Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was the darkest day for the world as mankind remembers it.

And it was the biggest day for the man that caused it.

Finally he got what he wanted. Here he was, taking hold of his newly awakened powers, flying through the air with his falcon-like wings, wide and brisk.

Making his way to the castle that was once named Berwartstein, once an important strategic spot for the Sorcery Council… that wasn’t going to be the case anymore. No more reminders of the gruesome people that kept robbing him from achieving his biggest ambitions.

Now, it would become the mythical residence of the eternal ruler of the continent of Europe, Ole Einar Bjoerndalen… The initial shivers at the thought turned into maniacal laughter echoing across the mountains he was heading towards.

He checked whether the only possession he dared to steal from the Council headquarters stayed in his long, jet black cape that could store whatever he wished to. Maybe it wasn’t the primary thing he wished to possess, but at that moment it didn’t matter anymore.

This was enough proof that he won.

Ole Einar Bjoerndalen has always known he was predestined to become a history figure. Back in the day, everyone could practice magic. And each child was to be brought to a well-respected fortune teller, going by the name Mirae.

Or should he say went by that name?

His father has always remembered the time with pride. Mirae, the cloaked ethereal figure with a ring on their right hand, a ring with a prominent emerald in the middle of two lead crescents, took him in one of their arms, then swirled the palm of the other over the crystal ball which was now safely in Ole’s hands. Then, they told those magnificent words: Your child will become one of the most powerful sorcerers in history. His life will be filled with success and admiration. However, he can’t ever become the most powerful one.

That was the part where the storytelling ended from his parents’ side. As if they wondered why his fate would be, or should be so unfulfilled.

“It’s just stupid ranting that only the Council believes,” Ole used to say constantly once he reached his teenage years. “We’re masters of our destiny. It’s us who are supposed to write our story!”

“Son, that’s not how this works at all. If Mirae predicts your fate, it’s settled. It cannot be broken. No one has ever proved their predictions wrong.”

“That’s what you think. That’s what you’ve been telling me my whole life… when there is will, nothing is impossible… isn’t that right, Father?”

Maybe that was the time he decided to get the matters in his own hands. He spent days and nights in the scriptorium, studying various fields of academics and magic… started with light one, not daring to think of the one he was ruling with now. He would laugh into his past self’s face because of such cowardice. If one was to become the most powerful sorcerer of all, he had to master all elements of magic, wasn’t that right?

“You’re a true prodigy. You stand way over your peers in terms of knowledge. Usually people like you lack charisma or don’t understand the psychology of confidence and assertiveness. Mister Bjoerndalen, you excel even at that. You’re capable of achieving the highest ranks. Congratulations,” he vaguely remembered one of his teacher’s words.

Soon enough, his teenage years passed by, he graduated from university… just the right time to aspire for high places in the Sorcery Council. After various internships in sorcery-related fields, absorbing experience after experience, he gathered enough contacts to score himself a job in the Council.

His journey was far from over, though. He wasn’t the only one wanting to join the real inner circle that held the actual power. To get himself a promotion, he had to prove his abilities each six months. If an employee failed, they would get replaced by someone more competent, with more to show, with less limiting factors.

“To truly succeed, you must never succumb to the thought of failing or not believing in yourself. That is the trap of death in this field. Soon enough, the exact feeling consumes your head to the point you don’t have any control over it. Block such thoughts out of your mind and you’ll get far.”

A life-motto for him, back then and until now.

As he was progressing higher and higher, up to the twelve members of the Council surrounding the leader, that was when a seed much darker started growing inside him.

“You don’t understand, Counselor Bjoerndalen. Our leader knows what he’s doing.”

“He is close to ninety years old, he’s out of touch with reality! We need a strong leader. The land is stagnating when we could be conquering lands, punishing everyone defying us. We are too benevolent with discipline of the citizens. A leader should be worthy of respect, and feared! He should even reduce sorcery to people of higher status - it shouldn’t be accessible to everyone.”

“...Are you calling our leader weak and unworthy of respect?”

“I’m just saying we need… new energy.”

“...If that new energy is supposed to be yourself, then I’ll have to disappoint you. Your vision is against everything the Council stands for - peace, kindness, symbiosis with people of lower status. Dictatorship never brought any good-”

“It brought security to those leading it! Or would you rather fear for your spot here because of opposing elements?”

“I’ve been in the field long enough to know that is more than natural. We shouldn’t crave eternal power, it never brought any benefit to anyone.”

“...Don’t you worry, fellow Counselor. I’ll get to be the leader in one way or another. Only then you’ll regret your disrespect towards me.”
_____________

Not long after Ole unlocked the door to the forbidden part of the Council Library for the first time, the leader wanted to forfeit his place to another Counselor. He told them to vote for one another. Ole rolled his eyes when he was speaking about how his successor should represent the spirit of the Council and bring innovations which wouldn’t collide with it. His door to the highest spot one could achieve was closed on him.

“That old… urgh,” he murmured for himself, remembering the oracle given to him. Were his colleagues aware of the oracle, maybe?

At least it was a tie and the voting had to start over the next day. That way, he had enough time to practice black magic by night, not getting any sleep at all. The body of his, already filled with power, was getting even stronger, even if it was in an eerie way that would give him nightmares in the future.

And during the improvement of his newly acquired skill, he layed out a plan.

A plan to become the first one in the history of mankind that would defy his given prophecy.
_____________

His hands were shaking, but his mind had made its decision. Early in the morning, his first steps led into the fortune teller that brought him such an atrocious fate.

Mirae’s stare was glued to the door which was slowly opening, a dark presence inside them.

“...Ole Einar Bjoerndalen,” they croaked out, nodding their head for a reason unknown to him.

“Long time no see, you superstitious coward,” he said quietly, but venomously. “I came to ask for advice. How would you punish someone that kept your dream away from you simply by refusing to make it come true?”

They nodded in understanding once again. “I’m not in the position to punish. If one is chasing something that isn’t meant for them, it leads to tragedy.”
Ole’s hands started glowing in a green light, both in fists. “Well then… I should have known. I have an idea myself, you know…”

And he directed the glow towards the frail figure, one beam alone sending it flying against the wall behind it, their breath flying out of their lungs as they dropped to the floor.

“That is your punishment for doing the very thing to me,” he hissed as he witnessed the fortune teller slowly losing consciousness, their body fading into ashes. “But let me tell you before you ultimately lose your life, I won’t let your nonsense rule my fate, or anyone… From now on, it all depends on me! Now begins the rule of Ole Einar Bjoerndalen, and nothing and no one will ever break it!”

Without further ado, he took hold of Mirae’s crystal ball, wanting control of what took place outside his sight. He took notice of the uncanny ring, now lying on the floor, ashes scattered around it, getting an uneasy presentiment as the last particles of Mirae’s smiling face disappeared into the air. If it wasn’t for the guards finally taking notice of what happened, he would have stolen it too. He couldn’t risk someone giving an echo to the Council, so he simply jumped out of the nearby window, slamming it behind himself.
________________

He didn’t care about the now overwhelming darkness around him. Lead by the feeling of betrayal, injustice and greed, he forced his way through the double door into the conference hall of the Council.

Instantly, the whole room stood up, alert by the forbidden atmosphere.

“The election is over,” Ole simply said, making sure to terrify all ten members present, activating the magic which totally consumed him, witnessing how everyone squirmed helplessly. Their bodies wouldn’t handle the intense pressure for too long. With a sadistic smile, he made sure the same magic intensified up until blood was splattered around all across the room.

The power of all former colleagues combined sulking right into his veins.

“I win.”
_______________

Afterwards, he had to make sure no mentors of magic remained. The bloodbath continued until he was sure no one was to threaten his rightful place. No one will acquire the same level of power anymore - even better, there will be no one to teach people magic, eventually the art being suppressed and wiped out of existence.

Now, his flight was over. He snapped his fingers to restore the former glory of the castle - to be fit of an eternal ruler. He was sure everyone received the message already. No one would dare to come closer to him.

He made his way to the office which formerly served as the Council leader’s study. “How did it feel like, scheming from here?” he asked out loud, a sarcastic smile forming his face. With triumph, he took a seat in the soft chair, the desk looking over the forest around his new residence. He finally put the stolen crystal ball right in front of him.
“Now…” he thought as he layed his hands on either side of it, “if the walking corpse could control this thing, then I can do it with ease… Now, which lands should I conquer first…”

Ole remembered the movements he’s seen from Mirae and tried to recreate them.

One attempt… two… three…

“Finally,” he whispered as it started to glow brightly. All that has been going through his head was there was nothing that he’d miss now. He expected the ball’s shine to fade so he could proceed with his plans - however, to no use.

Instead, a ghost of the first person whose blood he shed that day, appeared right in front of him.

His eyes went wide, catching himself feeling terrified. Wiping the expression off his face instantly, he couldn’t help himself but listen to their voice echoing across the room.

“Did you really think you can deceive fate this easily, Ole Einar Bjoerndalen?” it asked rhetorically. “You might have won this battle, but you’re destined to lose the war. The ring I wore while I was alive, the same one you didn’t manage to take from me, unlike my prized crystal ball… this is the second part of your oracle.”

“...Second part? What is this ridiculous-”

“Right now, you might feel immortal, but that goes against the very laws of human nature, even if they can cast spells and make the society afraid of them.”

And then they spoke out the words that would haunt him for the next centuries.

“Soon enough, what was once my office will turn into a hospital. Specifically, one where new lives will join this Earth. There will come a day where my ring, until now inactive, will react to the presence of one particular newborn. This baby will be among the most talented of its peers, and when it grows into adulthood, they will come and face you in a duel which wipes you from existence. During the quest, they will show their real character, qualities and flaws, and will restore magic all around!”

Before Ole could comprehend what he just heard, the ghost of Mirae disappeared, this time for eternity. Panicking, he returned back to the now abandoned home of the fortune teller to prevent the prophecy from happening… but he found nothing.

Except for a note, the handwriting of which was more than known to him.

I know about the second part of the prophecy. Next time, check your numbers when killing your colleagues. One survived because of a simple sickness break.

…It was at that moment Ole knew he’s made a huge mistake. How did he not notice one Counselor was missing? Was it the euphoria of knowing what he was about to do?

Oh well… that didn’t matter now. When that time comes, he will feel the presence of the ring’s magic kilometres away.

And when he feels it… he will strike.
______________

Twentieth century, later half.

A sharp cry was heard throughout the whole delivery room as a young woman pushed for the last time. Her husband was caressing her hair, praising her for the job she’s done.

The descendants of the surviving Counselor would go on to spread the word about the Ancient Sorcery Council. The magic wasn’t present anymore, but they made quite a percentage of Europe’s population believe it actually existed. Some were still skeptical, but couldn’t help the feeling the magical heritage calls out to them nonetheless.

This reflected on the fact the now well-guarded ring of Mirae was presented to each present family member to check if the prophecy involves their newborn.

With this one, the doctor didn’t make an exception.

“Why hello there, little darling,” she smiled one day. The mom has partially recovered from childbirth, and the little bundle of joy resting on her chest smiled at her widely.

“You know the drill, we hold this ring in front of your baby for about twenty seconds, when it doesn’t react, it’s not the chosen one.”

“We understand the procedure very well. Our family has always believed in this prophecy. Since forever, this world has felt very gray, as if it was missing something. Could as well be the magic we’ve lost because of Ole Einar Bjoerndalen.”

“Darling, I would be careful with your words. Who knows if his eyes aren’t on you right now? He’s the only one that kept his abilities, if we don’t restrain ourselves, we might- Oh my… OH MY GOD!”

The parents went completely silent as a powerful green ray illuminated the area around them - and no, this time it wasn’t the reflection of the sunlight coming from the nearby window.

“No… oh god, please, no…”

“It’s true, Sir. You can be proud, your child is the one to end Ole’s rule.”

“Doctor, you don’t understand! This can’t happen! Once His Eternity realizes the ring is reacting, he’ll track us down and kill the life which hasn’t even started properly!”

“You have to help us… Please…”

The doctor walked across the hospital room nervously, before locking her eyes with the dad, saying to him: “I might have an idea to relieve your fears… I’ve had it for quite some time now. I’ll send an echo to the secret televisions to tell them the chosen one is here… They should provide similar rings, radiating the same light, to all the babies and young children across Europe.”

“How will that help?”

“Well, it could temporarily trick His Eternity. Though, the light won’t be permanent. Soon enough, the fake rings will fade out. But that shouldn’t happen for at least up to twenty or thirty years. Your baby will get to live a totally normal life. I can assure you of that.”

“Thank you so much, Doctor,” the mom replied, crying tears of joy knowing of the plan.

“Before I go, I need to know the name of your child. You both have fallen asleep shortly after the birth so we didn’t catch it.”

“No problem,” the dad replied, looking lovingly at his wife, then both looking at the medical specialist. “Our child’s name will be…”

Chapter Text

20 years later.

"Your Eternity..."

Ole turned around with an irritated smirk, abandoning the view from the castle terrace.

"You finally have some good news for change, Darya?"

The woman with light brown hair and hazel eyes squirmed right where she was standing, blushing, but this time not because of her irreversible crush, but from fear.

She was the only person from his time Ole agreed to keep alive. Not because he loved her or anything, but he could feel a similar aura from her as he had. Something about her determination to get close to him felt adorable at first. Darya was ranting about being all for his vision for the continent, how she admired him, and how she’d love to be his servant and assistant.

_____

“How can you prove my loyalty to me?” he asked her back then. “I’d really not like it if you were a spy from that surviving counselor trying to deceive me.”

Darya made herself think for a little while, before remembering one of the spells from the dark magic lexicon.

“The blood connection spell…” she whispered. “I dare to be your first experiment. A little birdie told me you’d like to try that one… Lead me to your office and perform it on me. My life will depend on you. If anything hurts you, I’ll feel it too. If someone attacks you, I’ll have your wounds. If you somehow lose your life… I’ll fall with you. But I could also give you some of my power through that connection… if not all of it. You’ll gain that extra power…”

“The audacity you have is something I haven’t seen coming. Maybe it’s that sparkle in your eyes that is a living proof of honesty, and I might regret this-”

“You won’t, I can assure you you won’t.”

“...Interrupting me when I’m speaking like that?”

“Oh my god, forgive me, I promise it was a mistake-”

“You’re amusing. But I’m quite sure you’ll learn obedience by my side. Follow me.”

_____

"...Darya," Ole’s voice thundered, mind back in present time. "What. Is. It?!"

"...They managed to bluff us. There are multiple shining rings all around the land. No one knows which one belongs to your-"

"And you're telling me only now?! You take your precious time for twenty goddamn years and THIS IS HOW I FIND OUT?!"

He lost it, almost smashing his fists on the concrete balcony. For the first time in centuries, he was close to panicking or feeling anxious about his eternal power. He was supposed to wait until the ring starts giving the chosen one the powers that would end him once and for all, then make sure that would never happen.

"Have you got any idea what this means?!"

"I know, Your Eternity, we’ve lost time and you're in danger, but knowing your wisdom, I'm sure you'll figure something out-"

"I certainly will, now get out of my sight before I get even more furious! I need my peace and quiet!"

"...Yes, Your Eternity."

The air felt cold to him for the first time in forever. Leaving the terrace, he made his way to a small storage room next to his study.

He didn't think he'd have to use that crystal ball he stole from that fortune teller ever again, now covered in dust. Ole certainly didn’t want to risk Mirae jumping out on him and cursing him in addition again.

However, the situation was critical. He focused his mind on the real ring…

“Its power… so nearby…”

He looked into the round stuff of miracles... checking for special talents right in the city of Strasbourg...

"Got you," his lips turned into a dark smile as he watched the young, good-looking student chatting with six fellow friends. "Frankly, it’s a good thing all of you have those rings... it means that in the end, I don't even have to leave this castle... You'll come to me. I'll make sure of it.”
_________

In the city of Strasbourg, an international college has made its students academically grow. Getting accepted into the programme was an honor for both the student and their parents. It was a modern building right outside the city center, with a grand park that looked almost like its playground or a community garden. That day, the lessons were already over, it could have been around two hours in the afternoon. As always, the number of the people whose rings still shone has been updated. Along with the basic functions on phones and smart watches, they were developed to show these numbers, and later in the day, the news reporter would officially announce them.

“I don’t know about you, Sturla, but I feel like lately the number of shining rings has been going down more drastically than before,” a beautiful girl with blonde hair, light blue eyes, her height ending at her curly-haired brunette friend’s - Sturla Holm Laegreid’s - shoulders. That was Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold. A girl who was very empathetic, optimistic and one of the students that almost everyone liked, as she would never speak badly about anyone. She, Sturla and Johannes - another friend of theirs whose class hasn’t ended yet - have decided to apply into the school in search for adventure.

On the other hand, there was the man with curly hair. Sturla was the one who suggested the crazy idea to study in Strasbourg. His intelligence was standing out even back home, no wonder he got accepted with a scholarship. They both were walking out of the school building to spend a nice day in the park.

“You’re right, Ingrid,” he agreed with her. “Just checked the numbers in Norway alone - there are only like three or four possible chosen ones left, myself included.”

“Who knows who the others are back home,” Ingrid thought out loud. “All I know is it won’t be me. My ring is losing its color, and will probably fade soon.”

Sturla looked at Ingrid’s left hand, noticing the unusually dark color of the ring she wore - everyone wore. “Oh yeah… can’t believe I haven’t noticed that before. What does it actually feel like, if I may ask?”
Ingrid stopped for a second to think the question through. “I don’t know… at one point it’s weird, being eliminated in a way. Yet it’s relieving. I’m not sure if I’d handle being directly under His Eternity’s view, being his apprentice.”

She smiled at Sturla, telling him he would be a nice fit for such a role. All the students across Europe knew that the one whose ring still shined would go on to acquire the skill of sorcery, and would thrive under the ruler’s lead. Of course, the race was far from over, but there were enthusiasts already looking forward to traveling to the lair of Ole Einar Bjoerndalen and learning from him.

“I don’t blame people like that,” Sturla responded. “For some reason, it feels like no matter if we were born with the ability to practice magic or not, it wasn’t the case in the past. As if that history was calling out to them in a way.”

“Always so philosophical, Laegreid,” a third voice said from behind, running towards the duo. It was a deeper voice than that of Ingrid’s, and it belonged to a crafty girl full of determination with brown hair down to her shoulders. That day, it was up in a ponytail, and even though May was only beginning, she wore a short-sleeved T-shirt. She also stood taller than Ingrid did, but was still shorter than Sturla.

“You know me too well, Julia,” he smiled at her, watching as she embraced the blonde and kissed her on the lips. The two have gotten together at the winter ball during the same school year, and since then, they were practically inseparable.

“How was your day, love?” Ingrid wondered, taking her hand.

“Urgh, honestly, today has drained me,” Julia admitted. “All of those numbers and statistics are clashing in my head and I can’t tell what belongs to what.”

Sturla nodded in understanding. “An unfortunate fate of those who picked maths and physics at the same time as their focus. Do we still love it, though? Of course we do.”

“Heh, I wouldn’t be so sure about that.”

“This usually doesn’t happen to you, though,” Ingrid pointed out. “Usually, you are able to organize thoughts better. Is it because I kept you awake until midnight yesterday? I’m so sorry if that’s the case, I didn’t want our evening to stop, I enjoy your company and want to-”

Julia laughed it off. “Honey, no need to worry. I swear it wasn’t you, you are never a distraction, rather a priority.”

“What were you working on today, by the way?” Sturla wanted to know, as he came to their grade a few months later than Julia.

“I was supposed to work on demographics, but instead I was focusing on the ring statistics. My smartwatch isn’t enough, especially when the number of shining rings-”

“Are decreasing rapidly, right? We’ve discussed that just a few seconds ago!” Sturla smiled widely, high-fiving her.

“That is one thing, yes,” Julia replied. “However, I’ve also looked at the predictions where the chosen one is from. Apparently most of the odds point at Strasbourg.”
“Good thing not everyone is so invested in this, otherwise that could’ve been so much pressure,” Ingrid joined the conversation. “Everyone would try to prove they’re the ones Ole is looking for. Prove they are enough.”

Right after they were out of the building, the trio saw a rather big group of people. That was a sign one of their friends - a bit older than them - was in the center of it. A friend with olive skin, dark hair and a matching beard. Sturla’s roommate.

Martin Fourcade.

“That guy can’t catch a break, seriously,” Sturla told Ingrid. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, the guy has taught me a lot during my stay here, but he is not a machine.”

“It’s not like he minds, though,” Julia smirked. “Martin always liked the attention, he believes in his abilities. I wouldn’t be surprised if his ring was the one that would shine longer than all of the others.”

They came closer to the admirers, Sturla coughing loudly. On that cue, another friend of theirs - also a Norwegian - looked upward, relieved. He was one of the closest friends of Martin, always by his side. With his short ginger hair, icy blue eyes and a tall, toned figure, it was no question this was Johannes Thingnes Boe.

“Alright, this was nice, but we would like some time for ourselves, thank you,” he managed to finally get the group to get away. Now, everyone could see Martin’s look on his face. He looked tired, and yet as if he still wanted to answer the curious crowd’s questions.

“What the heck was that?” Ingrid asked as she hugged Johannes and then Martin. “You haven’t had that many people around you before.”

Martin made sure his back was straightened before answering. “It turns out I am leading the odds here in Strasbourg,” he explained with a wide smile on his face. “The odds of being the future apprentice of his Eternity.”

“And besides some classmates, this time a couple of reporters wanted to talk to him,” Johannes added.

“Oh wow. That is new. Not only do we have odds about cities, but now about people too?”

“The number is down to ten around the whole continent,” Johannes explained, “out of which around six are from Strasbourg. It definitely reduces the number of possible… future apprentices.”

“I mean, I am always down for advising people and answering their questions, but I have to say I am glad you were there for me, Johannes,” Martin smiled at him. “With someone so close to me by my side, everything is easier.”

Johannes blushed at that, hoping Martin wouldn’t notice. Everyone besides the brown-eyed Frenchman knew about his hidden feelings, how Johannes wished they were more than friends. Especially Ingrid thought they would look great together.

“How did the prophecy go again?” Julia asked. “From what I remember, the chosen one had their fate set in stone since their birth? And they would fulfill it in adulthood?”

“Exactly,” Martin confirmed. “And they are supposed to be talented among their classmates and peers. I’m not saying I am the most talented, definitely not.”

“Yet you definitely are one of them and you know it,” Johannes reassured him. “You haven’t been accepted here for nothing. Though I sometimes challenge you.”

Martin chuckled. “That’s an understatement. You really need to start giving yourself more credit. I feel like you tend to underestimate your own abilities and are sometimes unnecessarily quiet, which is a pity because you have a lot of potential. I mean, look at what happened to Quentin. At first, he was unsure, but he had a dream, put some work into himself and his confidence, and now he is also a great contender.”

“Speaking of which, where is that guy?” Sturla wondered, checking his watch. “He always waits for us after class.”

“Probably somewhere with Emilien- Hold up, Q sent me a message. He is waiting for us in front of the fountain, and like I expected, Emil is there with him,” Julia announced.

The group didn’t need anything more. Like many times before, they headed straight towards where the last two friends awaited them.
______________

“You took some precious time there,” a handsome man shouted. A man with brown-black wavy hair, standing almost as tall as Sturla, a wide smile on his face, his warm brown eyes glowing as he spoke. This was Quentin Fillon Maillet. A bit of an underdog during his beginnings in Strasbourg, struggling with his studies a bit, then believing in his potential and acting up on it. However, he didn’t act up on it because of the apprenticeship, rather because of his professional life in the future. Getting high in the odds meant higher prestige in a way.

Right next to him, his boyfriend stood. He was a bit taller, but equally charming. With his sky blue eyes, strong physique and a genuine grin, no wonder Quentin fell for him. He was also really humorous and loyal. His name was Emilien Jacquelin. When one looked at his finger, the ring’s color was also beginning to fade out, but still shone rather brightly.

“Sorry you two, had some duties literally outside of the school,” Martin apologized, greeting both of the men by embracing them in a bear hug, patting their backs in friendliness.

“They must have heard about the odds and who is mentioned in them,” Emilien guessed. “Congratulations, Martin. That must be such a surprise and a huge honor at the same time.”

“It most definitely is,” Martin confirmed. “However, odds don’t have to be true at all times.”

“I still don’t understand what the whole fuss is about,” Quentin joined the conversation. “Prophecies don’t have to be based on reality either. For what we know, Ole Einar Bjoerndalen might not even be real. Just like magic in general. What if all of that is just a myth?”

“One can never be sure, that’s true,” Johannes agreed.

“But given the extent of information about our rings, I’d say His Eternity is actually real,” Sturla added, and those who knew him well enough would tell you he was stuck in a train of thought.

“Maybe he wants to restore magic as a whole, and for that maybe he needs some trainees,” Julia suggested.

On that, Quentin shrugged, evident he was still skeptical about the topic. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that. Especially given how Bjoerndalen tends to be described in the legends we read - authoritative, stubborn, power-hungry. Doesn’t seem like restoring magic is exactly his goal.”

“I’d say we leave this be for now,” Ingrid changed the subject, noticing the slight tension. Close friendships were always important to her and was often distraught when they could be threatened, by small issues or bigger ones.

“To be honest, I’m a little tired of hearing about the prophecy on every single subject we have,” Emilien supported her. “How about we leave that for tomorrow and just spend a nice afternoon together instead? I’m not sure if we agreed on the place, but-”

“We could go to my place,” Johannes put forward. “Or should I say my older brother’s place… but he moved back to Norway a while ago, and told me I could stay over during my studies.”

“I’m not sure we’ve ever gone to your place,” Julia thought out loud, to which Martin leaned a bit closer to Johannes, whispering: “At least I haven’t ever been there.”

That made the young Norwegian visibly nervous. He wasn’t sure if Martin was ever so direct as that day - and they’ve been friends for quite some time now. Were the teasing remarks from Ingrid and Sturla maybe coming from somewhere?

“Sounds very nice,” Quentin replied. “Maybe we could grab some Chinese takeout and eat it there too.”

“Oh yes, some nice noodles or crispy duck,” Emilien’s mouth started to water.

“Whatever you would like, chéri,” Quentin smiled at him.

“Awww…” Ingrid and Julia sighed at the same time, Julia frowning as Emilien caught up to their reaction, his expression changing from excited to embarrassed in a matter of seconds.

“...Uh, I think the noodles would be good.”

“Noodles it is!” Johannes confirmed. “What are we waiting for, then? I don’t know why, but I think we’re up for an amazing evening.”
__________

The living room of Johannes’ apartment usually tended to be empty, especially in comparison to its size. One could fit not only a comfortable orange couch with a matching armchair in, but also a medium-sized TV standing on a small conference table on the opposite side of the seating area. An electric keyboard which could convert into a desk was facing the wall just behind this furniture, providing a nice spot for Johannes to study - not to mention Tarjei left him quite a lot of books to read in the oak bookshelf right next to the archway. The room was completed by a wooden dining table - also made out of a darker type of wood - with four chairs behind it.

“If you’re gonna see your brother in summer, tell him he’s a literal god for giving you such an awesome apartment,” Sturla complimented, already imagining a nice jamming session when looking at the piano.

Meanwhile, Ingrid and Julia sat behind the dining table, diving in their takeaway order - Ingrid tried the chow mein while Julia stayed true to her favorite sweet and sour pork.

“Mhmm,” Ingrid sighed out of bliss. “Gosh, I really needed this. No stressing over the apprenticeship or school - actually, everyone, let’s all agree not to talk about that!”

“Deal!”

“Either way, I needed a nice hangout with my best friends and my girlfriend… I still can’t believe I can call you that.”

Julia smiled, kissing her forehead. “You better get used to it. If it makes you feel more relaxed, I can’t believe it either. Like seriously, I got so lucky with you-”

“Say cheese!”

“Oh! Cheese,” Ingrid turned around to face Emilien’s camera. Sometimes he brought it with him to take some pictures to remember. His boyfriend always believed the same pictures had a lot of potential, and so did the rest of the friend group. Anytime he wanted to take photos of them, they’d gladly accept it.

“Seriously, you bring that camera when I least expect it,” Julia said, amused.

“Part of the charm,” Emilien winked before he sat across the table to eat his own food.

Meanwhile, Johannes turned on a well-known reality show. The friend group looked at a drone shot of a tropical villa and about fifteen contestants in it, as the host was speaking about what happened in the previous episode.

“Wait, Johannes, is that Worth a Million?” Julia asked.

“It sure is,” Johannes replied from the couch, visibly excited, his Chinese food already gone. “Call me crazy, but I always wondered how it would look like if I signed up for it and what kind of people I’d meet there.”

“I’ll tell you how it would look like,” Martin joined the chat, sitting right next to Johannes. “I think… you would lead an alliance.”

“An alliance like what?”

“An alliance of audience favorites. You’d bring them together and then, when you’d be in the top 5, you would ultimately take the win - brilliant strategy. That’s how the game works, am I right? Have seen some snippets of this but never the whole thing.”

Johannes had to chuckle at the idea, before explaining to him: “The competition is definitely a huge part of the show, but I meant more like… the relationships. It’s not just about winning the money, it’s also about finding love. Could I maybe find that… that…”

“...Go on,” Martin encouraged him, unknowingly getting closer.

“You know who I mean!” Johannes said, starting to blush anew. “If I could find that special someone there.”

Martin was silent for a while, thinking his answer through. Finally, he gathered the courage to look the Norwegian straight in the eye.

“Johannes… you know, sometimes you don’t have to look far away to see what you’re looking for. Sometimes, it’s closer than you think.”

“Uh…” Emilien blushed himself. “Is it just me or is it getting kinda hot in here?” he whispered to Sturla.

“Shh, not so loud, those two have been oblivious for so long,” the handsome brunette shushed him. “Let’s just have them enjoy the moment.”

As the friends were paying more attention to a potential new couple in the group rather than the actual show, Ingrid noticed that Quentin, who was sitting by the piano, was looking rather lonely. Sad, even. This was a very strange sight for her, making her discreetly scoot over to him.

“Hey, is everything okay, Q?”

Quentin got a little startled by the whisper, before answering as quietly, his smile a bit smaller than usual: “Thank you for checking in, Ingrid, I’m… just a little tired, that’s all.”

“Hmm, if that’s the case, I’d recommend the armchair right by the TV. It’s quite comfortable, here you can’t even lean back.”

“You’re too kind, but no thank you. I wouldn’t like to be third-wheeling those two. I mean, just look at them. Johannes practically fell asleep right on Martin’s chest and he put a blanket over him and…”

He didn’t finish the sentence, sighing deeply instead.

“...Okay, enough of this. You know you can tell me anything, right?”

“...Urgh, it’s just… it’s been a while since I could cuddle Emilien like this,” Quentin confessed, suddenly vulnerable. “And I’m not sure whether this is just because we all have moments when we don’t feel that affectionate… or if maybe I am the problem.”

“Oh no, Q, I’m sure that is not the case. You’ve been together for three months, he loves you more than anything and I’m sure when you two talk it out, everything will be fine.”

“That’s the thing… he’s been avoiding that conversation for at least a month now and I’m just getting more and more- where is he, actually?” Quentin looked around.

“What? Looking for your lover boy?” Julia winked. “No worries, Emil went out to get some fresh air. If you got inspired by those two walking denials here, now is your chance.”

“Either he went for some fresh air or for some nice pics of tonight’s sky,” Quentin thought out loud. “Thanks for that, Ju. Gotta go,” he winked before ultimately leaving the room.
___________

It was getting late, so the friends agreed to stay over. Johannes was fast asleep in Martin’s arms at that point, the Frenchman deciding to carry him into the bedroom, careful not to wake him, thinking he could maybe join him in there later - only to spend the night, of course.

Fortunately, the couch was designed so it could be turned into a “bed”, making sure at least three friends could sleep there. Martin and Julia set it up together before agreeing that the girls would share it with Sturla. They’d make something up for Quentin and Emilien, who were still outside.

The four sat behind the dining table, staying silent for a moment before Julia spoke up. “Honestly, guys, I don’t know about you - and maybe I shouldn’t talk about this, but still - I’m getting worried about those two.”

“By those two you mean-”

“Yes,” Julia nodded. “I’m worried that Emilien could break up with Quentin soon, it’s evident he isn’t as into it anymore.”

“Come on, Julia, that can’t be the case. He’s head over heels for him.”

“I mean… yeah, but the amount of couples that broke up because of a longer period of distance after a few months together… it can happen to literally anyone.”

Ingrid felt herself starting to tremble. “Wait… do you mean that happens… often?”

“I don’t mean to scare you, but it does,” Martin confirmed, and right at that moment, Ingrid promised herself she would not let that happen to her and Julia.

Not knowing it’s going to affect her more than she initially thought.

“But enough about those two,” Julia continued. “Let’s talk about you, Martin. Because nothing screams romance more than agreeing to watch a reality show you consider ridiculous when your crush loves it.”

“Wha-” Martin gasped, flustered. “Heh, no, that’s not what I was trying to do, I definitely wasn’t trying to get close or-”

“Yeees, like I believe anything of that,” Julia retorted. “What’s stopping you, actually? You have nothing to lose, just find that right moment, find Johannes alone and confess!”

“It’s… it’s harder than you think.”

“Yeah, sure, that’s why I’m taken and you’re not.”

Ingrid’s jaw dropped at the savage response, high-fiving her girlfriend, watching as Martin rolled his eyes. “Alright, you got me there. Maybe I could try and do that.”

“That’s the spirit!” Ingrid cheered. “Right, Sturla?”

It was only then the trio realized Sturla was awfully quiet the whole evening, aside from a few sentences.

Ingrid snapped her fingers in front of his eyes to get his attention. “Earth to Sturla! What are you thinking of?”

Sturla looked at her, then at Martin and Julia, before finally responding. “You know… I’ve been thinking about what Q said back at the park. About Ole’s traits that are described-”

“I thought we agreed not to talk about the prophecy,” Martin interrupted him, voice shaking a little.

“I know, but he actually made some sense. Those traits definitely don’t align with wanting an apprentice. He’s better off alone, without having to worry about another person.”

Martin shook his head in disagreement. “Laegreid, you’re not making any sense. Why would we all get these rings then? Why are people getting eliminated until one is left standing? The Chosen one?!”

“Now calm down, tiger,” Julia tried to soothe him.

“Not now, Julia. What you’re saying,” he turned to Sturla once again, “practically wipes away what we’ve learnt about the rings over the past few years! It wipes away our potential future, maybe you’re putting our lives at risk! And most importantly - have you forgotten about the reports about His Eternity having a change of nature over his rule?”

“I never said there isn’t a Chosen one,” Sturla retorted, his voice still calm as if nothing happened. “Anyone of us can be that person. What I’m saying is that… maybe the one whose ring will still shine isn’t meant to be Ole’s apprentice. What if they have a bigger purpose than-”

“Than what?!” Martin slammed his fist into the table, now definitely distraught by the theory.
“Than maybe becoming the biggest sorcerer after His Eternity himself? What can be more important than this? Urgh, sometimes I wish you weren’t overthinking every single thing so much! Why can’t you just go with the flow like the rest of us?”

