Chapter 23: Void's Embrace: Ascension of the Forgotten Lands

Four days slipped away like fleeting shadows, marked by Ver's tireless efforts to tend to Timothy's wounds. The room echoed with her plea for an escape from the relentless cycle of pain.

"Why don't we go back home and continue living our lives? I don't like seeing you guys hurt like this every single day. Why don't we run to another kingdom?" Ver spoke, tears streaming down her face as she finished patching him up.

Timothy didn't respond, making Ver even more upset. She stormed out of his room. As Ver sought solace in the solitude beyond, Timothy, seated alone beneath the gentle glow of candlelight, contemplated the weight of his father's words.

"Father told me to pursue strength, Ver. That is why I keep on fighting so that I can be able to protect you and Jake when the time comes," he whispered to himself. His words lingered in the silent room as he reclined on the bed, eventually succumbing to the embrace of sleep.

Immediately after closing his eyes, Timothy found himself in a familiar place...

In the throne room, three boys were kneeling before the king with their heads lowered as the one in front spoke.

"My Lord, that is what Saint Iver sent me here to deliver," the boy in front spoke, his tone filled with nervousness.

"Did you witness it yourself?" The man on the throne asked.

"Yes, my Lord. I saw the whole sky turning red before I was summoned by Saint Iver."

'Blood spells? Children of the fallen,' the man thought to himself before dismissing the boy and his friends with a wave of his hand.

"Take them to the barracks, and tell Finn I request his presence," the king spoke.

The men bowed and quickly left with the boys. After a few minutes, Finn entered the throne room wearing his sleeping robes.

"Father, you called for me?" He bowed slightly.

"Näcîte'v city has fallen. It seems like the children of the fallen are behind it, and it happened a day after you left," the king told his son.

Finn couldn't believe his father's words, but he knew better than not trusting his father.

"But father, how can we be so sure it was the children of the fallen?"

"The boy who reported said he saw it himself, the sky turning red. We both know that their signature is blood spells."

Finn didn't say anything else as his mind was preoccupied with how he was going to break the news to the teens, but he quickly decided against it as he could foresee all of the negative possible outcomes.

"Which means the La'faurians are working with them, but what is their goal in all of this?"

"That I do not know, son. Return to your chambers; we need you fit. Oh, before I forget, tell me, how are the two boys coping in the smithing?"

"They are resilient, that is all I can say, father," Finn answered.

"Resilient is good."

With that, Finn turned around and left...

Timothy was surrounded by darkness yet again, but this time he felt a sense of happiness.

"Let there be light," Timothy spoke with a smile, and light appeared, revealing the floating stairs that led to God knows where.

This time Timothy turned around and stared into the void. He was trying to see if anything else existed in here, and to his surprise, the more he stared into the void, the more he could see. What he saw was like a horse with wings.

"Is that a horse? Wait, why is it coming her-" before he could finish speaking, the horse like creature was already jnfront of him.In a gesture of familiarity, it extended its muzzle toward Timothy, and as it licked his face, a burst of warmth spread, akin to the comforting glow of a cosmic hearth.

"Void pegasus?" Timothy inquired, and in response, Void emitted a melodious sound, resembling the celestial hum of distant galaxies.

The pegasus's form, while seemingly born from the void, held an ancient wisdom and connection to the universe. The pegasus possessed an ethereal beauty, its dark energy coalescing into a shimmering, almost cosmic mane that trailed behind like an interstellar nebula. The pegasus gave out an otherworldly aura, with eyes that mirrored the depths of the cosmos, stars flickering within them.

Void's wings, though composed of dark energy, bore a transcendent radiance. As they enveloped Timothy, the wings pulsated with a mesmerizing luminescence, casting intricate patterns of shadows and light across the surroundings. The touch of Void's wings felt both weightless and substantial, like a celestial caress

Void communicated through a dance of shifting energies, displaying memories that transcended the boundaries of time. As Timothy observed, he caught scenes of void's creation and celestial wonders, hinting at a profound connection between Void and the cosmic tapestry.The pegasus was birthed from the void , but what confused Timothy was why the pegasus was acting familiar with him?

"Born from the chaos, Let's call you void yeah? Do you like the name?" Timothy asked and the pegasus emitted a melodious sound, resembling the celestial hum of distant galaxies , seemingly liking his new name.

"Wait, wait, you're a boy, right?" Void nodded.

Void placed his hoof on Timothy's chest. As he did, a dark glow radiated from Timothy's chest encompassing both him and void , but after a while it dissipated revealing the two.

"Master, I am now bound to you. If you need me, just call my name. I'll be there," a calm and gentle voice resounded in his head. Timothy gently nodded at the pegasus before it retreated back into the void, leaving Timothy alone with his back facing the stairs.

"First, it was the chained, an enigmatic force that had seemed inconspicuous until Timothy faced the brink of death. Yet, the chained proved unresponsive, almost indifferent to the imminent danger. "I almost died, and it didn't..." Timothy trailed off, his words hanging in the air as he pondered the nature of this mysterious entity.

As he stood there, contemplating the chained, a sudden chill crept up his spine. It was not the chill of fear but a peculiar shiver, an instinctual warning that lingered in the air. The cool touch of the cosmic breeze brushed against his skin, carrying with it a subtle scent, a mix of distant stars and the unknown.

"Yeah, it's pretty useful, alright, very useful, in fact," Timothy altered his words, attempting to shake off the eerie sensation. The air around him carried a distinct taste, reminiscent of the metallic tang of stardust, and the cosmic energies pulsed with an almost rhythmic cadence.

The moment his declaration escaped his lips, an unexpected image flashed in his mind — the haunting countenance of a little girl with fangs. The details were very clear, her ethereal presence accompanied by a disturbing aura. It sent a shiver through Timothy's core, a chill that emanated from deep within.

Closing his mouth quickly, he found himself standing before the floating stairs, each step calling him further into the unknown. The invisible winds whispered secrets, and their gentle touch created a mix of slight sounds. Timothy hesitated for a moment, his senses spread out.

As he took the first step, the sensation beneath his fingertips was a slight vibration, as if the stairs themselves held untold stories deep in their ethereal structure. The ambient sounds in the void were now a mix of distant echoes, and the invisible winds played a soft melody on his skin.

After ascending on the first step, the temperature slightly changed, shifting between warm currents and cool breezes. The cosmic energies enveloped him, creating a mix of sensations — a dance between light and shadow, sound and silence. The taste of stardust lingered on the tip of his tongue, and the touch of invisible winds brushed against his face in a celestial embrace.

In this dream like journey, Timothy dived deeper into the mysteries that lay beyond the veil. The rune on the step glowed transporting Timothy to the first forgotten land , guided by the mysterious stairs and the echoes of a divine tale waiting to unfold.