Adlet opened his eyes and saw the familiar ceiling of his room, with a few gaps letting rays of light through. It took him only a few seconds to remember his conversation with Pami, and he suddenly sat up. His heart was racing; all of this could have been a dream, but that thought never even crossed his mind.
He stayed in bed for a while, unsure of what to do, trying to calm himself.
After a few minutes, an idea suddenly came to him.
"Pami?" he said aloud.
No answer.
"Please, answer me!"
Still nothing.
Faced with the silence, Adlet could have doubted that his nighttime conversation wasn't a product of his imagination, but he didn't. After all, he had been cut off abruptly the night before because there seemed to be a time limit in the inner realm where Pami resided. It was important now to figure out what to do, especially since he thought he had become a Protector.
He got dressed and logically went to seek help from his parents. He quickly found his father preparing to go work in the fields—a rare sight, since Adlet was usually the first to get up.
"Aren't you already gone?" his father asked, surprised.
"Dad! Something happened while I was sleeping! I might finally be able to become a Protector!" exclaimed Adlet.
"Stop joking. Why wouldn't you come help me if you're still at home at this hour?" his father replied, noticing his son's unusual behavior.
"No… I… I need to go to the village today," he stammered, having no proof or real explanation to give.
He hurried out and took the path to the village, hoping to find someone who could help him.
He ran all the way and quickly arrived in the village. He stopped in the middle of the town square, turning around to look for the right person among the few people present. But what exactly was he hoping for? The village had no Protectors, and few people had real knowledge about them.
"The teacher!" Adlet realized aloud.
He rushed to knock on the school door, which also served as the residence of the village's only scholar. The teacher appeared at the window upstairs.
"Adlet? Is something wrong?" he asked.
"No, teacher, but I need your help. Could you open the door for me?"
The teacher's head disappeared from the window, and shortly after, the school door opened.
"It's rare to see you on school days, and now you come even when it's closed. Have you suddenly become more studious?" the teacher joked.
"Sorry to disappoint you, but that's not why I'm here. I do need your help, though, sir."
"Very well. What can I do for you?"
"What should someone do to become a Protector?" Adlet asked, careful not to reveal too much at once, fearing a reaction like his father's.
"Well… I don't know exactly, but as far as I know, you would probably need to go to the Darwin Academy in the capital. That's where most new Protectors train," he replied.
"How can one get in? Is everyone accepted?"
"The Darwin Academy only accepts those who meet the qualifications to become Protectors, and the registration fee is 50 gold coins."
"50 gold coins!" Adlet exclaimed, shocked by a sum that represented decades of work for his family. "Isn't there another way to join the academy?" he added.
"Perhaps with a recommendation from an important person, like an academy teacher or a member of one of the noble families," the teacher suggested.
"And what about the required qualifications? What exactly are they?"
"To be honest, I don't know the details. We are far removed from such concerns in our small village. I can tell you, however, that it's not for just anyone. It would be better to ask a Protector for precise information, but they aren't common around here."
Adlet immediately thought of Florian's Protector, but he could hardly ask his classmate for a favor, given how unpleasant Florian's behavior was.
"And besides, what's the point? It's not like he would agree to help me anyway," he thought.
"Thank you for your help, sir. I won't keep you any longer," said the boy, a little disappointed, thinking he was back at a dead end.
"Well… you're welcome, Adlet," replied the older man, slightly disturbed by the brief exchange.
The teacher and Adlet said goodbye before parting at the doorstep. Adlet stayed seated for a moment on the side of the village square near a small vendor's cart, pondering his options.
Should he try to earn enough money to enroll in the academy, ask his parents for help, or train by himself? He even thought about following Florian to reach his trainer and find a private moment to ask questions. None of these options seemed ideal.
An old man appeared in front of the nearby merchant's cart, breaking the boy's reflections.
"Hello, I need supplies for a few days," he said.
"Right away, sir," replied the merchant, beginning to fill a cloth bag with various goods.
"I heard that some purple ores were discovered in the forest a few kilometers west of here. Do you have any information about that?" the old man asked, running his hand through his long white beard.
"I'm not aware. You should ask one of the hunters in the village; they know this forest best," replied the merchant.
"Thank you for your help," said the stranger, taking his bag of supplies and leaving a generous tip.
This scene caught Adlet's attention, interrupting his thoughts. This could be a unique opportunity to earn money quickly.
He knew the forest better than anyone and even thought he had seen the mentioned stones before. He got up and followed the mysterious old man toward the village's western exit, keeping pace with surprisingly long, fast strides for a man his age.
