Thorjen Verse 6 - "Child of Fates, Sell me a dream."

"To celebrate over 100 publishing's the next three POV's will be longer and written in first person. I have also polished and edited these POV's using more of the style you can expect on the patron to celebrate. Once Chapter 2 is completed there will be a short break whilst I go through each Verse and Polish and rewrite. Pictures will be updated also to match the relevant scene. Also, Patreon will include strict weekly releases, with gallery access and side story reveals. "

Thorjen POV

I observed my surroundings, grappling with the intricacies of the citadel, the further I walked, the more of the the capital began unfolding before me like an uncharted marvel. Countless towers stood tall, each boasting uniquely majestic splendors that left me in awe. The vastness of this place was not just surprising; it was downright breathtaking, a revelation far beyond the scope of my imagination nurtured during years spent on the tranquil blue mountain, dreaming of what the capital city would look like.

As the day progressed, the azure skies gave way to a blanket of indigo, casting a surreal hue over the landscape. The area closest to the sun shimmered in a golden rust, signaling the arrival of the evening. What truly astonished me, however, was the bustling life within the citadel itself– a city that refused to sleep it seemed. Compelled by an unexpected sense of wonder, I felt an irresistible urge to continue my unplanned tour, I leisurely strolled through the heart of the city, which enjoyed revealing to me more and more of its secrets.

Yet, amidst the fascination, a glaring rune on my hand disrupted the harmony. It pulsed with pain whenever I strayed too far from its dictated path, a constant reminder of the mysterious forces guiding my steps. I couldn't help but study the glowing rune more closely, realizing it took the shape of a slender bird, a precise representation of a swallow flying north, urging me forward towards the unknown.

The mystery deepened as I pondered how they had placed this rune on my hand in the first place. A sudden chill ran down my spine as I entertained the possibility of unknowingly crossing paths with one of 'them'. Ness had warned me about the enigmatic Mystics, a rapidly growing company that defied convention. Considered the 6th member of Lucien's big 5 companies, their swift rise to prominence both intrigued and unnerved the Royals. It was unheard of for a company to gain such recognition without years spent questing, triumphing within turf wars, or developing high-profile Knights. But as such, they were proven to be worthy of their fame as more and more strange quests were being accomplished by them in record timing.

Nervous anticipation coexisted with excitement as I contemplated meeting this mysterious company. I yearned to unravel the secrets of my own potential, to grow stronger, and to carve a path toward becoming a respected knight. The vast world around me beckoned with the promise of adventure, and I was eager to explore it.

*******

My mind instantly drifted to a cherished memory, an oath shared between two of the dearest people in the world to me. The anticipation of finally reuniting with Threyja warmed my heart greatly. I couldn't stop thinking about her ever since we saw one another. But it was the prospect of meeting up with Julien again that filled me with eagerness. Having missed a whole year of life, I couldn't wait to hear the countless stories my brother must have to tell. The desire to embark on extravagant quests with him resonated deep within me, and I could feel my heart pulsating with excitement for once.

'It's been so long since I felt somewhat like my old self.' I reflected inwardly.

My weary steps led me through what I suspected was the eastern side of the citadel. Here, amidst fewer crowds, half-built towers, and flat graveled lands, a different atmosphere unfolded. The people, adorned in shabbier attire, were either engaged in moving large debris away or leisurely basking in the last rays of the fading sun for the day.

Eventually, I reached the towering eastern wall, where I met a formidable structure standing around 10 meters tall, purposefully encircling the entire citadel for protection. Ness had shared tales of giants roaming these lands thousands of years ago, and the citadel was a testament to their response to the great prowess of their species. Passing through the drawbridge, I felt chills, aware of the history embedded between the cracks of stones layered against one another.

Exiting the citadel proved smoother than expected. Flashing the card from the Princess declaring my status as an official squire and a member of the Queen's army spared me any unwanted attention. I blended with the stream of people leaving the citadel behind, discovering a new world with floating islands and towering mountains that left me breathless.

