If one were to depict the residing place of demons, a peaceful paradise would be the last thing on their minds. And yet before them stood a vibrant, golden world, where children played and adults reeled in their days of long-lost serenity.

How they laughed and smiled in the resplendent wonders of their world, as though they knew nought of the horrors they have wrought on the others. Conscious in all perceivable ways yet harbouring not even a single thought in their immortal brains, the residents of this man-made Heaven received the four mortals emerging from the portal with loving arms.

“Unbelievable. How is this place so… beautiful?” Marcia breathed, turning in a slow circle to admire her surroundings.

“It’s like we stepped into a children’s bedtime story.” Titus walked forward slowly, his head craned up at the golden sky peppered with light purple clouds.

“It feels so nostalgic, even though it’s our first time here,” Orpheus commented. “It’s almost as if every treasured memory of the past has been frozen in time in this world.”

“That may not be too far from the truth, actually.” Felix looked around.

The obsidian buildings around them were not as technologically advanced as those of Titus’ world, but their cobbled stone architecture gave them a quaint and cosy feel.

“Our surroundings may look beautiful, but they’re hollow on the inside,” he continued to muse out loud. “If I’m guessing this right, what we’re seeing are just projections of reality.”

Felix gestured at a group of children playing in an amusement park nearby.

“So are these people. There’s literally nothing going on in their minds, if they even have minds in the first place,” the psychic said grimly. “It might be very possible that they’re actually just mere thoughts given physical form.”

Marcia pointed at a man approaching them before Felix could continue postulating.

“Is that guy an Unending?” she whispered. “He doesn’t have black scales, but I’d recognise those golden eyes anywhere.”

The neatly dressed man came within earshot before Felix could reply, so the group turned their attention to him instead. His striking red hair was slicked back neatly and he looked no older than thirty. Felix tilted his head slightly; this young man looked oddly familiar.

“Welcome, friends!” The man broke into a wide smile, his gestures bold and confident. “Visitors from another world! What an honour to receive such esteemed guests!”

Marcia folded her arms, her gangster scowl returning to her face promptly. “How’d you know where we came from? Who are you?”

“Why, all of you only have one soul, of course! So you must hail from somewhere else.” The man’s golden eyes flickered. “As for who I am…”

He stepped back and broke into a deep bow.

“My name is Alcaeus Vulcan, and you may address me as so. It is my pleasure to guide our world’s first tourists.”

It took all of Felix’s effort not to flinch visibly, but Marcia was not as composed. Her mouth hung open as she staggered back like she had been shot multiple times in the torso.

“Fath— Alcaeus Vulcan?!” she blurted out.

Vulcan tilted his head slightly in confusion. “Yes? Is there something amiss, my good lady?”

Marcia shook her head frantically after a brief moment.

“N— No… Nothing wrong at all,” she stuttered. “P— Pray forgive me for my outburst. I was just… I— I’m sorry.”

“Apologies, but we’re not here for a tour,” Orpheus cut in. “We’re seeking a celestial artefact called ‘The Winter Solstice’. It’s a tome of sorts.”

“Ah, I see! So you don’t require a full tour of our beloved world,” Vulcan said without a hint of disappointment in his voice. “No matter, I can still guide you to someone who knows all about spellcrafts. Do pardon me for my lack of expertise; I was just a humble tour guide back in my living days.”

“I beg your pardon?” Felix asked, wide-eyed. “What do you mean ‘back in your living days’?”

“Of course! This must all seem very foreign to you.” Vulcan smacked his forehead lightly. “The residents of our world have long since transcended life. We now enjoy the rest of our eternal days doing what we love.”

“How does that work?”

“All in due time, friends.” Vulcan walked onto a long rectangular platform. “Climb on. This teleporter will take you to our next destination.”

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

The group followed him hesitantly.

“Once again, welcome to our world! Your tour has already begun.”

~ ~ ~

Felix materialised in the middle of an open street. The teleportation platform retracted the moment he stepped off, fitting neatly into a discreet hole in the ground. He took some time to admire his surroundings. Like the rest of the world, the entire street was bathed in a warm golden glow. People were strolling casually without a care in the world, talking animatedly among each other. It was as though they had never known a moment of worry in their lives.

Felix brought himself back to the present and hurried forward to Vulcan, who was already waiting patiently with the rest of his group.

“No need to rush. Take your time,” the guide chuckled at Felix’s apologetic scurrying. “Our destination is not far from here, anyway. Our teleportation system is very efficient.”

“What is this place, D— I mean, Alcaeus Vulcan?” Marcia asked.

