The comforting sound of bubbling cauldrons, the clang, and hiss as alchemical tools were moved around on shelves or in drawers; and a sharp smell like burnt wood helped settle her nerves as she began to put the finishing touches on her latest creation. It was an experimental concoction that she had found half a finished recipe for in an old journal, written by some researcher years ago—a substance with the potential to do great harm if misused but also capable of producing wondrous things when used properly. She could hardly wait until it cooled enough so that she might try some small amount out herself.
She looked up from stirring her potion occasionally now to look over her workroom: all those books on magic and science, stacked neatly together on their wooden bookcases; the long table covered with various pots full of liquid, powders, and other ingredients, along with more notes scribbled down about how each should be combined; a shelf holding jars containing what appeared at first glance to be nothing but dust, which held several secrets within them; a few chairs scattered here and there where apprentices sat while they worked on projects of their own; and finally a tall cabinet filled with glass bottles, many of which contained potions and alchemically ready-made goods and tools for sale, including the newest batch she'd just completed.
Serena took pride in everything she made, although most often she sold her creations wholesale rather than trying to make much money off selling individual items one piece at a time. This particular atelier wasn't designed for retail sales anyway; it served mostly as a place for students who wanted to learn something new or improve upon existing skills, as well as a way to keep people informed about magical happenings. But she did have a little display case set aside near the front door, displaying samples of some of her best works and a sign explaining briefly why they were special. There was no charge for looking through the cases, either, though visitors usually bought whatever caught their eye once inside.
This atelier wasn't quite as busy as usual today. Several apprentices were working away, but only two customers came in during the morning hours before lunch. One apprentice left early, heading home after he couldn't find anyone else willing to help him figure out the problem with his experiment. The other student stayed late, taking advantage of the quiet afternoon to finish reading one of the volumes she had been assigned.
"Did you forget about our plans today, Serena?" A voice called out from behind her, interrupting her thoughts.
Serena's dark red eyes widened at hearing the familiar voice. She was relieved that there was no sign of anger or reproach in his voice. No, her guardian and friend were more amused by anything. "I'm so sorry Veles!" She glanced at the cauldron where the substance within was beginning to solidify. The project seemed to be going smoothly and would finish on its own now. "I recently found a few old diaries and notes, and I wanted to test out the half-finished theory myself."
"And how much material did you go through in this experimentation this time," Veles teased.
It always amazed her how quickly her mentor could tell exactly what she had done without even having seen her experiments himself. As a master of the art of divination, he possessed abilities far beyond those of any normal magician, but he still relied heavily on his sense of sight to see the results of her work. His eyesight was excellent, sharper than hers, but it was hard for him to focus on details when she kept moving things around. So she tended to leave the room while he studied the results. It also helped that he didn't mind watching her work if he knew he wouldn't get too bored. He liked coming in and asking questions. Most magicians weren't interested in learning how others performed certain spells and rituals unless they happened to be teaching someone themselves. And Veles enjoyed seeing how different sorcerers approached similar problems differently.
"Not as much as I could have," Serena answered, being as evasive as she could. She had gone with the least expensive and most common materials she could find while making sure it would likely work.
"And is it supposed to be a shimmering cream color?"
Serena frowned before turning back to the cauldron. Just as Veles pointed out, the contents were shining as wisps of black smoke hinted at another failure on her part.
Channeling a thin layer of mana to surround her body, Serena created a durable mana shield in preparation for any incidents.
"No, it shouldn’t look like that," Serena muttered.
Veles' laughter rang out again.
Serena looked over the atelier at the door to make sure her apprentices remained inside as was protocol for a potential explosion. Then she turned back to the pot.
As she stirred, the liquid began to change once more, swirling faster until it became something completely unexpected...
A small, delicate hand reached out from the cream substance, grabbing hold of the edge of the cauldron just as the entire thing exploded in a flash of light.
The force sent both of them flying backward across the floor. Her spellbook went sailing away somewhere, leaving her only one remaining book, a copy of The Complete Book of Divination Spells, left behind. A few feet farther along, the table where she'd been working was blown apart, sending pots and jars scattering everywhere. The whole place shook violently. When everything finally settled, nothing remained of the alchemical concoction except for the remains of two charred fingers and an arm that had somehow escaped incineration.
