Evan stumbled through the burning forest, heart—or whatever passed for one—racing as he crashed through the underbrush. His skeletal feet slapped against the scorched earth, sending sharp, phantom pains shooting up his legs.
“I think we lost them,” he muttered, glancing over his shoulder. The flickering glow of flames had receded, and he couldn’t see the two winged women anymore. Relief washed over him—briefly.
“You think you lost them?” Malakar’s voice slithered into his thoughts, dripping with sarcasm. “You really think two powerful magists lost a skeleton running through a burning forest? Don’t be an idiot.”
“I’m trying to stay positive here, alright?” Evan shot back, ducking under a low branch as he ran. “I’m not used to this whole—everything.”
“Positivity won’t save you. Running might.”
Evan ignored Malakar’s smug tone, focusing on the path ahead. He had just cleared the last row of trees and was about to break into a meadow when—BANG—his skull collided with something hard and invisible. He reeled back, clutching his head, or at least trying to.
“What the hell?!” he yelped, shaking his hand out, feeling pain reverberating through his bones.
“Oh, fantastic, you’ve run into a wall of nothing,” Malakar snickered in his head.
But Evan’s eyes caught a faint shimmer in the air, like light passing through glass. He groaned, stumbling back, rubbing his forehead. “No way…”
And then—WHAM!—he crashed into another wall behind him. Panic surged as he realized what was happening. He was trapped—encased.
Before Evan could even process what was happening, he was fully surrounded by shimmering glass. A tight box, closing him in like some bizarre skeletal exhibit. He pounded on the glass walls with his fists, his bony knuckles clattering against the smooth surface.
“Oh, come on!” he groaned, summoning his twin Urumi swords, their flexible, whip-like blades flashing into existence in his hands. He swung wildly, hoping the strange metal would cut through the glass. But the swords bounced off the transparent walls with a sharp clang, not even leaving a scratch.
“Well, that’s embarrassing,” Malakar drawled, utterly unhelpful. “Good job, genius. Now you’re stuck in a magical terrarium.”
“Not the time, Malakar!” Evan growled, still swinging the swords uselessly. “A little advice would be nice!”
“Advice? Sure. Stop making it worse. How about that?”
Evan huffed, pressing his face against the glass, scanning for any sign of his captors. Sure enough, there they were—Yasmin and Yucca, stepping out of the flaming forest and into the meadow, their wings glowing softly in the moonlight. Both of them were clearly injured, cuts and bruises marking their skin, but they moved with an easy grace that made Evan’s chest tighten.
"They're beautiful..." Evan whispered in awe, his bony jaw slack as he stared at the women through the glass. They were angels—deadly, powerful angels. Fiery Yasmin, with her wild red hair glowing like molten gold, and serene Yucca, her silvery blonde locks shimmering in the soft light. They looked ethereal. Almost too perfect to be real.
“Yes, and they could incinerate you within seconds,” Malakar interrupted, his tone dry. “Stop drooling and focus.”
Yasmin approached first, wiping soot from her cheek as she grinned, clearly impressed with her handiwork. “Well, look at this. A skeleton, trapped in a box. Never thought I’d see the day.”
Evan felt his non-existent heart sink. “Uh, hi. So, um, this isn’t what it looks like.”
“Oh?” Yucca stepped forward, her glass wings fluttering softly as she inspected the enclosure. Her voice was calm, but her crystal-clear eyes glinted with suspicion. “Then what is it?”
Evan gulped—or, well, he would’ve, if he had a throat. “Okay, look, I’m not from here. I’m from, uh… Earth. And I just woke up in this world! I don’t know how I ended up here, or why I’m a skeleton, or—”
“Stop telling them everything, you idiot!” Malakar hissed in his mind, practically screaming now. “You don’t owe them any explanations! They’re going to kill you!”
But Evan wasn’t listening. “I can hear this voice in my head—his name’s Malakar, and he’s from Udanara, like you guys, I guess, and he keeps telling me to run away but—”
Yasmin burst into laughter, her fiery eyes dancing with amusement. “Wait, wait, wait. Malakar? Like the dark lord? That Malakar?”
“Yes!” Evan nodded frantically. “He’s kind of stuck in my head, and—”
“Shut up!” Malakar shrieked. “Do NOT tell them who I am! They’ll tear you apart just for the association!”
Yucca raised an eyebrow, her expression unreadable. “A skeleton with a disembodied voice in his head, claiming to come from another world.”
Yasmin crossed her arms, tapping her foot thoughtfully. “Well, I’ll give him points for originality.”
“I swear!” Evan said, pressing both hands against the glass, his voice shaking. “I’m not dangerous! I don’t even know how to fight properly—look at me! I mean, I can feel pain! I breathe! I blink! I don’t even know how I blink, but I do!”
Yasmin stepped closer, peering into the glass enclosure with a curious tilt of her head. “You blink?”
“Yes! And it doesn’t make any sense!” Evan’s voice was nearing hysteria. “I was human, but then I woke up here as this… skeleton! And my ex-girlfriend cheated on me, and I drove off a cliff because I was too tired and now—”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Yasmin interrupted, holding up a hand. “Back up. Your girlfriend cheated on you, and you drove off a cliff?”
Evan’s bony shoulders slumped. “Yeah. Chelsea. My cheating ex. That’s how I died. On Earth, at least.”
Yasmin blinked, then exchanged a glance with Yucca. “Well, that’s… dark.”
Yucca’s wings shimmered as she approached, her glass shards shifting in the air beside her. Her expression remained calm, but her eyes held a flicker of curiosity. “A skeleton from another world, with a voice in his head, and the ability to feel pain.”
