After falling for what felt like days or weeks, I finally landed on solid ground. Thankfully in the land of Oneiroi landing was less deadly and impactful as I just found myself standing in an all too familiar place. A place in the underground section of the Radiant Keep where we practice the ways of maghia.
Yet it felt distinctive enough as the walls were golden instead of the bright alabaster I remember. The statues of Mother Martyniarra and her divine entourage still stood at the corners with tranquil expressions. The ceiling still were made from vilcanic glass that showed the unseen maghia particles floating in the air.
“Is it really necessary father?” As I turned around looking for the exit, I noticed the little driaevhen boy who seemed all to familiar to me. Prismatic scales and eyes, long naturally cascading dark hair a soft, triangular face that was chiseled by the Deossos themselves. When my eyes locked onto him, I felt his scorching dissatisfaction.
“If you truly wish to be the greatest of us as you once said – then it is most imperative to your growth our dear son.” Grandfather appeared towering over him out from the nothingness already stroking his perfectly silver beard that reached down to his chest, his words wounded my ego – or as I realized it at that moment, father’s ego. Instinctively I stood out of his way as he walked towards me with ever observant eyes which gaze sent chills down my spine.
“But we guess it may have been too soon for you.” His exhale felt delicate akin to the gentle breeze of the late seasons of growth and renewal. As he stopped and raised his hands slowly, an elderly, scraggy orkh appeared in tattered clothes. A blankness settled within his faded eyes, saliva flowed out from under his lower lip and onto the pristine floor where it changed into mist carried away by the arkhaine waft. His lean arms hung and dangled softly in the same powerlessness as his head.
“No I can do this father.” Father mustered his strength and said in a calmed manner as he straightened his posture and inhaled deeply with eyes closed.
His frail right arm raised slowly and I felt the dance of unseen matter moving in the room. I felt their dance around the helpless orkh slave before they forced their way into his body and arkhaine points. For a moment nothing happened and grandfather coldly stared at the orkh, ready to voice his disappointment with a slight sigh.
But then his expression changed when the orkh’s body turned into a golden statue made of pure dust that managed to keep its form for a few moments before it collapsed into a pile devoured by the alabaster floor. Grandfather’s claps echoed through the whole chamber as he calmly approached father straining himself to look calm. Then they both faded into swirling pristmatic mists before the whole scene I read about started playing out from the start.
As I opened the door – instead of being greeted by the corridor I knew all too well, a gaping darkness grabbed me and hurled me into itself.
**
Naghig clenched his jaws together as his forehead creased up. A single tear flowed down his dry, pale skin with grim edges as he forced more and more of his mana through his arkhaine points. His hands touched softly Aurelithae’s temples as she laid on the floor close to them.
“Hang in there girl.” He muttered in the lowest possible volume as he felt her soul being washed away by the chaotic waves of Oneiro. “Damn you Miray for forcing me on this.” A curse followed as his skeletal orkish face contorted into an even more horrific visage while he bit on his tongue to endure.
“Will the lass be fine?” Ivor who returned with a jug of water infused with athervyne matter asked.
“She will. Just spread the water along their faces and hands.” Ivor nodded calmly and drenched a rag in the hallowed water and started with the youngest whose visage started contorting while his veins started glowing with a sinister hue through his soft skin.
The air became heavier, colder and fear crawled into their hearts freezing Ivor and the others for a moment. Naghig groaned greatly as he strengthened the protection around the room and a unified sigh reverberated through the room as Ivor continued coating the dreaming family.
**
“Stay near me brother!” As I fell to the sea of grass trampled down by the march of an army – Uncle Augermil’s calming voice echoed within father’s ears. The two stood on the large hill overseeing the battle that unfolded before their eyes. Our proud legionariar fought with their blood and sweat against a horde of savages including the treacherous gwe’evhen and their enslaved elementals.
“Don’t have to say it anymore. But we should bring an end to this farce.” Father said and I felt his impatience reaching his limit, while also the irking to unleash his spells upon the enemy and see uncle’s blood drenched form once more. A shiver ran down my spine as I felt him looking at him with an admiration not born of familial love, but of towards a useful tool.
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“Maybe. But then what would that cost us brother?” Augermil’s words pierced his heart from which molten anger flowed out as father clicked his tongues while focusing once more on the battle. But why was I here?
I remembered, I have too look for the next warp. Time may flow differently here, but I am most likely not the only thing that was searching for them, that much I knew.
