A member of the Gull Wings, a group that patrolled the nearby island on their Cutters and recognizable by their aqua tunic with a white gull insignia, barged in to the training room.

He made his way to Axon and pulled him aside, nervously whispering in his ear.

Landon caught Axon’s eyes momentarily widen before he composed himself again, turning back fully to face him.

“I’ll be back in about about an hour.” Axon said, his face not containing a trace of the worry Landon had glimpsed. “Stay here,someone will be down soon to drop supplies off and we can go inside the waterfall when I return.”

Landon tried his hardest to not betray his surprise at Axon accidentally telling him where the dungeon was.

Doing his best to follow his orders, Landon tried to occupy himself by fantasizing about what a dungeon would be like.

After a few minutes even that going boring, and following a brief stint of pacing, Landon grew inpatient.

Tiring of being in the company of only wooden dummies, Landon rushed up the stairs to go back to the room where the blue orb was housed.

Looking for entertainment, his eyes searched around the room, hoping for inspiration to strike at any moment.

Not finding anything that could hold his attention, he casually strolled towards the orb, quickly running his hand between the orb and it’s pedestal to see if it put out any force while levitating.

After being disappointed that he couldn’t feel anything, he decided it couldn’t hurt to place his hands on it again.

As the first Evoker to awaken in Tierrus, you have the innate ability to Communewith Psamanthe’s Shard. Should you continue this process, you will be locked from fully processing the blessings of any other God Shards. Make your choice carefully, as this process will bless you with great gifts while also handing you immense responsibility.

God... shard? I’d had never heard that term before, he thought to himself.

What exactly were the gifts that communing would give me. If this orb, er, shard is able to bestow Archetypes, it must be impressive. I’m sure I can handle any responsibilities it throws my way.

Though usually more susceptible to overthinking things to the point where it affected him negatively, Landon could not turn down this opportunity.

Screw it.

Commune, he commanded mentally, focusing on the shard with all the will he could muster up.

He felt a part of himself being forcibly pulled out, his conscious seemingly plunging down out of his body.

Landon’s vision was overtaken by a blur of colors speeding by. His body met with the uncomfortable sensation of being simultaneously compressed and stretched out.

The overwhelming sensations began to steadily decrease. After they ceased completely, he took a second to reorient himself and gather his surroundings.

As far as his eyes could see there was crystal clear water that reached half way to his ankles.

The landscape stretched endlessly on to the horizon, light dancing along the ripples that had been created by his sudden entrance into this strange world.

Landon curled his hands over his eyes, as if shielding them from a sun that did not exist in the pale blue sky above.

Well I’m obviously in some sort of water realm, but what the hell am I supposed to do here.

He bent over and grabbed a handful of sand from beneath the water.

It was stark white and smoother than any he’d encountered living on the archipelago. He could imagine laying on a beach of it on a lazy afternoon, the sand as comfortable as his bed after a hard day of fishing.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

Slowly loosening his grip, he watched as the sand settled to the ground again, lazily drifting down once it hit the water. The ripples created by this disturbance once again disrupting the placid waters as they continued on their journey to some unseen location.

Failing to find any signs on where to travel, he chose a random direction and walked aimlessly.

After trudging half a mile, Landon felt a tug on his body that appeared to be guiding him towards a specific location. Deciding he had no better options, Landon gave into this sensation and adjusted his course through the shallow waters.

Due to your willingness to be guided by forces beyond your perception, you have gained the skill: Spiritual Awareness (I)

Landon read the message excitedly, soaking in every word and reveling in his first gained skill since obtaining his Archetype.

The unknown guiding force became sharper, transforming from a weak tug to a mild pulling sensation.

Well this looks exactly the same as everywhere else in this giant puddle, he thought to himself, finally arriving to where the force has guided him.

He explored the immediate area until he stubbed his toes on something barely buried in the sands.

Bending over, Landon quickly dug out what appeared to be a stone tablet. Its surface depicted a raging battle between a seal and a wolf, both caught in perpetual acts of gaining the upper hand.

Without warning, the sand in a half mile radius gently rose from beneath the waters.

Landon tensed his body to steady himself against the rumbling.

When most of the sand had settled in its new terrestrial location, a mass at the center of the circle continued it ascent.

Like some sort of living clay, the mound began shaping itself into a square cottage. The sand dried out further and seemed to harden, gaining the appearance of a grittier alabaster.

That same force gently nudged Landon forward, beckoning him towards the newly formed structure.

Landon stared at the structure with his jaw hanging.

Well, if I’ve already come this far, I don’t think I can ignore something like what just happened.

Pushing down his nerves, Landon walked cautiously towards the building.

Not knowing proper etiquette when it came to magic cottages that seemingly materialized out of nowhere, he lightly knocked on the lustrous door.

Wow, that’s a lot denser than I expected, He thought, surprised at how solid the structure felt.

The door gently swung inwards, revealing a cozy interior decorated in furs from various marine animals.

Landon’s eyes fixed on someone sitting over a hearth, “Hello, my name is Landon,” he croaked nervously.

The person lazily turned around, their amber eyes fixed straight on Landon.

Now lit by the open door, the older woman’s features came into view. The passing of time had not dulled what was clearly a beautiful face.

“Hello child, I know who you are,” she said.

Landon made a conscious effort to not show his unease at her reply, “Oh, great. So, uh, can you help explain what’s happening.”

“What is occurring can not be explained at the moment, for I do not have the power to maintain this form for much longer,” she said. “You have been chosen for greatness and must prepare for what is to come. Take my blessings and flee to the dungeon on your island as soon as you are back in your world. You will find the entrance behind the waterfall. ”

Noticing his unease, her face softened “I know this is sudden, child, But you must be brave right now.”

“What do you mean,” he said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about. How can I be brave when I have no clue what’s happening right now.  I think you might have me confused for someone else.”

“I’m sorry this burden has fallen on your shoulders, Landon,” she said, emphasizing his name. “You know not the extent of what is to come, and time is of the essence.”

Landon felt that familiar feeling of anxiety creeping up, choking him, the sensation of him shrinking into himself.

The woman stared at Landon, sympathy on her face. “If I can offer you one grace in this, it is that you will not face what is to come alone.”

She stood up, her movements not showing any wear from her age, “Come here child, we must proceed.”

Landon walked up to her, noticing she smelled of a summer breeze on the beach.

She gently placed her hands on his forehead.

Instantly, Landon was filled to the brim with an unknown energy.

It reminded him of the lazy waves lapping against a calm beach, the sun shining down on the sand providing warmth and comfort, waves angrily crashing during a storm and destroying everything in their path.

You have received Psamanthe’s Blessing. What this fully entails will reveal itself in time.

You have gained the skill Call Familiar

“With this blessing you may now enter any dungeon in the Archipelago without it’s key.”

She looked him in the eye, a hint of warmth once again entering her face “Your familiar will be both your best friend and most powerful ally, treat him right.”

She opened a chest in the corner of the room and pulled out a blue bag.

She hurriedly offered out the bag to Landon, “This should have everything you need for the immediate future.”

Landon quickly grabbed it from her, still processing everything that had transpired in such a short amount of time.

You have been gifted Psamanthe’s Bag.

“The rest of my blessing will come to light as you gain power,” she said, her voice weakening. “Now go my champion, time is running short. I will see you again when the time is right.”

With a final touch of his temple, Landon was once again caught tumbling down through some hazy, alien landscape.