I saw nothing but white.

My body radiated, shaking with intensity caused by unknown but ancient magic. It was unlike anything I had ever experienced. I was trembling, terrified, yet I found myself filled with a sudden lightness, as if I was floating above the ground. It was then, as my eyes adjusted, that I saw her. Standing in the white empty space, so bright that details became lost, was a towering being, tall as a tree, golden and flowered, head hidden and caged behind twined metal ivy, laced and elaborate. Her golden claw-like hands were forward, palms to the sky over metal armor and shining gown.

Creator and guardian of all magic.

Divine Queen and sorceress of all of Lucerna.

Solia.

I knelt, unsure of what else I could do - standing before the gilded creator. My heart beat loud in my head, pounding beats between my racing thoughts. I was nothing, nothing to her. I felt ashamed that I had even spoken her name, asking her for judgment over something that seemed so small, insignificant even to the creator of all magicks.

What was a life to Solia, herself?

I tilted my eyes upwards, still kneeling, to see both Herculea and Lumo both in the white expanse that took over where the throne room once was, standing beside the towering Solia, both also in deep bow in oppressive contrast against the nothingness behind and below.

“Dearest Queen, you have to excuse this vile intrusion of your holy time. You are summoned only by a prisoner's desperate attempt to flee from my judgment,” spoke Herculea, voice shaking from either fear or frustration, I could not tell.

“STAND.”

It was Solia’s voice, without doubt, echoing in my head with unsettling power, shaking me upwards to my feet. I watched as Lumo and Herculea also stood. She had spoken directly into our thoughts.

“Dearest Queen,” Herculea continued, “By the decree of the Realm, by signed truce between the Four Guides, she is deemed fugitive. And during her time fleeing from righteous judgment, she has used your holy powers to take the life and magic from one of my chosen disciples.”

I wanted to scream. That was not what all of this was about. No, just moments ago, she was decrying my existence as Blood Mage. The dragonrider was only a passing mention. Herculea did not care about the dragonrider - no. She had sent the young beastrider directly after us in Yormen forest.

“WHAT BUSINESS DOES LUMO HAVE IN SUCH MATTERS?” Solia’s voice boomed, rattling again in my head.

“Prince Lumo played a part, guiding her on such a path, manipulating her in a brief moment of rebellion against his own duty and fate woven path. I know for certain that he has shown her his face, probably in an effort to sway her naive mind towards his temporary cause. I will deal with him,” said Herculea.

“IS THAT TRUE, MIRA? HAVE YOU LOOKED UPON PRINCE LUMO’S FACE?”

“Yes,” I said, voice small, “But there was no such manipulation that took place. My actions were of my own accord. I had taken his mask off in a moment of weakness, only finding out what lay beneath after the deed was done. Herculea’s judgment upon me was due to me being chosen as your Di-”

“Are you honestly saying that seeing his face - a face created by your own absolute desire of what you wanted to see, played no such role in you following his cause?” Herculea scoffed.

I felt my hands tighten into fists at my sides.

“If his face is really that important in these matters, then please take my eyes as consolation for your worries, dear Herculea,” I said, jaw tight.

I heard a stifled noise of surprise coming from Lumo beside me, but I dared not look.

“My own feelings aside,” I cleared my throat, “I believe that he should have a choice in his life’s path, as much as I feel I should mine. I don’t believe my existence is a mere test, as deemed by Herculea. You chose me, Solia, as your disciple… Why…Why…”

But it was then that my temporary bout of courage faded. My eyes began to well with a familiar moisture. I refused to let the tears fall, no. Not here.

“THEN WE ARE AT THE TRUE HEART OF THE MATTER.”

I looked up, concerned, silently hoping that I had not said something wrong. I then watched as the giant ancient being raised her lowered hands just a little higher, before suddenly turning both palms towards the ground. The warm floor, made of crystal light, began to crackle, shaking with a heavy wheeze below us.

