Chapter 14: "The Glitter Guide and the Girl Named Lyria"
The land had yelled at us, blessed us with glitter and existential dread, and then gone quiet.
So naturally, we wandered into the next problem.
It was a grove. Not magical. Not menacing. Just suspiciously... calm.
> "I don't trust it," Arcanos muttered.
> "You don't trust trees," I replied.
> "I have history."
In the middle of the clearing stood a girl.
She had floating books circling her like moons. Crystals blinked in and out of existence above her shoulders. A squirrel wearing a teacup helmet sipped soup next to her boots.
She looked like a sorceress. Or a librarian. Or both.
> "Took you long enough," she said without looking up.
> "...Who are you?" I asked.
> "Lyria. Pronounced like 'Leer-ee-yah', not 'Liar-yah,' which would be unfortunate given the current circumstances."
> "...What circumstances?"
> "The ones where you have no idea what you're doing, and I have to pretend that I care enough to help."
She finally looked at us.
Eyes glowing faintly. Like someone who'd read our story already and was just here for the commentary.
> "Oh, and hi, Petunia. Love the sock bouquet at the wedding."
> "You watched that?" I asked.
> "I rated it. Two out of five chaos stars. Needed more flaming frogs."
> "We had flaming frogs."
> "Yes, but not enough to alter destiny. Look, I'm not here to hold your hand. I'm here to vaguely gesture in the direction of not dying."
The squirrel saluted. We all blinked.
> "So you're like a guide?" Arcanos asked.
> "More like a glitter-soaked compass that whispers ominous riddles."
She handed me a scroll that was already smoldering at the edges.
> "This will point you to your next disaster."
> "Is there any actual help in it?"
> "Probably not. But it smells like lavender and fate, so good luck."
> "Why us?" I finally asked.
Lyria smiled. Not kindly. Not cruelly. Just knowingly.
> "Because the world needs a mess. And you, dear soup-stained traveler, are the best kind of mess there is."
The scroll popped. The squirrel burped. And the path ahead shimmered into view.
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End of Chapter 14 (Destiny arrives in glitter, soup, and sarcasm.)