“Why can’t you control your temper like the rest of us?!” Sturla snapped. “I know you’re really convinced by the odds, but I think you’re letting them into your head a bit too much. Plus, who knows if your theatrics didn’t wake your loverboy up. Calm the heck down, Fourcade.”

Tension. That kind of tension one could cut into if it was possible. At that point, Ingrid was staring at the scene in front of her, petrified. Julia was practically staring daggers at both men.

Finally, Martin started to pack his things. “Actually, I’m over this. I can’t look at your face anymore. I just… urgh, just give me some peace and quiet!”

“Wait, Martin, you can still stay-”

“I don’t want to,” he repeated slowly. “Enjoy the rest of the night.”

He gave a sad stare in the direction of Johannes’ bedroom, putting his shoes on again and shutting the front door behind him.

Sturla’s head was in his hands in a matter of seconds, in disbelief he lashed out like that. “Gosh, what the heck was that? I swear I don’t tend to be so choleric, I’m so sorry, to both of you…”

“Shh, Sturla, it wasn’t your fault,” Ingrid came over to him and rubbed his back. “Sometimes Martin tends to be unpredictable with his emotions, especially when there isn’t Johannes to calm him.”

“I saw how scared you were, though…”

“Well… a raised voice in general can make me react like that, but I know Martin will come back to his senses.”

“Well he better, because I haven’t seen him so out of place for a long time,” Julia murmured, before carefully opening the door to the bedroom. Johannes miraculously didn’t wake up to the fight.

Sturla looked towards the ceiling, then eyed his ring. “Honestly, I can’t wait until this train wreck of a prophecy will be fulfilled. I can't wait until everything goes back to normal and the whole fight over who is the Chosen one is done. Heck, I'd even sacrifice myself just to make the process a little faster… but I know that isn't that easy.”

“Totally agree with you. But thankfully,” Julia said as she looked at her smart watch, “it's down to seven people.”

“Oh, that's great!”

“But I don't want to look at the possible cities the Chosen one could live in. Right now I just want to sleep.”

“Understandable. Speaking of which, Q and Emil went to get their pajamas back to their dorms, Emil just texted me. They should be back soon.”

“Phew, I was starting to get a little worried there,” Ingrid admitted.

“Nah, they needed that alone time, if you know what I mean,” Julia winked at her.

“You and your innuendos, Julia…” Sturla blushed.

“My specialty,” she replied, smirking from ear to ear.
__________

…It was around two o'clock in the morning.

Sturla woke up right next to Johannes in the king sized bed. His body couldn’t stand the drying throat anymore, demanding water.

He yawned as quietly as he could to not wake his friend up, noticing something strange.

The green color in his ring, still shining brightly when they said goodnight with the others, was now completely gone, and he wasn't sure what to think.

On one hand, he felt enormous relief about the elimination. On the other hand… he hasn’t known about any other case when the ring would completely black out instead of the color slowly disappearing.

“Oh well… it's not like I can do anything about it now,” he thought for himself, finally getting out of the bedroom and heading into the kitchen.

Everybody looked so peaceful, Ingrid snuggled against Julia's chest, Emilien finding Quentin's hand in his sleep, a wholesome sight.

Maybe it wouldn't be too bad to seek a love of his own-

And then he turned the light on, and his mouth opened into a silent scream. The color of his face was gone instantly.

Right in front of him stood His Eternity himself, his face unreadable.

“What's the matter, Sturla?” he asked, the tone of his voice threatening. “Thirsty?”

“I… Your Eternity… oh god, you’re actually real… W-what did I do to receive such… such a visit?”

“Oh nothing, don't you worry. You know… I am impressed. Impressed that you saw through the narrative I demanded to spread about me.”

“Wha-”

“You heard me. No apprenticeships are happening, Sturla Holm Laegreid… but the prophecy still needs to be broken.”

“The prophecy needs to be wha-” Sturla stuttered, but he didn't finish the sentence. He found himself being pulled towards Ole Einar Bjoerndalen against his will, and he couldn't fight it.

“What do you say about a little trip?” Ole whispered.

“L-let go of me! I… I am not the Chosen one, look, it's faded, the color is gone, PLEASE LET GO OF ME,” Sturla tried to negotiate desperately.

But Ole just laughed it off. “I know way too well you're not the one I'm waiting for. Let me explain. You, young man, are the perfect bait for the real one, you see.”

Before Sturla could react, a powerful force, a force that humanity forgot over centuries, made him slip into unconsciousness.

A source of long-forgotten magic.

That daybreak, one could see a figure in black flying away from Strasbourg, with a young student with curly hair in his arms.

Chapter Text

The following day wasn't peculiar right from the beginning. On the contrary, it started off normally, then it slowly showed its true face.

The group woke up with the biggest headaches, but they still had to prepare for the next school day. Emilien and Johannes were sure they were running late already - which stressed Quentin and Ingrid out a little. Now, they were gathered in the living room, all dressed up and cleaning the area up.

“Guys, I have a very important question,” Johannes called out. “I wanted to ask earlier, but I forgot. The last thing I remember is falling asleep on the couch, but I woke up in my bed.”

On that note, Ingrid chuckled lightly, smirking teasingly in his direction. Johannes, of course, caught up on that.

“Alright… it had to be something very entertaining then.”

“You bet it was - a special someone lifted you up as if you were his spouse and as if you weighed nothing at all. A special someone who starts with an M and ends with -artin Fourcade.”

“...Oh,” Johannes’ pale face reddened even faster. “Ahem… that is very nice of him.”

“It is, definitely… Martin and Johannes sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-”

“Uh…” Julia patted Johannes on the shoulder suddenly. “Sorry to interrupt, but did the power go out last night or is your clock just broken?”

“What?”

“Your clock. I noticed it and I won’t stop thinking about it until it’s dealt with, you know me, after all. I mean, if it showed something like 7:00, that would be understandable, but-”

“Let me see…” Johannes frowned, heading towards the digital clock she mentioned, Ingrid grabbing her own phone to check some new messages.

In an instant he saw there must have been a mistake. The sun was shining as if it was twelve o’clock, but right here, it still showed a whole different time. One that manufacturers wouldn’t pick as a default one if the power went off.

2:41.

“The heck? That’s weird. And no matter what I do, it refuses to cooperate.”

As Quentin heard this, he scooted over to try and help his friend. But, to Johannes’ disbelief, the crafty man also frowned in frustration. “Ugh, usually I’d have this done in a second, but this might be the first time I am-”

“Guys, screw the clock! Sturla isn’t answering any of my calls or texts!” Ingrid interrupted them.

“...What do you mean?” Johannes asked her.

“Isn’t it obvious enough?” Ingrid answered, obviously scared. She proceeded to show him her screen. There were at least nine messages with a similar input sent to their curly-haired friend, but they were still waiting to be delivered and read.

It also showed the same time as Johannes’ clock.

“Let’s not panic yet. Maybe he just left earlier, I haven’t seen him the whole day,” Quentin retorted calmly. “I’m sure that he’ll explain everything to you once we’re in school.”

“That’s the point,” Ingrid replied. “He always responds, and it’s in a matter of a few minutes. This is so unlike him!”

“That… that’s true, actually. Sturla wouldn't do anything like that…” Quentin had to admit, not in such a calm state of mind anymore.

“Also, he left his clothes hanging on that chair you have in your room, Johannes,” Julia added.

“Sturla definitely wouldn’t have gone out in pajamas, that’s for sure,” Johannes tried to joke, but it was evident he was starting to panic.

Quentin got another idea at this, facepalming hard. “Why didn’t I think of it sooner? I have another theory. Martin had to give him a lift from here, being the great roommate he is. I noticed Martin left earlier than intended,” he tried to rationalize. “Maybe Sturla was running late to his class, he does start earlier today. He must have known Martin was away, so he called him and he drove back here again.”

“Still, why would Sturla leave his clothes here?”

“...That I don’t know, I’m afraid.”

“Whatever the truth is, I’m sure Sturla is alright,” Julia tried to calm the situation down, “and he’ll tell us everything, just like Q said. It is true he decided to take that sport shooting class which starts earlier than our schedules. Maybe he had an impromptu test and he couldn't use his phone. Either way, we really don't want to be late, let’s go… EMILIEN, WHAT’S TAKING YOU SO LONG?”

“Whoa, Julia, that’s my boyfriend you’re speaking to,” Quentin nudged her.

“I’m fine! Just wanna shave and get a cup of water before we go,” Emilien’s voice called out from the closed bathroom.

Johannes exchanged knowing looks with Ingrid, then looked back at Quentin. It was only then they noticed the slight red marks around his jawline.

“What?” Quentin rolled his eyes. “Can’t I make out with my own boyfriend?”

“Yeah…” Johannes grinned. “Sure you can. Congratulations.”

“Gosh, sometimes you get on my nerves with that teasing way too much.”

“We love you too, Q,” Ingrid winked.

Finally, the bathroom door opened, Quentin blushing as if nothing happened when he saw Emilien clean-shaven. For some reason, he looked even more attractive like this. Just as he wanted to compliment him, Emilien screamed from the kitchen.

“...Chéri?” Quentin asked loudly, his protective side now enabled as he ran into the room. In fact, his emotion was so powerful that the rest of the group followed.

Right by one of the counters, Emilien stood, gripping on it with his hands, eyes wide but focused on something laying on the countertop.

“For god’s sake, you screamed like you saw a ghost or something! Is everything okay?” Ingrid wanted to know, watching as Quentin rubbed her friend's back in calming motions.

“Yes, Emil! Talk to us, what happened?” Johannes supported her.

Emilien, his breath still a little short, remained silent. Instead, he motioned for everyone to look at what he was staring at.

No one was talking anymore at that point.

What Emilien discovered was Sturla’s ring, completely colourless… and a burnt paper as if from the medieval ages.

And on that paper… instructions.

Instructions on how to get their friend back… from Ole Einar Bjoerndalen himself.

And a confirmation with it - one of them is the Chosen one.
____________

It’s time, Chosen one. Time for you to prove your worth. I had to be sure you would obey me, that’s why I took one of your dearest friends hostage. Your outing together was the perfect opportunity to finally contact you. If you fulfill my instructions, you’ll become my right hand and will get your friend back. It will involve courage, strength and patience, even blood, sweat and tears, but the reward will triumph all of it.

One - find a boat on the port of Rhein and sail to the north. Don’t stop until you reach a quaint town of Neuburg am Rhein.

Two - have a nice stroll through the town until you get to the nearby forests. There, an old magical cave is hidden - the Cave of Candour. If you survive the obstacles it involves, you get out right at the only settlement in the woods - Buechelberg it’s called.

Three - In Buechelberg, a hot air balloon should wait for you - I’ve decided to make this step a little easier. Figure out how to work with it, and fly.

Good luck.

His Eternity, Ole Einar Bjoerndalen

__________________

It felt like walking in a dream. Only with the exception that the five of them were moving, and the rest of the world stopped. The atmosphere was eerie to the point one could get chills. The people, all around the town and in the park in front of their school, security guards from yesterday night… they all didn’t move a muscle, and where their younger classmates often blasted some French rapper’s work, haunting silence reigned.

As if time froze for everyone.

Everyone but them.

“Well, I guess no school is happening today.”

“Seriously, this is straight up creepy. First the clock and now this…”

“Tell me about it, Emil. Why hasn’t anyone mentioned this to us when the prophecy was explained to everyone?” Julia complained. “I mean, it’s quite simple to explain - be aware that in case you might be the Chosen one, everything else becomes a statue.”

“Sturla would know what to do. Without him, I wouldn’t even come here and met you all. If only he hadn’t disappeared,” Johannes sighed.

“Not disappeared. If only he wasn't kidnapped!” Emilien corrected him.

“Does it count as kidnapping when it serves as a test, though?” Quentin asked suddenly, to which Ingrid stared at him in disbelief.

“Quentin, are you actually serious? The instructions literally say we'll get him back if the quest is fulfilled. Which implies that in case the Chosen one won’t arrive, who knows what he’ll do to him!”

“...Yeah, that’s true… gosh, that was so insensitive of me, I’m sorry for that…” Quentin hung his head slightly. “In fact, I’m sorry for how I act today. I’m trying to reassure myself everything is okay, find a reasonable cause for all of this, but…”

“Deep down you know it’s not okay?” Emilien finished his thought.

“Yeah… That’s what happens when you’re so skeptical about the whole thing for so long.”

“You don’t have to apologize, you know?” Johannes joined the conversation. “I think I can speak for everyone here when I say we’re scared. People can do literally anything when fear overtakes them.”

With a sad smile, he waved to Martin standing on the opposite side of the park, before turning to his friends and saying: “All that remains is to hope Sturla is strong enough to survive this. And knowing him… I think we can trust him.”

“Exactly,” Julia supported him. “We’ll have to think of him more than ever now. And while we do so… we’ll have a chat about this ‘gift’ His Eternity left us.”
_________________

“For fuck’s sake, what is happening, guys?” Martin demanded as he greeted his closest friends with a hug like he usually did. Only this time, the hugs lasted shorter and didn’t feel as genuine and warm - they were more on the rushed side.

“Life literally stopped, why is that and why doesn't it work on us? And where is Sturla? He didn’t come back to the dorms, I figured he would come with you and I would apologize for my outburst-”

“Hold up, what outburst?” Johannes stopped him in his tracks, trying to read his facial expression. “What did I miss last night?”

“Uh… we might have forgotten about that part,” Ingrid admitted. “You see-”

“No, I’ll say it,” Martin insisted. “Yesterday, we had a heated argument about the prophecy… Sturla had this theory about Ole not being as wanting of a magical descendant as we think and I lashed out at him for that.”

His eyes softened, unknowingly gazing into Johannes’ ones. “Please, is he still so upset he doesn’t want to see me?”

Instantly, Martin noticed something was off. Johannes would usually answer him fast, but now he went quiet, as if he didn’t want to talk about it. Ingrid was also staring into the floor, and Emilien’s hands were fidgeting.

“...Alright, what the heck happened?”

“Should we tell him straight-forward or…” Emilien asked Quentin.

“No… if we’re still slightly petrified, I don’t know how someone who shares a dorm with him could respond.”

“Alright then. We… well, when we woke up, Sturla was nowhere to be found,” Emilien started.

“...Okay.”

“All he left behind were his clothes from today - not the pajamas, the clothes.”

Martin was shaken at this. “That… that is uncanny.”

“We thought he just left earlier or that you gave him a ride from the apartment-”

“I didn’t,” Martin confirmed, voice starting to tremble as well.

“And he wasn’t answering any of my texts,” Ingrid added.

“And he always responds… To hell with it, what actually happened to my roommate?”

“ON THE KITCHEN COUNTER!” Emilien shouted, giving him the note from Ole. “He took him. His Eternity took our friend!”

For Martin, hearing and seeing this was as if a wave crashed down on him. His forehead was starting to get sweaty as he tried to calm his rapid heartbeat. “No… for fuck’s sake, this can’t be happening… And I acted like a jerk… a fucking IDIOT!”

“Hey, hey, Martin, don’t punch your fist into that column, you’ll hurt yourself,” Johannes grabbed his wrist in protection.

“I don’t give a damn about my hands… take that scrap back, I don't want to look at it anymore… You do realize that if we’re the only ones who can still speak and move freely, either of us could be the Chosen one?”

“We do, that’s what the scroll says.”

“And didn’t the prophecy say that they would show their real character during a quest?”

“...No way,” Quentin’s eyes went wide. “So this might actually be even bigger than we thought… If this really is about the prophecy-”

“It has to be, and this is the actual test it mentioned. The actual test where one of us will prevail and make the prophecy come true. Ole wants to test one of us to see if they’re worthy. All we have to do is fulfill what he wrote - first, find a boat at the shore of the Rhein river and sail all the way to a village called Neuburg am Rhein… I wonder how long that will take. The rest I didn't read out of that shock.”

“If I remember correctly, then it says to find something he called the Cave of Candour and once that was done, find a hot air balloon and fly,” Emilien helped.

“Fly where? Straight to his lair? No one knows where exactly he lives.”

“Maybe that’s why the instructions stop there,” Johannes pointed out.

“Really? Alright, could I please have that back? Hmm… They actually do.”

Martin sighed deeply, thinking the next move through. “Alright then… It’s only fair if I take this into my hands.”

“Wait, but you don’t know if-”

“It’s the least I can do after being so rude to him yesterday,” Martin replied desperately. “I need to fix what I destroyed, I need to get him back and say sorry. Plus, there is a huge possibility this is a call to me. All it took was our argument to have His Eternity send this sign. Not to mention the odds…”

“That makes sense, Martin,” Johannes retorted, “but I hope you don’t want to do this alone.”

“Johannes, I have to,” Martin stood firm, however the look on his eyes has softened. “I can’t put lives of all of you in danger too, even if I could use Quentin’s craftsman skills and Julia’s strategic thinking.”

“Hell no, I am not allowing that!” the Norwegian yelled, stronger than he intended. Once he realized, he backed out, saying sorry quickly.

“I really didn’t mean to react like that. But I can’t just sit in my apartment and think about how you might already be dead just because no one came with you.”

“That’s the point,” Martin looked at him again, getting closer to rest his hand on Johannes’ shoulder. “I can’t think about you getting killed either. That’s why I would prefer if you’d stay here and survive, be safe… I don’t want to imagine a world without you. Either one of you, actually… but without you, Johannes…”

The last part he whispered as if no one else was around, the atmosphere suddenly intimate. As if he wanted to continue and say…

“I understand that, but Sturla is my friend too,” Johannes responded. “Like it or not, you’re not going alone. I’m coming with you and I’m not taking no for an answer.”

Somehow, that shifted the dynamic from fear to determination. Quentin was the next one to volunteer. “If my skills could really come in handy, then maybe I could come too. I don’t know about you, Julia, but this might be a huge milestone in our lives, no matter the outcome.”

Julia nodded decisively. “I was thinking the same thing. We’re coming too, Martin.”

At that, Emilien refused to stay in Strasbourg either, the main reason being taking watch on Quentin, to help him in case things go south. Ingrid also proclaimed she’d join the quest, wanting to stay as close to Julia as possible.

“Darling, but your ring… it faded out even more today,” Julia tried to reason with her, also fearing for her girlfriend’s safety.

“And yours too, Emilien… are you sure about this? I wouldn’t forgive myself if something happened to you because of me,” Quentin wanted to convince his own love.

But the two wouldn’t budge. One might have been thinking she’s not enough and the other that he’s too much for their respective significant others, but their argument was the same.

“I wouldn’t forgive myself if something happened to you and I wasn’t there to try and prevent it.”

With that, as if no discussion happened, all six of them finally agreed to go on the most important quest of mankind history together, and started to assign some possible roles everyone could take.

“In case we get hungry, I could buy something from some store that is near,” Ingrid offered.

“We should have a map of Germany at home, from one of our trips. It could be useful,” Johannes remembered.

“And I can pilot boats - legally,” Quentin smiled widely, showing his license as proof.

“See, Martin? Our job will be a lot easier and faster if all of us will split the roles you’d otherwise have to deal with alone,” Emilien nudged Martin, even getting enthusiastic about their upcoming adventure.

“I guess there’s some truth in what you’re saying,” Martin had to figuratively bow down.

“My pleasure.”

“Now all that we have to do…” Julia concluded, “ is to find a suitable port, get the most important stuff, take off… and bring Sturla back.”
_____________

The next day, Ole felt satisfied with himself. Triumphant, even. All it took was for him to close his eyes - and felt the presence of the ring he forgot to steal out of Mirae’s fortress coming closer. In baby steps, but closer.

“No sign of real magic in that ring whatsoever yet... perfect. The plan is set in motion,” he said out loud, chuckling darkly. “I knew taking a friend would instantly work.”

“And also that slight threat that you won’t return that Sturla boy in case the Chosen one wouldn’t obey,” Darya giggled. “That was a rather smart move, Your Eternity.”

“I had to think strategically, you see,” Ole started explaining. “It wouldn’t matter which of the friends I’d hold hostage. However, when the Laegreid boy woke up in the middle of the night and the rest of the friends were sleeping… I couldn’t not take that opportunity.”

“Your Eternity, by the way, he was screaming something about knowing about your true intentions.”

“I wouldn’t call it exactly that… but he did figure out I am not in need of some vain apprentice. The better it is for us he’s here… and not with the one who’s supposed to-”

“Kill you!” Darya finished his thought, a wide smile on her face.

If a stare could kill, the sorcerer would do so right there, right then.

“...Sorry.”

Ole, however, wasn’t paying any more attention to her antics. Instead, he focused on the Chosen one once again, this time on a deeper level.

To hear the sounds around them.

“...I hear something that is unmistakably the sound of Rhein flowing. That means the ship took off. And some voices in the background…”

“I’m pretty sure that’s just some chitter-chatter from the town… Also, I wanted to ask one more thing.”

“...Which is?”

“The instructions paper you've left… why did you leave so many steps? Aren’t you worried that you're pushing fate?”

Ole looked at her and shrugged. “For those subjects down there, I am still the ‘ruler that needs an apprentice’ which decided to change for the better, my dear. I still have to play my part and make it look like it is really a final test. If I only left one instruction, I'd become suspicious, which is the last thing I need. Besides… who says the Chosen one will tick all the boxes on that list?”

“...Tick all the boxes?”

“Tick all the boxes,” Ole confirmed with a dark smirk. “I outsmarted fate once, I can do it again. You see… this is a game of cat and mouse, only with the difference that one can make it out alive… and the other one can't.”

Hearing the sound of water in his mind, he took a deep breath, before continuing coldly.

“The Rhein is such a majestic, big river… And accidents tend to happen on such rivers, just saying.”

Behind him, in a dark little room with only a small window, Sturla was trying to resist his bindings while eavesdropping on the whole conversation. The second he heard what the ruler was planning to do, he gasped loudly.

“You… you lying bastard! I swear, if you even lay a finger on a friend of mine, I'll deal with you myself!”

“My, my… huge words coming from you,” Ole replied instantly. “You, in your current state… You hold no power here. You’re just a bark and no bite.”

He moved closer to the old door, opening the little cell, enjoying the look on Sturla's face, the impact of barely his presence evident.

“Actually… even the bark gets on my nerves. To hear all that yapping for almost a day… I need some peace and quiet to focus on my powers and on the goal. Darya?”

“Yes, Your Eternity?”

“Take our guest to the oubliette on the courtyard. There, he can blabber whatever and how much he wants.”

“The really thin one or-”

“The wide one, of course! He isn't a prisoner. We have to treat such great visits with kindness, remember?”

The word didn't sound good to Sturla. At all. He spent enough time in Strasbourg to know it had to do something with forgetting.

“Will do, Your Eternity.”

“No… No! Let go of me! Get your hands off me, you hear me?”

But his pleas were to no use. All he could do was to glower at the duo and yell some last curse words as he was dragged out of the lair of the scheming ruler.

He’d stay in that oubliette for the rest of his stay in the castle.

Chapter Text

As Quentin made sure every single one of his friends was on board, he started the boat engine and took off. That could’ve been around an hour ago.

On deck, Ingrid let out an excited squeak. It might have been a critical situation there was no turning back from, but that wasn’t going to let her resist her feelings. She always loved rides on a ship, remembering her father taking her to catch some fish when she was around nine years old.

That squeak made her realize how much she missed this. And how - even though she was happy here - she still missed her home.

If only she could share this with Julia… but now, she was busy. Busy mainly because Martin assigned her the role of the navigator.

“Neither the wifi nor the mobile data is working,” he explained. “It’s good you brought a paper map just in case, Johannes. Wonderful thinking.”

“However, I am not sure I am the best at actually reading them. Ju, do you maybe have some experience reading such maps? Can you keep track of our surroundings?” Johannes added.

“Sure I have,” she answered confidently. “I remember a classmate who was presenting about scouting - and among that, how to read all kinds of maps. I figured it could come in handy.”

“Good then,” Martin said surely. “Keep an eye on all the towns or landmarks we will pass by. The last thing we need is passing Neuburg am Rhein.”

“Roger that,” Julia saluted, getting right into it. She sat down on the seat right in front of the captain’s cabin. From here, it would be easy to enjoy the view, how the big river was flowing, tilt one’s head to the side and admire the architecture.

Ingrid’s girlfriend, however, couldn’t afford it - otherwise the whole mission would’ve shipwrecked.

A feeling of loneliness flew through the blonde. Even if she liked talking with her other friends, now she didn’t have as many options. All of them were aware of the fact they could be the Chosen One - unlike Ingrid, whose ring had lost color during the first few minutes of the sail.

Martin was constantly drowned in his thoughts, Johannes stood by his side. It didn’t come to question to disturb Quentin, his role was the most important at this stage. And while Emilien was always fun to be around, he had a problem - he wasn’t her girlfriend.

…Maybe she just needed to distract herself. Soon enough, it would be lunch time and she volunteered to prepare a nice, tasty meal. Maybe it was time to make that macaroni salad with lettuce, carrots and chicken she had in mind. She only wished she had Julia around. The seconds and minutes were passing way too fast - and the less time they spend together, the more they’re going to drift apart.

Like hell she’d let that happen.

An idea came into her head. Instead of heading towards the little kitchenette, she decided to sit next to the French student.

“...Oh!”

“Oh, sorry,” Ingrid apologized, shyly looking away. “Did I startle you too much?”

“No worries, just a little bit. What’s up?”

…Only what’s up? No little kiss on the forehead as always when they greeted each other? Ingrid’s mind was running wild.

“I’m so bored. The ride might be short for now, but for me it feels like ages. I need something to occupy myself with… like talking with you.”

Julia chuckled. “Well, that’s certainly something I am not against. However, I can’t get too distracted from my assignment-”

With that, she let out a long, loud yawn.

“Gosh, you’re tired,” Ingrid stated, putting her left palm on her shoulder. “I would even say exhausted. You should seriously take some rest.”

She said that because she cared… and yet with a side of selfishness, thinking now they could make up for time spent apart.

“Thank you for caring, Inge… But I need to stay alert. I found some energy drinks in the kitchen so that could definitely help.”

“We could take turns!” Ingrid suddenly suggested, because it came spontaneously into her mind. “That way, I’ll have something to do long-term and you can lie down in the cabin.”

Julia shook her head in disagreement. “Darling, I know you. Do not take this personally, please, but… there is a reason why I am not coming close to the kitchen. It’s because I can’t cook for shit.”

“I could always teach you- wait, where are you going with this?”

“You see… again, this is nothing against you, but… I know how smitten you can get when looking from the classroom window. So much in fact, you completely lose track of what’s going on around you.”

Ingrid’s eyes went wide. “So what you’re saying is that I’m incapable?”

“What? No, that’s not what I meant!”

“You did, though… You practically called me out-of-touch with reality!”

“I am only saying this task is not suitable for you considering your attention span,” Julia tried to explain. “And deep inside, I think you know it too. I can see how your lower lip quivers, like everytime you’re not sure about what you’re doing, or do not want to do it.”

“No, I insist!” Ingrid began losing her patience. “I am only trying to look out for you, and-”

“Well, I insist too,” Julia shut her down, but without yelling. “I am not discussing anything further… This is for your good and for the mission's good. I know you mean well, but believe me when I say this is not a good idea. If you really want someone to take turns with me, you can call Johannes or Emilien… but you should not volunteer.”

“I…” Now, the Norwegian was on the verge of crying. This was their first fight. Not only as a couple, but as friends too.

This could be the beginning of their downfall.

Maybe, soon enough, they’d end up like Emilien and Quentin.

“...Please, just give me a chance to prove myself,” she begged quietly. “I’ll… I’ll try to not be a problem for us all.”

“Ingrid… please do not call yourself a problem,” Julia looked deep into her eyes, but Ingrid was sure she saw a hint of frustration in her gaze. “We all have our weaker sides, do not ever forget that. Your strengths prevail anyway.”

Ingrid nodded, resting her head on her lover, relieved the situation resolved itself.

The question was… how long for.
__________

It was cold.

Curse the old castles, and curse their fucking dungeons.

Sturla tried to get his knees as close as possible to his chest, as if in a sitting fetal position. Gravity won over him and he fell on the ground, now laying on his left side and his head starting to feel the pain of the impact.

Out of all the possible opportunities, the lying snake had to choose a prison that might have been larger, but the trapdoor only allowed little light to come through. Sturla never realized how cold underground spaces actually were.

Out of all the possible opportunities, he had to get kidnapped while wearing pajamas which barely helped him.

It was only then something touched his back - something soft, and more importantly, something warm. Right before Sturla could grab it and wrap it around himself, it disappeared in the shadows behind him.

“...Who is there?” he started to slightly tremble. “Show yourself! If you have the courage, show yourself!”

…All he received in turn was quiet. Maybe the other presence was afraid of him.

“...Look, I don’t know how you got here, but this is the last place I want to be at. I’ve been here for not so long, but it already feels lonely. If you’ve been here for a longer time, I don’t want to imagine how that must feel.”

The figure didn’t say anything once again, however Sturla saw it moving closer. He thought that maybe it could tell him more about Ole, why he’s so obsessed with the Chosen One, how the Chosen One was even established.

…He couldn’t ask just yet. He needed to fully earn this person’s trust.

“Y-you can keep quiet, it’s okay. I won’t ask what they did to you here. All I want right now… is company. A pleasant one instead of those two tyrants… You don’t have to accept if you don’t want to-”

“No, it’s okay.”

Sturla looked behind himself, a little surprised. So this was a man. A man whose voice was really soothing, though affected by the time spent here. As if he forgot how to properly speak - it seemed as if despite the loneliness, he’s never spoken to himself. One is able to do anything just to compensate for the isolation… however, this man appeared to be an exception.

He could recognize the fabric that touched him. It was somewhat of a blanket - not necessarily made out of velvet, but still felt fuzzy. Sturla’s mind was screaming at him to snuggle into it right there.

“Are you cold?” the other man asked, as if he read his mind. “You’ve been looking at my blanket for the longest time.”

“Wow… that’s the longest sentence you’ve said so far.”

The figure flinched a little bit. “You’re right… I should control myself.”

“What-”

“I’ll explain someday. For now, get closer to me, before you freeze in here.”

Still somewhat confused, Sturla accepted the offer. He didn’t know when or if either of his friends would come here, and something in his mind insisted to trust this man and ignore how long they’ve known each other.

Maybe he’d be his only company for a long time.

The next touch of the velvety fabric felt like heaven. As fast as he could, he wrapped himself up in it, and suddenly the merciless place felt safe.

And even more so when he felt the source of body heat. No matter how long the man has stayed here for, he was so warm…Instinctively, he snuggled closer, trying to get as much of it as he could.

However, no matter how close they were now, he couldn’t see his face. It was covered in this eerie dark cloud - clearly not a natural one. He couldn’t see his eyes either, only his smile.

Sturla wondered if he’s already gotten a proper first impression about him without knowing what he looks like.

The other man laughed. “I see you’re enjoying yourself.”

“You have no idea… Wait, sorry, am I too touchy?”

“Oh no, no, I understand,” he reassured Sturla. “The things I’d do to experience the same when I was thrown in here… I don’t mind at all. I missed interactions like this.”

“Thank you… Hold up, how did that blanket get in here? There’s no way Ole just left it in here.”

“You’re right… You see, maybe I didn’t have human interactions here, but every other day, a raven comes here. As if his duty was to help me. I call him Odin,” he giggled. “Through that little source of light, I saw him with a hazelnut in his beak. All of a sudden, it turned into this blanket. Just like that, he was gone.”

…But that would mean that magic isn’t only in Ole’s hands. Why would he send a magical bird to support his prisoners?

“...Do you maybe have any idea where the raven was coming from?”

“Unfortunately no. However, I’m glad to have him.”

He wanted to explain why, but no sound came from him. His lips were moving for a short time, and the moment he realized his vocal chords weren’t cooperating, he closed his mouth.

As Sturla watched him shake his hand and rather pulling the blanket tighter around them both, his mind was running wild. There was no way his voice has grown tired, the last few sentences still sounded rich and not in any way exhausted or hoarse.

…Did Ole curse him, maybe? And if so, how long would he have to wait for the confirmation?
___________

The sun was slowly setting, and Emilien decided to help Ingrid with preparing the dinner. The smell of the packaged teriyaki filled the ship's interior and everyone’s stomach was gurgling.

It was no wonder. Martin kept an eye on Julia to make sure she would never leave what she saw in front of her out of sight. Ingrid appeared distraught and always tried to find herself something to do - ideally around Julia. Johannes tried to figure out how to find the Cave of Candor once they arrived in Neuburg. All three were particularly exhausted.

Only one person was missing - Emilien’s lover. He has actually never left the wheelhouse during the whole day. He must be starving, Emilien thought.

As if Julia read his mind, she asked him: “Emil, would you please bring one portion to Quentin?”

“I don’t get why he doesn’t want to catch a break too,” Johannes noted. “I’m sure there is a possibility to turn on an auto-pilot, this ship is pretty modern, despite being so slow.”

“Well, the answer is simple. He’s dedicated to the task and doesn’t want to let a single mistake slip,” Martin insisted.

“Are you talking about Quentin or about yourself?” Julia raised her eyebrows up.

That surprised Martin, giving her a glare. “Of course it’s about Quentin.”

“Alright, because… Don’t get offended, but I feel like your motivation is… a little bit over the top. Do not forget we all are humans. No one on this ship could rest the whole day, and I can speak for all of us when I say we’re tired.”

“...Over the top?” Martin raised his eyebrow in turn. “Are you saying that the mission is another Tuesday to you?”

“That’s the thing… it seems like all you care about is the mission itself.”

Emilien decided it was the ideal time to go. Having spent almost a whole day in one place obviously brought some frustration up to the surface. To be honest, he understood both sides. He definitely wouldn’t be too happy if he was ordered around all day - his job was to use the binoculars he packed to make sure no one could attack them, or if there were any people that were able to live on besides their friend group. On the other hand, he had empathy for Martin - the mission was all about getting Sturla back and getting the apprenticeship from Ole.

…Could Julia be implying he was maybe starting to focus only on the latter goal?

All in thought, he knocked on the wheelhouse door.

“It’s unlocked!”

He hasn’t realized how he missed hearing Quentin’s voice - he realised he could’ve talked to him sooner. However, what if he disturbed him?

The plate in hand, he opened the door and watched as Quentin smiled widely.

“Oh hi, Mimil,” he greeted him, then looked at what he was holding. “Aww, that’s so nice of you!”

“Well, I wasn’t going to let you starve all alone in here,” Emilien joked. “Especially if you’d do the same for me.”

“Well, I certainly would,” Quentin winked, lightly kissing his cheek before leaving the steering panel for the first time that day.

“Mmm… even if it was packaged, bless Ingrid for having the wonderful idea… but it feels like it has this specific touch to it.”

“Oh?”

“The seasoning and fresh vegetables around it… Was it you who added that?”

That made Emilien a little flustered… and a little anxious at the same time. He should’ve asked Quentin beforehand if he even wanted those on his plate…

“...How did you know?” he decided to ask, patiently waiting for his lover’s reaction. He wasn’t aware of it, but his right foot began to lightly tap on the floor out of the nervousness.

