Within a hidden sanctuary far removed from ordinary reality, Liora stood before a damaged crystal, its surface webbed with fine, spreading cracks. The Guardian stood nearby, silent and watchful.
"The Star Compass cannot force it," he said finally. "It must remember."
Liora studied the crystal for a long moment before stepping forward and placing both hands against its cool, fractured surface. Nothing happened — not immediately. She closed her eyes, steadying her breath, and waited.
Slowly, the Star Compass began to glow.
A memory surfaced within her — not her own, but ancient, distant, carried on threads of light she couldn't quite explain. She saw children standing beneath a sky filled with countless silent constellations, their small voices rising together in something like a vow.
*"May every traveler find a path."*
*"May every story find a witness."*
*"May no promise vanish without remembrance."*
