EPILOGUE

Even if my body felt strangely uneasy, stepping back through that door could never feel wrong.

I called her name.

“I'm back. Why is there nobody here to greet me at the door?" I hung my worn scabbard, with the sword sheathed in it, on the wall.

"Where are you two?" I teased with a sly tone, while looking around the house. "I’ve got something you might like." The scent of baked apples and caramelized honey wafted through the room from the parchment-wrapped bundle I carried.

With a coy smile, she bounced on her feet and embraced me. "Aaaand, what would that be? Start unwrapping it already!” She reached out.

“Stop that!” I caught her hand “Do you have an idea how hard it was to get my hands on one of those so late in the evening, greedy woman. Let her do it!”

“You are such a tease” she pouted dramatically “I’ll go get her."

I could not long for anything else, but this.

But as I watched her walk away, something sinister crept into the air. The walls around us folded into darkness, and with a dull, cold sensation, a few raindrops slid down my face.

Oh yeah, why had I forgotten? After every good dream came…

Her form vanished, too.

…a horrid nightmare.

What began as a few raindrops turned into a heavy downpour, thick as fog. The dark scenery shifted, and suddenly, a large building loomed before me.

The heavens thundered with fury, their wrath a tempest dragging dust and leaves across the marble steps of a grand temple. Lightning flashed relentlessly, illuminating the temple's majestic columns against the encroaching darkness.

“Not now, please.” My body tensed up, trembling.

The rain poured down over the vast marble blocks below. Long bolts of lightning slashed through the clouds, their light merging with the night to paint the sky a haunting gray.

Amid the torrential downpour, a figure dragged a woman up the steps through the muddy rainwater. The steps had become a river.

It wasn’t just any nightmare... There was a monster in this dream. I knew that much— it was that man and his expression void of humanity.

In stark contrast, the woman no less a goddess looked otherworldly, her beauty glowing amidst the darkness, her long, rain-soaked hair clinging to her face and shoulders.

The only color marring her face, starkly visible, was a streak of crimson blood trailing from her lip to her chin.

I knew how it ended. Every time, I tried …

But my hands couldn’t touch him. I begged, I cried, my pleas lost in the storm. “Stop, please... don’t...”

Her eyes flashed with terror as he dragged her up the stairs. The higher they ascended, the more desperate I became, clawing at the steps, my flesh giving way to bone. I did that every single time, as if that ever did something…

When they reached the top, I crumbled beneath them.

He seized her white garment and tore it violently, exposing her delicate forms and pale skin.

Every time I watched in horror, my skin crawling, my heart racing, my blood boiling. Her fear was my fear, her pain was my pain. I could feel it all. I didn’t want to see it, but I couldn’t look away.

He swung the sword that had appeared in his hand, slicing her in half.

The sword; It felt like it bit into my flesh…How it moved fluidly, between muscle and bone… Followed by the warm wet feeling of the blood flowing out, leaving my body.

I felt it all. How many times had I died here with that woman?

Regardless, this was the play, and I was its sole spectator.

The curtain was yet to fall.

He never released her hand as he had severed her very essence—her beauty, gone; her light, gone. Only torrents of blood mingling with the rain remained.

That was what I was meant to see.

Every time, I gritted my teeth until they bled.

But it did not matter anymore, it was over...

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Crack – something came asunder

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CHAPTER 1

I woke in the dead of night with a gasp, rolling off the low wooden slab that served as a bed onto the damp, cold stone floor. My hands clawed at the air, desperately searching for the phantom that had choked me in my sleep.

My heart pounded violently, each beat merging into the next, lifting my chest with every breath as I gasped for air in the stale, stone-walled room. Terror gripped me, and I collapsed onto my hands and knees, the cold seeping into my skin. Blood and saliva dripped from my mouth, the sharp taste of iron lingering on my tongue with each ragged breath.

“Oy, Valens! You dying in there?” came a rough voice from outside the cell.

I glanced around, realizing I was in the familiar tiny dungeon cell. Through the bars, I spotted Arno, the guard on duty—again. No fault of my own, but here I was in the dungeon once more.

Hiding my face behind my arm, I muttered, “Cough—just choked on my saliva.”

“Damn your gagging! You ruined the best part of my dream!” Arno grumbled. Sweaty and hyperventilating, all I could muster was, “Same cough here.”

Arno yawned lazily. “Don’t cause any more trouble until the call to arms. I’ve had enough of you, captain.” With that, he sauntered back toward his chair at the end of the stone corridor.