“You were mentioning how you’ve been used to eating many veggies as a kid, and how you still include them in your meals now. And… to be honest, I feel like you made the dish complete.”

And the doubts were gone just like that. “...Did I?”

“You certainly did,” Quentin confirmed, putting the now empty plate on a nearby end table. “Once again, thanks for checking up on me. I was getting pretty tired this past hour…”

Hearing that, Emilien had to ask him: “Sorry, could I interrupt you for a bit?”

“Uh…” Quentin gave him a slightly surprised look. “Yeah, sure, what’s the matter?”

“It actually is about… you not leaving this room the whole day. Johannes, he pointed out something pretty important… Is there an auto-pilot option on here?”

“Well… yeah, the ship currently operates on it. Without that, I would’ve had to multitask - pilot the ship and eat at the same time.”

Emilien sighed deeply. That proved Quentin chose to almost exhaust himself. The thought worried him - he feared his dedication might do more bad than good in the long run. Maybe even, ironically, make his professional life more complicated.

And that the same dedication would be the reason why Emilien would get hurt… The last thing he wanted was getting in the way of Quentin’s dreams, and yet he couldn’t help himself but confront him right here, right now.

“But why? If you feel tired, why won’t you listen to your body and let yourself relax?”

Quentin let out a deep sigh. “Maybe this will sound weird, considering how doubtful I was about this whole prophecy coming true. However, Martin believes in me. He trusts me to get the job done. And you know how much I admire that man.”

“Yeah… that I know.”

“At least for now, I’m the one responsible for getting us to that little town safely. I’m not sure if I trust the auto-pilot to that extent.”

He paused a little, then looked Emilien straight into his eyes. “I can not fuck this up. This could be my chance to finally show what I’m made of. That I am capable of being as competent as Martin. That there’s a reason why I earned his trust…”

All Emilien wanted was to hug him. Just wrap his arms around him and tell him he’s doing a great job, not having to push his limits like that. And yet, his mind was blocking him from doing so.

…After all, with Quentin so focused on the task, his affection would be a burden for him. He has enough on his plate already, and this time, he wasn’t thinking about the teriyaki.

“...I understand. I just hope you know what you’re doing.”

“Believe me, Mimil, I know,” Quentin assured before leaning in for another kiss.

“Uh, I should go. You have a task to focus on.”

The older man’s face faltered at that. “Oh… Did I do something wrong? You didn’t mind my kiss on the cheek… Actually, there is something I need to discuss with you. I've tried to do so before, but-”

…Oh no.

He needed an excuse. Quick.

“Uh, I’m pretty sure I heard Johannes calling me. I don’t know what he wants, but I should go.”

“Emil, wait, seriously, are you okay? Are we okay?”

“Sorry, Q! Gotta go?”

As fast as he could, he returned back to the ship's kitchen. His relief didn’t last long, though. He might have gotten Quentin out of sight, but certainly not from his mind.

Why was he doing this to him? Quentin didn’t deserve to be avoided like that.

However… did he trust his boyfriend enough to tell him the reason for his actions? Emilien wasn’t sure if he was ready to answer that question.

Like Martin said… the mission is the most important thing right now.

Not Emilien’s previous love life.
__________

“Guys, has either one of you seen Martin?” Johannes asked. Before anyone could answer, Emilien literally burst into the room.

“Whoa, what’s gotten into you?” Julia was right by his side, trying to calm him. But Johannes still wanted to check on his crush and provide some comfort in case the leadership was getting too overwhelming for him.

“Emilien, have you seen Martin by any chance?”

“Uh, no, I haven’t. Sorry to disappoint you.”

“That’s fine… Ingrid?”

“Uh…” Ingrid’s lips pursed for a while, just like when she was thinking something through in class.

“Oh! I remember now! He went outside to get some fresh air. But not on the bow, rather at the back of the deck.”

“Thank you so much, Ingrid. And also, if Martin hasn’t told you yet, thank you all for your work today,” Johannes smiled widely at all of his friends before heading right where Ingrid told him to go.
Martin, sitting on the foam flooring, back against the rest of the boat,, appeared to be either deep in thought, or mesmerized by how the waters of Rhein were passing as the ship was moving along its stream. Johannes almost didn’t want to disturb him, and yet he had to make sure he was alright.

“Hi, you,” he announced his presence as he sat next to him.

“Johannes… hello,” Martin looked at him, grinning sheepishly. “I just needed to take a little breather… otherwise I’d start some conflicts, which is so not what I want.”

“Conflicts about the things that Julia said?”

Martin stopped himself from talking first, to think his answer through. “You see… She hit a sensitive string there. I still don’t get how she could possibly think all I think about is the prize of His Eternity. How can she not understand that I simply want this to get over with as fast as possible?”

“Try talking to her about it,” Johannes advised. “These are some words she might want to hear. Although… without your organizing, who knows how this sail would turn out. I mean, you literally wanted to go alone.”

Martin chuckled quietly. “That I did.”

“Yet the moment you realized we’d come with you, you managed to transform into a leader, who is still a great team player.”

“...Sometimes I feel like you’re the only one that truly understands me,” Martin confessed. Now, the atmosphere was starting to feel a little more tense - in the good way.

Suddenly, the brunette changed the subject. “Did you know that apparently there are more magical artifacts besides the emerald ring?”

“No, I didn’t,” Johannes replied truthfully, eyes sparkling with interest. “What are they capable of?”

“Well, they’re supposedly located in different dimensions, and all have something to do with stones. There’s a bracelet, tiger-eyed, that can lead you straight to your soulmate. And then, the seven necklaces thanks to which one can travel in time and change up the course of the past. Some legends even say each of those has a different extra power.”

“Oh wow…”

“If you had to choose between those artifacts… which one would you pick?”

“Alright, now that’s a hard question,” Johannes laughed. “No, seriously, I need some time. All three have their perks that could come in handy.”

His cheeks have gotten pink when he realized he’d pick the bracelet. Just to see if his crush could really lead somewhere.

“I completely agree with you. However, there’s only one we can be completely sure exists… it’s the ring. Personally, I wouldn’t trade it for anything, especially given what’s at stake. No matter who the Chosen One is, we could alter history together.”

Johannes scooted over, a bit closer this time, resting his palm on Martin’s shoulder. “...Just be careful, okay? I can see this is almost like a calling, a purpose for you. And you even mentioned it when you found out about Sturla.”

“I know what I’m doing, Johannes. Even if I appreciate that you worry about me… Almost in the same manner I worry about you.”

“How so?”

This time, Martin got closer. “What I said in front of our school still stands. It’s also part of the reason why I want this mission to pass quickly. The lesser chances there are of you getting hurt or even worse…”

The sincerity in his voice made Johannes shiver. Knowing the depth of Martin’s care got his hopes higher up. He remembered their talk while watching the reality show… Could Martin have been implying his own feelings?

“How could I ever care only about the mission when such an important person is at stake? Without Sturla, maybe we wouldn’t speak at all!”

“And without Sturla, I wouldn’t even come to Strasbourg and met you all, you know that," Johannes added. “Without his help, Ingrid would still be hesitating to confess to Julia, whom he was helping to set up their first date.”

“Emilien got into photography thanks to him, too.”

“And if I recall correctly, he could always chat with Quentin about their passion for designs and crafting.”

“As you can see, it’s definitely not just about the mission and the apprenticeship,” Martin concluded. “Sturla made all of our lives better - and maybe got our crew together. If my theory is correct, then he became the bait because of this. Either of us could be the Chosen One.”

Here we go again, Johannes thought, knowing that the predictions for who could be the Chosen One still played an important role for the Frenchman - and Martin secretly hoped it would be him.

A thing that was slightly concerning for Johannes.

“Just… don’t let this mission change you, Chosen One or not,” he pleaded. “We all like you just the way you are. The last thing we want is for you to go nuts because of this.”

In fact, maybe now would be the time to shoot his shot. Could that maybe assure he wouldn’t change for the worse while searching for Sturla?

“You have my word, Johannes - I will stay true to myself. The last thing I want is to disappoint you. Or worse, shut you out.”

“Actually… There is another thing I’d like to tell you.”

“I’m all ears.”

“I… Martin, I-”

Right there and then, the water in the river suddenly started to protest. The waves were crushing against the boat as if it was windy and cold the whole day. It seemed like the air grew colder as well, no matter the season they were traveling in.

Martin noticed Johannes pulling his knees to his chest. Norwegian or not, the sudden temperature change hit him headfirst. Immediately, he put one of his arms over him, rubbing his back to attempt to keep him warm.

“Let’s go inside. I wanted to go anyway.”

“Martin?” Emilien called out from the kitchenette. “Did the forecast predict this before the wifi went out?”

“No, it didn’t. And even if it did, I doubt it would be a shift this big.”

“Exactly!”

Then, Ingrid went outside, instantly rubbing her shoulders with her hands. “The wind is so strong and freezing as if it was fricking January!”

“My thoughts exactly,” Julia protested. “This is not normal. At all. GUYS, GET CLOSER TO US, QUICKLY!”

And Johannes with Martin got very lucky, because if they hadn’t gotten hold of the metal guard railing, they would’ve been swept off into the Rhein rather quickly.

Them and the rest of the friends as well.

“Holy shit…” Martin murmured, now holding Johannes tightly. Still close to the railing, they managed to get inside the boat. “This is indeed absurd. So absurd that I think this is a part of the test.”

All of the friends could now see Martin’s eyes, once again, sparkled with that determination as at the beginning of the ride.

“That has to be it,” Emilien agreed. “I’ve also noticed that aside from where our boat currently is, there’s sun without any clouds. As if nothing was ever happening.”

“Well, it’s not like it would affect anyone. Besides us, people turned into statues.”

Just then, Quentin turned the radio speaker on in the wheelhouse. “Guys, what the heck is this? I’m trying to keep us sailing straight, but it’s tough! As if the waves were enchanted or something! I know you can’t respond from anywhere, but please give me a call!”

“I’m gonna be sick,” Ingrid announced, Julia and Johannes right by her side. It was evident her face appeared a little green.

“Hold up, I think I’ve seen some vomit bags by the sink,” Emilien announced, heading towards the blue plastic.

That’s when Quentin, for the first time that day, lost control of the boat. It has swerved strongly to the left, and Emilien almost flew all the way from one side of the interior to another.

“Ah shit…”

“Are you hurt? Emilien, talk to me!” Martin insisted, trying to get him on the couch.

“I’m okay, just a little shaken up… Fuck, that was rough…”

“Guys, I’m calling Quentin,” Johannes announced. “Just waiting for him to answer- Quentin, how is it looking there?”

“Not good, Johannes,” Quentin replied, a hint of frustration in his voice. “The sky is far too dark, it started to rain, I can’t see shit and… Sorry for that loss of focus-”

A loud growl of thunder echoed across the countryside.

“All I can say is… This probably won’t be the last time this happens. I’ve had to pilot in different weather conditions, but there’s no way this isn’t some kind of magical activity.”

“We think so too! I’m not going to disturb you anymore, then. Stay strong!”

“Thanks! I’ll try to be!”

Quentin’s struggles eventually became evident for the whole crew. Their speed has gone down drastically, and the door to the interior violently opened, giving the pouring rain access to the room.

“Ju, I’m scared,” Ingrid’s voice cracked. “Why would Ole give the Chosen One a test this dangerous?”

“I have no idea,” Julia sighed, however, everyone could see she was thinking about how to respond to her girlfriend. Then, she turned to Martin.

“Ingrid is right. This is literally an assassination attempt from Ole. Not a fricking test!”

“I refuse to believe that,” Martin opposed. “I refuse to believe he’d lie to the whole of Europe. Heck, he doesn’t even have a proper motive for it!”

Another startling noise. This time, a thick, yellow lightning just missing them, and another loud thunder.

“Urgh, I don’t like this anymore!” Emilien shouted. “Your Eternity, if it’s really you who’s doing this, kindly make this stop!”

“You know very well he won’t,” Martin replied. “We have to last. We have to prove we have the Chosen One besides us. That we can-”

He didn’t finish the sentence. Instead he let out a shocked scream as the ship plundered to its side.

All of the friends were now soaking wet… trying to stay afloat on the waves of Rhein.

“I’m so sorry, all of you,” Quentin yelled, and everyone was sure he has never sounded so broken. “I tried to fight, but this was too strong even for me.”

“JULIA! WHERE ARE YOU?!” Ingrid was shouting, panicking hard. “Johannes, she disappeared under the surface and isn’t getting up!”

“Damn it… If she’s the Chosen One, we can not afford to lose her!” Martin shouted, diving under the water to try and take hold of her.

“I don’t want to die…” Emilien trembled, swiftly losing his energy. “Not like this… not now… I can’t die here, I just can’t…”

…Total chaos emerged.

Just like Ole wanted.

Neither of them could’ve known he was smirking in his lair. He wasn’t even looking into the stolen crystal ball this time, that’s how sure he was about the Chosen One dying.

What Ole didn’t know however, was that the same chaos, as well as the despair and hopelessness of the friend group, served as a source of power.

A power humanity has lost many centuries ago.

Back at the Rhein river, a magnificent ray of magic shot out from the friend who was destined to end this era.

A ray that not only stopped the targeted storm… but saved the lives of everyone aboard.

Chapter Text

"Darya!" Ole's voice thundered the following morning. Though appearing confident, inside he was faking it all. "Open up the champagne. Today marks the first day of my forever sealed rule!"

He expected her to run to the pantry, open the fanciest one there is, glasses clinking against one another… all in all, a day full of celebrations and parties.

However, instead of the woman doing that, she was glued to the same spot, no smile on her face.

"...Hello? Have you even heard what I said?" Ole rolled his eyes.

“...Are you sure you want to celebrate in your state, Your Eternity?” Darya dared to ask. “With all due respect, you look distracted. You look sure and… humbled at the same time. As if you want to convince yourself it’s all over… yet you feel it’s not.”

“Damn it,” Ole hissed. “You really can read me like a book at this point, can’t you? Well… If you’re so curious, you shall get your answer. I have… this sinking feeling I missed something particular.”

“Regarding the Chosen One?”

“Regarding the Chosen One… Last night, I felt a new source of magic. A different one I possess, a different one that my former colleagues possessed.”

"So the connection spell united us in this matter too,” Darya added, squeezing her head in between her hands. “I woke up with the biggest headache because of the same reason. Urgh... With all due respect, we might have overestimated ourselves. I think it might be because we didn't check yesterday's situation properly."

"What the fuck are you implying?"

Darya let out a quiet sentence from her lips.

“Would you be so kind and repeat that, madam?!”

“That magic must’ve come from that pig head, Your Eternity. And knowing they took twenty years to unleash it, my theory is… they had help.”

“...Elaborate,” Ole insisted, slowly turning red out of fury.

"...I'm afraid the Chosen One didn't leave for the mission alone."

Ole's concerned expression dropped even further. "...So that was the background noise. They brought the fucking friend group along. Town chitter chatter my ASS!" he roared, shaking his head.

He felt like he was losing it. This was supposed to be the deadly blow, his victory. And now he's missing such little and yet important details?

Why didn't he write for them to come alone?

...No. He can NOT afford to look weakened. He needed another plan.

"If I am right, this means you can't pull a similar stunt on the brat again," Darya noted.

"Exactly. Otherwise those spoiled kids will figure out what my actual plan is."

Just then, Darya heard somewhat of a laughter. It was a black raven, beak opened as if he was mocking them on purpose.

"Shoo, you black rat!" she screamed, shoving her hands so the bird could fly away. “This is a crisis meeting!”

As Ole saw that, his eyes widened.

"...Darya?"

"Yes, Your Eternity?"

"What you just did… that is it. That's exactly what we need to do. Shoo them apart from each other. Or even better - turn them against each other. At the end of the day, all they think about is the possibility of them being the Chosen One."

"So maybe it isn't such a bad thing, after all," Darya giggled. "Killing the prodigy and ruining some close friendships in the process!"

When she stopped laughing, she noticed Ole staring deeply into her eyes.

Flustered, she looked down on the floor. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Ole stepped even closer to her, took her cheeks in his palms, and Darya expected a first kiss as a thank you…

Instead, he looked deep into her eyes, out of which a purple light emerged. It all lasted around ten seconds before he stepped away from her again.

"Uh... what have you done to me? I feel so... different. Wait a second, even my voice sounds so out!"

"Indeed. Look into the mirror," Ole smirked. "Your new appearance - and the voice - is what is going to deceive all six of them."

“A new appearance?” Darya’s whole expression brightened up. She ran right where Ole sent her to check… and she couldn’t believe what she saw.

She now looked as if she was just starting out in adulthood, around the same age as the friend group. Her hair texture appeared healthier, skin with a slight tan, as if she had come back from a summer vacation in the Mediterranean. Her usual eye color has gained a green-hazel tint.

Her new attire appeared rather modern. A light purple checkered shirt covered her chest and half of her arms, a pearl bracelet on her right hand. The center pearl appeared larger, a hidden device to communicate with Ole. Her pants were denim and light blue, with a regular waist. The look was completed with a pair of white sneakers. Though appearing impractical, they were enchanted so they didn’t get soaked or too dirty in case it rained or when walking through mud and dirt.

“It feels weird to wear pants,” Darya admitted.

“We are living in the twenty-first century. Enjoy the comfort,” Ole winked at her.

“Well, if this is your reaction, then I’ll be wearing more of them from now on,” Darya blushed again. “Either way… How am I supposed to do this? Should I derail them from the right track? Leave them abandoned in the woods? Anything just for them to not follow your instructions?”

“...You know, you weren’t too far from the truth with the abandonment. Pull some strings depending on what you notice about each of the brats. Divide them from one another as much as possible. And if you notice someone being useful to us without even realizing… use that to your advantage. Maybe the key to our victory lies in those we claim are our enemies…”
____________

Ingrid woke up first, completely disoriented. Her head was killing her, and she was sure she even had a few bruises on her body from the sheer force of the fall into the water.

More memories came back to her. How she saw Emilien panic… Quentin at the verge of losing it as well, definitely feeling guilty over not being able to keep the ship going and all of them on board. Martin diving into the water to save Julia’s life, but not returning to the surface… Johannes trying to stay calm and find a solution…

She sat up abruptly remembering the very moment. Was she the only survivor or…

A huge weight was off her shoulders when she looked around. Though still unconscious, four of her friends were laying beside her, Martin’s arms still around her girlfriend. So he did manage to take hold of her when she was smitten under the water.

She is going to be grateful for that. Forever. She didn’t know what she’d do if Julia…

Instead of thinking about it further, she looked right in front of her. There, Johannes layed, and Emilien was squirming in his sleep.

Only one friend was missing… Her heart sank. How would she explain to Emilien his lover might have drowned?

“Thank god, finally someone is awake.”

…And the worries were gone. Quentin ran towards the Norwegian psychology student and embraced her tightly.

“For god’s sake, don’t scare me like that again,” Ingrid shook her head. “I thought you didn’t make it!”

“It takes more than an absurd storm to take me out,” Quentin proclaimed. “Though, it’s almost a miracle all of us made it out alive. Yes, I checked. All of us are breathing.”

“Where did you even run to?”

“You see-”

Suddenly, Emilien woke up with a loud gasp, as if he was still trying to get some air as the Rhein tried to consume him.

“Are we dead?” he asked, still in a state of trance.

“We’re not dead, Emilien,” Quentin assured him. “I can pinch you if you want - but only so that I don’t hurt you, of course.”

“But how? Actually, don’t answer that question yet. I had a dream. A weird one.”

“Given how you were rolling on the ground, I wouldn’t call it a dream. Rather a nightmare,” Ingrid noted.

“I swear it wasn’t that,” Emilien retorted instantly. “It actually felt like… as if I was stuck somewhere in between.”

“So, like a vision?”

“Maybe, or a hallucination, I don’t know. Either way… I saw a raven. A raven that changed its form to get us out of the water.”

“What the fuck?” That was Julia’s voice. “Uh, Martin, I think you can let go now,” she chuckled.

“Oh… Sorry,” Martin blushed in embarrassment. “I was just invested in what Emilien was saying. So, a raven?”

“Yeah… And even before that, before I lost consciousness, I saw a ray of light. I don’t remember exactly who it came from, but it was stronger than any pressure I’ve experienced. Afterwards came the raven into the picture. It changed into a huge fish that got us all out of the river. I’m not sure what happened to the ship, as my vision went black.”

“Wait a second… How long have we been laying here?” Julia realized. “We aren’t wet at all!”

Just then, Johannes, who also awoke while the rest was speaking, remembered something important. “Actually… Emil, I think the stuff you’re saying might actually have happened. I also remember something similar, but vaguely. It happened so fast…”

“I’m sure that was His Eternity’s doing,” Martin thought out loud. “Maybe this was his way of knowing we actually passed the first obstacle. That’s why he saved us, got us dry. He wants us to continue.”

“Which brings us to your question, Ingrid. About me leaving you all for at least ten minutes,” Quentin explained. “You see, I was worried the current could have swept us far away from our destination. However, I saw a little town close by and my hope got up again.”

“Does that town happen to be Neuburg am Rhein?” Johannes asked, growing impatient.

“Usually, I’d probably tease you a little bit,” Quentin winked. “However, I would be wasting precious time, so I’ll say it directly - yes, it is Neuburg am Rhein.”

“Yes!” Martin cried out. “Oh my god, I thought it was all lost… I should’ve known. Now I’m more than sure it was His Eternity. It’s all his will! Come on, guys, get up and let’s head to the Cave!”

The group knew it would be useless to argue with Martin when he was in such a mood. As Ingrid grabbed her near-laying backpack, also dry as if they had stayed in Strasbourg, and took off.
____________

“I can’t believe it! Finally more people who can still move!”

That was the first thing Johannes heard just when all of the friends had reached the train station after wandering around the little town. If it wasn’t for the old map, maybe they’d walk around in circles, as if in a maze.

At the train station, he saw a good-looking girl, definitely also a student, a peer of theirs. It seemed like she was invested in what was happening. If it wasn’t for the instructions received from Ole, Johannes would’ve thought that maybe she was the one to become the new apprentice. With her enthusiasm, the hope spread right into the friend group.

“It felt like ages, I’ve been waiting for you!” the new one continued.

Ingrid was the first to approach her. “For us?”

“No, for a fricking- I mean, of course it was for you! His Eternity granted me the freedom of movement, I don’t know why. Either way, he appeared in my dream. He told me how to get to the Cave of Candour.”

“That’s exactly where we’re heading,” Emilien confirmed. “Unfortunately, we don’t know it here too well. We took a boat from Strasbourg to get here, but right now, we’re completely lost.”

“Well, then consider yourself lucky. I will guide you there. Plus, I’m a local,” she smiled, examining each of the six from head to toe - discreetly, of course.

“Hold up,” Johannes decided to interfere. “How can we trust you?”

“Yes, exactly,” Julia agreed. “How can we know you’re not lying to us? Trying to… I don’t know, get us out of the way?”

“Why would I do that?” the girl flashed her best doe eyes at her. “Look at my ring… Heh, I don’t even wear it anymore, but I’ve got it right here, in my pocket…”

“See, Julia? No need to panic,” Martin spoke this time around. “The green color must have faded out a long time ago. Or are you so convinced you’re the one to get the apprenticeship?”

“...I never said anything like that.”

“I’m not sure if you introduced yourself,” Ingrid intervened, really not liking the shift of the dynamic between the two. Especially if it didn’t seem they’d resolve the issue anytime soon.

“Oh, silly old me,” she facepalmed, a little too hard. “Ouch… Sorry, I should’ve started with that… I’m Alya. Nice to meet you all.”

“Likewise. Ingrid,” the blonde shook her hand.

“...Oh. Looks like I have a colleague out of the running too,” she pointed at Ingrid’s ring.

“Yeah, that happened at the ship-”

“How about you tell me everything at our way to our destination? It’s actually going to be a rather long walk, we should think about where to spend the night.”

“Sounds like a plan. Let’s go, everyone!”

The others obeyed and introduced themselves to the new member of the group. With that out of the way, Alya set a fast pace, towards the mentioned Cave like she promised.

The first and the last promise she kept when accompanying the group.

As soon as she felt like she gained enough distance, she tapped on the biggest bracelet pearl and sent a voice message.

“They fell right into the trap.”
______________

Sturla’s night passed faster than he’d like. The first thing he perceived was the fluffy feeling of a comfy blanket… the one he shared with the mysterious prisoner.

He must have left the blanket all for Sturla, just so he could sleep properly. How wholesome of him… And on the stone floor, he saw a little hazelnut. Remembering his inmate’s words about the helpful bird, he tried touching it to see if that’d help it transform.

His hypothesis was right. What once was simply an emergency snack turned into a plate filled with delicious vegetables of all kinds, and a sunny side up seasoned just right next to them.

“Good morning. Did you sleep well?”

There was that soothing voice, coming from right next to Sturla. After the day before, Sturla was worried he might not hear it again. He noticed his own plate was already empty, indicating he woke up earlier.

Maybe now Sturla could get to know him better.

“Thank you… I certainly did. Almost forgot where exactly I was. What about you, though? Your hands must be freezing!”

“So kind to think of me… Thank you, thankfully the cold didn’t prevent me from getting to sleep properly.”

Sturla was once again relieved to hear that. He would hate it if he was struggling to survive the night.

“I’m more than happy to hear that,” he replied, before returning to what he originally wanted to talk about. “Um… I’d like to know what happened yesterday. You wanted to tell me more about the raven who’s responsible for… our breakfast too, actually. I’ve been thinking about it all night. Your body still spoke, however your vocal chords didn’t. I just need to know if I’m right if I say you were cursed. Maybe by Ole himself.”

The man, it was evident, hesitated to reveal the secret. On one hand, Sturla didn’t understand - how could he become so untrusting after all the kindness he’s offered to him? He thought the ice was already broken. And yet, no matter the snuggling, it was hard to really thaw it when no real conversation could happen. Or worse, maybe he thought the cold was just a tactic for Ole to misuse. Maybe he thought Sturla was a mole.

“...I am not, in any way, Ole’s spy,” Sturla proclaimed at last. “All I know is you must’ve been out here, alone, for longer, maybe even far longer than I had to. And that despite our… close proximity-”

“Heh, such fancy words you’re using there,” the man chuckled.

“Well, I like to read, which is where it comes from,” Sturla shared.

“I didn’t say I minded - I like intelligent people, and you appear to be one.”

“That’s not for me to judge,” Sturla replied with humility. “I can only be happy you think so. Anyway, despite us sharing warmth, I don’t think we know each other too well. I can tell you’re a kind person already, a generous one too, but aside from that.... I’m not sure if I even told you my name. It’s Sturla. Let me tell you… you do not have to feel unsafe around me. You can trust me with your secret, and I will not betray that trust. Ever. If you’d be comfortable with it, maybe you could confide in me when it comes to how you even got here - but only if you really feel ready for it.”

Somehow, the thought of not being trusted hurt Sturla’s big heart. What else could he say to convince him he doesn’t have any ulterior intentions?

“I know this might be a lot to take in, all what I’m saying to you. But… It’s not just these two things that interest me about you, really. When we get out of here, I’d like it if we could stay in touch, talk more, maybe hang out… I’d like to be your friend once all of this is over.”

Sturla patiently waited for the other man’s answer - and finally, he got it.

“Sturla, I might not see how you look - just like you can’t see me - but I feel like you’re being honest. It warms my heart to know you see me as a kind man. That’s how I’ve always strived to be in life. About the curse… That for me is proof you are indeed a smart guy. Even before I was thrown in here, Bjoerndalen moved this dark cloud right into my face, practically blinding me. I am lucky I can still speak.”

“And yet, even that isn’t completely unlimited.”

“It is not. Unless the curse is broken, I can only say twenty sentences per day. There are also some words I’m prohibited to say, write or express through body movement. And that all because I decided to investigate.”

Talking about the matter was obviously a hard thing for the inmate. His voice was cracking slightly, breath slightly shortened.

“Hey, hey, you do not have to tell me about that part right now. I’m not sure how many sentences you’ve got left for today. What if it’s your last, even? It’s still morning, you should save your strength. Even if I like listening to your voice. Has anyone ever told you it’s really calming?”

The other laughed… and shrugged with a slightly flustered smile.

That must’ve been a yes.
___________

It was a good thing the path to the Cave was a hiking trail. An ordinary hiking trail which didn’t send any signs that magic could be present here.

And with the hiking trails came a little camping site. Just in time when the sun was setting and it was time to find a place to stay before continuing.

Darya saw that as an opportunity. She already noticed some connections inside the group, specifically the romantic ones. Inside, she was excited to tear all of that apart when she pulls the strings.

The problem was, she couldn’t just ask the manipulative questions she prepared without appearing suspicious… until now.

“So,” she sighed out as the fire was safely lit up and the friends gathered around it. “Finally, we get to relax, right?”

She expected some of them to agree, even regret they’ve even come along as the hike was one of the longer ones. That could make her job easier - some would just simply leave.

Nothing like that happened, however. Her eyes narrowed as she listened to Martin yap about getting the mission behind them as fast as possible.

At least she had one friend she could cross right out of the picture. The sweetheart accepted her right away, obviously trying to please everyone around.

What should she do about the rest, though? She couldn’t let it slip that she knew about Sturla, so she decided to ask about it as if she’d never heard of the mission details before.

“Alright, so it seems like you’re focused on the task. If I can ask… What made His Eternity proceed with the quest?”

The Norwegian boy responded. “Our friend was taken by him.”

“What?” she tried to sound surprised. “Now that’s a way to get the Chosen One to him. Do you maybe have any theories why he decided to do so?”

“Well…” the charming French man with light brown hair took over. “The prophecy did state the true character should come out during this mission.”

“That would actually make a lot of sense, now that you say it like that,” Johannes thought out loud. “However, I would not rely on it.”

“I wouldn’t either,” Quentin joined in. “Remember Ole didn’t even peep out of wherever his lair is before Sturla agreed with my theory - at least that’s what you told me, right, Julia? Did Sturla agree with me?”

“Hold up, hold up, that’s… eh, far too much for me,” Darya stopped him in his tracks. So it wasn’t only Sturla who didn’t fall for the rumors. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, but where do you even get the audacity to not trust His Eternity?”

…That came out more aggressive than she intended.

“Don’t mind him, Alya,” Martin said to her. “Quentin just hasn’t even believed in the prophecy until Sturla disappeared.”

“...Interesting,” Darya responded. “To each their own, I guess.”

Now, Quentin was visibly fuming.

“Why did you even go along then? The mission could easily take your life.”

“Maybe, but Sturla is a key person in putting our group together,” Julia answered instead of him. Quentin gave her a grateful glare, otherwise he’d maybe lash out… at least that’s what Darya thought. “Not to mention, Sturla would do this for all of us, were we in his place.”

…Oh wow. She really underestimated these people. There was no way she could disrupt their bond, or was it?

“If only I had such a wonderful group of buddies,” she croaked out, to which Ingrid retorted swiftly: “Well, you have one now.”

“Aww… you’re literally so sweet, thank you.”

“To be honest with you…” Martin spoke out once again. “Originally, we didn’t plan to go together.”

Darya raised her eyebrow in surprise. “Is that so?”

“Indeed. However, at the ship we sailed with, everyone had something to focus on. Quentin, for example, has a licence for piloting ships. Julia kept track of where we were currently located so we wouldn’t miss this village.”

“Urgh, but the storm… I’m still not sure how we survived,” Quentin looked up in the sky. “I thought I cost us our lives for a while.”

“No… You didn’t, Q. Please, don’t be so hard on yourself,” Emilien looked deep into his eyes.

“Isn’t it true, though? I had one job. One fucking job. And for the first time in what feels like forever, I failed… Look, it even shows on my ring. It’s gone paler.”

“So you do care then. You think you can be His apprentice,” Darya pointed out. Quentin, however, denied that.

“And even if I was indeed the Chosen One, how would I be able to restore magic? I couldn’t even keep the ship stable.”

“Hey, you were fighting against a force that was clearly supernatural,” Emilien tried to reason. “The fact we managed to stay afloat there for a few minutes because of you is admirable.”

Darya rolled her eyes as subtly as she could. Jealousy overtook her when she saw the love between the two men - wishing she could be seen in the same way by her king.

“I guess… Where were you my whole life, Emilien?”

With that single sentence, the spite was switched up for malicious joy - it was evident it made Emilien remember something hurtful. And made Quentin confused at the same time.

…One more point for Darya.

“So, what actually saved you from that storm? If I understand correctly, you almost drowned.”

“That we did,” Johannes confirmed. “If it wasn’t for Emil’s dream, maybe we still wouldn’t have an answer.”

“Alright… that’s new. What dream?”

“For now, that is the only evidence and explanation we have. Apparently, right before he lost consciousness in the water, there was a strong ray of light, a strong source of magic,” Martin explained.

“A-ha. So you should know who the Chosen One is even if your rings are almost all still green. Am I right?”

Please say yes. Please say yes. His Eternity has actually never revealed the name of their target to her.

“No. Guys, please correct me if I’m saying stupidities, but does anyone remember that power coming from them? I certainly don’t, if my mind didn’t decide to push it out of my memory, of course,” Ingrid asked.

The whole group shook their heads no.

“However, the dream continues,” Martin was telling further. “It was actually a magical presence, probably His Eternity himself, that got us all out and dried us… all in the form of a raven.”

“Well, we do not know if it was him-”

“Have you got another theory then, Emilien?”

…This time, he was quiet.

“Thought so. I’m sorry, but we need to work with what we have now. If we spend too much time thinking of other theories, Sturla could pay the price.”

“That is true, Martin,” Darya decided to nod. “You mentioned plenty of times it would be for the best if you completed the quest as soon as possible.”

“I wanted to ask… can I interrupt you?” Martin asked.

“Sure, go ahead.”

“You told us you had gotten directions to the Cave. Did His Eternity also mention why he picked it as a part of the challenge?”

“Well…” In Darya’s place, maybe other sidekicks would mislead Martin. Tell him a lie about how the cave functioned. However, she didn’t do so.

“There is a reason why it’s called the Cave of Candour. You see… its magic lies in the fact it can read minds. Specifically, how honest people are.”

“How did I not think of that?” Johannes facepalmed. “I should’ve known candour is a fancy synonym for honesty.”

“You already had a lot on your plate, it’s completely normal,” Darya tried to be empathetic. “Now you know it. How it works is that either the cave asks you a question, or asks one of you to ask one of your choice.”

“And all we have to do is tell the truth?” Johannes filled in.

“You’re a wise guy,” Darya winked.

“That shouldn’t be so tough to accomplish,” Martin proclaimed bravely. “We know each other more than well, we do not keep secrets from each other. There’s no reason we should lie to that magical place.”

“I hope not,” Darya said, before faking a yawn. “I’m sorry, guys, but I am so tired.”

She wasn’t. It was another tactic to find out what the friends weren’t telling her straight to her face.

Thankfully, she picked such a spot that was a little further away, and yet she could still hear what was happening thanks to a power Ole granted her for this task - a stronger sense of hearing.

Immediately, she picked up Julia’s frustrated voice.

