Arion was unprepared for a journey and knew it. What he was good at was drawing, fencing, and navigating social situations at balls. How to hunt, where to seek shelter during a storm, or identifying edible berries was not in his area of expertise. Despite this, he couldn’t help but feel excited about the upcoming travels.

‘Only one more thing to do before leaving. Finding the bakery.’

After asking a passerby for directions, Arion found himself in front of a brick building with a sign that read Bigge's Bakery.

‘Clothes really make people.' Arion realized this when he compared the experiences from yesterday and today.

After taking in a deep breath, he slowly opened the door. Instantly, a brunette girl sitting behind the wooden counter greeted him cheerfully. Her hair had an autumn brown color, and she looked only a few years older than Arion.

“How can I help you?”

“Could you tell me how to get to the southern gate? I think I got lost.”

“Sure. You are new in town, right?”

“Yes, but I am just stopping here for a while.”

“Are you traveling all on your own?

It’s... You seem so young.”

She clarified quickly, not wanting to sound like she was belittling him.

“Yeah, but it’s my first time doing such a thing.”

“Oh, so what is your reason for traveling? Are you visiting a family member? Or maybe you are trying to develop your blessing?”

Arion was taken aback by the girl bubbling out questions at a rapid pace. She reminded him about himself in the sense that she was desperate for change, hungering after the small moments able to illuminate her dull life. Suddenly full of sympathy for her and not bewildered anymore by the flood of questions, Arion answered.

“I am not sure yet where I want to go. Sinor perhaps, the conference of the Order of Lumior will be held soon. There should be plenty of opportunities to make some money in the city. As for my blessing, I am still waiting on that front.”

“Don’t worry about it. I got mine only last summer. It’s different for everyone.”

Intrigued by the turn the conversation had taken, Arion also asked a question.

“Did you get a special one?”

“No, just the standard one from Origia, like almost everybody. I already feel so much healthier and stronger.” She flexed her biceps jokingly.

“A blessing really changes a lot. By the way, I am Della.”

“Arion,” he almost choked on the word as he introduced himself. The girl existed. Of course she did. For a moment, he had been blissfully ignorant of why he was here in the first place. Now he could not deny the situation any longer. Up to this point, everything was exactly like the book had prophesied.

‘I have to warn her.’ The image of Della cold and lifeless appeared in his mind. He felt sick.

‘How do I tell her she is in danger without sounding like a psychopath or someone threatening her? Hey, you don’t know me, but I am inclined to believe you will be murdered. My source? I read it in a mysterious book. Where the book is? You see, it just vanished...’

Instead, Arion went with a little more sophisticated approach.

“Della, this might sound weird, but I am leaving Greenville for another reason. I have heard some rumors about a murderer roaming the streets. They even said he is a Devoted blessed by the god of bloodshed, Sangos himself.”

The last part, Arion made up to make the story sound more believable and intimidating.

“Where would you hear such gossip?” The girl questioned, not hiding her interest.

“I overheard some guys talking about it. They seemed earnestly scared. You should make sure you are home before nightfall for the next few weeks. And beware of strangers.”

“Like you?” she teased.

“Yes,” Arion answered dryly to make her understand, him being serious about this.

“You don’t have to worry. Galen protects this city. He is a Deacon blessed by Ignis.”

Arion gasped. ‘That guy is a Deacon?! What is someone of such power doing in such a low position in the guard?’

“You should see the look on your face. There isn’t anyone around with similar power for miles,” she boasted.

“Maybe, but he can’t be everywhere at once. So, try to stay safe.”

Arion noticed how the girl clearly looked uncomfortable after his insistence.

There was no point in further trying to persuade her.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

Therefore, he mumbled:

“Have a nice day.”

Then turned to leave.

“Wait, weren’t you here for some directions?”

“Ah, yes, the directions. It must have slipped my mind.”

☫

‘Well, that was moderately successful, at best.’

Arion felt like a failure. He couldn't shake the feeling that he wasn't doing enough to help."

He reminded himself that life was not a fairy tale. How much weight could the word of a kid, a stranger, carry? Maybe he could persuade some guards to monitor the bakery for a few days if he was more than optimistic, which meant little more than nothing because he did not know when the murder would happen. Was Della the target or something else? Was it going to happen tomorrow or in a year? His scant knowledge was exhausted already.

‘Running away is wrong. It is like giving up the fight before it even started.’

Arion knew, but then a foot landed in front of another, and he arrived in front of the city’s gates. Only now could Arion tell that an immense stone wall, at least twice his size, enclosed the entire city.

‘A result of the war, perhaps. We might be closer to the border than I imagined.’ Arion walked on the side of the road, careful not to get in the way of any carriages pulled by oxen and delivering fresh food. For a moment, he stopped, taking in the atmosphere. He had been to markets already, but they always had been focused on the more lofty part of society. It was refreshing to see real people and not these pretentious twats. Without having to look through a carriage’s window, everything appeared to be so much more real.

