No Happiness Guaranteed

Previously

…He took a deep breath, the familiar scent of his own world filling his lungs. It was not the intoxicating perfume of moonpetals or the earthy musk of ancient trees, but it was home. And for the first time in a long time, Elias felt truly present, truly alive, in that home. He didn’t need a magical compass to guide him anymore. His heart, finally aligned, knew the way. He turned and began to walk, not towards a promised land of guaranteed happiness, but towards the unfolding adventure of a life lived with open eyes and an open heart. The journey, he realized, was the destination. And he was finally ready to embrace every step of it.