ã€ŠTales of Ephemeraã€‹


 Chapter one

    You are being greeted by the warm glow of the fire lighting up the room. On both sides of the fireplace are windows with wine red curtains reaching from the floor to the ceiling allowing you to see the heavy snow storm raging outside.

    The chimney made from bricks stands out from the rest of the room as it is made of a dark stone instead of the wood. Above the fireplace hangs a large axe made from dark metal and red lines running across the blade. Even without sufficient knowledge on these topics you realize this axe is not made for wood but it seems as if it was happy with gathering dust.

    The walls to your left and right are lined with shelves filled with books and some trinkets. You can''t find out what these strange symbols on the books mean but you can see that some books seem older than others while some newer ones even seem to glow with a dim light.

    In front of the fireplace is a white carpet, simple in design but you can feel how it tries to invite you to take a nap on top of it.

    Next to the carpet is one rocking chair with a figure in it. Before you could take a closer look the figure turned in his chair and looked right at you, a small smile gracing his face.

    ¡°Oh, a guest?¡± You hear a small chuckle from him. ¡°Come inside, young one. It''s cold outside and I can assure you that I don''t bite. Maybe a hot chocolate will help against the cold?¡±

    You blink and find yourself sitting in a comfy chair right next to the rocking chair with a blanket wrapped around you. You hold a mug in your hand with hot chocolate in it. The steam coming from it shows that the beverage is really warm and the aroma coming from it makes you relax. In between your chair and the rocking chair appeared a small table with a plate of cookies.

    ¡°So, young one, for what are you here?¡±

    As you think about your reason for finding yourself in this place you take a closer look at the owner of this place. He has shoulder length dark hair bound in a ponytail and a short beard covering his face. His eyes, those sky blue glowing eyes, are looking at you through his glasses as if they could see right through you. His body is covered by a dark red shirt with its sleeves rolled up. His hands are resting on a blanket covering his legs.

    [Insert what you expected when you started reading this.]

    ¡°Hmm, so that is what you were hoping for? Then I will have to disappoint you but you won''t be able to find it here. As you can see and probably already did, this place doesn''t have it. Here is no adventure waiting for you, a treasure that would make your dreams come true or a way to find true love. This place only has some books, a few useless trinkets and an old weapon that is gathering dust. So, I''m afraid you will not find it here.¡±

    You feel something as you listen to his words. Disappointment? Anger? Sadness? You can''t tell but you know that there isn''t any reason for you to continue staying here.

    ¡°Calm down, my dear guest. Just because you didn''t find what you sought doesn''t mean you should get back out there into that storm.¡±

    You look out of the window at the snowstorm. It seems to be getting worse and you already know that going out now would be even more time consuming than just waiting here for it to end.

    ¡°Now, I did say you will not find what you came here for. But what you can find here are stories. Those books here are filled with stories that are just waiting to be heard and I''m sure it will be boring while waiting for the snow to end. So, are you ready to listen to this old man reading you one?¡±

    His words are true and you also think that a story that nobody listens to would be sad. So, why not, you think and agree.

    He smiles at you as he opens the book in his lap that you are sure wasn''t there before. ¡°Then let us not waste anymore time and dive right in. I hope you enjoy the ride and I almost forgot but you can call me ¡®the Narrator¡¯. Oh, and please, take a cookie if you want something to snack on.¡±

    .

    The world of Ephemera was a strange one. It wasn''t created by an event like the Big Bang nor was it created through the hands of some form of primordial being. It just was there in a formerly empty realm. Only space and time existed at this moment in this place but Ephemera just appeared as if someone wished for it to appear.

    Maybe that was what happened? The wish of an author to create a world for his story, to set the stage for his actors while he plays the role of director. Nobody knows how it came to be but what is known is what happened next.

    Following the spontaneous appearance of Ephemera two lights appeared. One golden white and one dark and cold. Those two lights that stood opposite each other started working together, concentrating their will and guiding it to the giant ball of rock and dirt floating in between them.

    After a short while they stopped and Ephemera started absorbing the light, infusing itself with it before a gentle glow started spreading over its surface and a pulse of energy spread out and through this empty space.

    Eight new lights appeared. Some started growing out of the glow coming from Ephemera and some others came from the distance where the pulse of energy started crumbling to pieces and fusing them with small embers of light coming from the first two.

    The Third radiated warmth. Concentrating its light into Ephemera caused a giant ball of fire to appear bathing the world in its own warmth. The third light was flooding this area with Joy.

    The Fourth mimicked the Third but its concentrated light burst into millions of pieces that found their place all around this space , shining weakly. Some of them wanted to thank it and arranged themselves in strange formations. The Fourth felt indifference and Apathy towards everything.

    The Fifth saw all the sparkling lights the fourth and the third had made and wanted its creation to be just like theirs. But it failed and failed again until the dark and cold light came to it and helped. Its creation wasn''t like the others. It was a piece of rock floating closer to Ephemera than anything else the other two had ever  made but it would only be able to reflect their light and never shine on its own. The Fifth looked towards their creations with Envy.

    The Sixth became curious about what everyone was doing and wanted to try it too. So, she began and sent herself to Ephemera itself, where it settled like a blanket over the world and protected it from the light that came from everywhere. The Sixth bounced around seemingly happy that it was just the same as everybody.

    The Seventh looked at Ephemera and found it lacked something. Its light caused the surface of the world to move. Some places rose in height while others sank. In areas where the surface moved into each other the land would rise high enough to touch the blanket created by the Sixth, while in others the land sank deeper and created trenches in which even the lights had difficulty reaching into. The Seventh wasn''t showing any form of strong emotion but the others realized that it was just staying calm and patient.

    The Eighth saw the blanket that the Sixth created as well as the changes the Seventh created and found that the surface seemed empty. An idea came to its mind and it started gathering its dark blue light, compressing it. The light began to ¡°melt¡± and slowly drip onto the surface of the world, filling the trenches and flooding the lower areas of the surface. It became angry because it couldn''t cover all of the surface but the Sixth and Seventh were able to calm it down.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    The Ninth and Tenth weren''t like everybody else and just started creating something. Together they went to the golden white light and dark and cold one. Those four coalesced their very being in one giant ball shimmering in various different colors. They brought it close to Ephemera before compressing it and letting it explode in a burst of small shards that started raining on the world.

    Some of the shards upon entering the glow around Ephemera were stuck in the blanket created by the Sixth, some others fell into the liquid added by the Eighth and the ones that were left either landed on the surface of the lands that were moved by the Seventh or dug into it. Regardless of the place they found themselves those shards started changing into a form made of flesh,adapting to their new home.

    The ones in the creation of the Sixth became birds, dragons and other beings capable of flight, the ones in the area of the Eighth became various fishes, crabs and others that felt at home in the dark. Those on the lands were the ones with the most variation.

    Some had only two legs while others eight, some gained a natural armor around their bodies while others became completely ethereal.

    All ten lights were happy with the way Ephemera now looked and after the golden white one and the dark and cold one created a place for themselves the ten lights entered Ephemera to help guide their creations.

    This is the way the people of Ephemera remember the creation of their home and to this day the ten lights still help guide them but now they have a name that the people use to thank them and pay them respect.

    They are known as [The Ten Creators].

    [Ephemera, The Divine Realm, The Hall of Creation. The third day of Padox, year 17 after the Rupture]

    The Hall of Creation, located in the very center of the Divine Realm, does have quite a noble name but the truth is that the name will never represent its true purpose in the best way possible.

    There is nothing that was created in those halls and corridors and probably never will be. The Hall is nothing more than the place where the beings that are considered to be part of the Divine Realm are holding their meetings. Nothing more and nothing less.

    These halls only ever witness discussions being held by the divine and the decision being made regarding their interactions with the non-divine part of Ephemera, or the Mortal Realm as some began to call it several millennia ago.

    The design of the building itself was a mix of a temple made for worship and a palace that stood as a symbol of the power and authority its inhabitants have or more often than not think they deserve. If this is true for gods is another matter altogether but not something we will or should discuss right now.

    White polished stone is the main resource that makes up the walls and pillars supporting the weight of the golden dome that acts as ceiling for the whole structure. Giant statues depicting knights in armor stand as silent guards next to the entrance, a stream of rainbow coloured water flows in a small trench in the middle of the stairs leading up to the open archway.

    The corridor walls are lined with windows spanning the entire wall but clearly avoiding the pillars that have braziers hanging on them, each lit and shining a golden red light into each corner. The floor has thick lines of gold and silver running through the stone and acting as pathways that guide the visitors. Smaller and finer lines in different coloured run along the walls, sometimes completely chaotic and sometimes creating small pieces of art depicting wildlife found in Ephemera.

    But what really draws attention to it are the embers and sparks flying through the air shimmering in every colour imaginable and even some you would never even think would be possible. And those are not part of the Halls decoration but are found in every corner and small crevice of this realm.

    Even in the main hall where the ten creators and the other gods currently had a very important discussion were those embers found, though, discussions involving all of them were so rare that the only other time this happened was the time following the events that caused the end of the ¡°Age of Myth¡±.

    ¡°Now that everyone is here I propose we start discussing what we all came here for.¡±

    The words echoed through the council, silencing the whispers and small talks and causing even the laziest of the gods to turn their attention to the podium in the center of the room. There ten thrones stood, each of them in a different colour and style. Sitting in them were silhouettes made of light but all in a form similar to humans.

    ¡°I don''t want to interrupt, Meltrismara, but aren''t we still missing a certain someone?¡± A silhouette made of silver light sat on a throne with delicate paintings carved into it. They depict a being clad in armor with a sword in hand standing between a fearsome dragon and scared children.

    ¡°You are right, yes, but Paradox meant we should begin without him. He doesn''t know if he will be able to attend this meeting.¡± Meltrismara, the golden white light, sat on her throne painted in a pleasant green with portraits of humans, dwarves, elves, orcs, beastkin and some animals.

    ¡°But enough of this. We came together to decide how to intervene in this war that is about to happen down in the Mortal Realm. I ask for ideas so that we can help them to get rid of this ¡®villain¡¯ that''s plaguing Ephemera.¡±

    A warm, red light seated on a throne with a painting of the sunrise raised his hand. ¡°Unless someone found another way for us to spread our influence in their realm, our only options would be to send our Knights or give blessings to their armies. After all, there isn''t anything that could count as a reason that would allow us to circumvent the Rules that existed since we left for the Divine Realm.¡±

    Murmurs began to erupt in the ranks surrounding the podium. The gods whispered to each other, the younger and more ambitious ones questioning the need for the Rules while the older ones concentrated on thinking about their options.

    ¡°Solestio is right.¡± A loud voice declared, causing the gods to return their attention to the podium and owner of this voice.

    ¡°Of course we could send an oracle down and order our followers to gather the paladins and send them alongside the Knights but that in itself is not possible. Most if not all Knights are currently occupied with other problems that appeared since the Rupture and gathering all paladins now wouldn''t be of any help.¡±

    ¡°Then what do you propose we do, Thalasos?¡±

    Thalasos, the dark blue light seated on a throne depicting a stormy sea, leaned into his throne and crossed his arms. ¡°I personally would love to go and take care of it myself but I also do not want a repeat of that. What I propose is a blessing, not as strong or as numerous as the Blessings we gave to the ¡®Hero¡¯ but something that is enough to nudge the scales just a little in their direction.¡±

    Meltrismara nicked slowly, her gaze locked on the mirror on the ground. ¡°Do I understand it right that your proposal is to help the mortals just enough to not lose but also not to win?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Meltrismara, that is my plan.¡±

    The silver silhouette suddenly hit her fist on her armrest. ¡°You coward! Do you not care for the people down there, Thalasos?! It''s our job to take care of them and here you think about only helping them a little bit? This war will have the highest death toll in history if we do not help them!¡±

    Thalasos shot an angry glare in the silhouette''s direction. ¡°You should control yourself better, Tenebresia. Not all of us are as benevolent towards the mortals as you. Especially I do not care about the land dwellers as much. So, do not test my patience, we all know I have none of it.¡±

    Tenebresia stood up with her fists clenched. ¡°You-¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough, you two!¡± Meltrismara''s voice cut through the brewing tension. ¡°Tenebresia, I know you care greatly about the mortals but calm down. We both would like to save all of them but we can''t and you know it. So, sit down and let us talk about how exactly we support them so they can save as many of them by themselves.¡±

    Tenebresia was about to say something but one look at Meltrismara made her stop and she sat down.

    ¡°I do not want to sound as if I am supporting him but isn''t the battle between the armies only of secondary importance?¡± A deep but calm voice came from a silhouette seated next to Thalasos. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we direct our focus on the ¡®Hero¡¯ and his group? Killing the ''villain'' should be our main goal or not?¡±

    Thalasos shook his head. ¡°Yes, our goal is to have the ¡®villain¡¯ be killed by the ¡®Hero¡¯ but the armies are enabling this in the first place. The united armies goal isn¡¯t to win this war, even though they don''t know it yet, but to gather as much attention as possible so the hero''s group can get to the ¡®villain¡¯ in the most optimal condition to increase their chances. That is also why we need to be careful with the blessing for the armies so that they struggle and we can increase the strength of the Blessings on the boy.¡±

    Meltrismara let a sigh escape her and swept her gaze over the beings in front of her.