She gasped and rolled onto her side. There was no pain, but the shock of what had just happened made her dizzy.
"You're lucky that your shield held," Veles said, already getting back up.
Serena nodded numbly. What else could she say? She hadn't expected anything like this to happen. Or perhaps she should have known better. This wasn't the first time she'd gotten herself into trouble trying new things.
"On the bright side, you looked to be on the right track." Veles smiled kindly down at her. "Judging by the humanoid limbs, you were on the verge of discovering some kind of artificial life."
He sounded excited about whatever she might discover next.
"I'll try again tomorrow," she replied, forcing a smile despite her growing dread. She got unsteadily to her knees, then leaned against the wall to steady herself.
"So what now?" she asked, wiping the soot off her hands.
"We did have plans to go and experience the Shadow Festival, didn't we? We can still leave tonight if you want. It will take us a bit longer than usual because of the explosions and all, but we don't need horses or any special equipment."
For a moment, Serena hesitated. Ever since she started training under Veles, she'd never missed this specific festival. They always took place every season when around the same time when the veil between worlds was thinnest and it was easier to travel to other realms.
This year, though, she felt strangely reluctant.
It was partly because Veles had been acting unusual lately. It was as if he was waiting for something to happen.
But mostly, she feared that something terrible might occur while they were gone. That was the feeling she'd experienced ever since she'd learned how dangerous the Veil was. And she also worried about her apprentices. How much worse could things get without their teacher nearby?
Veles noticed her hesitation. "What is wrong?"
She shook her head. "Nothing… I just…"
She sighed. It wouldn't make sense to explain everything here and now. She wanted to tell someone about it eventually, but she needed to work out her feelings first before talking to anyone else. Besides, she knew that Veles would probably understand anyway.
"Can we celebrate quietly in the Hidden City this time? It's already so late and we both need to clean ourselves up and change."
Veles frowned slightly. "Are you sure? You seem distracted. Is it my fault somehow? Did I offend you?"
That caught her attention. "Offend me? Of course not! Why would you say that?"
He shrugged lightly. "You're usually happier during these times. Something must be bothering you. I'm sorry if anything—"
"No!" She cut him off sharply. Her cheeks heated in embarrassment. "Of course not. Please forget what I said. Just promise me one thing: no matter where we end up going, let's stay together."
A small smile tugged at his lips. "As you wish, sister mine. Now come on; let's hurry back home and change. Then we can celebrate to your heart's delight."
Serena nearly rolled her eyes at his comment but accepted his hand to steady her as she stood up. The dizziness had long faded, and the shield that she had took most of the blow to both of them.
She would clean the atelier in the morning, before clients and her apprentices arrived. Her gaze lingered on the blown apart pale human-like limbs and Serena couldn't quite suppress an involuntary shudder.
Veles took her hand in his, leading the way out of the atelier and putting up the closed sign. She was grateful for the care he put in her and they headed home.
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The Hidden City was the beating heart and living soul of the empire and was the most sacred part. Everyone who lived within its walls was chosen to represent their clans and organizations to the Great Clans and the current Imperial Family. Within this specially crafted realm, sculpted over generations and expanded as needed and wanted, the decisions that governed and controlled the empire and the Thousand Realms took place here. To most of the countless realms and their denizens, the large city that served as an anchor and entrance for this realm was the heart of the celestial empire. Few would ever know of the Hidden City and those that knew of it tended to see it as the greatest of honors to reside within.
To those few who saw through the façade, however, the Hidden City was a prison. The honored representatives were hostages and each clan was warring secretly for even a fraction more power and influence. They might live in luxury and splendor, but they were no better than the thralls that served them.
Serena had come to realize this quickly as her position as the ward of Veles Silvertongue prevented her from experiencing what the clans, and even the imperial family, were doomed to live like. Her guardian's knowledge, intelligence, and charisma had led to him quickly rising in the ranks of the Celestial Council, while his lack of ties to any clan or faction allowed him to be unbiased.
She had been interested in following in his footsteps for as far back as she could remember, if only because of the unusual freedom and rare restrictions that both of them experienced.
