The faint glow of the moonlight caught on the ivory ring as I slid it onto my finger, its smooth surface a stark contrast to the grime on my hands. It fit perfectly, like it had been waiting for me. A rare find in a place like this, and one that might just mean the difference between life and death. I flexed my fingers, feeling a faint hum of magic pulse through the band. “Well, aren’t you full of surprises,” I muttered, a grin tugging at the corners of my mouth. For once, the gods—or maybe just luck—seemed to be on my side.
{Hey, I'm always by your side now.}
I pushed off the parapet and trudged toward the rest of the fallen guards. The stench of sweat and blood clung to the air as I knelt beside the nearest body. Grim work, yeah, but it had to be done.
Their corpses quickly faded into motes of light, and the items popped into my inventory.
A bent dagger. Useless to most, but I could improvise something. Cracked leather bracers—better than my bare wrists, even if they smelled like rot. Ten copper coins jingled in my palm, not much, but it would keep me fed. Then, a torn map fragment with edges so frayed it was impossible to read.
The last item made my heart leap—a small vial glimmering faintly with a healing potion. I let out a relieved breath, clutching it like it was a gift from the gods. “Finally, a win.” Tucking it safely away, I stood and glanced up at the pale moon. “Alright, Aurentum. Let’s go do some good.”
Descending the stone steps into the stockade, I moved carefully. My boots scuffed the worn wood, the creak of the heavy door echoing as I pushed it open. The air inside was stale, thick with the misery of lives spent too long in chains. Figures shifted in the dim light, their gaunt faces lifting to meet me with a mix of fear and suspicion.
“I’m not here to hurt you,” I said, raising a hand and keeping my voice steady. “You’re free to go.”
For a moment, no one moved. Their eyes darted between me and the open door like it was some cruel trick. The iron shackles on their wrists seemed louder than my words.
Then, a middle-aged man stepped forward. His face was weathered, and he moved like someone who knew how to be quiet—too quiet. “Why?” he asked, his voice rough and cracked.
“Because we are already prisoners, no need to make it worse.” The answer came easily, and for once, it felt good to say something honest.
He stared at me for a long moment before nodding, something like hope flickering in his tired eyes.
A woman in tattered silk followed him, her sharp gaze cutting right through me. A glint of steel peeked from the dagger strapped to her thigh. “We owe you nothing,” she said, her voice smooth but edged with suspicion.
“Good,” I said with a shrug. “I’m not asking for anything.”
She narrowed her eyes, and for a second, I thought she might argue. Instead, she nodded, brushing past me with the confidence of someone who didn’t intend to look back.
Behind her, a younger man muttered under his breath, his ink-stained fingers flexing as though testing for freedom. “Wrong place, wrong time,” he said, his eyes flicking nervously to the open door. He hesitated before following the others, shoulders hunched like the weight of the chains hadn’t left him yet.
The last prisoner was a woman clutching a satchel of herbs to her chest. Dark smudges of kohl framed her wide, searching eyes as she whispered something—a prayer, maybe—before looking at me. Her lips moved silently, forming a soft “thank you” before she hurried after the rest.
Watching them go, I felt… lighter. Like, for once, the mess I was wading through had led to something that actually mattered.
As their footsteps faded down the hall, I stepped deeper into the stockade, a faint smile tugging at my lips. “Alright,” I muttered, gripping the hilt of my dagger. “What’s next?”
----------------------------------------
The room stretched before me, a dizzying sea of color and chaos. Carpets of faded reds, muted blues, and grimy greens floated lazily through the air like birds on invisible currents, their paths as unpredictable as they were mesmerizing. My patchwork bridge, hastily stitched together from earlier attempts, dangled like a frayed lifeline, swaying precariously in the madness.
At the center of it all, the Aerlyntium hovered, a beacon of warm, golden light. It pulsed like a heartbeat, threads of amber, sapphire, and molten gold folding and unfurling within its surface. It seemed alive, its shifting patterns mirroring its hum—a low resonance that made my chest ache with longing. The orb called to me, promising something I couldn’t quite name. Power, maybe. Hope, definitely. Rellum’s magic was tangled in its glow, and I could feel it reaching for me, teasing with every beat of light.
My fingers brushed the ivory ring I’d looted earlier, its faint warmth pulsing in time with the Aerlyntium. It was a good find, maybe my best yet, and it felt right on my hand, like it belonged there. “Alright,” I muttered to myself. “No falling this time.”
Stepping onto the first carpet, I immediately felt it dip under my weight. It swayed gently, almost playfully, before lurching upward in a violent arc that buckled my knees. I steadied myself, arms outstretched, eyes already tracking the next platform. The carpets weren’t solid ground—they were restless, temperamental things that seemed to take joy in testing my balance.
The next carpet spun lazily toward me, a wobbling patch of faded blue cloth. My muscles tensed, counting the beats of its movement. One… two… now.
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
I leapt. The air rushed past me, cold and biting, as my boots struck the carpet’s surface. It wobbled violently, twisting beneath me like a living thing. I crouched low, palms flat, every muscle in my body fighting to stay upright.
The Aerlyntium pulsed brighter, its hum growing louder. The golden light washed over me, warm and inviting, pulling me forward. Each step brought me closer, but every leap felt more precarious, like the carpets were trying harder to shake me.
One carpet spiraled upward in a slow corkscrew, forcing me to adjust midair as I leapt toward it. My heart pounded, the strain in my legs growing with each jump. The patterns within the orb began to twist faster, threads of sapphire cutting through the gold like streaks of lightning.