The slight twinge of pain against the underside of my hand brought my attention back to the neon-colored bird rune, signaling its flight further north. I had no time to waste it seems.

Following its direction, I realized I was being summoned to an obscure floating island which I could barely see way up in the fold of smoky clouds above me. Anxiety welled up within me as I pondered the daunting task of reaching such heights. However, a peculiar old man, dressed in a stained tunic shirt, a straw hat, and a large, grey-forked beard caught my eye.

Intrigued, my gaze fell upon a signboard he held up, and my eyes widened as I deciphered the lazily scribbled words on it.

'Boat ride to the Mountains Peak'

I momentarily lost myself in the urgency of approaching the unkempt elderly gentleman. He appeared almost skeletal, short and hunched, emitting an intriguing scent that hung in the air. As his feverish eyes locked onto me with predatory swiftness, an internal warning echoed through me, urging caution. I heeded the unspoken advice and slowed my approach.

Our eyes met, and a peculiar glint replaced the dullness in his gaze.

"Oh...it’s you! You must be the new younger brother? Heh-heh, follow me. I’ll guide you up the mountain," he said with a surprisingly cheerful grin.

Since arriving on the mainland, my life had been a whirlwind, where moments blurred into a tapestry of strangers and unfamiliar places. Today was no exception as I found myself seated in the back of a 4m rowing boat, surrounded by near perfectly blue waters, softly shimmering against the verglas surface. The feeble old man expertly wielded a tall wooden beam as an oar, surprising me with his strength. Unbeknownst to my previous understanding, I soon realized a stream cut between the Citadel and a towering dark mountain hidden beneath the foggy clouds.

Little had been explained about our destination, and our travels were mainly uneventful, that was until I noticed a peculiar pale, ghostly light bouncing against the peaceful waters not too far away from us.

“H-hey…Mr., what is that?” I pointed towards the fog-obscured distance beyond 50 yards. The old man lazily adjusted his straw hat atop his head.

“Hm? Oh…I don’t see anything. Describe it to me.”

'Why can't he see that? It's right in front of us.'

“I…it’s a glowing white light, tiny like a baby’s fist bouncing along the surface of the water? Can you really not see that?” I asked a hint of doubt in my voice.

In response, he narrowed his tiny bug-like eyes into the distance.

“Hmm, I can’t see anything out there. Maybe the fog is making you see things, boy,” he offered flatly before turning away, continuing to steer the boat through the mysterious fog with a soft hum against his tongue.

Doubt crept in again, and I found myself fixating on the strange bouncing light until it suddenly vanished from my view. The boat glided undisturbed for what felt like an eternity. A frigid air descended against the stream and enveloped us. Meanwhile, I had embraced the rhythmic rocking, succumbing to a sudden wave of exhaustion that pulled me into the peaceful embrace of dreams.

Darkness, both soothing and eerily quiet, infused my senses with a renewed vitality. In the midst of my dreams, I heard a delicate and rather childish voice. Soft heckles which grew into a sort of knowing voice.

"Prince, the harbinger of fate...

Here you stand before us, a specter woven into the threads of prophecy.

A whispered prophecy spoke of your coming, a doppelgänger in the tapestry of time.

Yet, in the ethereal dance of destinies, a perplexing shadow envelopes your soul.

Inhales deeply The scent of ambiguity lingers, an enigma that begs the question – what morsels of mystique have you devoured to stain the very essence of your being?

Speak, for the cosmos demands the secrets concealed within the depths of your existence."

"..."

I find my words choked within my throat.

"I offer you a caution, for my kin, serene in nature,

kneel to no sovereign and shun the tumultuous dance of war.

Yet, beware, for there are those who shall detect the dissonance within your soul.

The hourglass drips with possibility; seize the moments remaining, reshape the destinies veering towards pandemonium. In the twilight's embrace, bid adieu, O Prince, to the unfolding enigma that binds us all."

