Ch - 4

Chapter 4: The Golden Thread

Liora’s breathing was uneven as she steadied herself, Elos’s grip firm on her arm. The ruins of the Threads Between felt more real than they had moments ago—the cold stone beneath her feet, the distant hum of lost fates vibrating in the air. But her mind was still trapped in the vision.

The golden-eyed boy. The endless spools of faded thread. The feeling that she had stepped into something far greater than herself.

"You saw a golden thread?" Elos repeated, their voice quieter now, more measured.

Liora nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat. "He… he wasn’t like the others. He wasn’t faded, like the lost threads. He felt real."

Elos released her, their expression unreadable. "Then the Loom’s secret is unraveling faster than I thought."

Liora exhaled sharply. "Enough riddles. What does it mean? Who is he?"

Elos turned, pacing to the edge of the ruins. "The Loom only weaves golden threads for those who are bound to fate itself—souls that shape the world, whose destinies alter the pattern in ways even the Weavers cannot control." They looked over their shoulder at her. "To see one among the lost means the Loom made a choice long ago. And then… it erased it."

Liora’s stomach twisted. "Why would it do that?"

"Because some fates are too dangerous to be allowed to exist," Elos said simply. "Or too unpredictable."

Liora thought back to the boy’s face, the way he had seemed to flicker between reality and nothingness. "Then… if I saw him, does that mean he still exists somewhere?"

Elos hesitated. "Perhaps. Or perhaps you’ve begun to unravel a truth the Loom never intended to be found."

Liora clenched her fists. The Loom was supposed to be absolute. Perfect. But she was beginning to wonder if perfection was just another illusion.

She straightened. "Then I need to find him."

Elos turned fully to face her now, their silver eyes unreadable. "You don’t even know what he is."

"Neither do you," Liora countered. "But I know he’s the key to all of this."

A long silence stretched between them. The wind whispered through the ruins, carrying the faint hum of the broken threads.

Then, finally, Elos nodded. "Then we begin."

Liora blinked. "Just like that?"

Elos gave a small, knowing smile. "I was never going to let you leave without understanding what you've set into motion. Now we walk the path you’ve chosen."

Liora swallowed. She wasn’t sure if that was a comfort or a warning.

"Where do we start?" she asked.

Elos turned toward the tangled threads. "You pulled him from the Loom once. Now, you must follow the thread you disrupted. But be warned—unraveling a lost fate is not the same as weaving one. You may not like what you find."

Liora squared her shoulders. "I’d rather know the truth than live by a lie."

Elos’s smile was faint, but approving. "Then step forward, Weaver. And let the pattern guide you."

Liora took a deep breath, then reached out—

And the world shattered once more.

---

End of Chapter 4

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***