“Are you actually serious?”

“About what?” Martin was curious.

“You know damn well what… and not just you, all of you. Are we really going to blabber everything about us to a person we just met?”

“Look, Julia,” Martin responded, his tone strict. “I know that lately you aren’t satisfied with my choices, but without her, we wouldn’t have found the way to the Cave at all. Nor the way it works and what its purpose is. If we didn’t explain what happened, she wouldn’t be able to explain everything we don’t know of.”

“I get your point, but I’m with Julia on this one,” Quentin defended her. “Alya asked a lot of questions, but I don’t think it was just with the intention of getting to know us better.”

“Why would she do that, though?” Ingrid questioned in turn. “She didn’t hesitate to guide us here, and if Ole sent her here, she must be trustworthy. She’s part of the quest.”

“More like part of a quest we don’t know about,” Julia rebutted. “I still think the storm was intended to kill us all. And have you noticed the way she looked at Martin when he was talking about Quentin’s doubts? As if she was sure all of us believed his story like a bunch of sheep.”

“That I also noticed,” Johannes confessed. “That’s why I’m a bit torn. She appeared out of nowhere, not to mention she was not mentioned in the list we received.”

“I agree with Johannes,” Emilien said. “At one point, something is fishy and isn’t at the same time.”

“Urgh, whatever,” Julia huffed, heading away from the campfire. “Believe what you want, I stand by my standards. Just don’t let your trust guide you right to your graves.”

She turned to face Ingrid to say something, but in the end, she just shook her head and went further.

Ingrid’s voice has gone quiet and shy. “Johannes, is she mad at me? Oh, who am I kidding, she definitely is… Julia, come back! I’m so sorry!”

“Hey, now that’s too far!” Martin shouted behind her. “Seriously, at this point I believe you’re sabotaging me on purpose! Sabotaging Sturla’s rescue! And they say I’m the one to take the odds seriously!”

…Odds? What odds?

“Oh, go to hell!” Julia shouted back. “I’m going to sleep, maybe overnight you’ll finally make some sense!”

“Right back at you!”

“Julia, wait! I can explain!” Ingrid ran right after her. Martin hid his face in his hands, breathing heavily, before finding his own place to sleep, with Johannes following him right away.
______________

“...Martin? Can we talk?” Johannes tried to discreetly scoot over.

“I don’t think it’s the right time, Johannes.”

The Norwegian sighed. “Look… I know what just happened was hard-”

“That’s an understatement.”

“...What’s going through your head right now?”

Martin finally looked at Johannes at that. “Don’t tell me you also want to rub this in my face.”

“Why would I do that?” Johannes’ look softened. “All I want is to understand you, and I really don’t want Alya to ruin friendships. On purpose or not.”

Martin was quiet for a while, before he spoke up again. “Honestly… The more I think about what happened… Can you be honest with me?”

“Always, Martin.”

“Do you think I overreacted back there? And please don’t sugarcoat it. I want to know the whole truth. Am I being obnoxious or not?”

“...Look, like I said before, I am conflicted about who to believe. I really want to believe Alya genuinely wants to help us, but the storm… I keep thinking about it.”

“Exactly. What if Julia is actually in the right… and Sturla too? What if we’ve really been lied to our whole lives?”

“We cannot know that for sure… but I am neutral on this as well.”

“It’s just… I really want to believe it’s just a conspiracy. I refuse to believe Ole would be capable of killing to maintain power… And if it is true, then…”

At that, Martin’s dam broke. Johannes wasn’t sure if he'd even seen him shed a single tear. At first, he wasn’t sure what to do. This was a person he looked up to, who served him as a role model… He realized he never imagined Martin being vulnerable.

It was not a good sight - his heart was breaking for him and he didn’t want to see him like that again.

“If you’d like to, you can rest your head on my shoulders,” he offered, and Martin gladly accepted. In fact, not only did he rest his head, but also wrapped his arms around him, not wanting to let go.

By the tightness of the grip, not ever.

“I’m exhausted. I can not be a pawn in a villain’s game, Johannes. In fact, I don’t even know what’s real and what’s not. All I want is a fucking break from everything.”

“You can take as much time as you want, it’s fine,” Johannes assured him, heart beating faster when feeling his warmth, and also because of the sheer trust he had in him.

“I just… I don’t think we’ve ever had a beef this big with Julia. And we’ve known each other for quite a while. I can’t believe I accused her of being power-hungry when it was my idea to get through this mission in the first place. Knowing of the hot predictions for my ring being the real, magical one.”

“Now, now, that does not make you power-hungry,” Johannes retorted. “You initiated this because of your argument with Sturla, if I remember correctly. That for me radiates that you’re a real friend, a loyal friend who will always be there.”

“...I really do not deserve you.”

“Nonsense. You deserve every single success that will come in your way.”

“And you say I am the loyal one… I will repeat myself again, you need to give yourself more credit. Put yourself out there instead of staying in the shadow.”

Martin left the hug before looking deep into the icy eyes on the opposite side of him. “I don’t know if I’ve said this before, but… Thank you.”

“For what?” Johannes was curious, cheeks gaining a rosy hue.

“For suggesting to bring the group along. No matter the challenges we’re facing, I doubt I’d be capable of doing this alone, even if I tried to convince myself it would be for the best. The way you care for my life and safety… It warms my heart to the point it might burn up.”

…That sentence ignited a flame in Johannes’ heart anew. His mind filled up with hope - did Martin really mean what he thought he did?

“Uh…” he tried to speak, flustered. “I’m touched you feel that way.”

“How couldn’t I?” Martin answered, the gaze deepening somehow. “In fact… I don’t think I can keep this in me longer. Something has interrupted me everytime I tried to do this. And now that we’re all alone… Johannes, I wish for us to be more than just friends.”

Johannes was listening to the confession in awe.

“Over the time we’ve known each other, I was looking forward to each lesson where we’d share a desk, just to be close to you and try not to blush hard. And after school, I could not stop thinking about you. I think… my feelings could even be called love. I fell in love with you. It’s alright if you don’t feel the same way, I just needed to voice it out. While I still have you by my side. While we’re both still alive.”

“Martin… I don’t know what to say,” Johannes was now red as a tomato, shaking his head in shock. Why was he so silent when it came to his own feelings as well? Who knows where their relationship would lead to, had they gathered more courage…

Oh well… Better seemingly late than never at all.

Instead of words, Johannes chose actions. Cautiously, he made the gap between them smaller… then smaller again… until finally, the gap was no more.

The shared moment of passion made all the worries and consequences disappear. The feeling of the slight stubble of Martin against Johannes’ clean shaven skin gave him slight goosebumps, and so did the intensity Martin poured into the kiss.

On the other hand, Martin couldn’t believe what was happening right now. He imagined this moment differently, maybe in a more romantic setting - but that didn’t matter right now. Johannes was actually kissing him back, loving him back.

He was sure that from now on, things would only get better. For them both, but also for the whole group.

He was sure Julia, Ingrid, Quentin and Emilien would be overjoyed to hear about their confessions… and he couldn’t wait to share it with them the next morning.

“The night is pretty cold,” Johannes whispered. “Would it be alright if I stayed with you here? I want to feel you close to me, listen to your heartbeat while I rest my head on your chest.”

“Who am I to deny you anything, min kjaere?”

“...Hold up, who taught you that word?”

“Well… Sturla might have been some help. The more determined I am to bring him back.”
______________

“URGH!” Darya cried out, louder than she intended. She definitely didn’t want Julia or Quentin to wake up, risk being caught.

Thankfully, it was just Ingrid. If there was anyone who trusted her completely, now that Martin was beginning to have some doubts, it was her. What the heck did Julia see in her? That, Darya would never understand.

“Alya, is everything okay?” Ingrid came to her, kneeling at her side. “Did you have a bad dream?”

“Uh, no, no, I’m okay… I just can’t sleep and it frustrates me… Have you convinced Julia to stay?”

“...What do you mean convinced?”

Let the games begin. “Well, it did seem like she was on the verge of breaking up with you… I feel a little guilty I caused it. Please tell me you’re still together.”

Ingrid exhaled loudly. “We’re still a couple, thank god.”

…Damn it. The awkward dynamic after most of the break-ups could have played into Darya’s cards.

“But she is still a little angry. I managed to calm her, apologized like a thousand times, offered to stay with her and make her some breakfast until the mission was over-”

“Whoa, you really are dedicated.”

A bit too much, she wanted to add.

“And she refused.”

“...She what?”

“She refused,” Ingrid repeated, her tone sadder this time. “She really must be pissed at me. Usually, she likes to cuddle with me during nights like these. Never refuses my food. I really must have gone too far this time… We really are following Emil and Q with our relationship…”

“Oh my dear, I’m sure everything is going to work out,” she offered words of reassurance in the fakest kindness possible. “Also… speaking of Emil and Q…”

“Yes?”

“Martin was mentioning some odds.”

“Oh yes, I remember. Back in Strasbourg, almost every single citizen was betting on who the Chosen One was.”

“And Martin was leading those?”

“Yes.”

“What do those two think? Johannes too, actually. Why isn't he more assertive? He’s always following that guy around as if he was his shadow. He knows him better than anyone else, I think. He could easily use it to his own advantage.”

“Sometimes, that’s what I am curious about too. I love Johannes, but I think he underestimates himself and his abilities. Heck, he was hesitating to study in Strasbourg before we convinced him. He’s almost as clever as Martin is, but he’s not a backstabber. I’m sure his time will come. And the world better recognize it,” she laughed.

Yeah… that wouldn’t cut it. If she managed to corrupt Johannes, it would be too obvious for the rest. She wanted to strike with stealth.

Just like her king can.

“...And Quentin and Emil? How do they feel about the odds? They must’ve been at least a little bit jealous. Especially Quentin.”

She hoped that maybe those two would be the key to tearing the group apart.

“Why would he be jealous?” Ingrid asked in turn, now getting some slight suspicion. “I know he doesn’t necessarily believe you, but I don’t know why you’re assuming either would be jealous. Quentin might be very ambitious and wants as much success in his professional life as possible, but he definitely isn’t the one to not wish Martin well. The same goes for Emilien, he’s always been easy-going about the predictions. Sure, he can be competitive, but he knows where to draw the line. Most of all, at the end of the day, they’re both team players.”

…Or not.

“Interesting… Yeah, I really should’ve known better. I can’t be upset because they don’t like me that much, we’ve just met.”

“I wouldn’t say they don’t like you. They’re just being cautious. So is Julia, so is Johannes. However, I want you to feel good here. If at anytime you need a friend, I’ll be there.”

Bless her naive, kind heart. Turning it into a dark one will be satisfying, Darya thought…

And then, her eyes went wide. Why didn’t she think of this sooner? Back when she had most of her power in her veins, her specialty was…

“I can’t thank you enough, Ingrid,” she smiled at her, glad it was dark outside because her smile was cunning instead of a warm one. “You really are my only true friend here. I think I’m good to go now. We need as much energy as we can get.”

“That we do,” Ingrid agreed. “Sweet dreams, Alya.”

“Right back at you,” Alya responded, then waited until she was away.

As soon as she was out of sight, she tapped twice on the largest pearl.

“So? What did you find out?” Ole questioned.

“Honestly? They’re so useless. How can either of those people be the one who shall challenge you, Your Eternity?”

“Less praising, more information, Darya.”

“Oh, sorry… urgh, seriously, I can’t wait to get my real voice back. I hate how sweet I sound. Either way… Those six appear to have a deep bond to one another. There are some who still believe the apprenticeship nonsense, but some already assume the truth.”

“Damn it… Don’t even tell me the names, just get rid of those as fast as possible.”

“However, there’s more to them. They have some personal issues to resolve. You see, Your Eternity, they’re in relationships with each other - but they aren’t ideal. One appears to give way too much, another is hot and cold. The latter one appears to have been going for longer.”

“Good. Whatever it takes, do not break either of them up.”

“What? Why? I was looking forward to that part!”

“People these days can not communicate for the sake of their lives. If they haven’t resolved it until now, how can they be honest in the Cave? They’re all too afraid of everything falling apart, so they rather stay quiet and sabotage themselves.”

“What a load of crap.”

“Exactly. They’ll destroy themselves without us even doing anything. Does this apply to each and every one of them?”

“Actually… no. The last two have just gotten together. Which brings me to my point.”

“And that is?”

“Those silly peasants made up a bet about the whole prophecy. Can you believe that?”

“Did they? How absurd.”

“But. If it didn’t happen, I wouldn’t know who to target. You were right, Your Eternity… ambition lies in all of them, but only one fits our plan. No one will notice a thing. Especially when there was already some tension, to which I only added the fuel.”

“...I’m intrigued. What are you suggesting?”

The spark in Ole’s eyes was something Darya had never seen before. Did she get a good idea for once?

“I used to focus on dreams whilst studying the arts of magic. And I’m sure I excelled at it.”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself. What’s your point?”

“My point is…” she paused, trying to contain her excitement. “I gave all that power to you through our connection. One of the guys was mentioning a dream he had after they survived the storm. They only have one theory - it was you who dragged them all to the shore, to have them continue the quest."

When she realized Ole wasn't catching up, she decided to emphasize what was important.

"They don't have any other theory.”

Only then he realized what she was implying. A terrifying smirk appeared on his face... and Darya knew he was thinking of the same thing.

“...What an awful idea.”

Chapter Text

Sturla felt like something wasn’t right.

Specifically… the world above him. It felt eerily quiet. Sometimes, he did hear Ole’s voice when he was passing by, and it was usually a calm one. He imagined he had his study to let go of his emotions. Darya, however… Her quarters weren’t too far away. Last night, he heard her saying good night before heading into the direction no one usually passed through.

Maybe she just spent the night with Ole. Who knows what was happening between them? Based on what he heard during his first hours as a hostage, it appeared Darya was infatuated with the ruler. However, Ole didn’t appear to notice, rather dismissed her attempts at flirting. Sturla wasn’t sure if he’d even call it flirting - more like sucking up to the king.

He could only speculate, as after he was dragged away.

…Why hasn’t he heard her voice the whole day? There was no way she’d be scheming with Ole in the lair. Ole preferred to scheme alone. Has she maybe gone to check if his friends were…

No. The thought terrified him. Surely, that couldn’t have happened. He knew all of the six well, and believed they were capable of outsmarting Ole even if they maybe weren’t aware of it.

If only he could warn them. Maybe it would make a difference… wouldn’t it?

He had to snap out of it. It never did him any good to overthink, spiral around a certain thought. Not to mention his companion still only had one last sentence for that day. All Sturla wished for was someone to talk to… but the timing was simply wrong. Neither of them would come out satisfied.

He heard footsteps behind him - his friend wanted him to go to sleep. He was holding a pair of hazelnuts, and one of them changed into a fresh, clean pillow.

When did that raven even drop those there? Was Sturla really so distracted?

Maybe sleep was the best solution right now, he learnt to shut off his running mind when it was time to get some rest.

That, however, wasn’t happening today. As Sturla’s own pillow came into existence and the other man pulled the blanket over both of them, the curly-haired said good night. The other’s cloud nodded a little bit, before deciding to use up the last sentence after the whole day of silence.

“Tomorrow I’ll tell you how exactly I got here.”
__________

Waking up to the feeling of Martin’s arms wrapped around him was something Johannes could get used to.

‘Did yesterday really happen?’ he thought for himself. Remembering the phones the group brought along, though not being able to use them anymore, he checked the time.

2:41.

The world was still frozen in a moment of time and he saw those exact numbers instead of a blur.

So he and Martin actually became a couple. He only hoped that the good news could bring the group a little bit more together after all the drama Alya brought along, knowingly or not.

He decided to put the phone away and look at his love instead. Those closed eyes which were looking at him with the purest adoration last night, then reflecting his passion when they’d steal each others’ lips again and again.

Heck, Johannes almost wished the circumstances were different. He wanted to worship Martin, maybe even gather the courage to take his kisses further, explore his pecs and abs, finding spots that would make the Frenchman shiver… only if Martin would like that, of course.

And maybe he’d let Martin explore his own physical map and find all the right targets to hit.

Oh well… It was far too soon anyway. That would come in its own time - after they’d go on dates together and really get their trust in one another to the deepest level. What mattered right now that he was laying alongside him, laying peacefully, dreaming.

And then, suddenly, he sat upright. Johannes was lucky he didn’t get hit by Martin’s head. Was the dream his boyfriend had a bad one, maybe? But… He didn’t see a sign of distress in his expressions, he didn’t sweat or toss around.

“Hey, hey, it’s alright, shh…” he tried to calm him down. “I should still have some water on me, I’m here, no one can hurt us, we are safe.”

“I know, Johannes. I know,” Martin replied, briefly looking into his eyes. That stare alone stung him in the chest.

It appeared a little troubled.

“Martin? Did something happen?”

Martin sighed at that. “It’s nothing that concerns us, love. It’s about the mission. We’re losing precious time, you need to get up.”

Johannes still stared at his boyfriend. If this really was about lost time, it would indeed explain the sudden wake-up of his. Sometimes, this happened to him as well. He understood waking up was often rough, but not to such an extent he’d pretend like nothing ever happened.

No confessions, no reassurance, no kisses.

Maybe he just woke up in a grumpy mood, he thought. Sooner or later, it will become better.

“Alright, I’m gonna get up, but you need to explain what is going on,” he tried to reason nevertheless.

At that, Martin shook his head. “I promise I’ll explain, but I need to make sure everyone else is awake. This is an announcement the whole group needs to hear.”
_________

With a scream, Emilien was forced to wake up, alerting both Quentin and Alya. The former one already packed his sleeping bag in his backpack, avoiding the new girl’s gaze.

“Ew, Emilien! You’re sweating like crazy!” Alya stared at him. “Wait, I should have some tissues at hand-”

“Already beat you to it,” Quentin interrupted, already wiping some of the drops from his lover’s forehead and cursing the fact it had to be Alya who witnessed Emilien in such a state.

He didn’t trust her around himself, there was no way he’d trust her around his boyfriend.

“That must’ve been quite a nightmare,” he focused solely on him, voice softening. When he noticed he still wasn’t answering him, he only grew more concerned.

“Geez, what was it about?” Alya pried. “The sooner you’ll get that off your chest, the sooner you’ll be relieved. Also, have you noticed your ring has lost its color?”

“It did?” Emilien looked at his finger, seeing this was actually true. The more he had to go out of Quentin’s way - his ring was still as green as ever.

And enjoy the affection while he still can.

“With all due respect, Alya, give him some space,” Quentin demanded. “We both can see he needs it.”

“Alya, please leave,” Emilien asked after a few seconds. Rolling her eyes, she respected his wish, saying she’d wake up Ingrid in the meantime.

“Alright, now I can talk,” he sighed out.

“Are you sure, Mimil?”

“I am… Sturla…” Emilien croaked out. “He…”

“Take your time,” Quentin rubbed gentle circles on his back.

“Quentin, he was falling… And the raven was there yet again!”

“Another vision,” Quentin realized, his heart beating twice as fast. He started to panic. He did not remember anything about Sturla being held ransom and they had a time limit to get to him.

Would Ole play so dirty he’d dispose of their curly friend before they even reached his residence?

“I know this must be terrifying, love, but can you remember more details of it? Where was Sturla falling from?” he asked, trying not to let his anger show.

“I… I don’t know… somewhere from the air,” Emilien answered, tightly clenching Quentin’s free hand. “It was getting dark and foggy and…”

“That’s alright. What about the way he fell? Was it an accident or did somebody… push him over?”

“It… it appeared to be an accident… And the raven did nothing at all to help him, he just looked over and watched him fall to his death. And then all of a sudden it appeared as if the whole thing was taking place from my point of view, as if I was there with him. Next thing I knew, I was falling along with him…”

“Holy crap…” Julia, meanwhile also having woken up, shook her head. “Gosh, I can’t wait until we get to solve this raven mystery. Like, how much longer will those visions torment you? Especially now when we know you aren’t the Chosen One?”

“Not for long,” Martin replied. “Our theory has proven to be correct. The raven was indeed His Eternity.”

“Was it?” Julia’s eyes widened.

“I’ll repeat it as often as it takes.”

“But how can you know for certain?” Emilien questioned in turn.

Martin’s eyes glistened with excitement. “Through my own vision.”

“Hold up, since when are you getting those?” Alya’s eyebrows furrowed.

“Last night, I dreamt we were back at the shore of Rhein. Suddenly, a hand gently tapped my shoulders. I got up and saw Ole Einar Bjoerndalen, right in front of me!”

“Really?” Ingrid smiled widely. “Does he really radiate the power the legends describe? What eye color does he have? How does his voice sound?”

“Exactly how I imagined.”

“...Alright, but that doesn’t mean it was necessarily him who saved us,” Johannes retorted.

“If you let me finish, love, you’d hear he confirmed it to me,” Martin interrupted him gently. “Also, another breaking news. The bets appeared to be correct - he confirmed that I am the apprentice he was looking for!”

“Hold up, are you?” Johannes smiled widely at the announcement.

“Oh my gosh, congratulations!” Ingrid joined him, hugging him tightly.

“Alright, alright, that’s quite enough,” Martin pushed her away, laughing a little. “No more hugs. I know it’s exciting and everything, but His Eternity told me we’re just on the right track. The Cave isn’t that far away, and neither is his lair. When we reach it, he told me we all could stay. So we can not lose time.”

“We all can stay?” Ingrid’s joy was now even more evident. “Julia, listen to that!”

“That… does sound like a good prospect,” Julia answered, happy for Martin.

That’s when Emilien stood up, packing his sleeping bag as well. “But… what about what I saw? What was the meaning of that? Did His Eternity maybe tell you-”

“That was just an idea from your head,” Martin shut him down - and did his voice get sharper and deeper?

“My theory was right, and we shouldn’t distract ourselves with something you will forget about sooner or later.”

“It is true,” Alya stood by his side. “I remember how it felt when His Eternity spoke to me and told me about my task. A remarkable experience. Seriously, start differentiating between actual visions and nightmares, Emilien.”

Julia gave her a death glare on that. She might have felt supportive towards Martin fulfilling his goal, but her opinion on their new friend hasn’t changed. She didn’t like how close Alya suddenly appeared to be to their leader, and she hated her mocking attitude towards Emilien, belittling what could possibly be serious.

She shook her head - she needed to try and trust Martin. They might not have currently been that fond of one another, but he was still important to her.

“Wait, but what if-”

“It’s to no use,” Quentin stopped Emilien, now both hands on his shoulders. “You know how Martin is. I believe this is serious, but right now, neither of us can convince him. All we can do is follow him.”

“You guys, you can chat on our way to the Cave,” Ingrid suggested, seeing that the rest of the group has already followed Martin.

“Ingrid is right. The sooner we arrive, the faster we’ll reach the lair and my new workplace,” Martin shouted as well.

“You mean the faster we get Sturla back,” Johannes corrected, expression slightly in disbelief.

“...Oh yes, that too. Thank you, love.”

That alone had Johannes alert. There was no way he was just in a bad mood. After all, Martin always insisted that it’s not the potential apprenticeship that’s driving him - it’s the safety of Sturla. The more it hurt Johannes’ new boyfriend when someone accused him of being power-hungry.

The Norwegian wanted nothing more than to remind him, but right now, he also knew that wouldn’t turn out well.

Eyeing both Quentin and a still slightly shaken up Emilien, his mind started wondering.

Wondering who’s going to gain the courage to tell Martin his ambitions were slowly taking control, even if he wasn’t aware of it.

Oh who was he kidding? He definitely is aware, fricking Ole Einar Bjoerndalen gave him a reason to be.

…But where was the leadership? One that never dismissed any of the friends, and definitely didn’t ignore the group as a whole?

Remembering yesterday’s talk, he followed his boyfriend’s steps with a heavy chest.

Something was off. Definitely.
_________

“Martin, we’ve been walking for hours, most of us could really catch a break,” Emilien complained. It was true - throughout the whole day, Martin was given instructions.

Emphasizing the fact they had to get to the Cave no matter what, with Alya offering as much help as possible.

“Emilien is right,” Johannes agreed. “I understand the mission has taken a different turn for you, but please respect us too.”

Martin looked at him with a disappointed glance. “Out of all people, I expected - and still expect - you to be in my corner. Not trying to-”

“Sabotage me? Martin, love, you know I would never do that. It’s just… Can’t you see Emilien is in distress? And that Quentin is pretty much on the verge of losing it because all you see is the prize in front of you? And that Sturla isn’t a motivation for you anymore?”

For a moment, Johannes thought he made his new lover speechless. So, he decided to remind him of what he thought a few moments before.

“Martin, please. You promised me, back on our way to Neuburg, that you wouldn’t let this quest change you for worse. That you wouldn’t lose yourself and wouldn’t turn your back on us.”

“Now what are you two discussing?” Alya ran over to them, slightly eyeing Johannes. “The last thing Martin needs is to get distracted.”

“Yes…” Martin stuttered. “Yes, that’s right.”

“You two even ran off without me! You sneaky bastards, I am supposed to guide you,” the girl chuckled. “And you still haven’t answered my question, Johannes. What did you two talk about?”

“Uh… I was asking him to let the others rest for a while.”

“That I’ve heard. And then?”

“Well…” He wasn’t sure what to tell her - if he lied, would she see right through him or the exact opposite?

In front of his eyes, he still had the image of Martin waking up. And if he really did see a vision, why didn’t he get up with a loud scream or a gasp like Emilien did? Both times, actually?

Slowly, he started to wonder if maybe Alya, being by his side the whole day, didn’t enchant him or something like that.

“We kinda got together last night and I wanted some alone time with him.”

“What are you-” Martin started to oppose, but Johannes leant in and gave him a long, passionate kiss. Visibly taken by surprise, the Frenchman was frozen for a while, then gave in and was returning the favor, intensity being almost the same.

“Alright, alright, I get it, I don’t need to see that! I get the message,” Alya screamed in disgust, turning her attention somewhere else. “Get a room!”

Johannes couldn’t believe that actually worked - and also realized he maybe wasn’t that far away from the truth about Alya’s involvement.

Martin, however, didn’t appear as happy. “So we’re lying to each other now? As a way to thank Alya for showing us the way?”

“I had to,” Johannes defended himself. “Please, could you tell me why you’re behaving so strangely?”

“What the heck are you talking about? I’m just fine,” Martin responded, his tone now sharper. “Now please get back to the rest of the group. I need to focus.”

“Was that you talking or Ole?” Johannes locked eyes with him, standing his ground.

“...I don’t know what you’re trying to achieve, Johannes, but it won’t happen. Not on my watch,” Martin hissed.

At that, Ingrid had to push them away from each other. “Please… guys, don’t argue,” she pleaded. “Both of you, calm down. How are we supposed to get all the way to the lair if we can’t work with each other?”

…Ah shit.

All it took was to look at the eyes of Ingrid. Tears made them glassy, threatening to come out and flood her cheeks. She was perceptive, could see any minor change to any relationship.

“We… we can’t waste what we have just because of a prophecy, we just can’t! Sturla wouldn’t like that, at all!”

“Hey, that’s not going to happen,” Johannes assured her, focusing on her instead. “We might be going through some rougher times, but that doesn’t mean we should suddenly become enemies.”

“I know, but… I am still worried. It makes me question… Nevermind.”

“Ingrid, you do not have to hide away from me. What is troubling you?”

“It’s just… I’ve never been in a friend group before. I actually didn’t have many true friends before I came here. I’ve always been a quiet kid, before I pushed myself to be more social and confident - and Sturla helped me with that.”

“You did hesitate to apply for our Strasbourg studies.”

“I did, but Sturla convinced me… Either way, even if I had a friend group before, what we have just stands out to me.”

Johannes had to envelop her in his arms at the words. Why didn’t he know about all of that before?

“It’s just terrifying to see how things took a turn now that Sturla isn’t here. As if he was a glue that kept us together. Key to everything, actually. And now… Seeing how Martin was glaring at you, I was afraid he might kick you out.”

In his head, Johannes wanted to throw the idea out of the window. He was still Martin’s boyfriend, why would he do such a thing? And once the mission is over, Martin would prove it.

And yet, it kept lingering in his head.

“He wouldn’t do that. I’m sure of it.”

“How can you be so sure?” she doubted. “Don’t forget Martin wanted to go alone. Without us! And now, he’s making it clear he wanted to leave us behind. He’s practically told Emilien he doesn’t need him anymore, Julia looks like she’s reconsidering her friendship, Quentin might follow suit… and now you… What even happened? Martin would never say a bad word about you, in fact, he’s been in love with you for the longest time-”

“That I know… We kinda confessed to each other.”

“Wait, you did? Oh my goodness, about time!” Ingrid congratulated. “To be honest, though… I wouldn’t have been able to tell. I’d expect you to be all handsy and cuddly and everything… and now I’m just trying to understand why he treats you like he does.”

“I don’t understand either… Look, I know Alya became your friend, and that you are close to her, but I fear she could have something to do with it.”

“Wait, what are you implying?”

“This might sound exaggerated, but she did appear on Ole’s command… and I’m worried Martin’s vision could be an illusion, a construct… or a way to manipulate him.”

“What? That can’t be right, she told me she can’t do any magic. I refuse to believe she’d be capable of doing such… things,” Ingrid shook her head. “No. I refuse to believe that. We need to trust in her instead, and in Martin’s judgement… That way, at least he won’t kick me out. There won’t be any bad blood between us and-”

“Hold that thought,” Johannes stopped her. “Where is that coming from? Martin wouldn’t dare to kick you out. I know we became friends later, but we would be fools if we didn’t notice how kind you are. You are the sunshine of the group, always brightening everyone’s day. Not to mention, ever since Sturla introduced you to us, Martin began opening up to us more and more. This friend group wouldn’t be the same without you, Ingrid.”

Just then, Martin finally announced it would be a nice time to have a break. It was no wonder - one, there was a wooden gazebo right in front of them, and two, Alya managed to persuade him.

“You can thank me later, guys,” she called out.

Ingrid was looking at her as she strutted right into the building, before looking at Johannes again.

“I really don’t know… She did nothing but help us. At least mission-wise. Your theory needs to have more evidence and not just be based on sympathies.”

Johannes had to admit Ingrid was right in that. Without proof, he couldn’t just call the girl out. Not to mention she might have actually been innocent.

There had to be at least something… didn’t it?

Little did he know that if he paid attention to her accessory on her wrist, maybe he could’ve figured everything out.
_________

Darya wasn’t sure what to think.

It was evident Johannes saw right through her, and it was only a matter of time he’d expose her.

And lose her king the victory, maybe.

Lucky for her, she realized being close to Martin worked wonders. No one dared to try and get him out of His Eternity’s control. Of course, he had to calm his powers because otherwise the whole group would sense he isn’t quite himself.

However, now that she could hear people’s conversations from longer distances, she could notice some dominant traits of Martin’s personality to use - oh yeah, and leave at least some affection for Johannes.

‘And yet he doesn’t budge,’ she thought for herself. Even now, he was in the middle of a talk with Julia. The girl has also been a thorn in her eye. It was good that now, Martin had another reason to dislike her - and Julia, therefore, a reason to be silent.

“I really don’t know what to think,” Johannes shared. “Alya’s sudden appearance makes her an easy suspect, but Ingrid made me doubt. Maybe I’m just looking too deep into things.”

“That might be a possibility, but Martin’s behavior is definitely strange to me,” Julia retorted. “Yesterday, he was at least able to reason why he dismissed any other raven theories - and apologized if he was too harsh. This is a bit too much, if you ask me. As hot-headed as he can be sometimes, he knows where to draw the line… And I wouldn’t be surprised if Alya was involved in this somehow. I wasn’t exactly quiet about how I feel about her.”

“We do not have anything on her, though,” Johannes said, tone frustrated.

“Here’s what I suggest - let’s keep a low profile for now. I’m sure something will expose her without us even doing anything,” Julia suggested.

“Alright, two more minutes and we’re continuing!” Martin commanded. “Ole is speaking to me again.”

“Exactly!” Darya added. “We’re not too far, just about ten more minutes!”

It was only then when the skies have gotten cloudy. Cloudier than during the whole quest. Darya, with terror in her eyes, saw a sole raven in the sky… but heading in the opposite direction the Cave was in.

In panic, she looked around, hoping no one caught sight of it… but it didn’t appear so.

“Urgh, I should’ve slaughtered that bird long ago,” she murmured to herself. Oh well… it’s not like she could do anything about it now. Instead, she focused on Emilien and on Quentin.

The goddamn vision the younger one had could still complicate things. Of course, Darya wasn’t a foreseer, but her ruler was mentioning similar experiences before - mostly during his times as a counselor.

Anything he saw, came true.

A second question came into her mind… What role could that foresight have in the whole quest?

Urgh, if only she knew who the Chosen One was… Couldn’t her king just let her know? Emilien was out of the running now, but she could imagine either of the remaining trio finding a way to break the control over Martin.

…She needed to get rid of them, and also turn the possible suspicions into an advantage.

And so, once again, she was on Martin’s side.

“Alya,” Martin said without even looking at her.

“Already know me just by the sound of my steps?”

“It’s hard not to,” he winked at her. “What is it this time?”

“Uh… it’s just…” she stuttered. “I’m afraid you need to make your entourage a little smaller.”

“Why would I do that?”

“Because not everyone believes His Eternity is speaking to you.”

Martin rolled his eyes at that. “I know that Johannes appears like that right now, but he is still my boyfriend. He is allowed to have doubts about me.”

“Well, it’s not just him… Julia has had it against you and me, ever since I arrived here, for absolutely no reason, and now… You know about that nonsense vision of Emilien’s?”

“Our eternal ruler can’t possibly be giving visions to both of us,” Martin brushed the thought off.

“Not to mention your ring is the one that will remain green,” Darya teased.

“Precisely. He’s just too bitter to admit he lost. He’s always been a sore loser.”

“Oh that’s far too low!” Quentin shouted, and one could be glad steam wasn’t flowing out of his ears. His head was still red, though - this time not from flattery, but from fury.

“...And this is the result of that loss,” Darya whispered, watching as the usually smiling man stopped right in front of Martin.

Getting him to snap was easier than she thought.

“Take that back, Martin. Right now!”

“Quentin… not you too…” Ingrid begged quietly.

“Take back what exactly, Quentin?” Martin’s voice went higher up. “The truth? Actually, you two are quite the birds of a feather. Is someone jealous?”

The other man shivered at that, but still stood his ground. “I don’t know what’s going on with you, but the Martin I know would never talk about either of us like that. That so-called oracle has completely blinded you, can’t you see?”

“If it blinded me, then I indeed can’t. Since when am I a mirror, actually?”

“Get a grip, Fourcade, for fuck’s sake!” Quentin yelled once again. “Seriously, if you weren’t my friend… You accuse Julia of sabotaging your ambition, then you mock my love and now you have the audacity to call me delusional? I-”

It was only then Quentin realized how intense his anger was. Sensing the shock in the group, he slowly turned to see his friends’ faces.

The terror really did shine through on each of them.

Especially on Emilien’s.

Fuck, he really might have gotten too far… He appeared paralyzed. It was no surprise, the two might have gotten into an argument or two, but not once did Quentin dare to yell like that.

