Xerxes dragged his eyelids open. He sucked in a sharp breath, the sound catching in his throat, and a low groan escaped his lips before he could stop.
The taste of iron clung to his tongue, and that seemed to trigger his other senses. The two that gnawed at him were confusion and unyielding pain.
A hoarse cough tore from his throat as he began regurgitating. Something was lodged within his throat, and it soon came out. A puddle of thick black bile erupted from his mouth, dropping on the muddy floor next to him.
The pain in his body was excruciating, but people were creatures of habit, and for Xerxes, his habit was assuring the well-being of his loved ones. He held his head and asked aloud, "What happened? Aya, where are you?" Despite the harrowing situation he was in, he never turned his back on those he cared for.
Turning his head left and right, he tried to search for her, "Where are you, Aya?" he called through blood-stained lips. However, no one was there. There was absolutely nothing.
The only setting he was presented with was the large expanse of trees that were terrifyingly tangled and twisted together. There was an eerie fog that rested low to the ground, wrapping around the trees as if he were in a cemetery.
Additionally, Xerxes couldn't decipher between the fact of being mauled by a beast, or the setting he was in, but there was something that caused a daunting atmospheric pressure to weigh him down relentlessly, almost as if there was more gravity.
But that was only the start to an array of strange things.
Not only was the world around him different in sensation and pressure, but his physical body felt different. Xerxes looked left, and he was in utter disbelief, "My arm..." His arm was actually intact, but he could have sworn it was destroyed by the mana beast. Was he mistaken? Was everything around him a hallucination? He couldn't tell.
Xerxes raised his hand as if it were alien and observed from the point of severance down to his fingertips, his arm was fully restored. "How? How could this happen?"
Flashes of memories from the battle quickly surged. His skin was melting from the unforgiving fire, the cuts upon his body were tearing his flesh apart, and all the damage he had taken. Frantically, Xerxes began to pat his body and face. His flesh wasn't melted. He felt his skin—smooth but rinsed with dirt.
My body, he thought, with the relief it was whole. But it wasn't for his own comfort; instead, he now knew he could move, he could make his way back to them. He instantly tried to get up, but his entire body was struck with devastating pain
His face pinched in a defeated expression whilst dropping to the muddy floor, dyeing his hair brown from the dirt. It made Xerxes stop in his tracks and really rest within the rain.
Drop Drop Drop
Rain poured on him, making the cold that much more blistering. He dragged his hand through the slodgy mud and gritted his teeth.
He didn't want to give up now; he still had everything ahead of him. His dreams were meant to be achieved, his life was meant to be lived, so he needed to move. "Move, damn it. MOVE, XERXES!" he shouted, berating his debilitated state.
He crawled, digging his fingers into the ground, pulling himself through the mud.
Despite the little mobility he had, he was moving and that was better than staying idle. Even if there was no goal in sight.
Then Xerxes was struck with a droplet of luck, with more consciousness returning to him by the second, he wasn't as dazed as he had been. The streaming and bubbling of a lake was becoming more audible, and that caused the word 'water' to repeat in his head. That was right, he needed something to quench his thirst, something to bring him to his senses, so he used his power to get to the water.
The crashing of water against rocks became louder and louder. He was going in the right direction, which was a relief. Eventually, his eyes caught the lake. He cupped his hands and slurped some of the water, splashing the cold refreshment over his face.
His eyes met his reflection in the water. His normal teal eyes were different. One eye—his left—had changed colour. It was scarred with a magenta and violet light that swarmed within his iris. A draconic-like slit was within his pupil, and purple runic markings scored beneath his eye.
What had happened to him was as ambiguous as the place he was in. With no direction and no plan, he was at a loss. He rubbed his eyes, making sure what he was seeing was real, and once he reopened them, he saw his normal almond-shaped teal eyes, with no runic marking.
A loud screech then broke his confusion, ripping through the forest and making Xerxes look back.
"huh"
He looked as far as he could, and what he saw were trees ruffling as if they were being swayed. Xerxes couldn't tell if this was a sign to stay and see if someone knew where he was or if he had to run.
His answer came fast, as the chilling feeling of death swarmed his body, a precognitive instinct ingrained into him from his previous battle.
Peering through the trees—yet to notice Xerxes—were two beasts. Mana beasts, to be exact, similar in appearance and power to the one that had killed him. His sadness soon turned into panic. He knew he was powerless, despite not wanting to admit it. He wasn't in a state to take out one, let alone two.
I need to hide, he thought. He needed to go where the monsters couldn't see or sense him. He looked around in desperation, not knowing where to go—if going left would kill him or if going right would save him. He was too unsure, and that fear made him stall like a statue.
"Go up the lake. They can't hurt you there."
