Adrian drifted, suspended in an endless sea of nothingness. He thought he’d see stars, galaxies even, but there was only darkness. Slowly, realization dawned on him: I’m blind. The thought should have bothered him more, but instead, he found himself oddly accepting. Alright, so I’m blind. I’ll roll with it. Everything will work out, right?

A spark of excitement lit up his mind. The dark gods had given him a second chance, a whole new world to shape. He couldn’t wait to dive into his powers, to craft his new legacy.

But...

Two months later…

Boredom clawed at him. Is this my new existence? Drifting in eternal nothingness?

He occupied himself with idle thoughts, conjuring theories about the world awaiting him. Maybe it’s a wild, untamed land full of primal magic, he mused, or perhaps it’s a kingdom crawling with knights and sorcerers, ripe for conquest.

Yet, no matter how he theorized, time crept on.

If only I could sleep, he thought, just until something actually happens...

Suddenly, he felt a warmth around him, creeping into his awareness. The temperature rose, startling him from his haze.

“Man, it’s getting hot here! Wait… why is it getting hotter?”...

Lukas:

Lukas stepped out from the forest shadows, his boots crunching on the trail that wound back to Mar, his village nestled in the valley below. Over his shoulder, a sturdy sling held four rabbits he’d snared that day, their fur soft against his back. A satisfied smile tugged at the corner of his lips. Four rabbits would fetch a good price with the innkeeper, and if he was careful with his spending, he might even put away a few extra coins.

One step closer to that new bow, he thought, picturing the polished wood and the promise of stronger pulls. The one he had served him well enough, but something sturdier, crafted from the mountain’s hardwood, would make all the difference. The right tools make the hunter, he remembered his old mentor saying.

Lukas moved at a steady pace, no need to rush. The sun hung lazily in the sky, its warm light spilling through the trees. He figured he’d have a few more hours of daylight to spare. And with a little luck, he might find Karry working the counter later. She always managed to get him to stay for one or two beers too many, but he didn’t mind. There was something about her laugh, her quick smiles, the way she teased him that made him think… well, maybe she already knew what was in his heart.

He tried not to get his hopes up too much, but he couldn’t help feeling a spark of excitement each time he neared the village, wondering if tonight might be one of those evenings when they’d talk until the inn grew quiet, and he’d walk back through the dark with the memory of her voice lingering in his mind.

Lukas squinted up at the sky, where a streak of fire cut through the afternoon light, its fiery tail blazing as it arced toward the mountains. He blinked, wondering if he’d stumbled upon some mage’s duel in the distance or perhaps an unusual weather phenomenon. But the fireball moved too fast, and in an instant, it slammed into the peak of the tallest mountain.

The upper third of the mountain exploded, rocks and debris scattering in every direction. Lukas froze, his heart pounding as he whispered, “That’s… no stray fireball.”

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As he stared, a cloud rose, billowing high and thick into the sky—like a mushroom growing rapidly, its edges tinted with the reddish-orange glow of the setting sun. But before he could fully process the sight, something invisible rushed toward him, snapping branches, bending tree trunks, and tearing leaves from their branches as it barreled forward.

“Wha—” was all he managed before the force reached him, ripping him from his feet. He flew backward, landing roughly four meters away, his body slamming hard against the ground. Pain shot through his arms and legs, and he gritted his teeth, grimacing as he felt scrapes and bruises where he’d hit the rocks.

He slowly pulled himself up, feeling the sting of his injuries, though he knew the force had lost most of its power before reaching him. As he regained his balance, he looked back at the mountain and felt his blood run cold.

The mushroom cloud was changing, pulling together in a dark mass above the mountain. It grew denser, darker, churning with energy, and inside, he could see faint flashes of lightning, illuminating the cloud from within. There was something ominous about it, something unnatural that made his skin crawl.

Lukas turned, his heart racing, and started sprinting back toward Mar. Whatever had happened, the village must have felt it too. They needed to know.

Lukas’s breath came in ragged gasps as he crested the last hill, his legs aching after nearly an hour of running. Beyond the ridge lay Mar, his small village of fewer than a hundred homes scattered between fields and forest. His heart skipped a beat as he spotted smoke lingering over one of the rooftops, but relief washed over him as he saw villagers bustling around, clearly unharmed. The fire, it seemed, had been brought under control before it could spread.

He forced himself to slow his pace, giving his tired legs a chance to rest as he entered the village. He made his way to the damaged house, noting that only the roof and a few rooms inside had suffered from the flames. “Not too bad,” he murmured, running a hand along the scorched wood. “A few days’ work, and it’ll be like new.”

As he surveyed the damage, the village elder, Twain, approached him. The old man’s face was etched with worry, his gaze flickering between the house and the ominous cloud hanging over the distant mountain.

“Lukas,” Twain greeted him, his voice carrying a weight of concern, “you saw it too, didn’t you? The fireball… and the shockwave?”

Lukas nodded, glancing back toward the mountain. “I saw it, Elder. I was out hunting when it happened. It… well, it nearly threw me off my feet.”

The two stood in uneasy silence, watching the dark cloud that had formed above the mountain, swirling with an unnatural intensity. Lightning flashed within the cloud, illuminating its depths with brief, eerie pulses. Twain’s voice trembled slightly as he spoke, “I don’t like the look of that. It feels… wrong.”

Lukas swallowed, his instincts telling him the same. He had lived his whole life here, and never had he seen something so unnatural.

Twain turned, placing a firm hand on Lukas’s shoulder, his gaze steady despite the fear in his eyes. “You’re the only one here with enough experience in the wilds. I need you to go see what’s happening on that mountain. You know these woods better than anyone.” He paused, glancing again at the darkened sky. “I’ll send someone on horseback to Terana to fetch adventurers. But it would help to know what they’ll need to be ready for. I trust your judgment, Lukas.”

Ulrick:

Two days after the fireball...

A heavy hand landed on Ulrick’s shoulder just as he raised his mug of cheap ale to his lips. The evening was winding down, and the drink was about to taste even sweeter now that he was off-duty. Irritated, he turned, his words already spilling out. “Listen, punk, I—” He stopped mid-sentence as his eyes met the guildmaster’s, and instantly he relaxed, though a hint of wariness crept into his gaze. No one in Terana crossed the guildmaster without consequence.

The guildmaster, a tall, weathered man with a look that could silence a brawl, ignored Ulrick’s irritation, his tone direct and unbothered. “Ulrick. Just got word from the elder of Mar—small village near the mountain. They’re talking about an explosion or something unusual up there. Rider’s horse was spent by the time it arrived, so it sounds urgent. I want you and your team to head out and investigate.”

Ulrick blinked, feeling the weight of the request settle. “Understood. We’ll move out at first light,” he said automatically. He wasn’t about to say no, not to this mountain of a man who’d beaten sense into him more than once.

The guildmaster nodded with a grunt of approval and turned to leave, but Ulrick cast a glance at the four figures slumped over at his table, their snores loud enough to rival a tavern brawl. He sighed, resigning himself to the challenge. “It’ll be a damn miracle if I can get this lot up in time…” he muttered, bracing himself for the headache tomorrow was sure to bring.