Leo found a quiet corner near the edge of the village clearing. The night was still, only the faint rustle of leaves whispering through the trees. In his hand, he held one of the crystals they'd collected earlier and the ancient book he'd been studying. Candlelight flickered from his portable lantern, casting shadows that danced on the edges of the parchment.
He muttered an incantation he had just mastered. The crystal glowed faintly in his palm. Suddenly, the scroll appeared, hovering midair, ancient runes shimmering in golden light. It was the End Scene scroll—its purpose clear: a vision of his death. Curiosity gnawed at him despite the warning.
With a trembling hand, he touched the scroll, and the world around him blurred. He saw himself lying in this same place, bloodied and injured. The vision showed Vellum impaled on a spear, still but lifelike. A female figure moved away in the distance—he could only see her silhouette, no details. The sight left Leo frozen, heart hammering.
"What… how…?" he whispered. The crystal pulsed as if it felt his fear, and the book's pages fluttered. Ancient magic had granted him knowledge he wasn't sure he wanted. He quickly rolled back the vision, trembling.
A soft giggle cut through the night. Leo blinked and saw Vellum standing a few paces away, trying to hide a smirk.
"I saw you sneaking," Elaria's voice chimed from the shadows behind him, amused. "Next time, if you want to see the future, ask me first."
Vellum froze. "I—I wasn't—"
Elaria stepped closer, the dim light catching her playful smile. "Don't worry, I forgive you… mostly." She raised an eyebrow. "But maybe next time, don't creep around like a ghost. It's kind of… obvious."
Vellum rubbed the back of his neck, cheeks heating. "Obvious? Me? No… I mean, yes. Maybe. Ugh."
Elaria chuckled softly. "Here, sit. Let me show you something," she said, patting the ground beside her. Vellum hesitated, then sank down. She nudged him playfully. "See? Not so scary, right?"
The two of them chatted quietly, awkward laughter punctuating the night. Despite the tension of earlier events, a moment of lightness returned. Leo, still clutching his crystal and ancient book, watched from a distance, mind spinning with visions, spells, and possibilities.
For a few fleeting minutes, the world seemed almost normal again.
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