“YOU ASK FOR CHOICE, MIRA - AND THIS I WILL GRANT YOU. NO, DEATH WILL NOT GREET YOU YET. IF YOUR PATHS, LINES DRAWN BY FATE, WERE MEANT TO BE TOGETHER, PRINCE LUMO AND DISCIPLE MIRA, THEN A DAY WILL COME WHERE YOUR LINES WILL CROSS AGAIN.”

I saw Herculea curiously smiling out of the corner of my eye.

“NO, NOT WITH MAGIC AID WILL YOU MEET AGAIN. NO, YOU MUST BE GUIDED BY YOUR OWN PATH. YOU ALONE, DISCIPLE. THIS IS YOUR JUDGMENT.”

“No.”

It was Lumo this time, head slowly shaking beside Herculea.

I looked around, panic crawling up my spine.

What was I missing?

Lumo then turned to me, arms stretched, reaching to me, as time seemed to slow. I raised my hand, fingers just barely brushing his, but it was too late.

I was gone.

A sudden black veil covered me, clouding my vision from the bright white light,

and I felt my breath suddenly leave my lungs. I reached out, hands stretching through the blackness, but finding nothing to hold. A gust of wind burst from where I stood, and I was falling through infinite night, cold and lost.

Nothing… Nothing but darkness.

+++

It felt like a lifetime before I was able to open my eyes. I was laying on my back, warm salty air filling my lungs as I stared into open evening sky. I sat up, rubbing my eyes to reveal black water, lapping my feet. I was sitting on the same familiar shore that I have dreamed about night after night, only this time, as I trailed my hand over white sand between my fingers, I knew that this was real.

How is this possible? How could I be transported to a place only that only existed in my dreams?

With effort, I climbed to my feet, scanning the windy shore to see that I was alone. I looked for any sign of where I could be in the realm, but Lucerna was surrounded by water on all sides. There was nothing familiar other than the lapping shore, same as it always was, calm and familiar waves as slow metronome melody. I hugged my arms for comfort, armor now feeling stiff and heavy in my weak state.

How long was I there on the shore? Hours? Days?

I began to walk the coast, scanning the horizon for any signs of life. With nothing but the crooning of gulls above, I eventually took off my armored shoes as each step felt heavy and awkward in the sand. As the evening grew to night, I finally gave in on my temporary quest to find anyone nearby and sat on a rocky outcrop, leaning back to take in the darkening night sky.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

I wanted nothing more than to go home. I wanted to lay on my bed, head on soft pillow with Dearest Mary mewing at my door. Even Limenta didn’t seem so bad with the calamity of the last couple of days.

Would she be jealous if she knew that I had met her glorious Guide, standing before her throne?

The stars above shone with solemn glittering light, reminding me of the night when I sat with Lumo by firelight. Even then, as bleak as it seemed at the time, there was still a sparkle of hope. But now, in a strange unknown place, I was so, so, alone.

Solia.

I was still in disbelief.

Out of all the strange and wonderful things that had happened to me over the last couple of days… it still did not seem real. I ran my hand over the cool sand. Perhaps this was all just a dream. But no, nothing in my wildest bouts of imagination would I have ever created such an experience as what had happened this morning.

But I doubt I would ever get the chance to tell of my grand adventure, as much as I would have loved to see Limenta’s face as I told her all of my tales. Even then, it’s not as though she would have believed me.

I could not believe I had stood at Solia’s feet.

Solia.

Her words echoed in my head.

If it was meant to be… then a day would come where your paths cross again.

Perhaps I would see Lumo again… but without magic help, it was doubtful. As bleak as that was, I was happy to at least have my life in my own hands once again.

Right?

I sighed, staring into the empty, moonlit dunes.

No, I did not want to do this alone.

What would happen to Lumo? Would he once again run from her, trying again to find another Blood Mage to convert to his cause? Would this all be a passing memory to him?

No, I would not let my thoughts dwell on such dark things.

I let my eyes lilt close, leaning back on the soft sand, longing for a bed roll. Just a wink of sleep could do no harm. I was alone, after all.

Alone.

But it was just as I seemed to close my eyes, I heard a loud voice, a booming crash over the night’s gentle waves.

