Chapter 21: Windswept Mercy
The tall grass-fence encircling the sacred stone seemed to hum with latent energy as Liora stood atop the glowing platform. The world around her shimmered briefly, and before she could process what was happening, she found herself transported into another dimension—a vast green field bathed in warm sunlight.
It felt eerily familiar, reminiscent of the environment where she had first encountered Solara, though there were subtle differences this time . About a hundred meters ahead, Liora noticed two figures perched atop a small hill.
Her curiosity piqued, she began walking cautiously toward them, each step accompanied by the gentle rustling of grass and flowers swaying in the breeze.
As she drew closer, details came into focus. Two wooden poles stood side by side—one shaped like a letter "T," likely used as a perch for birds, and the other resembling a small goalpost.
Chained to the latter was a goblin, its head bowed dejectedly. Perched confidently on the horizontal beam of the goalpost-shaped pole was an eagle—a harpy eagle, not overly large but commanding nonetheless.
Its feathers were predominantly light brown, accented with dark brown, deep red, and hints of black along its neck, wings, and tail. Most striking were its eyes: glowing white with vertical pupils of dark red, framed by sharp, elongated eyebrows that added an intimidating edge to its piercing gaze .
Liora stopped about four or five meters away from the creatures, taking a moment to survey her surroundings. She glanced left and right, behind her, and even upward at the bright, clear sky.
Suddenly, a voice startled her. "Looking for something, girl?" Liora took a couple of steps back instinctively, gripping her staff tightly. Her eyes darted toward the eagle, certain now that the voice had come from it.
Summoning courage, she stammered, "Ar-are you... th-the one who's talking ju-just now?". The eagle responded sharply, its tone laced with irritation. "Yes, I am. You have a problem with that?" Its fierce glare intensified, causing Liora to flinch slightly.
She quickly tried to defuse the misunderstanding. "N-no, absolutely not. I-I'm just a little bit shocked." The eagle sighed audibly, muttering under its breath. "Are you really the chosen one at all?"
Liora chuckled awkwardly, her hesitation evident. "I've been told that before, so I guess I am?".