He didn’t dare to yell like that ever. He’s always been the reserved one, the more calm one. Maybe with an impulsive side, but not to such extent…

If Emilien didn’t fall out of love with him just yet… he might just have given him a reason.

“Shit… shit shit shit…” he whispered as inaudibly as he possibly could, before locking eyes with Martin once again and just proclaiming in disappointment:

“I… I just don’t recognize the man I admire right now. And you, Alya… I hope you’re happy.”

It was at that moment Darya felt all eyes on her. Finally, her opportunity has come to get them all on her side again.

She could check if she still could cry on cue.

“Why, Quentin?” she let out a loud sniff. “Why all of you? What did I ever…”

She didn’t finish the sentence. Instead, she let the tears fall out of her eyes and the feeling consume her. She squatted down on the ground, hiding her face.

“What did I do to you all? Ever since we met, I did nothing but help you… And I know we have our differences, but I still tried to be friendly…”

“Is that what you wanted?” Martin glared at the whole group.

“Do you know how terrifying this is for me?” Darya sobbed, as in a trance. “His Eternity gave me a task and I try my best to not disappoint him… I’m scared… For the first time ever, I’m important for someone, and I’m scared of what might be the consequences if I fail, so I tried to be friends with you… I thought I’d gain six friends, maybe for life, and instead… all of you turned against me. I really was the wrong choice...”

“Wait, Alya, no you weren’t,” Ingrid approached her and kneeled close to her. “You lead us all the way here…”

“And yet besides you, no one believes I come in peace,” Darya hung her head again as Ingrid offered her a napkin. “Do you think I am clueless? I know what you all think about me… That I’m a mole who’s supposed to sabotage you, but how?!”

Darya gave herself another pause, before continuing, calming herself a little. “How could I possibly sabotage you? I can’t do any magic, I promise… But… I surrender. You won. You have the ruler’s guide now… I won’t stand in your way.”

Ingrid could only call for her to come back, saying sorry… but Darya didn’t turn back. She needed to get away from them as fast as possible.
___________

“The skies have gone even darker now,” Emilien thought out loud, slightly shaking. “Johannes, I don’t like this one bit.”

“Neither do I,” Julia agreed. “Shit… maybe we’ve been way too harsh after all.”

“And I only put the cherry on top…” Quentin’s head was unusually down low - for him and his confidence. “Look, I know I can’t undo this, but back there, that is not the real me. I can’t repeat enough just how sorry I am. I’m… I can control my anger, but… the way Martin talked about you, Emil… something just snapped in me. He’s been ignoring your concerns, and concerns of all of us the whole day and-”

“It’s fine, Quentin,” Emilien replied apathetically. “It’s fine.”

“To be honest… I’m still not sure what to think,” Johannes admitted. “But now that she’s gone, maybe I could try and convince Martin to come back to his senses once again. Because if that is really Ole speaking for him, I’m not sure I’d want to be taught by that man.”

“Great idea,” Julia supported him. “Now that I think of it, thank god she’s gone. There must have been a reason why she was constantly around him. Tears or not, I still think she has something to do with this.”

“I can’t stop thinking about Sturla,” Emilien suddenly changed the subject. “And not only because of… that, but also… Who knows where he is keeping him? Whether it’s on the castle grounds or in some kind of dungeon. And is he alone or does he have other prisoners?”

“What if we will never find out, now that Alya isn’t here?” Ingrid questioned. “I thought she’d return, but she's been gone for quite some time now and I'm getting worried. Martin refuses to continue without her… If we want to get Sturla back, she needs to come back, and we need to apologize… Actually, I will go search for her.”

“...Of course you are.”

Ingrid wasn't sure if she ever heard Julia so downcast. And it was breaking her heart anew.

But she still had to see if her new friend was alright. So she didn't answer to Julia, making her way away instead, not hearing her girlfriend making a few steps towards her before Martin assured her she'd be alright.

It actually took Ingrid quite some time to find Alya in the woods - no wonder, she didn’t know how far she’s gone, or if she didn’t get out of the path they’ve been following… and yet, she managed to find her.

Her voice was something she instantly recognized. She was talking to somebody.

And what she heard… that had her terrified.

“So you're telling me that the ambition appealing worked?”

“It did, Your Eternity. Your invasion to his mind worked. I might have had some minor problems with almost getting caught, but now it’s back to normal, all it took was just a few tears. Now, no one could suspect that this whole theater was my idea.”

“Not even the-”

“Not even the boyfriend. Even if he’s been trying to talk some sense into the guy.”

A deep sigh followed from the bracelet. “For fuck’s sake…”

“Indeed. For a shadow, he’s smarter than I thought. I stopped the convincing fast enough, thank goodness.”

“When you return, keep your eyes on him - and on the whole group.”

“The vision that the French friend with those repulsing blue eyes also doesn’t play into our cards - thank goodness Martin is so deeply under your control. No one takes it seriously. Only his own boyfriend.”

“...What vision?”

“Eh, some stuff from bad dreams, I don’t exactly remember what it was about. Either way, one didn’t believe any of the suspicions the whole day. At this point, I might call her a sheep. That blonde Norwegian girl truly thinks I am a good friend to have. Little does she know she’s actually helping you.”

“Well done, Darya. Make sure they all follow his lead all the way to the Cave. Then, you can leave. Maybe… I’ll consider keeping the girl you’re talking about. Just to see the agony on her face when I employ her in the castle. She can consider that a reward for the good work.”

…So Julia was indeed right. And Johannes too. Alya wasn't to be trusted since the beginning. Heck, that wasn't even her real name! And the pride, spite in her voice… so in contrast compared to the velvet color of it.

Why would that person want this imposter to leave, though? She wished she'd come sooner, maybe then she'd get her answers.

“Alright, just one more question.”

“Which is?”

“Am I right if I say Martin Fourcade really is the Chosen One? I mean, he has all the attributes - the leader of the pack, even without that control still stubborn, with a sense of justice maybe, heck, he even has the physique to challenge you, I actually get Johannes in a way… Urgh, just tell me already, Your Eternity, I want to knoooow!”

“You’ll find out when the time is right. What I can tell you is that it certainly isn’t now.”

“But… Your Eternity?! Oh he just didn’t hang up on me… Answer me, damn it!”

She should stay silent. Keep it to herself, that's what her mind suggested. And yet, her heart was stronger.

Her own sense of justice.

“Who was that?”

Immediately, the other woman has gone stiff. She slowly turned around, trying to talk her way out. Of course, she expected a friend to look after her, but the timing… Way off.

“Ingrid! Oh my goodness, thanks for finding me, I thought I was lost, and when I'm stressed, I try to talk to myself and… eh, how long have you been standing there?”

“For long enough to know it wasn't you who you were talking to, so kindly stop lying to me. Who was speaking to you through that bracelet?” she kept her ground, trying not to burst into tears.

“Ingrid, what are you talking about?” the disguised one laughed nervously.

“I know, Darya," Ingrid pierced her with her stare. “Don't even bother to try and say your name is something else. I've heard your real identity loud and clear.”

“Ingrid, but that's my middle name. It's… after my deceased twin!”

“Don't give me that crap!” the Norwegian shouted, surprised she actually did so. But right now, the feel of betrayal, hurt and also hopelessness prevailing over rationality and calm. “Fricking answer me! Who. Was. It?”

No answer… and then, all of a sudden, the realization hit.

All because of the mentioned title.

“It was Ole Einar Bjoerndalen, wasn't it? That part was honest from you. You do work for him… but not to help us in the long run. He wants to kill one of us, isn’t that right?”

“But… I can't communicate with him!”

“Oh really? Then why did you talk about some mind invasions? You clearly told me you do not possess magic… And we both know one person who does. So tell me… Was Sturla right all along? WAS HE?!”

Her gaze was still fixated on who she promised she'd be a friend to. A person who took advantage of her kindness. A person who actually manipulated the whole group into having bad blood… and she, in her good nature, was blind to all of it.

She shook her head, this time not stopping the stream of the salty drops. “I can't believe this… So I defend you, try to comfort you, believe that you're a good person… and now I find out that you’re nothing but a liar. Well guess what? Now you're revealed. Your plan failed, Darya, because now, I will return and tell everyone what I've heard-”

“And who will believe you, huh?” Darya grabbed her wrist and spun her around so she could take Ingrid’s neck into her other hand, lightly pressing against it, the woman not hiding anything from her anymore as she pinned her against one of the thicker trees.

“Ugh, let go of me!”

She wanted to kick, to bite, anything… but Darya was simply stronger.

“Right now, it's me who has the upper hand,” she smirked at her. “Remember, without my help, you would still be walking around Neuburg in circles. And with my king controlling your leader, the rest can only follow his instructions… And they actually already do. I have no say in this,” she said, the last sentence in a fake-innocent tone.

“You’re sick… And yet, who knows them for longer, you or me? That’s right… I’ve been in the group for longer, they know me, and I know them. They have no reason not to believe my word. Especially not those who never trusted you in the first place!”

At that, Darya laughed quietly, but her stare didn’t appear to be concerned. “Is that what you believe, Inge?”

“Don’t you dare call me that.”

“Why shouldn’t I? I am the only real friend you have here.”

“Nonsense!”

“Is it?!” Darya yelled, making the grip tighter. “Your burdening attention towards your girlfriend tells me otherwise. You’re so, so scared of losing her you’d be willing to give up your whole life for her. And that fear… it comes from a whole other problem.”

“Do not bring Julia into this…” Ingrid hissed at her. “She loves me. And I love her!”

“Does she though?” Darya asked her. “Lately, you don’t seem to be on best terms, you even confirmed this to me, being the good friend that you are. And I happen to have overheard one of Julia’s conversations… She told Johannes how enough she has of you.”

“No… STOP LYING TO ME!”

“How can you know it’s a lie?” Darya winked. “But… you’re right. Let’s not bring Julia into this. Let’s talk about you instead.”

“...What do you want from me?”

“You think I don’t see through that bubbly facade you have?” Darya continued, completely ignoring her question. “All those vlogs you recorded, all those parties you’ve attended… you do all of this just to not think about how lonely you actually feel. Feeling accepted and not at the same time sucks, doesn’t it? I know how it feels.”

“No, you don’t… How can you even know all of this?”

“I have my sources,” she winked. Yes, Darya was there when Ingrid and Johannes had the talk about their friend group and her worries…

“Well, that’s in the past. I’m not losing any of those people!”

“Are you sure? If it wasn’t for Sturla, you wouldn’t even get to Strasbourg to begin with.”

“Please, not Sturla…”

“And even there, he fit in right away - you didn’t. You really think any of those people would even spare you a glance if Sturla didn’t introduce you? You think they'd go for the same rescue mission for you? I’ll answer for you - no, they wouldn’t.”

She decided to let Ingrid breathe a little better, before continuing.

“Those people don’t like you - they tolerate you, all because you’re a friend of Sturla’s. But wait… Sturla isn’t even here. Your only true ally out of that group is somewhere out there, and you basically did nothing to help the mission as a whole… All you did was you stayed kind. Do you think that’s a strength in this kind of task?”

“Of course it-”

“...is not! All you get from it is becoming a people pleaser. Everyone uses you to their advantage, but no one actually calls themselves a friend of yours… Seriously, if you want to get somewhere in life, freaking drop it, Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold. Because honestly… your so-called friends would pretty much be well off without you. Julia would be well off without you. And deep down… you know it too.”

That’s when Darya decided to let her go from the tree. She looked… defeated. Just like she wanted.

A beautiful sight that only needed some last words.

“Look… All I am doing is doing you a favor. I’m telling you what they never would… and leave you confused and in the dark,” she stroked her back in slow motions. “Not to mention… I’ve been in your shoes before. All I want is to help you avoid the same things I had to face. Now, it’s up to you - am I really the one to disobey? Or are the people you so trust the real liars here?”

__________

Julia noticed her love come back about fifteen minutes later, bringing Alya back - to the loud sigh of relief coming from Martin.

“Ingrid, you are literally a lifesaver. Finally you’ve managed to do something…”

“Something what?” Ingrid asked, curiously. That wouldn’t be news for Julia, her inquisitive nature was something that drew her to her, after all.

But usually, her eyes sparkled with that same feeling as well. Now, it appeared as if she was hiding something.

“You know what? Forget about it,” Martin changed his mind. “What matters is that Alya can really prove herself worthy to our eternal ruler.”

“Yeah… thank god I can,” Alya answered, hugging Martin tight. “I really thought I was a lost cause. The last thing I expected was Ingrid running after me, managing to convince me to stay.”

“I think you’ve saved the mission by this. You really proved you were worth taking along,” Martin smiled - and for a moment, both Julia and Johannes saw the glimpse of the old him.

A glimpse that was gone just when he stared at the rest. “So? Do you have anything to say?”

Quentin wasn’t in the mood to oppose, and apologized first. The Norwegian boy and Julia, playing the low-profile game, said sorry as well. Emilien even promised not to talk about the vision again.

“There we go. That wasn’t so hard, wasn’t it?” Martin asked rhetorically. “Now, Alya, how longer did you say it was again?”
___________

Johannes wasn’t sure what to expect of the Cave of Candour - specifically, if its exterior complemented its magical nature. As soon as Alya pointed to the place, it was evident he wouldn’t be able to tell if it’s got special abilities.

It might have been covered in more moss than your usual rocks or even cliffs, but other than that, it was as if it tried to keep itself hidden from prying eyes.

“You really are a local,” Martin told her. “Even His Eternity is telling me you lead us to the right spot.”

“Oh well, if I wasn’t sure where to find it, he’d never pick me. Who knows what reward awaits me… Is something wrong?”

“Nothing, just… I’m kinda surprised His Eternity wants all of us to get down in there. Now that we know who he’s expecting, it seems weird to me.”

“Who knows, maybe he wants to see all of us,” Ingrid got an idea. “See the people that kept you company.”

Her tone was off, and Johannes picked up on that. What the heck was happening the whole day? First, Martin’s demeanor changed, and now it seemed as if Ingrid never was an optimist.

“Even though I’m not sure if I want to continue in this quest anymore,” she continued as silently as she could. “You’d all be better off without my burdening, anyway.”

…And that was the final nail in the coffin.

“Uh, I’m not sure what you’ve been telling to yourself, Inge,” Alya raised her eyebrow, “but His Eternity indeed wanted all of you to come. I know it won’t be easy for you to say goodbye-”

“Wait, what do you mean say goodbye?” Quentin asked, giving Johannes and Julia a meaningful glare.

“No, don’t leave us,” Ingrid pleaded, wanting to embrace Alya who backed away.

“I’m not too much of a hugger,” she explained. “But yes, I will have to say goodbye, because this is where my assignment ends. All I can tell you now is… Keep as quiet as possible, until the Cave asks you the first question, and the rest I’ve already said. If you answer truthfully, you’ll be good to go and you will continue to the hot air balloon without any problems.”

“Where even is the entrance?” Martin was curious in turn, already examining the mossy spot.

On that, Alya opened a well-hidden trapdoor, from where a ladder led down under.

Ole’s own personal customization.

“Almost,” Alya winked.

“Let’s go then,” Martin urged the group. “We could have been answering those questions already… if it wasn’t for you, Quentin. I had higher hopes in you… and yet you keep failing at your own goals.”

“Leave it, love,” Emilien whispered to him, wrapping him in his embrace, lightly kissing his forehead. “He doesn’t know what he is saying.”

“You… you didn’t lose hope in me? In us?”

“Look, back there, it did catch me off guard, but… You were defending me. You were always there when I needed it, just like I was for you. You never were ashamed of me like-”

“Come on, you two!” Alya shouted out. “Keep the secrets for the Cave!”

“Secrets…” Julia thought out loud, then looked at the disguised one with a concerned look.

“Wait… What if someone actually lies inside the cave? When the question is too uncomfortable, for example? Lies or refuses to answer?”

No one else was outside at that point. So Darya approached her, never once turning her gaze away.

“So? What happens then?”

“Well… The best way to find out… is on your own skin,” she grinned, before shoving her right into the void and closing the trapdoor.

Darya was almost sorry she had to flee. She would have loved to see the chaos unfold, the fears of each of the members getting the best out of them, her king’s magic slowly taking over Martin’s real personality.

…Wait, did the Cave remove his power?

Oh well… that wouldn’t matter anyway. Eventually, all of those people would break and lie, or avoid the questions… and the Cave would be their home forever.

Chapter Text

“Julia! Are you okay?” Emilien cried out as he heard the loud thud coming from behind him. Hoping nothing serious has happened, he ran to her to clarify she wasn’t injured.

Ingrid was at her side at once as well. “Elskling, that sounded nasty!”

Julia slowly got up to her feet, but kept holding on to her left arm. “Urgh… and it sure was. This hurts like hell,” she gritted her teeth.

“I should have some ice on me, hold on,” Ingrid insisted, checking inside the backpack where she tried to pack anything that could come in handy. Finally, she found the ice packs and gently pressed on her girlfriend’s injury.

“Owwww!”

“I know… I know it hurts, don’t worry… Is it helping you at least?”

“A bit, but… I’m not sure if it’s broken or just dislocated and that’s what scares me,” Julia whispered, slightly tearing up.

“You don’t need to continue if you-” Emilien began, but Julia held her hand up in front of him to interrupt.

“I’m not sure if either of us has the choice to leave, now that we’re here,” she exclaimed. “I have a bad feeling about this cave. And about why Ole picked it for us-”

Suddenly, Julia yelped again as she tried to make some steps. The movement of her body caused more pain to her hand, and more tears came out of her eyes.

“Fuck, and I promised myself I would not cry.”

“There’s nothing wrong about that, Ju. You’re hurt, and pretty badly if you ask me,” Quentin joined the conversation, a first aid kit in his hands. “I do not like that angle, at all. And if you’re saying we really need to go through this together, then I’m not letting the pain get the better out of you.”

With that, he reached for the bandage and told her to stay still.

“Ingrid?” Julia asked as the brown-eyed Frenchman was working his way to stabilising the arm.

“What is it?”

“I’m not sure if you’ve ever called me elskling before.”

Ingrid smiled slightly, then backed up a little. “I’m sorry if it bothered you.”

“No, no, why should it? I find it rather beautiful from you. Is it done, Quentin?”

“It should be,” Quentin answered.

“What even happened?” Emilien was curious. “Did you fall from the ladder, or slip?”

“Actually-”

Just then, Johannes ran over to the group. “Guys, you need to see this! I knew the inside of this would look more than- Oh no, Julia, what happened?”

“I got shoved in, but it’s all solved now, Johannes, don’t worry,” Julia smiled at him. “Let’s just… We have to pass this obstacle.”
_______________

“So,” Sturla sat down as Tarjei finished his dinner. They really needed to give their raven friend a name. Maybe they could make up one after the other guest gets his full strength back.

And his face, which kept intriguing Sturla more and more. His smile already looked so warm, would the eyes be as welcoming?

“Are you ready to talk now?”

The other friend sighed. “I’ve been thinking about how to phrase this into twenty sentences… but I think I’m good to go now.”

Sturla’s breath hitched. Finally, he’d know this man’s secrets, and maybe secrets of Ole himself. Maybe, when the time comes for the duel, he could give the Chosen One a sneaky insight on what to do.

He joined the man at the little nest they were sharing in the cold place, still checking for any signs of anxiety or discomfort when looking at his posture or if he was shaking.

Not at all.

“So… where would you like to start?”

“Probably with the cause of my investigations. You see… My parents, they were always very overprotective. So much in fact we moved around the whole country, and I mean a lot. I thought that maybe it was because of job opportunities, but that wasn’t true. No one would keep a job offer for only four months.”

“Was that when you started to realize something was off?”

“I was getting so frustrated. I had no real friends anywhere because I didn’t have the chance to know them well enough, and when I was close to it, my parents took our things and fled once again. At that point, I was sick of everything, I wanted a stable place to live and make some friends, find love… and so I moved out. But before I left… I heard my parents talk, whisper to each other - they never chatted so quietly.”

“Was that conversation about Ole Einar Bjoerndalen?”

He nodded. “I mean, I never paid much attention to the prophecy, to be honest - my ring stopped shining shortly after my high school graduation… and yet, suddenly all the moving around made sense. And in college, when I was independent already… the prophecy lured me in, more and more and more.”
____________

Martin was standing in front of a beautiful sight. The first wide chamber might have been dark, but at the same time, something was lighting it up.

Specifically, whimsical emerald green luminescent… What could it be? Were those lights, or maybe some little creatures that could glow in such an awe-striking way? That was a secret no one but the Cave could uncover.

Now, the group realized why Johannes felt the urge to show this.

“Gosh, if this wasn’t a place that is apparently dangerous, I’d bring you here for a date,” Quentin chuckled. “I’m sure you’d have the time of your life taking photos of this Cave.”

The secrets of me shall remain hidden.

The voice around them was deep, but appeared enraged. This place was indeed as from some storybook.

Who are you to disturb my peace?

Martin spoke up first. “His Eternity sends me and my friends. We have a mission to fulfill.”

“And we need to get through here to achieve it,” Johannes added. This really wasn’t the time for convincing Martin to come back to his senses, even if it looked like the Cave weakened the influence.

Or maybe the fact Alya wasn’t with them anymore caused that, who could know?

Very well then. But it won’t be for nothing, Martin Fourcade.

“Wha- How do you know my name?”

Your voice… That told me everything I need to know. About you, about Johannes Thingnes Boe, about everyone else keeping you company.

“Our… acquaintance told us we need to answer some of your questions. And that we can ask our own once we get permission,” Emilien dared to speak this time.

Indeed. But beware - my questions truly challenge the trait of candour. Only the strongest ones can pass. My questions tend to bring out the deepest, most uncomfortable secrets onto the surface. And who doesn’t respond truthfully or refuses to answer…

It stopped talking for a while.

“...Yes?” Ingrid questioned.

Let these lights warn you about your possible fate.

This made the whole group shiver. Were there really more of these daredevils that got to enter, only to never return again? To become a prisoner of this place?

“We can’t let that happen,” Johannes whispered to Martin.

“No worries, min kjaere. We have nothing to hide from each other,” Martin promised. “And if we do… then what else should we do if not uncover it?”

“That’s easier said than done,” Ingrid murmured to herself, still remembering what Alya said to her.

Here is my first question…

In the dark, Johannes found Martin’s hand, before Quentin’s joined, then Emilien’s, Ingrid’s and Julia’s.

“We’re listening,” Julia proclaimed bravely.

Who, out of all of you, do you think has contributed the most to your mission?

“Martin did,” Johannes began. “It was out of his own impuls we came all the way here.”

“I think so too,” Ingrid agreed.

“Without Johannes, neither of us but Martin would be here,” Julia reminded. “For me it is Johannes.”

“Quentin guided us through that supernatural storm,” Emilien stated. “Even if we did fall into Rhein, he still got us where we needed to be.”

“In the long run, Martin. But all of us have contributed to this mission so this was a tough decision,” Quentin admitted.

“I did,” Martin declared.

You passed my first question. Congratulations. Now, time for the harder part…

With that, the ground beneath them started to shake, before ultimately tearing.

At once, their hands had to part, dividing the group of six into pairs, Johannes nearly falling through into the pitch black abyss.

“I got you, love,” Martin took hold of him from behind, not caring if he hit the ground rather hard. “I got you…”

“Julia, I don’t want to die!” Ingrid shouted, covering her ears at the loud cracking.

“I don’t want to either!” Julia shouted back. “We just have to-”

“I can’t hear them anymore,” Quentin started panicking slightly. “Emilien! Emilien, can you hear Julia or Ingrid?!”

“I can’t…” Emilien responded, laying flat on the cave floor. “What if they won’t be safe? What if this is the last time we see each other?”

“If only I could answer you,” Quentin sighed. “We need to hope for the best. Just until we pass this…”
______________

Johannes. Martin. Welcome to your part of my test.

“Where are the others?” Johannes wanted to know immediately. He noticed that now, the space around them appeared brighter, he could see better, even see Martin’s face.

But not too much of it.

Your friends are fulfilling my tasks for them… I am with you, and with them at the same time. I needed to divide you. All of you have troubles to solve out. I can sense your strong connection to each other… tormented by secrets you are keeping from one another.

“His Eternity will reveal everything to me once I-”

This is not about the quest, Fourcade.

The cave’s voice sounded angry again.

“He… he isn’t usually like this,” Johannes swore. “Something happened to him this morning and-”

“His Eternity is calling out to me,” Martin insisted.

“I’m not sure if that is true!” Johannes stopped him, tone sharp.

And so I was right. Now… here is the question I have for you. What is one thing you despise about one another?

Martin eyed his boyfriend, and Johannes could tell he was thinking his answer through. From Johannes’ side, it hurt to voice out flaws. Everyone had their flaws, he knew that way too well.

But despising was a strong word. Negative traits were completing who Martin was. Who Johannes was.

And maybe, just maybe, he was anxious about what Martin doesn’t like about him, having gotten together so recently.

“I have my answer.”

Speak, Martin Fourcade.

“It is stubbornness. The way he doesn’t back down until he gets his way. This was supposed to be my mission, and he brought everyone else along. Even now, he is trying to sabotage me.”

...Strange. Something is not right here. I can sense truth in your answer… and yet it feels like it is not yours.

…So Johannes could indeed be right about the enchantment of Martin’s mind.

Your turn now, Johannes Thingnes Boe.

“I…”

Johannes wasn’t sure when he stuttered so much, if ever. This was not his usual demeanor, he didn’t have any problems with being honest. Maybe it was the pressure getting to him this time.

“You need to answer, Johannes,” Martin urged him. “I really wouldn’t like to lose my boyfriend in here. I can’t lose you, goddammit!”

Now, Johannes was even more confused. As if whoever was controlling him - either Ole or another presence - was still fighting for the power over him, then Martin’s true self coming out before getting oppressed once again.

Sensing this was the second case, Johannes managed to calm himself down, and then he answered.

“Sometimes, Martin has a short temper,” he started, before facing Martin. “You get angered so easily… and if I really have to be honest, there were times I was a little spooked out by how impulsive you can get. I was worried you’d lose control one day. And that you won’t be able to use it for a good cause.”

Does Martin use this flaw for a good cause now?

“...Deep down, he does. Right now, I think his situation is complicated, but the same drive is motivating him to continue. Continue and save Sturla, our seventh friend.”

The Cave was quiet and both men closed their eyes, waiting for its answer… but they didn’t turn into anything just yet.

Since you both have been truthful, you can ask me one question. Each of you.

“Do you want to start, or should I?” Johannes asked.

“I can,” Martin answered, kissing the Norwegian’s forehead. “Majestic Cave… What exactly is the name of Ole Einar Bjoerndalen’s lair?”

“I’m not sure if it knows everything,” Johannes doubted.

“There has to be a reason His Eternity wanted us to pass through, like I said. If this is how we find out about the lair, so be it,” Martin replied. “The apprenticeship will then be mine.”

…And now the enchantment was in charge again.

Berwartstein is the name… an old castle, once renowned, full of fame. After a wise man’s wrongful doings, everything was brought down to ruins.

“Strange… The Cave didn’t speak in verses before…”

“Could it have been talking about Ole? You know, the part about the wise man?” Martin was curious, the gaze softer again. “Johannes, I am starting to think we are indeed getting led into a trap…”

“At least we now know where he’s keeping Sturla… Which brings me to my own question. Majestic Cave, could you tell me how Sturla Holm Laegreid is doing? Has he been hurt in any way?”

Now was the key moment for the couple. There surely was a way for the Cave to know about past events… but what about the present?

At last, the Cave spoke.

Your dedication to your shared friend is admirable. Sturla Holm Laegreid is sitting in a dungeon, unharmed, a masked man keeping him company.

Martin went from tense to relieved in that very answer. “He’s safe… and Ole didn’t do anything to him!”

“Thank goodness…” Johannes replied, touched to the core. All those days worrying about him finally came to an end.

He was alive… And not alone. Who could the other prisoner be?

Did the group know that mysterious man, or maybe heard of him?

Whatever it was, both men were happy to get him in one piece.

Now just to prevent that vision of Sturla falling down…
______________

“Alright, let me repeat this real quick. So you had overprotective parents who moved houses a lot of times. Then you grew tired of it, found a college, then overheard a conversation about Ole, got concerned and somehow your college lured you in even more?”

The other man nodded again, making Sturla realize he maybe shouldn’t ask too many questions. How many sentences did he have left?

…Or was that maybe a way to find out more? It wouldn’t hurt to try.

“I think I’m going to ask you somewhat more,” he suggested. “Questions you can answer yes, no, or maybe. Non-verbal signs of agreement and disagreement don’t count into the curse, right?”

The other one understood what Sturla was trying to achieve. That’s why he shook his head no, knowing this could really be a better approach.

But when there would be time to speak up again, he would seize that opportunity.

“Good then. So, was your college a rather religious one? Religious in sense they dedicated every curriculum to the prophecy?”

Another head shake.

“Not religious then… But you still had to find some way to get the information you needed. Was there maybe a professor who inspired you?”

This time, Sturla saw him nod.

“A professor… Probably a history professor, right?”

Another nod.

“Who must have known everything about the legends and backstories of either Ole Einar Bjoerndalen or his family. Did he maybe tell you something more than just the usual legends about him?”

And he agreed again. “Apparently there was a Sorcery Council, where he tried to gain the spot of the leader… and he just couldn’t achieve it no matter how hard he tried.”

“Sorcery Council? So there really were more wizards like him! Or maybe… Could everyone do magic at the time?”

The man’s thumb went up.

“Holy shit… I was right. I was right all along… I KNEW there was a reason why something was missing!”

Before Sturla could be any more ecstatic, his rationality made him stop. If there really was magic all around the world, what went so wrong that now, nobody could use it?

“Has the same professor told you why the magic was suddenly gone? Or even…” He stuttered before daring to ask the horrible thought that ran through his mind.

“Is… is sucking out all the magic how Ole rose to power?”

He didn’t get back neither a nod nor a head shake, he just shrug.

“Partially right then… What happened to the Sorcery Council, though? Was that Ole’s doing too? Did he kill everyone out of revenge?”

After a moment of silence, he might have gotten the most sickening nod ever.

There was no way Ole could possibly convince the whole Europe that he’s had a redemption. What if he forced the narrative until it became the new truth?

What even led him to such actions? Why couldn’t he…

No. Could that be the way to finding his motive?

“Was there a reason why Ole never got that highest position in the Sorcery Council?”

Nod again.

“Did your teacher tell you why?”

Apparently not.

“Hmm… Interesting. And given how invested you were, you probably wanted your answers one way or another. Do we know where the Sorcery Council was located?”

Before the man could answer, that question clicked on its own for Sturla.

“...We’re there, isn’t that right?”

He agreed.

“He turned the lair of his enemies into his own one… That’s so twisted…” Sturla was shaking his head.

“But even that, even that had to have its reasons… I can’t make up any other questions, damn it!”

Suddenly, the man’s index finger went up, as if wanting to alert him.

“Did you remember something? Something you are allowed to say?”

The nod was more frantic this time.

“Tell me then.”

Sturla didn’t know what he expected him to say. There was no doubt the curse was holding him back from voicing out more important names, heck, this man confirmed it to him.

In the end, only one word came out of his mouth.

“Mirae.”
_____________

“Are you sure the bandage is secured?”

“Ingrid…”

“Did you hurt something else and didn’t tell me?”

“Love, please-”

“We need to get you to a hospital as soon as possible, I will call you the ambulance as soon as we-”

“It. Is. Fine,” Julia raised her voice, but not to the point of yelling. Ever since the couple separated from the others, Ingrid was even more caring than usual.

Caring is a good thing… unless you feel suffocated by it.

What made that suffocation even worse than before?

What even caused the excessive care in the first place?

“I appreciate you’re looking out for me, but sooner or later you will lose your voice. The hospital sounds nice, but right now, the world is standing still.”

“Ah, that’s true… oh no…”

This was where Julia was concerned again. If she could, she would hug her girlfriend in an instant.

“Are tighter spaces making you uneasy?”

“It’s… it’s not an outright phobia, it’s just… Something about this place in particular makes me so tense. And I need to talk myself out to make myself a little more at ease…”

Right when she said it, the space around has broadened, and Julia was grateful for the magic of the Cave.

Overcoming fears is a courage, Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold, but every once in a while, I can make an exception. This should feel more comfortable.

“Thank you, Cave,” Ingrid swallowed loudly.

“I wonder what it will want from us in exchange…”

Your confessions, Julia Simon.

For the first time that day, Ingrid fell completely quiet. She could still see Alya in front of her, holding her tight against that tree as she planted the thought of her friends actually not caring, her affection being one-sided.

Here, no one had anything to hide.

Your other friends are getting questions right as I am talking. Now, my first question for you.

“Ask away,” Julia answered, determined.

I like people that dive in headfirst. Tell me, how do you feel your group perceives you?

Julia had to admit that question was harder to answer than she initially thought. She tried not to think of how people in general perceived her, afraid she’d become dependent on those opinions.

Of course, she wasn’t pretending to be immune to different opinions on her, and still she was choosing not to care much. Why should any of those voices matter? This was her life, her life to navigate and to live how she wanted without feeling bad about her actions or traits.

“...Why are you silent?” Ingrid asked her shyly - and Julia thought her soul sank even deeper than the Cave stood right there.

“You’re right, I’m sorry, I got a little lost in thought,” she tried to reassure her, not certain if it worked on her girlfriend.

“Right now… it’s evident me and Martin have grown distant, mainly because of his drive but also because of my suspicions. Johannes… I think we’re on good terms, this mission drew us closer. With Emilien and Quentin, it’s pretty much the same. And Sturla sees me as a clever woman - just like I see him as someone very intelligent - since we’re attending almost the same classes and he can see me in action. Overall, I am a stable part of our friend group.”

I’ve detected no lies… But you forgot to mention the person standing right next to you.

“Oh shit,” Julia’s eyes widened. “How could I forget about Ingrid? Please forgive me, both of you.”

Granted. Now speak.

“Ingrid isn’t shying away from showing affection towards me. Not only affection, her love and dedication too. Yet lately I’ve been feeling like she became clingier, and it scares me to know something might have made her insecure about how I view her.”

How about Ingrid tells you yourself?

Now it was Ingrid’s turn to be petrified. “Wh-what?”

Your girlfriend is suffering because of weakened communication. Swallow the hard pill, and tell her what is on your mind.

Julia carefully approached Ingrid to rest her healthy hand on her shoulder, looking down at her. “Since Sturla disappeared, and maybe even since the sleepover, you’ve acted strange. You’ve insisted on being in my company every passing second, going beyond your limits and energy just to satisfy me. However, there’s always a certain limit to everything.”

If there was more light, one could see one tear trickle down Ingrid’s cheek.

“I’m sure you would tell me on your own, but since the Cave decided otherwise… Is there something about our relationship that scares you?”

“...Is what you said to Johannes true?”

“Said what?” Julia questioned.

“That you have enough of me. Enough of us.”

“Who the hell told you such a thing?” she shook her head, concern switching into fury as she slowly realized who she meant by that.

“Alya overheard you talking.”

…And now she had it confirmed.

“What else did she say to you?”

