The dusk covers the world in a soft shadow. It covers everything in a soft shadow. Looking up, the skies are soft too; my eyes piercing through the first to find another, and yet another... too many to count. It's comforting now.

I'm in only trousers, chest, and feet bare just like every time I come here. Turning to the right, I start walking through the grasses that seem to have grown much higher, scraping against my thighs as I walk toward the pool. I can't see any clouds - I never see any clouds now. Putting my hands out in the grasses, I walk as the winds push through them, the sound of the grass hitting each other and the breeze rushing through my ears, pushing on my chest... The breeze? I stop moving, stilling myself as the winds once more blow. And I can hear them; not just the effects of the dirt shifting, the grasses hitting each other, but I could hear the air moving. Why? Has it always been there and I've just been unable to hear it, or has the wind itself changed? As it blows again, I feel it grace my skin, pulling over chills. It makes the world seem that much more full.

Walking through the grasses and the new wind until the silver and slight luminescence of the pond caught my eyes. I walked to the pond, leaning over it as the grasses disappeared. The baren soil sounded solid as I knelt on it, putting my hands into the pool and cupping the water to drink from. My feline reflection stares back at me, the features mimicking my own. It was comforting in a way, to see this version of myself. The Vovess snarls as I smile, silver eyes looking at me as I stare back. Leaning forward, I slide my hands into the water. My head slowly follows, my chest and stomach after. The water absorbs me as my body slides in, sinking further and further into its grasp. My entire body is floating in a silver abyss, the water swaying side to side as if breathing. It sighs, and the weightlessness of the water lulls me with its movement as if this could be forever. As a baby is in the womb, I float here nourished by the silver waters.

I need to breathe. Pushing through the pool, I break the surface with a gasp, the silvery water cascading away from me, glittering with its own light. I casually kick my way to the edge of the pond, leaning back against the bank. My bottom half floated up, leveling me in the water. Floating, I remember that the old man is always waiting for me, but I've been late before, taking my time in this world to do nothing and everything. I'll get there eventually- and he always brings me back. Just listening to the sounds of the winds pushing through grasses, the water lapping back and forth...

...The footsteps as the grasses crunch down. Footsteps? Mentally swearing, I start to stumbling up when a familiar voice stops my fumbling. "You're still a fool Kuxalo."

I smile slightly as I relax, easing myself calmly back into the pool. I meet her green eyes as I reply, "And you spied on me? You can come in, the water feels great." The water does, cool as it washes over my body, and in a sense, my mind.

She shakes her head, unamused but I sense slightly content. "Come fool. The old man has things he wishes you to learn."

I turn, frowning. "Learn? I thought I wasn't meant for this place, what would you have to teach me? Can you not just send me back?"

"Get out of the pool." She says with slight impatience. Her tone calms as she adds, "You were not ready then, or maybe it is that you did not have to learn." Her face softens and I swear I can see either worry or concern taint her features. "It may be that now you have to learn." The look passes and her eyes narrow when they meet mine. "Now get out of the pool!"

I climb out, sliding from the water as she stares me down. The water slides off my chest and back, pooling around me. Lysiria turns and begins to walk toward the hill, me following behind quietly. I'm not quite sure that I want to go, but I don't see me doing much of anything else here. As we walk, she seems content to maintain the silence. I am a tad sullen at being taken away, but something seems heavy here, and I don't feel eager to ask. Walking seems to put me back in the world's lull however, and for the longest time, I feel like we're going nowhere yet we are everywhere.

The hill comes into sight and now I can spot the archer on top; it seems that in truth we spot each other. He looks at me and then looks away as we turn to the opening of the hill. Walking in, she stops and turns sideways, arm out to let me pass. I look at her, but she only holds my eyes for a second before she looks away and gestures for me to continue. The path darkens as we walk down to the chamber, but now something is different. I walk in and my eyes widen as I gape. "What in the Skies?"

It's not a round chamber as I thought it was, or as I saw it every time I've come here. The old man stands at the front of a long hall, just as wide as before but long, longer than anything I've seen. The candles that light the hall go on and on, I would have thought without end if not for the wall of orange and yellow in the distance. The largest hearth I've ever seen, most likely the largest one there is. There are tables on the sides of the hall, bars, and targets for practice. Rooms without doors split off on its sides, and I think to myself how many Grey Maidens could fit in this great hall. You could fit three alone side by side for the width of this place.

