picked one up, and sure enough, droplets of water fell within the glass.

  “Do you come here often?” Erik asked, watching her as she placed the orb back with care to not break anything

  “Not as much anymore,” Clara admitted, moving them along. “But when I was younger, my parents would bring me here every weekend. I used to save up my allowance just to buy the weirdest thing I could find,” she motioned to another stall where miniature wooden dragons, flapped their wings and puffed puffs of smoke. “One time, I bought one of those and got in so much trouble because it accidentally set our curtains on fire.”

  Erik chuckled at the forming mental image, but before he could respond, Clara grabbed his arm again.

  “Come on, there’s more!”

  She led him to a stall where a wiry old woman sold enchanted snacks.She got one and turned to him.

  “Try this,” Clara said, handing Erik a glowing candied fruit. He bit into it cautiously, and his eyes widened as it fizzed on his tongue, It was sweet, yet bitter, it tasted differently than any fruit he’d ever tasted.

  “Told you,” Clara said with a wink. She bought herself a drink that glowed faintly blue and sipped it through a straw.

  For a moment, Erik smiled as he had been infected by her unusual enthusiasm.

  Despite her arguing with him to not, Erik paid for everything they ended up snacking on. After all, money was useless in the academy and Duke Phillips gave him lots of it. It would be a waste to never use it.

  Also, Clara also didn’t seem like she came from a rich background so he couldn’t let her spend it. She pouted at being treated like this, though, which just made him laugh.

  After a while of exploring the market, they came across a weird tent. There seemed to be no one outside, yet it was open—as if inviting one.

  “It's a fortune-telling tent,” she mused, peering at it.

  “Fortune what?” Erik furrowed his forehead.

  “Oh uh, how can I explain…” her gaze shifted back and forth between the tent and the ground, her finger holding her chin. “It’s like… someone reads your future. They claim to see things like who you’ll marry, how many kids you’ll have, or whether you’ll end up famous or something,” she said, her voice filled with skepticism, though she was smiling all the way.

  Erik crossed his arms. “Sounds fake. How could anyone know your future?”

  “Well…” she slightly blushed after hearing the question. “Y-Yeah, it's probably fake, but come on, let’s do it for fun,” she managed to say in a quivering voice, her trembling fingers grabbed him and she dragged him inside without another word.

  Erik chuckled. She was more interesting to be around than he thought.

  The air immediately got thick, and heavy with the scent of incense, almost making Erik cough. There were flickering candles on the sides that brightened the interior, and at the center of the tent was a low table. Behind the table was a figure cloaked in deep purple robes, a hood obscuring their face. The figure’s hands, adorned with rings, sparkled in the flickering light. The figure gestured for them to sit.

  “Welcome,” the fortune teller said, their voice low. “Who wishes to see the threads of fate?”

  Clara nudged Erik forward, whispering, “You first.”

  The cloaked figure placed a hand over a deck of cards, their movements deliberate, almost reverent. “Tell me, child of fire,” they said, their voice laced with an unsettling tone. “What you seek. Is it love? Power? Or answers hidden in the veils of your past?”

  Erik blinked, startled by the out-of-nowhere reference to his magic. “I-I don’t know,” he stammered, feeling uncomfortable under their gaze. “I think I’m just curious…”

  The fortune teller chuckled softly. “Very well. Let us see what the cards reveal about your journey.”

  They drew three cards from the deck and laid them face down on the table. The fortune teller’s long fingers hovered above them for a moment before flipping the first card.

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  The image revealed a blazing sun hanging over a distant mountain, its rays illuminating a dirt path beneath.

  “The sun,” they muttered. “Represents clarity, ambition, and a path illuminated by determination. You seek purpose, child of fire. Throughout your life, you will have clear goals that might seem like they have an easy path, however, you must be cautious.”

  Erik frowned slightly. He guessed that could be true, but that was only an immensely vague reading. Anyone could have made that up on the spot.

  And yet, he felt a weird chill creeping down his spine.

  The fortune teller then turned over the second card, revealing a crumbling tower. It seemed to be left for the environment, breaking over the course of decades—however one could see that nature had begun taking back the desolate space.

  “The abandoned tower,” the fortune teller said softly, tapping the card with their finger. “It represents a collapse, one that will shake your very foundation. Since you also have this sun, this could mean you’ll face great destruction during your journey,” they stopped speaking, for a moment Erik could see the person’s dark eyes through the shadows on their face. They stared at him intently. “It could mean you’re bound to fail, or that you’ll face several setbacks along the way. However, with it comes the chance of growth and restoration.”

  After that ominous reading, their hand hovered over the final card, their fingers twitching as though they could feel something deeper in it.

  Then, they turned the card slowly.

