A few months ago:

High King Sevas sat in his quarters within the towering spires of the hive city, the air thick with the scent of smoldering incense and the faint hum of arcane machinery. The soft glow of ethereal crystals bathed the chamber in a soothing, otherworldly light, casting elongated shadows that danced across the walls like spectral apparitions. Sevas's ability, which he named Shadow Eyes, was constantly activated, enveloping him in a shroud of darkness that pulsed with an eerie energy. Through the haze of his heightened senses, he could see an undeterred full view of his entire kingdom, every corner illuminated with crystalline clarity.

Yet, amidst the ethereal spectacle, there lingered a tension, a weight that hung heavy in the air like a gathering storm. Sevas's brow furrowed with concentration as he absorbed the details of the report from General Thane, his keen eyes darting across the parchment with a sense of unease. The constant strain of maintaining his ability took its toll, causing sharp pains to throb behind his temples and crimson rivulets to trickle from his nostrils, staining the pristine parchment with their crimson hue.

Despite the physical discomfort, Sevas remained resolute, his mind sharpened to a razor's edge as he dissected the contents of the report with unwavering focus. Something today had stirred a fire within him, igniting a fierce determination to address the issues plaguing his kingdom head-on. As he delved deeper into the intricacies of the report, a simmering anger bubbled to the surface, fueling his resolve to confront the challenges that lay ahead.

With a heavy sigh, Sevas pushed aside the parchment, the weight of responsibility pressing down upon him like an invisible burden. The chamber seemed to close in around him, suffocating him with its oppressive atmosphere. Yet, even in the midst of adversity, Sevas remained steadfast, his shadowed eyes burning with an unyielding determination to safeguard the stability and prosperity of his kingdom at any cost. Soon though, his anger got the best of him.

“What!?” High King Sevas's voice thundered through the chamber, a sharp contrast to the usually controlled demeanor he projected. His brow furrowed in frustration, causing the shadows that danced around him to quiver with an intensity matched only by the turmoil within his own mind. The sudden outburst caused him to lose his grip on his ability, the comforting veil of Shadow Eyes slipping away like mist in the morning sun.

General Thane winced at the sound of Sevas's booming voice, a bead of sweat trickling down the side of his face as he struggled to maintain his composure in the face of the high king's wrath. The weight of Sevas's disappointment bore down upon him like a leaden cloak, his shoulders sagging beneath the invisible burden as he braced himself for the inevitable reprimand. Thane bowed in reverence, his expression a mixture of deference and apprehension. “My apologies, sire,” he began, his voice barely a whisper against the backdrop of Sevas's fury. “We have not met quota this month. There were some complications in the production process.”

“Complications?” Sevas's tone was laced with disbelief, his hands curling into fists as he struggled to contain the storm raging within him. “All you had to do was make sure they did not leave the sanctuary! Thane, you know how important this process is for the city and our nation. Those souls you couldn’t harvest will cost us lives on the front lines!”

With each word, Sevas's frustration grew, his voice rising to a crescendo that echoed off the chamber walls like a battle cry. He slammed his hands down upon his throne with a resounding thud, the sound reverberating through the air like a clap of thunder.

General Thane bowed his head, his silence a tacit acknowledgment of his failure. “There is no excuse, sire,” he conceded, his words heavy with remorse. “The fault is my own. Erik seemed to know exactly what was happening, and in battle, he severed my left hand.” The general held his maimed arm out for Sevas to see, the stump a stark reminder of the betrayal that had shaken the foundation of their kingdom. “He fought with a style I had never seen before, and he seemed to know exactly where my weaknesses in fighting were.”

Sevas's jaw tightened with anger, his shadowed eyes flashing with an intensity that mirrored the turmoil within his soul. “If you are implying we wasted talent,” he began, his voice low and dangerous, “then know that Erik was a traitor. He murdered fellow military officials in a misguided attempt at loyalty, weakening our resolve. He had to be purged from this realm.”

The chamber fell silent, the weight of Sevas’s words hanging heavy in the air like a shroud of darkness. Despite the gravity of the situation, General Thane maintained his bow with a stoic resolve, his loyalty unwavering even in the face of Sevas's displeasure.

"Sire, I understand," Thane replied, his voice steady despite the tumultuous emotions swirling around them. "Erik's betrayal cannot be overlooked, and his actions have undoubtedly caused harm to our nation. I vow to rectify the shortcomings in our operations and ensure that such incidents do not occur again."

Sevas regarded the general with a piercing gaze, his shadowed eyes reflecting the depths of his displeasure. "See that you do, General Thane," he commanded, his tone a stark reminder of the expectations placed upon them both. "The stability of Arvendon relies on the efficiency of our operations, particularly in times of conflict."

With a dismissive wave of his hand, Sevas signaled the end of their conversation. "You are dismissed, General. Attend to your duties and ensure that our quota is met without fail."

