The Destiny Exchange
Once upon a time in the Kingdom of Seriphos, there was a common man named Myron who had a peculiar ability. Myron could see into the future and visualize the destiny of anyone he met. He was an ordinary blacksmith living a moderate life with a beautiful daughter named Callista and his loyal wife.
One day while working at his small workshop, Myron met a stranger - an old man who appeared from nowhere. No one in the village had seen him before. The old man, Orion, was looking for a blacksmith to fix his broken walking stick. As soon as Myron touched the stick, he had a vision of the old man's destiny. He saw fear, destruction, and a dire end. Shocked by the sinister destiny, Myron felt a sudden rush of compassion for the stranger, decided to conceal it from him and quickly mended the stick. He let Orion go without charging him any flees.
That night, Myron was restless. He kept thinking about the old man's fate and his inability to alter it. Lost in thought, he came across an ancient scroll in his attic that his ancestors had left. The scroll mentioned the 'Destiny Exchange', an age-old ritual of the Kingdom of Seriphos, which allowed the person to swap destinies. The scroll also warned about the perils of this ritual, as it could turn things on their head if performed incorrectly. Driven by compassion, Myron resolved to carry out the ritual.
The coming Sunday, under the light of the full moon, Myron executed the ritual. As per the instructions on the scroll, he lit seven candles and placed them in a circular format. He placed his hammer in the center, signifying his trade and his essence. He then chanted the sacred words written on the parchment. A bright light shone, and suddenly everything went blank.
Three days after the darkness, Myron woke up in the royal court amidst the Kings Guard. He was no longer a blacksmith; he was now a seer and the Royal Advisor to the king of Seriphos. Realizing that the 'Destiny Exchange' had worked, Myron was both relieved and surprised. He had now embraced Orion's destiny to fortify Seriphos' kingdom against any harm.
In a cruel twist of fate, Myron soon understood that his destiny was now Orion's - that of a humble blacksmith. The village head spotted Orion and Callista weeping near a forge. He recognized them and sent them to the palace. Myron met his wife and daughter in his majestic chamber, shocked and at loss of words. However, he was relieved that they were safe and assured them that everything would be alright.
With his new 'foresight' power, Myron guided the Kingdom of Seriphos towards prosperity and timely averted the looming chaos he'd seen in Orion’s destiny. However, his heart always longed for his humble abode and his forge. Orion, too, learnt blacksmithing and spent a calm and peaceful life with Callista and the wife, cherishing the small joys of life that Myron had once reveled in.
Years later, on a bright Sunday, the Kingdom celebrated its golden period under the righteous rule of the guided king. On the same day, a common blacksmith named Orion was honored for his honest craftsmanship.
As he aged, Myron often visited Orion's workshop, cherishing his old days, and Orion greeted him with a broad smile, maintaining his joyful front. Both men, living the other's destiny, understood the price they had paid. However, they were also satisfied with the sacrifices they'd made for their betterment and the greater good.
The tale of Myron and Orion is still narrated in the Kingdom of Seriphos, symbolizing sacrifice, compassion, the courage to change the course of destiny, and the thirst to make the world better, even if it takes swapping one’s own destiny.