There was no trouble as he walked through the gate and left the city behind for good.

It was warm. He enjoyed the sensation of the sunlight tickling his skin. Autumn was close, but Arion could not spot any signs of it making itself known as he followed the road, as Edwyn had advised. The trees still were vibrantly green, and he started to hum along to a few birds’ songs. Farther down the road, he noticed a few farms where they grew wheat and potatoes.

After they had been shipped from the east to the west a few centuries ago, they had spread quickly, taking over Civia by storm.

As Arion risked a glance back at the city, he realized he had come quite far already. So, he indulged and sipped some water. First, he had thought rivers or lakes could supply him with as much water as he needed, but Alwyn had told him that drinking from them was not the best idea. As a result, he decided to carefully ration his water supply.

When Arion arrived at the foot of a small hill, he noticed something was wrong. The sounds of the forest had gradually faded away over the last few minutes, replaced by an eerie silence. Goosebumps formed on his skin, and he could not help but think,

‘What if a monster is the culprit?"

Over the years, most mythical creatures had been hunted to extinction, but now and then he had read in the comforting safety of the estate about some still roaming the wilderness.

‘If it isn’t a skin walker, such a thing could never make it into the city.’

Cautiously, Arion picked up a thick branch from the ground in case he had to defend himself. Slowly, he moved up the hill to investigate what had caused the lack of sound. What he found left him breathless. Nothing. Literal nothingness. The forest, the road, everything disappeared after a certain point. It was as if the land he stood on was an island surrounded by an endless expanse of nothingness.

‘Ignis light. What is going on?’

‘It encompasses all the city and the surrounding area like a dome,’ Arion recognized as he got closer to the phenomenon. '

'Does it reach even the skies?'

He had never been truly religious. Of course, he could not dispute the existence of the gods and the undeniable power, which came with their blessing, but he always found some things about the rituals odd. Why would Ignis care if he celebrated the summer solstice with a feast? Now, in the face of overwhelming force, he felt the reverence for the gods, which so many priests had failed to spark in him.

‘Madness. All of this is pure madness. I don’t think even a half-god could do this. This thing should stretch for miles.’

Curious about what exactly was in front of him, he threw the branch against it, expecting it to bounce off, but it went through without a problem. Then it suddenly disintegrated, becoming part of the endless void.

Instantly, Arion doubled the distance between him and doom.

‘There is something supernatural going on. Whatever this is, I bet it is the book’s fault.’

It made Arion wonder who the strange man had been, who had handed it to him.

‘Should I go back? There aren’t many other options, I suppose.’

He threw a rock at the void. It disintegrated immediately. Then another one and another one.

‘This is fun if you ignore how menacing it is.’

There was something hypnotic about it, like watching a fire slowly consume wood. Arion tossed the rocks high and low, quick and slow. In the end, they all met the same fate.

In the blink of an eye, the sun had moved across the sky. Fallen from its zenith, it had come close to disappearing behind the horizon.

“Lad, what are you throwing rocks at?” The deep voice of a man inquired. Startled, Arion spun around to find out a tanned farmer wearing a straw head had walked up to him.

Instead of answering, Arion pointed at the void.

“The road? You know that throwing rocks is a lot more fun at lakes. I used to do this all the time, when I was your age. Once I bounced one even eight times. The trick is to put a little spin on it with your wrist. Like this.” The man demonstrated the notion. “Anyway, the sun is setting. Let’s get you home.”

The man’s name was Owen. He was on his way to drink with a few friends in the city and spend the night there. After he had noticed the noise, he had parked his carriage and investigated, only to find a boy hurling stones. Owen had asked Arion if he wanted a ride.

When Arion had taken him up on the offer, he had not known what he had gotten himself into. By the time they reached the city's gate, Arion had learned a great deal about the man's life.

About how he had had five children, three girls, and two boys. Their names, habits, and embarrassing moments. That while the younger ones still helped with the farm, the two older ones had left the household, trying to forge their own fortune. Even that, the oldest girl had received the goddess of beauty’s blessing, marking her as the pride of the family, and strived to be an artisan in the capital.

And that the man was convinced there was no void surrounding the area, even though he had stood right in front of it.

‘This is all unbridled insanity.’ Arion was sure now.

‘The book did not predict the future. This is not an actual city. I have never heard of Greenville in the first place. Somehow, I am inside the book. All this is crazy.’

After reaching the tavern, they both split ways. Arion had become proficient in reacting to surprising news, so he had already hatched a plan, which led him right back to where he had started in the morning.

‘There should be no safer place in the entire city, especially if Galen is a Deacon.’

Inside the guard station, Arion found Edgar and Edwyn playing cards with three other guards, which he didn't recognize. Meanwhile, Alwyn was reading a book in the corner, separated from the bunch.

Arion hated the smug look on Edgar’s face.

‘I told you, he will be back. Once a...’

Alwyn cut him off.

“Let’s fetch Merek. He can unlock a cell for you.”