The boy trudged aimlessly through the sandy desert, his mind a mist of confusion. His coarse feet seemed to slide through the sand, his fatigue evident in his lethargic movements. He was so tired that he didn't notice that the sandy desert was no more and that he had stepped into a world of ice and snow. He cast his eyes over the new landscape, his face showing no surprise or interest. The boy's violet eyes flashed for a second as he shook his head trying to cast the mist out of his mind.
Where am I? What is this place? I was in a desert, hot and thirsty, why do I feel cold? Who... who am I?
The boy stopped walking. The snow swirled around him as the wind screamed death in his ears. He felt himself fall to the ground, the snow a force of frightening destruction. His arms were weakening, his body was being covered, as he felt the reapers scythe take his soul.
My-my name
Before he closed his eyes he uttered one word
Kane
The sound of glass shattering accompanied Kane, as the arctic world disappeared, replaced by his luxurious room of gold and silver. He lay on his bed, breathing rapidly with beads of sweats covering his forehead.
Damn it, what is wrong with me. I've had this dream six times now and each time it ends with my death.
Kane stood up as he observed his dark filled room. Everything was the same, the curved bed, the ornate walls, the open curtains the flowers of silver and the vases of gold. But on his steel desk, blood trickled, soundlessly to the ground, a bizarre and disturbing scene. Gazing at the ominous sight Kane slowly walked over to the desk of steel, his eyes darting around the room, looking for signs of what might have caused this. Kane was scared and frightened but his pulsing curiosity took over, the need to know overcoming the need for safety. When he looked at the desk , he saw a plethora of bloody words encompassing it, but only 4 of the words caught his attention. They were shining a crimson light, that seemed to contain a profound meaning.
"The second requiem is near."
Wait what? The second requiem? Who's gonna die? Am I going to die?
Trying to comprehend the statement only served to confuse him even more. Question after question appeared in his mind and in the end he decided to temporarily put aside the crimson statement. He had other matters to take care of. First he had to get to school in time, before Professor Uyo took a strike at the Athreal of steel, seeing that he wasn't present. Then he had to explore the ancient ruin with the falcon engraving, that Aurora and he had discovered under the La-Tim bridge.
As expected, an illusion, to think it took me this long to remember that I was in the Destiny's Conundrum. The path to becoming an emperor is never simple.
The sound of space ripping sounded in the room, as he shattered the opal tear.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
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Aurora was annoyed. For the 15th time now her dark hair had gotten tangled in a branch and it was really starting to get on her nerves. The only person she could blame of course was her superstitious mother. The "loving" witch of a mother had a strange infatuation with certain... ideas. She saw things in a different way and that wasn't very good when it passed the boundaries of common sense. Insistence on having impractical long hair certainly didn't vouch for ones sanity. Nor was wearing a dress in the middle of a dense forest a very smart idea either.
Now my hair is all ruined, my favourite dress is destroyed and its all because the idiot decided to just leave me and go to the gods damned Destiny's Conundrum at MIDNIGHT.MIDNIGHT OF ALL TIMES.
Fuming in silence, Aurora trudged through an empty forest clearing, as she shoved the last of the branches out of her way.
She suddenly stopped. In front of her lay a lake. A lake of crimson. A lake of blood. Shivering in fear, she remembered the scripture of old.
"The Emperor's path lies in blood and ice
Set in stone, the Supreme rules
For there in Ether's call you will pay the price
The way of legends is the path of fools
Lying in wait is fate's tempted dice
Divine ascension offers two whirlpools
Inner hearts divinity should suffice
But to take the power and all its jewels
Slay those before you and deem the sacrifice."
"AURORA!"
Kane's head burst out the lake, his dark brown hair, easily recognizable in the crimson mass.
"THE SECOND REQUIEM IS NEAR, WARN VIVI-"
Kane was pulled back into the lake, his whole body submerged in blood.
"KANE!" Her face was pale and aghast in fear.
15 minutes ago
"The First Requiem, it was horrific. Beings of unimaginable power appeared through the Ether and started a grand-scale genocide. They wanted what was proclaimed. We gave them nothing. "
Zuren Steel (Athreal of Steel, one of few who were lucky)
After a long time, Kane finally finished reading the last inscription embedded on the wall. And he was angry. Reading an inscription written upside down does that to you. But then it happened. The world went dark.
Boy, why are to here? Are the Mystics dumb enough to send their-last I checked-dwindling youth to destruction. The rumours are true, the Mystics have lost their minds.
Where is that voice coming from!
Kane, forgetting his anger, instantly went on alert and drew his two daggers, glistening lights in the eternal darkness. He moved silently through the room. Listening. Feeling.
*Boom*
He flew backwards and hit the wall hard.
Metal. This room is made of metal. Putting an ethereal of steel in a metal room is practically asking him to beat you up.
Essence filled the room. Kane moulded the room, into a swirl of steel, placing himself in its protection.
*Boom*
The next explosion was blocked by the steel barrier. But the wall was clearly damaged, it wouldn't last another one of the frightening explosions.
Think, think. Come on mind, think.
There was clue. Something is wrong with this room. The inscriptions. Why would the inscriptions be written upside down? They could've been traumatised. Or this whole room has been flipped. If it's flipped that would explain the inscriptions. One way to find out.
Kane released the last of his essence to mould the floor outwards, creating an empty space underneath him. Then he found himself falling. Falling down. Falling up.