Golden cage, a bird in gilded chains,

My wings clipped, and my soul drained.

Just a little sparrow, a bird of no worth,

Trapped in this cage, denied my own birth.

The summer sun is setting, darkening the golden meadow of tall grass with its shadow as my bare feet tread upon it. Despite the mud stains soiling my once-immaculate white robes, I barely pay them any attention and continue running until I reach the edge of a vast lake.

Panting, I stop in my tracks and hunch over to catch my breath. Once I've recovered, I straighten up and take in the stunning view – the sapphire blue lake looks sublime.

Perched on a hill surrounded by gleaming monuments and buildings at its base, the ivory castle stands in the distance, its stone towers stretching towards the sky as if reaching for the gates of heaven. The castle’s grand architecture is a testament to the advancement of sorcery, its walls gleaming in the sunlight and its spires adorned with intricate carvings.

This is Caer Adamas, the Jewel of the Gilded Plains of Ashaii and the capital of the Holy Kingdom of Caladrius. This city is said to sit at the center of magic in the world.

Despite its venerable beauty and grandeur, I don’t let myself be fooled by it. This city is nothing but a prison, and if they find me, they’ll drag me back in chains before the castle swallows me whole, refusing to let me go. The thought alone makes the scars on my back burn with pain.

I may have been born here, but this place will not be my tomb.

The sound of rushed footsteps approaching from behind prompts me to turn and see a young man with tousled black hair, emerald eyes as vibrant as the fields in spring, a button nose, and slightly parted thin lips. He wears a simple green cloak and light leather armor underneath it.

“It’s done. I’ve sewn enough confusion and brought us enough time to escape. The rest of my companions have stayed behind to slow down the opposition.” Harou’s voice is mirthful, as if this is a day for celebration.

“Is this really necessary?” I say. “Your men will die, and if they don’t, the Emperor will see to it. You don't know the depths of his depravity. His cruelty knows no bounds.”

“They have been waiting for a long time for this exact moment. Each and every one of them would throw their life down for you just to see you safe. Put your faith in them as they have in you," he replies.

“I have nothing to offer you! I don’t own a single piece of wealth. I’m nothing more but a prisoner.”

He frowns at my words, “We just want you to come back. You’re needed. Don’t you remember? Do you not recall anything at all?”

“No!” I say, frustrated.

He puts his hands on his hips and whispers, “He really does have amnesia. Great. As if I don’t have a lot of problems on my plate already.”

“I still don’t know who you people are. But… I am thankful for being freed," I say.

“Well,” he smiles softly. “It is us who should be thanking you. However, we should get moving. I’ve received news that the Emperor will arrive to the castle before sundown.”

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My jailer, warden, and tormentor.

Imprisoned for a crime I don’t even know. I wish more than anything that the Emperor would just tell me why I'm his prisoner, but no matter how much I beg, he wouldn’t divulge it. What terrible thing did I do to have earned his ire?

“Hey, I won’t let anyone lay a hand on you, even if it’s the Emperor himself,” his smile is fueled by bravado. I can see through his act, the quiver in his voice gives away his real fear.

“Harou…”

“Come now. It’s time to go.”

He extends his gloved hand to me. I stare at it, idly wondering just how my life got to this point.

This boy is a mere servant, one of the many employed in the kingdom. Or so that was my initial idea of him. Harou found me one night, imprisoned in a grand cage that was placed in the deepest depths of the castle. I don't know what he saw in me then, but he would go on and pay me constant visits in secret.

To sate my boredom, he would regale me stories of the past. Stories of how Aegis, hero of the Never Never war, vanquished the Prime Sin to save the world. It is a popular tale to both adults and children alike, and countless songs were made to commemorate the history.

The story goes like this…

Thousands of years ago, the Prime Sin had given rise to the Voidborne, a great and terrible army of monsters that almost nearly destroyed the Primus Sanctum, home to the Caeleste Council who are godlike Archons that protect the order and balance of the world. After being brought low by an all-consuming threat that they were unable to defeat, the Archons asked mortal-kind for help.

All seven world powers formed an allegiance with the Caeleste Council, and named this new unity the ‘Holy Imperium’. This unified force soon came to clash steel and magic against the might of the Prime Sin and his dark armies. Their conflict spanned continents, and went on for so long that it became known as the 'Never Never War'.

But even so, the Holy Imperium alliance struggled against the tide of darkness.

In the world’s darkest hour, when all hope was finally extinguished, and the Prime Sin was but a step away from total victory, a Hero born from the blood of both mortal and immortal stepped forth to defend the world. The Prime Sin finally met his match in Aegis, and the tides of war were forever changed.

The two battled, rending mountains asunder until a decisive blow fell one of them. It was the Prime Sin that lost that fateful day. His death scattered the Voidborne army, and they hid in the far corners of the world to hide from the blinding light of the Holy Imperium Allegiance.

A new era of peace ushered in and with it came the dawn of a Golden Age for all races of the mortal-kind.

Or so that’s what the glorified stories say. They never talk about what happened afterwards.

I didn’t mind the stories. They were entertaining and nothing more. But what struck me odd was how Harou kept referring to me as the reincarnation of Aegis, the hero in the story. At first, I thought that he was just making a joke in poor taste. However, I soon came to realize that he was dead serious.

He's not insane, I'm sure. Perhaps delusional, yes. But despite it all, he's been a continuous source of light for me. He has seen firsthand the cruelty and brutality of the tortures I've endured from the hands of the Emperor. He detests it just as much as the Emperor detests my existence.

So, Harou hatched a plan to break me out of my golden cage. He is brave, and the only one willing to sacrifice everything just to give me a chance to escape. To start anew somewhere far, far away from this nightmare of a place.

A fantasy that I can only dream of.

Until today.

“Are you okay?” Harou looks at me, confusion evident in his expression.

“I am… indebted to you. I swear that I will repay the kindness that you have shown me tenfold one day,” I bow my head low, as it is the only thing that I can offer him at the moment.

He looks scandalized, and urges me to stand up straight. “Don't do that! You're too important to bow down to anyone, let alone me."

I look straight into his eyes. “You're my friend. My equal. Besides, I'm not buying this whole 'hero' thing just yet,"

"I like the sound of that," he says, and then offers his hand for me to take. "Are you ready?"

Smiling, I grab hold of his palm. "Ready," I reply.

Harou palms a rune rock in his other hand, its surface engraved with intricate magical arrays. "Activate: Teleport!"

A large arcane circle appears underneath us both, its lines intersecting to form complex arrays of shapes. I recognize this to be a teleportation circle, a high-level spell that's been banned in many Kingdoms.

A flash of bright light envelops us both, and my body is lifted off the ground. We're transported out of the meadow, and tossed into a vast darkness that extends for eternity for a split second before being unceremoniously ejected into the woods...