Rudra's eyes narrowed as he studied Eira's face. There was something about her that seemed familiar, yet he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
"What do you mean, fulfill my destiny?" Rudra asked, his hand instinctively going to the hilt of his sword.
Eira's smile grew wider. "I mean that you have a crucial role to play in the events that are unfolding," she said. "A great darkness is rising, and you are the only one who can stop it."
Rudra's eyes widened as he felt a surge of energy run through him. He had heard those words before, in the prophecy.
"How do you know all this?" Rudra asked, his mind racing with questions.
Eira's eyes seemed to cloud over, and for a moment, Rudra thought he saw a glimmer of sadness in her eyes.
"I have been sent to guide you," she said. "To help you prepare for the battles ahead."
Rudra's instincts told him to trust Eira, but he couldn't shake off the feeling that there was more to her story than she was letting on.
As they stood there, a sudden gust of wind blew through the village, extinguishing the torches and plunging the area into darkness.
Rudra's heart skipped a beat as he heard the sound of footsteps echoing through the night.
"What's going on?" Rudra whispered, his hand on the hilt of his sword.
Eira's eyes gleamed in the darkness. "It seems we have unwanted visitors," she said. "Get ready to defend yourself."
As she spoke, a group of shadowy figures emerged from the darkness, their eyes glowing with an otherworldly energy.
Rudra drew his sword, ready to face whatever lay ahead.
But as he looked at Eira, he realized that he still had so many questions.
Who was she, really?
What was her true motive for helping him?
And what lay ahead, in the battles that were to come?