"Excuse me, sir, I heard you were looking for ores, and it happens that I know the forest well and know a place with small purple stones," the boy offered, running with small steps to match the man's pace.
"It's very thoughtful of you to want to help your elders. Where do you think you saw these stones?" the man asked.
"It's hard for me to explain, but I can guide you there," said Adlet.
"I'm afraid I cannot let such a young boy serve as my guide."
"Let's say I was planning to investigate these stones myself. You're free to accompany me," the boy replied.
The old man turned his gaze toward Adlet for the first time, somewhat impressed that a child could turn things to his advantage.
"Very well, let's do that."
The two unlikely companions continued side by side.
"May I ask why you are so eager to help me?" the old man asked.
"To be honest, I'm a bit stuck at the moment, and I felt helping you could be beneficial," Adlet replied.
"What kind of impasse could a child your age be in?"
"You wouldn't believe me if I explained," said Adlet, aware that his story might sound absurd.
"Well, explain anyway. What do you have to lose?"
Adlet began recounting the events of the previous night, convinced the old man would dismiss it as an overactive imagination.
The man listened silently until Adlet mentioned the nighttime conversation with the fish.
"You claim that after catching a fish, it disappeared before your eyes and that you later communicated with it in your mind?" asked the old man, his voice showing emotion for the first time.
"Yes," replied Adlet naturally.
The man remained silent for a moment, studying the boy.
"I don't sense any power in you," added the old man, slightly disappointed.
"How can you see such things?" Adlet asked, a little unsettled.
"Well, I am what you might call a scholar… or a researcher, and this kind of ability isn't as hard to detect as it seems."
Adlet had difficulty believing the man, though a slight doubt crossed his mind: could all of this be a dream after all?
The two travelers continued in silence, both lost in thought, yet making good progress. Soon, they arrived at their destination.
Adlet stopped and pointed to an area at the edge of the woods bordering the clearing he usually fished in, at the westernmost part of the forest. In front of him were rocks scattered with small purple stones, some even covering the ground.
The old man approached and carefully examined the area.
"Thank you for your valuable help. This unexpected detour through your village saved me a lot of time, thanks to you, my young friend," said the self-proclaimed researcher.
He picked up a small piece of ore for closer inspection.
"I'll stay here for a while to study the site. You're free to return home now," he continued, handing a small leather pouch to Adlet.
"Thank you. Enjoy your stones," Adlet replied, a little disappointed by the anticlimactic turn of events.
He hadn't brought his fishing rod, so he simply walked along the river, opening the pouch to find its contents: about fifty silver coins, a nice sum, but only a hundredth of the Darwin Academy registration fee.
He continued following the river upstream, still thinking about his situation. After a few dozen minutes, he reached the river's source: a thirty-meter waterfall cascading from the massive rock face, symbolizing the edge of the world.
This splendid landscape, usually seen from afar during his fishing trips, revealed its full grandeur up close.
Adlet approached the waterfall, intrigued by an unusual crash of sound. The roar of the water was both imposing and strangely calming, allowing him, for a brief moment, to forget his worries. He stood still for a few seconds, watching the swirling water and taking deep breaths to steady his racing heart.
A stronger tremor made him suddenly open his eyes. The noise seemed to come from behind the waterfall. Curious and slightly uneasy, he circled around it and discovered, in the shadows, the entrance to a cave.
His eyes gradually adjusted to the darkness. A dark shape moved a few meters away. Adlet held his breath. Before he could even react, the creature leapt toward him. He barely had time to dodge, feeling the rush of air from the attack brush past his face.
He stepped out of the cave, heart pounding, and came face to face with his attacker. It was a creature about a meter long, resembling a giant beetle, with an impressive horn extending from its shell above its head.
The beast seemed weakened by its fall into the water and the collision with the waterfall, but its aggression did not falter. It lunged toward him again, its mandibles clicking in a metallic sound.
Adlet stepped back, quickly assessing the situation. His hands tensed, ready to dodge or defend himself. Every survival instinct he had honed during his forest explorations returned to him in an instant. He knew he had to stay calm and think about his next move.
Time seemed to stretch. Despite its imposing size, the creature kept its eyes on him. Adlet felt a strange mix of excitement and fear. This was the first time he had faced a real threat.
As he searched for an opportunity to act, his mind recalled Pami and the strength they now shared. A shiver of determination ran through the young boy. He might not yet be a Protector, but he would have to give it his all to survive…