I turned off the power, and the surroundings suddenly fell into an unusual silence. For the first twenty-eight years of my life, I had been rushing forward relentlessly, too afraid to pause even for a breath. The moment I stopped, the world would cruelly abandon me.

Riley, what exactly are you pursuing? I asked myself, but my chest felt hollow, devoid of answers.

I had heard that at the world's end, those who have witnessed the aurora find their wishes fulfilled. After arriving in Northern Europe, I settled into a cozy guesthouse—a place where Jarvis and I had once come on a business trip. At that time, it had been...