A Glimmer of Fate

Chapter 15: A Glimmer of Fate

The distant glow of the Harroway estate was growing brighter as the caravan trundled closer, the quiet of the night broken only by the soft clinking of hooves and the rustling of wind through the fields. Alden's mind was still lost in the vast expanse of the stars above, imagining the connections between the heavens and the earth, between magic and genetics, when something unusual caught his eye.

A sharp streak of light tore across the sky, bright and fast, like a falling star. It was more brilliant than anything he had seen before, a blazing trail of silver-white that seemed to cut through the night like a comet. Alden sat up, his heart skipping a beat.

"What in the world?" he whispered under his breath, his eyes tracking the path of the light as it arced towards the distant horizon.

Bran, noticing the sudden shift in Alden's posture, looked up as well. "By the gods… What is that?" he muttered, his voice tinged with awe.

The streak of light grew brighter as it fell, eventually disappearing beyond the hills that framed the estate's lands. But just before it vanished, there was a flash—faint but unmistakable—followed by a low rumble that reverberated through the air. It was as if the ground itself had grumbled in response to whatever had just fallen from the sky.

Alden's pulse quickened. It wasn't just a meteor or a random celestial event. That flash of light, that distant rumble—it felt purposeful, as if something had just been torn from the heavens and thrown down to the earth.

"I need to see what that was," Alden said suddenly, standing up in the caravan's seat.

Bran grabbed his arm, his voice firm. "Young master, that's dangerous. We don't know what's out there. Could be anything—a cursed object, an omen."

Alden shook his head, determination replacing the calm contemplation he had held moments before. "Whatever it is, I need to find out. I have to know."

Bran hesitated, his grip tightening for a moment before he sighed and let go. "I'm coming with you, then. No sense letting you wander into something like that alone."

Alden nodded in gratitude, his mind already racing with possibilities. What had fallen from the sky? Was it merely a natural phenomenon, or something more—a magical artefact, perhaps, or some unknown element that could change the course of his studies? Whatever it was, he felt an undeniable pull, a sense that this event was not random, that it had happened for a reason.

Without waiting for the rest of the caravan to catch up, Alden and Bran veered off the road, guiding their horses towards the distant hills where the light had disappeared. The landscape was familiar, but tonight it felt charged with something new, something foreign. The air itself seemed to hum with energy.

As they crested the first hill, Alden caught a glimpse of a faint, glowing light in the distance—just beyond the second rise, in a secluded valley where the estate's farmlands ended and the untamed wilderness began. It was dim, but unmistakable. Whatever had fallen from the sky was still glowing, faintly illuminating the surrounding area.

"We're getting close," Alden said, urging his horse forward.

They descended the slope carefully, the terrain growing rougher and more uneven as they approached the valley. Bran, though wary, followed closely behind, his eyes darting between the darkened trees that lined the edges of the valley.

Finally, they reached the bottom, where the ground levelled out into a small clearing. At the centre of the clearing, partially buried in the earth, was a large object. It was unlike anything Alden had ever seen before.

The object was made of a dark, metallic material, with strange, glowing runes etched into its surface. It was roughly the size of a boulder, but its shape was more geometric—almost like a large, multifaceted crystal, though it was clearly made of metal. The runes pulsed faintly with a soft blue light, and the air around it seemed to shimmer as if the object was distorting reality itself.

"What in the world…?" Bran muttered, his hand instinctively going to the hilt of his sword.

Alden approached the object slowly, his heart pounding with both fear and excitement. This wasn't just a piece of debris or a meteorite. This was something far more significant—something magical, perhaps even ancient.

He knelt beside it, reaching out to touch the strange runes. As his fingers brushed the surface, he felt a jolt of energy shoot through his hand, as if the object was alive, humming with power. The runes flared briefly, glowing brighter for a moment before dimming again.

"It's… reacting to me," Alden whispered, his mind racing. Could this be some kind of artefact from the ancient world? Or was it something even more extraordinary—a relic from the stars, brought to this world by forces beyond his understanding?

As Alden stood up, his thoughts swirling, he noticed something even more unsettling. Around the object, the grass and plants were… different. They had changed. The once-dry, drought-stricken earth had sprouted new growth—small, green shoots that looked healthier and stronger than any of the crops he had seen this season. It was as if the object had altered the very soil around it, breathing life into the land.

"This thing… it's affecting the environment," Alden said, his voice barely a whisper.

Bran, still standing cautiously at the edge of the clearing, shook his head in disbelief. "Magic. It has to be. But what kind of magic can do this?"

Alden stared at the glowing runes, his mind racing with possibilities. This object, whatever it was, had immense power—power that could reshape the land, perhaps even manipulate the very laws of nature. Could it be harnessed? Could it be studied, analysed, and understood? Could it be used in his genetic experiments, to unlock new abilities or traits in plants—or even people?

As these thoughts raced through his mind, a new determination settled over Alden. This object was no mere accident. It had fallen from the sky for a reason, and he was meant to find it. He would study it, learn its secrets, and use its power to further his own goals. This was the key to everything—his dream of bringing the beauty of genetics to this world, the merging of magic and science, the unlocking of potential that no one in this world had ever imagined.

But even as his excitement grew, a shadow of doubt crept into his thoughts. Such power was not without danger. And if others discovered what he had found, there would be questions—questions he might not be ready to answer.

"We need to keep this quiet," Alden said, turning to Bran. "No one can know about this. Not yet."

Bran nodded, though his expression remained troubled. "I don't like it, Alden. Whatever this thing is, it's powerful. And power like that… it always attracts attention."

"I know," Alden replied, his eyes never leaving the glowing runes. "But we have to be careful. This could change everything—for me, for our family, for the entire kingdom."

Bran sighed but gave a reluctant nod. "Alright. I'll follow your lead. But mark my words, this thing's not done causing trouble."

Alden smiled faintly. "Good. Trouble is exactly what we need."