-- Nova’s Perspective –

A grotto.

It was the only way to describe it.

Nova had heard the word in old stories: a mystical cave, laden with obscure meanings. A place deep in the wilderness, the first type of temple.

Pillars of water seemed to support a cream-colored disc of a ceiling. Their constant thrum filled the grotto with white noise, muffling any other sounds. Its walls were some kind of mixed color—a more translucent smoky rock paneled on dark, sparkling granite. The effect made it difficult to discern how large the room was, although it couldn’t have been smaller than 50 ft. across. No corners appeared to lessen the ambiguity, the room a perfect circle.

She took a deep breath of damp air. It smelled of water, stone, and salt.

Taking a few steps forward, she peered through the dim light and blue mist. Deep pools replaced the floor at random. Shallower streams ran in and out of them, leaving few dry spots.

The floor was an unusual, glassy material. A deep black, its reflective nature imitated the still pools easily.

I’ll have to watch my footing. Nova didn’t know how to swim and didn’t want an involuntary crash course.

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Still, she continued forward. Her eyes began to adjust to the dim, and she began to pick out the details of the grotto.

A forest of metal trees unfolded, lit by a small, blue moon—a crystal orb embedded in the pale ceiling. Each tree had perfect metal leaves, down to the veins, and pale pink fruit. The fruits were slightly translucent, and faintly glowed.

Reaching up, she brushed her fingers against one—only to draw back abruptly.

“Ow!”

The fruit had shocked her, a sting of magic that lingered painfully. She whimpered, rubbing her fingers, as the light of the ‘moon’ pulsed erratically.

It shone brighter, illuminating the grotto.

Nova gasped, stinging hand forgotten.

In the center of the cavern, directly below the light, was an enormous statue. A beautiful maiden, with pure white skin and chestnut brown hair, stared apathetically from the strangle-tight grasp of a monster. Her eyes were a liquid silver, swirling in a soft current around sharp pupils. She stared down at Nova with an empty expression, as if all emotion had been forcibly drained from her.

The monster hugged her from behind, clasping her waist and shoulder in massive, clawed hands. He rested his chin on the top of her head; his long, razor-sharp teeth were mere inches from her scalp, stark white against his black body.

It was the same material as the floor, sharp and glassy, with long mounds of oddly flexible spikes hanging off him. Hints of semi-translucent red bled out from under and between them, as if showing skinless muscle.

Nova took a reflexive step backwards, looking up to meet the monstrous statue’s eyes.

Silvery, like the maiden’s, but narrowed, guarded.

Dangerous.

Her heart rate skyrocketed. She took another step backwards, eyes darting away from his gaze. Caught briefly on his oddly adorable ears before movement blurred at the edge of her vision.

Nova screamed at the red apparition that greeted her.

Earless, noseless, skinless—a creature slightly shorter than her, moving with a predatory grace that set Nova’s survival instincts on fire.

She didn’t stop running until she was outside the Old Palace.