Joshua stood atop Peaceful Plateau, a vast expanse of emerald grass dotted with blue wildflowers, golden-tipped petals shimmering faintly in the green-tinted sunlight. A breeze stirred the air, carrying the sweet scent of blossoms, the tang of palm sap, and the distant murmur of a waterfall cascading down the Pearl Cliffs.
The plateau was a sanctuary, cool and quiet, its grassy edges sloping into cliffs of pearly white stone flecked with silver. From this height, the Emerald River below looked like a ribbon of green glass threading through Fides, vanishing into the forest of palms and Earth trees.
Joshua let his gaze drift outward. The sky, pale green streaked with yellow, glowed softly against the misted horizon. The White Mountains loomed in the distance, snowless peaks piercing the heavens like watchful sentinels. He and Dedecus had recently scoured their ravines for a sliver of blue copper.
Below, Fides nestled in the valley, palmlog houses in neat rows. Rooftops glimmered with dew. Smoke curled lazily from cooking fires, mingling with the scent of flatbread and the briny tang of river fish. Gravel paths wound between homes toward the village square, where the church spire rose skyward, a symbol of hope after so much loss.
It was the second most beautiful thing Joshua had ever seen.
The first was Namid. And she would arrive any moment.
He shifted his weight and tugged at the collar of his pale green tunic, stiff around the seams. The tightness in his chest refused to ease.
In the fields below, farmers bent to grain rows while others tended sheep, pigs, and cows, their bleats faintly audible. A child ran along the riverbank, kite trailing behind. The sight should have calmed him. It didn’t.
Grass rustled behind him. Joshua tensed, heart hammering.
“What are you looking at?” a soft, melodic voice asked.
He swallowed.
Her.
Namid’s voice carried the same warmth which had drawn him years ago, soothing yet igniting the butterflies in his stomach. He kept his gaze fixed on the church spire.
“Just marveling at how much the village has changed,” he said, voice steady though his palms were damp.
Namid stepped beside him, her presence lighting the space like morning sun. She slid her hand into his, and he prayed she wouldn’t notice the clamminess.
“Well, it has been over five years since the attack. A lot can change in five years.” Her words were gentle, a balm to the storm inside him.
Memory pressed hard. Five years ago, Dedecus had taken the Creativity Stone, twisting it for destruction. Chaos had left Fides in ruins. His parents had perished that day. That bitter memory would haunt him forever.
But five years ago, on this very day, something else had happened. A village party, laughter, dancing. He and Namid had shared their first kiss beneath the golden moon.
It had been the start of something precious, carrying him through the darkness.
He turned toward her. Her deep brown eyes sparkled like lake waters, alive with kindness and strength. The words he had practiced for months hovered on his tongue.
“The village isn’t the only thing that’s changed,” he said quietly. “We’ve changed too. You’ve become this incredible, beautiful woman. And I … still look like an awkward teenager.” He gave a nervous chuckle. “But I’ve matured. I want to be the man you deserve.”
The words spilled too fast. Five years, and he didn’t look a day older. His face still that of a seventeen-year-old. His hair unchanged. The Creativity Stone’s healing energy had slowed his aging, maybe frozen it.
Namid never mentioned it, but he sometimes wondered. Did she see the boy he had been, or the man he was trying to be?
Namid’s smile spread, radiating warmth. “You are that man, Joshua. I love you.” She squeezed his hand, and his heart soared.
Her words filled him with courage, making him feel like the man she believed him to be.
His free hand slipped into his pocket, fingers closing around a small, smooth ring of blue copper. He and Dedecus had nearly frozen hunting the mountains for the rare metal and found just enough for this ring.
“Namid, I—”
“Joshua, Namid, come quick!”
The shout shattered the moment.
Joshua turned to see Sharon racing toward them, face flushed, breath labored. The dark blue council sash fluttered against her tan tunic as she climbed the path.
Her urgency cracked the serenity, tension bleeding into the air like thunder.
“What is it?” he called, his annoyance sharp.
Sharon stumbled to a stop, boots skidding on gravel. “The Creativity Stone, it’s been stolen!”
The words hit like a thunderclap.
Color drained from Joshua’s face. His pulse quickened. Fingers shoved the ring deeper into his pocket, the proposal forgotten.
His gaze swept the village. Smoke from fires now seemed darker. The church spire fragile. People moved hurriedly below, shadows of concern flickering even at this distance.
Today was supposed to be perfect. Instead, a storm was brewing.
And he feared it would be worse than anything they had faced before.
Want to find out what happens next? Find out when Reckoning releases August 18th!
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