“It wouldn’t make a difference if I stayed home, because you all are so capable and I… I’m just burdening you with my feelings. If it wasn’t for Sturla, neither of you would have noticed I exist and-”

“That is absolutely not true, Inge,” Julia had to stop her, because the words coming from her mouth were like a whiplash. If Julia tried not to care about what people think, her girlfriend was the complete opposite.

Now she questioned whether her usual optimism came from the fact she tried to appeal to everyone, just to be liked, to be perceived as a friend.

To belong.

“She wasn’t to be trusted since the beginning,” Ingrid continued again, voice breaking. “And I, like a fool, was trying to make her feel accepted. I tried not to believe anything she said, I swear… but she hit a sensitive nerve. I’m worried we might split up - as a relationship or as a friend group. I’m worried I will lose you all and that I will become lonely again…”

“That fricking…” Julia had to bite her tongue, otherwise she’d curse Alya all the way out of their world. Manipulating her way to trust was one thing. Attacking the person she loved the most through an obviously huge fear of hers was something she considered unacceptable.

“I don’t even know how she got to know about what scares me, that’s the worst part. Next thing I know, she convinced me she’s actually the only real friend I had, all because she’s been through similar experiences.”

“Well, for me it speaks volumes about how insecure she actually is. She probably didn’t have any genuine friends and this is what it turned into. And if that’s true, that doesn’t give her the right to manipulate you like that.”

“So… Sturla isn’t the only reason why I got to know you?”

On that, Julia leant in and kissed her lips deeply. “Sturla might have given us a headstart, but I’m sure we would have found out just how amazing you are either way.”

They stayed like that for a few seconds, before Julia spoke up again. “However, that didn’t explain everything. Were you as afraid of losing me as a lover too?”

“That was probably even worse,” Ingrid admitted. “I tried everything to prove to you I would never leave you.”

“I’m not sure if that’s the right way to put it,” Julia had to correct her. “To me, it seemed more like… as if you weren’t giving me any reason to…”

“Wait, no, please don’t cry, not because of me…”

“Were you worried I might leave if you weren’t that dedicated? Or when you decide to take a moment for yourself?”

She was waiting for her answer, but it wasn’t coming.

“Ingrid, please… Am I right or not?”

“...Yes,” she confirmed, hanging her head. “Remember when we were discussing the situation with Emil and Q? And about those periods of distance between couples that tend to eventually end the love?”

“Oh no… Was that the reason why you suddenly became anxious about us? Were you trying to prevent it from happening to us?”

“No matter how hard I tried, it seemed as if I was pushing you further away with everything,” Ingrid explained. “And so I kept trying, even harder, anything just to not see you ending it.”

“Inge…” Julia sighed, still not quite believing what she just heard. “I’m so sorry if I gave you reasons to doubt how our relationship works. Thank you for telling me all of this. I can assure you, I’m staying. You really don’t need to take all those measures and exhaust yourself just to keep me around. I don’t need any proof of your love, if I wanted it, I’d just look into your eyes and see you shyly look away.”

Ingrid giggled lightly.

“And for the record… periods of healthy distance are completely normal, and safe for a relationship. I always viewed it as somewhat of a charger… it makes our levels of longing and desire for next moments together go up, and also our energy levels. Because time for ourselves is important, taken or not.”

She leant in again, before Ingrid whispered: “You have no idea how much I love you, Julia…”

“I love you too,” she answered, embracing the Norwegian while being cautious about her hand.

The Cave obviously saw Ingrid’s confession as sufficient - and Julia was so incredibly proud.

“Is there something on your mind?” she asked after some time.

“It’s just… I am thinking about what you said. About Darya.”

“Who is- Ohhh.”

“Yes, it’s Alya’s real name. I keep thinking about what you said about her insecurities. It makes me wonder… how she was like before. If she resents kindness because she once actually was like that… in hope she’d find the attention and care she strived for only to be left disappointed.”

“That… that would kind of make sense,” Julia had to acknowledge. “And even that should give the world an important lesson. If you both felt lonely at times you needed company the most, look at how differently it shaped you. We all have a choice to let what happens to us influence who we are. And if this is who she let herself become… I feel kind of sorry for her, but it was out of her own will.”

As she said this, Ingrid was alert again. “Oh my god, I almost forgot!”

“Forgot what?”

“Darya actually used all of this against me because I caught her talking to Ole.”

“To who?” Julia’s smile faded. “You aren’t saying she was actually-”

“I believe Darya is Ole’s right hand. So she wasn’t completely lying about who sent her.”

“Well, it definitely wasn’t to help us. They both had to know what would happen to us if we lied in here.”

“Exactly… And I think that’s why she quietly tried to turn us against each other. Which makes me wonder… In case we get to the balloon mentioned in our instructions, I know your ring still shines, but… Could you please not go on board? We can find another way to the lair.”
_______________

“Wait, what? Who the heck is Mirae?”

“An immortal fortune teller that Ole had removed from the legends about him, and yet someone managed to hide some sources that talk about… well, no one knows what gender they were. That is not so important, though - what is is that they had a fate predicted for every single kid at the time, which was unbreakable - and for Ole, it was that he might be talented, but shall never reach the highest power.”

“That would explain the frustration… And the other Sorcerers must have known, right? About the fact he can never be the man that holds the most power. Did they already sense his potential to turn to… well, this might sound goofy, but… the dark side?”

The other man laughed again, and then again nodded his head yes.

“Wait, but that means… Ole pretty much cheated his own fate!”

“Which was exactly why the Chosen One prophecy was created.”
__________

“What if there is a reward for being honest? Have you thought of that, Q?”

Ever since the two got separated from the rest, Emilien was trying not to panic, making up possibilities instead, or even better - how to use their stay to their advantage. Soon enough, the curiosity turned into energy.

“I mean… I guess anything is possible here,” Quentin replied, looking around. “If I had heard about this before our quest, I would’ve said you lost your mind. And now…”

Emilien still didn’t calm down with enthusiasm. “We could just ask it who the Chosen One is, we will know who to protect in case Ole really is evil, and voilà, all is solved!”

Quentin, however, was still lost in thought, and that was where Emilien stopped the asking. “Sorry… You should’ve told me I was being annoying. When I get in a certain mood, sometimes I’m not aware that I’m becoming too much for people around.”

“Emil, but that is okay,” Quentin promised.

“No, it’s not. You’re trying to process all of this in silence, think every single detail through. I know you.”

Do you, though?

That caught the man with brown eyes off-guard, flinching slightly at the volume of the voice.

“Holy smokes, I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen you react like that,” Emilien said.

“Uh…”

“Please don’t tell me someone back home was hurting you.”

“Oh no, not at all, don’t worry. It’s just…” Quentin started explaining, but this time he sounded… nervous.

“When I was a kid, I actually used to be sensitive to loud noises. New Year’s Eve was the worst with all the fireworks. But slowly, it got better. Sometimes, however, I still tend to get a little scared.”

“I don’t remember you ever telling me that,” Emilien realized. Heck, he wasn’t sure he ever saw Quentin this… He didn’t even know how to describe it. Was it something similar to anxiety? Tension? Either way, it was a whole other sight compared to how he acted in class.

He doesn’t know you well enough, Quentin Fillon Maillet. Tell me, have you ever opened up to your boyfriend about your flaws or insecurities in such a way?

“That is so personal,” Quentin murmured, clearly uncomfortable with the question. “Alya certainly forgot to mention that-”

“I really wouldn’t like to lose you here,” Emilien interrupted, trying not to sound impatient.

“Right…” Quentin sighed. "Well… I don’t tend to talk much about how I’m feeling, only when I am comfortable with people, when I trust them enough.”

“That makes sense, but… I’m sorry if I sound too needy or too pushy, but why wouldn’t you tell me about your fears?”

He hoped that maybe a familiar voice could help him be more at ease.

“I… You were a whole different case for me,” Quentin confessed, trying to look him in the eyes and struggling because of the dim light. “I fell for you so hard you can’t even imagine. The more I cared about how you could view me.”

“What? But you always seem to be-”

“Confident? Sure? Well, maybe, but you know it wasn’t like that before. It took some years to build it up. You know I struggled with my studies for quite some time, and after that passed, I thought I wouldn’t appear doubtful again, at least not in front of others. And then you came into the picture and it all went out of the window. I was afraid you’d perceive me differently if I admitted my weaknesses. And the more it hit me when I lashed out like that, and I scared you. I know we sorted it out, but I’m still so sorry you had to see that. ”

Emilien didn’t know what to say. At one point, he still was a little hurt Quentin didn’t tell him this before, and on the other he understood what he meant. He wanted to be the best version of himself around Emilien, and something about it was adorable.

“You know… being vulnerable isn’t a bad thing. Sooner or later, couples find out the true personality of each other. With strengths and flaws equally, and that should make the connection even stronger. Even if I understand why you didn’t want to show me that part of yourself, know I would never see you in a worse way because of it. Differently? Yes. But definitely not in a bad way. And hey, at least I know that I should buy some earplugs for your birthday.”

“Gosh, Emil…” Quentin laughed, finding his hand. “You really are one of a kind. Seriously, my past crushes can’t compare to you. I know it sounds cheesy as hell, but it’s true.”

I can confirm that statement.

Emilien had to burst out from laughter. “No fricking way, did the Cave just joke at your expense?”

“I guess so…”

“Holy shit, it appeared so serious and now it pulled this!”

My purpose is to detect lies, I am only fulfilling it. Now, you will answer a question… one that you’ve been avoiding for quite some time now.

Quentin looked up in surprise, as if the voice was coming out of there. “You can’t possibly ask him to do that! I am not-”

“Fine, fine!” Emilien overpowered him before Quentin could refuse the command. “Go ahead… ask what you wanted to. Either in Strasbourg, or during the boat ride.”

“Are you sure?”

“It’s not like either of us can say no here.”

Quentin breathed out deeply. “Alright then… Do you still feel the same for me as I do for you?”

Those eyes that Emilien always found comforting appeared alert, prepared for anything he was about to say. He wasn’t sure if he liked that look.

“I am worried, Emilien. Lately, you have become unpredictable to me. I never knew when you would pull away from my touch, or the exact opposite. Never understood how you could be as social as you usually are on one day, then completely withdraw on the other. And I feel like that second case happens more and more often, and it scares me. All I’m asking is… what did I do wrong?”

“Wait, no, nothing at all!” That answer came faster than a flash. “And I still love you, I promise.”

“And yet, I can hear you stomping with one of your feet… There is still something you aren’t telling me. Even Julia and everyone else noticed how… hot and cold we’ve become. If I’m not the reason, then what is?”

Before Emilien could answer - and he was still hesitating - Quentin had to add, voice getting a little upset:

“Or… who?”

Emilien was still taking his time, he knew Quentin would wait until he was truly ready. Finally, he began explaining.

“Before you, I was in another relationship… one which has affected me, a lot. His name was Blaise. It was a love at first sight, I admired how hard-working he was, how successful he was. I couldn’t believe he even spared me a glance at first, and next thing I knew, we were dating.”

“Hard-working? That’s something we have in common,” Quentin had to point out.

“At first, everything was great. Everytime he came from work, we went for a date, usually for a nice bottle of wine, and then I’d make some polaroids of us. He kept repeating he’d be lost without me, and that he found his soulmate and that he’d marry me, and that all when we were a month in.”

…Lovebombing. Quentin remembered overhearing a conversation about it back in his final high school year. Even back then, he understood how dangerous and manipulative that is.

“I was so hooked that I believed every single word. I enjoyed the affection from his side, I returned it more than eagerly.”

Just the thought of that made Quentin’s blood boil.

“...Continue.”

“Long story short, all looked okay. When we were three months in, something has shifted. He got a promotion at work and it was evident that’s where his focus was. It wasn’t on me anymore,” Emilien said, voice slightly losing its usual calmness. “Back then, I was excited about my own opportunities and wanting to find new friends, maybe even party a little. Maybe that’s what got him so embarrassed.”

“Embarrassed? Wait, is that the same person you were referring to when you told me I am not ashamed of you?”

“Unfortunately, yes. Slowly, he stopped bringing me to the social events from work, telling me more than clearly to grow up. Maybe then he’d change his mind.”

Now, the hands of his boyfriend were in fists. “I want to punch that guy so bad. How dare he? All that because you had different priorities in life than he did?”

“The embarrassment then got even worse when we were hanging out at where either of us lived. I wanted to be close, to cuddle with him… but he snapped. He told me that my affection was burdening and that I should get it checked… that and also that I’m nothing but an obstacle in his professional growth. He ended it not too much later.”

Emilien looked up when remembering everything, something he tended to do when he was starting to get emotional.

“How dare he…” Quentin hissed. “I just cannot understand how one can be so… For fuck’s sake, I can’t even speak properly, that’s how much this made me angry. Anyone would be lucky to earn your attention, love, affection, everything that comes with it, and he…”

Quentin didn’t finish, screaming into the void instead, letting all the frustration out. Once he was done, he got closer to Emilien, his right hand caressing his cheek, before again thinking of the similar traits he and that scumbag of an ex had.

For the first time ever, he felt upset about his motivation and confidence.

“Me being so focused on new opportunities made you remember him again… right?”

“I promise it wasn’t like that,” Emilien retorted. “At least not at the beginning. You see, I took my time before I started dating again… dating you, actually. I thought I was over all the pain, I began to believe in myself, love myself again, learnt not to be ashamed about what I want in life right now. I thought it would transfer into my relationship with you.”

“...And yet, the impact of your past love remained.”

“Exactly,” Emilien sighed. “We too are three months in, and you too want to be successful. I didn’t realize at first how I’m acting towards you, that I suddenly drive away from your touch. My mind didn’t want to go through the same thing twice, so I refused to show too much affection for you.”

“Emilien, I-”

“No, please let me finish. I tried to stay out of your way because I saw how much you cared about tasks given to you. At school, or during this mission. I didn’t want to hold you back, and the possibility of your ring being the real one intensified it. Deep down, I feared the worst, I even thought of leaving before you could do it, and yet I didn’t have the heart to do so because I just can’t hurt you like that. Like I said, I love you, but my old doubts crept in. You did not deserve such behavior from me, and I am more than sorry… I think I need to sit down.”

“No worries, I will sit right next to you,” Quentin offered, processing what Emilien just said. He couldn’t imagine just how demanding that had to be for his boyfriend. To tell him what hurt his view on relationships, or at least resurfaced again. They really weren’t that different, they hid parts of their past to create the best versions of themselves in each other’s company.

Emilien was right. Admitting flaws, events that shaped the view on the world, admitting the reasons behind one’s actions, really does strengthen a connection - at least in their case.

“Now, listen carefully,” he asked of him as Emilien’s head rested on his shoulder. “I am not him. I will never treat you like that excuse of a guy did. I will never let my ambition take over to the point I would neglect or completely reject you. I can’t physically get ashamed of having you by my side, on the contrary - calling you my love is an honor.”

Right then, Quentin noticed the light around him getting even weaker. He looked down on his finger, just noticing the green light fade out into oblivion.

“And even if I really believed the prophecy from the start… if I thought I was the Chosen One, nothing about that would change. If you are still afraid, here you have proof that not even such an important quest can threaten what I feel.”

Emilien felt a surge of relief, before confiding, voice a bit defeated: “Still… I was so sure I was over everything…”

“It’s completely okay. But now that I know what happened to you, I won’t forget to remind you I’m not going anywhere.”

“You aren’t…” Emilien repeated, now holding on tightly. “And actually, this quest made me slowly trust again. Not completely, but… it is a process.”

“That is more than valid. Take all the time you need, you won’t be alone for it this time.”

“See, this is the thing! You listening to me about my vision warmed my heart. How you believed me instead of… I don’t know, believing Alya and Martin just to get closer to Ole. Heh, now that I’m saying it out loud, it does seem a little absurd.”

“Still, it was a big thing for you. When my own mind goes wild about something, it is tough to rise above it.”

“From that moment, I kept reassuring myself you are not Blaise… you are my Quentin,” Emilien exclaimed, eyes shimmering at the last part. “You support me in everything I do, or what I want to achieve, I told you that even before we arrived. Even if there is a big opportunity at stake, you still chose to believe me.”

“You have no idea how terrified I was when I yelled at Martin like that. I was worried I really gave you a reason to leave in case you didn’t feel the same way anymore.”

“And yet, it was somewhat of a key to really get me out of the deep. In no scenario would I picture you standing up for me so fiercely. Standing up for all of us, even. Blaise wouldn’t be able to do that in the slightest, maybe just for himself.”

He sat up again, looking into Quentin’s eyes. “I thought it would be the single life that would get me through… when actually it was the opposite. My fear started through a relationship, so a new one would truly test me, and challenge me to step out of my own shadow and overcome it.”

Quentin nodded in understanding, leaning in and Emilien met him halfway. Their hands on each other’s cheeks, the lips met and exchanged a kiss of comfort and unconditional dedication.

And when it had to end, Emilien told him, voice full of sincerity:

“I’m so glad I get to share this with you.”

__________

At that point, Sturla was in pure awe.

“Insane… The apprenticeship is really something Ole made up just to make himself feel invincible, to lure the Chosen One in, to… to probably get rid of them, right?”

Another bob of the head.

“But… what about this Mirae? There has to be more, why don’t children get their fates read anymore? Did Ole find a way to kill them too?”

“Legends say he slammed their head into a wall, then they crumbled into ashes, then Ole stole their signature equipment - a magical crystal ball, which happens to be in this castle.”

“What if he spies on my friends?” Sturla thought out loud, fear growing inside him again. “And… “

He gasped. “What if he has the hold of the Chosen One, knowing exactly when to strike? Oh who am I kidding… he definitely does. How else would he know where I was that night?”

He started counting… The man in front of him still had two more sentences to say. He had to choose wisely what he would ask.

And then a realization hit him.

“The Chosen One… Your parents had to know! Is that why you arrived here? Did you want to find out the truth at once?”

“It was a rather risky idea, but I had to - so I found a route to Berwartstein, somehow managed to sneak in and find the crystal ball, hidden in Ole’s office, I found a way to activate it, but when I tried to finally ask who it is…”

“He caught you. That’s how you got cursed, am I right? And please, think carefully if you nod or answer… You only have one more sentence.”

He nodded in defeat.
_________

“Urgh, finally back in my own skin," Darya murmured, now back at Berwartstein, in new clothes, ears already feeling better as she hasn’t heard any unwanted conversations anymore.

The sky has gotten darker, fog invaded the usual clarity of the view, and Ole’s mood seemed to have a similar aura about it.

However her curiosity got the better out of her. "And now, Your Eternity, I believe now is the right time to tell me why you didn't want me to know who the Chosen One is."

"...My words still stand, Darya," he gave her a glare. "You'll find out when the time is right. And you definitely don't deserve to know now - they got out well and are on their way to the balloon and Fourcade is almost back to his full senses."

"Dang it, I thought I split them apart more than enough!" Darya yelled, the voice echoing through the chamber. "I thought I planted doubts and fears into their minds!"

"Well, not quite deep enough then," Ole answered, voice ice-cold right when the echoing stopped. He opened the door to his office again, trying to not look at Mirae's crystal ball, finding an old book. A spellbook of the black magic, to be precise.

"Uh, what's that for?" Darya asked, having a quite respectful stance towards the practices, sounding fearful.

"I really hoped I wouldn't have to do this... but here we are."

"I don't understand, Your Eternity, what exactly are you planning to-"

Ole didn't listen to her anymore. Instead, he opened a page, repeating an old chant from it, louder and louder... until…
_____________

“That must’ve been so frustrating and scary… You were so close to finding out the truth, only to never return home. Shit… What must your family think? They must be scared out of their minds!”

“No, actually,” the man assured him, catching Sturla by surprise, “I had to be prepared for this outcome, so before I left, I facetimed my family and told them I am moving back, as I will most likely drop out.”

Sturla’s hands, until now intertwined as he was listening to the story, now dropped to the floor in shock.

His face went pale, and mouth was wide open.

“I think I know who you are…”

But before he could continue, he let out a scream, his head dropping right into the hands of the stranger.

_____________

"...Your Eternity," Darya gasped, nearly screaming in terror as her king's height has grown, body looked student-like, hair growing in length and thickness.

"Why so shocked, Darya?" Ole asked nonchalantly as he eyed himself in the mirror. "Splitting them up didn't work... so the key to their downfall is someone who unites them all."

__________

“We made it!” Quentin let out a cry of joy. “That was so intense…”

“That’s an understatement,” Johannes agreed. Now, there was only one step left to save Sturla and find out the truth about Ole. Thankfully, the Cave didn’t need more confessions from either of the friends, who he was watching now.

Specifically, how Ingrid and Julia were holding hands, smiling at each other like back at that prom. The same applied to Emilien and Quentin. It seemed as if their stay in the Cave helped them talk out their… what was it, actually? Differences? Secrets? Either way, right now, both of the couples seemed to be back on track again.

Before he could ask Ingrid what happened back there, Julia found him first.

“I need to tell you something.”

“I have to as well… because the Cave gave us some information. But you go first.”

“Alright. Ingrid told me something very important. So important in fact that Alya used her most vulnerable side against her to keep her silent.”

“Alya? So she was indeed-”

“The bad guy, yes, she was. Her real name actually is… No, that doesn’t matter anymore, what does is-”

And right then, Martin stopped in his tracks, gasping loudly. “No actual way…”

“What is it, Martin?” Julia questioned, before she found out with her own eyes.

“STURLA!” Ingrid cried out, sprinting right in the arms of the man. He looked like a total mess. His well-cared curls were now messy, to the point one could worry they’d knot up. His left calf was covered in bruises and the sleeves on the pajama top were torn at the elbows. Even his upper lip was cut.

“I can’t believe it,” Martin’s voice broke as he watched Ingrid trap him in an especially tight hug, then decided to carefully join it. “You’re actually well!”

“I am not so sure about it,” Johannes came closer. “What the heck did they do to you in there? No offense, but you had better looking days.”

And didn’t the Cave say no one ever raised a hand at their lost friend?

“Well, being locked up isn’t exactly pleasant. His Eternity barely let me see the sunlight.”

“I can see that, you’re so pale,” Ingrid voiced her concern.

“How did you even get out?” Emilien was curious.

“I managed to run away when a guard gave me food, I punched him, he was fighting me, hence why the bruises, but I overpowered him and got away before His Eternity could see me. One thing is for sure - next time I will not go for a drink in the middle of the night.”

On that, some of the friends let out a bitter laugh. “We’re just happy to have you back. And this time, we will not leave you out of sight.”

“Did you maybe see the hot air balloon His Eternity has for us?” Martin wanted to know.

“Uh…” he answered, getting closer to him. “Are you sure you want to risk it?”

“Exactly… And the way the fog has set is worrying,” Emilien added, wondering if this was the time and place he saw in his mind and had him drenched in sweat.

“Nonsense,” Martin cut him off sharply, making Johannes sigh deeply. “I can’t believe that stupid dream still lingers in your head. Come on, I only have one more step left, we can’t just give up!”

“Heh, I’m just teasing you, Martin. That was just… a rhetorical question.The balloon wasn’t too far away, and you are lucky because I managed to set it up.”

With that, Sturla led the way, still answering questions about his captivity, and how he got the balloon to start working.

“I overheard His Eternity when I was still held ransom in his office. That balloon doesn’t need to be manually controlled, it’s magical. Once it is ready to fly, it will.”

“I have a question,” Quentin spoke up. “We had a suspicious girl watching over us when-”

“When you went to the Cave? Yeah, that was a woman close to His Eternity. I tried to stop them, but…”

“You couldn’t because of your restraint.”

“Exactly. But that was nothing but a test to prove the worth of the next apprentice.”

Only then were they standing right to the colossal balloon, and Sturla walked in. “So, are you coming or not?”

“I’m not going,” Emilien whispered to Quentin. “Remember, Sturla fell from the air. What if it was from this exact spot?”

“That’s true… Hey, Sturla, are you sure you want to fly in that?” Quentin asked.

“I have to, Q,” Sturla responded. “I am the only one who knows the way from here to Berwartstein.”

“Well, count me out then,” Julia proclaimed, pointing at her injured hand. “What if the magic stops working and-”

“No no no, how could it?” Sturla talked through her. “And what about your ring?”

“I do not care if it still shines,” Julia replied. “Could you please tell me the way to that lair, the one you took when you escaped?”

“But Julia, this is the way His Eternity ordered you to follow!”

“Even if he did, I made my girlfriend a promise.”

“Thank you,” Ingrid whispered, before Emilien started apologizing.

“Sturla, I’m not going either. I saw a vision where you fell from a pretty big height. Maybe when I’ll stay here, I could catch you.”

“...Oh,” Sturla croaked out, visibly thinking his next words through. “Well, if it makes you feel better and safer, go ahead. I see your ring isn’t green anymore… Oh wow, and Quentin’s too?! What the heck did I miss?”

“A lot of things,” Quentin confirmed. “But if I’m honest with you, I wouldn’t have gone out there either way. That fog really is concerning.”

“Are you all seriously chickening out?” Martin grew frustrated, getting inside the basket. “For fuck’s sake, I understand why you aren’t set to be the next apprentices.”

“Eh, that is a little bit too much, Martin,” Sturla tried to calm him down. “They are just being cautious-”

“That isn’t him talking, Sturla,” Johannes told him. “I am sure Ole has somewhat of a control over him. He never went after the apprenticeship… his main goal was to save you.”

“Was it? Aww, that’s so nice of you. I knew my roommate wouldn’t disappoint me,” Sturla winked.

“If that is everything you need to say, we should head to Berwartstein. The Cave told us everything. See you when all of this is over.”

“Wait!” Johannes shouted. “I am coming too. I need to make sure both of you are safe once we… once we get to Ole’s lair. I want to see his true self with my own eyes.”

“Are you really sure?” Emilien asked again, at which Johannes gave him a little hug, then did the same to Quentin, Ingrid and Julia - a bit more carefully.

“In case we do not see each other again, I love you all,” he declared, tears gathering in his eyes.

“That is a nice idea,” Sturla suggested, getting out of the basket with Martin. “In case your vision comes true, Emilien.”

This time, the whole group came together, holding each other as tightly as possible, hesitating to let go.

Uncertainty was such a scary thing.

“We have to go,” Sturla commanded, letting the two newest lovers step in first, then Sturla himself closing the door.

And the balloon could take off.
____________

“It is such a shame the others did not join us,” Sturla said, looking around himself just to see some kind of a checkpoint. Those conditions really weren’t making it easy.

“It’s not like His Eternity needs them anymore, anyway.”

“Martin! What if Julia is the Chosen One, and not you?” Sturla had to ask, looking a little offended.

“If she was, she would’ve come with us. Not to mention His Eternity himself confirmed it.”

“We do not know for sure,” Johannes set everything straight. “Like I said… something is off with him. I thought the Cave would get him rid of this persona, but no…”

“That sucks so bad,” Sturla responded. “Maybe His Eternity will find a way to cure him.”

“And a way to cure you, too. I mean, you were sitting in that dungeon, completely unharmed.”

On that, Sturla stopped talking. “Uh… I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you, what did you say?”

“No one hurt you in that dungeon. The Cave confirmed it to us.”

“Ah, okay, okay,” Sturla laughed. “My bad. Yeah, that is true, how I look is basically the result of my fight with the guard.”

“Is your masked friend okay?” Martin was curious in turn, for a moment back to his own self.

“Well… To be honest, I’m not sure what happened to him. But I think he escaped too, later than I did.”

Sturla let out a deep sigh. “I still can’t believe you’re so close to fulfilling the prophecy, whether it’s you, Johannes, or you, Martin. And to think that might not have even happened if we didn’t argue that night!”

Johannes wanted to warn him that he was standing a bit too close. Both to Martin, and to the edge. Dangerously close, even.

And then something stopped him.

For a fraction of a second, he remembered something very important.
_______

“When you went to the Cave? Yeah, that was a woman close to His Eternity. I tried to stop them, but…”

“You couldn’t because of your restraint.”

“Exactly. But that was nothing but a test to prove the worth of the next apprentice.”

_______

“Hold up, what outburst?” Johannes stopped him in his tracks, trying to read his facial expression. “What did I miss last night?”

“Uh… we might have forgotten about that part,” Ingrid admitted. “You see-”

“No, I’ll say it,” Martin insisted. “Yesterday, we had a heated argument about the prophecy… Sturla had this theory about Ole not being as wanting of a magical descendant as we think and I lashed out at him for that.”

_______

“The argument…” he said in terror, looking in front of himself.

The next thing he knew was that Sturla let out a terrified scream as the proximity made him bend over, out of the safety of the basket.

Martin’s reflexes reacted quickly, wanting to grab his hand.

“NO!”

“What are you-”

“GET OFF HIM!” Johannes shrieked, and a surge of force flew through him. A force in form of golden rays that pushed Martin close to him, and let the fake Sturla fall down… down… down.

The same rays that saved him and his five friends back on the Rhein, only this time, Johannes was more than aware of what happened.

And what it indicated.

Completely in shock, he watched Martin’s face fall in disbelief as his ring switched from green to sheer… then looked at his own.

The last ring.

The real ring.

The ring that said it all.

“Johannes, have you got any idea what you did?” Martin shouted, also in denial. “Emilien’s vision just came true! Why would you refuse to let me save Sturla?!”

“That was not him,” Johannes stood his ground, his whole body shaking. “And I’m sure it wasn’t Alya impersonating him either. This one was almost spot-on, but then they mentioned the argument and-”

“He is DEAD because of you!”

“Love, you need to listen! Once Sturla has a theory - one that I now know makes sense, he wouldn’t let it go. The way he suddenly stood by Ole’s theory…”

“You’re the Chosen One,” Martin was repeating quietly, as if in a trance. “You’re the Chosen One…”

“That’s… that’s right,” Johannes said the same words out loud, still not believing it. “Ole was lying to you, completely corrupted you. The Martin I know didn’t have the prophecy at the first place, his… your main goal was to-”

“What the heck did you enchant him with?”

Johannes shivered even more. Not only was Martin back in Ole’s grasp again, this time it appeared as if the king’s voice was literally speaking out. He was eyeing him like a wolf eyes its prey.

Somehow, it made Johannes connect two and two together. Was that really what Julia wanted to say to him?

Oh who was he kidding…

“It was him… Martin, Ole Einar Bjoerndalen shapeshifted into Sturla’s body! Sturla is still in the lair!”

“Traitor… TRAITOR!”

“Martin, you have to snap out of it! I did not corrupt anyone!”

“You took the prophecy from me…”

“It was never yours to begin with! That’s just what he was trying to tell you to use your ambitions in his favor!”

“Lies, lies, lies!” Martin’s voice echoed. “And to think I felt all that love for you. Well, guess what? I don’t want to see your face ever again!”

“No… Martin, you need to wake up!” Johannes pleaded, trying to snap his fingers in front of him. “You still love me, I still love you, he is controlling- wait, what are you doing?” he stuttered as Martin edged closer to him, steps more than intentional.

“When I say I don’t want to see your face ever again...”

“What- No! Do not do this to me! You will let Ole win! YOU NEED TO WAKE UP!” Johannes screamed again in despair, but it was to no use.

The man he’s admired, the man he’s been accompanying, the man who became a close friend of his, a man who always put friendships first no matter what, the man who he had just become a lover of, the same man that has just recently saved him from death... that same man shoved him roughly, Johannes mercilessly falling down from the sky.

The last thing the Chosen One remembered was Ole’s laughter ringing across the sky before his mind and body gave in.

Accepting the cruel fate this quest prepared for him.

Chapter Text

Ole finally saw the whole friend group in his real form. The young students who must have lost their minds when they thought accompanying his nemesis would be a good idea.

He slowly paced across the biggest room in the castle, looking each and every one of them from head to toe. They weren’t tied up, but still too petrified to try and run. And even if one were so careless to try, he could easily take their life as a warning.

He watched in amusement as Sturla was catching his breath and Ingrid was right alongside him.

"Sturla, you need to breathe... Please, stay with us..."

Next to Ingrid, the masked friend sat, also trying to soothe Sturla by gently stroking his shoulder.

"You dirty fucker! Can you even drop lower than getting Sturla to this state?!" the usually smiling brunette’s brows were furrowed in rage.

"Always so impulsive, Quentin. Shouldn't you take care of your beau instead?"

It was right. Emilien’s stare was blank, still recovering from the events.

“Wha- How the hell do you know my name?!”

“I have my eyes…” he moved forward to pierce him with his gaze, “everywhere.”

"Rot in hell," Julia stared daggers into him in turn.

"I'm afraid that's not happening, Julia," Ole turned to her, voice nonchalant at the first listening.

"Do NOT put my name into your mouth-"

With that, Ole waved his hand to make her quiet.

"Nice move, Your Eternity!" Darya squeaked. “I wanted to do that the whole time I kept them company.”

“So this is your real form,” Ingrid shook her head, caught off guard by the contrast of the look of Alya, a seemingly innocent and kind one, to the person behind the mask, completely submerged in evil.

“Urgh, but I still can’t believe it. He doesn’t even initiate the whole thing and still…”

“Well, you don’t have to worry about that anymore,” Ole answered.

On that, Martin spoke up. "Where is Johannes?"

He was only met with silence.

"...Where. Is he?!" he repeated, with more fury.

Ole did nothing but walk up to him... and then he smirked.

Martin's eyes widened in terror. "What did you do to him, asshole? ANSWER NOW!"

Ole laughed quietly, but still loud enough for the rest of the group to hear.

"I think a better question is... what YOU did."
____________

Johannes…

His head was a pinching mess. He didn’t know of himself, and yet could perceive his surroundings. Maybe not see them… but he was aware of them.

Johannes…

What was happening? Is this how the in-between world felt like? Or was he still dying and his only future was slowly losing consciousness as a whole?

JOHANNES.

…That couldn’t be.

All of a sudden, the eyes of the Norwegian were wide opened as he was plunged into reality once again. The headache didn’t stop - in fact, it would be a weak word to describe the pain - and his right knee was swollen and painful, but he was alive. Alive and wrapped up in a fur-like blanket, fire burning not too far away from him.

How the hell did he make it from… where was he… wait, what the heck even happened?

And then, Johannes’ memories came back to him. The Cave of Candour, the reassurance of Sturla being alright, then the reunion with his friends. Julia wanted to tell him something about Darya.

Then Sturla… He came back, and yet something felt eerily off. Why didn’t he realize it sooner? Maybe Martin wouldn’t… he wouldn’t…

Never would Johannes have thought he’d almost die by the hands of his boyfriend.

What happens if Martin finds out he’s alive? What if Ole really consumed his mind to the point his stabbing words about not loving him anymore were actually true? Or even worse… maybe kills him for real this time?

The thought had him paralysed with fear.

Johannes didn’t even realize a salty, wet trail was making its way down his cheek, then another… and another, until he broke into full-blown sobs.

He was the Chosen one all along.

And he might have just lost everyone around him.

“Oh thank god.”

“Wh-who’s there?” Johannes tried to toughen up, finding a rock close to him. He finally recognized he was laying down in a lit-up cave full of them. Whoever brought him here, what if they had ulterior motives with him? What if they came from Ole to make sure he really passed away in that tragic accident?