    ¡°I would like to argue with Thalasos¡¯ reasoning but he is right. Our main concern will be the Hero''s fight not the armies. A small blessing or two should be enough, afterall my saintess and one of my Knights are helping in the healer tent. More will not be given to them. Does everyone agree?¡±

    The gods voted for the decision and most of the Creators did too.

    Meltrismara nodded, looked around once more before gesturing to the mirror on the ground.

    ¡°Then let us begin the blessing and observe this fateful moment!¡±

 Chapter two

    [Ephemera, The Mortal Realm, Plains of Akrid. The third day of Padox, year 17 after the Rupture]

    The Plains of Akrid are, from an Outsider''s point of view at least, a strange place that doesn''t make much sense. They are an almost completely flat area with a few small hills and some trees growing here and there. Grass is growing everywhere and several herds of wild horses are seen running around, sometimes there is even a unicorn hidden in plain sight.

    What would now seem strange about it is the fact that the grass is short. Too short. As if someone went and cut each blade of grass individually. Another thing is the absence of any sign of intelligent or violent lifeforms like humans or beasts and monsters.

    And don''t be wrong, of course humanity would have tried to turn this place into farmland or a city. But there aren''t any traces of something like this being attempted and the closest monster or beast is found in the Siluvan River to the north of the Plains.

    Surely you are now asking yourself why the Plains of Akrid are like this, no? Bad news, my dear guest and listener, you won''t get an answer. At least not the full answer.

    Like so many things in a world as old as Ephemera now is, the root of the answer to this question lies in the history of this place. After the ¡°Age of Myth¡± came to an end and the world started recovering from the consequences the Creators decided to turn the entirety of the Plains of Akrid into a giant memorial to make sure the beings of the Mortal Realm would remember why it happened and at the same time honor the ones lost.

    This is also the reason why the only sign of intelligent life that does exist here, are the ruins of a city, abandoned, dilapidated and reclaimed by nature. Before you ask, yes, this city is part of the memorial. It wouldn''t make sense to not incorporate this place if you knew about its historical value.

    Something no one expected was that the most wanted being on Ephemera, a man everyone only knew under his nickname ¡®Villain¡¯, would choose this exact place to turn into his hideout.

    After learning about this the armies from various kingdoms gathered and marched together with one single goal in mind: the eradication of the forces responsible for the Rupture and bringing an end to the reign of terror that was forced upon the residents of this world.

    The formerly peaceful atmosphere that became the norm in the Plains was disturbed by the flames of war raging in the ruins. Trebuchets and catapults fired a barrage of boulders over the city walls, smashing into the remains of houses once full of life. Men and women, boys and girls and everything in between and to the side of it stormed the walls, fighting against the defenders while even more soldiers flooded through the gates.

    But even with a numerical advantage the armies struggled to breach the outer city. The defenders, minions of the Villain, were almost only mind-controlled Monsters and chimeras, abominations created by the experiments conducted on his prisoners. Their strength, even though limited in their numbers, proved to be an obstacle to the plans of the United Armies.

    Regardless of how many volleys of arrows, boulders and spells were hurled at the enemy, they Always seemed able to endure and stand up again. It didn''t matter how many sounds the monsters suffered, they would rise again, standing tall and fighting with a ferocity that rivaled a rampaging dragon. You could think that something was preventing those monsters from feeling the embrace of death.

    Many experienced war veterans would tell you that this situation would be a perfect example of a fight that you lost before you even fought. The thought of an army of monsters that were unable to rest would be a nightmare that would drain the morale of your army faster than an alcoholic could down a beer. And they would be right¡­

    ¡­If this was a normal war.

    Everything about this war was far from ¡®normal¡¯. The fact that basically every intelligent and humanoid race offered help and or soldiers? Never happened¡­ That whilst ignoring the mountain of corpses underneath their boots the soldiers still charged into the city? You would think someone brainwashed them¡­ That this is all the result of the actions of a single individual? ¡­You might think I''m joking here but it happened once. It just happened so long ago that no one remembers it and those that still remember for whatever reason never talk about it.

    Leaving aside my endless comments about everything, this war was meaningful for the people of Ephemera. Be it a human, elf, dwarf, demi-human, titan, spirit, merfolk, dracos and everything I forgot to name or is a mix between them. The soldiers didn''t complain about the reason and politics behind this war nor did the craftsmen and merchants that helped fill their supplies and armory. Everyone helped and supported this war in some way because everyone lost something to the Rupture. Be it their home, their family, dreams, hope, their entire race, country or even just their favorite doll¡­ The people desired revenge and they wouldn''t stop even If the gods stood in their path.

    Some even did, like the Goddess of Peace, that tried to appeal to their hearts to forget about revenge. The consequences of her actions spiraled out of control and forced the God of Revenge and the God of Chaos to intervene personally to save the Goddess of Peace and her followers and prevent another mass genocide.

    Anyway, where were we?... Really? Alright, enough talking from my side, we are here to witness how this goes so let us follow¡­ This one! The Hero themselves! Sounds interesting, don''t you think so?

    [The Hero''s POV]

    Ethan never thought of himself as a hero. In his opinion there were others more suited for this title and the weight it carries. His sister for example was one of those in his eyes. She had more talent for swordsmanship and fighting than most of the knights he knew and he was the son of the commander of the Sun Lion Knight Order of the Gaos Empire so he knew more than the average person.

    According to Tenebresia, the Goddess of Honor and patron deity of knights, that was exactly why he was chosen. Because he knew what the title meant and didn''t have any absurd dreams like so many others did. He was chosen because he was average and for some reason, that he still did not understand to this day, being average and unremarkable allowed him to have so many Blessings from the gods. It always confused him but the Goddess didn''t explain it more than once so he never had the chance to ask.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    The thundering sound of a boulder smashing into the ground pulled him from his thoughts. ''Idiot, concentrate.'' Shaking his head to get rid of his useless thoughts he continued to follow Raymond. The man was a dark elf chosen to accompany him and make sure Ethan arrived mostly unharmed in front of the Villain. Ethan must say he can see why Raymond was chosen. This man was so good at sneaking around and infiltrating places he could probably steal the necklace of a queen while she was still wearing them.

    Ethan followed Raymond through the maze that was this ruin, staying in the shadows to remain unseen and avoiding the monsters and abominations they came across. Sometimes they stopped at a corner so Raymond could commune with the spirits and ask them for the way.

    Ethan couldn''t help but feel nervous as they came closer to the temple on top of the city. His hands became sweaty and his armor pressed down on him. Resting a hand on his sword and taking a deep breath to calm his nerves and he felt ready again.

    The temple towering over the city was built on the only mountain in the entire Plains. It already looked imposing from afar and stood like a silent guardian watching over the ruins. Standing in front of its entrance Ethan couldn''t help but stare in awe. The building itself was from a distance unremarkable except for the fact that it was built with black marmor instead of the white and gold the temples for the gods used. The pillars supporting the ceiling reached a height that made even giants look small, the ceiling adorned with what looked like jewels in mostly red and violet colours mimicked the night sky. The windows weren''t made from coloured glass but thin plates crafted out of obsidian and high hanging braziers, which would have flooded the inner area of the temple in light, were cold and wisps of smoke rose out of them as if someone put out their flames recently.

    ¡°What do you think, Ray, who was this built for?¡± Ethan was too curious to not ask. Afterall, a temple from the ¡°Age of Myth¡± stood directly in front of him. It was a treasure trove for historians and Ethan loved learning about history.

    Raymond looked at Ethan with a cold glare. ¡°I do not care, Hero, and it wouldn''t interest me even if we didn''t come here for a reason. Wonder about this shit after you killed that bastard.¡±

    ¡°My, my. You hurt my feelings, little duskborn. Let the Hero have his moment, it might be his last chance, after all.¡±

    They were interrupted by a voice coming from the other end of the temple. The braziers suddenly ignited and their fire illuminated the area. Standing in front of an obelisk was a man in a robe, smiling at them while a sudden wind ruffled his dark-brown hair.

    ¡°You!¡± Ethan and Raymond both were surprised to see the Villain Just standing there. No ambush, no Trap. As If he waited for them.

    ¡°Hero, you are on your own now. I hate it but this is where I have to leave.¡± Raymond gripped his daggers tight before he turned around and left Ethan alone.

    Ethan meanwhile drew his sword before slowly walking into what would be the main area of the temple, locking eyes with the Villain. ¡°No surprises? The few survivors who met you always talked about your flair for the theatre, as If you were thinking of all of this like a play." Ethan asked, holding his sword to his side.

    The Villain smiled. ¡°Oh, I most certainly love a good theatre play and even some drama but this time not. A dramatic entrance is all that you get, maybe a monologue or even some answers to a few questions of yours. After all, this will be our first and last battle, Hero. I thought I should give you at least some respect, no?¡±

    Ethan''s eyes narrowed as he listened. Was he trying to buy time? ¡°You are talking like I would want to listen to you any longer, as if I had any questions and only you have the answers. What game are you playing, Villain?¡±

    The Villain laughed at that. ¡°Of course you have questions, Hero. But first things first, you may call me Jonas.¡° The Villain, who introduced himself as Jonas, bowed like an actor after a theatre play. "And why wouldn''t you want to listen to me talk? I might sound arrogant but I have quite the nice voice and know more about our history than most¡­ Unless of course you are of a species that witnessed the events in person.¡±

    Ethan wavered a little. It was true he had questions, especially about the history of Ephemera. Each Kingdom concentrated more on recording and preserving their own history so it was difficult to find any records about the world itself but the closer you came to the creation of the world the less you would find. Strangely enough, there were no records about what caused the ¡°Age of Myth¡± to end or why the gods decided to no longer remain in the Mortal Realm. If the Villain truly knew something, was it worth the risk?

    ¡°Let me ask you, Hero, what do you know about this place?¡± Hearing the Villain''s voice caused Ethan to stop thinking and following him with his eyes. Jonas, seeing this, started walking in front of the obelisk. ¡°Let me guess: ¡®it''s a memorial created by the gods¡¯, right? Isn''t that what they taught you, written down in the history books?¡± The Villain shakes his head. ¡°It is much more than that. This place, everything you see here, is a witness to what transpired at the time before its purpose was changed¡­ And a gravestone. Buried underneath the city are the secrets the gods, no, the Creators themselves are hiding! And I will show the world the Truth they conveniently forgot!¡±

    The Villain stops directly in front of the obelisk that now started to glow, runes etched onto its surface lit Up, causing the monument to shake. Ethan, seeing this, got ready to intervene in the Villain''s plans and started drawing upon the Blessings he was granted.

    ¡°No, you won''t!¡±

    With a snap of a finger a wooden barrel appeared before the Hero. It glowed red and exploded, engulfing the Hero in a ball of fire and smoke.

    <hr>

    [Ephemera, The Divine Realm, The Hall of Creation. The third day of Padox, year 17 after the Rupture]

    The gods watched as the Hero and the Villain finally met. Their gaze scrutinizes every tiny detail and makes sure that everything is being paid attention. They desired the death of this man just as much as some of the soldiers fighting against his minions. No one said anything but they felt that many shared one singular thought: ¡°If the Hero loses, WE will take care of it ourselves.¡±

    Their concentration was disturbed as the gate to the main hall was opened and a new presence made itself known. They didn''t see it yet but they could feel it. The feeling of Dread and Despair crawling up their backs and invading their hearts, the voices that whispered into their ears and the bone-chilling cold. Even some of the Creators weren''t entirely immune to this.

    He walked slowly, every step spreading frost on the ground. Following him was a faint black mist, flooding the path behind him, causing hallucinations of screaming souls. He made His way to the center and sat down on the one empty throne waiting for him. Just like his silhouette, the throne itself was at first glance black but you felt it rather than saw. They weren''t coloured a shade of black Like the deepest good but they were entirely devoid of colours.

    Many of the gods, mainly the newer ones who never saw him before, questioned how he not only caused frost in a place that is always too warm but how a state of colourlessness could even exist. The questions though were never asked as not a single one dared to speak after his entrance, still feeling the aftereffects.

    With the mirror on the ground showing the fight between the Hero and the Villain a voice finally broke the silence.

    ¡°So, what did I miss?¡±

 chapter three

    The oppressive atmosphere in the hall after this being¡¯s entrance was only interrupted after he asked this question. None of the gods dared to utter a sound before but the feeling of Dread and Despair that filled the room lifted at the same time as everyone released a sigh of relief.

    Meltrismara looked at the newcomer. ¡°Do you always have to do this, Paradox?¡±

    That is right, dear listener, the one who just entered is the last of [The Ten Creators]. The only one of the Creators who stands on the same level as Meltrismara who acts as their leader. There are rumors that his strength is greater than hers but nobody saw them ever fight and the only reason no one challenges or tries to disrespect him is because they fear him.

