“Where are we going?” Lucas asked as he walked behind her.
“I’m taking you back to Aria,” she replied.
Lucas was delighted. Thank goodness. As they continued to walk, Lucas could feel Zoe’s sadness and worry growing with each passing minute. “I’m sorry about Roshan,” he finally said. Zoe didn’t reply. After another moment or two, he spoke again. “So, is what the Knowms are doing legal?”
“Yes,” she replied rigidly. “King Ashraf stupidly gave them the same level of legal jurisdiction as any other member of his royal guard. As long as they can come up with some bullcrap reason for what they did, Roshan’s fate is sealed.” Lucas sensed her emotion shifting into a deep sorrow, accompanied by the distinct feeling of frustration.
He took a few quick steps and walked beside her. “You know, it’s okay if you’re sad. You don’t have to–”
“Are you reading me?!” she screamed as Lucas’s heart jumped. After shooting him an ugly glare, she stopped walking and said, “Umbra animi motus tego.” Immediately, the feeling of sadness left Lucas. She continued walking, muttering, “Stupid Light magic.”
Lucas was intrigued. “Light magic?”
“I know what you can do!” she snapped. “You won’t fool me.”
Lucas continued to follow Zoe. “I’m not sure what you mean. I don’t know anything about magic.”
“Sure,” Zoe scoffed.
Lucas caught up and walked beside her again. “I’m serious! I’ve always been able to sense other people’s emotions. My grandpa is the same way. It’s one of the main reasons we continued to live outside of the city when the monster invasion began. Spending too much time around all of those people can be torturous.” Zoe didn’t reply. After a short pause, Lucas asked, “So, what did you do?” Zoe looked at him with a raised eyebrow. He explained, “To stop it, I mean, just a minute ago. How did you do it?”
“I didn’t stop it. I possess Shadow magic. All I did was block my emotions from your dumb little ‘feelers.’” She glared at him. “What I feel is none of your business.”
Lucas was puzzled. “I didn’t even know there was such a thing as Light magic or Shadow magic. I’ve seen mages perform Ice magic and Fire magic, but that’s all. Granted, I’m not around mages very often...”
“You’re always around mages,” Zoe argued. “Everyone has the potential. It’s just a matter of taking the time to learn the art. That’s the part that stops most people. It takes a lot of practice just to learn basic conjuring.”
The pair jumped across another creek. Lucas glanced back at the gray water. “Everything here is so bizarre looking.” Zoe said nothing and continued to walk. Eying the scythe strapped to her back, Lucas asked, “What’s that for? Do you grow wheat?”
Zoe suppressed a smile. “Not quite. It’s a weapon.”
Lucas observed the woods around him for the next few minutes of their trek. “The In Between... what’s the difference between this place and the Netherworld?”
Zoe shrugged, “I wouldn’t know the specifics. I’ve never seen the Netherworld. No one who’s alive has. It’s where souls go to rest.”
Lucas raised his eyebrows in curiosity. “So what’s the purpose of this dimension?”
“It’s a buffer,” she explained, “Things are a lot different in the Netherworld. It’s very abstract. Trying to comprehend the way it looks and feels to be there is impossible. It’s nothing like the physical environment of our dimension. Think of the In Between as a little bit of both worlds. If souls stop here before moving fully into the Netherworld, it becomes somewhat of a playground for them. They can become anything they want or do anything they please. But there are consequences. While they’re here in this ‘clay’ form, they’re weak. The In Between can be accessed from the physical world using things called ‘gateways,’ such as the one you went through. A mage well trained in advanced necromancy can go through one of these portals to hunt and transform these ‘lost souls’ into any shape they choose and enslave them. They can then be taken back to the physical world in their new form.” Zoe paused for a second. “That’s how the Knowms get their monsters.”
Lucas gasped. “All this time... all those monsters I’ve killed. They were once people?”
Zoe gave a single nod. “The truth hurts sometimes. But don’t worry about it; you’ve done them a favor. Hopefully they’ve learned their lesson and moved on to whatever’s on the other side.”
