Miguel stared at the carved prophecy, his mind racing. "How will you know who this person is?"
Lola Sabel stood and walked to him, gently rolling up his sleeve. There, on his forearm, was a scar he'd had since childhood—three spirals twisted together, like the symbol on the third cultivation stone.
"I knew the moment I touched you," she said softly. "This is the first sign—the Mark of Three Paths."
"The second sign," Amihan said, stepping forward, "is the ability to walk between realms. Have you ever felt… pulled somewhere else? Seen things others can't?"
Miguel nodded slowly. "Sometimes at night, I dream I'm walking through a forest made of light, and voices speak to me. I thought I was going crazy."
"The third sign," Lola Sabel continued, placing her hand over his heart, "is a heart that feels the pain of all living things. When you see suffering, does it burn in your chest? When you see life flourish, does it lift you up like the wind?"
"Yes," Miguel whispered, tears stinging his eyes. "I always thought it was weakness."
"It is not weakness," Lola Sabel said firmly. "It is strength. You are the one the prophecy speaks of—the destined cultivator who will save us all."