    ¡°What do you mean, Meltris? You know exactly that with the war currently happening it gets harder to control the Concepts and I can''t really be bothered with controlling them just for some trivial reason. But enough of that, what did I miss?¡±

    Meltrismara shook her head before answering. ¡°Nothing much. They just started fighting after the Villain surprised him with an explosion to the face.¡±

    Paradox turned his gaze to the mirror. The Villain and the Hero were currently seen trading blows but unable to hurt each other. ¡°I see. Looks like I really didn''t miss anything.¡±

    ¡°Could I ask something?¡± A voice sounded from the other side of the podest the thrones stood on. A light green coloured silhouette sat on a throne with a painting that depicted golden coins and jewels being thrown into pink flames. ¡°I would like to know why Paradox joined us only now.¡±

    Some of the other gods also listened in on this. What was he occupied with that was more important than the battle down below in the Mortal Realm?

    ¡°That, dear Ignavaria, is a question you wouldn''t need to concern yourself with.¡± He let his gaze wander over the gods. ¡°It looks like there are more than just you that would like to know and wouldn''t be happy with not an answer so I will make an exception and tell you.¡±

    He directed his gaze back to the mirror. ¡°You see, there was a group of crazy idiots that thought themselves to be revolutionary geniuses and came up with the wonderful idea of using a mix of alchemy and magic to conduct some ethically and morally questionable experiments. Of course, there wouldn''t be a need to involve myself with this and could just ignore it but no, those idiots started using necromancy and after they were found by a noble, they acquired their help in return for an army of undead super soldiers. While making those they used monsters and one of those idiots thought it would be a great idea to experiment on Souls. Yes, here they got my attention completely and I needed to know how fast my Knights could take care of them or if I could send someone else.¡±

    ¡°I''m sorry to interrupt, Paradox, but that would have never occupied you for this long. Even considering the time it would take to find someone that would be able to take care of it as most of our Knights are currently solving some more pressing problems.¡± Solestio interrupted.

    Paradox looked at him for a moment. ¡°And you would be correct. I found someone a few hours ago that could have done that. Before you ask, yes, there was something else.¡± He pauses before continuing with a sigh. ¡°They thought it was a smart idea to bring in a dragon as their test subject.¡±

    The silence that followed was heavy. No one moved or paid attention to the scene the mirror showed them. All of their eyes were directed to Paradox as he sat there on his throne. It was written on their faces what everyone present was thinking: You can''t be serious and Even stupidity has its limits.

    Paradox saw their faces and laughed mirthless to himself. ¡°Yes, that''s what I thought too but it was worse. It was a child of the queen of the dragons herself.¡±

    If the Creators were present in a body of flesh and blood you would be able to see them lose every colour in their faces.

    You are probably wondering why they react like this so let me explain. Necromancy itself isn''t frowned upon but everything involving souls was forbidden by the Creators since they left the Mortal Realm. No one in their right mind would dare to even communicate with the souls of the deceased unless they had asked the God of Death for permission first. So, illegal experiments involving souls? You would be hunted down by everyone the gods were able to send after you. Involving a dragon in dangerous experiments regardless of what kind? You were causing a rampaging dragon to hunt you down until they found their baby, hopefully alive because a dead dragon means a dragon desiring revenge. Involving a child of the queen of the dragons? My friend, why don''t you launch earth''s nuclear weaponry into your position? That would cause less harm and destruction than she will.

    ¡°Paradox, please tell me the scope of the destruction she caused this time.¡± Meltrismara was clearly unhappy hearing all of this.

    ¡°Don''t worry your pretty head about it. She didn''t go on a killing spree this time.¡±

    Meltrismara looked at him as if she couldn''t believe his words. ¡°What do you mean by that? We are talking about their queen! The oldest living being on Ephemera besides us Creators and the strongest in the Mortal Realm. The last time she went on a rampage it took us a millenium to repair the damage and you are telling me she didn''t go on a rampage this time?!¡±

    Paradox, even though his silhouette didn''t really have a face, clearly smirked. ¡°She and I talked and we came to an agreement. She didn''t go on a killing spree, I took care of the idiots and the problems they caused and now I''m here. No rampaging dragon, no idiots messing with souls and still no murdered Villain so let us concentrate on that.¡±

    She clearly wasn''t happy ending their conversation like that but what other choice did she have. He was right about everything so she gave her attention to what mattered.

    <hr>

    [Ephemera, The Mortal Realm, Plains of Akrid. The third day of Padox, year 17 after the Rupture]

    [Hero''s POV]

    While the first explosion surprised Ethan the fight itself wasn''t as difficult as everyone made him believe it would be. Was it the most difficult fight he had in his short life? Yes, absolutely, but every rumor he heard from the soldiers, every report from the survivors, every speech from the generals and every advice from his teachers and comrades caused Ethan to think that fighting Jonas would turn into a battle of a human against a god-like monstrosity.

    Maybe he was better than he thought he was? Ethan may be many things but he wasn''t a fool or arrogant enough to think it was his skills alone. He could feel it inside him, the Blessings the Creators gave him so he could draw upon their strength. They filled him with warmth and a feeling of power he was sure He would never reach.

    Invoking the Blessing of the Land made him more resilient, less likely to lose his balance. It helped endure the explosion with nothing more than a scratch. Flooding his limbs with the Blessing of the Sea allowed him to close the distance between him and the Villain while avoiding the spells thrown at him with almost no effort.

    His overhead swing was blocked by a hexagonal shimmering barrier appearing in the path of his sword. The Villain smirked and blasted the Hero away with a bolt of mana.

    ¡°Your Blessings are really unfair, Hero, but don''t forget that I have more battle experience than you. I won''t go down so easily!¡± Another snap, another barrel. This time though the barrel was painted blue with a symbol resembling waves painted on it.

    Instead of exploding like the last one did, this one burst apart and released a sudden wave of water that threatened to take the Hero with it. As rapidly as the water appeared it froze, trapping Ethan and rendering him unable to move. The Villain used this to create several spears made from crystalized mana and shot them towards the trapped Hero.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Ethan took a deep breath, a wall of mist suddenly expanded from his position and the spears crashed into the ice. Meanwhile Ethan broke through the mist, an aura of flames enveloping his body. The flames gathered around his sword and with a swing he fired them in a crescent towards Jonas.

    A wall of earth blocked the flames but Ethan was unable to avoid the spears that came as retaliation. The first two graced him lightly, causing a small cut in his cheek and leg, the third struck him in his shoulder. His left arm hung limply by his side but he could already feel the Blessing of Life healing the wound moderately.

    Ethan tried to close the distance again, another barrel blocking his path. This happened several times and every time the Villain sounded Ethan with the properties of the barrel itself or the spells he used afterwards.

    ¡®Continuing like this will not work in the long run¡¯, Ethan thought to himself. He didn''t Like the idea but he had something planned. Continuing their game of him advancing only to be stopped by another barrel, Ethan took his time. Every wound inflicted on him was healed by the Blessing while the others helped with preventing the worst.

    Another normal looking barrel appeared before him. Ethan slid underneath the barrel and stood up. The explosion catapulted him towards the Villain who didn''t expect his opponent to do something so stupid.

    Jonas failed to create another barrier in time and Ethan''s gamble paid off. Flying through the air followed by a rain of blood was the right arm of the Villain.

    ¡°Aarrgh!¡± The Villain clutched his shoulder, the smell of burnt flesh filled the air as he cauterized the wound using a flame. ¡°Well played, Hero,¡± he chuckled. ¡°I didn''t think anyone would be stupid enough for such a gamble but it seems like you are braver than I thought¡­¡±

    Ethan looked at him, prepared to rush in again but his instinct held him back. Something was wrong, He could almost taste the feeling of danger coming from his adversary.

    ¡°I will stop holding back then¡­ I should honor you at least this much, no?¡± Mana came in waves from the Villain, enough to physically push back Ethan. It made a shiver run down his back. Having enough mana that it could influence someone''s surroundings without any spell or refinement meant only one thing and the implications of this made the fear of death cling to Ethan like the embrace of a crazy lover.

    With a snap a dozen different barrels surrounded Ethan, all of them coloured red with a drawing of the sun. They exploded in a burst of blinding light followed by a wave of heat that caused Ethan''s skin to burn. Without the Blessings of the Land, Sky and Sea as well as Life supporting him his skin would probably vaporize immediately. He stood there, blinded and having burns all over his body. His armor luckily didn''t deform thanks to the enchantments and the Blessing but it was hot enough to burn him a second time.

    While trying to see again proved difficult and would take time, His enemy didn''t allow him to rest. Another explosion threw him to the side, pillars of ice slamming into him and causing him to fly through the air, a barrage of magically conjured arrows piercing parts of his skin.

    He endured attack after attack while his Blessings protected and healed him. They were strong but not almighty, he wouldn''t be able to endure it for long.

    After what felt like an agonizing eternity for him, the attacks slowed down. His body was barely keeping him alive, his eyes now healed could see that the Villain probably overdid it. He stood in front of the obelisk, sweat dripping down from his Hair, struggling to catch his breath.

    Suddenly he could feel something change. His wounds closed faster, a surge of energy filled his body. He could feel the Blessings grow in strength. Ethan stood up and took a deep breath. The energy of the Blessings filled his entire body.

    Life, Land, Sea, Sky, Virtue, Magic, Sun.

    In his mind he could see the Blessings'' power turn into a stream of rainbow coloured energy flowing through his veins. He would bring this to an end, here and now.

    The Hero opened his eyes, his sword ready to taste blood again. Another deep breath and he sprinted forward, closing the distance in record time and he swung his sword in another overhead swing.

    The Villain reacted in time and dodged, the sword missing him only barely. The power behind the attack carved a deep crack into the ground that remained immaculate until now.

    What they didn''t see was that a wound on Ethan''s leg cracked open and rainbow coloured light leaked out.

    <hr>

    [Ephemera, The Divine Realm, The Hall of Creation. The third day of Padox, year 17 after the Rupture]

    ¡°ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MINDS!!!!!¡±

    A voice boomed through the hall, the echo haunting the hallways. Paradox stood in front of his throne, clearly angered and looking at Meltrismara and the other Creators that had a hand raised and pointing at the mirror.

    ¡°Calm down, Paradox. You saw just like us that the Hero would lose. We had to help him a little.¡± A deep, calm voice came from the silhouette next to Thalasos. It had a deep brown colour and the art on his throne showed mountains and a group of beings sitting around a campfire.

    ¡°ARE YOU REALLY ASKING ME TO CALM DOWN?! Your help would ensure that the Villain dies, yes, you are right. BUT WHO TOLD YOU TO IGNORE EVERYTHING ELSE!!!!¡± Paradox wasn''t just angry but enraged.

    Thalasos smirked. ¡°We can ignore the rules once, Paradox. They were, after all, not made with such a scenario in mind. Or would you Like a repeat of the Rupture?? That another plan of the Villain is successful and causes even more problems?!¡±

    The feeling of Dread and Despair appeared again but this time more intense. It lingered around the gods like a predator ready to pounce on its prey. Paradox looked like he was ready to murder someone.

    ¡°That''s enough, all of you.¡± Meltrismara intervened. ¡°Sit down, Paradox. We can talk about the reason later but we need to see this to an end!¡±

    Paradox glared at her. She held his gaze and started back, calm and collected. Paradox turned his gaze to the mirror and the projection of the battle.

    ¡°Shit!¡± He ran out of the Hall. ¡°Paradox! Where are you going?!¡± Meltrismara shouted after him. ¡°Making sure your stupid snowball doesn''t bury us all in a frickin ice age!¡±

    The gods wondered what he meant before a loud ¡°crack¡± came from the projection and a bright, rainbow coloured light filled the room and blinded them all.

    <hr>

    [Ephemera, The Mortal Realm, Plains of Akrid. The third day of Padox, year 17 after the Rupture]

    The soldiers in the city felt it. The people in the supply lines and medical tents saw it. Both didn''t know what it was but they could tell one thing: they wouldn''t survive this.

    From the temple on top of the city, the place where the Villain and the Hero fought each other, came a bright light. A shockwave shook the ruins of the city before they heard the explosion. Slowly, the light changed from bright white to all colours of the rainbow, mixing, swirling and then expanding in the form of a dome. Everything touched by the dome of light disappeared inside, evaporating and turning into particles that fueled its growth.

    Most of the soldiers were too far into the city. They didn''t get the chance to run. The ones on the wall and outside of it started running. Mostly the ones outside the walls escaped, many others didn''t. The people in the tent, be it wounded soldiers, healers, suppliers or even the Saintess of the Church of Life, began a last prayer to the gods, wishing for the safety of those they left behind.

    Lighting flashed but instead of the typical thunder following it the people heard the screech of a raven that sounded too deep and too monstrous to be normal.