“Put that rock down, Johannes,” the same voice commanded. The sheer warmth of it convinced the young man to do so, and he was glad it did because who appeared right in front of him, radiated the good.

But not by the means of your stereotypical angel with light skin or blonde hair… It was by means of his warm eyes of chestnut color, marked by years and years of life. His skin was tan and hair brown.

“I understand why you’d want to defend yourself… but I promise I’m not here to harm you.” He came even closer to wrap his warm palms around the injured knee… and just like that, it healed as if nothing even occurred.

The first time, aside from his own rays of power, that Johannes saw magic happen right in front of him.

“On the contrary. How are you feeling? You’ve been out for longer than I expected.”

“Like shit… And completely confused, to be honest…. Who are you, what did you just do and how the heck am I not dead?”

His face, wrinkled lightly, had a smile on it now. “I’m sure you have a lot of questions. Don’t worry, I will answer everything I can. Right now, you have to regain your strength. What happened must have given you a strong shock. Here… Have a cup of water.”

At that, the mysterious man snapped his fingers… and the glass actually appeared, water pouring from the air.

He never realized that such a simple task as filling a glass full of water could be so awe-striking.

When he thanked him and wanted to take the first sip, he noticed what was puddling around the older man...

“Black feathers?”

“Nice notice,” the man answered.

“Wait a second… Does this mean what I think it does?”

“It depends on what you mean,” he looked at him meaningfully.

“...It was you all along,” Johannes responded to him. “You’re a shapeshifter. You can turn into a raven, and you saved us back on the river. It was you who Ole took advantage of. And now… Was it you who saved me from certain death?”

“Precisely,” the man smiled. “My name is Raphael Poiree. Years ago, I managed to escape the cruel fate of my other colleagues because I wasn’t at the council that day, and therefore managed to keep my own powers.”

“Years ago? More like centuries ago,” Johannes retorted, still in awe. “How did you practically become immortal? It’s the twenty-first century now!”

“That I know. The second I realized what happened-”

“Could I interrupt you just for a second? I’m not sure I follow. What cruel fate? What council?”

“Oh wow, he really did twist the narrative…” Raphael said in frustration. “So… Long story short, back in the day, everyone could do magic, and in charge of keeping it in control, there was the Sorcery Council. Their office was Berwartstein.”

“Berwartstein… The same castle the Cave was mentioning, and where Sturla was kept ransom!” Johannes remembered.

“Exactly. It used to be a place of nothing but peace, until Ole Einar Bjoerndalen wanted to become the head of it. When he didn’t get the position, he turned to black magic. Eventually, he killed each and every one of both my colleagues… and anyone else who possessed stronger powers, which seeped right into him.”

“That had to be so much blood on his hands…” Johannes realized. “How horrible! Together with my friends… who also came to save Sturla… we all read legends describing something similar, but not in such details. I guess that’s the effect of Ole’s rule.”

“I have no doubt he’d maybe use even more force on the whole continent if it wasn’t for the prophecy. Either way… I happened to be ill that day. And when I found out what happened, I knew he wouldn’t stop at just Berwartstein. I knew he couldn’t become the only magical being in Europe. I had to act quick. So, as soon as the coast was clear, I rushed to the library of the Council to find an immortality spell I could cast on myself without using black magic.”

“You seem to have succeeded.”

“I did. Not even at my lowest lows would I do the same act as Ole Einar Bjoerndalen did.”

“Wait, how did he not find you after all this time?”

“The answer is simple - it was my raven form,” Raphael answered. “Right after I enchanted myself, I had to pay Mirae a visit. They appeared disturbed about Ole’s actions, to say the least. Turns out I was lucky, because not too much later, they were left for dead.”

That confused Johannes. That was a name he hadn't heard before. “Mirae?”

“Oh, forgive me,” Raphael realised. “I thought you already heard of the name… even if I should have seen it coming that Ole had their name removed from anyone but himself. Mirae’s oracles are what shaped each of our lives… and what made Bjoerndalen the tyrant he is. Because once the oracle is told, it’s irreversible. And his was… to never become the most powerful wizard.”

“So, if I understand correctly, they were a fortune teller?”

“And what a remarkable one. That’s why Bjoerndalen stole every valuable and useful artifact they used for their work right after he took their life. Both as revenge, but also to become even stronger. Through the renowned crystal ball, he spied on you, for example.”

“How is that possible, though? Didn’t you say Ole couldn’t ever become the… force of all forces?”

“That’s what we all wondered. No one in history has ever torn through means of fate like that, ever. But, there still is a way to stop him.”

“And that is?”

“It’s right on your finger. The ring that shines on it is actually one of the only artifacts that didn’t fall to Ole’s rule… and could lead to his demise. That’s Mirae’s second part of the oracle for Ole… and what is known as the prophecy.”

Johannes shuddered at the strong proclamation. Was this really how the prophecy went all this time? He had to hold his head in his hands in agony as the ache hit him again.

“You’re starting to get overwhelmed,” Raphael noted. “I do not blame you. After everything you had to endure, and now such a tough task… Let’s stop with the questions for now. When was the last time you’ve eaten?” he suggested to change the subject. “Maybe a good meal could help you.”

“Where from, though?” Johannes questioned. “The nearest village is pretty far away!”

“Don’t you worry… I will do the same thing as with the water.”

“You can create a food out of nothing too?”

Raphael laughed lightly. “You’re adorable. Yes, I can, among many other things. That’s also how I took care of your friend Sturla in the dungeon, and kept visiting from time to time.”

Johannes’ eyes widened. So Raphael not only prevented his death, but also took care of Sturla’s wellbeing?

Before he could express his gratitude again, a familiar smell invaded his nose. Only now has it hit him how long he hasn’t eaten properly, no matter the supplies Ingrid packed.

And how long he hasn’t eaten the Lofoten fish soup for.

Smelling the butter, the carrots and the salmon, he grabbed the spoon that magically appeared and dug in.

“I figured you would like this one,” Raphael smiled lightly.

“You have no idea how many memories you’ve unlocked,” Johannes opened up. “One of my earliest childhood memories. We were actually living in Lofoten, so the soup was actually authentic. I enjoyed wandering through those fields so much, together with Tarjei… that’s my older brother. It’s a pity we moved houses rather quickly, without any explanation.”

“You had luck your parents were as caring as they were. They cared for your safety above everything else. I saw that from the very beginning. You see, your ring began shining as soon as you were born.”

“Speaking of which, you still didn’t answer how come the ring is still on my hand right now.”

“Oh yes, my apologies. You see, back in the day, I was actually a doctor. When I told Mirae about my newfound immortality, they approved of my intentions and gave me a new quest to fulfill, as well as what the future held for their lair. Namely keeping the ring safe before the century of the Chosen One’s birth.”

“My century,” Johannes breathed out.

“Exactly. As soon as Mirae’s words about their former office becoming a maternity home came true, I could practise what I studied once more - and had my youngest daughter in the meantime. I was in awe of how medicine progressed, and was happy my little girl chose the same path.”

“But… how did you even figure out I was the one?”

“I am getting to it, I promise,” Raphael assured. “Simply by going from baby to baby to check the ring’s reaction. Until you, it became nothing but a formality. I was lucky that most of my colleagues at the time believed my words about the prophecy. They believed that there’s more to the legends of Ole than what he demanded to spread.”

“You mean the apprenticeship nonsense?”

“Precisely. Of course, I put my daughter right on the spot about those lies. Just like my other descendants convinced most of the Norwegian people and people across Europe during the centuries. One day, she came to me, all excited and told me the Chosen One has arrived.”

Johannes listened eagerly, eating the soup in the process. However, he wanted to know more. “But… How did it become so widespread? The whole fake ring idea, who came up with it?”

“Thank your parents for that, once again,” Raphael replied. “Are you feeling a little better now that you’ve eaten?”

“So much… Thank you so much, for everything.”

“With pleasure, Johannes. But back to the story.”

“Yes… my parents. I should’ve known there was a reason why they watched my every move,” Johannes shook his head. “I thought it was just them being extra worried and careful.”

“Not to mention they had the luck to hear about Ole’s actual prophecy. So when the ring started shining, they naturally began to panic. They were terrified Ole would find you and kill you off.”

“How come I found out after twenty years then?”

Johannes wanted to ask further, but then something clicked.

“Your youngest daughter. Why do you keep mentioning her?”

“That attention for little details is admirable. You see… She managed to get some important contacts during her studies, contacts to secret televisions who also knew the truth. And those provided the fake rings.”

“...I see,” Johannes nodded, but he didn’t know what to think. He should be thankful, actually. That woman granted him a fear-free life, or life as a living experiment. And yet… Why has no one ever told him before, instead of giving his peers in the whole of Europe the false hope, putting lives in danger?

“So that’s why we moved so often… Did I maybe slowly start acquiring the power I’m supposed to have?”

“It’s possible. I remember that as a child, my own magic started from these random little sparks. I wouldn’t be surprised if that were the case for you. However, they had to be much weaker, given Ole didn’t detect your activity until now.”

“And yet my family had to notice, and there we were, on the run again.”

“They did what they thought was the safest for you, yes.”

“But… Why didn’t you come into my life sooner?” Johannes asked.

“Purely Mirae’s commands. They insisted I’d give them my word that I’d stay in hiding until the actual quest begins, and that I’d try to spread the truth in the meantime, either by myself or through my children. And so, when I saw how Ole took your friend, my part began. I had to be discreet, otherwise he would figure the plan out.”

“And yet you weren’t discreet enough,” Johannes retorted. “Are you aware that Ole used your raven form against me and my friends? I already mentioned it before.”

The reproachful tone caught Raphael off guard. At last, he responded: “I did not count with this at all. I wished I could just shapeshift and send that woman away - I swear on my life I did not know Ole had a sidekick like that. He’s always been more of a loner… But when I realized your group was falling right into a trap - and even worse, used my rescue against you, I at least tried to give you signs. Like flying into the opposite direction than your group, hoping someone would notice…”

“We did not.”

“I wish I could’ve been more noticeable, but I risked getting the attention of that woman and Ole himself,” Raphael explained. “Unfortunately, there was nothing else I could do. The more relieved I was when I found out that only you and Martin followed Ole onboard. That way, when I saw you falling down, I could only focus on you.”

“Wait!” Johannes interrupted him, tears in his eyes at the mention of his name. “Martin! What happened to him, Raphael? Please, did he survive? I’m not sure if I can imagine a world without him…”

Raphael nodded in understanding, offering his shoulder to Johannes, who once again broke down in tears for his lover. The fear was maybe bigger than the one of the actual task he needed to face.

“Shh… He’s alive, I am sure of it.”

“How can you be?” Johannes doubted. “You were saving me!”

“Johannes, your dearest was already gone when I plunged down for you. Ole must have taken him to Berwartstein once he was sure you would lose your life.”

“Raphael, what if he’s killed him in the lair?” Johannes worried once again. “And what happened to Sturla, to Ingrid and Julia, Emilien and Quentin? I can’t lose them, do you understand? I CAN’T!”

“Whoa, whoa,” Raphael had to calm him down. “Please, you have to listen to me. What happened was terrifying. Even that isn’t a word powerful enough to describe it. But… We need to work on your control.”

“What the fuck do you mean by that?”

“Do you trust me, Johannes?” Raphael looked deep into his eyes.

“I… I guess so…”

“Alright. Now, I know this was only recent, but what triggered your powers back at the balloon?”

Johannes tried to make his breathing slower by inhaling and exhaling deeply, then he replied: “When I realized it was not Sturla with us… When Martin tried to hold on to him and bring him back on the board.”

“Alright… And how would you describe the feeling that overtook you then?”

Now, he didn’t have to think twice. “Terror. My head made up an image of Martin falling down with the fake Sturla, and I just couldn’t let that happen.”

“Exactly… It was a similar emotion as you feel right now. Now, could you tell me about the time you and your friends were trying to stay afloat on the Rhein?”

“That… it was pure survival mode right there,” Johannes confessed. “I tried not to panic, but it was stronger, and when I saw everyone around me desperately trying to catch a breath… To be honest, I do not remember what happened. If it wasn’t for Emilien’s vision, maybe we wouldn’t even know about those rays, and about you.”

“Good job. Now, see how it slowly creates a pattern here? That’s why I wanted you to catch a breath. If you let the fear overtake you like that, the magic could burst out, hurt both of us, and most importantly… give Ole a signal,” Raphael explained as composedly as possible.

At that, he sat up again. “Gosh, I can’t just let them be at his mercy like that! I do not want his scheming stare, his dark magic or his bloody hands on my friends! I need to do something!”

On that, Johannes’ ice blue eyes sparkled with nothing but sheer determination.

“Raphael… I have to fulfill the prophecy. Tonight.”

“I’m happy to hear that. The actual prophecy states that you have to meet in a magical duel against Bjoerndalen. Only one of you can make it out alive. Which is why I needed to know about the triggers of your ability.”

He motioned for Johannes to stand up. “We need to work on your… how should I name it… technique. It’s not a good sign in the long run if your magic is only channelled through stronger emotion.”

“How, though?” Johannes listened. “Ole wiped out all the possible mentors, am I supposed to…”

He stopped talking as he realized who he was leaning against.

“Ahh…”

“Correct,” Raphael pat him on his back. “To beat Ole Einar Bjoerndalen, you need to know what you are doing. The power is already there, it’s evident. All you need is to learn how to control it, how to maintain it and master it.”

“Master it? In such a short time? Is that even possible?”

Instantly, Johannes shoved the insecurity away. “No… I can’t think like this. I can’t lose hope this quickly. That… is exactly what Ole wants. I… have a chance. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be picked.”

Raphael gave him a little applause. “That right there was a masterclass of the first step. A mindset of hope. That is like the driving force. Without it, your magic could be unstable. As if it reflected the mindset, in fact.”

“A driving force…” Johannes repeated, breathing in… and out. Again and again. A wave of relief flooded his whole body.

Until gradually, instead of feeling the surge of power, he felt it carefully culminating somewhere inside of him. As if it was waiting for his command to be released.

“A wonderful feeling, don’t you think?”

“Were we really robbed of this for so long?”

“Thank your nemesis for that,” Raphael joked. “Either way… now that you feel the power stably circulating… carefully put your palms into fists, arms next to your body.”

“Palms into fists, arms next to me… got it.”

“And now, the ultimate test of how stable you are. Open one of those fists.”

“Alright…” Johannes chose the right one, doing as the Counselor said. He now recognized the signature color of his power, but instead of striking in a matter of a second, it was as if it appeared gradually. And not only that - it stayed right in his palm instead of surging forward.

“Perfect,” Raphael complimented. “Now, try to alternate it.”

And so, Johannes tried to repeat the same action with his left hand. Only now, the fist wasn’t as cooperative, opening too fast, which resulted in the power being wilder.

“Close the hand, now!”

Johannes instantly complied. That was awfully close from making a mess.

“Your right hand is obviously the one you feel better using,” Raphael noted. “Ideally, the control should be equal in both hands. However, it takes time. Right now, your left hand is much weaker in terms of control. Even if I saw worse cases in my life. Still, for a beginner, nice work. When battling him, try using your right hand more.”

“Understood… Now, how do I strike?”

“Well… you already showed you can do that move. Simply switch from the fist next to your body… to your arm in a ninety-degree angle, with an open hand.”

And Johannes tried to imitate, now feeling the ray leave him in a more calculated manner.

“Oh wow…” he sighed out, in awe of what he was capable of. Of course, there was so much he had yet to explore, and still… If Mirae’s oracles really were correct and permanent, maybe he really could defeat the eternal ruler even with his newly-acquired skills.

“I feel like I’ll be in this stance quite often. Now… I think I am ready to face him, Raphael. Could you please lead me right to Berwartstein?”

Raphael smirked, telling him to brace himself as he lifted him up bridal-style, and after a long time, lifted up into the air in his human form.

“With pleasure.”
___________

“So… what should I do with all of you?” Ole thought out loud. As if someone whispered an idea to him, he turned to the one that was cursed.

“I don’t think we will be needing that cloud anymore, won’t we, Tarjei?”

“Wait, WHAT?” Ingrid’s eyes almost popped out. “You can’t possibly mean-”

“It’s not the only Boe I’ve had to keep an eye on. So smart, Ingrid,” Ole replied with a devious smile.

“I… I can talk again…” the older brother was catching his breath. Finally, he could see the face of the man who unknowingly brought light into his recent time. He could admire the beautiful, rich brown curls, his comforting eyes, the moustache and beard that slowly began to grow.

On the other side, Sturla was awestruck. Not only was his theory right, but now, he could admire his friend’s physical features. That kind, dismayed smile, those ocean eyes… He found himself shyly looking down. Together with his pure personality and care, Johannes’ brother was everything he wanted in his…

No. Right now, it’s not the time to think of that. Sturla refused to lose hope. Deep down, he begged for Johannes to return.

“What about we execute one of them and have it broadcasted?” Darya’s eyes twinkled. “To give the whole world a warning how someone who tries to defy you ends up like.”

“Great idea. Monsieur Fourcade here seems to be the best example.”

Martin didn’t react to it like he usually would. Haunted by Ole’s reminder of what he did, under his control or not, he couldn’t live with himself anymore. He got rid of the love of his life, acted coldly towards him... He became everything he despised and feared.

At least he and Johannes would reunite again. Maybe he'll get to apologize for everything.

“What a way to finally start my original plans,” Ole's eyes twinkled. “Finally… All those years being paralyzed by the fucking prophecy. I couldn’t achieve my goals at all! Now, it is secured for me and the future.”

“And what about me, Your Eternity? Does that make me your…” She blushed before finishing the sentence. “You know, your queen?”

“Uh… If you want to call it like that, then yes.”

“Darya,” Ingrid dared to speak up. “Please, you really don’t have to do this. I don’t know what happened to you in your life, who hurt you enough to force the kindness out of you, but know you can always get a second chance! That man doesn't care about you at all!”

“Your mind games won’t work on me!” Darya shrieked. “This is my second chance. This castle, the luxury, the power, the well-deserved respect and fear. The king himself gave it to me, and there is no way I’m wasting this opportunity!”

And with that, the little bit of hope for Darya’s redemption disappeared. Her decision was engraved deep in her core.

“You will also be in charge of my experimenting plans, Darya. We can always create fusions of some dark spells, and create torturing devices worse than death itself.”

Julia shivered in turn. She didn’t like the sound of this. She'd retort, but Ole's spell still lasted on her.

As Darya saw her unease, she laughed like a maniac. “Your Eternity! I think I found the perfect testing object! And how about we keep her precious girlfriend here, as our servant? She can’t do anything else, anyway. Only serve and please.”

“Hey, do not speak of her that way!” Sturla came to her defense.

“I’m glad I hear you again,” Ole froze him with his stare. “Because you, with your… versatile theories… You will spread my narrative all over Europe. Without sparing any thought to doubt.”

“Ooh, and isn’t Quentin the craftsman? How about he gets your weapons ready for Martin's execution?”

“What? No, I refuse to do that!” Quentin objected.

“It’s okay, Quentin,” Martin replied, voice defeated.

“Don’t you dare speak like that, Martin!”

“Do you really think you have a say in this?” Ole’s yell echoed across the room. Quentin flinched at the intensity as his sensitive side was set off.

“Remember… I am now forever in charge. And if you dare to disobey… I will make you craft the axe or sword, and decapitate you with it myself!”

“Oooh, music to my ears!” Darya quivered. “And how about his pipsqueak of a boyfriend?”

“Well… His visions will come in handy. Only this time… he will be my personal fortune teller. A better alternative to the hag. And when the visions aren’t to my liking…”

Right then, Ole’s head began to pulse. Darya also held her head in pain.

“Aaaah! Your Eternity, that… It can’t be, can it?”

“He couldn’t possibly have survived it…”

Martin’s eyes rose up, tears gathering in them. “Min kjaere…”

“Is it…” Emilien noticed the sudden shift.

“It is!” Ingrid smiled widely. “Sturla, he survived! He’s alive!”

“SILENCE!” Ole roared as he finally shrugged the intense discomfort off. “Darya, keep your eye on them… and bring me the brother.”

“NO! Get your hands off him!” Sturla shouted.

“You know what? Nope,” Darya pinched his nose. “All of you are going to watch your friend die for real like obedient dogs.”

“And you, Tarjei… don’t worry. This won’t hurt. At all.”

“Put your dirty spells away-”

With a snap of his fingers, Tarjei’s horrified look turned into an excited one, a bright but insincere smile on his face.

“Wait in my study until I call you in,” Ole asked of him, and Tarjei complied without a single word.

“Not again,” Martin breathed out. “Johannes… please, love, you have to see through him again…”

And as he whispered this to himself, his boyfriend really entered the room. No lack of certainty was visible on his expression, on the contrary.

He looked like a man on a mission.

Only this time, it wasn’t just a turn of phrase.

“Finally I found you, Ole Einar Bjoerndalen.”

“Oh my god…” Sturla was taken aback. Even his voice… The usual calmness and kindness was gone. Instead, his tone was composed, deeper… and even enraged.

This was it… There was no turning back.

“Johannes Thingnes Boe,” Ole responded, his own anger turning into a terrifying serenity.

“Finally we meet face to face.”

Chapter Text

“Drop the act, now. We all know the truth.”

Johannes, as tough as he tried to look, couldn’t stop his hands from shaking slightly as the weight of the moment started downing on him. Of course, he was relieved to see Martin alive, all of his friends alive, but seeing Ole without any disguise was something he couldn’t quite put into words.

It seemed like the long life wasn’t visible on him too much. Apart from the wrinkles around his nose, lips and forehead, as well as the hands that got veiny overtime, he kept his fit physique, as well as the chestnut hair.

And in his eyes, he could see both the feeling of vengeance and pride.

His gaze remained suspicious as the ruler, instead of lunging straight at him, gave him… what was that for a smile? It seemed almost warm. Yet, it was not the same warmth of his boyfriend’s smile, or his relatives, or his other friends.

“Why the attitude, Johannes?” Ole shook his head. “You don’t even want to try and hear me out.”

“I’m not hearing you out until you let my friends go,” Johannes stood his ground. “Leave them out of this!”

“Oh, I see… Well, I can assure you my intention isn’t to hurt either one of your friends.”

“He’s lying!” Quentin objected, before Ole used the same spell as he used on Julia so he couldn’t talk anymore.

“As you can see…” the ruler continued as if nothing has happened. “They are not tied up, they can move freely. This is purely about you and me, you’re right. And if you hear me out… they can achieve the same level of fame and power as you can.”

“What is he talking about?” Emilien asked Ingrid and Martin quietly.

“I don’t know, but it can’t be anything good,” Ingrid worried, still feeling down about the fact Darya - who still kept her eyes on them intently - couldn’t be redeemed anymore. Maybe she’d have helped them, at least to get out.

“There is a reason I didn’t reveal the real prophecy,” Ole began.

“No shit, you didn’t want to lose your life, that’s why,” Johannes snapped back.

“Do not forget who you’re talking to,” Ole raised his voice in such a manner that Johannes flinched away. “Now if you let me finish, Chosen One... That prophecy demands a life of one of us. Again, you’re correct. But I couldn’t risk you pulling away from it. So many people fear death, in fact. I needed to make sure you’d come right to me.”

“So that you could kill me in an instant,” Johannes replied, irony in his voice.

“That’s not what I’m saying,” Ole retorted. “My point… is that we do not have to proceed with the prophecy at all.”

“...What?” Sturla’s eyes went wide.

“You heard me, Sturla… no, we don’t,” Ole turned to the curly-haired Norwegian. Afterwards, he eyed Johannes once again. “Throughout your quest, I could see your magic progress, get triggered… and exactly how strong it was.”

This was unexpected for the younger Boe. Sure, Raphael did praise his control over his power, but to hear a compliment from his fate-sworn enemy?

“You’re a natural, Johannes,” Ole stepped closer to him. “I just can’t believe you were hidden somewhere between your peers this long. I can’t comprehend just how overshadowed, how unseen your potential was. It reminds me of my own story, you know…”

So that’s how he wants to play, Johannes thought to himself. As if he’d cave in to that evident manipulation!

“...I know that story way too well,” he gave Ole a death glare.

“Then surely you understand we’re actually quite similar. Overlooked… constantly looked upon, or even looked down upon… Never achieving our dreams simply because of unfortunate circumstances… You never truly belonged, moving so often, didn’t you? You could never truly break through. That’s why you agreed to go to Strasbourg in the first place. To belong and break through. Have you ever said that to your friends?”

…He didn’t. As soon as the group formed, he stayed in the moment. Enjoyed every hangout, every study session, the sudden freedom. The last thing he did was dwell on his life in Norway. It never came to question, there wasn’t a situation where he’d feel like talking about the past.

Yet he still didn’t want to give Ole the satisfaction of hearing it from his lips.

“So you didn’t.”

Shit.

“Was that maybe because even among your own companions, you could never really show what you were capable of? Your boyfriend overshadowed you, am I right?”

“...I said leave them out of this,” Johannes repeated himself, confidence slowly disappearing.

“My apologies,” Ole calmed him down. “I don’t mean to upset my equal.”

There went the shock once again, to the point even Darya’s eyes could fall out.

“Your equal?” Where was this leading, even?

“Don’t you understand, Johannes? The prophecy pits two unreckoned forces against each other. Me… and you. Don’t you think that’s a shame? Why should two powerful sorcerers work against each other? I, for one, think that together, we’d be unstoppable.”

The sheer madness the ruler radiated… But was it really a bad kind of it? Why did his words have such an effect on Johannes? His hands were no longer clenched in fists, and his eyes slowly lost their determination, appearing numb instead as Ole Einar Bjoerndalen slowly started to get into his head…

“Think of me and you standing here, ruling the whole continent. You’d get the long-awaited respect. You could finally show the world what you’re made of… maybe forever. You’d get the best teacher… with centuries of experience. No one would dare to disobey you.”

The mention of Ole as a mentor made Johannes snap back into reality.

“What makes you think I’d agree to that? Don’t pretend you forgot how you wiped out magic from everyone. Every single competition. How should I be an exception?”

On that, Ole showed… Was that a sign of frustration? Even then, it was hardly visible, even to Johannes. But it was still there.

“Interesting… Thoughts about eternal power and respect don’t appeal to you. Well, even if you don’t believe my words right now, I can assure you I would not ever do that to you. You are miles away from my former colleagues. They… they kept robbing me of the highest spot. You are the one getting robbed. That’s what your generation calls being treated unjustly, right?”

The king started pacing across the room, thinking out loud. “What more could I do to convince you I only have good intentions with you?”

Johannes kept eyeing him, alert in case he’d suddenly strike. And from him, the focus went on Darya to make sure she wasn’t threatening his companions in any way.

Looking for any signs of warning in the eyes of Martin.

“You know, Johannes,” Ole proclaimed at that, “who said we’d need to rule alone?”

“...What?”

“Who said you’d have to part ways with those who you finally belonged with?” Ole flipped the script. “They were your force along this quest… Your magic was activated when you all were close to drowning. Then again in the balloon, when you began worrying about Martin. They deserve as much credit as you do. And…”

Johannes waited for the final answer, but he didn’t get it. Instead, the eternal ruler clapped his hands and in came...

“...Tarjei!” Johannes cried out in shock.

“Exactly… Your older brother.”

Johannes’ eyes were full of tears now. He hasn’t seen him in a long time, and he couldn’t help himself but to give him a big, tight hug.

“Don’t you even think of it, Laegreid,” Darya hissed as she registered Sturla’s horrified look of realisation.

“What the heck are you doing here? I thought you moved back to Norway!”

“Well… change of plans,” Tarjei shrugged. “Gosh, it’s been so long! Remember back when I called you about me dropping out from Strasbourg?”

“...Yes?” Johannes urged him to continue.

“I managed to learn about the prophecy. I found this castle, and Ole found me. How can anyone say that he’s cruel? He’s a wonderful person!”

“I instantly knew he was your brother,” Ole added in. “You’ve got the same look in your eyes, similar smiles. Instantly, I offered him a place to stay. A nice bed to sleep in, food to eat, gave him insight into magic.”

“I’ve never slept in better conditions, Jo,” Tarjei smiled from ear to ear - almost uncannily. “I could stay here for the rest of my life!”

“He has to see it… doesn’t he?” Martin asked Sturla, careful not to catch Darya’s attention. Sturla didn’t give him an answer, just watched, still petrified, how Ole was shifting the narrative.

Once again.

“This is how I know about your past life, Johannes - through Tarjei here,” Ole told the Norwegian student. “And you know what they say… A relative of my equal is a friend of mine. If you accept my offer, you and Tarjei will live in luxury. You two… and your whole friend group. They will be rewarded for bringing you to me. Neither of you will lose your life, we will live forever. And who knows… I might just bless your marriage with Martin when the time comes.”

Before Johannes could react, Ole snapped his fingers and everything went blurry. All he could concentrate on was Tarjei’s smile, his joy… and Ole possibly providing the whole world to people he loves.

“That’s it… A handshake is all it takes,” Ole’s eyes gleamed with triumph. “Come close to me… shake my right hand… and we have ourselves a deal.”

He couldn’t fight it. Not even if he concentrated his whole willpower into it. All he could do was slowly approach the ruler.

“Yes…” Ole’s smirk slowly became wider and wider.

“Finally,” Darya clenched her right fist victoriously.

“Fight… Love, you need to resist…” Martin was hypnotizing his love with his eyes, as if he could outdo Ole’s own power…

And then, Martin remembered a crucial detail. Approaching Sturla as fast as possible, he breathed out:

“You need to know about something. It’s about the Cave of Candour.”

“I… agree to your conditions. We… will be unstoppable,” Johannes called out, whole body conscious and not at once.

“Shake my hand, then…” Ole repeated, already gathering a fatal amount of dark magic in his slowly opening right fist, “and it’s sealed.”

Eternal wellbeing… All of his friends wouldn’t have to move a finger anymore… He could see Tarjei everyday…

Justice, Ole’s voice echoed. Justice…

“JOHANNES, TARJEI IS THE MASKED MAN WHO KEPT ME COMPANY!” Sturla screamed from the bottom of his lungs just as Johannes extended his hand.

The whole group held their breath…

And Johannes stopped right in his tracks.

“Get… out… of my HEAD!!!” he roared, eyes once again furious as he unleashed another of his rays, Ole barely avoiding it as he tumbled to the ground, and Darya with him.

“...Johannes? What is going on?” Tarjei came back to his senses.

“How dare you hold my brother in a dungeon?!” Johannes still stared at Ole, remembering everything twisted the ruler had done.

Because kidnapping one of his close friends was one thing. Taking control of his boyfriend to the point Johannes almost lost his life was another one.

However, if his family was involved… There was no turning back.

“Son of a…” Ole’s tone came back to its true colors. “You are more resistant than I thought.”

He got back on his feet, shoving Tarjei out of the way, already creating another deadly beam.

“The more satisfying it will be… to bring you down.”

“Not if I have to say anything about it!”

With that, Johannes did exactly what he'd learnt just a few moments ago. He let his own beam fly right to Ole, as fast as possible to catch him unprepared.

However, the ruler rolled his eyes, closed them and repelled the blow as if it was the easiest thing in the world.

So Johannes tried again and again, affected by Ole’s calm reaction… and failed everytime.

“No…”

“That’s all you got, Chosen One?” he mocked, still gathering the dark magic in his palm. “Well then… let me show you who you’re up against!”

“JOHANNES, WATCH OUT!”

Johannes’ reaction to Emilien’s cry was imminent. Right when the red ray was about to get to him, his golden one challenged it, his right hand outstretched just like Raphael taught him.

However, he couldn’t simply focus on the technique or definitions. This time, he allowed himself to use his emotion as an advantage. Anything to make his magic superior.

Because Johannes knew the fatal duel… was happening right there, and right now.

___________

“Thank god, that was so close,” Martin breathed out as he watched the inevitable duel begin. Watched for any signs of… Fuck, he couldn’t call it weakness! The last thing he wanted to do is jinx his boyfriend.

As if Ole didn’t get under his skin already. Both Martin and Johannes’ actually.

He has just found out Johannes is alive, dammit. He wouldn’t bear to see him die for the second time.

The scene unfolding right in front of him and the rest of the group was one of a kind. Ole reflected pure rage as he concentrated the most certainly deadly spell right on Johannes, who thankfully didn’t show any fear. His face turned red, and one of his veins on the forehead was visible to the whole world.

In fact, the emotion was so overwhelming that he was slowly starting to overpower the eternal ruler.

And yet, Martin had this gut feeling that maybe, just maybe, the upper hand came too soon.

“Do you know how the prophecy is going to turn out, Tarjei?” he asked Johannes’ brother. He quickly got up on his feet to join the rest of the group, so that the magic of either of the men wouldn’t hurt him.

“Wait, Martin, first we need to check if he’s okay,” Sturla stood right by Tarjei’s side. “How are you feeling, Tarjei?”

Martin looked at Sturla in surprise. Of course, with the group, he was supportive and showed concern. With Tarjei, however…

Just how much did they connect in that dungeon?

“A little fazed… but I think he got out of my mind,” Tarjei answered, the relief visible on his face. “I would never forgive myself if I’d be the reason why Johannes would…”

“You don’t need to finish that sentence,” Martin assured, again feeling that sting in his chest. Yes, in the balloon, he wasn’t quite himself, but why couldn’t he try and resist more?

“So… do we know how it’s gonna end?”

Tarjei tried to think about it… and then nodded.

“Ole should lose this battle, and my little brother will restore magic all around.”

That seemed to ease Martin’s worries, but still, anxiety remained. Up until now, Johannes wasn’t aware he could even do magic. Whoever saved him must have taught him at least the basics… but would it be enough? After all, he stood against a man who definitely read any tactics like a book. How couldn’t he, after an eternity of living?

“Is… is there a chance Johannes won’t defeat him?” he had to ask after minutes of hesitation.

“Well… Hopefully not. But Ole proved that when there’s will, one can outsmart fate. Outsmart it as in kill everyone in your way to become king.”

That really wasn’t what Martin needed to hear, but he couldn’t be mad at Tarjei. All he could do was hope Johannes was prepared enough.

“Guys, I can talk again!” Julia announced. “I don’t know what Johannes did, but it seems to have broken all of our curses!”

“And your hand is okay too!” Ingrid noticed rather fast because the bandage she had the injured arm in disappeared. “Try moving it a little!”

“Okay…” Julia stuttered, a bit scared. Thankfully, the pain was really gone and she could move it as she wished.

“You’re right… Oh my gosh!”

“Don’t jinx it, Julia,” Emilien worried, however. “What if Darya notices?”

Sturla rebutted almost immediately. “I think we don’t have to worry about her for now.”

And he was right. As Emilien looked over to where the sidekick stood, she was holding herself by her head, her expression contorted in almost sheer agony.

“That reaction is odd, if you ask me,” Quentin reacted.

“How so? The force of Ole and Johannes combined maybe brings her extra pressure,” Sturla questioned. “Even I have a slight headache-”

“Sturla, but is it as horrible as that of Darya?” Quentin demanded, his logic working twice as fast. “I don’t see anyone else but her holding her head like that.”