The old man looks at me, mirrored white marks beneath his eyes, wrinkled and weathered face. His tanned skin seemed to fit perfectly with the orange hues of light, and I noticed that he wasn't the only one here. A tall man was standing by the wall, directly to me right, looking at me in an odd position; his body facing the wall with his leg and face turned to me. He looks at me strangely, as if judgmental and surprised that we can see each other. The old man walks up to me looking pensive and squints with his face showing worry as his eyes roam over my own. I look back as if trying to see whatever he sees mirrored in his eyes. He stops searching and looks me straight, for which I am grateful. "Now is the time for things that you need know."

I feel my face show my curiosity as ponder over what he means by 'now is the time'. "Sir... as it is I don't know your name."

He glances at Lysiria behind me before meeting eyes with me again. "You may address me as Shaman."

Suspicious of the glance, I respond with caution. "Ah, I see. What do you need me to learn? Or what do I need to learn? And what have you done to your cavern?"

He looks behind himself, then turns back to me. "Let us go above the ground. Things will be easier to understand there."

How the difference of being above ground would help me, I did not know. He however seems sure, as he walks past me without urging me to follow as if he knew I had no choice. Which, knowing that he is the only person who can send me back, I suppose I do not. I follow him up the tunnel with Lysiria at my back, walking from complete shadow into the darkness of the eternal dusk. The Shaman stands just outside of the entrance, and when I arrive the wind blows fiercely as he turns to me, studying me again. I stand there, uncomfortable as he says nothing while Lysiria walks to his side. The grasses hit each other once more as the tree branches sway, the first I've seen. Lysiria seems to be as impatient today with his as I am uncomfortable and turns to Shaman expectantly. I grow tired and ask the first question.

"What am I here for?"

Shaman nods as if this was expected, and though Lysiria's face is cool, I sense a bit of irritation. "You have been to the eternal dusk several times. I trust that you have noticed a change in this visit from the last."

The winds blow shrilly again as if to mark his words. Nodding as I answer, I say, "Yes. I can hear the wind now, feel it when it touches me. Your cavern, it's a great hall half the length of a town. And somehow, the world seems more... full, more substantial. More real." He shows no reaction as I talk, and I get the sense that this was more for myself than for him. "You knew..."

He nods. "Yes, I knew. If you did not know, you do not belong here. When you chance to see a reflection here, what is it that you see? Your face, or the face of what bought you here?"

What brought me here? What is his meaning? "The Vovess in the pool..." At these words, I receive my first reaction from him at these words; a shock or disgust, temporary and fleeting. It's the way his eyes move, the edges crease. Why was that his reaction?

Lysiria opens her mouth, but he interrupts her. "This place is where spirit and essence goes when the flesh fades away, losing its hold. This world-"

"Is the world for the dead." Finishes Lysiria, gaining a controlled look of reproach from Shaman. "We don't have time to play with words." She says this and he turns back with calm and composed. I for one am happy, it relieves me of much. Though what precisely she means by not having time is worrying.

And I am perplexed. "I am not dead, am I not? I am sure it would be something hard not to notice. Why am I here, how did I get here?" I find that now I always ask questions; Phara has since seen that in some form my curiosity has been sated.

Shaman remains cool and seems to think something over. "When you killed that Vovess, what happened? No, no," He says as I open my mouth to respond, "Lysiria told me the story, no need to tell me again." I nod, see ing as that makes sense. He does seem to be a supposed leader, or at least in some type of authority. "You said that the face of the beast allowed something to pass into you. This something is its essence, and though its spirit has passed on the essence is in you. This links you to it, a power that is connected as a part of you but is not entirely you yet. This is what allows you to enter the Everdusk, as we call it here because the essence of the dead animal has carried your own into this world. This allows you to see the world of the dead, though you are right, you however are not yet dead." His face saddens. "Which brings us here. When you are not yet dead, you have access but you should no be able to experience all the things that we, the dead, can feel. But you can feel the wind, see all of the skies, sense the essence in the world." He nods as if confirming to himself the things he already knew. "For this, you would have to die. There is no other way around it."

I miss a breath, thinking of the implications of his words. "If I've died, I would have known. There would have to be a moment, there would have to be death. Every situation I could have died I have seen, have done and survived." I shake my head, unable to think of a time where this fits. "There may be another way you don't know of."

He shakes his head. "I have been here far longer than you have been alive, and even living I have known more of the dead. If there was a way to be known, I would have known it." He walks closer, looking up at me. "You're no mage, I can sense it. I sense power in you, but more than that I sense potential. That said I don't believe that you, at this moment, have the ability to enter this world on your own. It would take a power that for even one visit would be immense." He puts his hand on my chest, and I feel something pulse into me, some force beat into my heart. "But whoever has done this, their presence is around you. Someone close to you, you cannot trust them."