Yasmin grinned, her fiery personality shining through. “Pretty unique, right? I mean, I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Yucca nodded slowly, her gaze still locked on Evan. “He’s not like any undead I’ve ever encountered. He’s… cooperative.”
“Yeah, because I don’t want to die again,” Evan muttered. “Or, whatever happens when skeletons die. Do I just turn into dust? I don’t know how this works.”
Yasmin tapped her chin thoughtfully, then looked at Yucca. “What do you think? Should we let him out?”
Yucca considered for a moment, her crystalline eyes reflecting the moonlight. “Not yet. He’s still an unknown. We need to be cautious.”
Evan groaned, his bony fingers tapping against the glass. “Look, I’m not a threat, okay? I just want to figure out what’s happening to me.”
“You are absolutely horrible at negotiating,” Malakar muttered darkly. “They’re going to kill you.”
Yasmin leaned in closer to the glass, her amber eyes glinting with curiosity. “You really do talk a lot for a skeleton.”
Evan sighed. “It’s a nervous habit.”
Yucca glanced at her sister. “The Windmere guard will be here soon. We need to move.”
Just then, the distant sound of rushing water echoed from the burning forest. Evan could hear shouts and the unmistakable whoosh of magic—water mages, most likely, moving in to extinguish the flames.
“Great,” Yasmin muttered, rolling her shoulders. “Looks like we’ve got a cleanup crew coming.”
Yucca stepped forward, her wings fluttering as she raised her hands. Glass shards gathered at her fingertips, and Evan felt the floor of his glass prison shift beneath him. Slowly, the glass box lifted off the ground, carrying him through the air like some kind of freakish display at a science fair.
“Whoa, hey!” Evan yelped, wobbling inside the box as it floated upward. “I didn’t agree to this!”
“Too bad,” Yasmin grinned, her wings glowing as she took to the air beside him. “We’ve got questions. And you’re coming with us.”
Yucca, her face calm but clearly straining under the effort of keeping the glass intact, nodded. “We’ll talk somewhere quieter.”
As they floated through the meadow, Evan marveled at how effortless they made everything seem, even though they were clearly wounded. Their injuries hadn’t slowed them down at all. They were powerful—incredibly powerful.
“These two are Magists,” Malakar’s voice cut through Evan’s thoughts, still brimming with frustration but tinged with something that almost sounded like respect. “Unique. Deadly. And they’re dragging you along like some kind of side project.”
Evan blinked. “What’s a Magist?”
“A combat wizard,” Malakar explained, “specializing in offensive magic, highly trained in warfare. Magists lead magical assaults, fight in large-scale conflicts, and bond deeply with their elemental affinities. These two? They’re at the top of their game.”
“Great,” Evan whispered, glancing down at his bony hands. “So, they could incinerate me at any second.”
“Precisely.”
Yasmin flew ahead, her hair glowing like molten fire in the moonlight. “So, skeleton, tell me—what’s Earth like? Do you guys have, like, explosions there? ‘Cause I love explosions.”
Evan hesitated, watching the meadow below him drift by as the glass box floated steadily onward. “Uh, yeah, we’ve got explosions… but not like what you can do.”
Yasmin’s grin widened. “I knew I’d like you. What’s your name, by the way?”
Evan blinked. “Oh, uh… Evan. Evan Morrow.”
Yucca, hovering quietly beside them, gave him a small nod. “Well, Evan, you’ve certainly landed in the middle of something bigger than you realize.”
Evan groaned, pressing his forehead against the glass. “I didn’t land here. I crashed here. Literally.”
Yasmin laughed, her wings catching the moonlight as she flew ahead. “Welcome to Udanara, then, Evan! Let’s see what kind of trouble you’ve gotten yourself into.”
Evan floated along in the glass cage, suspended by the strange magic of the silver-haired woman, Yucca, while Yasmin flew just ahead. The meadow had stretched on for what felt like forever, the flickering glow of the fire slowly fading behind them, replaced by the cool blues and silvers of the moonlit night. He couldn’t tell exactly how long they had been walking, but it felt like hours. Evan tried to get comfortable in the box, which, frankly, was impossible when you had no muscles or flesh.
Yasmin kept glancing back at him with a mix of curiosity and amusement. She had that spark in her eye, like she was sizing him up, figuring out what made him tick—if skeletons even ticked. Yucca, on the other hand, was quieter, her expression hard to read as she focused on keeping the glass box floating smoothly through the air.
“So,” Yasmin began casually, her fiery eyes locking onto his. “You say you’re from another world, huh? Tell me more about that. Earth, right? What’s it like? Do you guys have magists there?”
Evan, desperate to make a good impression and hopefully avoid being vaporized by these women, was only too eager to answer. “Yeah, Earth. But we don’t have magists or magic or anything like that. It’s more... well, I guess it’s a lot less exciting than this place. We’ve got technology—phones, computers, cars, all that stuff—but no fireballs, no winged women shooting glass spears.”
Yasmin’s wings fluttered in the moonlight as she gave a grin. “No magic? That sounds boring as hell.”
“You’re telling them too much,” Malakar’s voice hissed in his head, sharp and annoyed. “They don’t need to know everything about you. Keep some cards close to your chest!”
Evan tried to ignore Malakar’s protests, hoping to charm his way out of this situation. “Yeah, I guess it’s not as flashy, but it’s... home. Or, it was home.” He frowned, rubbing the back of his neck. “I still don’t know how I ended up here. One minute, I was driving late at night, exhausted from work, and then—bam—I woke up like this.”
Yasmin raised an eyebrow. “Driving? In what, some kind of vehicle?”