“Wait, you have a point,” Ingrid had to agree. “As intense as this whole situation is, my head doesn’t feel like it’s going to-”

“NO!” Martin cried out as Ole’s magic suddenly startled Johannes, who seemed like he was losing his grip, or his stamina.

He let out a pained groan as he was forced to yield and fall on the ground, but never granted Ole the permission for the final blow. As if instinctively, he crossed his forearms in front of his chest, creating somewhat of a golden shield around him.

And even then, Martin could see just how much the whole fight exhausted him.

“He’s not beating him,” he breathed out. “I knew he striked too early… He’s completely out of it…”

“But that can’t happen!” Quentin protested.

“Mirae couldn’t have predicted wrong! Right, Tarjei?” Sturla pleaded, also starting to get the impending feeling of doom.

“Who the hell is Mirae and how is it relevant?” Emilien asked, looking flabbergasted at Sturla’s words.

“Long story short, the fortune teller who pissed off Ole,” Tarjei summarised. “Until him, no one has proved their oracles wrong… This shouldn’t be an exception.”

Tarjei looked around the room, checking for any detail that could help Johannes gain some advantage. The barrier wouldn’t last for too much longer, Ole was standing there, waiting for the exact moment before he’d finally strike.

“I’m just thinking… The prophecy never stated the circumstances of how the duel should be won.”

And then he noticed a raven. His raven, flying into the window, one that brought fresh air into the hall and was almost as tall as Tarjei himself.

The bird turned left, right into the study of the ruler.

“My little friend,” he smiled widely. “I think he’s giving us a hint!”

“So it wasn’t Ole, after all,” Ingrid realized. “He just used him as another pawn in his game.”

“So, what is the plan?” Martin urged.

“Well, first of all… We can’t give ourselves away, we can’t be too obvious. I remember that aside from the crystal ball and some pergamens, Ole kept this big spell book around.”

“How big are we talking about?” Sturla wanted to know.

“It was at least as large as my whole forearm, but still felt light in terms of weight,” Tarjei explained. “I looked into it for a short time before the crystal ball caught my eye and before Ole cursed me.”

“Alright…” Julia replied in understanding. “So you pretty much need to get it.”

“Get it and then try and find some spells that could help Johannes.”

“Good then,” Quentin agreed. “Me and Emilien will keep an eye on Darya and Ole, while you sneak in. You alright with that, love?”

“More than alright, Q,” Emilien took Quentin’s side.

“Do you need backup?” Sturla asked, just in case.

On that, Tarjei looked deeply into those chocolate eyes of his, looked back at the office and back at Sturla. “You know what? Come with me.”

_____________

“Just… give… in,” Ole gritted his teeth. “You know you can’t hold it up for much longer.”

“Aaahhh…” Johannes screamed, feeling the still unmastered magic slowly taking the better out of him.

Still, the adrenaline and importance of the showdown made him resist what was happening to him. Maybe that’s why his body seemed to have guessed how to create a shield instead of merely pushing Ole’s force away from him.

He wouldn’t go down so easily.

He looked to the side where his friends stood or sat. Sturla and Tarjei weren’t to be seen, which made him terrified again. He barely paid attention to what was happening around him…

What he could see though, was Julia completely healthy, Quentin’s eyes focused on the ruler’s actions, while Emilien eyed Darya whose head was almost as red as his own right now.

Or at least felt like it.

And then Martin’s gaze on him. Johannes wasn’t sure if the Frenchman ever looked at him with this level of admiration.

Let alone the level of fear.

‘I won’t let you down, kjaere,’ he thought to himself.

Breathing in and slowly right out, he channeled more of his inner willpower to strengthen the only thing keeping him from his demise.

Up until Ole lost his patience and just with a stomp of his left foot, the shield ceased to exist.

“I was… getting bored,” he said, voice filled with irony. “Is this really how it’s going to go?”

“Don’t you think your mind games are getting old, just like you?” Johannes turned the sarcasm right back at him.

Actually, two could play that game.

“I am starting to think that’s all you mastered during your lifespan, Ole Einar Bjoerndalen.”

He hit a nerve right there, and Johannes was lucky a stare couldn’t kill - even if Ole would have maybe found a way to do so.

With the added fuel in the fire, Ole wanted to spread his wings he hasn’t used since he took Sturla.

“So that’s how you want to play, you amateur,” he hissed. “Well, it’s time to play dirty then.”

On that, Johannes noticed Sturla and Tarjei were back again, his brother carrying an old book. Silver ornaments were carved into its covers, and that color sparkled from time to time.

Julia came over to them, as if they wanted to discuss something, and Johannes hoped they’d find what they wanted fast. Especially if this was truly something he could turn against Ole.

He looked up where Ole was levitating now. Johannes had to admit that he did look more intimidating in this way. Out of instinct, he covered his head with his hands in case Ole would aim for it.

For fuck’s sake, why did he have to be so unpredictable? The blows Johannes was sure would come in an instant… were not. What the heck was he waiting for?

He dared to look away from him again, and now he could see Julia was gesturing at him. But those weren’t gestures he’d make during usual conversations… she first covered her breastbone with both of her hands, before exposing the bone again as her arms were now almost in a motion of giving up.

Afterwards, she pointed at Ole’s wings and shook her head.

Johannes nodded in understanding.

“That afraid to hit now, huh?” Ole called out. “Oh how petrified you look, Chosen One. How does it feel to not know when I am going to charge?”

Johannes looked him straight in the eye. “Like… this.”

And he repeated exactly what Julia showed him, hoping what she showed him was a real spell.

…It indeed was.

“What-” Ole’s expression changed from dominant to rattled as the wings gave in to the offense of the Norwegian. For him, it was as if the wings froze in place, unable to move anymore.

Just like that, he crumbled down on the floor with a loud thud.

“H-how do you…”

“He’s distracted!” Quentin declared, already giving him another sign of a spell to use. It seemed like he clapped his hands once, then slowly brought his right arm down, the hand outstretched.

“Got you, Q,” he moved his lips, confidence in him rising as he could see the impact of the spell.

Now, Ole was squirming more and more, the lower he put the right arm. Was that maybe impacting the pressure on his head?

“Those spells… are my creation!” Ole’s voice thundered. “There’s no way you could-”

“Oh but I did,” Johannes answered, his voice almost sounding as condescending as that of Ole’s when the duel started.

“Johannes! Try this one!” Emilien yelled as he put his left hand over his chest and let the right arm rise up over his head, the wrist turning.

“No… not that one,” Darya pleaded.

“Thanks for the approval, Alya,” Johannes responded in cold blood as the left limb was already on his sternum again.

“What does it do, Emilien?” he cried out.

“The chest hold of the second hand should grab the heart, the raised dominant hand putting pressure… and when you twist…”

“Wow, that’s dark,” Sturla shook his head in disbelief.

“Well, what do you expect of Ole?” Tarjei asked rhetorically.

Johannes didn’t register anything else after that anymore. He could already see Ole clenching his left side of the chest.

“He’s going to win,” Martin’s lips began to widen in a smile.

“That can’t be!” Darya shouted.

Johannes slowly raised his right arm up… just like Emilien did… hearing Ole’s useless moans of pain.

Finally it was above his head.

“Twist the wrist, Johannes! Now!” Emilien cried out.

“Do it…” Ole breathed out, “just do it, I can’t deal with it anymore…”

“I most certainly will. Goodbye, Ole Einar- AAAAAAH!!!”

“NO!!!” Ingrid covered her eyes full of tears.

Because all of a sudden, without anyone noticing, Ole Einar Bjoerndalen used dark magic right on the Chosen One. With a sharp cry, he aimed the glittery black mass right on the outstretched right arm of Johannes’... and once it worked, his grin was once again victorious.

Johannes never thought he’d experience so much suffering as he did right now. The limb went down as quickly as he put it up, the shoulder in a weird angle. Trying to put it into a normal position was to no use.

The vulnerability kicked in, and he started to shake from the pressure, as he realized that right now, because of his weakness exposed… he might have just lost the duel.
_______________

As Johannes clutched his arm, the atmosphere among the friends shifted from joy to nothing less than a heartbreak. Heck, it seemed like the air around has become tense, almost unbreathable, and the temperature felt like it dropped to those of the coldest winters.

“As if I didn’t notice that you always use your right hand to attack,” Ole laughed darkly. “Clever, but a repeated technique becomes known rather fast, Chosen One. Now… wanna know how you affected me?”

Still holding the place where his rotten heart beat, he repeated the spell Quentin gestured out, and all he could do was witness, amused, how Johannes was struggling in turn.

“AHHH!”

“Look at me doing the very same thing to you with my own non-dominant hand.”

“Doesn’t feel too nice, does it?” Darya asked provocatively.

“Well, too bad I’m not giving you a quick death,” Ole announced, voice ice cold. “In fact, I will make you BEG me to kill you. You think you can just get into my life and ruin my plans for this continent?! Guess what. I’ve outsmarted fate once… and I can do it again!”

“It’s so over…” Ingrid was sobbing into her girlfriend’s shoulder, who in turn, trying to hide her own dismay, looked over to her other friends for just a spike of hope Johannes could win… At least on that of Quentin who was known for never giving in…

But she didn’t find any.

“Ole really won…” she sighed out, and all of the friends could swear Julia never sounded so defeated. Even the raven was gone, so no more hints were happening.

How the hell must Martin have felt right now? She looked over… and the sight was heart-shattering.

The sharp cries of his boyfriend were something his whole being couldn’t handle. His eyes were shut as he tried to cover his ears, anything to not perceive Johannes getting tortured by the eternal ruler. Tears were flooding his cheeks, and his mind went completely blank.

Emilien rushed to Martin’s side in an attempt to provide any comfort he could, but Julia knew well enough that this time, the support wouldn’t suffice.

Ole knew all too well what he was doing. First, he’d make sure everyone would hear how he’s tormenting their Norwegian friend, until Johannes couldn’t scream no more, until he broke him… before…

No… It couldn’t end like this! Why won’t Johannes try using his left, intact hand? Was it really that unstable to use?

Julia needed a sign. Anything… ANYTHING!

“Mirae… That’s your name, isn’t it?” she stared at the ceiling, as if the fortune teller could hear her. “If you’re there… this is exactly where we need a loophole… If not, Johannes and the whole of Europe pays the price!”

“It’s to no use, Julia,” Sturla sighed. “They can’t hear you.”

“Sturla, come on! It’s not like they made that oracle just for it to get out of the window like that!”

“Guys, quiet! Darya is coming closer again!” Tarjei warned.

“Maybe I can still distract her. I can still get to the raven, maybe it stayed in the study!” Ingrid spoke out, refusing any attempt to stop her as she approached Ole’s right hand.

As Ingrid was finally face to face with her, she saw… a smile. But a rather twisted one as she watched Ole hurt Johannes.

It was right there when she noticed Darya still holding on to her heart. And when she looked closer, she realized she was… murmuring something to herself?

Careful as to not interrupt her, she tried moving a little more behind her, on her tiptoes… and that’s when she finally heard what the whispers were all about.

“How does my king do it… when he still feels the pain… fricking Boe brat… that damned blood connection spell…”

And that’s when something broke in Ingrid. Her light blue eyes darted up in the realization of Darya’s words.

“...What blood connection spell?”

The wheels in her head began spinning at a rapid pace. She tried to remember as much of the recent events as possible to come up with an explanation.

She ran towards Sturla and Tarjei, beginning to frantically turn the pages in the book.

“What are you doing, Ingrid?” Sturla asked in surprise.

“Don’t ask and help me!” Ingrid insisted. “I might have found something to help Johannes!”

“Wait, but we need to know what it is,” Tarjei tried to calm her down.

“A particular spell,” Ingrid responded, all out of breath. “Something with blood connection.”

“But… Why are you looking for it? Where does this even come from?”

“Q, come here,” Ingrid commanded. “It was you who noticed Darya feeling almost identical pain as what Ole felt.”

“Uh…” Quentin was trying to catch up. “That… that is true, yes…”

“And Emilien, the spell you picked for Johannes was one that put immense pressure on Ole’s heart.”

“Yes, but how can it help us now?”

“Darya…” Ingrid breathed out. “Look at her. How is it possible that right after Johanes used that spell on Ole, it is also her who clenches her chest as if her life depended on it?”

“And we never aimed the spells on Darya either,” Tarjei’s eyes widened.

That’s when everything was starting to click in Julia’s head… and caught Martin’s attention.

“Not to mention this is evidently Ole’s collection of his own enchantments. A blood connection spell doesn’t exactly sound like white magic to me,” Emilien noted.

Julia’s gaze traveled from Ingrid to the woman in question. She still was holding on to her left side, but she could see the discomfort was slowly leaving her body.

That and the fact she was standing right in front of the same window the raven flew through.

And right there, she knew exactly what needed to be done.

Without sparing a single second, she surged forward.

“ELSKLING, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!” Ingrid cried out, but Sturla stopped her attempt of running towards her to stop her.

Martin slowly stood up, trying not to shake anymore.

Unfortunately, the rapid footsteps of the woman caught Ole’s attention, right when he was finally ready to kill Johannes with one streak of glowing red light.

“Wrong move, Julia.”

And turned his torso so that the same magic could hit the brunette instead.

“OUT OF THE WAY!” Martin screamed right at the last minute, shoving Julia away from a certain end as the forceful spell hit him instead, having him straight-up flying out of the window.

Along with Darya.

Having seen he wasn’t the only one falling like this, he smirked… at least for one last time, before he felt his body get unable to defy the cruel laws of gravity.

“MARTIN!” Johannes shrilled, left hand covering his opened jaw as he watched his nemesis take his boyfriend’s life just with a movement of a hand. The blow was evident on his teary face, barely being able to see the hall as the loss was getting to him.

His eyebrows furrowed into a look of sheer wrath as he regained his strength, now that Ole’s focus wasn’t on him anymore.

What he saw when he finally dried the tears, shocked him to his very core. The same eternal ruler who just a few seconds ago was standing above him, blowing a dark spell after a dark spell on him until Johannes felt like he would pass out, the same eternal ruler who called that storm upon the group, the same eternal ruler who shapeshifted into Sturla’s form and almost decided the outcome of the future…

The same eternal ruler was barely moving on the floor, only groaning as his body was losing its willpower, and mind the consciousness.

“I found the description of the spell,” Sturla announced as his voice was breaking. “The two which form the pact now share the pain the other is feeling, can share their magic with one another… and if one is close to death…”

“The other one is at risk too,” Johannes added, and he realised this was his cue.

His time for the fatal shot.

With determination that now gained a whole different meaning, he headed towards the fallen ruler to look him in the eye one last time, limping slightly.

“You can outsmart fate as often as you want, Ole Einar Bjoerndalen,” he uttered, looking right at the window through which Darya and Martin fell.

“But in the end, you can never escape it.”

Ole just laughed knowingly. “What a triumph, right? The great Ole Einar Bjoerndalen finally slayed and his rule ended. By your hand. But what happens after the world starts celebrating you? Life is a war, and it’s only yours to lose. Sooner or later, fame and all the praise will consume you, Johannes Thingnes Boe. Sooner or later, you will get tired of your competition, will want magic all to yourself. That thing is… hypnotizing, you will see for yourself. My words will be proven right - in the end, we really aren’t that different. Ironic… It’s as if I’d have been reborn again… through you and you alone. ”

That was the last straw.

With his left fist slowly stretching out, one last powerful golden ray, though wilder and not as controlled, Johannes finally took the immortality of Ole Einar Bjoerndalen away.

His form raised up into the air rapidly, trembled for a few seconds… and then exploded in nothing but particles of dust.

Almost in the same manner as when Mirae’s life was stolen.

The centuries-old prophecy was fulfilled.
_____________

As Johannes began to realize what he’s achieved, he didn’t say anything more. Only took in how the sun rised for everyone to see, how its light was shining through the window and created a nice yellow hue on the stone floor, how it didn’t feel as freezing anymore… and just how empty he suddenly felt.

He has just freed the magic of the continent for the rightful owners to master and use… but slaughtered a powerful man for it. Him, and the only other person keeping him company all those years. No matter the reason, prophecy or not, he couldn’t help himself but to feel guilt and think about Ole’s last words.

In the end, we really aren’t that different.

…He’s killed. Just like the ruler did many, many times before.

Sooner or later, you will get tired of your competition.

Was that why he just couldn’t feel any joy about the success? Was it the freshness of the situation, and the relief would come later?

And that Ole was right when it came to his future actions and he couldn’t predict them?

Or the fact that in the end, it was a duel that ended with an eye for an eye… and blood for blood.

All he wondered was… why? The prophecy demanded a life of either him, or Ole. Why did his love have to be another casualty?

His love… How could their relationship be cut so damn short? Heck, it barely even started and now… he won’t ever see him again.

When Tarjei and Sturla ran towards him after a few minutes, that’s where he smiled for the first time after the recent events. Careful not to touch the severed arm, the older brother enveloped him in - this time a sincere - embrace, as if this was the last time they’d see each other. Sturla followed suit and joined him on the other side of Johannes.

“You made it,” Sturla breathed out. “You actually defeated Ole Einar Bjoerndalen. Finally brought justice to the whole of Europe!”

“Yes, but… at what cost?” Johannes let out a sniff, just as Quentin came to him from behind to hug him as well.

“Whatever you do, just don’t listen to what Ole said to you,” Tarjei advised.

“That’s easier said than done… What if his death is really the only won battle and I’ll lose the war as a whole?”

He looked to his right side where Julia was still processing the fact that Martin has sacrificed himself for her, Johannes and the whole cause.

“That… that should’ve been me right there. Not Martin, I was supposed to be dead!” she stuttered, mouth in her hands.

“Please don’t say that,” Emilien comforted her. “It was you who decided to take the risk right when we were hesitant.”

“And you were right, you figured the spell out,” Ingrid added.

“If it wasn’t for you, we wouldn’t even know about it,” Julia smiled sadly. “But… Why the hell would Martin do that for me? We haven’t been on good terms this whole quest, I-”

“You’re starting to hyperventilate,” Ingrid noticed. “Please, you need to sit down and breathe, I can’t lose you too!”

“We… why didn’t we ever apologize to each other?” Julia wondered, broken. “Why did we never make up? Our friendship… why did it have to end this way?”

“Julia, please, you cannot blame yourself for Martin’s sacrifice,” Emilien tried to ground her as the trio approached Johannes. “Knowing him, he’d make the same choice had it been me, Ingrid, or anyone else from our group.”

“And yet, it was me standing there,” Julia wept.

“Please, stop talking, just… just come here, everyone,” Johannes uttered with a deep, exhausted tone as the group was almost completely reunited. Right there, it almost seemed like time had stopped anew.

No one has spoken out… there was no need.

All that the crew did was… hold on to one another. Feel the touch of the close friends that survived. Feel an unspoken promise right on their skin that neither one of them would be parting ways with them that easily.

Julia let herself rest on Ingrid’s shoulder, feeling Emilien’s own arm around her waist as Quentin held Emilien’s. Sturla and Tarjei were like the bridge connecting them together in a circle of grief, in which center was Johannes.

Neither of them was alone in this suffering… They’d get through the sudden loss together. And they’d honor their fallen friend and love in the way he deserved to be honored.

“...Huh? Where did the sunshine go?” Sturla asked in confusion as suddenly, the light illuminating them disappeared and was replaced by a rather dark shadow.

That made Quentin stand up, his protective side coming out. “Guys, someone broke in right through the window and… Wait, is he holding Martin’s body?”

“Oh god, he does,” Sturla’s jaw dropped. “And why are black feathers falling out of his clothes?”

“Raphael…” Johannes responded, lips again in a soft grin.

“Raphael?” Tarjei repeated.

“He is the raven that was looking over us,” Johannes explained. “I should’ve known you wouldn’t leave our side this time either!”

He slowly stood up as the sorcerer gently put Martin’s unresponding form down, right after which he hugged Johannes tightly.

“Wait, are you the one that made sure Johannes wouldn’t die?” Emilien was curious, turning to face Johannes. “Watching you fall down from that balloon was horrible, and before you fell down, Ole transported us all in here, so we never knew if you survived!”

Raphael nodded. “It was indeed me, and it was also me who kept you well-fed and made sure you could sleep in peace, Sturla and Tarjei. It seems to me you’ve bonded over it, too.”

On that, Sturla couldn’t help but blush as Tarjei still took in Raphael’s true form. “Hmm… Now that I think of it, your eyes are similar to that of Odin’s. I liked Odin, and I certainly like you.”

“Thank you so much, for everything. Especially for the hint about the spellbook,” Emilien told him politely.

“Wait, just how long exactly have you been here?” Johannes wondered.

“The whole time, dear Johannes. But now… I’m not the priority,” Raphael changed the subject as he kneeled down to Martin’s body.

A body that now had quite the portion of cuts, bruises and even a bloody wound on the left temple.

That alone made Johannes burst into tears again. “God… seeing him fall out was one thing, but this…”

“Martin hit quite a few hard tree branches, but never fell to the ground… I managed to get hold of him,” Raphael shared. “And right after, I took him in my arms to bring him here.”

“Please, is there a way to revive him?” Johannes asked in desperation. “There has to be, right? One where no dark magic is required?”

“To be honest… There is, but I never dared to use it,” Raphael answered. “It went against life’s principles… but your boyfriend never should’ve been another loss in the first place.”

With that, he ordered Tarjei to get into Ole’s study again to retrieve a spellbook straight from the Sorcerers’ Council, one that used purely legal, non-constructed spells.

“Now let me see if I remember the page… While I search, step forwards, please, Johannes.”

Johannes obeyed, and Raphael showed his healing ability in front of an audience this time. Especially Tarjei watched in pure awe as Johannes’ right arm was put back to normal, and the stinging pain was no more.

“Wait, but weren’t only Johannes and Ole supposed to do magic?” Julia asked, not quite comprehending the scene that was unfolding.

“I promise when all of this is over, I will explain my story to each and every one of you. Now… Here is the page I was talking about.”

Ingrid let out a deep exhale. “Let’s revive our friend then.”

“For this particular incantation, however… I will need a partner,” he looked straight at the ginger-haired Norwegian. “More force with pure intentions means higher chances of succeeding.”

“...Are you sure you trust me on this?” Johannes suddenly felt doubtful. “This is a big responsibility… Heck, even in the duel itself I would’ve fallen had it not been for-”

Raphael stopped him just by putting his right palm on his shoulder. “In the end, you managed to finally put an end to Ole’s rule. I wouldn’t ask you if you weren’t capable.”

“But… what if this doesn’t work? What if Martin stays dead and it will make me turn cold? What if I turn to dark magic because of it later? What if I really am the Ole of this century, I just don’t realize it yet?”

“Johannes. Look into my eyes for a moment.”

He couldn’t refuse that order.

“Look me in the eyes and tell me you actually believe such things could happen to you. Am I right if I say Ole planted that image in your head?”

“He did… he got under my skin one last time, right before I… did it. And I just can’t stop thinking about what he said to me.”

“That’s what I was worried about,” Raphael sighed. He looked behind Johannes, the eyes of everyone who helped him fulfill the oracle on the two.

“You’ve never heard the prophecy as a whole, am I correct?”

“Um… I’m not sure. You told me about the duel having to take place and about the return of magic for all.”

“I deeply apologize,” Raphael rubbed his back. “I should’ve been more specific… It never was simply about the duel. Of course, it ends with it, but… Ole’s version was partially true as he kept the quest part in it.”

“So… you are saying all he did was change the purpose of our quest?”

“You read my mind. But that’s not what is crucial. During the quest, the Chosen One was supposed to show their true character, strengths and flaws. Which all of you did, even if you, Johannes, don’t quite realize it just yet. Your loyalty to people you love was something that never faded."

"I can definitely vouch for that," Julia agreed, making Johannes smile a little.

"Your fear of your friends getting hurt activated your power," Raphael continued. "Not to mention… Despite staying humble at your core, you slowly let yourself take the initiative when Martin became Ole’s pawn. Let yourself leave your comfort zone. And yet, now that the duel is over, you aren’t scared of admitting you received quite the help from your whole friend group.”

“I… never thought of it this way. We all focused on what was ahead…”

“And that is only valid. What I’m trying to say is… Your path during your journey is what proves Ole wrong. There is no but in your oracle, no restrictions. Your actions weren’t motivated by the vision of eternal rule, or by revenge. You stayed true to your principles every step of the way.”

“But that’s where the prophecy ends! What about what is only about to happen?”

Raphael didn’t speak immediately, he let himself think the answer through. “You see… Both Ole and Darya had something in common - they reacted to the circumstances of their life in a similar manner. They chose to let darkness overtake them and did anything they could to achieve their goals.”

Johannes nodded, the need to hear the point certain in his look.

“The future is always uncertain… but you and only you alone have the choice to navigate through it like you want. Something tells me that the choice you make will be to stay your friendly, talented, kind self.”

“That…” Johannes stuttered. “I mean… Even now, I don’t feel that different. I only feel like I can actually be a good leader. I don’t feel any darker ambition, I just want the world to become a better place from now on.”

“And now, I will ask once again… Do you trust yourself enough? And are you willing to revive your love with me if you do?”

Johannes sighed out… and agreed to help to the group’s cheers.

“I’m glad I convinced you. All you need to do is focus your power into your whole body, then together, we will place our hands on Martin’s chest. Ideally, we should focus on a strong emotion that particularly moves us.”

“That shouldn’t be a problem,” Johannes said, his lower lip still quivering slightly, already knowing it would be the burning love for Martin he is going to concentrate on.

He kneeled down by Martin’s left side, as Raphael sat on the right one.

“You better cooperate with us, love,” Johannes laughed, somewhat bitterly. “I can’t imagine my life without you…”

“Whenever you’re ready.”

The Chosen one took a few deep breaths, both to concentrate and also push back the tears of the possible hope.

“...Let’s do this.”

“Good then. One… two…”

“Three.”

The palms of the young student and the ancient counselor touched right at the cold place of Martin’s heart, and their magic connected, creating a shining, soothing lime ball of light.

And the ball just kept getting bigger… and bigger, up until Martin was fully covered by it. Only then, the force began spinning in the air as the whole group, Raphael included, watched in complete admiration. Johannes clenched his hands together, praying that this attempt would work.

At last, the spinning stopped as the body was gently laid back down. All of the wounds were gone, the pale skin having its usual color returned, and when Johannes hovered above his love and touched him, he could feel that the warmth he remembered from their kissing and cuddling… it all came back.

And when Martin’s chest slowly began to rise and fall, Johannes could look into his hypnotizing dark eyes anew.

“Welcome back, my love,” the Norwegian whispered, letting the drops of happiness flood his face as he kissed his lips, then forehead and cheeks.

Over and over again.

“What happened? Is he… is he gone? Did you make it?” Martin asked after a few coughs.

“Yes, Martin… It’s over. It’s all over. We did it.”
___________

EPILOGUE
A month later.

“Alright, that’s enough, folks!” Martin called out to the swarm of reporters gathered around Johannes, their cameras flashing and their questions mixing into one big fusion of words. He was just returning from Raphael’s sorcery lesson and was just about to reach the college grounds when the spontaneous “interviews” started.

“My boyfriend has already answered the most important remarks, now we have a college year to finish!”

He managed to fish Johannes out of the crowd, they both waved the journalists goodbye… and hand in hand ran into the school halls for their lives to the sound of Johannes’ laughter.

This wasn’t their first rodeo, and certainly wouldn’t be their last.

“Gosh, but the way our roles practically switched,” Johannes still barely contained himself. “Before the quest it was me getting you out of these situations.”

“About time we’d swap, to be honest,” Martin smiled. “Finally you got your recognition, even if you still have some work to do in terms of giving yourself credit.”

“Heeeey, now it’s not like I haven’t made progress since the quest ended!” Johannes nudged him gently.

“Of course you did, love,” Martin gazed into the blue eyes as he kissed him deeply. Since his resurrection, none of those kisses or moments with Johannes would be taken for granted.

Not as if they were before that.

Martin apologized like a thousand times, not only to Sturla but the whole group when they reached their home, refusing to justify his actions by the means of Ole’s control. However, the response to that was warm hugs and words of forgiveness.

He almost felt undeserving of those, but slowly learnt to move on from the events of the quest and live in the moment.

Speaking of moment, it still felt strange to hear the usual chatter of their other classmates again, knowing what time it was again and the fact the world came back to life. The group found out that it actually wasn’t Ole’s doing for the most part, but Raphael’s, and that 2:41 was the exact time of Sturla’s kidnapping.

“How was the lesson?” Martin wondered as they passed a few students who patted Johannes’ shoulders in appreciation, or fully congratulated him.

“I’m just glad Raphael still makes time for me. Right now, he is truly busy,” Johannes noted, and that was true. As the only one who truly mastered magic, Raphael was now in charge of awakening it in France.

And not only that - he also managed to find and contact descendants from other survivors of Ole’s slaughter, who until now stayed in hiding, to spread the word in other parts of Europe as well.

There was still a long way to go for the continent in terms of magic, though - the whole friend group was aware of it. But once this stage would pass, the world would feel complete again.

Already, the lovers could sense something shift in the air as the natural ability was returned.

“But as for the lesson, I’ve got good news,” Johannes shared as they slowly approached the rest of the group. “My left hand is slowly starting to be as stable as my right one when I’m practicing sorcery.”

“So letting your right hand rest really was a good choice,” Martin declared. “Do you know something about Emilien’s progress, too?”

He asked this because Emilien’s visions didn’t go unnoticed. The moment the Frenchman mentioned them to Raphael, he found an old book on fortune telling and old prophets to slowly prepare him for his possible new role.

His and other possible successors of Mirae.

“I think it would be better if Emilien told us himself. I don’t want to say something… Oh no, what are they all laughing at?” Johannes’ eyes widened as he heard Ingrid certainly having a good time.

“Someone is in looove!” Ingrid poked fun, at it was at Sturla.

“What? Eh, I’m not sure I’d call it that yet,” Sturla retorted, red as a tomato.

“Ha! I knew there was something going on,” Martin winked as they finally met the friends. It wasn’t only the Norwegians waiting for the couple, but also Julia, Emilien and Quentin. The last one especially had his arms crossed, knowingly shaking his head.

“It’s been ten minutes of waiting, you two,” he smiled. It seemed like to matter how the world was about to change, some traits - like Quentin’s punctuality - never would. And the same trait certainly was a plus for all the job offers he’s received since the companies now knew he participated in the prophecy’s outcome.

He was fulfilling his dreams of success, while still spending quality time with his boyfriend to develop their relationship even further.

“Paparazzis again?”

“Yup. I don’t think I’ll be getting rid of them that soon.”

“Who wouldn’t use the opportunity, though?” Ingrid tried to reason. “I certainly would. What you did was more than revolutionary. You fulfilled the prophecy that was the talk in the recent days.”

Ingrid alone also became a talk of the college. Anywhere she went, people who she was always helpful towards, were hugging her and praising her for figuring out the key to Ole’s downfall. And the Norwegian herself was slowly starting to realize once again that her kindness really is a strength, and not a flaw.

“I still don’t get how you always credit us, and yet we never get chased by them,” Julia questioned. Of course, the first few interviews were targeted at the whole group, before Johannes told the press to back off.

“Of course I’d give you credit. Without you, maybe I wouldn’t stand here right now. It wasn’t easy, but I think I repeated myself enough. We all talked about the possible attention that would eventually surround us, and when you all told me you don’t want too much of it, I only respected it.”

“But enough about that! Why the blush, Sturla?” Martin raised his eyebrow playfully, refusing to let the subject be forgotten.

“Oh god, even you? Since when are you the one for teasing?”

“Can you blame me, though? My roommate isn’t the odd one out anymore!”

“Ouch,” Sturla burst into laughter. “Well… if you really want to know, Tarjei might have asked me to hang out, one on one.”

“Aww, my friend and my brother,” Johannes pouted slightly.

“Did you just quote Friends?”

“You bet he did,” Martin confirmed - and it definitely wasn’t because he was convinced by Johannes to watch the whole sitcom - right after they finished Worth a Million.

“We’re not together yet, but I feel like our friendship could lead into something more,” Sturla looked away timidly.

“Well, when it does, don’t forget to invite us to the wedding,” Emilien poked at him in turn, on which Johannes wheeze hard as it brought back the times where he was teased for his crush. It felt like yesterday, still.

“You all are unbelievable,” Sturla hid his face in his hands. “But in case it does happen, no way in hell am I forgetting to invite you.”

“Speaking of the future, what are your summer plans?” Julia was curious. She thought it would be one of her last vacations, having no idea she wouldn’t have to forget about holidays at all - as in a few years, she would get a diploma with honors and would return to the Strasbourg college as a professor.

“Well, I for one would like to travel back to Norway,” Johannes confided. “To see my parents again, thank them for everything they did for me and Tarjei now that I finally understand their actions… and maybe introduce you to them.”

“Wait, already?” Martin grinned in surprise, pink color slowly creeping into his cheeks. “I mean, it’s not like I wouldn’t want to go with you, but are you sure?”

“Love, of course I am,” Johannes confirmed, leaning in for a kiss. “I’m in for the long haul, and what we have is something special, no one is changing my mind about it. Not to mention that I might have been daydreaming about you on the phone with them for ages.”

“Aww, that’s so cute,” Ingrid squeaked. “Me and Julia would like to hike in the mountains a little bit. And maybe, just maybe, we will check how Berwartstein is looking now that Ole is gone.”

That proclamation was strong as it would mean a big step for the group as a whole, because they haven’t seen or visited the castle ever since the final battle.

“Well, it would make sense if it felt more inviting,” Emilien agreed. “Me and Quentin just want to recharge. This year was something extraordinary and exhausting.”

“Exactly. Our summer will certainly be unique. You see… I kinda booked us tickets to New York.”

“New York?” Emilien’s eyes sparkled. “My favorite city! I can’t believe you remembered that!”

“Surprise,” Quentin smiled shyly.

“Gosh… but it all went so fast, it feels like I barely blinked,” Johannes thought out loud. “I’m going to miss you so much, you guys.”

“Aww… We will all see each other in September again, though.”

Sturla spread his arms to invite everyone for a hug - and this time, everyone knew it was sincere and that the real Sturla stood before them. The faster they gathered in the embrace and enjoyed the closeness of one another before they would part ways for summer.

“Hey, you seven! I get you are celebrities now, but the lesson started five minutes ago!”

Johannes and Martin reddened in embarrassment, as Julia tried to hold back her laughter.

“Even that I’m going to miss,” Ingrid said in amusement.

“So, shall we get to class for one last time?” Emilien asked rhetorically.

Sturla looked at him, and then at the rest of the group, grinned widely, and nodded.

“Let’s go.”

And right in that moment, all the worries or uncertainties about the future - either of themselves, their relationships or the continent altogether - seemed to disappear. All that mattered was the fact that no matter what it held, they’d always have someone who they could count on.

And they’d navigate through this restored world together.

Through thick and thin.

And Ole’s last words? For Johannes, they slowly became merely a distant memory, proving them wrong day after day.

The once eternal ruler would never be reborn again.