Eldrin entered the square, his long cloak trailing softly against the stones. His gaze was steady but gentle, and beneath his brow, the faintest glimmer hinted at something unusual. The townsfolk paused, curiosity and caution mingling in their eyes."Peace to you all. I have come seeking not gold or glory, but wisdom,"
A young boy named Finn, cheeks smudged with soot, tugged at his mother’s sleeve."Mama, why do they say he can see what others cannot?" The innkeeper leaned closer to a group of regulars, recounting the tale of Eldrin’s extra eye—one hidden not on his face, but somewhere deep within his mind.
Eldrin[/@ch_1] sits in meditation. The air is thick with incense, the only sound the gentle hum of the night beyond the window.]
Eldrin pressed his fingers to his brow, and in the quiet, he reached with his awareness for the eye unseen. When he opened his eyes, the world shimmered, and layers of meaning danced before him—words unspoken, secrets tucked behind gestures, messages woven in the silence between breaths."To see is not always with the eyes, but with the mind unclouded," he murmured.
Mira[/@ch_3], invites Eldrin to her hearth, where a riddle awaits. The firelight glints in her silver hair as she presents him with a sealed letter, its wax unbroken.]
"If your wisdom is true, tell us not what is written, but why it was sent," she challenged, her eyes sharp as flint. Eldrin studied the letter, feeling the pulse of intention behind its seal, sensing hope, fear, and longing braided through its existence.
Eldrin[/@ch_1] speaks, his voice gentle yet resonant. The fire dims, drawing every face into the circle of flickering light.]
"This letter bears not news, but the weight of a secret yearning for forgiveness. Its sender wishes to mend what was broken, to find peace where there was pain," he revealed, looking at Mira with understanding. The elder’s eyes glistened, for none but she knew the truth of those words.
Eldrin[/@ch_1] prepares to depart.]
Finn caught up to him at the edge of the square, eyes wide with wonder."Will I ever have an eye like yours?" Eldrin smiled, kneeling to meet the boy’s gaze."Everyone can, if they learn to look beyond what is seen and listen to what is meant," he said, leaving the village with more than just answers—a legacy of wisdom whispered in his wake.