Evan nodded. “Yeah, a car. You know, four wheels, engine, goes pretty fast—” He stopped himself, realizing that describing a car to these two was probably useless. “Anyway, I fell asleep at the wheel. My girlfriend—ex-girlfriend now—she cheated on me, and I guess it all got too much. I drove off a cliff, and... well, I thought I was dead.”
“You were dead, you idiot,” Malakar interrupted. “You’re still mostly dead. Look at you. You’re a walking skeleton. Or, floating, in this case.”
Evan winced. “Right. So yeah, I woke up here. As this. And then this voice—Malakar—he just... latched onto me, I guess. Tried to take over my body, but I fought him off. That’s why I’m like this now—kind of halfway between alive and dead.”
Yasmin’s eyes gleamed with excitement, and she exchanged a quick glance with Yucca. “And you’ve been hearing this Malakar in your head ever since?”
Evan nodded. “Yeah, he won’t shut up.”
“You shouldn’t be telling them all of this!” Malakar practically screeched. “They’ll kill us both once they realize who I am!”
Yucca, who had remained silent for most of the conversation, finally spoke. “And you say you have complete control over your body?”
Evan hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “Yeah. It’s all me. Malakar’s just... along for the ride.”
Yucca’s expression remained calm, but there was a flicker of interest in her eyes. “Interesting.”
Yasmin leaned in closer, her fiery hair falling over her shoulders like molten gold. “So you’re telling me,” she said slowly, “that you fought off a soul leech and won? And now you’re in control of your body, and he’s just... stuck in there?”
“Yeah,” Evan admitted. “Pretty much.”
The two sisters exchanged another glance, and this time, there was no mistaking the excitement in Yasmin’s eyes. Yucca, too, seemed more intrigued than ever, though she remained composed.
Yasmin’s grin widened. “You’re a fallen star, aren’t you?”
Evan blinked. “I’m a... what now?”
“Oh, for the love of the gods,” Malakar groaned in his mind. “Here we go. They’re going to start worshiping you or something now. Stars above, you’re such a fool.”
Yucca turned her gaze on him, her crystal-clear eyes studying him intently. “A fallen star. In Udanara, there are legends about beings from other worlds who fall to our realm during the Trinity of the Moons. It’s said that once in a generation, a star will fall from the sky, bringing with it something extraordinary. But they almost never survive. You’re the first we’ve seen... alive.”
Evan felt his nonexistent heart skip a beat. “Wait... are you saying I fell here? Like, from space? I was joking about that earlier, but you’re serious, aren’t you?”
Yasmin nodded enthusiastically. “That’s exactly what we’re saying! During the Trinity of the Moons, the sky opens up, and stars can fall. People think it’s just a legend, but... here you are! A walking, talking skeleton from another world!” She clapped her hands, clearly thrilled by the idea.
Yucca, who had been more reserved, allowed herself a small smile as she continued to observe Evan. “Recently, there was a star shower across two provinces—ours, Tarnstead, and the neighboring Seracian Sands. Most of the stars that fell were lost in the ocean or destroyed on impact. But a few... survived the fall, including one near Windmere.”
Evan’s mind was reeling. “So, you’re telling me that I fell from the sky, landed here... and then somehow came back from the dead?”
Yucca nodded. “That’s what it seems like.”
Yasmin’s wings fluttered excitedly. “You’re a miracle, skeleton man! A once-in-a-generation, fallen-from-the-sky, back-from-the-dead miracle!”
“Oh, please,” Malakar muttered, his voice thick with disdain. “Don’t let it go to your head. You’re still a walking corpse, and these women could crush you with a thought.”
Evan, however, was starting to feel a bit dizzy with all this new information. “I’m sorry,” he said, raising a bony hand. “Where exactly are the moons right now?”
Both sisters blinked at him in surprise, as if the answer was obvious.
“They’re in different parts of their orbit,” Yucca said matter-of-factly. “Why?”
Evan rubbed the back of his head, trying to make sense of everything. “So... there are multiple moons? And they affect this... star falling thing?”
Yasmin laughed, shaking her head. “You really are from another world. Yeah, we’ve got three moons. Their alignment during the Trinity is what allows the stars to fall. But it only happens once in a while—sometimes not for generations.”
Evan nodded slowly, but inside, he was still utterly lost. “Right... okay. So... I’m a fallen star.”
“No, you’re an idiot,” Malakar corrected with a groan. “A lucky idiot, but an idiot nonetheless.”
Evan sighed. “Look, I don’t get any of this. I’m a skeleton, I feel pain, I blink for some reason, and I’ve got this annoying voice in my head that won’t shut up. Nothing makes sense anymore!”
Yucca’s gaze softened slightly, and for the first time, her expression seemed almost... sympathetic. “It’s understandable. You’ve been through something unimaginable.”
“Yeah,” Evan muttered, leaning back against the glass wall. “Unimaginable doesn’t even cover it.”
By this point, the sisters had brought him to the edge of a cliff that overlooked the vast, endless ocean. The moonlight reflected off the water’s surface, casting everything in a soft, ethereal glow. Yasmin and Yucca exchanged a glance before guiding Evan toward an unseen cavern carved into the cliff face.
“Wait... what are we doing here?” Evan asked nervously as they descended into the cavern.
Yasmin flashed him a grin. “Don’t worry. We’re just moving the conversation somewhere private.”
They dropped down into the cavern, the walls cool and damp with moisture from the sea. Yucca flicked her hand, and a shimmering glass wall formed in a small corner, sealing Evan inside. The glass was thicker, stronger, and Evan knew there was no way he could break it, even with his swords. He sighed in defeat.
“Great. Back in a box,” Evan muttered, slumping against the wall.