Eventually, my heart slowed, and I dragged myself back onto the wooden slab. I tossed and turned, thinking about the nightmare—and Arno almost seeing me like that. I didn’t want anyone to witness this, especially not my own squad. Technically, I was his superior.

With a deep breath, I steadied myself. I knew how to manage these nightmares—they’d haunted me since childhood—but it always took time to regain control.

At least I wouldn’t see it again for a while. They didn’t flare up too often.

Sleep, however, was another matter. No matter how much I rolled around, sleep wouldn’t return. My heightened senses picked up every irritating sound—the constant chirping of some night bird, the distant wails of a demi-human grumbling about losing his tail.

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Impressive, considering how far the barracks dungeon was from the main street. Shouldn’t a guard have dealt with that? I grunted, turning over again. Probably another slacker like Arno had dozed off.

The mana singularity up in the sky streamed through the tiny window like a second, brighter moon, the light reflecting off the large oval shield hanging across from me. Its gleam stabbed at my tired eyes, and a shadow—likely an animal—flitted past the window slits, further fraying my nerves.

That was the last straw.

“Argh… I can’t take this anymore,” I muttered irritably, startling a nearby rat.

Deciding I might as well prepare early, I strapped on my armor. What else was there to do, locked in this dungeon? Even though I was confined for whatever reason—mostly Alanius’s fault—I still had to show up for duty, lead my squad in the morning practice.

Lately, Alanius’s “punishments” had grown more ridiculous, even though I felt I was doing well as a captain. But he had a grudge, and he wouldn’t let go. My father would likely reprimand me again tomorrow once he found out

I was all too familiar with this cell by now. Even in the dark, I could find my way to the crate where my armor was stored. Wrapped in oiled rags, the pieces came together silently as I dressed, my hand pausing over a small red pouch hidden inside the crate. Without thinking, my fingers closed tightly around my cape brooch.

Once fully armored, I sat on the crate, staring at my reflection in the shield propped against the wall. The face staring back at me looked… unfamiliar. Light brown hair, wavy and military-trimmed, eyes of the same hue, nose, teeth—all exactly as they should be. Yet it felt like a stranger was looking back.

Oddly, it didn’t feel wrong. I hadn’t felt this way in a long time.

Outside, the sun began to rise. Wrapped in armor, the warmth felt oddly comforting. My eyes grew heavy, and despite everything…

Really, right now? Arno would wake me soon enough, so why not shut my eyes for just a bit?

I drifted off into a deep sleep.

Thuut-Thuut the call to arms horns sounded. They were not heard.

The door to my cell burst open sending my shield flying off somewhere, heavy thuds of armored boots pounded through the space. Before I could process what was happening, two gauntleted hands grabbed me by the collar, yanking me towards the corridor, practically dragging me on our way out, not before pushing my shield and some sword into my hands.

Everything was a blur.

Pietro’s grating voice cut through my foggy mind. “Get on your feet already, you lazy bum and start running! I’m not dragging you all the way out, you know. Why the hell were you still asleep in your cell?”

I mumbled groggily, still half-asleep. “Oh, it’s you… Where’s Arno?”

“How should I know? That idiot probably forgot to wake you up.”

“Wake me? Are we late?” I asked, my brain slowly catching up.

“Fifteen minutes” he stated ironically.

A shock of adrenaline shot through me. “Whole fifteen minutes? Why didn’t you come earlier?” My body jolted into action, legs pumping on autopilot.

Pietro scoffed."How am I supposed to know he won’t wake you up? We thought you were already out in the barracks square or something. I left everyone in formation and came looking for you."

His words only made me run faster, the clanking of our armor echoing through the empty stone halls.

****

Under the bright morning sun, a group of ten young knights marched in hurried formation, leaving the imposing palace behind. As their leader, I set an unusually fast pace, our legs moving twice as quickly as normal, drawing curious stares from the onlookers who filled the streets.

My head throbbed with each step, and my bloodshot eyes struggled to focus on the bustling city of Odder around us. The scent of stale bread, spices, and livestock mingled with the sweat of the crowd. We were on our way to the training grounds for morning drills, but my mind was clouded by fatigue.

Odder’s main street was alive with activity, the market day drawing in merchants and the hungry townsfolk alike. The stone-paved road was crowded with carriages and wagons pulled by all manner of creatures—bovine, lizards, and horses—while most people stuck to the unpaved sidewalks to avoid the bustling traffic.

We had to make our way down to the end of the street and get to the new training grounds The new grounds were located in the yard of the massive Main Bridge Gate complex the gargantuan gate was visible from here, nestled between the thick, towering walls.