I awoke to a hazy scene, the boat seemingly halted. Surveying my surroundings, endless blue waters stretched to my left, and dry earthy land sprawled to my right, leading to a towering mountain shrouded in mist. The frail elder declared our arrival at the summit, pointing toward the cave's mouth and with a wry smile, I thanked him, climbed out, and straightened my leathers.

"Good luck up there, kid. Those folk hardly receive new members, so there must be something special about you," he said, his demeanor slightly a little despondent. "Here me out Kid. Keep your nose out of business that doesn’t pay you. Stay silent, and let your ears discover the secrets. Anywho, I bid you farewell."

As he prepared to sail away, I was surprised to find myself left at the cave's entrance all alone. Was I meant to walk the rest alone? The prospect left a bittersweet taste in my throat.

I eventually quietened my racing heart and pressed into the gaping mouth.

Proceeding into the cave, I expected blinding darkness but was met with outdoor light on the other side. Hurrying through the narrow tunnel, I emerged into a raging windstorm, the pale light battering against me. Unprepared, a **** of disastrous nature slammed into me. I struggled to maintain my footing as I gradually felt the stones beneath me slipping away.

'I...I can't breathe.' The air was being squeezed out of my throat, and my fingers, brittle and cold, could barely move. Darkness encroached, consciousness slipping away as I felt the very air I had taken comfort in swallowing. Forcefully being snatched away form my lungs. In a bid to escape I held out my hand and desperately tried weaving some kind of attack. But my Qi was drained from my body in seconds.

'Damn it all...why is this happening?'

No answers surfaced as I sank into the abyss. Just when I teetered on the edge, a voice bellowed through the storm, a bright echo stirring a **** around me.

“Delightful roar, gentle screams, be gone wisp of terror. By any means.”

WOOOOOOOOSH

"Huuuuu! Ha…Ha…Ha."

I crumbled to my knees, gasping for air as my throat loosened. The oppressive winds had subsided, and a profound relief washed over me. **** for a savior, I heard a foreign voice nearby, signaling that help had arrived. Footsteps echoed against the stony ground, a reassuring sound that reached my ears soon enough

Swiveling to my side, I was greeted by the cheerful disappearance of the clouds. A cascade of towering stone steps emerged, daring me to climb into the lofty clouds of heavy smog. Before I could be awestruck by the sheer grandiosity of those giant steps, my attention was whisked away by a mysterious figure approaching in dark robes. Yet, what truly held my gaze captive was the array of towering, glowing runes forming behind her—a tapestry of gold and myriad colors crafting a complex and mesmerizing diagram. I couldn't quite explain how I knew it, but a single word bubbled up and escaped my lips as I marveled at the dazzling spectacle.

"Magic?"

As she descended the last stairwell, I could see her more clearly.

A fair-skinned girl, slightly tall with short-cropped black hair that grazed her shoulders. She wore round-framed glasses and a long, fitted dark robe reminiscent of scribes on the blue mountain. Despite her plain appearance, a playful smirk adorned her face as she approached. Intriguing golden jewelry adorned her neck and wrists, with three blue diamonds in a golden pendant shaped like an open eye catching my gaze

Still surprised by her sudden appearance, she extended her hand toward my crouched form.

“Welcome, potential 10th brother. I am your eighth senior sister... We’ve been waiting for your arrival. Come on, let’s take a walk.” Her melodic voice, like music, enchanted me. There was something about her that drew my intrigue, beyond her physical appearance. Realizing I was dumbfoundedly staring, I shifted my gaze away, embarrassed by my silent awe.

After helping me to my feet, she adjusted her glasses and directed her sparkling blue gaze toward the giant stone steps.

“You probably have a whole string of questions to ask me, I imagine. Worry not, we have a long walk ahead of us . Come on, let's be on our way before the storm array resets itself again.”

************

Stepping onto the giant stairwell felt both surreal and foreboding, each ascending step magnifying my sense of inferiority. The frigid air enveloped me again, making it feel like I was walking amidst the clouds. As we ascended, the pale smog began to dissipate, revealing a breathtaking panorama beyond the giant stairwell.

