My brow furrowed, a knot of bewilderment tightening within me. “What do you mean, ‘we just stay here’?” I stammered, the words catching in my throat. Amelia’s pronouncements were often cryptic, but this felt particularly hazy.

All she had imparted was that our quest for the third coin holder would conclude here, in the deceptively peaceful haven of Riverwood. “Short as always,” Noctis muttered, a familiar edge of exasperation sharpening his tone.

Liora’s arms crossed over her chest, her stance defiant. “Why, precisely, do we need to find the last one?”

“We have two,” Noctis replied, his gaze sweeping over us, “but the prophecy demands three. Three to face the ‘approaching darkness,’ whatever that truly entails. Another maddeningly vague piece of this puzzle.” His jaw tightened.

“Well, the world is certainly growing darker,” Liora said, her voice laced with a genuine tremor of worry. “Everything feels…unsettled. I just hope little Riverwood remains a sanctuary.”

“Riverwood will be fine,” Noctis reassured her, though a shadow flickered in his own eyes. “We’re here, aren’t we? If trouble comes we can handle it.” A beat of silence passed before he offered, “I know it’s been a while since any of us had a moment’s peace from this… darkness. Why don’t you all take some time, enjoy the town?”

“That sounds great to me!” Liora chirped, her earlier tension melting away. Her bright gaze landed on me. “Lunch? A girls’ day, perhaps?”

“A wonderful idea,” I responded, the thought a small, welcome bloom after the anxieties of last night. My eyes flickered, almost involuntarily, towards Adrix. A girls’ day is exactly what I need.

“The library calls,” Finnian announced, more to himself than anyone, already rising. A subtle eagerness in his movement tugged a smile onto my lips; his devotion to the written word was a constant.

“Ready?” Liora asked, practically bouncing on the balls of her feet.

“Lead the way,” I said, falling into step beside her.

The townsfolk of Riverwood, for the most part, still moved cheerfully. Yet, beneath the surface, anxiety hummed. Snippets of hushed conversations about the encroaching shadows reached us, a stark contrast to the familiar, comforting rhythm of the town.

We stopped at one of Riverwood’s unassuming little restaurants, the kind of place easily overlooked, its humble facade belying a culinary reputation that whispered through the town like a cherished secret. We settled at a corner table, finding ourselves the sole occupants, cocooned in its quiet warmth.

“So,” I began, leaning forward, a mischievous spark dancing in my eyes, “what’s the story with you and our resident scholar?”

A delicate blush stained Liora’s cheeks as a soft smile touched her lips. “Well, after the… kidnapping ordeal, Finnian and I have found ourselves… closer. I think,” she paused, her voice dropping to a near whisper, “I think he might feel something for me too.”

I smiled encouragingly. “From what I’ve observed, Liora, Finnian cherishes your presence. The way his entire demeanor brightens when you enter a room, the gentle intensity in his gaze when he looks at you… it’s far more than simple friendship. Trust those instincts.”

Liora’s blush deepened. “I hope you’re right,” she murmured, her fingers tracing the condensation on her water glass. “When we were younger, I often thought his reading was a refuge, an escape. I’d sit beside him in companionable silence while he journeyed through other worlds. But now… now he’ll point out passages he thinks I’d find intriguing, or explain some obscure historical detail. It’s like he’s sharing a precious part of himself, a part that’s vital to who he is.” She leaned back, a dreamy smile gracing her lips. “He just feels safe. Like coming home after a long, perilous journey. No matter where our path leads, as long as he’s by my side, I feel… complete.”

I paused, my own thoughts drifting to Adrix. “It’s funny, isn’t it?” I mused. “We traverse realms and battle shadows, yet it’s finding that one person who anchors you, who makes your soul feel… safe. That’s the true quest.”

“It truly has been an adventure,” Liora agreed, a nostalgic smile playing on her lips. “We’ve faced so many trials together, and each one seems to have woven our lives more intricately. That transition from ‘he’s my friend’ to… well, to admitting I’m falling for him… that’s a journey all its own,” she confessed, a soft laugh bubbling up.

I nodded, a gentle smile mirroring hers.

“Now,” Liora leaned in, her eyes glinting with playful curiosity, “spill. What exactly happened between you and Adrix? You both emerged from that room looking like you’d seen a ghost and a sunrise at the same time—flushed and utterly awkward.”

“Nothing happened,” I admitted, the words deflating the air around me, a familiar pang of disappointment echoing within.

