As we stood in the presence of the Heartwood Tree, its branches seemingly reaching for the heavens, I felt a deep sense of awe and wonder. Valanor's words echoed in my mind, reminding me of the significance of this place within the Veil.

The clearing around the Heartwood Tree was bathed in a soft, golden light, filtering through the canopy above. The air seemed to hum with a gentle energy, as if the very essence of Eldoria pulsed through every leaf and blade of grass.

Valanor gestured for us to sit in a circle around the tree, and as we did, I couldn't help but notice the intricate patterns etched into the bark, glowing faintly with a mesmerizing hue. It was as though the tree itself held centuries of wisdom and magic within its very fibers.

"Behold, the Heartwood Tree," Valanor spoke again, his voice carrying a sense of reverence. "This tree is not just a symbol of Eldoria; it is the heart and soul of this realm. Its roots run deep, connecting us to the ancient guardians and the magic that flows through these lands."

As Valanor spoke, I noticed small creatures flitting about in the branches above, their forms ethereal and graceful. They seemed to be guardians of this sacred place, their presence adding to the mystique of Eldoria.

"Each leaf on this tree holds a story," Valanor continued, his eyes reflecting the light of the tree. "Stories of bravery, of magic, and of the bonds that tie us all together. As travelers in this realm, you are now part of this story, part of the tapestry of Eldoria."

I gazed up at the shimmering leaves, each one a kaleidoscope of colors that danced in the gentle breeze. It was as though the tree itself was alive, a living embodiment of the magic that permeated every corner of Eldoria.

Valanor then began to share more about the different regions of Eldoria, each with its own unique characteristics and inhabitants. He spoke of the Whispering Glades, where the trees spoke in hushed tones and the rivers sang ancient melodies. He described the Crystal Caverns, where luminescent crystals adorned the walls, casting a rainbow of colors in every direction. And he mentioned the Starlit Peaks, where the auroras danced across the night sky like celestial ribbons.

I was most intent on learning what a core was finally and how we would be able to use them to become even a little bit like Valanor.

Listening to Valanor's descriptions, I couldn't help but feel a sense of wanderlust and curiosity. Eldoria was a realm of endless wonders, a place where magic and nature intertwined in a symphony of beauty and power.

As Valanor delved deeper into Eldoria's secrets, he began to unravel the mysteries of the core, a fundamental aspect of magic within the realm. He explained that every sentient being in Eldoria possessed a core, a metaphysical construct representing one's innermost essence and potential. At first, accessing the core was akin to navigating through a dense fog—it required immense concentration and a deep understanding of oneself.

The core was visualized as a shimmering orb of light nestled within the depths of one's consciousness. It pulsed with a radiant energy known as Arany, a golden channel of raw magical power that flowed through Eldoria and connected all living beings to the very fabric of the realm.

To harness Arany and unlock the abilities it bestowed, one had to undergo a rigorous mental training regimen. Valanor likened it to sculpting one's mind, shaping and refining thoughts until they could channel Arany with precision and clarity. Through focused meditation and disciplined practice, individuals could gradually attune themselves to the flow of Arany, allowing them to tap into extraordinary abilities.

The abilities granted by Arany were diverse and awe-inspiring. They ranged from heightened senses and enhanced physical prowess to the manipulation of elemental forces and the ability to commune with nature on a profound level. As one grew more adept at accessing their core and mastering Arany, they would unlock new layers of potential, becoming superhuman in their capabilities.

As he explained what a core was which seemed to be exactly what I had seen, minus the glowing gold, I began to wonder why he seemed so relieved when I told him I couldn’t seem to access mine. So I asked him.

“Valanor why did you seemed so relieved that I couldn’t access mine then?” I raised my hand and asked.

He hesitated before saying “Well if you could access your core so readily despite being in a Arany depleted environment then that means the environment is increasing in levels of Arany which would be horrible. Monsters would start mutating and appearing and your world is not prepared for that.”

The mysterious disappearances jumped to the forefront of my mind and before I could ask him, I was beaten to it by Zac.

“Valanor would random disappearances of small groups of people, now most likely through portals, mean that the ambient level of Arany is increasing?” Zac’s voice shuttered with the implications.

“Yes. Yes that would. That is quite troubling actually” he responded pensively.

All I could think about was if my family was going to be okay and the friends that I left behind. If our world was suddenly going to be flooded with Arany from some mysterious source then I had to get back as fast as I could.

“We have to go back we must get back, make a little portal and take us back!” Someone shouted off to my right.

“It’s not as easy as that, making a portal to a realm devoid of Arany is impossible without at least having the power of a Prismatic Paragon or Apex Luminos I only have the power of a Phosphorite sage and the ranks that I have to cross to get to Apex Luminos are Celestial Luminary, Ethereal Radiant, and Prismatic Paragon.” He gestured as if the idea itself was insane.

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As Valanor's words sunk in, a sense of urgency gripped me. The safety of my loved ones and the stability of our world were at stake. I turned to Valanor, determination clear in my voice. "Then I'll do whatever it takes to become as strong as possible, to protect them and prevent catastrophe. Where do I start?" This cry was taken up by my fellow members and soon there was a fervent energy about the atmosphere.

Valanor's eyes gleamed with approval at my resolve. "You start by mastering the basics," he replied, his voice firm yet encouraging. "First, you must attune yourself to the ambient Arany in Eldoria. Let its energy flow through you, feel its presence in every breath." That was easier said than done though as I soon began to learn.