Yasmin and Yucca moved to the other side of the cavern, where Yasmin pulled out a small bundle of herbs from her pouch. She began chewing on a few leaves and handed some to Yucca as well. Evan watched in awe as their wounds, which had been bleeding and bruised just moments ago, started to heal before his very eyes.
“How are you doing that?” Evan asked, his voice filled with disbelief. “How is any of this possible?”
Yasmin chuckled, her fiery eyes glowing as she chewed on the herbs. “This? Just some basic healing herbs. We’ve got all kinds of magic here in Udanara.”
Yucca, still chewing on the herbs, glanced at Evan. “Now, tell us more about this... Malakar. What exactly is he?”
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Evan sighed, glancing at the glass wall between them. “Malakar’s a soul leech. He tried to take over my body when I got here, but I guess we fought for too long, and now we’re both stuck like this. He’s in my head, but I’m in control of the body.”
Yasmin’s eyes gleamed with curiosity, and she exchanged a glance with Yucca. “That’s incredible. I’ve never heard of anyone surviving something like that.”
Yucca’s calm gaze flicked to her sister before turning back to Evan. “We need to discuss this.”
They moved a few steps away, their voices low but still within earshot. Evan could hear bits and pieces of their conversation, but Malakar’s panicked voice in his head drowned out most of it.
“Stop talking! Don’t tell them everything about me!” Malakar hissed. “They’ll use you, they’ll use us both! You need to keep quiet!”
Evan rubbed his temples—or where his temples would’ve been—trying to focus. “Just... be quiet for once, Malakar. I’m trying to figure this out.”
“You’re not figuring anything out! You’re making things worse!”
Evan sighed again, leaning back against the glass as the sisters continued their discussion. A few minutes later, they returned, both of them eyeing him with renewed interest.
Yasmin’s grin widened, her fiery hair practically glowing in the moonlight as she leaned in closer to Evan. “So, you’re telling me you’re a fallen star? That’s amazing.” Her amber eyes gleamed with excitement, but she suddenly shifted her stance, eyes narrowing slightly. “I have an idea. How about I summon a truth spell? You know, just to be sure.”
Evan blinked. “Uh, sure, I don’t care. I’ve been honest this whole time.”
Immediately, Yucca frowned, her silvery hair catching the light as she turned to her sister. “Yasmin, you’ve already used a lot of mana. You shouldn’t strain yourself more than necessary.”
Yasmin shrugged casually, her wings fluttering behind her. “But wouldn’t it be better to know for sure? I mean, if he’s telling the truth, a little truth spell can’t hurt.”
“No, no, no, this is ridiculous!” Malakar groaned in Evan’s mind, his voice laden with irritation. “Do you know how dangerous these spells are? They force the truth out, but they leave the caster completely drained. It’s controversial for a reason!”
Evan sighed, leaning his head against the glass. “I’ve been telling the truth this whole time. But if they need a spell to believe me, fine. Whatever.”
Yucca hesitated, clearly torn between concern for her sister and the growing desire to learn the truth. Her clear blue-green eyes flickered between Yasmin and Evan, and after a long pause, she sighed. “If we’re going to do this, we should be certain. If he’s telling the truth, then it’s worth the cost.”
Yasmin’s grin widened even more. “Exactly! Let’s just get it over with.”
Evan, for once, understood that this was probably a waste of their energy. He had no reason to lie, and it was kind of frustrating that they didn’t seem to believe him. But he stayed quiet, watching as Yasmin took a step back and began preparing the spell.
She raised her hands, closing her eyes as she chanted softly under her breath. “Oh, Goddess of Justice, reveal the truths that lie within. Strip away the shadows, uncover the light. By your will, let all deception fall, and let truth reign.”
A soft, ethereal glow surrounded Yasmin as she called upon the magic. The air in the cavern seemed to thrum with energy, and the faint sound of a heartbeat echoed in Evan’s ears. Slowly, the glass box began to shimmer as if responding to the chant, and Evan felt a strange warmth wash over him.
The glow intensified, and Yasmin opened her eyes, which were now blazing with fiery intensity. “Now, Evan,” she said, her voice quieter but more commanding, “tell us the truth. Where are you from, and what happened to you?”
Evan shrugged, completely unfazed. “I’m from Earth. A different world. I lived there as a human. I died in a car accident—fell asleep at the wheel, drove off a cliff, and when I woke up, I was here. A skeleton. And Malakar was in my head, trying to take over my body.”
Yasmin’s eyes widened slightly, the fire flickering in her gaze. She turned to Yucca, who was watching intently, her expression more serious than before.
Yucca stepped closer, her tone cautious but curious. “And Malakar… he’s in your head now, but you’re in control?”
Evan nodded. “Yeah. I beat him—well, kind of. He’s stuck in here, but I’m the one who controls the body.”
“This is absurd,” Malakar grumbled in his head. “You’re going to spill everything again, aren’t you? Why don’t you just wear a sign that says, ‘Ask me anything!’?”
Ignoring Malakar’s snark, Evan continued. “I don’t know anything about this world except what Malakar’s told me—and he’s not exactly helpful. But yeah, I guess I’m a ‘fallen star’ or whatever that means.”
As he spoke, Yasmin’s spell continued to weave around him, glowing faintly in the air. Yucca watched closely, her guarded expression softening as the truth of his words settled over them like a blanket.
Yasmin, visibly drained but still excited, gave a short laugh. “I knew it! You’re telling the truth. You really are a fallen star.”
Evan frowned. “Yeah, I’ve been saying that the whole time.”