    Above the city, the clouds gathered. Red and violet lighting was seen, igniting the clouds and causing black flames to erupt. The flames, clouds and lighting began swirling around each other in a giant vortex. The wind picked up speed, the tent got blown away and trees lost their hold on the ground.

    The vortex in the sky dropped slowly downwards, forming a new shape.

    Six wings made from the black flames connected to the main body, lighting flashed through them, creating runes and unknown symbols. Two legs, formed from dark ice, ended in sharp talons big enough to pierce a dragon. Five feathery tails flew behind the main body, moving in a way that would cause a normal bird to fall from the sky. The main body was made from the storm clouds itself, the front covered in scales and the back in long feathers. The head of this beast was a horned skull that looked like it was burned in a fire. Its three eyes stared angrily towards the dome of light.

    It opened its beak, the lower half splitting down the middle. With a terrifying screech that froze the blood in even the most fearless barbarian, the giant raven dive bombed towards the dome. Before crashing into it, it stopped mid flight, spreading its wings to cover the entire surface area of the dome and enclosing it underneath itself. The dome stopped expanding the moment it got touched by the raven.

    Both the giant raven and the dome underneath it began shrinking. More and more until only a small ball remained in the air. The ball burst apart in a pillar of flames, scorching the ground and clearing the sky. It too disappeared after its energy was expended.

    From the ruins there was no trace to be found. Only a crater remained where humanity fought one of its most important battles.

 Chapter four

    You listened as he told the story. You wouldn''t say it out loud but the cookies and hot beverage were better. He closed the book and placed it in his lap.

    ¡°And that was that. Hope you enjoyed the story and believe me, you aren''t the first that thinks the story is worse than your snacks. That reminds me I need to deliver another batch of cookies to the Proprietor. Should I trade it for more tea?¡±

    The last part was clearly him talking to himself but you wonder who he talked about. ¡°Hmm? The Proprietor? Don''t worry about that. More important than that, why are you still here? The story is told, you are fed and the storm outside is over. You can go back to exploring, to find whatever you searched for out there.¡±

    He is right. Nothing is holding you here, you aren''t tied down or held captive. The cookies are good but not that good. So, why aren''t you on your way now?

    ¡°You want to know how it continues? The Hero is dead and the Villain too. There are no main characters anymore¡­. What do you mean there are unanswered questions and too much lore dropped that wouldn''t have been necessary? I will let you know that it was necessary for the immersion!¡±

    You smile a bit. You realized that he tries to make you go and search your own story or find a better one.

    ¡°You¡­.¡± He sighs and shakes his head. ¡°Alright, alright. You got me, there are questions you would want answers to. What happened to Paradox? Why exactly did he intervene if he was against the other Creators'' intervention? So, what do you want me to do? Continue a Story without a Main character?¡±

    You think about it for a bit. Is there really no main character remaining? Couldn''t Paradox become one? Or¡­ is he saying he could create one?

    He smiles mysteriously. ¡°I don''t know. To all three of those. Now, sit back, enjoy your never ending cup of hot chocolate and let us delve right back to find those answers you want. Also, if we suffer through a bad story just because you wanted to satisfy your curiosity I will hold you hostage to the end.¡±

    <hr>

    [Ephemera, The Mortal Realm, ???. ???, ???]

    [???''s POV]

    She woke up.

    The stale air smelled like rot. She didn''t know where she was and the headache made it difficult to remember who she was. Another problem was the lack of visibility. It was dark and she couldn''t see.

    ''Problem after problem, what comes next?¡¯'' she thought to herself.

    She didn''t have much room to move around. It was clear that she was surrounded by dirt at least but she didn''t know how much was above her. She started to dig, there wasn''t anything else she could do afterall.

    Was it minutes, hours or even days? The air was too thin to still be able to breath but she still dug. Dirt and stones rained down on her, sometimes worms. Again and again, her hand reached up to the ceiling and scraped along its surface to get even a little bit more space. Her fingernails either broke off or bent backwards but she just ignored them.

    She could feel it, something about the earth changed. It became more difficult to dig but she wouldn''t stop. She wanted to get out of here even if that means scraping off the skin from her fingers while digging. Another change, this time the dirt was more loose, still hard but easier to dig through.

    A stream of air reached her. It was faint but it means she was closer. There was a way out!

    Something dropped down on her face, the same liquid that she could feel on her hands. It wasn''t water, it tasted too metallic for that. Blood, her own blood to be precise. Looks like she scraped the skin on her fingers open. She ignored it.

    More and more dirt gave away as she finally broke the surface. Taking a deep breath she laid down on the ground and looked up at the sky. The scarred face of Luma, the moon of Ephemera, looked down on her. She couldn''t remember much right now but she knew somehow that she couldn''t remember what Luma looked like before this.

    The moon hanging in the sky was a beautiful full moon with a gaping hole that turned it into an eternal crescent moon. Drifting from this hole, the debris formed something like a loose ring around the moon. The biggest piece wandered alongside Luma, like a little sibling that didn''t want to leave its wounded sibling alone.

    It looked strangely beautiful. Sitting up she took a look at her surroundings. Grass all around her, no structure, hills or even some animals. The hole she dug and the giant crater behind her were the only places where the grass didn''t grow.

    ¡°Looks like you are finally awake.¡±

    She was startled and looked around again, nothing to see. Where did the voice come from?

    ¡°I''m sure you have questions but I won''t answer them. Don''t have the time nor energy to waste on this and I''m sure you wouldn''t trust the words of a voice in your head either.¡±

    She looked up, not because she saw something but because it felt right while listening to whatever this was. ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°That, my dear, is something you will remember sooner than later. In the meantime you should make your way towards the north-northeast. You will find a ship on the shore of the river. The crew is resting there and among them is someone who will be able to explain things in a way you can feel more connected to. Meet him, ask him your questions and then, if you remember how, contact me. Good luck, Valeria.¡±

    The voice disappered and she suddenly felt lighter. Strange but nothing she would complain about. What was it that it called her? Valeria? Something stirred in her mind, a sense of familiarity and belonging, a sense of self.

    ''Right. That was my name. Valeria.¡¯

    A smile formed on her face, happy that she knew her name again. Valeria thought about the instructions it left. Should she follow them? Could it even trust them? Another look at her surroundings made her realize she didn''t really have a choice. It was either following the disembodied voice in her head or wandering around in the hope she didn''t die of hunger and thirst before finding something other than grass.

    With a resigned sigh Valeria stood up and began walking. Did she know where north-northeast was? Not a single clue but that wouldn''t stop her from trying.

    On the way to the river, Valeria found out a few things. First of all, she wasn''t naked but what she wore wasn''t much better. Her outfit was a collection of linen clothes with leather reinforced and metal armor covering some parts like her chest. She at least thinks it is because the metal gathered rust and has some burn marks and areas where it was deformed by heat while her clothes had holes and tears everywhere. She wasn''t exposing anything important so it didn''t bother her but some people might think she exposes too much.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

    The second thing she found out was that her body somehow feels wrong. It feels like her body and mind have trouble communicating with each other and screw up their teamwork. It wasn''t a problem right now but if it didn''t fix itself with time she might need to do something.

    Another thing was the problem with her memories. She could feel them, deep inside of her. They were slowly making their way back to where they need to be but it''s like all of them are drunk while exploring a labyrinth filled with mist and changing corridors. They were slow and until they found her themselves she couldn''t remember anything.

    There was nothing else that she would call useful among her discoveries. She did find out minor things Like how she seemed to make barely any noise while walking or always jumped into some form of battle stance whenever she heard a noise.

    It was as Luma and her companions touched the horizon that she finally saw it. The ship on the shore and a small campfire in front of it. Allowing a small smile to show on her face she slowly approached the campfire. As she came closer she inspected the ship. It was a giant three-master with its sails closed and the anchor dropped. The ship looked imposing with its rows of cannons on the side. Seeing it sitting there in the river gave one the image of a sleeping giant you wouldn''t want to wake up.

    ¡°Hey, you over there! Step inside the light so I can see you and tell me where you came from!¡± A lone figure sat next to the fire and shouted in her direction. Valeria thought it a good decision to not antagonize them and stepped into the light, her arms raised to show she means no harm.

    Standing in the light of the fire she saw who she was talking to. A man, probably in His thirties, with dirty blond hair and green eyes. He was quite tall, it seems, and his thin clothes were unable to hide his muscles. A scar ran from his left hand up to his elbow and a rapier hung from his belt.

    ¡°Good evening, mister. I mean no harm to you or the crew on the ship, sir. It''s just that I found myself in this place and can''t quite remember how I got here. You wouldn''t mind helping me out a bit?¡±

    The man observed her for a moment, scrutinizing her. ¡°How in the Creator''s name did you¡­ No, wait, you don''t remember so it would be useless to ask.¡± He shook his head and closed his eyes in concentration before a pulse of energy radiated out from him, sweeping through the area. Valeria felt the energy roll over her and wondered what he did.

    The man stood up and looked at her with wide eyes. ¡°You¡­ you are a Knight¡­¡±

    The word tickled a memory in Valeria''s brain but it didn''t come loose and told her of its secrets. ¡°I apologize but could you explain what you mean by that? My memories are a little foggy.¡±

    The man sat down again. ¡°Right, but first things first sit down. This will take a while to explain. By the way, I''m Edrick von Carlstein but friends and the other Knights call me Ed most of the time.¡±

    Valeria sat down on a log on the other side of the fire. ¡°I''m Valeria. I think people called me Val? My memory is still hazy so I can''t really say. Correct me if I''m wrong but the way you say knights sounds Special.¡±

    Edrick tossed a piece of wood into the flames. ¡°Sounds special, huh?¡± The man laughed mirthlessly. ¡°You have no idea, Valeria. They are special but to make you understand I also need to tell you about something else first. Do you remember the Ten Creators?¡±

    Valeria nodded. ¡°Good, that makes it easier.¡± He stops to think about his words.

    ¡°In the Age of Myth, the time following Ephemera''s creation, the Ten Creators were physically present on Ephemera and helped us with our problems. We were able to talk to them, learn from them and see the influence they have on our world. After a catastrophic event the Creators decided it would be for the best if they reduced the amount of contact we have with them. One after another left Ephemera and more and more responsibility fell into our hands. At the time many thought the Creators abandoned this world, fear spread and accusations were thrown around. Meltrismara, the Leader of the Creators, decided this couldn''t go on and spoke to the people. That was the first oracle, the new way for the Creators to answer our prayers.¡±

    Valeria looked at him, a strange glint in her eyes.

    ¡°Because the Creators have to put power and intent behind their words to reach us Not everyone can hear their words Just because they want to. They only come as an answer to prayers so it is rare to hear them if you aren''t praying very often. And if you do hear them then they are in a form of indecipherable knot of sounds. The priests of the churches meditate and ruminate over the words they hear for several days before they understand even a bit. Even the pope has to meditate on them but he has less trouble as he can hear them more clearly but no one will hear the exact words the gods said and they are thus subject to interpretation of the one who hears them.¡±

    ¡°I assume it would be easy to misinterpret them.¡± Valeria commented.

    The man sighed. ¡°And you are right about that. It happened a few times actually. Afterall, the churches have paladins, followers of their god that chose to serve by protecting the other followers or by fulfilling the oracles that need a more hands-on approach. And a power hungry pope could use that for his own misdeeds.¡±

    ¡°What probably already happened or you wouldn''t tell me about it. I fail to understand where the knights come into play?¡±

    Edrick looked at her. ¡°Patience, Val, I''m not done yet. Where was I? Right, so, a system that could be abused because no one was able to check if the pope told the truth. The Creators saw it and created a new role for their followers. The saint or saintess. A follower directly chosen by the god the church follows and received a special blessing. The saint is the only person who is able to hear the gods words clearly and without interference. This role was created to prevent the pope from abusing his power and they act as the spokesperson for the god. The saintess has the right to take command over all followers and not even the pope can nullify this.¡±

    Edrick drank a sip from his waterskin. Valeria looked at him with envy. ¡°Hmm. Oh right, I forgot.¡± He rummaged through a bag next to him and pulled out a piece of bread and another waterskin. ¡°You should also eat and drink something.¡±

    Valeria thanked him and ate her first bite since she woke up. It was just some old bread but it was delicious for someone who hasn''t eaten for who knows how long. The same goes for the water. Plain but it helped quench her thirst.

    ¡°With the saintess in place the followers could be controlled to an extent but even the Creators didn''t want to throw cannon fodder and meat shields at problems they should handle with quality instead of quantity.¡±

    ¡°Here come the knights into the game, right? So, they are just glorified paladins with super strength?¡±

    Edrick shook his head. ¡°No, they aren''t and never say that to their face. Some of us aren''t happy about being compared to normal people regardless of if they are stronger or not. The Knights I meant and you belong to are in essence the sword of the Creators. They do not have any connection to the churches of any gods, even the church of their own god. They are chosen by the Creators directly and can be any person, in any situation, at any time. The only requirement is that they fulfill the conditions the Creators themselves set. If a Creator found someone they will offer them a pact. The person is granted a special power based on the powers of the Creator that offers them the pact and the person vows to act as their hand and sword in Ephemera.¡±

    Valeria was suddenly assaulted by a terrible headache. A flood of memories returned to her and she fell from the log as she clutched her head. She didn''t even hear her own screams of pain as she blacked out.