“Excellent question!” Vulcan piped. “To answer it, we have to start from the beginning.”

The group turned their attention to him, listening intently.

“Once upon a time, we were all just everyday people going about our daily lives. We lived peacefully like this for a long time, even after I had died of old age. But some hundred years after my passing, a plague struck the world. And it was no ordinary plague either; it was a plague wrought on the fabric of reality itself.”

Felix creased his eyebrows. Could he be referring to the environmental warping phenomenon that occurs whenever the Unendings appear?

“At first, it started as mere cracks in the air around us,” Vulcan continued nonchalantly. “And then the seas boiled. The heavens burned. Our magic stagnated and rotted. Until one day, the world shrank.”

“What do you mean, ‘shrank’?” Orpheus asked curiously.

“Our universe collapsed on itself beyond the point of no return.” The guide’s gestures were animated, as though he was simply describing a children’s story. “We never found out its cause. Galaxies were left in the wake of the sudden crunch. Stars extinguished as darkness swept past them. We all thought that surely this was the end of all existence. But miraculously, everything stopped before we knew it.”

“Just like that?” Titus raised an eyebrow. “That’s remarkably convenient.”

“Indeed it was! And we were so very blessed. For with the death of everything came our eternal life, and the arrival of the cloud that sustains our immortality by replenishing our souls.”

Vulcan pointed to the sky. Amongst the wispy purple clouds lay a skull-shaped cloud that looked a lot more solid than it should have been. Unlike its neighbours, this ‘cloud’ was a light pink, and remained stationary despite the light breeze blowing the other clouds along.

The guide stopped walking.

“And thus, after so many years, I find myself walking the streets again as a young man,” Vulcan said. “I know not the specifics of how every dead person has been resurrected, nor do I know from where the cloud gets its collection of souls to sustain us. But this I can say for sure. The miracle of our renewed lives is thanks to this sacred cloud, and everyone is grateful for its existence.”

Felix pursed his lips. He didn’t want to argue with Vulcan pointlessly, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something wrong with this cloud. Although it granted the residents of this world eternal life, it clearly had some sort of psychic ability to bestow the illusion of happiness on them.

Besides, peaceful as this place appeared to be, it was still the source of the Unendings that massacred worlds. And the creepiest part? He still had yet to see one of them in the flesh. Could they all be residing in this cloud, waiting for the right moment to strike?

“Well, had your fill of history then? I know I have!” Vulcan pointed to a house in front of the group. “This is where I part ways with you. The couple in this house has been informed of your arrival and will be answering any questions about your… ‘Winter Solstice’, whatever that is. They are the world’s leading experts on tomes and spellcrafts, so they’ll definitely be able to help. You have my word.”

“Wait! Will we see you again?” Marcia stepped forward, her eyes glistening slightly. “We barely got to talk!”

Alcaeus Vulcan gave her a small smile.

“Anything is possible in this place, lass!” he said. “One just needs but have faith.”

Marcia rushed forward and hugged the man tightly. He froze in shock for a moment, before embracing her awkwardly as well. Felix’s expression softened, knowing how conflicted his sister must be feeling.

“Thank you…” Marcia choked back a sob. “For everything you’ve done for me.”

“I… Uh,” Vulcan sputtered in confusion. “You’re very welcome. I’m deeply heartened by your words.”

Felix reached out and shook his hand as well. “Thank you for all you’ve done for this world, sir.”

“Wow, I really wasn’t expecting so much gratitude for giving such a short tour.” Vulcan put a hand behind his head in slight embarrassment. “You’re very kind, all of you. I wish you all the best in your endeavours.”

The man walked off. It may have been just Felix’s imagination, but Vulcan’s footsteps seemed to be lighter now. Felix gave a bittersweet smile to his retreating back. Take care, leader.

A soft creak brought his attention back to the house. The door swung open, and a young couple greeted the group with a wide smile. Titus and Orpheus returned their welcome with a short bow, but Felix and Marcia only had the strength to stay rooted to the ground.

“Welcome to our humble abode!” The brown-haired woman gestured for everyone to enter the house. “Our house is a little messy, but do make yourselves at home. I heard you lot are interested in finding the Winter Solstice, am I right? I’m sure we’ll find lots to talk about!”

“Do pardon my wife. We get rather over-excited when it comes to talking about tomes.” Her husband’s voice was a little more soft-spoken. “Allow me to introduce ourselves first.”

Felix’s mind spun, barely registering the words that came out of the man’s mouth next. After all, he already knew their names.

“My name is Apollo Pagonis, and this is my wife, Diana Pagonis. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”