Lucas thought for a moment. “Why did Roshan even have a gateway in the first place?”
“You ask way too many questions!” Zoe quickly snapped. “Do I look like an information desk to you?!” Lucas turned away. After a few seconds, Zoe apologized. “Sorry, I don’t have the best people skills. If you must know, we have a base here. The In Between is much larger than Aria. It’s easier to hide from the Knowms, though they have found two of our hideouts so far. Luckily I wasn’t there when the most recent event took place, but from what I was told, it was brutal. There was a lot of bloodshed. A few managed to slip away with the disk fragment and handed it off to Morice, who lives in Krywood Forest just southwest of Cymbeline. The majority of us live at the base, but we have some members still stationed in Aria. Mostly, they’re small business owners who provide funding, though they also lend a hand in situations like the one I just described. Morice held onto it until we relocated to our current base. Today was the day he was supposed to deliver it to Roshan, then him to me... but...” She ceased talking.
Lucas didn’t need his sense to be able to tell that she was upset over what had happened. He decided to change the subject. “Where’s this Temple of Damiano, anyway?”
“Nazareno Island,” Zoe replied. “It’s isolated in the middle of the Western Ocean. No one’s really sure who built the temple. All we know is that it’s been there longer than recorded history.”
The two continued to walk for several hours through fields and forests. Lucas knew that they had traveled quite a way, but all of the surrounding landscape looked to him as though it were repeating itself. Eventually, they came to a large field bordered by massive mountains. In the middle was a bright vortex of swirling colors. After a little more walking, they reached the portal and stopped in front of it. “This will take you back to Aria,” Zoe explained. “I hope you’re ready to walk some more, because you’re going to have to do some traveling to make it back to Cymbeline.”
“How much traveling?” Lucas asked.
“A lot,” Zoe bluntly replied.
Lucas stared into the portal. He was happy to be returning home, but simultaneously anxious about the frightening journey back through the colorful tunnel. He clenched his fists and prepared to make the dive. “Goodbye Zoe. Thanks for everything.” There was no reply. He looked over his shoulder to see that she had already begun to make her way across the field back into the forest. Turning his attention back to the portal, he jumped inside.
Chapter 3: Snowblind
When Lucas emerged from the portal, the first thing he noticed was the temperature. It was cold. Very cold. He quickly realized that he had materialized deep within a cave. It was eerily quiet. If not for the vortex behind him emitting a brilliant glow, the area would have been in total darkness. Lucas, shivering, took a few steps away from the portal and looked around. He was in a wide open space, completely covered in ice crystals. Large stalactites and stalagmites nearly obstructed his view of a tunnel leading out of the room. Carefully, he made his way to the passage.
He encountered a problem as he walked down the icy corridor. The farther he got, the harder it became to see. Soon, he could see nothing at all. Dammit! How am I supposed to get out of here when I can’t even see an inch in front of my face?! Despite this, he stretched his arms out in front of him and slowly made his way farther. The slippery ice floor made it difficult for him to keep his balance. He took each step forward with great caution.
On three separate occasions, Lucas’s lack of vision caused him to nearly walk dir
ectly into a wall. Fortunately, his outstretched arms detected the threat before this occurred. The small stalagmites scattered throughout the passage proved to be another issue. Several times during his expedition, he was met with surprise when his foot randomly bumped into them. However, his careful pacing prevented him from tripping. Gradually, he found his way around each of the obstacles.
All he could think about was getting home. He had no idea how long it had been since he had left his house. Grandpa is going to start worrying soon. Lucas stopped walking. Maybe I should go back to the In Between. At least I could see there. I might be able to find another one of those portals. He was about to turn around but stopped himself. No, I need to keep going. At least I know that if I make it out of this cave, I’ll be somewhere in Aria. If I go back to that place, I could end up just as lost as I am now. It’s not worth the risk. I’ve already come this far.
The lack of light wasn’t the only problem Lucas was experiencing. The more he crept through the tunnel, the more unbearable the cold air became. Still he continued to push himself, focusing on each individual step as the bitter chill cut into his skin like millions of microscopic icicles. Then, at last, he saw a faint, distant light. The exit! Excitedly, he walked faster.