  It revealed an image of a shadowed figure standing before a crumbling altar, surrounded by ghostly chains that reached for the sky.

  “The ancestor’s shadow,” the fortune teller said, their tone low. “This card speaks of a bloodline—one tied to a past long buried. It is a legacy marked by darkness, an ancestor whose deeds have left a stain on the world. The blood that runs in your veins carries the weight of their sins, and though you may not know it, their fate is intertwined with yours.”

  If Erik had been creeped out before, this was the final straw. His breath caught in his throat, his heart racing, and his eyes trembled.

  This was dumb, right? Just fortune telling. There was no way it could be real. But then, why did he feel like this?

  The fortune teller had called him a "child of fire." They knew about his affinity, which was weird, but not impossible.

  It spoke of ambition, purpose, and a road full of uncertainty. It was close to him, but also so vague. Ambition? Purpose? Most people had those. It felt like anyone could fit that description.

  But then came the second card.

  Torment. Obstacles that would haunt him. It stirred something deep in his chest, a cold dread that crawled under his skin. It reminded him of the dungeon, of the feeling of being trapped. But even then... it wasn’t specific. People faced hardships every day. So why did it make him tremble?

  And then the third card.

  Sin. His ancestors' sins, long forgotten but carried by blood. The words sent a chill down his spine. He had never heard of any family secrets. His parents were good people. They were just regular folks, nothing like the horrors this card hinted at. It made no sense.

  However, the demon’s words echoed in his mind. It called Erik a “cursed one” and promised that he would unleash the plague on this world.

  ‘Is this tied…’

  No, there was no way. How could a card tell something like that?

  A sick feeling twisted in his stomach, the taste of bile rising in his throat. He fought to keep it down, gripping the edge of the table as his teeth ground together. It felt like everything was closing in on him.

  “Erik...” Clara’s voice broke through the haze, soft and concerned. “Are you okay?”

  He didn’t answer immediately, just stood, nodding stiffly. “I just need some air,” he muttered, turning toward the exit.

  The fortune teller’s voice followed him as he walked away, carrying a strange finality. “Good luck, child of fire. I truly wish you the best.”

  Erik didn’t respond. He couldn’t. His mind was racing, and the world outside the tent felt like the only escape.

  Erik stepped out into the outside, his heart still hammering in his chest. He leaned against the wooden post beside the tent, hands shoved into his hand around his belly as he tried to steady his breath.

  “Erik?”

  Clara was standing a few feet away, her voice filled with concern. He couldn’t bring himself to look at her, still wrestling with the sudden confusion and fear. He was trying to shake the feeling he felt. The feeling of knowing too much, yet not enough.

  He felt like he was being watched, he felt that the horrors would repeat themselves over and over again as that was his fate. He bit the inside of his mouth, tightening his fist.

  He tried to tell himself once again that the fortune teller was just making stuff, but he wasn’t gullible enough to believe his lies. There was no way it could be when things lined up so perfectly.

  “Erik, hey,” Clara said, stepping closer, her voice gentle. She held his tightening hand, warming it. “It’s just fortune telling, alright? It's freaky sometimes but everyone knows it's not real.”

  “It just… felt so real…” he said, struggling to put it into words. The warmth he felt from her made him relax a bit though.

  “It’s okay. I’m here, alright? You’re not alone in this.”

  He glanced at her, having finally got the courage to. She was smiling, so warm and comforting. It left him without words.

  Erik felt, an unfamiliar feeling. Gratitude for what she was doing, maybe? Or perhaps it was something else. He didn’t like being vulnerable, didn’t like how exposed he felt, but Clara’s words were like a light that cleared his foggy mind. It made him feel lighter, just a little.

  “Thanks,” he muttered, his voice quieter now. “I… I didn’t expect that to hit me like it did.”

  Just as the tension in the air seemed to settle, a low, embarrassing growl erupted from Erik’s stomach, loud enough to interrupt the moment. He froze, his face flushing a deep red as he awkwardly shifted his weight. Not only had he made the situation awkward by getting those chills, but now this.

  Clara chuckled softly. “Well, looks like your stomach's in a bit of a hurry.”

  Erik bit his lip. “Great… just what I needed.” He gave her a sheepish look, feeling awkward.

  Clara’s laughter was warm and lighthearted. “Don’t worry about it,” she then seemed to blush slightly. “You’re human, Erik, and right now, you’re more human than I’ve ever seen you. It’s a good thing.” She grinned, grabbing his arm fully and nudging him with her shoulder. “Come on, let’s go get something to eat. I know a place around here that’s perfect!”

  Erik couldn’t help but smile back. “Lead the way,” he said, his stomach grumbling again, reminding him of just how badly he needed to eat.

  There was only one thought in his mind.

  She was a good person.