“No way!” I gasped, my eyes widening in sheer shock. Beyond the mountain, the citadel's pale and golden towers stretched beneath me. Like a bird soaring high, the intoxicating splendor of the world below left me awestruck. I yearned for Threyja and Julien to share this moment suddenly.

Which evoked a playful laugh free from my lips, but a strange uneasiness settled in quick enough as I was reminded of the thought of not seeing them as often as I wished.

As I reminisced about the changes that a year apart might have brought, Geary's memories flashed within me, accompanied by a deep pang of guilt. Lost in a crestfallen daze, I pondered if my past actions could be forgiven.

My senior 8th sister, noticing my detached demeanor, began to speak knowingly, pulling me back from my thoughts.

“Rough few days?” she remarked, her calm and intriguing eyes fixed on me.

“Ah? Rough year more like,” I playfully responded, eliciting a surprised look from her.

“Ya know, you shouldn’t feel too hard done by it.”

“Hard done by what?” I inquired.

“Being different. You’ll find we’re all quite peculiar if you dig deep enough. More so the people you’ll find living on these peaks are quite the bunch of ragtag misfits, fufufu, well that’s what the world once called us anyway.” Despite her playfulness, a subtle coldness lingered in her tone, hinting at a complex history.

Empowered by her words, I delved into the probing questions about the company. She willingly shared insights about the mountain's formations and arrays, serving as both a ward against intruders and a barrier for protecting the outside from mysterious "academy activities."

The revelation that the floating hills were illusions conjured by a magical array intrigued me. She explained that while everyone could learn, not everyone possessed the mental prowess to master array drawing.

Amidst discussions about life, we continued to climb the seemingly endless giant stone steps into the smog-filled skies. I expected the air to **** me as it had initially, only to discover that the feeling was induced by the magical array. The more I learned about this strange power, the more my interest in mastering it grew.

“Yes-yes, about the reason you were chosen. It’s a strange one, if you ask me,” she said, her eyes flickering with curiosity. My attention wavered between her words and the approaching towering mountain peaks up ahead.

“We had no idea about your existence until Senior Brother Seven told all of us about an interesting half-ling youth, who he advised could do with our help.”

I wracked my brain, attempting to recall a meeting with someone who identified as the "seventh brother." Faces blurred in my memory, and the moniker seemed elusive, perhaps used exclusively on the mountain. The multitude of encounters made it challenging to pinpoint the individual.

“The headmaster usually selects his students for self-learning in paradise, but this time, the usually quiet Seventh brother insisted we meet you. His announcement caused quite a stir among the academy members.”

My brows narrowed, attentive as I walked, ensuring I didn't misstep near the steep edge whilst I pondered against her words.

"D-did others not wish for me to join?" I asked feebly

“Well...Second Brother, 5th and 6th sister, as well as 4th brother were against it. While 3rd sister, 8th and 7th brother, and I were in favor of you joining. The decision fell on the first brother, and ultimately, he decided you should join. Oh-oh look, we’re here.”

At her words, my eyes shifted forward, expecting a little more to surprise me. Naïvely, I couldn't fathom the wonders beyond my simple dreams. Numerous floating islands emerged in the heavens, trees and pagodas adorning them like tiny knights clothed in crimson and bronze. More islands dotted the near distance as my gaze scanned the entire breathless skies.

A chilling sensation enveloped me as a majestic creature, part lion, part bald eagle, circled above.

Speechless, I wondered about the existence of such a place and how they navigated between islands as well. The thirst for adventure stirred in my heart amidst this unknown world truly leaving me breathless.

A tug on my sleeves brought me back, “Hey, I know what you’re thinking, fufufu, but you’ll have plenty of time for sight-seeing later. For now, I need to get you to the hall of requirement.” The girl with circular glasses spoke, and I tore my eyes away from paradise, weakly nodding.

Following her, we climbed the last few steps to the mountain's top. Unsurprisingly , I was left in a familiar daze by the sight before me.