He says this calmly and I grasp that though he believes this he does not understand what this means. Shaking my head, I don't understand. I have no one close to me, at least not now. ...Except for Phara, I suppose but that made no sense. Killing someone but not turning them in? Could she even kill someone and bring them back to life? And when would this have even happened, or sparring sessions aren't that bad. I shake my head again. "No, that doesn't make any sense."

The way he looks at me makes me uncomfortable as if he's pitying me. I look away as he takes his hand off my chest, nods to Lysiria, and says, "She shall teach you all other things you must learn about yourself in this world. When you are done, I will send you back." He walks away, going back into the hill and leaving me with Lysiria outside of the entrance.

"Why would you just tell me this now? What are you trying to do?"

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Lysiria is still calm, which only makes me angrier than I already am. "You weren't ready before. You were lost and wouldn't have trusted us either way. Now, you still don't trust us and you're still lost. At least we've told you."

I can tell she sees me seething, but she ignores me as she turns away. "The Everdusk is the plane of existence for things that remain after reality has left. It is an afterlife. There are other planes of assistance, but this is where we, the living unafflicted by other powers, go. You're manifesting here because of the essence inside of you. This plane will make the souls that you have within yourself more potent, more powerful. As of now, the power that you have is connected to you, and is you but it is not fully yourself. When we train, we will meld that power to you completely, to make it fully you and not just a part of you. You will understand soon enough. "

"I have already been taught how to meditate and control my a-"

She shakes her head. "This isn't about identifying power, it is ingratiating it into yourself. As I said, you will see. There is a hill not too far from here, and we will run to it. Don't stop, because I won't let you."

She lied. It was far.

---

He stood at the window of the tower, looking down at the shambles of the town around the watch, thinking. "The caster is sure that it is here?" The window couldn't be seen by the people outside of the tower, which was in irony. It gave the present of power.

The messenger beside him nodded, hands clasped in front of him. "Yes sir, said he felt somethin' in the rambles, said it could've been that runaway Captin lookin' for."

He nodded, and stared at the city, looking between houses and streets. How the Stars could one hide here? His eyes pierced every inch of the city as if looking to see if he could find the person himself. "Send a message. We may have found the tail of the child they have been searching for. Start combing the streets in the morning. Maybe have some sensors set at the perimeter." He turned from the window and walked away deeper into the tower. "If it is here, then we must find it. Alert any Grims."

---

I woke the next morning with my thing repacked. We had stayed our day, and though my head is groggy I knew that Phara would buy us breakfast with Greeta, and then it would be time to go. Dragging my things down the stairs, I found Phara waiting for me already with food and drink on the table. Her sword belt was buckled on, and her staff was on her lap. I sat, eating but not asking what her rush was. A small rations bundle was on the table, something I was sure I'd have to carry. As I ate, she stared me down, as if willing me to go faster. When I looked at her, my mouth full of eggs and grapes, she just shook her head. "We're leaving. As soon as you're finished, so move." I didn't ask questions- I was too hungry to waste time. Scarfing down my food, Phara and Greeta exchanged some pleasant farewells as I grabbed my plate and handed it to Greeta, which earned me a smile and warm pat on the face. Phara spun on her heel, walking out of the tavern leaving me to pick up the canvas and rations bundle, along with my own clothes and weapons. With a nod to the innkeep, I followed.

Phara took me down the streets, walking briskly towards the exit east. I'm wide awake now, besides the fact that she left me to carry most of the luggage but wouldn't even leave me a proper rest. I'm sure what woke me was her strong knock on the door, and she knows I am a true light sleeper. "Why are we rushing? We do have an entire morning to leave."

She doesn't slow. "They are going to double their guard today, and with whatever other measures they're taking we wouldn't want you to be found."

I stop asking questions. Regardless of how she knew, I trust her. And right or wrong, we were going to leave today either way, and I have no wish to take that chance. My coiled hair pops in front of my eyes for a second as we near the exit. I could use a trim, but tailors here are expensive it would seem. We walk past the tire guards on dry with barely an acknowledged nod, but apparently they remember something as they sit up quickly, but when they do we are already too far for their laziness to tolerate. As we walk on the road I hear the voice of the Shaman; someone close to you.