He soon emerged from the mouth of the cave into a snow blanketed forest. That’s when it hit him. I must be hundreds of miles away from home. I’ll never make it back, even if I knew which direction to go in. After some contemplation, he ultimately decided to walk straight forward.
Lucas journeyed through the cold forest as the snow fell softly around him. Although it was a peaceful trek, the piercing air and spinning anxiety made him miserable. I would give anything for a coat right now. It seemed that there was no end in sight.
He began to feel completely hopeless when, without warning, something thin, cold, and slimy wrapped tightly around his ankle. Suddenly, he found himself hanging upside‑down. Before he could comprehend what had just taken place, he was slung through the air with great force into a tree. He screamed from the overwhelming pain as his body lay helpless.
Looking up, he saw an eight‑foot‑tall blue hominoid creature with piercing yellow eyes sitting in a tree from high above where he had been flung. Its thorax and abdomen were completely covered in a thick, armor‑like shell. Two narrow spikes stuck out of its elbows while six long, slimy blue tentacles slithered from its back.
Suddenly, the lower two tentacles extended outward, wrapping around the branch the bizarre beast sat upon. Bending its knees, it leaped off of the branch and dangled. Lengthening its tentacles as needed, it began to lower itself to the ground. It did this in the same way a spider lowers itself on a line of web.
The moment he spotted the being, Lucas used every ounce of strength he had to hoist himself onto his feet. Without a second thought, he took off running. It’s huge! Even if I were in good shape right now, there’s no way I’d be able to defeat it. Each step worsened the ache of his injuries. Behind him, the monster let out a grisly scream as it continued its descent.
As soon as the creature hit the ground, it began its pursuit. Lucas could hear its footsteps in the snow, gaining on him at an alarming rate. It wasn’t long before his body finally reached its limit and he plummeted to the ground.
That’s when he felt the slimy blue tentacle grip his ankle once again. He quickly unsheathed his sword and sliced it off of his leg. The beast screamed loudly in pain as Lucas tried with all of his might to get back to his feet but before he could, the monster hastily grabbed his ankle with another one of its bizarre appendages and he was forcefully snatched into the air.
Lucas attempted to decapitate the blue brute as it dangled him upside‑down, examining him momentarily. Unfortunately, it held him at just enough distance from its face that Lucas’s wild swings were completely ineffective. Without warning, it threw him to the ground. The pain of the impact was far too intense for him to endure, causing him to drop his sword. Barely conscious and in total mental and physical agony, Lucas closed his eyes and awaited the inevitable.
He heard the terrifying sound of crunching snow as the beast approached him. This is it. I’m going to die here. Then, something strange happened. Lucas felt a flash of intense heat as the creature suddenly let out a loud shriek. He opened his eyes, slowly turning his head to see what was happening.
Through his blurry vision, Lucas saw the creature writhing in agony, producing another loud screech as it was hit with a speeding orb of fire. “Ignis orbis!” he heard from the distance. Again the beast was assaulted with a quick moving fireball. Unable to remain conscious any longer, Lucas collapsed.
Chapter 4: Iris, The Alchemist
Lucas slowly opened his eyes to see a woman in her early twenties standing over him. She had brown eyes and long, flowing silver hair. She was dressed in a white robe. Two blue sapphire earrings dangled from her ears as she stared down at him.
“Excellent, you’re awake,” she said with a soft smile.
“Where am I?” Lucas asked. “Who are you?”
“My name is Iris Ivaska,” she replied. “You’re currently located in the town of Azure. A local hunter named Hagan discovered you in the woods nearby struggling to combat a large creature.”
Lucas attempted to sit up but was met with sharp, burning pain. “Ah!” he yelped.
“You must remain still,” Iris informed him. “You’ve been greatly wounded. Relax. I’ll return momentarily.” She exited the room.
Carefully lifting his head, Lucas could see that he was in a living room, lying on a sofa. Not far on his left side was a coffee table and beyond that, a lit fireplace. Its warmth was a welcome change from the bitter, freezing climate he had previously endured.