As I gazed through the battlefield – I slowly got accustomed to the shrieks and cries of metal and kin – my eyes noticed the warp forming and destroying the shapes of legionariar and savages in one little circle. Their bodies faded like phantasms when you splashed their ethereal forms with hallowed water.
Jumping down a weightlessness filled my being and landed without impact before I started rushing through the blood soaked grounds. In the heat of a moment I almost lost my animus’s head as one savage swung their axe at my neck.
“They are ours.” He looked quite disheveled, body hair that almost counted as fur and beard thicker than Ivor’s. Yet his voice belonged to something otherworldly – warped and higher pitched than what the man it imitated. Chills ran down my spine as his hazelnut hued eyes turned darker than the night, a diagonal split ran across his head and joints and they all absconded before they started their eerie dance around the hovering torso.
From the remaining holes black, fluid tendrils grew aimed at my graceful being. As they reached at me, the air and the reality of Oneiro distorted around them, creating cracks from which dark light poured forth. My wards though proved fruitless as they effortlessly penetrated through.
“Leave her alone!” Another familiar – and unexpected – voice reached through the cacophony of battle and its strange laughter as the earth turned into a prismatic hue under its torso and whirling detached legs. Worry still occupied my heart as Sigi’s voice trembled a little as he conjured those spikes out from the ground that detached from themselves and followed after the weird entity as it hovered high into the sky.
I felt relief and sourness as his little form cast its shadow onto me. “Can you fight?” He turned around and I could hear him swallow his fear and reach out his hand to me. I grabbed it as the sourness faded – leaving me uncertain if it was mine to begin with, or father’s.
“Yeah. It took me by surprise.” I answered truthfully while I was pondering whether to engage in a battle with it, or leave Sigi to deal with it. He seemed to be capable enough for his age to take on such a being – as expected of the northerners.
In the end I chose to remain, for what reason I did not know. Maybe it was father’s desire that came over me or maybe I just didn’t want anything bad to happen to him because of me – just like to them. Without knowing, our thought intertwined, our mana swirled into each while my left and his right arm raised towards the strange entity.
**
A knock echoed through the soft and thick oaken door ornated with elaborate golden designs. “Come in!” Rhenathrohia spoke with honeyed words and immediately stood up from behind his large oaken desk that took up a considerable amount of space within his large office.
“How are things on your end?” Anguraa asked as he gracefully evaded Rhenathorhia with arms stretched out for a warm brotherly embrace. With a sullen look, he sighed and sat down facing the cold little brother of his.
“Always about business. Is that how you want to spend your eternity?” Rhenathorhia asked as he snapped his fingers and his prepared tea set hovered onto the small table between them.
“If that ensures the longevity of the Empire? Then yes. Now how is the next batch of subjects?”
“Rescued by the New Dawn. You will also have to look for new hired muscles as those ones got too careless.” Rhenathorhia said while sipping his teeth, his eyes – two scorching pearls slit at the center, blessed with all the shades of gold – focused onto the middling scowl that formed on his little brother’s face.
“I guess I should introduce bonus payments.” Anguraa muttered to himself as he looked down at the tea poured for him. In a matter of second it turned into ice and broke apart the posh cup while he stood up to leave.
“Rude.” Rhenathorhia said with a wide mocking smile. He held his left palm out and rotated it around as dark golden arkhaine tendril wrapped around his long fingers. The pieces of the cup returned to this previous places, the cracks slowly disappeared and the frozen tea turned back to its warmed liquid state.
“Though it is a shame. I still don’t comprehend what he sees in her.”
**
Clanks echoed through the vast network of lit corridors. A tall figure clad in segmented silver armor with golden accentuation that included draconic motives led the head shorter aevhen draped in indigo and ruby hued robes. A mask hid his refined visage resembling an androgynous driaevhen with eyes and mouth sewn graciously with sleek metallic threads and azure scales at the corners.
“How fascinating.” The aevhen inquisitor said as they entered the cell of the cultist who was collapsed onto the table with lightless eyes staring into the alabaster ceiling. As he placed his gloved palm over his forehead, a cerulean light emanated from it.
As he anticipated from the multitude of reports conveyed by Angurra, the prisoner's mind stood void of any discernible thoughts. Except for one thing that clung to him. A scream of terror echoed as he crumpled onto the frigid floor. His body twitched while veins moved beneath his smooth skin.
“Welcome among us brother!” The Praetoriir welcomed him, extending his right arm encased in the finest of metals, just as the darkness receded from his vision and mind. For the second time in his centuries long life, he felt true clarity, and purpose as he stood up proudly. “For a new dawn brother!”