The whole thing gave off the feeling of perfection and sturdiness and it had to as the Main Bridge was the main artery of the flying Bastion City of Odder, connecting it to the surface below. If the bridge fell, so would the entire city.

Suddenly, the clatter of a speeding carriage’s wheels echoed down the street, snapping me out of my thoughts. A man’s voice rang out, demanding the road be cleared. “Make way! Make way for the imperial delegate!”

The ornate carriage came into view, drawn by two black griffins, their wings half-spread as they tore down the road. Everyone stopped to take a better look at the regal creatures as they went, before some shocked screams were heard—a young cat-person darted into the street, directly in the carriage’s path in ill attempt to cross the road.

We could only watch.

Time seemed to slow as the child froze with the fur of its tail bristling up, wide-eyed it stared at the oncoming carriage unmoving. The driver yanked the reins, swerving violently. The carriage narrowly missed the child, but it sent an oncoming wagon and the giant bull-like creature drawing it careening off the road into a nearby stall. The small body of the driver of the wagon was thrown, while the bovine creature plowed through the market stall, scattering planks, fabric, and crates across the street.

The small cat-person who narrowly avoided being run over stood frozen in place, dazed or perhaps driven by sheer adrenaline. It let out a hiss and, comically late, leaped as if to dodge the now long-gone carriage. Landing on the sidewalk, it quickly vanished into an alleyway, tears and snot streaming down its face.

“Thank the tri-gods,” I muttered, heart still racing.

The young driver of the wrecked wagon, a kid half my age, poked its head out from under the debris, teary-eyed and hopeful, it’s gaze locking onto mine. The massive creature that had caused the chaos remained unfazed, standing amidst the wreckage chewing a piece of cloth from the stall. The stall owners, a husband and wife, scrambled to salvage what they could from their wares including the piece of cloth from the animals mouth, all their anger was now directed at the kid.

Several of my squad mates tapped my shoulder, urging me to move on—we were already late for the drill. As we lingered, the squad became the target of one of the street’s beggars who hassled each of us relentlessly, even going so far as to throw himself at our feet.

The kid’s cries grew louder, more desperate. Not a single person from the small crowd that gathered stepped in to help, their glum apathetic faces just stared. By now the spiteful glares from the stall owners almost pierced through the kid as it struggled to free itself from the mess.

Pietro lost his temper first "Get lost, ya bum" he shooed the beggar away, giving me a final push “Oy start moving, left right, left right come on!”

"About that” I said, “Let’s help out here first"

"HUH? " came the chorus of surprised voices.

"But I am serious. We’re already late, so we might as well do something of use here. Can we really leave like this?"

Pietro shot me a spiteful look. "You have the gall to ask that after we are late because of you? For sure you must like the rats in the dungeon."

I did not move.

"If you ain’t moving, I am. I don’t feel like becoming your roommate down there." he muttered, continuing to walk away.

"Come on, Pietro! Aren’t you supposed to be my second-in-command, help me out here? We are ten people, it would take only a minute or two" I called out, turning to the rest of the squad. "Leave him be, let’s—"

But they didn’t even glance back. One by one, they followed him without hesitation.

Can’t blame them, it was what it was. They knew well that Alanius was only looking for the smallest of reasons to drag me trough the mud, no one would risk getting caught in that.

The faces kept watching.

I knelt beside the young driver, grabbing hold of his clothes and pulling him free from the wreckage, shooing away the irate stall owners.

"You okay, young…um, miss?" I hesitated, unable to tell if it was a boy or a girl due to the kid’s long blond hair and youthful face.

The kid was crying rivers. "Thaaank you—sob—sob, Big brother. I’m f-fine, but the c-cargo—sob—Mama’s gonna yell at me again."

There wasn’t a more pitiful sight I had ever seen, so I patted it’s head, reassuringly.

One by one, I hefted the heavy crates, struggling to place them back onto the cart. Wiping the sweat from my brow, I glanced toward the Magus Tower of the Academy, where the mana singularity hovered like a second sun.

Finally, some onlookers from the crowd stepped in to help. Even the beggar from earlier joined, though he clearly saw it as another chance to ask for a coin.

While lifting yet another crate, a hooded girl suddenly jumped in, grabbing one of the crate’s handles to assist me. I tried to dissuade her, but she was determined, so I reluctantly let go. The weight awkwardly staggered her, yanking at her smaller frame. We barely managed to move it toward the wagon. As much as I appreciated her effort, it was painful to watch, so I took the handle from her hands and swiftly tossed the create onto the wagon.