A voice spoke, but Xerxes couldn't tell if it was out loud or just in his head. He had no choice but to use this as his lifeline. He didn't want to find out what the beasts would do if they cornered him.
Xerxes gathered the strength which was accumulated over the past few minutes. He slammed his legs to stop them from shaking and took a deep breath. He struggled to get up on his feet, but pressing through the pain, he did. He was up. He looked over his shoulder, trying to keep some form of rationality in whatever place he was in.
"I cannot help you for long. You must run, Xerxes."
My name... how does it know my name? Xerxes asked himself. But if they did know it, then they could help. Couldn't they? It was an idiotic conclusion, but Xerxes decided to bet all his odds on it. The beasts weren't too far, and he could run if he tried. But run to where, exactly?
There was a mention to go upstream, but what after?
He didn't have a plan or the answers, but if someone here had an idea about him, about his situation, he wanted to seek them out. He didn't want to be scared anymore. He wanted to be with someone—anyone. Xerxes decided he wasn't going to end here. He wanted to live. Whatever force of nature managed to bring him back from the dead must have meant something.
People don't just almost get killed only to return, do they?
Xerxes set his sights upstream, waiting for the monsters to look away. The moment they did, he ran through open land, following the river upstream. With each step, it felt as if a ball of fire magic was being surgically injected into every fibre of his muscles, but he didn't care. He wanted to go home. He wanted to see them all.
But things were never that simple for Xerxes; he couldn't have everything going the way he wanted.
He tried his best to be quiet, but without proper recuperation, he was as loud as a fleeing hare. Twigs and branches were trampled over, bushes were swayed, and large amounts of noise were made.
Then the chilly feeling once again encompassed Xerxes. "They've found me." The beasts locked eyes on their prey, craving his blood to finish him off, and like mindless dogs let off their leashes, they began running recklessly towards Xerxes, barging through trees as if they weren't there.
They were faster than Xerxes, catching up quickly, and if he didn't have anything to utilise, he would die.
"You goddamn voice in my head, help me!" His plea morphed into a desperate rage. The incline of water was coming to an end, and the beasts were less than twenty metres away. "HELP ME! DON'T LET ME DIE, YOU IDIOT! NOT LIKE THIS!"
Xerxes was moments away from the horizon, the beasts charging magic—far more dangerous than any he had ever felt. Then, he heard a voice say a single word. "Jump"
It was either jumping or being engulfed by fire. Xerxes didn't opt for the latter, and so he leapt.
Xerxes screamed as he plummeted nearly a hundred meters, crashing into the water below. The impact sent waves rippling in all directions.
Gasping, he forced himself to swim upward, using the last remnants of his strength. Disoriented beneath the water, he couldn't tell which way was up, but then he heard that voice again—damning yet strangely familiar.
"Swim to that ledge on your right and go in."
Was he safe? He didn't know. But that fall had just saved his life, so he heeded the voice's command, pushing himself forward with everything he had left. His arms ached, his body screamed in protest, but he managed to reach the rocky ledge. With a final, desperate pull, he lifted himself over the edge, collapsing onto the stone and coughing up water.
In front of him lay a cave, shrouded in darkness, yet oddly comforting. It was warm—alive, even. Xerxes forced himself to his feet, scanning his surroundings. A small, glowing object flickered in the distance, its orange hue reminiscent of a dim sun. Besides it, apple trees and blueberry bushes thrived.
Xerxes scoffed, chuckling bitterly at the absurdity of it all. Actual food.
Cautiously, he walked toward the bushes, resisting the urge to use magic to light a flame as he needed to recover. He reached the end of the cave, grabbed a handful of berries, and shoved them into his mouth. Then he picked an apple, biting into it hungrily, only to regurgitate in disgust.
The taste was putrid.
He spat it out, hurling the apple at the cave wall, cursing at his situation. "Why can't I have even a second of happiness?"
Exhausted, he slid down against the cave wall, letting the warmth of the mysterious light wash over him. As he turned his head, something caught his eye, a peculiar egg nestled in twigs. It was the glowing source of warmth he had been seeking. Its shell was covered in hexagonal patterns, inscribed with glowing runes. Faintly, the outline of a creature was visible within.
Xerxes stared at it before slowly grabbing and pressing it against his chest. The heat wasn't searing but soothing, wrapping around him like a mothers embrace. He clutched it tighter, lowering his chin onto the shell.
"Even if you are some kind of monster… I just hope you don't kill me."
His eyelids grew heavy, but he refused to loosen his grip on the egg.
He spoke to it, perhaps to feel less alone, less insane. "You know, egg, just twenty-four hours ago, if that's even how much time has passed, I thought my life was going to be amazing..."