Iris returned several minutes later with a glass and a corked bottle containing a pink liquid. She set the glass on the coffee table beside him. Uncorking the bottle, she poured its contents into the glass. “This will alleviate your pain,” she explained. “Take a sip every few minutes until the glass is empty.”
Lucas took a small sip. It tasted strange. Not bad, but certainly not delicious. “Thank you,” he said. Iris nodded.
Lucas felt calmness in her presence. The sense was much like a pond without ripples; her emotions didn’t seem to stray very far in any direction. It was somewhat similar to the feeling he often got around his grandfather. He found it soothing, especially given his current physical condition. “My name’s Lucas, by the way.”
Iris smiled. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m pleased to see that you haven’t suffered amnesia.”
Lucas chuckled. “Yeah, that’s good to know.” He paused for a moment before going on. “You said a hunter found me? Where did he go? I feel like I should thank him. He saved my life.”
“Unfortunately, he’s been gone for several hours,” Iris responded. “You’ve been unconscious for a considerable duration.”
Lucas sat up quickly and was again hit with an intense pain. “Ahhh!!”
“I highly advise finishing the elixir before attempting to sit up,” she told him.
Lucas slowly turned his head to her. “My grandpa has no idea where I am. I need to go home.”
“I cannot allow you to leave in this condition,” said Iris.
Lucas sighed. Changing the subject, he asked, “So, are you a doctor?”
“Not at all,” she answered. “I’m simply well versed in the field of alchemy. I departed my hometown, Ivyvyne Village, at the age of sixteen to attend Azure College for the Magically Gifted. While my progress was hampered when the school closed temporarily during the monster invasion, classes quickly resumed once the Knowms arrived. I eventually received my degree in alchemy and currently work here, from the comfort of my home. I brew healing potions used by medical doctors, though I am not a doctor myself. Hagan, the man who brought you here, is a good friend of mine. He explained that he carried you to my home since the nearest doctor lives several miles away. He felt that you required
immediate treatment, and he was correct to assume so. While you were unconscious, I burned vitam leaves and applied sanatio cream to your wounds.”
“Vitam leaves?” Lucas asked, taking another sip of the pink concoction.
Iris picked up a small dish on the far end of the coffee table containing ashes. “Used in only the most extreme circumstances, these leaves are a key ingredient in Sitaraanju Potion. When burned, they can be ingested through the respiratory system as smoke. However, the leaves are becoming increasingly difficult to attain considering the multitudes of patients which have resulted from the monster invasion.” She walked out of the room with the dish.
It was then that Lucas had an awkward realization. Under the thick warm blanket that rested over him, his clothing was gone with the exception of his undergarment. Lifting the blanket, he inspected the various bandages and bruises which covered him from his chest to his legs. That thing really did a number on me.
“If you don’t mind me asking,” Iris said as she reentered the room, “what exactly were you doing out in the wilderness?”
Taking another sip of the elixir, Lucas hesitated to answer. “This is going to be hard to believe,” he finally said, “but bear with me...” He proceeded to tell Iris all about his encounter with Morice, the old man who was murdered by imps. He explained that after he had received the disk fragment he was sent to Roshan, who explained the object to him. “He said it was half of an object called Damiano’s Disk.”
“That’s impossible,” Iris interjected. “Damiano’s Disk is a mythical object.”
Lucas took another sip. “It’s not a myth. Apparently it unlocks some source of power sealed in a temple on Nazareno Island.”
Iris seemed slightly irritated by his response. “The rumors surrounding the structure on Nazareno Island are highly falsified,” she argued. “It’s nothing more than a remnant of an ancient culture. This man claimed he was a member of the Spades guild, correct? They’re thieves, Lucas.”
Lucas shook his head. “You don’t understand. There’s more.” He continued to elaborate, telling Iris all about the Knowms, Lord Quinn’s plot, the true purpose of the Spades, and finally The In Between. After telling her about how he had met Zoe, he could sense that Iris did not believe a single word. Still, he finished his account of what had happened. “...and that’s when I was attacked by that blue thing.”