Liora’s eyebrows arched towards her hairline. “Nothing? Lyra, the air between you two was practically crackling.”

“Well,” I conceded, a ghost of warmth spreading through me at the memory, “we were… close. Very close.”

Her eyes widened. “But…?”

“He said he isn’t ready yet,” I confessed, the words barely a whisper, a sigh escaping with them.

“Not ready?” Liora’s brow furrowed. “What does that even mean?”

“I’m not entirely sure,” I admitted, vulnerability creeping into my voice. “Neither of us has much… experience. I suppose we’re navigating uncharted territory, taking it slow.”

Liora snorted, a sound of pure disbelief. “Clearly. Has the man even hugged you properly?”

“No,” I mumbled, my gaze dropping to the worn wooden floorboards, heat rising in my cheeks.

Her eyebrow quirked playfully. “Not even a hug? Seriously? Finnian’s probably given me more accidental shoulder bumps than Adrix has intentionally touched you!” A light chuckle escaped her before her expression softened, growing earnest. “Well,” she continued gently, “Just don’t let him keep you tethered to ‘slow’ if your heart yearns to fly. There are others, you know,” she added, her voice softening, “who wouldn’t hesitate.”

My eyes widened slightly. “Oh?” A beat. “And who, pray tell, might these eager contenders be?”

Liora chuckled, a low, knowing sound. “Not my secret to tell, Lyra. Though, you do possess a remarkable talent for overlooking the obvious sometimes.” She winked. “It’s endearing, mostly.”

“So,” I began again, a thoughtful frown creasing my brow, “any sage advice for dealing with Adrix? I respect his need to move slowly, but…” My voice trailed off, the unarticulated unease hanging in the air.

Liora let out a wry laugh. “Oh, Lyra, you’re asking the wrong person! My confident act earlier? Pure bravado. You know I’m as clueless in this department.”

We both dissolved into laughter, the shared irony a welcome release.

“After we’ve eaten our fill,” Liora asked, a hopeful lilt in her voice, “would you mind if we stopped by the library? To see Finn?”

“Not at all,” I replied, finishing my last bite. “I’m ready when you are.”

“Excellent!” she exclaimed, already halfway out of her chair, energy thrumming through her. “Come on!”

“Hey, wait up!” I called, scrambling to catch her.

“Sorry, I’m just so excited!” she beamed, her face alight.

I chuckled, shaking my head. “It’s okay, I get it.” Her infectious anticipation was genuinely sweet. I found myself silently wishing them every happiness; they seemed to fit together, two complementary pieces of a beautiful puzzle.

We ascended the short flight of stone steps to the library. As Liora pushed open the heavy oak doors, the familiar, comforting aroma of aged parchment, old ink, and bound leather enveloped me like a hug. I scanned the hallowed quiet of the interior, my gaze drifting over towering shelves and into shadowy reading nooks, searching for Finnian. He wasn’t immediately apparent.

“I thought he’d be in his usual spot,” Liora murmured, a flicker of confusion in her eyes as she too surveyed the room.

“Where does he usually hide himself?” I asked.

“That large table by the east window,” Liora explained, gesturing towards it. “He always claims it has the perfect lighting for reading.”

“Well, let’s investigate,” I suggested. We began a quiet circuit of the cozy library, our footsteps muffled by ancient rugs, the silence broken only by the rustle of turning pages from unseen patrons. But Finnian was nowhere.

“That’s… peculiar,” Liora murmured, her brow furrowing with concern. “He never leaves before they dim the lamps.”

“I’m sure he just headed back to Noctis’s,” I offered, trying to inject a reassurance I didn’t entirely feel. “Let’s check there.”

“Okay,” she agreed quickly, already moving towards the exit. We walked back to Noctis’s residence in a heavy silence, a shared, unspoken unease settling between us like a shroud.

Liora didn’t knock; she practically launched the door inward. “Finn? Are you in here?” Her voice was tight with a frantic edge that prickled my skin. Silence answered. She took another step into the entryway, her voice rising. “Finnian! Are you here?”

A muffled voice, Noctis’s by the sound of it, drifted from the study. “In here!”

Liora threw open the study doors, and her breath hitched. I followed, my heart thudding against my ribs. Everyone – Noctis, Adrix – was clustered around Finnian, their expressions a mixture of awe and apprehension, all eyes fixed on his hands.

“What’s wrong? What is it?” Liora whispered, her voice trembling.

