Page 30 of Starlit Bargains

"The price is paid," they said, satisfaction evident in their voice. "Now, for your information."

They rose smoothly and moved to one of the shelves, selecting a small wooden box inlaid with mother-of-pearl. Returning to the table, they placed it before Kai and opened it with a flourish. Inside lay a fragment of what appeared to be ancient parchment, the edges charred as if it had been rescued from a fire.

"This," the merchant said reverently, "is a piece of the Celestial Prophecy. The original was written in a language no mortal can comprehend, but this translation dates back nearly two thousand years."

Kai leaned forward, studying the fragment. The text was faded but legible, written in an archaic script he could just barely decipher:

"...and the Fallen One shall slumber, power bound but vigilant still. When the Catalyst arrives, bearing magic that echoes the stars, the Guardian shall wake. His bonds shall weaken, his essence shall stir, and choice shall once more be upon him. Should he embrace what was denied, balance restored and boundaries renewed. Should he reject the offered hand, the veil shall tear asunder, and that which hungers in the void shall feast upon two worlds..."

The fragment ended there, the rest lost to fire or time. Kai read it twice, then a third time, the implications slowly sinking in.

"The Catalyst," he said quietly. "That's me, isn't it?"

The merchant inclined their head. "So it would appear. Your magic 'echoes the stars,' as the prophecy states. It resonates with what remains of the guardian's power."

"And if Eliar—if the guardian—regains his power..."

"Then a choice must be made," the merchant finished. "One that will either restore balance or shatter it completely."

Kai sat back, suddenly feeling the weight of what he'd discovered. He had been so focused on helping Eliar, onunderstanding their connection, that he hadn't considered the wider implications. If Eliar's power returning could tear the veil between worlds, could let those shadow creatures—those things that "hunger in the void"—into this realm...

"This doesn't make sense," he argued, looking back at the fragment. "Eliar was punished for showing compassion, for questioning orders. Why would his power returning be potentially catastrophic?"

"Power is neutral," the merchant said with a shrug. "It is intent that shapes its impact. And intent, after centuries of exile and isolation... who can say how that might change? Bitterness festers. Resentment grows. Even the most benevolent beings can be corrupted by sufficient suffering."

A cold dread settled in Kai's stomach. Could the merchant be right? Could Eliar's long punishment have twisted his original compassion into something darker? He thought of the guarded sadness in those star-filled eyes, the careful distance Eliar maintained, the way he spoke of his past—with regret, yes, but also with a lingering sense of injustice.

"There is more," the merchant said, interrupting his troubled thoughts. "The fallen guardian is not the only one aware of the prophecy. There are others who have watched and waited—some hoping for restoration, others fearing it."

"The Keepers," Kai guessed. "In Mistwood."

"Among others," the merchant agreed. "Forces align as the prophecy unfolds. Some will seek to aid you, believing the guardian's return to power will heal old wounds. Others will try to stop you, fearing the consequences should the choice go awry."

"And which side are you on?" Kai asked, suddenly wondering if this entire exchange might be manipulation rather than information.

The merchant's black eyes gleamed. "I am on the side of knowledge. Of witnessing. Of... possibility." They closed the box containing the prophecy fragment with a decisive snap. "Our transaction is complete. You have your information."

"And you have my magic and blood," Kai said, suddenly wondering if the price had been too high after all.

The merchant nodded, those unsettling eyes fixed on him with an intensity that made his skin crawl. "Both safely stored where they will serve their purpose." Their expression shifted to something that might have been amusement. "Though you may feel their absence in small ways. Magic yearns to be whole, as does life itself."

Something about the way they said it sent a chill down Kai's spine. He stood, suddenly eager to be away from the tent, from those unsettling black eyes, from the weight of prophecy and cosmic consequence.

"One last thing," the merchant called as Kai reached for the tent flap. "The choice mentioned in the prophecy? It may not be the guardian's alone to make."

Kai paused, glancing back. "What do you mean?"

"Catalysts don't merely trigger change," the merchant said, that too-sharp smile returning. "They shape it. Remember that when the moment comes."

Before Kai could ask anything more, the lamp in the tent flickered violently. When it steadied, the merchant was gone, leaving only the empty chair and table.

“I told you this was a bad idea,” Briar hissed, emerging from his collar now that they were alone. “Making deals with... whatever that was? Have you learned nothing from all the cautionary tales Silas is always telling you?”

“Apparently not,” Kai muttered, pushing through the tent flap back into the strange twilight of the market. Theimplications of what he'd learned churned in his mind, excitement giving way to growing unease.

He had wanted answers, and now he had them—at least partially. But instead of clarity, he felt only mounting concern. If he truly was this “Catalyst” mentioned in the prophecy, if his connection to Eliar was awakening powers long dormant, he might be setting in motion events with consequences far beyond Mistwood or even Thornhaven.

Kai picked up his pace as he left the Night Market behind, no longer concerned with stealth or caution. The thorny passage sealed itself behind him, the strange blue-tinged brambles intertwining so perfectly that no one would guess a thriving supernatural marketplace lay beyond.

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