Below the mountains, under the light of a full moon, Sorcerer King Daigo reached the small village of Ohara with the unconscious child in his arms. When he got near the main gate, he lifted his hand to knock, but the door swung open before he touched it. The villagers stood there, bowing low before him.
His face hardened with confusion. It wasn't their reverence that unsettled him, since he had long been accustomed to respectful gestures but the villagers' expressions felt odd. These were, after all the same people who had accused his family of causing the disappearances. Yet now, they bent their knees to him.
"Get up, all of you," he said.
A woman in her early thirties with short black hair stepped in front of him, taking the child from his hands.
"Sorcerer King Daigo, thank you for bringing one of our own back to us. The elder predicted you'd arrive with the child."
"Predict? How could this be?"
The villagers pulled the gate open, revealing the ground covered with tattered brown robes, the same kind worn by the villagers themselves. The disappearances had grown worse; that much was clear to him. Their voices trembled with desperation, each word showing how badly they longed for this nightmare to end.
"Hmph, I see…"
The woman before him dropped to her knees, tears spilling down her cheeks.
"Please, Sorcerer King, come see the elder. She's been waiting for you. This matter… it concerns not only us, but your family as well."
A cold breath escaped him, his eyes locked forward.
"Very well, If your elder has seen my path, then she and I have much to discuss. Show me where she is."
***
A small tent came into view as the villagers guided him toward it. When Daigo stepped inside, he froze in disbelief. An elderly woman sat cross-legged before a large crystallized shard, its smooth edges catching his eye. Her short purple hair stuck out in wild strands, and her black hooded robe hung loosely from her frail frame.
But it wasn't her appearance that unsettled him. What struck Sorcerer King Daigo was the realization that she was a sorceress he had never even seen or heard of until now.
The elderly woman with shaking hands touched the large crystal shard and said:
"S..Sorcercer King Daigo, i…have been expecting you."
King Daigo sat down, his gaze locked on her clouded eyes.
"How could you tell it's me? Old hag."
A dry laugh slipped from her throat.
"These eyes of mine may be useless, but my relic crystal lets me see beyond sight. It showed me this very moment, you, sitting right here before me, searching for answers."
He raised an eyebrow at this discovery, immediately his thoughts drifted to his brother Koji, who possessed the same relic item with the ability of foresight. The idea unsettled him; in all his years, he had never encountered a relic capable of imitating another's power.
Sorcerer King Daigo's eyes narrowed as he studied the large crystal, his hand hovering just above it.
"May I take a closer look? There's something unusual about this crystal."
A grin creased the old woman's wrinkled lips.
"Of course, dear. Go right ahead. I knew you'd ask that. But before you do… call me granny Chiyo. This is what the villagers here call me."
While examining the large crystal, her words stuck with him.
"You said that's what the villagers call you… so you don't see yourself as one of them, huh? Granny Chiyo?"
"Yes, I came to Ohara after the people from my homeland tried to execute me. All because I told them I had foreseen the end of the world drawing near. They thought killing me would somehow stop it from coming."
Sorcerer King Daigo finally saw what he was looking for. At the bottom of the large crystal shard, a small crack ran along the smooth edge, almost as if a piece had been chipped away.
"Interesting story, Old ha- i mean granny Chiyo but tell me the story of this chipped part of your crystal relic. How did this happen?"
Granny Chiyo began to sweat.
"I… I'm not entirely sure, but from what I remember back in my homeland, a thief once stole my relic and ran off with it. Once they caught him and the townfolks returned my relic item, I noticed a small chip. I suppose that could have been when it was damaged."
"Have you tried looking for the missing piece?"
"No, I haven't. However, The thief didn't have it either, as he was shortly executed for what he had done."
A sigh of relief escaped Sorcerer King Daigo. Since, for a moment, he had suspected his younger brother Koji of stealing the relic item. But after hearing her, it was clear Koji's hands were clean.
"Alright, you said this concerns my family. What exactly is going on?"
Granny Chiyo pressed her hands against the crystal, and a burst of blue light filled the tent. Daigo squinted against the glare, but then his breath caught.Through the crystal's glow, he saw it, his mansion consumed by flames as the fire tore through its walls and swallowed everything he once called home.
"What is the meaning of this! Explain now!!"
Granny Chiyo flinched and covered her ears.
"S-sorry, p-please don't yell, Sorcerer King Daigo. My ears are sensitive."
He exhaled, his hands lowering to his thighs.
"My apologies. But you owe me an explanation. Why is my home burning?"
She scratched at her head, sweat sliding down her cheek.
"I… I do not know. But you must find a man named Sasaki and give him the yellow sapphire crystal you've acquired. You must, it's the only way to fight back against the ones trying to end this world."
Sorcerer King Daigo seized her robe and lifted her off the ground, his voice rumbling with fury.
"I don't care about this end of the world nonsense. All I care about is my family and my mansion. Now tell me, who is responsible?"
She closed her eyes, her body trembling with fear.
"Please, do not go back to your mansion. You must see the man named Sasaki. He is the only man who can possibly help you to stop this fate from happening."
He set her down gently, his eyes narrowing with doubt.
"So let me get this straight. You expect me to believe that by ignoring my family and going to see Sasaki instead, they'll somehow be saved? Tell me the truth, Granny, is this really about protecting my family, or are you only concerned with preventing the end of the world?"
Granny Chiyo used her long sleeve to wipe the sweat from her forehead.
"I swear to you, Sorcerer King Daigo. Please, you must hurry. If you wish to save your family, go now. You must see him."
He rose to his feet, his eyes full of resolve.
"Very well. Then I shall go."
***
After Sorcerer King Daigo left, Granny Chiyo kept her left hand hidden behind her back, her fingers still crossed from the oath she had sworn to him.
She grinned as a woman from the village came to her tent and said:
"Is he going to see him, Granny?"
Granny Chiyo chuckled
"Yes, my dear. And all it took was crossing my fingers when I swore his family would be safe. To be truly honest, I have no idea if this fire will claim their lives or not. All I care about is ensuring that this prophecy never comes to pass. And, If a lie can keep the world from ending, then let that lie be my legacy."