Matteo Vistani's Arc

Chapter 2 of 3

Matteo sat on the wooden bench outside his dwelling, watching the morning light filter through the trees. He'd found his home and discovered the places where people gathered. But finding someone who would accept his visions meant he needed to learn how to let them in. Every time someone got close, he'd felt the familiar urge to hide what made him different. He couldn't keep doing that. Not if he wanted to build a real life with someone. He stood and walked back into the forest, following a path he hadn't noticed before. The trail curved between dark trees until it opened to reveal a massive structure ahead. Black stone walls rose high into the sky, covered in symbols he'd never seen. This was a palace, but not like any he'd known. Matteo pushed open the heavy doors and stepped inside. The air felt cold and thick. Voices whispered from hallways he couldn't see. He moved through rooms filled with old books and strange maps pinned to walls. Other people walked past him, their eyes distant, as if they saw things beyond the stone. One room held drawings of visions—faces, places, moments frozen in time. Another showed methods for understanding dreams. Matteo ran his fingers along the spines of books about seeing the future. This place could teach him what his visions meant. If he understood his gift, maybe he could finally explain it to someone else. Maybe then he wouldn't have to hide anymore. He picked up a book and carried it to a table near the window. The first step was learning. The rest would come after. He spent the day reading about different types of visions. Some people saw the future in dreams. Others felt things before they happened. A few could walk through other people's memories. Matteo studied diagrams showing how to track patterns in what he saw. He learned words for things he'd felt but never named. When the sun started to set, he closed the book and left the palace. On his walk home, he noticed a glowing orb mounted on a post near his dwelling. It gave off a soft light like fireflies trapped in glass. He hadn't seen it there before. Matteo touched the smooth surface and watched the glow pulse under his fingers. The light would help him see when darkness came. He could read his books outside now, even after the sun went down. He went inside and brought out the book he'd borrowed, settling onto the bench as the orb lit the pages. Understanding his visions would take time, but he'd made a start. And starting was enough for today. The next morning, Matteo searched his dwelling for something to help with his practice. He found a decanter in the back corner, covered in runes he recognized from the palace books. The glass felt smooth and cold in his hands. He carried it outside and placed it on the ground where rainwater could collect. The books mentioned using natural elements to focus his gift. Water gathered under moonlight. Soil from specific places. Smoke from certain herbs. He didn't know if these things would work, but the people at the palace believed they did. Matteo looked at the decanter, then at the glowing orb, then back at his dwelling with its carved symbols. He had tools now. He had knowledge starting to take shape in his mind. Tomorrow he'd return to the palace and learn more. Each day would add another piece until he could finally speak about his visions without fear. Until he could show someone who he really was and watch them choose to stay.