Rows of pagodas fashioned into a small city nestled within the clouds adorned the mountaintop, defying my expectations. There was no time to marvel as I struggled to keep pace with my guide.

Navigating a straight aisle with polished grey stones and dark markings, I sensed her urgency to reach the nearest pagoda. Upon reaching a tall entryway, large enough for a dozen people, I found myself in a tall-roofed room resembling the temple halls from my days on the blue mountain. The interior gleamed with polished brass, ivory, and jade.

Entering inside, to my surprise, the room bustled with people, predominantly women.

They were all clothed the same way, in tightly fitted blue robes with gold trimmings on the edges. Some wore large pointed hats adorned with sparkling stars stitched against the fabric. As I entered, curious gazes locked onto me, causing my body to tense. Some whispered among themselves, while others stared doe-eyed, making me feel like a lost child following eighth sister. At the edge of the hall, we met a girl with fiery red hair seated behind a front desk, perusing an open scroll with a quill in hand. Her clothing, like the others, clung more tightly to her voluptuous body, and I struggled to divert my gaze once I noticed just how close her bosom was from spilling out.

Feeling my urges increase, I cleared my throat and swiftly looked away, but not before catching her slightly knowing smile. "Hey, Crazy girl, where’s 3rd Senior Sister then?" asked my eight senior sister

"Ah, Senior Sister Eight," the girl with fiery red hair responded with a cordial bow. "Hmm, last time I checked, I recall seeing our fairest Lady visiting the Second Senior Brother. Would you like me to prepare a transport array to her villa?"

"N-n-no, not at all, ahem! I wouldn’t want too...intrude on their...err-ah yes, ahem, what about the hall of requirement? I asked for it to be prepared before I left." there was a strange blush set against eight sister's cheeks. I wonder if she had remembered something embarrassing at the wrong moment.

“Ah -y-yes, heh-heh. About that, Senior Sister Eight...we had some complications when preparing the room. We seemed to have run out of the crimson Qi gems needed to regulate the level of Aura to our testing standard, because of which we …"

“YOU WHAT...R-RAN OUT! Grrr Second brother...this has him all written over it...he still can't accept his wishes were overruled,” growled the girl with the framed glasses. Frustration emanated from her, and I, realizing my appearance caused it, felt uncertain about how to help. Meanwhile, the girl with full breasts stole glances at me, wearing a mischievous grin as I tried my very best to avoid making eye contact with her.

Every time our eyes met, she grinned and by the fourth or so time she licked her lips, sending shivers down my neck.

“How long will it take to prepare the room?”

“Erm....60 minutes.”

“For crying out!...sigh, ok...I’ll use this opportunity to show our NEW younger brother around. If Second brother shows up, you make sure you tell me...GOT IT!” snapped the girl seated behind the desk, who immediately bowed in response.

“You have my word, Senior Eighth Sister.”

The girl draped in black robes shot me an exasperated glance, her eyes practically rolling. "Well, come on, let's ditch this place," she quipped, seizing my wrists with a theatrical flair, wasting no time in whisking me away. As we exited the Pagoda, we strolled down the path in a symphony of silence until she let out a sigh that seemed to carry the weight of all her vexations.

"Sorry about the dramatic exit. I've got this bizarre obsession with punctuality. It kinda makes sense, considering it's the principle I majored in, haha!" She casually adjusted her glasses, and I couldn't help but notice a faint blush creeping back onto her fair cheeks.

"Majored in? Oh right, you mentioned something about that earlier. Each person on this peak specializes in a particular principle?" I asked, recalling our previous chat to which she nodded, playfully bobbing her head.

"Yep! That's what sets our quirky little family apart. You see, when we first set foot on this peak, the headmaster gave us the lowdown: pick a principle, martial art, or skill, and go all in. No dabbling in a hundred ways to kill someone. According to him, true mastery comes from practicing a single sword strike a thousand times. Well, at least that's what he preaches."

I held no words in response. The training philosophy seemed strange but not in a bad way. I tried to understand its practicality.