As General Thane retreated from the chamber, Sevas remained alone with his thoughts, the weight of his emotions pressing down upon him like a leaden cloak. Despite his outward display of control, inwardly he seethed with anxiety, the realization that even the most carefully laid plans could be undone by the whims of fate gnawing at the edges of his consciousness.

Sevas stood at the pinnacle of the hive city, its sprawling expanse unfolding beneath him like a tapestry woven from the fabric of his ambitions. From his vantage point atop the towering spire, he beheld the intricate web of streets and structures that comprised the heart of his domain. The city's architecture was a testament to the ingenuity of its inhabitants, a labyrinthine maze of steel and stone that rose skyward in a dizzying display of verticality.

At the city's center lay the pulsating core, an active volcano whose molten heart had long since been harnessed to fuel the city's relentless expansion by his and the country’s ancestors. Ethereal crystals, imbued with arcane energies, adorned every corner, casting a soft, iridescent glow that bathed the streets below in an otherworldly luminescence. The air crackled with static energy, charged with the hum of machinery and the faint whisper of arcane incantations.

As Sevas gazed out over his domain, his shadowed eyes flared to life with renewed determination, their piercing gaze penetrating the veil of secrecy that shrouded his people's lives. With each sweep of his gaze, he sought out the threads that bound his kingdom together, weaving them into the tapestry of his vision with meticulous precision. Every movement, every whisper, every heartbeat was laid bare before him, a silent symphony of life and ambition.

But beneath the facade of prosperity and progress, Sevas harbored a deep-seated fear, one that gnawed at the edges of his consciousness like a ravenous beast. The specter of the Eternal King of Rothurd loomed large in his mind, a shadowy figure from a bygone era whose return threatened to unravel the delicate balance of power that Sevas had worked so tirelessly to maintain.

Yet, even as fear coiled in the depths of his soul, Sevas refused to be cowed by the specter of uncertainty. He was a king, a ruler born of blood and ambition, and he would not allow himself to be ruled by fear alone. With a steely resolve, he vowed to seize control of his destiny, to bend the forces of fate to his will and forge a new legacy that would endure for generations to come.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

As the city bustled and teemed below him, Sevas's shadowed eyes burned with an intensity that matched the fiery glow of the volcano at its core. The journey ahead would be fraught with peril and uncertainty, but he would face it head-on, for he was High King Sevas, ruler of the hive city, and the fate of his kingdom rested in his hands. “This closes your the traitor’s schemes and machinations, Erik. I know not what you were doing but I cannot allow such clandestine actions to occur again, hidden from my Shadow Eye’s sight.”

Nat closed the report that General Thane’s narrator had given him before he had met Abby. He learned one very crucial piece of information, those that were his focus cannot be seen by Sevas’s ability. He looked towards Abby who was still resting at the campsite and smiled. “This means we can be in the city as much as we want,” he thought to himself. “Though, I don’t think I’ll tell Abby about his ability, it’ll be more interesting that way.”

The next morning was much like the rest of the time in the forest, save they were walking trying to avoid any hostile wildlife and monsters. This gave Abby time to think and reflect on the past couple months. She went from having a comfortable life in Arvendon to having this mix of adventure to awakening her powers and finding out the truth of her brother’s death. It was much to take in, and she was feeling it. She tapped her bag knowing Erik’s letter was still in it, as she reread it every night before sleep. She opened the bag and took a tentacle full of sand out, she wrapped another tenacle and focused her mind on the coarseness of the sand she inhaled deeply and blew fire into a small opening between the tentacles. She increased the pressure and heat with her miniature suckers located on the tentacles she was using.

She felt the sand melting and forming into a rough sphere, she removed a tentacle and revealed a glowing superheated ball of glass. She started spinning the sphere allowing it to flatten.

“What you up too?” Nat asked walking up to Abby. His sudden intrusion caused her to lose her focus, allowing the glass to stop spinning and flopping around her exposed tentacle.

“Ow!” She exclaimed pulling back the tentacle. It was red but not badly burned. “I liked the way I fought against the gobwebs, using the sand to my advantage. I wanted to see if I can make it more… lethal…” She almost whispered the last part.

“Why? So far you have been doing fine just maiming creatures that attack you first.” Nat replied, wondering where she was going with this.

“Gee, thanks.” She pondered a moment. “No, I’ve been thinking that given what we know, the people who killed Erik are very powerful and just…” She paused. “…maiming them may not be a viable option on my end.”

“I see,” Nat sat down where he was standing. He looked at Abby for a second and pulled his pen out from a coat pocket. “When you create you fire orbs without sand in them, does you mentally cause them to float around you? Or do they do it on their own?”

“They just do it on their own. Why,” Abby looked at Nat with a brow raised and joined him on the forest floor.

“So your ability just gravitates towards you without even thinking about it. When you were learning how to control fire for the first time you used a flame created by another.”

“Yes….” Her brow was still raised, it was her turn to wonder where this is going.

“Well, I was thinking, which is very dangerous for all who are involved with me. But this once I think it’ll benefit you,” He smiled. “After that first outburst against the hippobear all the flames you command are your own. They all float around you. My question is can you control anything that’s heated, or just fire?”