I look at Phara, and she looks back. When I say nothing, she turns back to the road and proceeds to tell me when that when she stops I will have to run on my own with the packs to train. Groaning, the packs feel heavier already. It is either that he is wrong, or someone already beat him to me.

I guess I'll just have to find someone else.

---

Terira walked down the broken road, the scorch marks still on the ground, the burnt posts still stood as the remains of houses not yet fixed. After grabbing her provisions for the day, she was heading back home to her family. The town was still recovering from the attack, and when Calkolh left the family was on edge. Sariya was making the best of it, but it seemed as though the family was still splitting at the seams. Terira had taken to walking with her butterfly pendant in her dress pocket every day; though it was expensive it gave her comfort, kept her together.

A man from the lumber guild moved to give her a wide berth as they crossed each other on the street. The look he gave her was an odd one, a mix of fear and reproach. She walked on, her hand sliding into her pocket to grasp the pendant, thumb rubbing against the design. The entire town knew now, at least knew that something happened and that Kuxalo was gone. The lumber guild, as it had employed him, had been under strict questioning, and the attention turned them sour towards the orphanage. Not many people in the town knew them, but what they did know was taboo. The moment Calkolh had left, boys had come to 'comfort' her, but she had refused their advances. It always seemed as though they were being watched. Groon had begun to cater to the family, and now when Sariya, Deera, or Terira went out to sell or buy at the market he would drive them. The villages five families had all pitched in, and the support at the household was appreciated. It just seemed as though everything was changing. Terira would be happy to get home with the coin she had made from the girl's stitchings.

As she made her second to last turn before she could reach the gate, she saw the meager crowd part for a band of armed and armored foreign soldiers. The town was alive with the news that a far foreign group had come and decided to stay here, for whatever reason, at Captin. Though it's the current state was far from ideal, it still had prestige to offer. Terira didn't concern herself with it- she still couldn't see how this would matter to her. They were here, but that was them. She had more things to worry about.

She walked past them, sparing them a glance as she moved through the people gawking at the guards. The first most had on a blue cuirass with a long sword on his back and walked in front of the wagon and his other soldiers. The image of a mountain was on the top of his helm and on his gauntlet. His allies behind him had on the same cuirass, but with leather in replacement for the steel of his armor, and all ten or so wore swords. There was an emblem on the center of their chest, and as Terira walked closer she was for some reason interested. Eventually, she grew tired of looking and put her head down as she walked past, musing about going home.

A few moments after she had passed them, a horse reared up and neigh, spooked by something. Out of instinct, she turned to look along with everyone else. The leader of the group had turned as the others calmed the horse, hands gently stroking its face and muzzle. The leader looked at the rider on the wagon and spoke though she was too far away to hear what was said. The rider made reassuring movements with his hands, placing the leader. As Terira turned to continue her walk, the emblem on his chest caught her eye.

It was a butterfly. The same likeness of the butterfly jewel that she had in her pocket, the same colors, the same long wings with rounded edges. As he moved, she took her jewel out and held it up to compare the two. In the center of both of the purple butterflies, a crouched gargoyle was depicted. Teeth and fangs bared, the resemblance was shocking, the only difference is that his was patterned with stitching. As they set off to move again, she pushed past two people and quickly ran to them calling out. The leader turned and raised up his hand to tell the others to stop. The wagon and soldiers stopped moving as he looked at her with his eyebrows raised, as impatient but polite. She stopped before him as the townspeople and soldiers looked at her, the town people most likely scared she was going to do something dumb. He looked at her, waiting patiently for her to say something. She almost thought she saw him peer at her face when she came up, but it was dispelled with a shake of the head.

She looked up at him and asked, as composed as possible, "Where do you come from?"

A soldier groaned and the rest of them shifted. The leader looked weary, brown eyes tired as he responded. "We are from the free kingdom of Geao, south and east of here. Far south and east. We are here for an agreement between our two Kingdoms. If that would be all.." He finished, turning away from her.

Terira grew frantic. "Wait!" The leader turned back tiredly, a questioning look on his face. The soldiers now were starting to get aggravated. "Is the symbol on your chest the symbol of your kingdom?"

"No," He replied gruffly, "This is the symbol of the house we serve, the Royal house Iringel of Geao. I understand your curiosity but..."

She stopped listening. The pendant had become heavier in her hand. "Royal house?" She said softly, and all the confusion and shock in her voice bled through. The leader stopped talking when he heard her voice and looked at her questioningly. She raised her pendant up and showed it to his face. His expression was slowly dawned with comprehension, then apprehension, and finally confusion. "Why would a person have this?" She asked quietly.