Yucca, her expression now more inquisitive than suspicious, tilted her head. “Do you realize how rare this is? Fallen stars don’t just fall every year or even every century. It’s a myth, something that happens once every several generations—if that. And even then, they almost never survive.”
Evan blinked, trying to wrap his mind around it. “So… I’m some kind of rare occurrence?”
Yucca nodded, her blue-green eyes glimmering with renewed interest. “During the Trinity of the Moons, when all three moons align, it’s said that stars can fall from the heavens. But no one really believes it, and those that do fall rarely survive the impact. That’s why this is such a shock. You’re the first we’ve seen... alive.”
Yasmin, who had been leaning on her knees, clearly exhausted from the spell, grinned widely. “And not just alive, but talking. You’re in control of your body, you’ve got some ancient dark lord in your head, and you’re from another world. This is incredible.”
Evan sighed. “I still don’t really know what all this means. All I know is that I woke up here, as a skeleton, and I’ve been trying to figure things out ever since.”
Malakar, his tone now more frustrated than ever, muttered darkly. “These women are getting too curious. You’ve given them too much information. They’re going to use you for their own purposes. Watch out.”
Evan was getting better at ignoring Malakar’s constant stream of negativity. He was more focused on the two women standing before him, their attitudes shifting from wary suspicion to genuine interest.
Yucca, who had been the more reserved of the two, now stepped closer, her gaze more thoughtful. “I’ve read about the legends of the fallen stars, but I never imagined I’d meet one. The stories say that when a star falls, it brings something... extraordinary with it. Power, knowledge, even change.”
Evan raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, well, I don’t feel very powerful. I feel... well, like a skeleton.”
Yasmin chuckled, wiping a bit of sweat from her forehead. “You’re more than just a skeleton. You’ve got something special about you. I mean, you survived the fall and the whole ordeal with Malakar.”
Evan shook his head, still trying to absorb everything. “But I don’t even know what I’m supposed to do now. I’ve been thrown into this world, and I don’t have any answers.”
Yucca gave him a reassuring smile, the first real warmth he’d seen from her. “That’s what we’re going to figure out.”
Yasmin nodded enthusiastically, despite the fact that she looked like she could collapse at any moment. “We’re going to help you, Evan. You’re not just some random skeleton—we know that now. And besides, it’s not every day you meet a fallen star.”
As the last of the truth spell faded from the air, Yasmin let out a tired sigh and leaned heavily against the wall of the cavern. Her wings fluttered weakly, and her fiery hair, once blazing with energy, now seemed a little dimmer.
“You okay?” Evan asked, concern flickering in his voice.
Yasmin waved him off with a grin. “Yeah, I’m fine. That spell just takes it out of you. But it was worth it. Now we know.”
Yucca stepped closer, inspecting her sister’s condition with a careful eye. “You overextended yourself, Yasmin. You need to rest.”
Yasmin shook her head stubbornly. “Nah, I’m good. Just give me a minute.”
Evan, despite the strange situation, felt a strange sense of relief. These women—magists, as Malakar had called them—didn’t seem to want to harm him. They were just as curious about him as he was about this world.
“Okay, so what now?” Evan asked, his voice a bit more hopeful than before.
Yucca’s gaze shifted to the horizon, where the ocean waves crashed against the cliffside. “Now? Now we figure out what to do with you.”
Evan blinked. “What do you mean, what to do with me?”
Yasmin laughed, though it was weaker than before. “Relax, skeleton man. We’re not going to hurt you. But you’re not exactly normal, and we need to figure out where you fit in all of this.”
Yucca nodded, her expression calm but focused. “Fallen stars are rare, and you’ve survived something that most wouldn’t. There has to be a reason for it. We just need to figure out what that is.”
Evan sighed, rubbing the back of his head. “Great. So I’m a mystery even to you guys.”
Yasmin grinned. “That’s what makes it fun.”
Malakar, as usual, wasn’t as optimistic. “They’re planning something. You can’t trust them. They’re too interested in your origins. Mark my words, this won’t end well.”
Evan leaned back against the smooth, translucent surface of his glass prison, watching as Yasmin and Yucca exchanged quiet glances. He could see the fatigue etched on Yasmin’s face, her fiery hair now slightly dulled after the draining truth spell. Yucca, while more composed, was clearly concerned for her sister’s well-being. They had brought him to this cavern, and for all the tension in the air, it felt like they were stuck together for the time being.
The cavern itself was small, hidden deep in the cliffs by the ocean. The faint scent of salt water drifted through the air, and the distant crash of waves echoed softly, creating a steady, rhythmic background to the otherwise still environment. Dim light filtered in through narrow cracks in the ceiling, casting long, shifting shadows on the rocky walls. The ground beneath Evan’s glass cage was uneven, scattered with rocks and patches of moss. In the far corner, a natural pool of water shimmered, fed by droplets trickling from above.
Evan took a deep breath—well, not a breath, exactly, but it felt like one. “So,” he said, breaking the silence, “are we just going to sit here, or are you finally going to let me out of this thing?”
Yasmin, still resting on her knees, gave him a weak grin. “Nah, you’re staying put for a bit. I’m still not totally convinced you won’t suddenly go rogue on us.” She stretched her arms above her head, her wings fluttering slightly as she stifled a yawn. “But hey, since we’re stuck here, why not pass the time by getting to know each other a bit better?”
Yucca glanced at her sister, her expression softening. “Yasmin, you should rest. You’ve already overexerted yourself with that truth spell.”
Yasmin waved her hand dismissively. “I’m fine, Yucca. Just a little tired. Besides, this skeleton guy’s interesting. Aren’t you curious about how a walking pile of bones ends up with a dark lord stuck in his head?”