“GIRL! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?”

Impossible.

I knew that voice.

It was Ciro.

Ciro…

I bolted upright, whipping my head left and right, trying to find the source of the voice. Nothing, nothing.

But there he was, white hair glowing in the light of the moon.

I jumped up, running to him, arms grasped tightly around his wide shoulders. Before I knew It, I was weeping. I felt his awkward hand give me a gentle pat on the shoulder.

“How… How are you here?” he asked in the familiar gruff tone.

“What?” I asked, eyes blurred with tears.

“Mira - Do you know where you are? Where’s Lumo?”

“I… I don’t know…” I stammered.

“Mira… you’re in The Barrens…”

I blinked, pulling away from him.

“What?”

“Come, let’s get inside. It’s cold out here,” said Ciro.

Over a warm cup of tea, I told Ciro everything, from the Halmore armor all the way to meeting the Holy Queen Solia herself. Ciro listened intently, eyes wide and slack jawed the entire tale.

We were in a small cabin, not too far off the beach. It was modest, and Ciro explained he needed a place to hide when people got word of where he was. News spread fast from Ciro’s once-trusted courier and soon he found a bounty chasing him that near-matched mine.

With the help of one of his many contacts throughout the years, he was able to find passage, hiding among the packages of a rare airboat flying west. From there, he was able to sneak his way into the West Barrens over the battleworn border. He had only gotten here yesterday, spending the entire day, and most of his magic, fixing up the humble home.

“I… I tried to stay at my old house… but it was too much. It’s… It’s just down the coast from here,” said Ciro, avoiding my eyes.

It was curious - out of all the places Solia could have sent me, here I was sitting in front of one of Lumo’s oldest friends.

“I can’t believe you went to Castle Locus… Vile place… I wouldn’t even dare to enter that hall even when I was at my best… I can’t believe Lumo has the Galbrand. There are songs about that blade. And you - sitting here with the Halmore armor of all things! You’ll have to let me take a look at it someday. It’s incredible… Absolutely incredible,” said Ciro, taking a sip of his tea.

I looked down at my arms. I had been wearing this armor for several days now, without really noticing. I turned my palm over, revealing the scabbed remains of where I held the cursed amulet. Judging by how fast it had healed and Lumo’s quick work of the forest mud, it would probably only leave a light scar.

“Ciro…” I cleared my throat, unsure, “Do you mind if I sleep here tonight? Just until I figure out my next steps?”

Ciro nearly spit out his tea, eyes wide in shock.

“Don’t be stupid, girl,” he shook his head, slamming his cup on the table, “You think I’d let you leave? At this time of night? It’s dangerous out there. Dangerous. No, I’ll grab an extra bed roll. There were still some supplies left at the old place. Good thing I grabbed ‘em.”

I watched as Ciro pushed his chair away from the table, then pulled out a dull green bed roll from behind a closet door, holding his hand out to catch the avalanche of loose blankets. He shook it out and put it on the floor.

“I’ll stay out here, you take the bed,” he said, pointing to a nearby door.

“Oh no, I can’t-” I protested.

“Shush, you’ve been through enough these past couple of days. Plus I haven’t been sleeping well these past couple of nights, anyway. It’s tough without any drink,” he coughed.

It was nice to finally take off the armor. I lay it neatly beside the bed, in a pile as tidy as I could manage. Ciro was already loudly snoring in the other room, the supposed bad sleeper.

Liar.

I smiled to myself.

Gods, I was so happy that I wasn’t alone. Wandering the coast, I had feared that I would be wandering aimlessly for ages, alone. And now, knowing that I was in the Barrens of all places, I probably would not last out there by myself for very long. I may have been Blood Mage, but the Barrens were still dangerous. I was not the only lost Solia Disciple who roamed these parts, not to mention the deadly Guide forces, beastriders and Selphina knights alike on the border, in constant battle to lay their claim to the land.

No, I was grateful to have a friend out here.

I dreamt of crows and golden things.

[END OF PART ONE]