Skye leaned forward, intrigued. A mythical treasure of unimaginable power, one that even the Keeper of Secrets couldn’t claim, must be priceless. He pictured himself scaling mountains or diving into the depths of the ocean to retrieve it from monstrous guardians. A triumph like that would ensure his name was etched into history forever.

  “This is all a distraction, you idiot!” Redeyes hissed. “What does any of this have to do with your initial question?”

  As if sensing his confusion, Ku continued. “I once taught a boy who I came to regard as a son, and when he matured, he became a friend, and in time, a brother and a colleague.” The master’s voice cracked, his expression shifting between a growl and an anguished grimace. Beside him, Luccello huffed through his little nostrils, chest puffed, while Ka’ib’s yellow eyes glinted from his umbral wings. Even Rico looked troubled at the mention of this person.

  “He was a great man—a husband, father, teacher, and friend to many. He sought Starmoire for a noble cause, gathering a team of brilliant channelers, scholars, and passionate adventurers with his charisma. For years, they scoured the Dunya, exploring forgotten lands, sifted through the ruins of dead kingdoms, and unraveled the mysteries of ancient civilizations. Yet no matter how far they traveled or how diligently they searched, the asterism eluded them.

  “As the years passed, their numbers dwindled. Some were claimed by death, others had to retire due to sickness or injury. Some simply lost hope and left. At the end, my… previous student marched alone, his confidence dwindling with every dead end. The legend of the Keeper of Stars is told to instill hope in those fighting battles much larger than themselves. But the journey to retrieve Starmoire had massacred his soul. Eventually, he lost his love for life, cast aside his faith, and smothered his own conscience.”

  The master’s voice faltered, and tears began to fall. “When he returned, he was no longer the man I knew. He sought out those who’d left him and punished them without mercy. He lashed out at innocents, strangers, even those who once loved him. He crippled them, not for vengeance, but to prove his twisted vision of life. In the end, he had become the very darkness he once sought to defeat.”

  Ku wiped his nose, voice heavy with grief. “We are all mortals. Our ends come unexpectedly, but they will come. After we’re gone, only the records of our actions remain. Now consider this: who do you think wrote the better story? Those who died nobly for a great cause, or those who succumbed to evil and failed their trials?”

  A cold shiver ran down Skye’s back. He hadn’t realized despair could turn someone cruel. Could he, too, hurt the people he loved if he failed? If Basalt had survived that day, how far would he have gone to take revenge on the wardens and those who revered them?

  “I have been telling you this for ages,” Redeyes said. “Death is better than a life of misery.”

  The master rose from his chair and kneeled before Skye, gripping his shoulders with firm hands. His deep brown eyes locked onto Skye’s, as if peering into his very soul. The scent of musty fur and faintly aromatic flowers lingered around him, and his touch carried an enviable strength.

  “Don’t misunderstand me,” the master began, voice trembling. “I’m not asking you to seek death. I’m telling you to accept it when it happens. To mourn for a time, then continue with your life. It is the fate of all living beings.” He leaned in closer, his hands shaking. “Promise me, Skye. That you’ll keep trying to save your city, even if I forget. That you’ll search for a solution to your curse, no matter how hopeless things seem. That you’ll not lash out at your friends when they fail you and that you’ll stand by them when they need you most. Promise that you’ll not let regret, fear, or worry shackle you.”

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  The whites in the master’s eyes turned red as he wept. He rocked with heaves and sobs, shaking Skye with him. It was a jarring sight. A man strong and seasoned as the master shouldn’t cry in front of one of his students. It was unseemly.

  Yet Skye was crying too.

  “Promise,” the master choked out. “That you won’t end up like me. I’m trapped here, forced to watch my students—my stars—snuffed out one by one, unable to take action lest I lose more. The shame of my weakness is suffocating.” He gave Skye one last firm shake. “Promise me, Skye, you will never lose hope.”

  Breathing became hard for Skye, and he reeled under an invisible weight. He touched the ribbon on his arm, remembering how it had saved him two nights ago.

  “Had I lost hope, I’d already be gone,” he said quietly, unsure where the confidence had come from. Yet the words felt right at the moment.

  “And where has ‘hope’ gotten you?” Redeyes asked. “Nowhere. You haven’t achieved anything.”

  “This isn’t enough,” the master insisted, shaking his head, his beard swaying, his grip tightening. “Say it. Say you promise.”

  “I will,” Skye said, voice steady. “If you promise to do the same.”

  The master hesitated, his expression tightening. “I… I can’t. My actions have severe consequences.”

  “Worse than watching your students fall one by one?” Skye pressed.

  “Yes,” the master whispered. “Much worse. But you’re right… my inaction has consequences too.” He shied away, face cast down. “My hands are tied. I cannot choose.”

  Luccello fluttered onto his shoulder, small tears glistening in the bird’s eyes. “We have faith in you, master.”

  “We’ll find a way together,” Rico added, burying his head in the master’s side.

  “What’s his name?” Skye asked sharply. The master looked up, startled by the question. “The man who betrayed you—who is he? What does he look like? After I stop the wardens, I’ll find him and put an end to his crimes.”

  A smile cracked across the master’s face.

  “I’m serious,” Skye continued, his resolve hardening. “It’s my goal to explore the world, anyway. I’ll track him down wherever he may be.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous!” Luccello snapped. “Someone as formidable as him can’t be defeated by you.”

  “No offense, Skye,” Rico added, “but if the master couldn’t stop him, what chance do you have?”

  “I have the curse,” Skye countered. “He can’t expect me, won’t even know I’m there. I’ll sneak up and knock him out. Then I’ll tie and drag him back to your feet.”

  The master burst out laughing, and soon the birds joined in. Even Ka’ib chuckled softly from his corner.

  “I’m serious!” Skye protested, his cheeks burning. “I promise all you asked, and that I’ll bring him to justice too.”

  “Thank you, Skye,” the master said, rising to his feet. “Truly, thank you. But this is my battle. And I intend to fight it myself.” He returned to his chair, wincing as he moved. “I’m sorry for showing such weakness. I, too, promise to do my best to face my struggles.”

  He wiped his face with a napkin and gestured toward the door. “If there’s nothing else, I suggest you return to bed. Your training will only get harder.”

  “That’s right,” Luccello said. “You’ll need your full strength tomorrow.”

  Skye thanked the master and turned to leave, his mind buzzing with all the stories he’d heard tonight. Just as he reached the doorway, he paused.

  “I have one last question,” he said. “You said you don’t know where to find the Keeper of Secrets. But if you were to search for him again, where would you start?”

  The master paused for a while, ruminating his answer. Eventually, he smiled as if at a private joke, then raised a single finger, and said, “Up.”

  ?????Days until Green Eve: 18?????