But today, she didn't need to deal with politics and backstabbing. At least not at this moment.
They passed through the gates to the residential districts for the Great Clans, which were shaped from stone that glowed faintly green in the light of the setting sun. Inside, the buildings gleamed brightly, their polished surfaces reflecting the last rays of sunlight. Their colors varied greatly between shades of white, blue, yellow, and red, but none were dull or drab. Each building seemed to have been carved from a different material entirely—granite, marble, jasper, obsidian, gold, silver, and so much more.
Their destination, the House of the Abyss, sat high upon a hill overlooking the rest of the city. Compared to the luxury and overly expensive material the mansions they passed in this section were made from, the stone castle was quaint. It wasn't particularly flashy, though each part of the personal fortress was protected with both mundane and magical means. Magical charms and spellwork alternated the complex's temperature as needed, and the great towers passed even the abodes of the imperial family in height.
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It stood out among the other structures in the area; it was built for both defense and offense over showing off.
Though it was deep in the hill underneath the castle where the true value of it lay.
"Serena, why don't you go wash up. I'm sure one of the servants has prepared a bath for you by now." Veles said.
As he spoke, the doors to the fortress opened for their masters, revealing a long hallway leading deeper inside.
A servant approached them with a smile, bowing low before taking their bags away. "Welcome home, Lord Silvertongue," the woman said. She wore a simple dress of brown cloth, dyed black along the edges and hem. A thin golden chain hung around her neck, holding a small pendant of a dragon.
Veles smiled warmly. He always did when someone called him by his title. For better or worse, the people knew who he was. She bowed again, then turned and left.
Serena nearly rolled her eyes at Veles's behavior but stopped herself. It wouldn't be the most lady-like way to behave, and doing such a thing so close to those gossiping busybodies wouldn't help her reputation.
Not that her experimentation and interests did her any favors in that regard.
Instead, Serena nodded to Veles and headed up the grand staircase towards the second floor. As she ascended the steps, she glanced over her shoulder. Her guardian had taken notice of her departure and gave her an encouraging nod. His expression remained neutral, however. There was nothing, in particular, to look at.
She sighed quietly, turning away from him once more.
When she reached her room, she took the time to examine it closely. Though the decor was plain compared to what she'd seen elsewhere within the house, it still managed to impress. The ceiling was covered in intricate designs in some sort of silvery metal, and the walls boasted several paintings depicting scenes from the history of the Great Clan families. Most of the pictures depicted battles fought against various enemies, including fae, various monsters, and dragons. They were detailed enough to make her think she might recognize them someday.
On top of her bed, a servant had laid out clothing for her. The outfit consisted of a pair of black pants and a loose black tunic, both made of soft fabric that felt almost like silk. On top of these lay a short-sleeved shirt in a shade of shade similar to the color of her hair and eyes. There were a pair of clean socks and one of her broken-in shoes she used when exploring and harvesting ingredients. It was simple clothing that would allow her to move unencumbered should the need arise, but Serena couldn't help but wish she had time for more formal clothing. Wearing a robe or yukata during summer festivals was something she had always looked forward to.
The plainness of the clothing would limit the accessories she could wear as well. Otherwise, it would clash and could bring trouble to her by drawing attention to herself.
No, it would be best just to bring her backpack and tools with her.
Her eyes trailed over to a corner of her room. A rolled-up dark red carpet with golden trim leaned against the desk where a few other trinkets she made to make exploration easier rested. A pair of gloves resting on top gave off a faint sensation of mana, while an elaborate hairpin adorned with colorful feathers had the same sensation as the rest. There were a pair of glasses and a golden coin about the size of her palm as well. Beside them were a pickaxe, hoe, and scythe along with other gathering tools.
A large leather backpack was next to the door to the entrance chamber to her room.
All of these she had made or enhanced with alchemy, along with other crafting specializations, and they all helped with gathering higher-tiered material. The backpack had been modified by Veles with Spatial magic and judging by how others reacted to it, it was far rarer than she expected.
Serena always wanted to learn spatial magic and use it to create far weaker versions of this backpack and sell it. Maybe as jewelry or pouches. Unfortunately, while she had the necessary control and affinity for the school, she lacked the mana to construct even a ring that could store a few different items.