Yucca sighed but relented, taking a seat on a smooth rock near her sister. “Fine. But only for a little while.”
Evan leaned forward, resting his bony hands on his knees, his eye sockets narrowing slightly, at least, he thought they did. “I’ve told you pretty much everything about me. What about you two? You clearly know a lot about this world—and magic—but I don’t know a damn thing. What’s your story?”
Yasmin raised an eyebrow, a mischievous grin tugging at the corners of her mouth. “Oh, you want the full rundown, huh? Well, lucky for you, we’re kind of a big deal in Windmere.” She shot a playful glance at Yucca, who rolled her eyes in response.
“Windmere?” Evan echoed, recognizing the name from the sign he had seen earlier.
Yucca nodded, her voice soft but steady. “Yes. Windmere is the city we protect. It’s the heart of Tarnstead Province, and the home of the Arcane Forge.”
“The Arcane Forge?” Evan asked, intrigued.
Yasmin’s grin widened as she leaned in, clearly enjoying the opportunity to talk about her guild. “The Arcane Forge is the place for magists in Windmere—combat magists, to be precise. We don’t just sit around reading dusty old books like some of the other mage guilds. We train in battle magic. Offensive, defensive, you name it. Our job is to protect the city and the province from whatever threatens it, whether it’s invading armies, magical disasters, or—”
“Your own spells,” Yucca cut in, her voice dry. “You forgot that part.”
Yasmin stuck out her tongue at her sister before continuing. “Anyway, we’ve been with the Arcane Forge for years now. I’m an Obsidian Tier magist, specializing in explosive magic.” She puffed out her chest with pride. “They call me ‘The Walking Cataclysm’ for a reason.”
Evan raised an eyebrow—or at least, he tried to, though the lack of actual eyebrows made it difficult. “The Walking Cataclysm? That sounds... intense.”
Yasmin laughed, her fiery eyes twinkling. “Oh, you have no idea. I’ve been known to cause a bit of collateral damage during fights. Buildings tend to, uh... collapse. Trees catch fire. Rivers, well, they sometimes boil.” She shrugged, as if it was no big deal. “That’s why we’ve got a whole division in the guild called the Magical Hazards Division—MHD for short. They basically follow me around and clean up after my messes.”
Evan blinked, his bony fingers tapping against his knees. “And you’re okay with that?”
Yasmin shrugged again. “Hey, it’s not my fault I’m powerful. Sometimes things get a little... out of hand. But the city’s used to it by now. They’ve got rebuilding plans ready whenever I’m involved in a mission.” She smirked. “They love me anyway.”
Yucca, who had been listening quietly, chimed in. “That’s true. Despite the chaos she causes, Yasmin’s magic is invaluable in large-scale battles. No one else in the guild can cause as much devastation as quickly as she can.”
Evan glanced at Yucca, noting the contrast between the two sisters. While Yasmin was fiery and full of energy, Yucca seemed more composed, her presence calming in comparison. “And what about you?” Evan asked, turning his attention to the silver-haired sister. “What’s your deal?”
Yucca met his gaze, her crystal-clear eyes reflecting the dim light of the cavern. “I’m known as ‘The Glass Weaver’ in the Arcane Forge. My affinity is with glass, fire, and sand. My magic is more... precise than Yasmin’s. I specialize in stealth missions and high-profile defensive tasks. My glass can be both a weapon and a shield, depending on what’s needed.”
“Glass?” Evan echoed, intrigued. “Like the walls you keep putting me in?”
Yucca nodded, her expression thoughtful. “Yes. Glass is versatile. It can be sharp and deadly, or it can be a barrier stronger than steel. I prefer to focus on control rather than raw power.”
Yasmin snorted, leaning back against the rocky wall. “Yeah, Yucca’s the serious one. Always calculating, always planning. Me? I just blow stuff up and hope for the best.”
Yucca shot her sister a look. “And that’s why you need a clean-up crew.”
Evan chuckled, despite the strangeness of the situation. He could tell that the two sisters cared deeply for each other, even though they had vastly different approaches to their magic. “So, you two are part of this... Arcane Forge, and you’re some of the top magists there?”
Yasmin grinned proudly. “Yep! We’re two of the six Obsidian Tier magists in the guild. That’s the highest rank, besides the guildmaster, of course. But the guildmaster’s kind of ancient and doesn’t get involved in the day-to-day stuff.”
Yucca nodded. “The guild was founded centuries ago, during a time of war. Windmere needed specialized magists who could defend the city and lead magical assaults. That’s how the Arcane Forge came to be. Over time, it became the premier guild for combat magists in Tarnstead.”
Evan leaned forward, his bony fingers tapping against the glass as he listened intently. “And you two... you’re responsible for defending the city?”
“Not just the city,” Yasmin said, her eyes gleaming. “We’re responsible for defending the entire province. Tarnstead depends on us to protect them from all kinds of threats—both magical and physical. That’s why our training is so intense. We’re not just casting spells from a safe distance. We’re right in the middle of the action.”
Yucca’s expression softened slightly as she glanced at her sister. “Yasmin tends to charge into battle without thinking, but she’s effective. I, on the other hand, prefer to take a more calculated approach.”
Yasmin grinned, nudging Yucca with her elbow. “Yeah, yeah. You’re the brains, I’m the brawn. But we make a pretty great team, don’t we?”
Yucca’s lips quirked into a small smile. “I suppose we do.”
Evan watched the sisters with interest, feeling a strange sense of camaraderie growing between them. Despite the fact that they had trapped him in a glass box, he found himself liking them. They were powerful, yes, but they were also... human. Or as close to human as two magical, winged women could get.
