Origin: Rooted Within

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

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C A R T À

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[O G R I D A’S H O U S E

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He took a deep breath. His eyes reddened. What Era had just told him weighed on his shoulders? He felt them drop with depression. He was told that he was the key: the one who would decide whether the border remained closed or open. He thought about everything, not knowing when his simple life had become so complicated. To think how quickly things had changed.

Era was still sitting next to him on the log they had sat on earlier. The moon had risen so high above their heads.

"Are you all right?" she asked, but Castar did not answer. He was silent, gazing into the distance. He was too absorbed in his thoughts to hear anything.

"Castar," she whispered.

He heard her call, though it was not as loud as the first. He had nothing to say, wishing he could close his eyes, open them again, and begin life anew in a place where there w