His words began coming out through sobs, "I hate being alone like this. It's like a winter I can't shake, you know? Maybe that's why I'm losing it and talking to a warm egg." His voice wavered. "I just… I just want to go home. I want to see Aya. I miss them all so much it hurts."
Tears welled in his eyes, sliding down his face and landing on the egg. As they touched the surface, they sizzled softly.
For a while, he simply sat there, trying to process everything. But then something changed.
Every nerve in his body flared. It was as if lightning had shot through his brain. His breath caught in his throat, and his exhaustion evaporated in an instant.
A sound that was paired with the most powerful thing he had ever felt in his life threatened his every cell.
A thud at the cave's entrance.
Then another.
Xerxes tightened his hold on the egg and scrambled into the shadows, doing his best to hide its glow. He controlled his breathing, forcing himself to stay silent.
The thudding footsteps slowed, turning into something more measured. Closer.
Xerxes barely dared to breathe as he saw shadowed figures approaching. One of them tilted their head before turning—then stopped.
Then they looked directly at him.
Their eyes gleamed an unnatural azure.
Xerxes' body tensed. Blood bubbled in his throat as he raised his trembling right hand, conjuring a small ball of fire. His entire body was battered and bruised, his vision blurred with exhaustion, but still, he stood his ground.
Tears stained his face, a mixture of fear and defiance as he backed further into the corner. He would fight if he had to.
But he never could have expected what he saw next.
"Grandfather Aemon, is that an outsider?"
The voice belonged to a girl—young, doll-like in appearance, with pale skin and dark blue hair barely reaching her shoulders. She wore a leather tunic and high shorts, a bandage wrapped around her thigh. Despite looking close to his age, her presence was overwhelming—like she was something far beyond him.
But it wasn't her that terrified him.
It was the man beside her. Aemon.
He stepped forward, his white silk robes embroidered with gold lining. The mana radiating from him was immense. His left eye was a dull blue, but his right eye burned a deep azure, covered in glowing white inscriptions that Xerxes couldn't decipher. His hair was tied back, but a few loose strands framed his face.
Xerxes clenched his teeth, keeping his fire raised. "Stay back. You're monsters too, aren't you? If you were human, you'd be dead. So, you must be monsters. Where am I? What is—?"
Aemon took another step closer.
Xerxes cut himself off, raising his magic just slightly—a warning that he would attack if necessary.
Aemon gazed down at him with unsettling calm, as if this situation were entirely ordinary. Then, in a voice as smooth as still water, he asked:
"How much do you know about where you are, child? What caused you to venture this deep?
Meanwhile, in Layne…
Vanessa sat in silence, her hands clasped together, her forehead resting against them.
Master Tully worked quietly across from her, shaping a gravestone with his earthen magic. His monocle gleamed as he concentrated, carving every letter with meticulous precision.
The name on the stone: Xerxes Draedon.
For a long time, neither of them spoke.
Then Tully broke the silence. "I want you to know, Nessa… this isn't your fault." His voice was gentle, steady. "I know you. You take everything, every mistake, every success—onto your shoulders, but how could you have known? If I hadn't been late with my routine checks, I would have noticed the missing quest. I would have known they were gone sooner."
Vanessa's voice cracked. "Then what do I do, Master Tully? If I can't blame myself, I'll just start pointing fingers at everyone else." Her breathing was uneven, anger bubbling beneath the surface. "For fuck's sake, Tully, do you think I want to be mad at Aya for taking that mission? Do you think I want to be furious at you for not noticing sooner? Should I hate you for not coming faster to tell us once you confirmed they had run off?"
Her hands clenched into fists. "I can't—because I should have been there. I should have stopped them. And Dorian—he's shattered, too."
Master Tully put the gravestone down and turned to face her. His expression was pained.
"When we were running, Dorian knew it was bad," she said softly. "He might seem like the most reckless of the three, but in battle? He knows when things go wrong."
Vanessa's breath hitched as she continued.
"I had to tell him, while we ran, while we wasted precious time, that it would be okay. That Xerxes would be fine. I had to lie to keep him moving. And then—"Vanessa swallowed. "Then he was the one who found Xerxes' arm."
Vanessa's entire body tensed.
"His—"
The words died in her throat. A broken sob tore from her lips.
Guilt crushed her, suffocating her. She should have stayed. She shouldn't have left for her own mission with Dorian. She should have been faster, smarter, stronger. If only she had known sooner that Xerxes and Aya had taken a mission to the Fallen Kingdom. But she had been too busy.
With a sudden scream of frustration, she lashed out.
She slammed her hands into the table, sending books and tools flying. Tully barely managed to step back in time as she destroyed everything in reach: his workshop, his records and the gravestone.
Her son's gravestone.