    She woke up a while later, the sun already taking over the sky and Edrick sitting close to her unconscious form.

    ¡°You are awake again, good. So, what happened? How are you feeling?¡±

    Valeria groaned as she sat up. ¡°My head feels like a horse is stomping on it. It looks like my memories are back, I think.¡±

    Edrick looked at her with surprise. ¡°That¡¯s great news! What''s the last thing you remember and whose Knight are you?¡±

    Val massaged her temples as she sorted through her memories. ¡°I¡­ can''t seem to remember anything regarding a contract with a Creator but I can remember something. I was in the ruins of the city here in the Plains as that giant dome of light enveloped it.¡±

    She suddenly felt cold metal on her skin. Looking up she saw Edrick standing in front of her, his rapier drawn and pressed against her throat. ¡°Mind explaining what you are doing?¡±

    He looked at her. ¡°I''m sorry but until I know more I will have to detain you.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Leaving aside that no one survived the dome of light touching them and it is expected of me to kill everything returning from the dead, the ruined city in the Plains of Akrid disappeared in the war 50 years ago.¡±

 Chapter five

    ¡­Huh?

    ¡®What did he mean it happened 50 years ago? I wasn''t that deep underground¡­¡¯ Valeria didn''t know what she should do with this information. It didn''t make any sense to her.

    Of course, her memory was still lacking some parts but how is it possible to disappear upon contact with that light and wake up 50 years later in the area she was in. She needed more information, she couldn''t work with so little.

    ''I should stop. I can''t do anything about it right now so I should just rest a bit.¡¯

    She closed her eyes and rested her head against the wall of the ship. ''Never thought I would be this helpless¡¯ It was true that she was without a weapon but Edrick was way stronger than her. He threw her to the ground the moment she tried standing up.

    One thing she couldn''t help wondering is why she was still alive. She knew about the laws regarding souls. Edrick should have killed her right then and there, so why didn''t he?

    ¡®Another question I can''t answer, only guess. Maybe it has something to do with me being a Knight?¡¯

    The corners of her lip couldn''t help but twitch as she remembered the perplexed look on his face as he tried to bind her arms and legs. The knot either undid itself or the rope tore apart suddenly, as if they refused to do their job. That''s why she was here, in a cell in the belly of the ship. All alone and with enough time to think that she used to go through her memories.

    ¡°Smart idea. It will help you in the long run if you understand who you truly are.¡±

    Valeria opened her eyes and looked around. Still nothing to see but the voice was back.

    ¡°Stop trying, it will save us both some time that you can use in another way.¡±

    ¡°Then, who exactly are you? I can already guess that you should be a Creator based on what Edrick told me but there is more to all of this Knight bullshit, or not?¡±

    ¡°And you are right to assume so. I will not tell you. You already know and will remember it one day. Regarding the ¡®Knight bullshit'', it depends on what you mean exactly but Knights are in essence our representatives in Ephemera. You do what we want you to and protect our interests and if you aren''t needed you are free to do what you want as long as it doesn''t go against us.¡±

    She thought about what it just told her. The implications of its words aren''t something she wants to imagine right now but it gave her a few ideas. ¡°So, a Creator can make an army of people doing exactly what they want? And if they aren''t needed we humans would have to deal with powerhouses using god granted powers?¡±

    It sounded like it laughed at that. ¡°We aren''t so careless that we would create an army that destroys what we created. Everything regarding Knights is regulated by an agreement between us Creators. The exact powers they gain is depending on the Creator, yes, but to make it easier for ourselves we agreed to a few special privileges granted to our Knights. An example of those would be that we stop their aging. No Knight grows physically older than he already is or wants to be. That is also why we restricted the amount of Knights that are allowed. No more than four Knights per Creator.¡±

    Val raised an eyebrow at that, it sounded like way too little for whatever they are needed for.

    ¡°I know what you''re thinking and believe me, it is better like this. Less Knights means we have to prioritize where we send them and the rest will have to be taken care of by humanity themselves. Knights aren''t meant to do our job and take care of every little problem that arises. Their job is to tackle the problems none of you should have to deal with, the problems that you can''t deal with because they require divine intervention. I will end our talk here, that was enough for now.¡±

    The voice disappeared again, leaving her alone with her own thoughts.

    Some questions were answered but so many are still only guess work. ¡®No point thinking about them. I should just use this time for something else.¡¯

    Valeria sat down in the center of her cell, eyes closed and her hands rested on her legs. A deep breath in, held for a moment and out again. This exercise helped her relax and concentrate. She couldn''t let herself be distracted by her situation or the swaying of the ship as it glided over the water.

    The waves hitting the hull of the boat, the groans of the wooden planks and her rhythmic breathing were all she perceived. Just sitting there, listening to the symphony of silence and concentrating. It was there after all and would show itself if she was patient enough.

    Meditating was the way, so it was taught to her. It wouldn''t answer your call just because you wanted it nor would It listen if you became desperate and your emotions leaked through. It would fight you if you forced It and It had friends that would help, you were alone.

    Be gentle and inviting, never forceful and rough. Show patience and create an environment It feels safe in. Be accepting and thankful instead of demanding and arrogant.

    It would never show itself to those that want to impose their will on It, that tried to control and order It. It fought with those that dared to threaten It and would kill all who harm It.

    Valeria recalled all the teachings about it. It was always described as easily scared but with a strong will, a pacifist but also a murderer, stubborn but understanding, indecisive but single-minded. Every personality trait you would give to It had another trait that countered it.

    Humanity already lived with It since the time the Creators were still around but they still failed to understand all of It. The knowledge gained was much but there was still so much more. Every time they thought they knew everything It let them know just how wrong they were. No one would go around and proudly say they knew all there is to It because just as fast everyone would laugh at them.

    Even though It still is a mystery to this day humanity found ways to use It. It wasn''t physically present or had any effect on things in the metaphysical plane but humanity''s curiosity never stopped them. They learned how to treat It, to ask for Its help and listened to the words It whispered back.

    Valeria could feel it now.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    Everywhere around her small particles in the air made themselves known. They radiated warmth like a mother''s embrace but were shy and would hide themselves again if she was rushing this. Val was patient, she continued with her breathing exercise and calmed herself. It wouldn''t do if she ruined it now, she has the time afterall.

    Time flew as the particles crept closer, grew more numerous and became relaxed. She wouldn''t hurt them, It knew this and It started thrusting her. The first particle made contact with her skin, it just sat there waiting for something. More came closer and rested on her body, they started having trouble finding space for themselves.

    Valeria smiled. She had done it, finally. It trusted her and would help her, she just needed to ask¨C

    Someone walked to her cell, the sound of leather boots hitting the ground echoed through the area, growing louder as it came closer.

    They were startled and dispersed, running away and hiding again. It wouldn''t answer any questions now, Val was sure of this.

    She opened her eyes, angry and frustrated because of how close she came to her dream. She stood and leaned with her back against the wall, arms crossed and waiting to see who interrupted her.

    Edrick stopped in front of her cell and looked her in the eyes. He took the key from his belt and opened the door. ¡°I won''t detain you any longer, Valeria, but unless you want to swim through the Siluvan River by yourself you and I will have to get along on this ship.¡±

    She stared at him. ¡°What do you mean? Didn''t you want to keep me here until you knew more?¡±

    Edrick shook his head. ¡°That was the plan but the god I serve gave us an oracle. You aren''t to be hunted down or killed unless your actions make it necessary that you are disposed of. I do not know why but orders are to be followed.¡±

    He stepped aside and started walking away. Valeria was finding this suspicious but followed shortly after him. ¡°What do we do now exactly, Edrick? Just forgetting it and doing as if nothing happened until we are back on land?¡±

    Without stopping or turning around he answered. ¡°If you want me to apologize then you can forget about it. You have your memories back, you know the rules about souls and awaits the ones who mess with them. I will not apologize for something you would have done yourself.¡±

    Valeria couldn''t argue with that. She would have done the same in any normal situation, yes, but if a resurrected person was in front of her? She doubted she could just kill them regardless of what the gods expected from her.

    Edrick continued. ¡°This ship will continue following the Siluvan River until the City of Maro, the Adventurer Capital. That''s where we will go separate ways but until then you and I will have to get along. The ship wouldn''t survive a fight between two Knights.¡±

    ¡°That''s something I wanted to ask about. You identified me as a Knight but how did you do that? And was it you that healed the wounds in my hands?¡±

    He stopped and turned to her, his eyes narrowed. ¡°You still can''t remember anything about the pact? That''s strange¡­ Anyway, every Knight has a power granted by their Creator, you remember? This power has a faint trace clinging to it that you can only find if you know what it feels like and had contact with your own. Only a Knight can detect another Knight with absolute certainty, a saint might be able to if they train for it but will fail more often than not. And yes, I healed you while you were unconscious.¡±

    Valeria looked at her hands, the wounds from digging herself free were nowhere to be seen. ¡°I don''t wanna be ungrateful so thank you for doing that. So, you are also a Knight? Which one or is this some secret that we aren''t supposed to share?¡±

    He resumed walking. ¡°It isn''t really a secret but us Knights started introducing ourselves with a nickname or title the common people gave us. If you knew the exact title your god gave you, you would know why we at most tell each other only the Creator we serve.¡±

    Edrick turned around to face her. ¡°Let me introduce myself properly.¡± His left hand rested on the hilt of his rapier and his right was clenched into a fist and held in front of his chest. ¡°I''m Sir Edrick von Carlstein, Knight of Life in service of the Goddess Meltrismara and known as ¡®the Immortal Knight¡¯. Even though we had a rough start I hope we won''t be enemies anytime soon, my fellow Knight, Valeria.¡±

    Valeria was speechless for a moment. ¡°Yes¡­ I hope so too.¡± They reached the stairs to leave the inside of the ship. ¡°I also understand now why you said that Knights don''t introduce themselves with their god given title. It gives away too much about our ability, right? Wait, does that mean¡­?¡±

    Edrick nodded, his gaze turned grave. ¡°Yes, Knights are the ones who are called if the Creators deem one of us a danger to everyone else. Technically we are always a danger but only if a Knight goes too far are we hunting them and even then it most of the time isn''t a Knight from another god.¡±

    Valeria stopped for a moment, startled by this revelation. ¡®This would mean that the ones serving the same god are the most likely to kill each other¡­¡¯ The thought let a chill run down her spine. ¡°Being a Knight doesn''t sound so cool anymore.¡±

    Edrick laughed at that. ¡°You are right but it isn''t as bad as it sounds. Thank your luck that you are only a normal Knight and not a Commander because only the Knight Commanders are sent to kill another Knight.¡±

    ¡°A Knight Commander? I thought there were only four Knights?¡±

    ¡°Aye, only four Knights per Creator. Three normal ones and the last is the Commander.¡±

    They stepped outside and Valeria had to shield her eyes to not be blinded by the sunlight. The deck of the ship was full of activity, sailors running around, cleaning the deck or transporting small cargo. Some were refilling the cannons others clinging the masts to open and close the sails.

    Valeria followed Edrick as they walked around, avoiding the sailors to not disturb them.

    ¡°Knight Commanders have more responsibilities but also more strength than Knights.¡± Edrick continued his explanation. ¡°They have to keep the Knights under them in check, take on the most dangerous problems and are more closely observed by the Creators. In exchange they get all powers the other three Knights get and while normal Knights aren''t able to override a saint''s order the Knight Commanders can and will if necessary. I also forgot to mention that all Knights and Knight Commanders can hear the gods talking to them without any problems and have more clarity if they try to listen to another god.¡±

    Valeria nodded, that sounded like a reasonable trade-off for the Commanders. ¡°Wait, you said all the powers the three Knights received. I thought they all would get the same power.¡±

    Edrick shook his head. ¡°Common misunderstanding. The Creators aren''t like the other gods. They all have more responsibility and are taking care of more things than the others. That''s why each Knight gains a different power and there can never be two of the same. A Knight Commander and a Knight of Life can have the same ability but there can never be two Knights of Life at the same time. And this is something you will learn later but Knight Commanders are allowed to give us orders and those are only overwritten by the Creators themselves.¡±

    ¡°What about other Knight Commanders and Creators? Can they order the Knights of the others around?¡±

    Edrick paused to think before shaking his head. ¡°I do not know. Since I became a Knight such a situation never really happened. I think only a Creator can answer this question.¡±

    They reached the front of the ship and looked over the railing. The crystal clear water of the Siluvan River glittered in the sunlight, flocks of birds flew at the sky and called for each other. At the horizon a city made itself known, its walls rose high and protected the people from the inhabitants of the forest surrounding them to the north. A few ships were seen anchoring in the harbor.