This always disappointed her, while at the same time reinforcing how amazing her brother was.
She shook her head and headed to her bathing chambers.
Veles had been right. The servants had prepared a bath for her.
She took a seat inside the tub and let the warm water wash away the grime from the day before. Afterward, she washed her face, brushed her teeth, then dried herself off. Then she dressed in the clothes laid out for her and left her quarters after gathering all the tools in the backpack and putting them on.
Veles wasn't waiting for her outside her rooms as she expected, so Serena decided to head to his own to check on him.
His rooms consisted of the western tower and the area of the castle it was connected to. Largely, Serena always suspected, so he could look down on the people he viewed as ants any time he wished.
Veles was a different person to different people, just as he raised her to be, but he was consistent and honest with her.
The base of the western tower started on the third floor, just down the hall from her section, and served as his bed chambers and living space. His office occupied the entire fourth level and the fifth and sixth levels housed his library and archives respectively. This allowed Veles to spend much of the year studying the various texts stored within. There was a balcony on the sixth floor that overlooked much of the Hidden City and the walls that surrounded it.
Serena suspected he would be on the balcony right about now and entered his room before starting to ascend the spiral stairway.
As soon as she stepped through the doorway to the archives, Serena knew something was wrong.
"Brother?" She asked, trying to keep her voice low.
He didn't respond.
In front of the desk, one chair sat empty except for the bookcase behind it that held hundreds upon thousands of books and scrolls. On top of the table were three piles of papers, each one about half again as tall as the tallest stack of paper she'd ever seen. All of them were written in languages she couldn't read.
She moved closer and noticed a piece of parchment lying on the ground. It appeared to be blank until she leaned close enough to see words scrawled across its surface in black ink.
It was in a language she had never seen before, a feat that was unusual in itself after all her training and lessons with Veles, but something about it felt off. Something that made her uneasy.
The handwriting was without a doubt her brother's and she could tell he was emotional as he wrote whatever this was.
Serena picked up a scrap of parchment and placed it back on the desk before making her way through the maze of bookshelves and scrolls to the balcony.
Her brother stood there alone looking out over the city below.
"What happened?" Her question came out more like a whisper than anything else.
Veles turned toward her. "I don't mean to alarm you," he said softly, "but I think you need to see this."
Serena looked around nervously when no further explanation followed.
After several seconds of silence, she realized that she wouldn't get an answer if she waited too long. So instead, she walked onto the balcony.
A chill ran down her spine.
The night sky above them seemed brighter somehow; the stars shining even clearer.
However, below them, the Hidden City was quickly being devoured by a wave of darkness. The twinkling lights of the lanterns and other illumination were snuffed out and Serena could barely hear the screams through the barriers around the castle.
This wasn't natural. This was magic at work. But what kind?
Something stirred deep inside of her as if some part of her recognized or resonated with whatever this phenomenon was.
But then the moment passed. And the feeling vanished completely.
Soft caresses through her mahogany-hued hair pulled her thoughts away from the approaching darkness, and she looked to Veles. Surely he would know what to do.
His expression however was far from the even mildest concern she thought he would feel about the world vanishing and being consumed before their eyes.
His eyes burned with a cruel glee and relief, as if what he had been long awaiting for had come to pass at long last.
He smiled widely and nodded his head. His voice was calm, almost serene.
"Finally, I can see if all this trial and error would be enough. The first test of my theory is at hand. We're going to make things right once and for all."
As soon as those words left him, the light of the moon began to disappear along with the stars.
The wind died and stillness fell upon the land, only broken by the distant sound of screaming.
Serena looked at her brother. There was nothing on his face that suggested he cared how much pain these people might suffer.
Only a look of satisfaction. A smug smile that spoke volumes.
She had never seen him like this in public view, but this unnerved her more than she cared to admit. He should have shown remorse. Or sadness. At least.
That was not Veles' style though.
If she hadn't known better, she would say he sounded almost excited.
The waves of darkness now resembled an ocean and the skies mirrored the earth in the void around them. Only the tower they were in remained, serving as a lighthouse on this most wretched of nights. However, even that would not last for much longer. Soon it too would vanish beneath the sea.