"Take me , for instance. I've dedicated myself to the fascinating realm of Time—its principles, the magic swirling around it, and all the enigmatic mysteries. Now, Seventh Brother, he's all about enchantments. Used to be the sidekick of the illustrious Magus Shava Watermoon, but she's been MIA for a while now, so the headmaster officially adopted him."

My heart did a little tap dance of uncertainty. The name Shava Watermoon sounded like a melody I couldn't quite place.

"Then we've got 6th sister, the botanical genius. She's all about concocting remedies, brewing poisons—basically, if it involves flowers, she's on it. 5th sister is the beast whisperer; she once led a baby dragon right to our doorstep, but then its mama and her gang decided to crash the party. Almost turned into a dragon-sized disaster."

Dragons? Cue the internal panic.

'Note to self: Be on the good side of the fifth sister.'

"4th brother is our resident maestro in music and royal principles. Now, 3rd sister...well, let's just say she's got a knack for illusions. Those bimbos you might encounter? Yup, her doing. And before you ask, yes, the headmaster gave her a thumbs-up on that."

"It's a special rite, reserved for the truly exceptional. The headmaster sets these tasks that even the world acknowledges as feats of greatness. And, ahem, my esteemed Senior sister has aced three of those."

Eighth sister struggled a bit there, but she spilled the beans on the third sister's legendary prowess, achieving feats that make the world collectively go 'whoa!'"

"Oh, and she's smitten with Moxi, so tread lightly on that front," she tossed in.

"Moxi?" I inquired.

"Yeah, Mohan—the second brother. He's all about the Dao of Berserker and combat. Rumor has it, he was once the youngest golden-ranked knight in Lucien Kingdom history. Oddly enough, he skipped the Queen's army gig. Both him and Senior first brother were the first duoi of this club. And Senior first brother? Well, he's a bit...special."

"Special? What do you mean by that?" I asked, my eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"He doesn't have a focus anymore. He's mastered 101 arts of the martial ways. Sounds bonkers, right? Wait till you meet him. Then it'll all make sense, hahaha!"

*******************

We spent the next half-hour wandering around the same peak that housed the first pagoda we entered. This place resembled a tiny island, featuring small lakes, tiny gardens, and slanted trees. Initially disbelieving, I soon acclimated. Each time we neared the edge, the sight of those floating islands reminded me that I was in a truly remarkable place.

Eighth sister then guided me towards a taller pagoda, distinct from the fashionable ones. Its exterior, crafted from dark and pale stones, sent shivers down my spine. There was something abnormal about this place. In hindsight, if I had known this single moment would unleash chaos upon my entire world, I might've heeded the voice within my head urging me to run. Nevertheless, I nodded reluctantly before following eighth sister inside this eerie place.

Once inside, I felt engulfed by a cold darkness that seemed to strangle my very being. The air held an eerie stillness, punctuated only by bizarre glowing green stones along the ground. Our light footsteps echoed ceremoniously against the clear marble ground. Staring down, I noticed a floor that resembled glass, and the prickly feeling of fear slowly crept in.

Sensing the uncertainty, I caught her soft voice between my controlled breaths. “Don't be frightened. This is a sacred place...you’re safe here.”

We continued walking between the glowing green stones until we reached the end. A vast space opened suddenly before us. Squinting in the darkness, I wondered why there was no light, and the peculiar floor seemed to defy explanation.

“Why can't we see anything?” I almost gasped, and as if in response, a brilliant ball of green light erupted from the center of the hall. I shielded my eyes from the intense glow.

My jaw dropped so low that my tongue almost fell out. My initial analysis of the floor was only half correct. Instead of glass, the ground was covered in ice.

Rooted to the spot, torn between awe at the place's incredible aesthetics and an inner fear of the ice shattering beneath my feet, I noticed a giant slab of crudely carved stone erected in the center. The stone, a magnificent polished black, was covered in glowing pale runes flickering with a strange, persistent pattern.