    ¡°We will reach Maro tomorrow morning and I will accompany you until you find a place to stay and some new clothes and a weapon. Afterwards I will leave as I have something to take care of. If you want to ask anything, do it while we still have the time.¡±

    So many questions and so many answers, Valeria didn''t know where to start but she had enough time and even though it still felt strange she was honestly excited to see how all of this new life she now has will play out.

    ''The Adventurer Capital, huh? Let''s see how much things have changed since then.¡¯

 Chapter six

    [Ephemera, The Mortal Realm, City of Maro. The twentieth day of Metis, 60 years after the Rupture]

    [Valeria''s POV]

    The City of Maro, also known as the Adventurer Capital, was on the smaller scale of big cities. It has its own city walls that are built high enough to rival giants, a harbour filled with merchant ships and the headquarters of the Adventurer Guild. The city could only grow to its size thanks to the fact that it was the place the Adventurer Guild was founded and its proximity to the unnamed forest to the north, that was sometimes called ¡°a mage''s greatest nightmare¡± because of its unnatural amount of magic-resistant beasts.

    The forest was also the reason why at least a third of the city was an adventurer or had a job supporting their journeys into the woods. It was a treasure trove of herbs, beast parts and experience for everybody that wanted to learn fighting against purely physical opponents. Of course, there were some monsters with the ethereal aspect to them but they were even rarer than a spell slinging entity thriving in this place so most people just bring a small backup weapon made to harm ethereal entities with them.

    The city was thriving and lively, many adventurers and sailors came and went so it wasn''t a problem for Valeria to find a place to stay while she accepted her situation and made plans for the future.

    Edrick left her a week ago and since then she got to know the city better. He left behind enough money so she could live comfortably for a while and she was thankful for that.

    She already got a new weapon, a sword like she used before that event, some clothes and armor. She now wore boots filled with fur to keep her legs warm, leather reinforced pants, a dark iron chestplate over a brown cotton shirt and a pair of bracers with fingerless gloves.

    The money would have been enough for more but she always preferred being nimble and agile over wearing protection. If something doesn''t hit you it can''t hurt you, right? Val knew the dangers of this mindset so she promised herself to keep at least some armor in and train again.

    That''s why after one week of exploring the city and finding the best places to drink or buy snacks she was now on her way to the Adventurer Guild''s building here in Maro. No better teacher than practical experiences if you wanted to test yourself.

    With a sword in hand and a bag with basic necessities on her back, Valeria stood in front of the Adventurer Guild. The headquarters here in Maro were built entirely out of stone and took enough space for an entire district for itself. Its front wall faced the central plaza, a giant wooden sign over the doors announcing to visitors that they were in the right place. The doors were easily five meters tall, made entirely of wood but protective spells were engraved on them. A stream of people entered or left through the open doors, she could see Elves, dwarves, several beastkin and demi-humans. Valeria raised an eyebrow as she saw a draco leave the building, it was quite rare to see them outside of their home.

    Taking a deep breath, she ventured inside and was greeted by the loud laughter of several drunken adventurers. To the right of the entrance was an area that could only be called a bar and restaurant. Several tables with people sitting on them, drinking and eating food that the servers brought them. A counter was built into the wall, with seats in front of it and a man giving out drinks.

    The left side had another counter area with a group of people sitting behind and a large bulletin board with notices of ¡®quests¡¯ the adventurer could take. Some even had illustrations of monsters she never saw before. On the opposite side of the lobby was the reception and beside it the hallways leading to the rest of the building.

    Valeria stepped closer and waited in line for the reception.

    ¡°Hello, Miss, and welcome to the headquarters of the Adventurer Guild. How may I help you?¡± A friendly and soft voice greeted her. Behind the counter sat a young woman with shoulder length brown hair, probably in her early twenties and a smile on her face.

    Valeria nodded. ¡°Ah, yes, I would like to register with the guild, is that possible?¡±

    The woman looked over Valeria with an analytical gaze and pulled out a thick book and a single piece of paper. ¡°That is certainly possible, Miss. I need your name, age, race, a short description of your skills useful for an adventurer and you will have to agree to answer a few questions while under the effect of a Vow of Truth. If you do not want to share any of this you will have to give us an explanation for the reasons while under a Vow of Truth. This is to make sure you aren''t a criminal trying to hide. If you agree to these terms we can begin and should you have any questions I can answer them now or after we are done with the registration.¡±

    Valeria shook her head. ¡°The questions can wait after we''re done. Name ist Valeria Anastasia Leriscroft, 27 years old and human as far as I know. I have knowledge about herbalism and can identify commonly found herbs and their uses, have basic training as a hunter and everything their job consists of. I was part of a Rank 2 mercenary group for 14 years before working as a soldier for another three years afterwards.¡±

    The receptionist wrote everything down. ¡°Thank you very much for answering. If you could wait for a moment, I will prepare everything for the vow.¡± She stood up and disappeared through a door behind the reception. A short wait later she returned with a crystal ball in hand.

    ¡°Thank you for waiting, Miss Leriscroft. We will now go through the questionnaire so just place your hand on this artifact and we can begin.¡±

    Valeria placed her hand on the crystal ball and it began to glow with a dim light.

    ¡°The following questions are meant to check for any criminal activities and are not meant to intrude into your personal life. Should you deem the answer to a question as too personal please state that you do not want to answer this question. Do you understand this?¡±

    She nodded, her eyes never leaving the crystal ball.

    ¡°Very well. Question one: Have you ever harmed another member of your own race or of another race, that is acknowledged by the Council, through any means in a physical way for your own gain?¡±

    Valeria shook her head. ¡°Only out of self-defense or in my work as a mercenary.¡±

    The crystal glowed a pale green. ¡°I see. Question two: Were you ever detained by the law enforcement of any country or hunted down by said law enforcement?¡±

    She thought for a second. ¡°There was a time I got scolded by the guard of my hometown for stealing sweets from the bakery that I wanted to share with my ill neighbour. I also got held in prison once because another group of mercenaries framed my group for a theft of several important belongings of a noble house both groups worked for. This incident got resolved after the noble found out the truth.¡±Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    It glowed green again. ¡°Third and last question: Have you ever broken a divine law and are thus subject to persecution or were you involved in any form of heretic and blasphemic projects?¡±

    ¡°No. At least not any that I know of.¡±

    The crystal ball took longer this time before it glowed green. The receptionist smiled at her. ¡°We are now done with the questionnaire, Miss Leriscroft. If you would wait for a moment I will bring your application to our archivist and return with your id shortly after.¡±

    The woman stood up, crystal ball and the form in hand and disappeared behind the door again.

    ¡°You didn''t tell her?¡±

    Valeria sighed and leaned against the the reception. ¡®Why should I? If everything you and Edrick told me about the role of the Knights is true I wouldn''t want to draw attention to myself yet. I doubt that there is a Knight currently weaker than me and I would rather die as just another unknown adventurer instead of going down in history as the weakest Knight to ever exist.¡¯

    The voice remained quiet for a moment. ¡°An interesting reason but still better than nothing, I guess. That means you are using this as a chance to get stronger before proudly announcing it.¡±

    ¡®Correct. I would rather have the strength to make sure people pay me the respect that comes with the role. It wouldn''t do you, me or the other Knights any good if their name gets dragged through the mud. Even though I still have counts about all of this.¡¯

    ¡°It is good that you have your doubts, Valeria. Always doubt the knowledge you think you have and never assume you know everything there is about something. The world has a cruel taste of humor and will do its best to make you a joke for its own amusement. They are part of the reason why I chose you as my Knight afterall.¡±

    She didn''t know why but somehow she got the impression the voice was smiling at her. It was at this Moment that the receptionist returned.

    ¡°Now then, Miss Leriscroft, here is your adventurer id.¡± Valeria received a small metal plate with her name, her adventurer rank and the place where she registered written on it. ¡°I welcome you now in the ranks of adventurer, congratulations. Would you like to receive an explanation about the rules and ranks or do you have any questions you would like to ask?¡±

    Val used the chain on her id card to wear it like a necklace. ¡°There is an explanation? I would like to listen to that and I never heard or saw someone do the Vow of Truth like this. Is that new?¡±

    The receptionist smiled. ¡°To answer the questions first: there is a basic explanation for everything the adventurer needs to know about the guild and how it operates. If they didn''t it could lead to problems with the payment or cause friction between them and others. We would like to avoid this. You are correct about the Vow of Truth. The crystal ball method was created and introduced because some staff members, retired adventurers and currently active ones complained about it being too formal and it wouldn''t be right for an organization that tries to remain neutral to make new recruits swear a vow. So, a few mages that specialize in crafting created this new method and we have used it since ten years ago. But that isn''t important right now. You asked for an explanation and that''s what you shall receive.¡±

    Val nodded, it made sense she didn''t know about it if it was created only ten years ago. Maybe she should spend some more time reading about everything she missed.

    ¡°Adventurer ranks are just like mercenary ranks split into nine different levels. Instead of using just the number for their ranks like the mercenaries, calling them stars like mages, the letters knights use or even the metal ranks of blacksmiths, the Adventurer Guild decided to use gems and minerals. Those nine ranks are split apart in three groups which earned themselves ¡°the colour code¡±. From the weakest to strongest we begin with the ¡°Red¡± group starting with amberstones or just amber for short, topaz, ruby. Then comes the ¡°Blue¡± group consisting of obsidian, amethyst and sapphire and finishing with the last and thus the strongest is the ¡°Green¡± group with the ranks of jade, emerald and diamonds. Because you just registered you are an amberstone ranked adventurer.¡±

    Val was deep in thoughts for a moment. ¡°It sounds more interesting than the other methods I will give it that. Are the ranks between the different groups interchangeable? Could a Rank 2 mercenary start taking on quests for a topaz ranked adventurer?¡±

    The woman smiled a bit more sincerely at that. ¡°Technically, yes. Even though each group has different criteria for advancement in their own ranks it was decided that it would be easier to bring them closer together. So a rank 2 mercenary can take on topaz coloured quests, research a two-star topic in the mage tower and can fight a E-rank threat. If they prove they have the necessary expertise in this field they could even take on requests for ¡°Cold Steel¡±-graded blacksmiths if they wanted to without having to register with the Blacksmiths Guild but people tend to trust smiths more if they are registered there.¡±

    ¡°That is¡­¡± Valeria was baffled. Why would you need so many different rankings?

    The receptionist shook her head and sighed. ¡°Too much, right? It''s also causing so much paperwork for everything but those rankings are older than some kingdoms so it became more of a tradition to just keep them. Also, it gets worse, there are subdivisions and unnamed ranks. For example, a group of goblins can be ranked differently based on what they are made of. Just a group of five boring goblins? That''s an amberstone threat for an individual. A group of four goblin berserkers and a goblin shaman? Here you are stepping into a mid topaz group threat, if not high topaz. There are the subdivisions of low, middle and high for each rank as well as the individual, group, raid, army, crusade and Knight level threats-¡±

    Valeria raised an eyebrow at that piece of information. ¡®They have their own threat level?¡¯

    ¡°-and anything that would be Knight level, or the rare case where something was above even that, is not something any group is equipped to handle so we can do anything about the ¡°unnamed¡± ranks anyways. Is there anything else you would want to know?¡±

    Val blinked, trying to absorb all this new information first. ¡°You haven''t talked about the rules of the Guild itself yet, miss.¡±

    The receptionist raised both eyebrows at that, clearly surprised. ¡°Oh my, oh my¡­ I lost myself in the rank explanation again. First of all, you can call me Eri if you want, Miss Leriscroft. Second of all, the Guild rules, yes, they are just as important. An adventurer¡¯s job is to take care of problems the people have in return for a reward, most of the time in the form of money. Those ¡°quests¡± as we call them are taken in by the Guild, verified to make sure the information is correct and then given a danger rating based on the information we have. Accepting quests posted on a board in the Guild means we, the Guild, will make sure your reward is being given to you should you successfully solve a quest and bring us proof of having done so. The Guild requests in exchange that no adventurer attacks another adventurer unless in self defense or If they have definite proof of them breaking any form of law or are branded a heretic. Should an adventurer fail to solve a quest or take too long they will receive a punishment for breaking the trust the people have in us. Should they be able to prove the Adventurer Guild or the client was at fault for their failure the Guild will make sure to compensate their employee, also the adventurer, or get compensation from the client for endangering their people. If you satisfy the conditions the Guild will also raise your rank and thus allow you to take on more dangerous jobs. We can also help connect you with alchemists, blacksmiths and other services you might require or help in finding temporary teammates for a quest. Adventurers aren''t forbidden from taking on quests from a client without the Guild in between the parties but they will have to face the consequences of such a decision on their own.¡±

    ¡°I see. The Guild probably takes some money from the commissions done through them to support itself but that is an acceptable trade off for the services it provides. Thank you very much, Eri and have a good day.¡±

    A few minutes later Valeria stepped out of the Guild again with a quest notice in her hand. ¡®Culling the goblin population in the forest. Should be easy enough and perfect training to see how bad I am right now.¡¯ With a smile on her lips she made her way to the north gate. It was time to stretch her limps a bit.