Serena looked back at the archive, her mind trying and failing to find some way to survive.
Her brother chuckled, and it was still as warm and comforting as it usually was toward her. As if what had happened to the countless inhabitants here was nothing to him.
"I'm sorry, dear sister," he said softly. "We didn't get enough time together after all, did we?"
His hands left her hair, trailing down her cheeks before holding her face with her hands. She could see something dark and cold growing within him, just as the sky above them grew blacker and darker.
He seemed hesitant about something as he stared deeply into her eyes. But then he kissed her forehead, his lips lingering against skin ever so slightly.
It felt as if he meant to linger there forever until finally he turned and walked away from her.
Beneath her feet, the balcony shattered due to the grasping hands of darkness and she fell.
The last thing she saw was Veles leaping after her before the world was consumed by a flash of white light.
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Serena felt like she was being submerged in some kind of inky water. It pressed down upon her and threatened to crush any hope of escape. More crippling than the physical sensation of falling, or perhaps sinking would have been more accurate to this current experience, was the emotional and mental onslaught she was experiencing.
Despair, hatred, pain, suffering, hopelessness, and malice, among many other foreign emotions and sensations, crashed into her, threatening to drown out her thoughts and feelings. Her body ached terribly, and she found herself fighting off a headache while struggling to stay afloat.
A hand reached out towards her, pulling her down gently yet firmly. It took every bit of strength she possessed to hold onto consciousness and fight the urge to let go.
She refused to die due to this unexplained phenomenon, and she had to question her brother. There was far too much she still wanted to learn.
More than that, she had a moral objection to being dead. It went against her principles and all that.
Serena was also becoming fed-up with whatever this being causing the mental and emotional attack was attempting on her and so sent her feelings and let her displeasure be known.
It stopped abruptly though the negative emotions she was forced to feel in her mind changed to confusion and then to horror. She could distantly feel that whatever or whoever had upended her world, aside from Veles himself, was trying to abandon her after being all clingy and trying to affect her.
Serena pulled herself closer to consciousness with a renewed burst of effort, determined not to allow this creature to leave her behind. At least not without getting answers first!
But even though her haze, she could tell it wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. This was an entity that knew how to keep its prey under control.
That realization made her mad and gave her new resolve. Whatever this being was, she wouldn't give up easily. Not now when she was only beginning to understand what was happening around her.
So she decided to try one final tactic—a desperate ploy, really: She tried reaching out mentally again and sending another wave of anger at the unknown presence. If nothing else, maybe it would distract them long enough for her to get back to where she belonged.
Suddenly she realized why the foreign feelings were gone. It hadn't left entirely; rather, it seemed to be shifting focus away from her for some reason.
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She no longer felt like she was drowning, and Serena carefully opened her eyes. Above her was a strange archway that had long been taken over by plant life. Vines wrapped around the aged stonework, and she watched as the magical energy it emitted fell dormant once more.
This was likely a physical anchor for transportation and likely one for between worlds or long distances at the very least.
In the blink of an eye, Serena realized what happened. Her world had likely been destroyed by the one who guided and protected her, and before she succumbed to the same fate, he teleported them away.
She spent a few moments in quiet reflection, looking around the forest ruins she wound up in and sending a prayer to those that passed on. Her heart sank at knowing her apprentices were gone as well, though she couldn't help but find something funny about the end of the world scenario.
The fact that she still lived while those that ignored her or treated her badly were gone, and that she wouldn't need to clean up her atelier any time soon, was fresh in her mind.
"Way to handle priorities," Serena muttered, scoffing at her thoughts.
First thing first...find out where I am and if I'm in any danger from my immediate surroundings. Once I'm stabilized, I'll try finding Veles and demand some answers from the bastard.
Serena ran a hand through her hair and was glad that she managed to bring along her supplies due to needing to be overly prepared for anything. "I think I'm way over my head this time."
When you are at rock bottom, the only way you can move forward is by going up. She smiled, a mocking gesture more than anything. Or if you managed to bring a shovel with you, you can always dig deeper and get into more trouble.