Luz reached for the Celestial Staff, but as her fingers closed around the wood, the world shifted. The "mountain" was actually a pile of rotting trash. The "wizard" was a bloated, multi-eyed octopus creature hiding behind a wooden puppet.
The forest returned to its usual, terrifying self. Luz stood in the dirt, covered in slime, holding a broken bottle.
"The Celestial Staff is hidden in the Glimmering Peaks," Adegast said, his voice like velvet. "Only a human heart, pure and untainted by wild magic, can claim it." Luz felt a swell of pride. Finally, a role she could play.
The battle was chaotic. Adegast used his illusions to create fake versions of Luz’s friends, trying to confuse her. But Luz looked at her hands again. She didn't have magic, but she had something else. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a handful of "junk" she’d found earlier—Eda’s volatile potions. "Hey, Ugly!" Luz yelled.
"I’m sorry, Eda," Luz whispered, looking at her feet. "I just wanted to be a hero like the books."
"You aren't a hero," Adegast’s true voice hissed, wet and heavy. "You’re just bait."
Luz marched out into the woods, King perched on her shoulder like a tiny, furry general. But the path to the market felt different today. The air was thick with the scent of blooming fire-lilies, and the trees seemed to lean in, whispering. That’s when she saw him: a wizard.
He was everything a wizard should be. He had a beard that touched the floor, a robe embroidered with constellations, and a staff that glowed with a gentle, inviting light. He introduced himself as Adegast, a keeper of ancient quests. He told Luz exactly what she wanted to hear—that she was special, chosen, and destined for greatness.