“That’s…. a good question,” Abby had not thought of that.

“Let’s try it.” They quickly made camp and started a campfire.

“You ready,” He asked.

Abby nodded, intrigued by Nat's suggestion. She extended her tentacle towards the campfire, focusing her mind on the flames dancing before her. With a deep breath, she concentrated on the heat emanating from the fire, reaching out with her consciousness to connect with the fiery energy.

As she concentrated, a strange sensation washed over her. It was as if she could feel the very essence of the flames, their warmth and intensity resonating within her. With a gentle mental nudge, she commanded the flames to rise and hover around her, forming a mesmerizing dance of light and heat.

Nat watched in fascination as the flames obediently followed Abby's mental commands, swirling and twirling around her like obedient pets. He could sense her growing confidence as she gained control over the fire, a newfound mastery over the element that was both exhilarating and awe-inspiring to witness. A pale blue hue shaped its way through her body as an Awakening made her feel stronger.

Encouraged by her success, Nat proposed a more challenging task. "Abby, can you try applying your control to the molten sand? If it's heat you can command it might be possible. See if you can shape it or manipulate it in any way."

Abby hesitated for a moment, considering the unfamiliar challenge. But with Nat's supportive gaze spurring her on, she focused her attention on the small pool of molten sand near the campfire. Concentrating with all her might, she extended her mental grasp towards the superheated material, willing it to bend to her command.

At first, her efforts seemed futile as the molten sand remained stubbornly unchanged. But Abby refused to give up, pouring all her concentration and determination into the task at hand. Gradually, as the sun dipped lower on the horizon, she felt a subtle shift in the molten sand, a slight tremor of movement beneath its fiery surface.

With renewed vigor, Abby continued to exert her mental influence, coaxing the molten sand to respond to her commands. Slowly but surely, the pool of molten sand began to ripple and churn, obeying her will as she guided it into intricate shapes and patterns.

Nat watched in amazement as Abby's control over the molten sand grew stronger with each passing moment. The once formless mass now obeyed her every whim, swirling and coalescing into a mesmerizing display of fiery artistry. And as the night wore on and the stars began to twinkle overhead, Abby achieved the impossible—a molten disk of glass, with flames spewing through its center, hovered before her in the cool night air. A series of awakenings coursed through her throughout the night helping her gain mastery of her task, without her knowing it. Nat noticed these but said nothing, just recording the process as she was training.

A sense of pride swelled within Nat as he witnessed Abby's incredible achievement. Despite the challenges and obstacles, they had faced, she had persevered and triumphed, proving herself to be a true master of her newfound abilities. And as they sat together beneath the starlit sky, surrounded by the glow of the campfire and the shimmering beauty of Abby's molten creation, Nat knew that their journey was far from over. But with Abby's unwavering determination and growing mastery over her powers, he had no doubt that they would face whatever challenges lay ahead, together. Well, Abby would, he would be writing it all down.

As the first light of dawn painted the sky with hues of pink and gold, Abby and Nat set out on the final leg of their journey towards the hive city. The air was crisp and cool, carrying with it the promise of a new day and new adventures.

Abby couldn't shake the nervous fluttering in her stomach as they walked, her mind consumed with thoughts of what awaited her in the hive city. It had been months since she had last set foot in her childhood home, and the prospect of facing her past and confronting the truth about her brother's death filled her with apprehension. Nat, ever the picture of confidence and nonchalance, walked beside her with a swagger in his step and a smirk playing at the corners of his lips. He seemed unaffected by Abby's nerves, his snarky remarks and playful banter serving as a distraction from the gravity of their mission.

"Cheer up, Abby," Nat teased, glancing sideways at her with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "It's not every day you get to stroll into a hive city like you own the place. Besides, with me by your side, what could possibly go wrong?"

Abby couldn't help but roll her eyes at Nat's antics, but his lighthearted demeanor did help to ease some of her tension. She knew that beneath his playful facade, he was fiercely loyal and would do anything to support her on their quest. “Well, considering everything so far…”

“Bah,” He shooed her away.

As they continued their way, the towering silhouette of the hive city loomed ever closer on the horizon, its sprawling layers of interconnected buildings rising high into the sky like a maze of steel and glass. The topmost layer, almost a complete sphere each loop connected to the eight striations that formed most of the anchor, glowed with an otherworldly luminescence in the early morning light, casting long shadows across the landscape. Shadows, Abby felt were looking through or at her. Either way it was unnerving.

Abby's heart quickened with each step they took towards the hive city, the weight of her responsibilities and the enormity of their task pressing down upon her. But as she stole a glance at Nat walking confidently beside her, she felt a surge of determination coursing through her veins. Together, they would face whatever challenges lay ahead, unraveling the mysteries of the hive city and uncovering the truth about her brother's death. And as they crossed the threshold into the bustling streets of the hive city, Abby knew that their journey was only just beginning. But with Nat at her side, she was ready to face whatever the future held.