 Chapter seven

    [Ephemera, The Mortal Realm, the forest to the north of Maro. The twentieth day of Metis, 60 years after the Rupture]

    ¡®Would you tell me more about my ability or your name?¡¯ Valeria was currently following a trail she found in the woods. Broken twigs, mud on the trees that shouldn''t be there and the faint outlines of footprints on the ground. Goblins were smart, at least somewhat, but this one didn''t erase his traces.

    ¡°We both know that you have at least a guess regarding your ability and who I am. I don''t think that''s necessary.¡±

    ¡®You are right about that. Having ropes and chains that bind me miraculously fail at their one job isn''t something you could explain with luck. The first time is luck, the second a coincidence but the third is a pattern and that means something else is happening. And guessing your identity isn''t difficult if your spies are so friendly with me.¡¯

    A raven landed on a tree next to her, looking at her with curiosity and way too much intelligence in its eyes. Val stood up and fed it some bread. ¡®That¡¯s what I''m talking about! They are too nice.¡¯

    Silence was its answer as the raven started eating out of her hands before flying on her shoulder and resting there. Val gently caressed its feathers before resuming her hunt.

    ¡°Telling you right now is not helping you for what is about to happen. I can tell you more about how everything works and the things most Knights wouldn''t learn about if you want but concentrate for now. They are closer than you thought.¡±

    She wondered what he meant as she suddenly heard it. It was faint but if she concentrated on the sounds they became more clear. The pitiful attempt of language goblins developed and used to communicate.

    Val crouched low and slowly made her way in the direction she heard them from. There she saw them. Three small beings, the size of tall children, with green skin and mud covering parts of their body. They all held large sticks or rocks in their hands and were chattering amongst them, none of them saw her yet.

    Hiding behind a tree, Val slowly pulled out her sword and surveyed the area. If she was careful and didn''t run into a tree she should be able to do this easily. The raven on her shoulder stretched a wing as if pointing somewhere and Val saw a half buried log. She could trip over the log and lose her balance if she wasn¡¯t careful. Good thing she knew about it now. ¡°Thank you,¡± she whispered to the raven.

    Taking a deep breath Val gripped her sword with both hands and rushed out of cover, closing the distance between her and the goblins. She swung down, her blade cut into the shoulder of the nearest goblin and buried itself in its chest.

    The others perplexed, surprised even by her ambush, but they collected themselves again and the second goblin attacked her with his stick. She stepped back, letting the swing pass harmlessly in front of her before kicking the goblin with her knee and pushing him away. Throwing her head to the side, she avoided the stone thrown at her and saw the third goblin rushing at her.

    She stood, sword in hand and let him come closer before thrusting forward and impaling the goblin on her sword. Letting the corpse fall from her blade she walked over to the last goblin that had trouble orienting itself, stepped on its back to hold it in place and pierced its heart with her sword.

    With one last swing she got rid of the blood in her sword and sheathed it again before pulling out a knife and cutting up an ear from each goblin as proof for the guild.

    ¡®The effect of the dissonanz stopped at least. Feeling disconnected from my body wasn''t pleasant the last few days.¡¯

    ¡°It is afterall the aftermath of your soul and body being reunited after they spent time apart. It gets worse the more time spent apart and the greater the difference in how the time was spent. It looks like gaining an aura spark helped.¡±

    Val stood up and put the knife and the goblin ears away. ¡®I¡¯m just happy I could get one. I was always told it was difficult to gain anything, be it aura or mana.¡¯ She laid a hand on her chest around the area where she could feel the spark inside of her. It was weak and not very useful right now but it had the potential for more. Val would use the time she has to make sure the spark gets nurtured and grows alongside her.

    ¡°They were right. Essence doesn''t listen just because you want it to and trying to turn Essence into mana, aura or the mystic energy of the east is one of the greatest achievements humanity has ever done. The fact that you all found out how to do this showed us gods that even if we weren''t here you would still find ways to take care of yourselves.¡±

    ¡®You sound like you are proud of us.¡¯ The raven on her shoulder flew in front of Val, guiding her through the woods.

    ¡°That is because I am proud to see how the beings of this world develop. I''m also proud of even the tiniest achievement one of my Knights did, so congrats for gaining a spark. It will make it easier in the long run.¡±

    A smile crawled onto her face. Val giggled happily like a child being praised by her parents. The raven pulled her attention to it as it landed on the ground. It found a herb she could harvest and they resumed their search for more goblins.

    ¡®There is something I wondered about. Can a Knight gain multiple abilities or grow the strength of the one they already have? It sounds strange for them to be as strong otherwise.¡¯ Silence answered her, did she ask a useless question or was it knowledge she wasn''t allowed to have?

    ¡°...Your ability can grow in strength and the answer to having multiple is a yes and no. Both are dependent on how you are granted them in the first place. The Creators aren''t just giving you a power that''s derived from the concepts we control. We give you an actual piece of our divine authority, how ever small this piece may be. This way we do not decide what ability you gain but rather which concept they are based on. Edrick for example is the Knight of Life which means all his abilities are centered around healing himself and others mostly. That''s also why he earned his nickname. Your abilities grow in strength and number through no other way than having you understand more of what your concept actually is. It has a ¡®failsafe¡¯ though which in this case is that someone with a higher understanding and control over the same concept as you can prevent you from gaining a deeper understanding. Don''t ask for how exactly it works, just know that only a divine being can do so.¡±

    ¡®That would mean someone who misunderstood his concept wouldn''t be able to grow past a certain point, right? How deep of an understanding do the Knight Commanders have then? What else would make them so strong?¡¯

    ¡°A variety of factors contribute to their strength but yes, Commanders have a deep understanding of their concepts. They also have it more difficult than you because they have three instead of one and the only advantage they have is that they are older and more experienced.¡± You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    Before Val could ask another question the raven started to frantically fly in circles around her, trying to get her attention. The moment it did it flew away and Val understood that as her cue to follow after it.

    She ran through the forest, evading trees and jumping over roots and stones. She could somewhat keep up with the raven even while trying her best to stay as silent as possible.

    A scream echoed through the woods, the triumphant roars of goblins followed. It left a cold shiver run down her spine. Jumping over another dead tree she rolled on the ground and took a stone in her hand. She could hear them now, they were close.

    In front of her was a clearing. Six goblins stood there, all equipped with stick and stones, one even had a rusty knife. Through the gaps between the goblins Val saw a young girl. She was frightened, blood running down the side of her head and dripping onto the basket she held close.

    Val''s eyes narrowed as she saw this, some unpleasant memories making themselves known. ¡®First priority, get their attention.¡¯ She took aim, gripping the stone in her hand tightly and threw it with full strength against one of the goblins. He got knocked out cold while the others stared at their friend.

    Val capitalized on this moment, unsheathing her sword and rushing towards the second and missing it as it reacted just in time to dodge. Using her moment she stopped in front of the girl and faced the remaining five. They growled and roared, pointing their sticks at her before attacking.

    Valeria sidestepped the first, blocked the second and countered the third with a punch to their chin. A spike of pain radiated from her side as the fourth struck her with his stick. Goblins were small but you shouldn''t underestimate them. A monster''s physique never mirrored their physical capabilities.

    Gritting her teeth she jumped backwards to avoid the knife wielding goblin. It looked at her, smirking and the others laughed. Val jumped right back in, piercing the heart of one goblin with her sword and retreating as the others tried to attack her all at the same time.

    A deep breath to calm herself, gripping the sword handle tight and she blocked another strike. Her hand snapped forward, holding the goblin by his throat and throwing it towards the next. She followed with a diagonal upward strike, cutting the goblin across his chest. The knife wielding goblin snarled, throwing a stone and sprinting towards her. The two of them exchanged blows, blocking and evading each other.

    One goblin bit into her ankle, preventing her from evading the knife. It dug deep into her leg and Val suppressed a scream. Stomping on the goblin¡¯s head, killing it she turned towards the knife wieder. It grinned at her, kicking the blood from its blade. They stared at each other, waiting for the next moment to strike but the goblin was less patient and rushed towards Valeria.

    She parried the knife, used her pommel to strike against his throat and cut his head off.

    Val paused, looking around for more of them or if any were still alive. ¡®All dead, good.¡¯ Sheathing her sword, she turned towards the girl, checking her for any injuries.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± The girl just nodded, tears streaking down her face. She clutched the basket close to her chest. This close, Val was able to see that the basket was filled with herbs. On a closer look, the girl looked slightly malnourished.

    Valeria shook her head, another young child searching for herbs to earn some money. ¡®That was one thing that would never change, huh?¡¯

    ¡°Let''s get you back to the city.¡± Val stood up and helped the girl. As they made their way out of the clearing Val turned back to look at the goblins. There was something strange about the knife wielding one. It felt smarter, stronger and more skilled than the others.

    She counted only five corpses! Where was the last one? She looked around frantically, searching with her eyes. The raven, helpful like always, drew her attention to something in the air. Dark blue particles of some kind rose into the air and disappeared. If she remembered correctly that was the place where its corpse was meant to be.

    A soft, quiet voice called for her. ¡°Miss, is everything alright?¡±

    Val returned her gaze to the child. It stood next to her, looking at her with some lingering fear in her eyes, shaking a bit.

    One last look over the clearing and she shook her head. ¡°It''s nothing, kid. Let''s get you home so we both can eat something delicious.¡± Val couldn''t shake off the feeling that something was wrong. She would have to consult with someone more knowledgeable to be sure. She really hoped she saw wrong.

    <hr>

    [Ephemera, The Mortal Realm, City of Maro. The twentieth day of Metis, 60 years after the Rupture]

    The evening sun bathed the city in a golden glow. Lanterns were lit in the street to help fight against the encroaching darkness that came with the night.

    Val and the girl went to a healer first to ensure the kid wouldn''t have any problems and Val even bought her some food they enjoyed together. Val herself only has a bandage around the wound, it wouldn''t do to pay a healer for every small inconvenience in her mind.

    Her mind was occupied with the events in the clearing, the dark blue particles causing her to worry. ¡®Why do you have to be silent right now, Paradox¡­¡¯ Her Creator didn''t answer, remaining silent since their talk in the forest. It frustrated her to be unable to talk with him. He was more knowledgeable than her, he would know if it was what she thought it was.

    Having no contact with him right now didn''t stop her, she already had a plan b in mind. She entered the lobby of Adventurer Guild. She wanted to look through their library even if it costs her some money. It was just an added bonus that she could turn in her quest.

    ¡°Hello, Eri, I''m here to make my report.¡± Val placed a bag with the gathered proof on the table.

    Eri, the receptionist, smiled at her. ¡°Good evening, Miss Leriscroft. A successful hunt, I assume?¡± She took the bag and began counting. ¡°A total of nineteen kills, correct? That would reward you with 2 silver and 66 copper coins.¡± Val took the money and put it into her bag.

    ¡°Is there a library here that us adventurers can use? I would like to read more about some monsters and herbs.¡±

    Eri nodded. ¡°There is. Just down the hallway, you won''t miss it. But I do have to tell you that because of your rank as an amberstone you are restricted to the first level of knowledge. You will understand what I mean with this in the library. I hope you find what you are looking for.¡±

    Val nodded and waved her goodbye before walking down the hallway. At the other end was a double door leading into the library. It was filled with rows upon rows of bookshelves, each filled to the brim with books. Some looked older than others and some were more carefully handled by the visitors but it was an impressive sight. The giant ground-to-ceiling windows let in enough light over the day but now magic powered lamps were taking over.

    She also understood now what Eri meant as each shelf had a number painted on it and Val was physically unable to pull out a book from any shelf that didn''t have a ¡°one¡± painted on it.

    Walking between the shelfs she started looking around for a book that has what she is looking for. [Bestiary 101: how to differentiate a beast and a monster], [An introduction into mana and spells for beginners], [Know your world! A book about the geography of Ephemera], [A sword masters'' teachings: why the sword is the best weapon],...

    ''I know you are here, show yourself already. And who is even making up all these stupid names?! I don''t wanna read something titled [How to seduce your way to greatness. A beginners guide for every aspiring bard], that sounds like a con-artist trying to make money¡­¡¯

    Her search wasn''t bringing any results. Most of the books were focused on ways to increase the capabilities of adventurer or their overall knowledge for their quests and the few books she did find that were talking about the subject like [History altering consequences: A list of events that changed our world forever] didn''t have the information she needed.

    Frustrated, she left the library and returned to the inn she was staying at. After a short meal she laid down to rest for the night. ''Paradox, if you hear me, we need to talk.¡¯

    And for the first time since many years, Valeria prayed to a god.

