The city looms over us as we grow closer. While the road to it is paved stone, lit with lamps on the way, the landscape of the Under around us is what draws my attention. Luminescent moss, towering stalks of fungus seemingly taking the role of trees, even tilled fields with small crops growing, despite the lack of real light here. While the city is a marvel, I will have time to look at it as we walk through it.

Our pace reaches a quick stride, and soon, we’re outside of the walls. How peculiar, that a city so deep underground, so isolated, would need defenses. Two men, who I presume to be guards, stand alert outside of the gate. They fall to their knees as they see Valicia approach, while the gates are opened by guards atop the walls.

We continue through the gate and into the city. Passersby drop to a knee as we pass. The city seems, if anything, prosperous. Unaware of the events which are unfolding. Quiet.

“Here.” Valicia takes a sharp right turn down a street, and opens a door to a small, stone structure. We step inside. A floating ball of light illuminates the room, and stone-hewn tables and chairs are scattered within. Aelwin and her twin, Dulwain, and the single guard who we effectively ambushed with our entry immediately begin sliding the furnishings into place. A ring of chairs around the central table. Valicia sits at the head of the table, her retainers at her flanks. Arrol sits next to Aelwin, and I sit next to him. The guard leaves the structure.

“How did simple mercenaries come to know of the prophecy?” Valicia says, sternly.

“We aren’t simple mercenaries, we―” I begin, before being cut off.

“Call yourselves what you wish, you hold yourself as mercenaries and fight for pay above all else. How did you come about knowing the prophecy?” Dulwain interjects.

“The Ring, our organization.” I say. “Our founder was working under Daurellian as a mercenary. They were excavating a site, and a battle ensued when scrolls were discovered detailing the prophecy.”

“I’m not sure I understand… Why would Merminae’s prophecy be on scrolls above the ground? When she fled, she brought everything. We even have the original scrolls in our vault.” Valicia seems visibly troubled, her face a grimace. “What did the written prophecy say? Why did a battle erupt?”

“The Son of Eleven Bloodlines would rape the Daughter of the Twelfth, and from the wellspring, a Golden Child would be born. Harken back to the Old Days, Elvenkind, and the Return to Godhood shall begin with the Son, and end with Darkness.” Arrol reads the paper with scrawled writing on it. “I keep a transcription of it to remind myself what we work to stop.”

Valicia frowns. “That isn’t the entirety of the prophecy, I should note. I’m sure you’ve discovered that your Emperor believes he is doing good, no?’

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“What is the full prophecy, then?” I ask. Valicia sighs.

“Certainly.” She begins. “Flee, Daughters of mine. Into the darkness, the deep underground.” Her eyes are almost glazed over, as though she has been possessed. “A prophecy, a prophecy. Determinant, certain.” Dulwain closes his eyes and bows his head from his seat. “Death and destruction, woe upon all, should the Child of Twelve find itself born. A Darkness, all-consuming, all-corrupting, posessess the heart of the Son of Eleven. He seeks Glory, He seeks Ascendancy. He believes he is saving his people, his interpretation of this fate will be misguided. Hide from him, run from him.” Valicia pauses. “The Son of Eleven Bloodlines would rape the Daughter of the Twelfth, and from the wellspring, a Golden Child would be born. Harken back to the Old Days, Elvenkind, and the Return to Godhood shall begin with the Son, and end with Darkness.” Aelwin and her sister shake their heads. “The return of the Ancestors of the Oldenborn. Bring Life to Daeniya, ascend from the Vast Sea. The Land will be torn with upheaval, and a century of death and horror will be unleashed.” I look at Arrol. He’s leaning forward, intensely focused. “The Return to Godhood, Elvenkind, is not your own. Your goal must be to prevent this prophecy, and to stop the culmination, for as long as possible. However, so long as you breathe, Elvenkind, this prophecy will come to fruition. Fight it, work as you must.” Suddenly, Valicia goes pale, and falls sideways out of her chair, unconscious.

“Shit!” Arrol shouts, but Dulwain is already at her side, catching her, and holding her up. She snaps back to consciousness.

“Did I finish?” She says, out of breath. She’s sweating profusely, and her eyes dart about, panicked. I look at her leg and it seems to be spasming, and her pale complexion has not had color return.

“Calm, Valicia. Calm.” Dulwain places a hand on the back of her head. “You exerted yourself, but you finished.”

“Good.” Her breathing slows, and, after a minute of silence, she seems to have returned to normal. The only sound in this stone structure is her shallow breathing. “Now, you understand, I hope. The truth of the prophecy. You saw what was interpreted as a good thing, and viewed it as an evil, yet you did not know the extent of that evil.”

I feel an ache all the way to my bones. A deep, thrumming chill, rattling me to my very core. Perhaps, a small part of me had believed that, even if we emerged unsuccessful in stopping Daurellian, I would emerge alive, as a High Elf. A small, miniscule part, but a dark part nonetheless. However, that part of me, that bit of my soul, in this instant, was torn out and consumed by the void. Hopelessness.

No, it’s not a feeling of hopelessness. Perhaps I will die before Daurellian achieves his goal. Perhaps he isn’t the prophesied Son of Eleven. Perhaps…

No, it’s existential dread.

“Well, I suppose, with this in mind… We fight, right?” Arrol says, standing up, suddenly. “Not much else we can do, yeah?”

Valicia shakes her head from her seat, the little bit of color having returned to her face. “Indeed, we fight. However… They have not yet discovered that we are here?”

“No, not to our knowledge. Though, we’re here, now.” I say. I reach around, and find I still have my dagger, despite Arrol losing his in the fall. “I suppose, yeah, we’ve gotta fight.”

“Good.” Dulwain stands up. “Good indeed.”

The room grows eerily quiet.

“Welcome to Glasniv, members of the Ring.” Valicia closes her eyes and stands.