“So,” Evan said after a moment of silence, “what about this whole fallen star thing? You both seemed pretty excited when you found out I was one. What’s the big deal?”
Yucca’s expression grew more serious as she considered Evan’s question. “Fallen stars are incredibly rare in Udanara. When they fall, they’re usually signs of something far more significant than just someone showing up from another world.” She looked him over, her gaze taking in his skeletal form. “When they do fall, they usually create a panic and change throughout the entire world. New powers rise, old powers grow even stronger. Wars break out, kingdoms collapse. And... well, the truth is, fallen stars are usually seen as signs of the end of days.”
Evan’s skeletal jaw practically dropped. “End of days? Wait—what?”
Yasmin, who had been lounging against the cave wall, finally straightened up, her fiery eyes glinting. “Yeah, it’s not exactly a good thing when a star falls. It freaks everyone out. People start scrambling for power, fighting for control. It’s chaos. And, uh, no offense, but you being... you know, bones... doesn’t exactly scream ‘good omen.’”
Evan felt a cold shiver run through his bones—literally. “So... you’re saying I’m basically a walking apocalypse sign?”
Yucca nodded grimly. “In the past, whenever a fallen star has appeared, major shifts have followed. People who were nobodies suddenly rise to power. Those who are already powerful become almost unstoppable. Entire cities, even empires, have fallen. The stars bring change, but it’s never peaceful.”
Malakar, who had been oddly quiet, finally spoke up in Evan’s mind, his tone heavy with resignation. “She’s right. Fallen stars have been seen as harbingers of doom for as long as anyone can remember. It’s why they’re feared. When you fell, you weren’t just reborn in this world—you became a catalyst for something bigger. Whether you like it or not, Evan, your very existence here is going to change the balance of power.”
Evan’s skull ached as the weight of their words settled over him. “Why didn’t you tell me any of this, Malakar?”
“I’ve only been in your head for as long as you’ve been in Udanara,” Malakar replied, his voice tinged with frustration. “I didn’t have time to fill you in on all the mythological consequences of your arrival. Besides, I thought you’d figure it out once these women started grilling you.”
Evan groaned, running a bony hand over his smooth skull. “Great. Just great.”
Yasmin crossed her arms, glancing at her sister. “So, what are we supposed to do with him?”
Yucca remained silent for a moment, her eyes flickering with uncertainty. She didn’t speak right away, as if weighing the consequences of whatever decision they might make. Yasmin, though more brash, mirrored her uncertainty.
“I don’t want to die,” Evan said quickly, his voice tinged with panic. “Again. Or... whatever happens to skeletons when they die.”
Yasmin sighed, running a hand through her fiery hair. “Yeah, well, if we take you back to Windmere, it won’t be pretty. You’re a fallen star. People will want to study you. Use you. Hell, the council might decide you’re too dangerous to keep around. They’d probably kill you just to be safe.”
Evan’s skull rattled slightly as he clenched his jaw. “That’s... not very reassuring.”
Yucca, who was typically more calculating and pragmatic, surprised both Evan and her sister when she slowly nodded in agreement. “She’s right. Taking you back to the Arcane Forge would only make things worse. The council would see you as a threat, a tool to be controlled. You’d be more valuable dead than alive.”
Even Yasmin blinked in surprise, her usual bravado momentarily faltering. “Wait... you agree with me? Since when do you not want to drag someone back to the Forge to be dissected or studied?”
Yucca gave her sister a small frown. “I’m not heartless, Yasmin. And this... Evan... is clearly in over his head. If we hand him over to the council, he’ll be killed. Or worse.”
Evan’s bony fingers drummed nervously on his knees, feeling the tension rise between the two sisters. “So... what happens now? Are you just going to leave me here?”
Yasmin stared at him for a long moment before turning to Yucca. “What are we supposed to do? We can’t just let him wander off. People are already on edge after the star shower. If they find him, it’ll be chaos. But if we bring him back...”
Yucca bit her lip, clearly struggling with the decision. Her usually calm demeanor was cracked, uncertainty bleeding through. “If we bring him back now, he’ll be executed. Or worse, turned into a weapon. I don’t want that on my conscience.”
Evan looked between the two sisters, panic bubbling up inside him. He wasn’t sure which fate sounded worse—being left to fend for himself in this strange, dangerous world or being turned over to a council that would kill him on sight. “Look, I know I’m not exactly... normal,” he started, his voice shaky. “But I don’t want to cause any problems. I just... I just want to figure out what’s going on. Maybe there’s a way I can leave or—”
Yasmin interrupted, shaking her head. “No way. You’re not getting out of Udanara that easily. Fallen stars aren’t just visitors who can pack up and go. You’re tied to this world now.”
Evan’s panic rose another notch. “Tied? What does that mean?”
Yucca glanced at him, her voice soft. “It means that you’re part of Udanara now, whether you like it or not. Your presence will cause ripples across the land. There’s no escaping that.”
Evan groaned. “That’s not helping.”
The cave fell into silence for a long moment as the three of them stared at each other, none of them sure what the next step should be. The only sound was the distant echo of waves crashing against the cliffside, the salty air filling the cavern.
Finally, Yucca broke the silence, her voice quiet but firm. “We’ll leave you here for now.”
Yasmin’s eyes widened in surprise. “What? You’re just going to leave him?”
Yucca’s expression was calm, though there was a hint of uncertainty in her eyes. “Yes. For now. We need time to figure this out. If we take him back to Windmere, it’ll only end in disaster. We’ll file our battle report, assess the situation, and then decide what to do with him.”
Yasmin stared at her sister in disbelief. “You... agree with me on this? We’re just going to leave him in the middle of nowhere?”
