Rowen walked out of the room with steady steps, leaving the panicked guide behind. His thoughts, however, were far from steady. The crystal had declared that he was compatible with a mage. Yet his panel in the portal space had clearly shown a Farmer path. The contradiction gnawed at him until he finally gave in.
Inside the quiet of his inner space, Rowen called softly, Fern.
The familiar glow stirred within the lush greenery, and Fern's form slowly emerged from the vines. "You look troubled, Rowen."
He frowned. "The crystal said I was compatible with a mage path. It didn't even acknowledge the Farmer path. I don't understand what's happening. Am I one or the other?"
Fern tilted his head, eyes warm with patience. "You are both and neither, in the way the crystal understands."
Rowen blinked. "Explain."
