It is said that the universe is a tapestry, woven by hundreds of thousands of tiny threads. Among those threads, there are those that affect the fate of the entire tapestry. They are known as the Guiding Threads. Wherever that thread may go, others are destined to follow.

This is the legend of a single Guiding Thread.

Tianna checked her clothing again, just to make sure she was ready, before leaving her room. The very next day she would turn twenty years old and her father had given her a nice sum of money to buy whatever she wanted. There was a small town called Vale nearby and Tianna had every intention to spend the day window shopping there.

Vale may have been small but since the town was close to some major trade routes it was full of variety. Tianna loved looking through all of the rare treasures that would sometimes appear, but she had never bought any of them before.

“I’m heading out!” she called with a wave to her father, who was looking over some papers in the sitting room.

Her father was a storm fairy with black hair, grey eyes, and wings that looked like a vicious thunderstorm had been captured inside them. When he was angry or stressed sometimes lightning would streak across them.

Tianna, on the other hand, had wavy blonde hair and green eyes. She appeared to be a boringly average human.

“Don’t stay out past dark,” her father warned her.

“I’ll make it back before dinner,” Tianna promised. She had always thought her father was strangely overprotective, but she was also aware how dangerous town could actually be at night.

The market was full of enchanting smells carried by the late spring breeze, and a pleasant ruckus of overlapping voices. Tianna slipped past the various food stalls and stopped in front of a shop that displayed all of the new and rare items.

“Welcome back to Belleas Trinkets, is there anything that catches your eye?” the shopkeeper called out.

“Hi, Matt,” I replied with a smile, “What’s new today?”

He took out a drawer and placed it on top of the counter. “Today’s shipment was enchanted jewelry,” he replied, “The enchantments are labeled briefly by the items.”

Tianna peered into the drawer where everything was meticulously placed. There were bracelets, necklaces, rings, even hair ornaments. One of the necklaces caught Tianna’s eye. It was made with thin golden thread with pearls spaced here and there in sets of three, two small ones with a larger one in the middle. The centerpiece of the necklace was a crystal about two inches long cut into an elongated diamond. At first glance it appeared to be clear, but Tianna could see different colors in its sheen.

“Ah, the rainbow crystal necklace,” Matt chuckled when he saw what had caught her eyes, “Most rainbow crystals are beautiful but valueless, however this one has crystilium in its core which makes it extremely compatible with magic.”

“Is that even possible?” Tianna asked, but she did see a smaller diamond shaped crystal in the center.

Crystilium was incredibly rare, and incredibly strong. Only protectors could harvest it and cut it into shape, and like Matt had said it was a valuable conductor of magic.

Tianna checked the label to see what it had been enchanted with. “Protection?” she asked.

“Yes,” Matt answered, “With the help of this crystilium core this necklace can create a shield to protect against anything. The more magic fed into the core the stronger the shield is. Right now the core is full, but without refilling it, it would only last two or three uses.”

“Oh,” Tianna replied. It sounded incredibly powerful, but she had never been able to do much with her magic. It stung even more because her mother was a powerful sorceress who was currently working in the castle. She had been working long-distance until two years prior, but they had suddenly become insistent on her return.

Matt brought her attention to a small ring with an emerald set in the center of a rose. “This one has a similar effect and near limitless uses,” he offered, “but since it is a rose it has thorns so the enchantment is called Bramble Shield.”

“You are being awfully persistent today,” Tianna accused.

Matt chuckled. “Word has it that a certain birthday girl might receive a good sum of money tomorrow. Won’t your constant visits go to waste if you never buy anything?”

“I will think about it,” I told him, “But I don’t think dad told anyone about that.”

“No. You did. You told Milly, who told-”

Tianna shot Matt another accusatory glare.

“Don’t worry, your nonsecret is safe with me,” he promised, “Was there anything else you would like to look at?”

“Have you gotten any books since last time?” she asked.

“That is Belleas Bookstore, right next door,” Matt replied with a smug expression.

“So? Aren’t you one of the few employees for both?”

Matt barely stifled a chuckle. “Alright, yes. We got a few. Would you like to go next door and look through them?”

“I would,” Tianna told him.

She spent the rest of her time in town browsing through books and headed back well before sunset. However, she had lost track of time and was about a half an hour late for dinner. That could only mean one thing.

Tianna rushed to the kitchen to find her father trying to cook potatoes with lightning magic. “Not again!” she shouted as the potatoes exploded.

She barely managed to dodge the chunk of potato that shot right at her head. After the various thunks and pangs subsided she marched into the room. “Mom definitely warned you not to try that again when she moved to the capital,” she scolded.

“I was able to do it perfectly before,” her father complained, “I don’t know what I am doing wrong.”

“Let me take care of dinner,” Tianna told him and shoved him out of the kitchen. She took what potato she could salvage and sighed. Another day of having potato. She was running out of ways to cook them. Today she went with a potato pie, somewhat like quiche, and salad.

While she cooked her father cleaned up the kitchen. “Tianna, do you want to move to the capital with your mother?” he asked suddenly.

“I am not going to abandon you just because of a potato or two,” Tianna replied absentmindedly.

“It’s not that. I have been thinking it is time I go back to work.”

Tianna froze. Her father had been a soldier before she was born, but had retired early to take care of her. Right around then a group that despised storm fairies appeared so he had never searched for another position.

“Why?” Tianna asked.

“There is a cause I would like to fight for. I have been offered a very generous position,” he replied, “However, if I was to take it, you would basically be living alone. Besides, Crystal misses you. I am sure she would love it if you decided to live with her.”

Rather than just thinking about it, it sounded to Tianna as if her father had already decided to take the position.

“Okay,” she gave in, “When should I go?”

“I was thinking that sometime this week would be best,” he replied.

“That soon?! Isn’t this a bit fast?!” Tianna exclaimed.

Her father sighed. “Actually, it is a bit late. I should have sent you a while ago but I was having a hard time letting go.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?” Tianna demanded.

“How can a father tell his only daughter that she should leave?” he asked in response.

Tianna fell silent. She had always been very close to her family. She thought that she knew them better than anyone, but the man that stood before her now was full of secrets.

“Sorry for bringing this up so suddenly. You don’t have to go anywhere just yet,” her father assured her and ruffled her hair, “Let’s eat dinner.”