"How did you get this?" He hissed when he first saw it. His expression was so mixed that there was no way one emotion could be pulled out of it, and he reached for the pendant. Terira snatched her hand back, pulling the pendant close to herself. This was all she had of who she was, and now that she was so close to finding answers she wasn't going to let him take that away. His face softened, and to the shock of everyone that could see, including herself, he knelt, placing his right fist on the ground and his left on his chest. "I will not take it from you, I swear on a knights honor. Please, allow me to see it."

Terira regained her compose quicker than anyone else, and said, "You cannot take it from me, but you may look at it." He nodded and stood, examining it as she held it out to his face. He looked, dumbfounded, and turned to her with curiosity. "How old are you?"

She looked at him, confused. "I am on my seventeenth year, my eighteenth is in two months."

He laughed, then shook his head and stood, rubbing his eyes. "That pin is a pin of the Royal families. You should come with us, our Captin leader served to the late King and Queen closely and will know all of... of that. If what I think is true..." He stopped as he saw her shaking her head.

"No, I can't go now. My mother will wonder where I've been. I have to get home first."

A confused look comes onto his face. "Your mother?" She nods.

"Our orphan mother. "

He nodded. "My name is Sendar. We will be at the Red Tavern tonight, and I would implore you to bring your family with you. Our lead guardsmen, Gendrel, will be there and pay for everything. Your family would be welcome." He turned from her and pointed at a soldier near the back. "You! Here, now!" He turned back to her. "When you go to the tavern, tell them my name and say that I will be providing you and your family with dinner." He put his hand on the soldiers shoulder when he walked up. "This fine gentlemen will walk with you, and escort you home and your family back to us. Keep well until tonight, he will lead you to the inn." After sharing some private words with the soldier, he nodded to Terira and took the rest of the soldiers and procession with them.

As they moved, they cleared the crowd that had gathered, and the guard followed Terira and moved the people out of the way as well. What they heard, she wasn't sure. But as it was, she was too busy thinking.

---

The tavern was full of people, and the family was sitting around, eating their fill. The man, Gendrel, was directly across from her. He had dark eyes and a darker beard, with short hair on the top of his head. He watched as she finished eating, and put down his own fork in turn.

"Sendar told me much about you. I'm must say I am interested. He said you were seventeen." Terira nods as Sariya beside her stares at Gendrel intently. "When exactly is your birthday?"

Terira looks at Sariya, who answers for her. "Who do not exactly know. We celebrate it in two months, on the day she came to us."

Gendrel nods, and asks "And do you know how she came to you? How you came to have her?"

Sariya nods. "The eldest of my children says he saw her come and someone swathed in white run away, but when I came out all I saw was the bundle and her inside of it. I have taken her for my own ever since."

Gendrel looks to his left, and Sendar nods as if to confirm. Gendrel turns back."And where did you get that pendant?"

"Sariya says the pendant was with me, swathed in my wrappings when she received me. Why, what is it? "

Grendel taps his finger on the table, and suddenly his face seems to be overcome with emotion. "That is the last of the family Iringel pendants. The Queen and King of Geao had one each, and one was given to their daughter in her second year. This, it was determined, would forever mark the Royal families. They are heirlooms. " He takes a heavy, shaky breath, which was odd to see a man so gruff so broken. The scar on the side of his cheek quivered as he closed his eyes, then slowly opened them, tearing. "Though I was their guard, I failed to save their lives when white-robed assassins came in to kill them. The baby was never found, and the pendant had disappeared along with her." He slowly shook his head, looking at Terira with something of a man who lost much but now sees his way out. "The pendant was set with the blood of the family from an early age. I hope you have a scar on your palm?"

She looked, and saw the two tiny dots for scars in the center of her palm, rarely noticed and almost always forgotten. She nodded.

He released a deep, shuddering breath. "Please, please place your palm on the gargoyle's mouth, and flex your fingers back."

She did and watched as the muscles in her hands pulled back. Suddenly there was a sharp, stinging pain, and though it was small it was a surprise. "Ow!" She exclaimed and pulled her hand back to look at the two tiny droplets of blood formed. Looking at the pendant, she saw that the sapphires of the butterfly wings were shimmering, dully so but in a mesmerizing way.

She started as Gendrel scooted his chair back, and showed a small sapphire on his sword hilt dully shine. Terira and Sariya both gasped as he knelt, and the rest of his group did as well.

"As I pledge myself to your family, I shall now pledge all my services to you."