Prologue
"This is not good. Things are getting worse," an old man said as he paced back and forth.
"Their lives are in danger, Grandpa. We don’t know when he will make his move. We need to act first before it’s too late," a girl said, sitting on the sofa with worry on her face. Despite her concern, her beauty still shone through, with her wavy brown hair cascading down her back.
"I know, I know. But I have no idea where to find the people in the prophecy. I don’t even know where to start… All I have is you," he said, looking straight at the girl.
The girl sighed. "I will not abandon my responsibility, Grandpa. I will stay here with you until we find them all."
"We need to find the Eye first," the old man said.
"But where can we find the Eye?" the girl asked as she stood up, determined to do everything she could.
The old man turned to the window, gazing at the moving white clouds in the blue sky. "We don’t need to find the Eye. She is coming… I can feel it," he said.
The girl's heartbeat pounded in her chest. "Do you mean… the destruction is getting near?" she asked, fear evident in her eyes.
"You can already see it. With the situation spiraling out of control, this won’t take long," he answered. Even though his face showed no emotion, the worry was still visible, and the girl could feel it.
"Don’t worry, Grandpa. Everything will be fine," the girl said, trying to comfort him.
"I hope so…" he said with a weak smile.
"Just… trust us. Trust the prophecy," she added, hoping to ease his burden as she gently tapped his back.
"Trust the prophecy," the old man echoed with a nod.
He immediately went to his room and looked for the box under his bed. Pulling it close, he frantically opened it. The girl watched his every move, curiosity evident on her face.
"What are you doing, Grandpa?" she asked.
"I’m looking for the Book of Prophecy. I know I put it here," he said. But when he opened the box, he saw nothing but an empty shell. Fear gripped his heart, pounding so hard it felt as if it might burst from his chest. His breath caught in his throat. "No, no, no… it shouldn’t be," he muttered.
"What’s wrong, Grandpa?" the girl asked, stepping closer and peering into the empty box.
"The Book of Prophecy…" he whispered, unable to fully grasp the reality before him. He could not believe what had happened. Fear crept into his mind.
Who would know he was living in this hidden place? Who could have possibly found him here? Did someone follow him?
"What about the Book of Prophecy?" the girl asked, her voice tinged with fear. Even though her grandfather hadn’t spoken the words, she could feel it—the worry, the dread.
The Book of Prophecy should never be taken. It should never disappear. No one should see it. No one… or else, all hope for the world would vanish.
If it fell into the wrong hands—chaos. Chaos would consume everything.
"I-it’s g-gone."
When she heard those words from her grandfather, it felt as though all confidence, all hope, had been stripped away.
"It might just be somewhere, Grandpa. Maybe you misplaced it," she said, immediately searching around the room.
"No, I only put it here," the old man said in defeat.
The girl stopped searching and looked at her grandfather. "What shall we do, Grandpa?" she whispered.
She thought to herself—who would ever come to this place, hidden deep in nowhere?
No one could reach this place… except the Eye. Only the Eye could lead someone here.
But how, then, did the Book of Prophecy disappear?
"I don’t know… When is the school opening?" the old man asked, sitting on the bed, his eyes fixed on the wall as if lost in deep thought.
"Maybe in two months, Grandpa. They’re still evaluating the potential students," the girl answered, unable to understand what he was thinking.
"Let’s just hope no one finds the Eye… before we do," he said.
"What about the Protectors?"
As soon as she said the word "Protectors," she felt heat rise in her body, her heart pounding unnaturally fast.
The old man looked at her. "They will meet… You will meet. That is what the book says. The people in the prophecy will fulfill their responsibilities as their hearts guide them."
"Do you think we will all meet before it’s too late?" she asked.
The old man sighed, looking deeply into his granddaughter’s eyes. "That is what I hope… If possible, find them." He stood up and walked closer to her. "Use your heart. You are one of them. I’m sure you can feel them," he said.
The girl nodded. "Yes, Grandpa. I will do my best. I will find them… especially the Eye," she declared with determination.
"Go," the old man said.
The girl nodded and started heading toward the place where she hoped to find the people of the prophecy. She needed to find the Protectors, the Elementors, and the Eye.
With every step she took, the stones beneath her feet shifted.
*****
"Did you get it?" a man in a suit asked one of his disciples.
The disciple, a middle-aged man with a face that shone like the sun, nodded.
"Just as you ordered, boss," he answered.
"Good," the man said, extending his hand. The disciple immediately handed him an old book.
The man smiled, then looked at his disciple. "Did you read the contents?"
The disciple shook his head. "No, boss."
"As always, you are honest and trustworthy. Now, proceed to your next mission," he ordered.
The middle-aged man nodded and exited the office.
The man sighed, leaning back in his swivel chair. He opened the book and began reading. "It is just as precise as what I saw," he murmured to himself.
"I need to go and visit the Eye."
He stood up, smirking.
"Oh… hell breaks loose."