With Valanor's guidance, I immersed myself in focused meditation, opening myself to the subtle currents of Arany that permeated Eldoria. Or at least that's what he told me to do. I couldn’t sense these currents and flows any better than I could see my core which was still nonexistent. He tried to tell me to relax and envision a place where I was as relaxed as possible, but it wouldn’t come to me still.

Days turned into weeks as I honed my mental discipline, practicing visualization exercises to strengthen my connection to the core even if I couldn’t see it. Valanor, ever patient and wise, guided me through each step, offering insights and techniques to overcome the challenges of accessing Arany.

One evening I was sitting outside of the hut that we were staying in and I could hear the night, weird howling noises and the occasional rustle near me. I remembered all that I had back on earth, or tera as the locals seem to call it. I was an aspiring chemistry student as well as an avid reader of books. My family must be worried sick or maybe not we didn’t really call that much. As I was pondering these things I felt a warm tingle go across my fingers I looked up and saw a glowing mote of light floating around.

“Hey there buddy what’re you doing?” The orb seemed to glow a bit brighter and shoot off into the forest. It stopped right at the edge of the clearing and glowed once then twice almost as if it was beckoning me over.

I groaned and got up to make my way over to the edge of the forest and as soon as I arrived it shot off into the night. Now I was interested, I picked up my pace and soon I was at a fast jog guided by the light of this little mote. It twinkled with the gold of Arany and sparkled like a star that was millions of light years away.

We came to a stop in a clearing with a clear pond and even more of these mote-like creatures. In the middle of the pond there was a little island with a bridge connected to it. The mote stopped there and glowed, so I went over to where it was and sat down. The grass was lush and tall, and it faintly smelled of fresh rain, my favorite smell.

I began thinking about all that had happened in the week since I had been sucked into that portal. Our frantic crossing of the planes and our miraculous arrival here, I should be more jarred. Being suddenly taken from my normal life and placed in a hostile new environment, but I enjoyed this, I felt alive and loved entering the path of Luminescence. What I missed most was my family and friends and my mom, I had Zac here, but he had become a bit distant seeming to withdraw into himself.

I did not blame him this situation was horrible, first the torture at the hands of a dragon and then being whisked away to this safe glade. I was reeling from the whole experience, but I felt happy at this chance. I don’t think Zac did. He had been making comments about leaving and going back through the Arch of Eternity to figure out another way back home. I kept telling him it was a vain idea as we had no power, no guide, and no clue how this world operated. We didn’t even know who or what lived in this haven.

We had been sequestered into a cabin in a glade near the entrance after we had seen the heartwood tree, we were immediately placed here by Valanor and told to not leave. I had yet to see anyone besides Valanor.

This gave me time to focus on this accursed Luminescence but I had yet to make progress in the 5 days that we have been here.

The food they give us is amazing though a spicy type of curry as well as bread that melts in your mouth. I love the food, but no bacon which is an absolute travesty, who would have thought that there would be no bacon in a whole different world.

These thoughts continued to go through my head and be filtered out until I was sitting in the grass on this island surrounded by little motes of light. I finally felt as if I could take a break from trying to make my core do anything or at the very least see it.

Thats when I felt it. An ambient electric feel that flowed all around me in the ground in the trees in the pond. It was magical I reached out with my hand as to move it around, but I couldn’t. Thats when I tried to reach out with my mind to sense what was happening around me and as I did this I sunk into my mind's eye and appeared in the dark cave with the core floating in the middle.

I started caressing the ambient electricity feeling stuff, which I guess as I am thinking about it is Arany and pushed it near my core. At first nothing happened but as I pushed more and more some motes of golden light began to appear out of the dark cave and float over to my core. They splashed up against it and disappeared.

I remembered Valanor telling us that we had to first fill our core with the motes until it shined a golden glow. I could only draw in a couple of motes at a time and even that left me panting from exertion. After getting a light sheen on my core I sat back and smiled. I had finally done it! I felt like I was falling behind all the others who had already accessed their cores and had been filling them for almost three days.

The fastest of us was Kora. She was also a student with me, but she had always been a seething overachiever. If you weren’t working or worried about working, then there was no point in interacting with you in her mind. She was always a top student but at the expense of her friends and enjoyment of life. She was the closest to making glowling, her core was almost fully golden.

I was so ecstatic about finally being able to visualize and interact with my core that I didn’t notice the array of glowing balls of light. The little mote that I had followed to this pond was there glowing as well.

The balls of light hovered in mid-air, pulsating with a gentle rhythm that synchronized with the natural flow of Arany in Eldoria. Each ball emitted a unique hue, ranging from shimmering golds and silvers to vibrant blues, greens, and purples. The air around them shimmered with an iridescent glow, casting prismatic reflections on the surrounding foliage and water.

As I watched in awe, the balls of light began to dance and weave intricate patterns in the air. They moved with grace and fluidity; their movements choreographed like a celestial ballet. Trails of sparkling light followed their paths, creating trails of luminescence that crisscrossed the pond and the surrounding glade.

The colors intensified, swirling and blending in a mesmerizing display of radiant energy. Waves of warmth washed over me, accompanied by a faint, melodic hum that seemed to harmonize with the luminous spectacle. It was as if the very essence of Arany had come alive, painting the world with its vibrant palette of light and sound.

Then they stopped and floated back to earth relieved to have spent their energy. I felt gracious to have been able to witness a spectacle such as this. I looked forward to what else this world had to offer me. Or what it had to challenge me. I was ready to begin my progress to become a glowling and start the real training.

With those happy thoughts, I shut my eyes as I basked in my success and drifted off to a dreamless sleep.