The sanctuary was unlike any place Hine had ever seen. Nestled deep within the veil of an ancient forest, the structure seemed to grow out of the land itself. Marble pillars wrapped in emerald vines formed the entrance, while soft streams trickled through the polished stone floors. Lanterns with glowing amber flames floated silently above, casting their gentle light across the expansive hall. The air carried a calm that sank into her bones, washing away the tension of the battles and chaos they had endured.
The Silent Soul walked ahead of her, its robes trailing over the moss-carved steps as if it had been here before. Hine followed closely, her footsteps muted by the stillness. Every sound, even the rustle of her breath, felt amplified.
"Where are we?" she asked, her voice low, almost reverent.
"A sanctuary older than the Archons themselves," the Silent Soul replied, its tone quiet but steady. "Few know of it. Even fewer can enter."
The vast hall led them to a central chamber. A round dais sat in the center, surrounded by pools of crystal water. Murals stretched high along the curved walls, depicting figures Hine could barely comprehend. Their forms blurred the lines between human and divine, their faces both serene and terrifying. She stepped closer, studying a depiction of a robed figure holding threads that descended from the heavens.
"The threads of fate," the Silent Soul murmured when it noticed her staring. "Intertwined. Fragile. Controlled by hands that care little for those they bind."
The serenity of the sanctuary could not quiet the unease that stirred in Hine. Her mind returned to the battle, to the moment flames had erupted from her hands, unbidden but powerful. That memory clung to her like a second skin, reminding her that something deep within her had awakened—something she did not yet understand.
They stopped when they reached the dais. The Silent Soul motioned for her to step forward. "It will not be me who speaks to you now," it said, its voice softer than before. "The oracle sees beyond even what I can comprehend. Listen closely, Hine. And do not ignore the warnings."
Before she could respond, the air around her shifted. The pools of water rippled without disturbance, and a low hum filled the chamber, resonating deep in her chest. The light dimmed, replaced by a golden radiance that poured from the ceiling and bathed the dais in an ethereal glow.
A figure emerged within the light. The oracle was not entirely human nor spirit, but something between... a being with long silver hair cascading like liquid moonlight and eyes so deep they seemed to hold entire worlds. Her voice was soft when she spoke, but it carried weight that made the chamber tremble.
"Hine of the scarlet flame," the oracle said. "You have stepped into the weave of eternity. And now eternity will not let you go."
Hine swallowed hard. "I… don't understand. What does that mean?"
The oracle tilted her head, almost pityingly. "You are blood of an ancient line, one that predates the forming of Teyvat. Within you lies more than fire, more than the fleeting spark you have begun to wield. But power does not come without cost. You must prepare yourself for what is to come."
The Silent Soul stood silently at the edge of the chamber, its face obscured by shadows. It did not move, did not interfere, as though it too was bound by the sanctity of this moment.
"What cost?" Hine asked, her voice trembling.
The oracle's expression darkened. "Deaths without end."
The words fell like a blade through the stillness. Hine felt the chill creep into her bones, her breath catching in her throat.
"You will walk paths where light cannot reach," the oracle continued. "You will see lives fall to dust—friends, enemies, strangers alike. And you will bear the weight of every loss, for such is the price of the blood you carry."
"No," Hine said, shaking her head. "I won't let that happen. If there's a way to stop it..."
"There is no stopping what has already been written," the oracle interrupted. Her voice did not rise, yet it silenced the room with its quiet finality. "The threads are in motion. All you can do is choose how you will face the storm when it arrives."
The golden light flickered, dimming slightly as the oracle's gaze softened. "But do not mistake this warning for despair, Hine. Death is not the end. The question you must answer is this: when the time comes, will you still stand?"
The hum faded, and the glow that had filled the chamber began to dissipate. The oracle's form blurred, her voice echoing one last time through the sanctuary.
"Prepare yourself, flame bearer. The heavens will not wait."
Then the chamber fell silent. The water in the pools stilled, the lanterns dimmed to their soft amber glow, and the weight of the oracle's words settled heavy in Hine's chest.
She turned to the Silent Soul, desperate for answers. "What does she mean? Why deaths without end? What is it that I carry?"
For a long moment, the Silent Soul said nothing. It stepped closer, its presence a quiet comfort even as uncertainty gnawed at her.
"There are truths I cannot speak," it finally said. "Not yet. But know this, Hine. The oracle's visions are not always as they seem. They bend and twist, showing what might be, not always what will be. Still… she is rarely wrong."
Hine lowered her gaze, staring at her trembling hands. The flames that had erupted during the fight now felt like a curse more than a gift. She wanted to scream, to demand clarity, but the sanctuary demanded silence, and she could not bring herself to break it.
Hours passed in quiet meditation. They sat near the edge of the pools, the sound of running water the only reminder that time still moved forward. The Silent Soul offered no comfort, but it remained beside her, a silent sentinel against the weight pressing down on her shoulders.
When they finally rose to leave, the world beyond the sanctuary had already begun to change. The air was heavier, the winds sharper, as though Teyvat itself knew that something had shifted.
As they stepped back onto the forest path, the Silent Soul finally spoke again. "Do not let fear guide you," it said. "When the time comes, your choices will define not just you, but all that follows."
Hine said nothing, but deep down, she made a silent vow. No matter the deaths. No matter the cost. She would find a way to protect what mattered.
The forest swallowed them in quiet, but somewhere above, the heavens watched... and waited.