“Incredible, isn't it! They say it’s a relic that has been in slumber for over a millennium. Once upon a time, this very stone acted as a beacon of hope in a world nearly conquered by the great demon.”

“The demon king's army? Do you mean…this stone was the famous weapon historically spoken about?” I queried, a profound sense awakening in my bosom.

“Yes, they call it the fate stone. To the demons, it was their greatest bane, and to the heroes of the ancient world, a weapon that set them free.”

The fate stone...even the azure feather sect spoke of this ancient relic in their scripts. As I stood there, I found myself rehearsing the songs I could miraculously remember to this day.

‘The stones of fate, desired by many,

a friend to none, but a disaster to plenty,

whether they knelt for blood or sang for peace,

the stone of fate will find what it desirably seeks.’

I used to sing those verses when I was still very young. It never struck me as strange until now. Was I always fluent in ancient languages? I recalled the elders making me perform frequent tests once they discovered my connection to the fates—some required deciphering ancient runes.

“The headmaster has spent a lot of years attempting to understand it, but…to no avail,” she explained gently. However, my thoughts and attention were currently lost in a sea of my own confusions and fading memories.

There was something about that stone bothering me more as I looked at it, and then a strange wave of euphoria hit me. Memories rushed back from venturing into that cave with Geary and the Moon Jin party, where we discovered a similar-looking large slab of stone.

“Wait, that stone…” I muttered without a second thought and found my feet quickly hastening towards it.

“Huh, whe-where are you going?” As I hurried forward, her faint voice cascaded to the back of my mind while she called out for me. But her words were drowned beneath the torrent of voices fighting for a foothold within my thoughts. I felt a similar feeling a few times before—the fate stone was calling out to me. Something deep that usually slept in my bosom was opening its eyes. My movements were so disoriented that I tripped over my foot a few times, and by the fourth time, I felt a sharp pain numbing against my palms and knees.

But steadily, I rose again, lost in a trance as I rather ghoulishly dragged myself towards the center of the hall.

As I arrived by the towering dark slab of stone, I felt dwarfed by simply existing beside its shadow. That and the unrelenting feeling of dread poured over me, as though I was standing beneath a waterfall filled with ice.

The glowing runes danced majestically across the smooth face of the stone, the words alien to me, but I somehow understood they alluded to the same outcome.

“The world is wrong...the Gods are calling...Dawnstar has risen...

The world is wrong...the Gods are calling...Dawnstar has risen...”

A soft groan escaped through my lips as I suddenly felt compelled to place my hand against the surface of the polished stone. The moment my palm made contact with the cold surface, much to my delight, those incessant whispers ceased at once.

But much to my sheer horror, I suddenly felt my entire world turning upside down.

***********

I blinked and found myself surrounded by clouds of murky grey smoke drifting against a scaly polished black wall. From an initial glance, I held the feeling I was trapped inside the...

“HEY! YOU!”

A voice thundered so loudly that I physically felt a tremor move throughout my body. I staunchly twisted around on my heels, where I found a floating pretty-faced girl staring directly towards me with the most beautiful pair of glowing golden eyes I've ever seen. Her lavishly long blue hair fell all the way down to her feet. Both her wrists and ankles were bound in delicate golden jewels. What caught my attention the most was the familiar-styled silk robes draped against her body.

My gaze flickered with wonder the moment I attached the distinctive clothing to those robes I saw being worn earlier. She even wore the same pointy hat, which brought a whole host of questions flooding into my mind at once.

“WH-WH-What's going on?” Her delicate voice asked me, her face a surprising mask of fright. She was definitely the most deeply shocked between the two of us, a pleasant surprise considering I was usually the one bewildered by these sorts of random occurrences I was prone to being privy to.

My gaze trailed towards her footing, or rather lack of, as I softly made a gasping sound, realizing she was floating above the ground.

“Hey! I’m tal-talking to you. Who are you, and how did you get here?”

She deepened her narrow brows even more in a bid to appear a little more menacing, but it was clear to me very quickly she was just scared.