Chapter Four: A Harbinger on the Water
Night had fallen over the village, and the stars twinkled like silver beads suspended in the sky. The voices had quieted, and the fires had gone out in most of the houses, except for Lian's, where he sat alone by the window, his eyes fixed on the river glistening in the moonlight.
Sleep no longer came easily to him. Every time he closed his eyes, he would hear the faint voice whispering in his ear:
"Power is not a gift, but a question..."
The phrase was repeated until it became like the beat of his heart.
Finally, he couldn't bear it. He put on his simple cloak and left the house, sneaking toward the riverbank.
The river was unusually clear that night. Its calm waters reflected the sky like a mirror, so that it seemed as if the stars had descended to swim on its surface. Lian sat on a protruding rock, trying to calm his breathing.
He raised his hand and summoned the silver thread.
This time, it appeared faster... and a little taller.
It was no longer a fleeting flash, but a thin thread slowly undulating in the air, as if searching for something.
Lian approached it expectantly, extending his finger to touch it. As he did so, the surface of the water shook violently, forming successive circles as if something massive had moved in the depths of the river.
"What...?" Lian whispered.
But before he could catch his breath, he saw a strange reflection on the surface of the water.
It wasn't just his face... but another face, pale, blurry, and identical to his.
The reflection smiled.
"The power of the stars belongs only to those who know their way. Will you find yours?"
Lian backed away in alarm, but stumbled and fell to the ground. When he lifted his head again, the water was still, as if nothing had happened.
But the silver thread in his hand was still trembling, as if responding to what he had seen.
Suddenly, a scream erupted from the village!
Lian leapt to his feet, his heart pounding. He turned toward the source of the sound and saw flames rising into the sky. One of the barns was on fire!
He ran as fast as he could, and when he arrived, he found villagers gathered around the rising fires. Some were scrambling for water, some were screaming for help.
"The fire is devouring the grain!" a woman shouted.
"It's the only provision for the winter!" another shouted.
Lian felt a warm current run through his veins. He didn't think, just rushed forward. He raised his hand, just as he had at the river, and summoned the silver thread.
This time... the thread shot from his hand like a flash of lightning, branching out into fine lines like a web woven in the air.
Suddenly, the fire shrank for a moment, as if an invisible force had smothered it. It wasn't completely extinguished, but it receded enough for the villagers to throw water and control it.
"What was that?" whispered one of the elders.
"Did you see? Something silver appeared above the barn!"
"No... maybe it was a reflection from the moon..."
But the multitude of eyes turned to Lian, who was panting, his face pale and dripping with sweat. He tried to feign innocence, but his confused look gave him away.
In the shadows, away from the firelight, a man in a gray cloak stood watching the scene.
He smiled faintly as he jotted something down in a small notebook.
"The thread responded in a moment of danger... Excellent. The next stage will reveal whether this boy deserves closer monitoring."
Raising his eyes to the stars, he muttered in a low voice, "Lian, you've entered our game without realizing it."