Tyler, Akshay, Devon, and Taylor had ventured into Theghist with Ecrosetis. The magic permeates in every corner of Theghist and it begins to fill their lungs with air, but it felt different to them; it felt alive; it felt electrically charged. The four felt a presence overtake them and as if their senses were being bombarded with a new emotion. It was as if they became connected to the earth and the magic was flowing through them like a conduit. The four couldn’t shake feeling and Ecrosetis happened to look over at them. As they approach the cliff in front of them, they take in the breathtaking view. The cliffs edge opens to reveal a vast expanse of rugged terrain and what seems to be a settlement down below. The four looks to the sky, and as if defying the laws of gravity, ethereal and weightless rocks hover effortlessly in the air, creating a spectacle that none of them have ever seen before. The rocks themselves seem alive, resonating with vibrant and iridescent hues. The four notice that they can see faint colors around the rocks. Brilliant blues, deep purples, and fiery reds paint a kaleidoscope on their surfaces. Ecrosetis turns to them and smiles.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” he asked.
Turning their heads slowly back to Ecrosetis, in this moment of shared bewilderment, the four felt more connected to one another than they ever have been in their entire lives. Ecrosetis slowly settled down to the ground and as he found his comfortable spot, a deep sense of calmness washed over him.
“It is an uneasy feeling for the first time. You become connected with all living things that reside in this area. Not everyone feels this, it’s only people with The Sight.” Ecrosetis explained.
Tyler shook his head, and in the hope of processing all of the information that was happening all at once. The other three were still trying to understand the feelings that they were processing, especially being in new land.
“You keep saying The Sight, what do you mean The Sight? What is it? Why do we have it?” Tyler asked.
“The Sight”, he begins, his voice carrying a tone of reverence “is a gift bestowed upon only a select few who posses a deep connection with nature. It is a form of magic that allows one to see beyond the veil of the ordinary and perceive the hidden truths and energies of the world. The ley lines have a deeper connection to their users and are able to bend the magic to their wills in any shape or form. Anything can be done with, if they can imagine it, the vision can be completed.” Ecrrosetis reveals that The Sight is not just about visual perceptions but about understanding subtle energies that permeate in all living things. Those who posses The Sight can perceive all auras, the radiant fields of energy that surround the living beings. They can see the ebb and flow of magical currents, the delicate dance of light and shadow that constantly interplay in the fabric of reality. Ecrosetis also began to explain that there is a magic that opposes The Sight; The Variance.
“But there is an opposition to The Sight, and their sole purpose is to change the outcome of everything, from any deviation, the wish to change it. The Variance is not a magical ability, it is a group of individuals that wish to bend The Sight into a negative ideal. They wish to disrupt the flow of magical energies essential for The Sight to operate effectively. It creates a disturbance and fluctuations in the very essence of magic, causing spells to misfire, visions to become fragmented or prophecies to be muddled and twisted. In the end, The Variance reminds the wielders of The Sight that it is to be used responsibly.”
Devon folded his arms across his chest and stuck his chin out. “So… have you ever encountered The Variance in your time that you’ve been here? Also where is here exactly?”
“On multiple occasions, The Variance creates illusions and veils, making it difficult to trust what we see. It’s a constant struggle to discern reality from deception. Also, this is Theghist just like you, I was brought here at much a younger age, over 500 years ago. The Variance likes to inhabit the your world, which we call Blithend, due it’s little magic wielders. They can influence your people easier and allow them to see what they want to see. They influence your politics, your technology and even your schools. This allows them to find the people with The Sight and either kill them or convert them. You boys are lucky we found each other when we did.”
Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.
The four stood frozen in shock, their jaws dropping in disbelief but their shock quickly transformed into exhilaration as if a spark of excitement ignited within them, fueling their anticipation for the wonders Ecrosetis would reveal.
Taylor rubbing his neck as a self-soothing technique would slowly come down from the shock. He puts his hands in his pocket “So where do we play a part in this?”
Ecrosetis leaned his back against his pack and let out a sigh and kicked his feet on a rock. He takes the pipe of out his pocket and lifts it to his mouth as he speaks.
“Honestly, with The Sight, it brings people together for a reason and there is a reason why you walked into the woods, and there is a reason why you ran your finger across symbol. Only time will tell what will happen.”
As the conversation ebbed and flowed, a weariness washed over Ecrosetis and his eyelids growing heavy like a weighted curtain. His words faltered, trailing off into mumbled fragments as he fought to stay awake. The four around him exchanged concerned glances, as their voices faded into the background as he succumbed to the call of sleep. Slowly his head drooped forward, and his once engaged mind surrendered to the realm of dreams, leaving the conversation suspended in mid-air.
Akshay put his hand to his forehead and sighed. “Did this old fuck really just fall asleep mid-sentence?” The four looked at each other and gave a quick laugh. As the hours sluggishly crawled by, the four found themselves stuck in a pervasive state of boredom. Time was taunting them by stretching every minute into an eternity as it became more mundane. Taylor let out a heavy sigh and slammed his head into both hands. Akshay continued to tap his fingers on a rock as his eyes searched for any glimpse of excitement. Tyler slouched down on the side of a tree with their voice dipping in and out as he a sang one of his favorite songs. Devon with head in his hand, gazing out into the distance because his phone no longer worked. His head shot up as if he had an idea.
“Alright, I am tired of waiting for great value Gandalf to wake up, lets go explore some. We are literally living out one of our biggest dreams and there is literal magic at our disposal.” as Devon stood up.
They glanced at each other, their faces mirroring a shared expression. The area once filled with sadness that was almost suffocating is now filled with an energizing excitement. With boredom reaching its peak, the four decide to cast caution aside, fueled with reckless impulse, they decided to embark down the side of the cliff into the settlement below. The four start to walk down the path of the cliff and it begins to lead into forest, but they can see the settlement just beyond the small forest. As they approach, they would notice it the sun dipping beneath the trees, and the light became obscured as they got closer to the entrance of the forest. With each footfall, the air thickened, the silence grew more profound, and an undeniable sense of fear embraced their very being. The daylight receded, the canopy above became an impenetrable curtain, filtering out the sun. Shadows stretched and danced upon the forest floor hinting that the something more sinister was at play. The four survey the entrance of the forest as they have mixed emotions of what to do in this situation whether they should wait for Ecrosetis or go in alone.
“Honestly, it seems fine, and it’s not that far of a walk, I can literally see the end of the path from here.” Tyler claps his hands together and looks at the others.
“We all know what happens to me if I entered this forest line. We have seen all of the movies. Do I need to say it?” Devon scratched his head, fiddled around with his pocket knife out of nervousness.
Tyler leans over to Devon and elbows him saying sarcastically “It’s because you’re black, right?” giving off a slight chuckle Devon pushes him away gently.
"Yeah, yeah, we all know the black dude dies first in every horror movie."
“Honestly, I am so surprised you’ve lasted this long in an adventure, I would have assumed you would have turned back by now.” Taylor slaps the back of Devon’s neck and pushes him forward. “Alright, let’s just get it over with.” The four march on cautiously. Unknown to them, as they begin to walk through the forest, the light behind them distorts and shifts the light through the fabric of reality.