Yucca nodded slowly. “It’s the only option that doesn’t end with him dead.”
Evan let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. “So... you’re not going to kill me. That’s... something, I guess.”
Yasmin, still looking conflicted, rubbed the back of her neck. “Well, don’t go wandering too far, alright? We’re doing you a favor here. Don’t make us regret it.”
Evan nodded quickly, grateful for any lifeline. “I won’t. Trust me, I’ve had enough excitement for one day.”
Yucca gave him a small, reassuring smile. “We’ll be back. Just... stay here and keep out of sight.”
The two sisters turned to leave the cavern, but not before Yasmin shot Evan one last glance. “Try not to die again while we’re gone, okay?”
Evan managed a weak laugh. “I’ll do my best.”
As the sisters disappeared into the night, Evan slumped back against the glass wall, exhaustion finally catching up with him. His mind raced with everything he had learned. A fallen star. A harbinger of change. A symbol of the end of days.
And now he was alone, unsure of what the future held.
“You’re an idiot,” Malakar’s voice drawled in his head. “You could’ve been halfway to figuring out how to control this body by now if you weren’t wasting time with those two.”
Evan rolled his eyes. “Yeah, well, at least I’m not dead. Yet.” He sat there, still encased in glass, unsure of what to do next. His mind raced with everything they had told him, and the weight of his situation settled heavily on his bony shoulders.
Then, with a faint shimmer, the glass barrier began to fade. Yucca must have released the spell as she left, and now, the smooth, transparent walls dissolved into thin air. Evan sat there for a moment, stunned, before finally getting up and stepping forward, free from the magical prison.
He looked around, taking in the small cave they had left him in. It was little more than a stone hole carved into the side of the cliff, damp and dark, with jagged rocks jutting out from the walls like broken teeth. The cave was barely large enough for him to stand and move around in, and the ceiling hung low, forcing him to hunch slightly as he walked.
The only exit was the one he came in through—a narrow opening that led back to the steep cliffside path the sisters had taken. Beyond that, the sheer drop into the ocean stretched out below him, the waves crashing violently against the rocks far below. The scent of saltwater filled the air, and the rhythmic sound of the sea echoed through the cavern, a constant reminder of the danger that lay just outside.
Evan peered over the edge, his skull rattling slightly at the thought of falling. There was no way he could climb down the cliff face, not without risking a plunge into the ocean. And while he wasn’t entirely sure what would happen to a skeleton falling into the sea, he wasn’t eager to find out.
"Great," he muttered, his voice echoing off the cold stone walls. "I’m stuck in a hole in the side of a cliff. This just keeps getting better."
The small cave offered no other way out, no secret passage or hidden tunnel. It was just him, the stone walls, and the distant roar of the ocean. The rough, uneven floor was littered with small pebbles and patches of moss, and a thin trickle of water ran down the far wall, collecting in a tiny puddle at the base. The air was cool and damp, the moisture clinging to the rocks and leaving everything with a faint, slick sheen.
Evan sighed, slumping down against the wall, feeling the cold stone against his bones. “Well, Malakar,” he said aloud, “any bright ideas?”
Malakar, who had been unusually silent, finally spoke up, his voice laced with sarcasm. “Oh, sure. Let me just summon a magical ladder from nowhere, and you can climb right out of this mess.”
Evan rolled his eyes—at least, he felt like he did. “I wasn’t asking for miracles. Just... something. Anything. What am I supposed to do now? I can’t just stay here forever.”
“You’re going to have to wait, genius,” Malakar replied, clearly irritated. “Those sisters will come back eventually. Until then, I suggest you use this time to think about how fucked you are.”
Evan groaned, rubbing his bony temples. “Fantastic. Just what I needed—more existential dread.”
He stood up and began pacing the small cave, the sound of his skeletal feet tapping against the stone floor the only noise aside from the distant crashing waves. He wasn’t sure how long he could stay in this cave, but the idea of waiting for Yasmin and Yucca to return was slightly better than trying to climb down the cliff and risk falling into the sea.
The thought of the sisters weighed heavily on his mind. They had seemed genuinely torn about what to do with him, but Yucca’s surprising suggestion to leave him here had thrown him off. He had expected her to be the one to drag him back to Windmere to be studied or worse, but she had been the one to suggest leaving him here.
Evan wasn’t sure whether to feel relieved or more anxious. Being left here alone didn’t feel great, but it was better than being executed or turned into some sort of experiment.
He sighed again, leaning against the rough wall of the cave. “What did I do to deserve this?”
“Fell from the sky, apparently,” Malakar replied dryly. “You really should work on that landing next time.”
Evan huffed. “Not funny.”
The two lapsed into silence, the only sound the ever-present crashing of the ocean far below. Evan stared out of the narrow cave entrance, watching the moonlight shimmer on the surface of the water. The moon was high in the sky now, casting an eerie, silver glow over the landscape. It was beautiful, in a way, but also unnerving. The world he had known was gone, replaced by this strange, magical place where nothing made sense.
“Fallen star,” he muttered to himself, his voice low. “A sign of the end of days.”
He wasn’t sure what that meant for him, but it didn’t sound good. And if Yasmin and Yucca were right—if he was some kind of catalyst for change—then his presence here was going to stir up trouble, whether he wanted it to or not.
Evan stared out into the vast night, his mind racing. He was no hero, no warrior, and certainly no harbinger of change. He was just a guy who had fallen asleep at the wheel and woken up as a skeleton in a world he didn’t understand.
“I just want to go home,” he whispered, the words lost in the sound of the sea.
But there was no going home. Not now. And as far as he gathered, not ever.