{“You’re almost there. Don’t screw it up,”} Aurentum’s voice chimed in, sharp and sardonic. But underneath the mockery, I could hear tension, as though even he wasn’t sure I’d make it.
I ignored him, narrowing my focus to the last platform. It hovered just ahead, swaying like it couldn’t decide whether to lunge forward or pull back. The distance wasn’t far, but it felt like a chasm. My legs burned, my lungs fought for air, and the void below seemed to yawn wider with every second.
The Aerlyntium’s glow deepened, its hum now a roar in my ears. My chest thrummed with its resonance, a promise of something more—something I needed.
The last carpet jerked toward me, weaving drunkenly. I clenched my fists, muscles coiled tight, and leapt with every ounce of strength I had left.
Go.
I leapt.
For a moment, the world held its breath. The air stretched thin, the golden glow of the Aerlyntium filling my vision, wrapping around me like a sunburst. My fingers reached, desperate, stretching toward that swirling, pulsing light—
Contact.
My hand closed around the Aerlyntium. It was warm, alive, its energy thrumming beneath my grip. The patterns inside shifted at my touch, spiraling into brilliant threads of gold and sapphire. A surge of power shot through me, sharp and exhilarating, like liquid light rushing through my veins. The hum deepened, vibrating in my bones, and for the first time in days, my mind was sharp, clear, alive.
The orb pulsed once, twice, then melted into my skin. Its glow faded, leaving only a ghostly warmth behind.
I staggered back, sucking in a breath as my heart thundered in my chest. I’d done it. Against all odds, I’d actually done it.
But the chaos around me wasn’t finished.
The carpets shuddered, a low rumble building beneath me. The platforms spun faster, veering and bucking like wild animals, their movements growing more erratic. The void below churned, snapping hungrily at the edges of my bridge.
“Time to go,” I muttered, my chest still buzzing with the Aerlyntium’s energy.
The path back blurred into a haze of motion and adrenaline. Carpets dipped and twisted, some jerking out of reach as I sprinted across them. My legs burned, my lungs screamed, but I didn’t stop. The memory of the Aerlyntium’s warmth pulsed through me, a beacon pulling me forward.
The door loomed ahead—a sliver of safety in the storm. With one last burst of strength, I leapt, throwing myself toward it just as the carpets collapsed into a swirling, tangled mass behind me.
I hit the ground hard, skidding on my knees as I crashed through the door. My breath came in ragged gasps, and my body felt like it might give out beneath me.
{“Show-off,”} Aurentum muttered, his voice tinged with faint amusement.
A grin broke across my face despite the ache in my limbs. “One down.”
The warmth of the Aerlyntium still lingered in my veins, a quiet promise of light in the darkness. I can do this. I will find Jamie again.
Items Received in the Aerlyntium:
FLOATING CARPET CHAOS AERLYNTIUM 2/7
THE OVERSEER (1)
A GRUMPY CARPET INSPECTOR WHO GRADES YOUR PLATFORMING.
HE WEARS MONOCLES ON BOTH EYES. IS THAT EVEN ALLOWED?
THE TATTERED RUG (1)
A CURSED CARPET WITH A MIND OF ITS OWN.
FLIES AROUND RANDOMLY AND REALLY WANTS YOU TO FALL. GOOD LUCK CONVINCING IT TO BEHAVE.
FLOOMIS (1)
YOUR FRIENDLY CARPET-CLEANING MINION.
TINY, FLOATY, AND COVERED IN SUDS. SCREAMS IN EXISTENTIAL DREAD WHEN DIRTY CARPETS GET TOO CLOSE.
PATCHWORK PLATFORMS (15)
FLOATING PATCHES OF CLOTH THAT BARELY HOLD TOGETHER.
THEY'RE STITCHED DISASTERS WAITING TO HAPPEN. THEY WORK... UNTIL THEY DON’T.
THE DIZZYING LOOP (1)
A ONE-WAY PORTAL THAT LOOPS YOU BACK TO YOUR STARTING POINT.
YOU EVER GET THAT FEELING YOU’RE RUNNING IN CIRCLES? YEAH, IT’S NOT JUST A FEELING.
MANA SILK (10)
ULTRA-LIGHT FABRIC IMBUED WITH MAGIC.
GREAT FOR CRAFTING EXTREMELY FRAGILE FLYING CARPETS OR STYLISH ADVENTURING SCARVES.
WHIRLING DRAFTS (5)
UNPREDICTABLE GUSTS OF WIND THAT CAN PROPEL OR HINDER YOUR MOVEMENT.
THEY’RE LIKE HELPFUL FRIENDS… WHO OCCASIONALLY SLAP YOU OFF THE EDGE.
VELVET HORIZON (1)
A RARE MAGIC CARPET WITH A LUXURIOUS FEEL AND STEADY FLIGHT.
GLIDE IN STYLE. JUST DON’T SPILL ANYTHING ON IT, OR IT’LL HOLD A GRUDGE FOREVER.
FRAYED THREADS (20)
BASIC MATERIAL FOR QUICK REPAIRS OR DESPERATE PATCH JOBS.
NOT IDEAL, BUT SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO STITCH AND PRAY.
BOTTOMLESS PIT TOKEN (1)
A GET-OUT-OF-THE-VOID-FREE CARD.
WHEN YOU FALL, THIS TELEPORTS YOU BACK UP… ONCE. USE IT WISELY OR SCREAM REGRETFULLY.