The girl stumbled into me, her voice shaky as she apologized. "I'm sorry, sir knight. I didn't mean to be a hindrance."

She turned away dramatically. "Please excuse me," she murmured, before running back into the crowd.

“Hey, wait! You did your best to help, so there's no need to apologize.”

The encounter left me perplexed, yet oddly touched by her sincerity. Also for some reason, she felt oddly familiar, but I could not put in what way.

Shortly after, with the help of the others, we reloaded the cart and cleared the debris, organizing it neatly to the side. The stall owners, still seething, began reassembling what was left of their stalls. The young driver, clearly relieved, bowed deeply to each person who had helped, waving a hand in gratitude.

As the crowd started to disperse, the driver approached me motioning for me to bend over a bit.

"Oh, miss driver, no need to thank me," I said hurriedly complying, eager to be on my way as fast as possible. "I hope your mother won’t be too mad at you.”

"Who?"

With a perfectly straight face, the blond kid gave me several firm pats over the head and a cold jolt ran down my spine.

"What do you mean, chum? Don’t be so modest, or they’ll walk all over you. Without you, I couldn’t have pulled this off so smoothly. It would’ve been a reeeal pain in the ass hauling those crates back on, especially now when my back’s killing me," the kid—no, the person—said, rubbing their back with a wince. The voice that came out was childlike but had the tone of an old man.

My jaw dropped. "Huh, you—"

"The name’s Maski, remember that!" The person said as the bovine animal he was driving yanked at the reins . "Stop it, ya fatty cow, I’m talking here!" it started slowly dragging him away, while the blond kid fought back for control.

I didn’t have time for this, so I decided it was the right moment to leave. The girl who had tried to help earlier suddenly brushed past me, intentionally pulling back her hood. The youthful charm I had imagined was hidden beneath was replaced by a gravely serious expression.

"If you want to know more about your nightmares, check your pocket." She glanced around and then seamlessly vanished back into the crowd.

My sleep-deprived brain took a moment to process. When it did, I bolted after her.

“Wait! What do you mean?” I pushed through the crowd, but she was gone.

She knew about my nightmares—impossible. How? More importantly, I pulled a slip of paper from my cape’s pocket. When did she—oh.

A hand tapped me on the back, and I instinctively grabbed it. I wasn't going to lether go this time. I needed those answers.

Unfortunately, when I turned, it was the strange kid with the long blond hair—Maski.

Instantly I released my grip “Sorry, I just..”

“You okay? Maski asked.

“Yeah, just-”

“Good, anyway listen, boy,” Maski interrupted, seemingly wanting to finish his benevolent monologue from before “I may be many things, but I’ve got some pride as a merchant, even if I don’t look much like one.”

I barely listened while the “kid” followed me, my thoughts on the girl.

“Usually, I don’t get along with people like that—wolves don’t herd with sheep—but I won’t stand being in debt to anyone. If you ever need something or want to down a drink or two, look for me here," Maski said, slipping me a note with the name of the inn he—or she—stayed at.

Down a drink or two? I blinked fast.

"R-right," I mumbled, waving goodbye after he finally left me in peace. Now I held two notes, one in each hand.

One had the name of an inn, while the other read:

“Meet me at noon when the first bell tolls. Bridge District, behind the clock shop… …Oh yes, keep your mouth shut and come alone!”

I let out a deep sigh. Knowing well that there was still more to come…

****

A young and beautiful girl drew a book from the massive bookshelf. Her eyes wandered to the window of the high Magus tower, where she noticed a commotion in the street below. What piqued her interest were the peculiar actions of a certain puppet, rather than the accident that unfolded.

"Is something the matter, Lana? Was the tedious task of librarian work too strenuous for you?" came a more mature, seductive voice.

"Quite the contrary, Headmistress Erestina! I’ve found many grimoires that will greatly aid in furthering my goal."

The voluptuous older woman approached the young mage with a sly smile. "Poor little Lana, hu-hu, you still don’t understand why I brought you here in the first place, do you?"

Lana slid the book back onto the shelf, turning to meet the headmistress's gaze with defiance. "What is it, Headmistress?"

"Although that fire burning in your eyes is most delightful, what you lack is control and patience! That vile man left you in my care to correct that, so I have some grand plans for you, hu-hu."

"Yes, Headmistress!"

Erestina gently stroked Lana’s hair with the back of her hand. "Hu-hu, perhaps I should consider taking you from him if you’re going to be so diligent."