 Chapter eight

    [Ephemera, The Mortal Realm, the City of Maro. The twenty-first day of Metis, 60 years after the Rupture]

    Valeria woke up, drenched in sweat and gasping for air. She just laid there, taking deep breaths and calming herself down while staring at the ceiling. It took a bit of time before she sat up and looked at her trembling hands.

    ''I thought I was already over it¡­ Looks Like I was wrong.¡¯

    She clenched her fists, frustrated and alone.

    ''I can''t believe I prayed again¡­ Am I this desperate?¡¯

    Something knocked against her window. It was the little raven from yesterday. After she opened the window the raven jumped onto the bed and snuggled against her. Valeria was surprised for a moment before she started petting it with a small smile.

    ''Paradox didn''t answer, just like they always did¡­ I shouldn''t count on his help for this. This time I can do it myself¡­ No, I will do it myself.¡¯

    With her courage gathered Valeria got ready to travel to the forest again. If she wanted to make sure it wasn''t a hallucination she would need more evidence.

    <hr>

    [Ephemera, The Divine Realm, The Ten Domains, Paradox'' Domain. The twentieth day of Metis, 60 years after the Rupture]

    Just like the name tells you the Divine Realm is the home for every divine being belonging to Ephemera. Be it the Ten Creators, the gods, Ascended Ones or the Children of the Divine and the servants born in this place.

    The Central, the main part of the Divine Realm and its center, is the place where most of those beings live. It houses the Hall of Creation, the Hall of Ascension, the Aether''s Origin and the living areas for every being that has to remain in the Central or was being born here as well as the new gods that came to be.

    This area is also the place that is connected to the Ten Domains, the living quarters of the Ten Creators and the place from which they influence Ephemera with their Concepts and Aspects of Reality. Unless it is a decision that influences and/or changes Ephemera as a whole too much every Creator will remain in their Domain for their activities. The only ones that are allowed entry into such a place are the owners and the servants or subordinates. For example, the god of storms is a subordinate to the Goddess of the Sky which allows him to enter her Domain as she controls the part of Ephemera he needs for him to be able to influence the Mortal Realm.

    But I am explaining too much again. We are here because of Paradox and not because you want even more worldbuilding right now.

    Paradox'' Domain is the most desolate, sad and depressing place you could find in both the Mortal and Divine Realm. The entire ground is gray, dry and broken apart. Magma spills forth from underground and creates rivers of molten stone to flow through the landscape. Fire and smoke bursts out from the cracks, turning the ground into a giant minefield where one wrong step either burns off your foot or causes you to die because you inhaled parts of the poisonous smoke and suffocated.

    Every piece of vegetation that ¡°survived¡± everything thrown at it is dead and remains as broken guardians, watching this place as it falls even deeper into the abyss. But somehow, against all odds, those trees still bore fruit. Several of them were hanging on the dead branches and twigs, looking completely fine as if the hellscape around them was just an illusion.

    Lightning flashed above, thunder rumbled and the storm clouds let heavy rainfall onto the ground. The water, an ashen grey mixed with blood red, fell and evaporated as it touched the ground, a bundle of grass growing where it disappeared before it too catched on fire and turned into ash again.

    Cutting through the air was a river made out of silvery blue water, untouched by everything surroundings it. If looked closely you could make out shapes inside the water resembling the forms of human bodies. Painful howls, heart-shattering wails and tear-bringing screams of desperation were echoing through this place, all coming from the obscured faces inside the river.

    This Domain was truly bizarre and if the gods knew what it looked like they would be happy that they could never set foot inside this place.

    Paradox currently stood underneath the strangest tree in this place. It was completely made out of a dark violet crystalline material, the fruits hanging from it were a deep blood red and in the form of a heart. You could see veins running through the tree, pulsing in tune with a heartbeat while a light blue liquid ran through them.

    Behind the tree stood a tall mountain, jagged boulders piercing from it in all directions and a giant fissure ran down the middle, splitting it in half and leaving behind a gaping hole with seemingly no bottom. Just the dark emptiness of the void gazing back.

    Paradox stood there alone, the Domain devoid of any other being. The goddess of the afterlife/reincarnation and the god of necromancy were currently in the Central, avoiding his Domain as he ordered them to. His colourless silhouette cracked, tears running along its surface and deep underneath. The Aura of Dread and Despair around him wavered and fluctuated, its strength rising and falling and the black mist following in his steps was losing colour, turning slowly white before returning to black again, each time taking longer.

    He stood there in silence, listening to the symphonie of disharmonious noises his Domain created. A small whisper reached his ears, a prayer directed towards him. It was Valeria, asking for his help.

    The Creator ignored it. ¡°This is something you will have to solve alone, my Knight. Just one of many things that you will have to take care of without me.¡±

    A presence made itself known, someone was coming to his Domain, asking for entry. Only the Creators and their servants knew of this, only they would ask for entry into a Domain that isn''t theirs. This one was but a servant sent to him so he ignored them just like he did the last 50 years. The servant seemed more persistent than others, they still stood there and waited in front of his Domain. Paradox sighed before using his Authority to scare him away, the message clear for everyone who was too close to the pathway from the Central to his Domain.

    The servant left and Paradox returned to just standing there, gazing at the tree.

    Another presence came closer. He was ready to use more force this time but he stopped. That wasn''t the presence of a servant. With a resigned sigh he allowed them entry and made his way over to where they would enter this place.

    The air rippled as if being distorted by the heat, the ground shook and as suddenly as both started they stopped. In their place was an archway, made from polished stone with golden cracks running along its surface. Stepping through was the white golden silhouette of Meltrismara.

    They both stood in front of each other, nobody saying anything as the archway closed its doors again and locking the entrance.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    ¡°Was it really necessary that I had to hear from my Knight about a new Knight in the middle of nowhere before you talked about me again? Was it truly necessary that it was the first sign of you doing well enough that we could talk again and I don''t need to worry about you anymore?¡±

    Paradox didn''t say anything, just stood there and looked her in the eyes. She waited for him to answer, their staring contest continued for several hours.

    Her patience was thin, her eyebrow twitched and she crossed her arms, staring at him while he remained silent.

    ¡°Answer me already, Paradox!¡± Meltrismara demanded, her eyes glowed and the area around them flooded with her powers, causing plants to grow everywhere and her Authority pressing onto Paradox.

    He narrowed his eyes and the Domain began to counter Meltrismara''s outburst. ¡°Why do you even assume that it was my Knight?¡±

    Meltrismara scoffed at that. ¡°Please, we both know that it could only have been yours. Every Knight the others create is coming into contact with their church and followers to help the Knights accept their new role and the weight they now carry while they acclimate to their powers. Everyone does this. In the worst case they just instantly teleport them into a temple of theirs so the Knights have a safe space. All of us except you¡­ because you don''t have any followers or temples remaining. A Knight appearing in the middle of nowhere, in that place no less, and waking up 50 years after her supposed death? No one except yourself could have been responsible for this, you made sure of that long ago.¡±

    Paradox nodded. ¡°Very sound reasoning, I applaud you for that. You are right, she is my Knight¡­ But-¡± He stopped and unleashed his own Authority, suppressing Meltrismara''s in a matter of seconds, almost forcing her to a knee. ¡°-who do you think you are, Meltris? You can''t wander in my Domain and demand answers from me while commanding me around. You thought you could do so because I still suffer the consequences, right?¡±

    He stepped closer, his powers intensifying and concentrating on her. The tears and cracks on his silhouette glowed with a cold light, raw power leaking from them. He stood in front of her, looking down on her as she struggled to remain standing.

    ¡°Never forget that you are only the leader of the Creators because I allowed you to as I didn''t want to deal with all of this crap coming with that position. I''m still stronger than you and even this tiny handicap will not help you in a fight, especially not in my own Domain.¡±

    He stepped back, his Authority and powers calming down and returning to him again. ¡°I think we have said everything that was needed. It''s time for you to leave.¡±

    ¡°Wait!¡±

    He looked at her, silently staring as if asking what she wanted.

    ¡°Before I go, just tell me why you ignored us. You remained silent for the last 50 years and I still don''t know why you did that on that day. I want to know at least why.¡±

    Paradox clenched his fists, his eyes burned bright with anger and the entire Domain shook, reaching to his emotions.

    ¡°You want to know why I ignored you? Because you are all idiots, Meltris, that''s why. You were acting like conceited children that couldn''t care less about the consequences and just did what you wanted right then and there. You are the Goddess of Order! You should care more about the rules than I do, should ensure everyone follows them but you were the first to break them! And stop playing dumb. You should have felt it. The overload caused by your last blessing created the most dangerous event since the Age of Myth and you know it! The Concepts of Life and Death started shivering, the scale holding them balanced was breaking apart because Ephemera itself realized what that explosion would have done if I didn''t intervene!¡±

    He took a deep breath, calming himself down. ¡°You should take your role more seriously, Meltris. We both are the oldest of the Creators, we have a responsibility towards our younger siblings¡­ Now, be gone. I want to be left alone.¡±

    With a flick of his wrist the archway opened behind Meltrismara and a sudden rush of energy pushed her through it before the archway disappeared and denied her entrance to his Domain again. The remaining evidence of her outburst already disappearing as Paradox'' Domain devoured the Life it so vehemently abhors.

    Paradox stood there for a moment before a sigh escaped him and he turned around, walking back towards the tree. The mist suddenly gathered in front of him, frost building up and creating a big flat mirroring surface through which he saw Valeria entering the forest.

    ¡°I will not help but the ravens will watch over you. May luck be on your side, Valeria, you will need it for what''s about to happen.¡±

    <hr>

    [Ephemera, The Mortal Realm, the forest north of the City of Maro. The twenty-first day of Metis, 60 years after the Rupture]

    Valeria decided that it would be useless to spend time in the Adventurer Guild for another quest. She still had some of the money given to her by Edrick and if she was careful enough with spending it she could survive for several weeks, maybe even a few months. All thanks to her mercenary days and the skills she learned from the others. She wasn''t proud to have such a skill, especially considering how she even gained it. That wasn''t a time she liked to think about.

    Anyway, Valeria was currently wandering through the forest on her way to the clearing where she found the girl yesterday. The raven was accompanying her again and both were observing their surroundings.

    The clearing was empty, the corpses mostly eaten and blood soaked parts of the ground. Footprints from wolves and boars ran over the ground like the strokes of a child over a blank canvas.

    ¡°Of course¡­ Why did I even hope for a trace?¡± murmured Valeria to herself. Her gaze wandered over the area. Nothing hinting at the existence of the dark blue particles or the corpse of the knife wielding goblin she fought.

    She shook her head and looked at the raven sitting on her shoulder. ¡°Looks like we will be here for a while, little one. What do you think, ready for a day in the woods?¡±

    The raven looked at her and turned its head sideways before flying in the air, scouting the area from above. Val roamed around the clearing for a moment before going walking deeper into the forest.

    She didn''t just venture deeper mindlessly. The clearing where she encountered the phenomenon was in the deeper parts of the outskirts of the forest. As she didn''t hear anything about it in the Adventurer Guild that would mean that nobody encountered it yet. Using this logic she came to the conclusion that it was deeper inside, hidden away in the areas where less adventurers and civilians were.

    That''s why Valeria spent the next hours navigating this maze of trees, killing goblins whenever she could take them on and keeping her eyes open for hints or even the tiniest trace that would lead her to it.

    If she didn''t find anything today or the next few days it would mean she worried for nothing. Her time wouldn''t have been wasted because she made sure that it wasn''t a new one but a remnant of an old one. That would be the best outcome¡­ for her, the city and everybody living there.

    The raven flying over her head got her attention. The sun was setting and she wouldn''t have the light of day for much longer but she was too deep inside to return before the night. She luckily came prepared for such a situation and began gathering firewood. As it got dark Valeria sat in front of a small campfire, a tent behind her and she ate some dried meat she bought the day before. Her animal companion sat next to her, enjoying some food too.

    Stars littered the sky and the night took over, nocturnal animals waking from their slumber and made themselves known.

    While listening to the sounds of the wildlife a growl came from the bushes on the other side of the fire. Slowly something walked out from it, growling and snarling at her.

    First were the front paws, like those of wolves just coloured a sickly green. The snout came next, sniffing the air and its fangs were shown while it growled at her. It''s eyes a bright yellow locked onto her, watching, assessing if she was easy prey. Then came the body. Its fur was a mix of silver with the same sickly green from her paws. It was tall, its back reaching up to her rips, the hind legs powerful and ready to jump at her. The tail stayed still and glistened in the light of the fire.

    Ignoring the green colours of its fur and it would look like an ordinary dire wolf, a beast commonly found among wolf groups. But it wasn''t normal at all. Out of its back grew the upper body of a goblin, as if they were fused together. The goblin part had three arms, one growing out of its shoulder blade, its eyes were the same yellow as the wolf''s and there was a hint of intelligence in them. It held a crude spear in its hands and licked its lips looking at her.

    Val stood there, her sword drawn and ready to fight this abomination. Her hands were shaking a little but she ignored it. She had more pressing concerns right now.

    She was right¡­ There is a Rift in this forest.