I craned my neck, peering over Noctis’s shoulder. A small gasp tore from my own throat. There, nestled in Finnian’s trembling palm, lay the third silver coin, its surface pulsing with a faint, ethereal luminescence in the lamplight. “Where… where did you find that?” I stammered, my mind reeling.

After a long, charged silence, Finnian finally spoke, his voice hushed, tinged with bewilderment. “I was at the library… immersed in my reading. I went to retrieve another stack of books, and among them was a tome I’d never encountered before. Leather-bound, ancient, its title etched in faded, archaic script: ‘The Ruling of the Dark Ages.’ Intrigued, I settled down to examine it. But when I opened the cover, I found it had been meticulously hollowed out. The pages were carved away, and nestled within that void was this.” He lifted the coin slightly, its light glinting in his wide eyes.

“So… Finn is the third coin holder?” Liora breathed, her voice barely audible.

“It would certainly appear so,” Adrix replied, his gaze still riveted to the artifact. “This must be why Amelia insisted we remain in Riverwood.”

“Do you think she knew? All along?” Liora questioned, her eyes wide with dawning comprehension.

“Most likely,” Adrix answered, his tone thoughtful. “Amelia has a way of nudging fate without shattering its delicate weave. They only illuminate the path when your feet are already set upon it. Drastic intervention is not their style.”

“But Finn… Finn has no mana,” Liora stated, the words flat with disbelief, her eyes, wide and shadowed with worry, searching Finn’s face. I could only imagine the tempest of thoughts and emotions raging within her.

Adrix tapped his lips, a thoughtful gesture that nonetheless drew my gaze. “Well,” he said slowly, “it is possible to seal one’s mana. Exceedingly rare, and generally… frowned upon.”

“Why would anyone do such a thing?” Noctis asked, his brow deeply furrowed.

“Perhaps to conceal someone of immense, perhaps even dangerous, power,” Adrix mused, his gaze distant. “Or to protect them from those who would exploit it. Beyond that, reasons are scarce.”

“Okay,” Finn said softly, his gaze still fixed on the silver coin in his hand, a flicker of deep concern in his eyes. “Assuming my mana was sealed… how would one undo such a binding?”

Liora gently rested her hand on his shoulder. Finnian finally looked up from the coin, and a wave of something akin to relief washed over his features at her touch.

“That,” Adrix admitted, his expression thoughtful, “is a question to which I lack a definitive answer. I’ve never encountered such a case firsthand. One might theorize a life-or-death situation could shatter such seals, but you, my friend, have faced your share of those already.”

“What about the Magic Tower?” Noctis suggested, a hopeful note in his voice.

Adrix sighed, a sound heavy with reluctance. “You know their protocols. They are notoriously secretive. Only a recognized mage and their designated apprentice are typically granted entry.”

“But if we don’t try, we’ll never know,” Liora said, her voice ringing with a newfound firmness, a steely determination hardening her gaze.

“Wait,” Adrix interjected, his brow furrowing. “Surely we aren’t all planning to storm their gates?”

“Yes, we are all going,” Noctis stated, his gaze unwavering. “Worst-case scenario, the rest of us wait outside while you and Finn attempt to gain an audience.”

“The journey to the Magic Tower… it’s over a week by conventional means,” I pointed out, the vast distance settling heavily in my mind. “Adrix, your portals… can they even span that far with all of us?” Noctis shot me a look of pure bafflement.

“Adrix can manage it, Lyra,” Noctis said, his voice surprisingly gentle, though his eyes still held a flicker of confusion at my question. “He’ll just need to… adjust a few things first. Remove some of his seals.”

A sudden, cold unease washed over me. But didn’t he say that was dangerous? That it left him vulnerable? The thought flashed, sharp and unwelcome.

Adrix must have seen the flicker of concern in my eyes. A subtle smile touched his lips as he met my gaze. “It’ll be alright, Lyra. It’s a temporary measure. I can reinstate them once we return.” His reassurance, though quiet, carried weight.

“So,” Finn finally asked, his voice regaining some of its usual steadiness, his gaze shifting between Adrix and Noctis, the coin still clutched tightly. “When do we depart?”

“As soon as Adrix is prepared,” Noctis declared, a resolute nod towards the mage.

“Undoing the seals will take some preparation,” Adrix explained, his expression sobering. “If everyone agrees, I propose we leave at dawn.”

“Dawn it is,” Noctis agreed readily. “We move when you give the word.”