The Prisma Stone

Vael's senses flickered to life, each one awakening from a deep, timeless sleep. The first thing he became aware of was a voice, ethereal and resonant, as if it were both inside his head and all around him.

"Congratulations, Vael," it said, a note of triumph lacing the words. "You have become a seedling."

A seedling? The term was foreign, an enigma that danced just beyond the reach of his understanding. "What's a seedling?" he murmured, his voice sounding distant to his own ears.

"A seedling," the voice replied, patient and all-knowing, "is the first evolution in the elemental pathing."

Before he could digest the information, a white light began to bloom in the space before him. It grew, intensified, until it coalesced into the figure of a woman so stunningly beautiful that she seemed to have stepped out of an angelic realm. Her presence was a contradiction, both otherworldly and intimately familiar, her features radiating a serene grace.

"Vael," she said, her voice a melodic harmony that struck a chord within his soul. "You've finally made it."

Confusion furrowed Vael's brow. He had never divulged his name, yet she spoke it as if it were a sacred truth long known to her.

"Perhaps it was a good idea that I saved you and Luna's soul that day," she continued, her gaze piercing through the veils of his amnesia.

At the mention of Luna, a storm of emotions erupted within Vael. His mind raced, a torrent of questions flooding him. You saved me and Luna? The words tumbled out before he could rein them in.

Flashes of memory sparked within his consciousness—a voice in the darkness, the ominous words of Yamaraj, and the blinding white light that had heralded the end of his life.

"It was you," Vael uttered, the realization dawning on him like the first light of dawn dispelling the shadows of night. It was you.

"Yes, it was me," she said, her voice a melodic whisper that seemed to dance through the air. "My name is Luminara, the God of Prism. I like you, Vael, the way you've defied the gods all these years. It's a shame your past memories are lost."

As she spoke, Luminara closed the distance between them with the grace of a falling feather. Her hand reached out, fingers ghosting over Vael's cheek with a touch lighter than a breeze. There was a warmth in her gesture, an intimacy that spoke of shared secrets and silent understandings.

Vael, rooted to the spot, could only muster silence in response until his voice finally broke through, "What do you want with me?"

A sweet chuckle escaped Luminara's lips, the sound carrying both warmth and a hint of mischief. "What I want is not important at the moment. But just know, we share a common disgust towards the gods."

She circled around him, her presence enveloping him like a cocoon. "This universe is veil, Vael," she continued, her voice taking on a harder edge. "The gods constantly fight amongst themselves, enslaving lower beings to serve them. It disgusts me."

With each revelation, Vael felt the ice of his indifference thawing, trickles of interest seeping through the cracks. This could aid him on his journey, he thought.

Interrupting her, he asked pointedly, "So, was it you that put me in this body?"

Luminara's response was a mere smirk, a curve of her lips that held secrets untold. "The power of prism is very special. There's only one race that can use it—the Elysians, which is the race I come from."

Vael felt the weight of her gaze, heavy with intent. "Vael, I'd like for us to sign a contract together," Luminara stated. But before she could finish her words, Vael interjected firmly, "I'm not interested."

Luminara's expression contorted, a mixture of disbelief and irritation creasing her otherwise flawless features. She had been so certain, so sure that Vael would leap at the opportunity to bind himself to her through a contract, especially after all she had risked for him.

Vael's voice cut through the thickening tension, his tone firm yet devoid of malice. "Thank you for what you have done for me and Luna, but I have no interest in being a pawn in your games. My goal is singular and unwavering—to rid the universe of every god if that's what it takes for Luna and me to live together in peace."

The shock that washed over Luminara's face was raw and unguarded. Vael's words echoed the very sentiments she had harbored for years, the very dream she thought no other dared to voice.

"Okay, then," Luminara spoke, her voice a blend of concession and intrigue. Without another word, she took a deliberate step back and, to Vael's astonishment, began to bow before him. "Then allow me to offer my soul and merge with you. I shall sign a contract with you, granting you ninety-nine percent ownership of my being. However, I have one condition."

Vael remained silent, a statue of anticipation, as he awaited her terms.

"You must tear apart this accursed universe," Luminara's voice was barely above a whisper, yet it carried the weight of eons. "And in its stead, create a new one."

The gravity of her request hung in the air, a silent testament to the monumental path that lay ahead.

"Reshape the universe?" Vael echoed, his skepticism painting his features. "How do you expect a mortal like me to achieve such a feat? It's impossible," he scoffed, but his disbelief did nothing to sway Luminara's serene composure.

"I know you can do it, even if you don't believe in yourself. And I'm certain Luna will always believe in you," Luminara said, her words resonating with an unwavering faith that seemed to pierce straight through Vael's armor of doubt.

Her words lingered, stirring something deep within him. After a moment of contemplative silence, Vael relented. "Okay, I'll do it."

A smile blossomed across Luminara's face at his acquiescence. "Let's get started, then," she said cheerfully, closing the distance between them. She rose to her tiptoes and planted a gentle kiss on his cheek.

In the wake of her touch, her form began to dissolve, her body turning into a radiant white light that swirled and condensed into a small orb. The orb drifted toward Vael, sinking into his skin and leaving behind a tattoo on his arm, a multicolored sphere intricately woven into his flesh.

Then, her voice materialized in his head, as clear as if she were standing right next to him. "Currently, your body is too weak to handle my powers, so I cannot grant you any abilities at the moment," Luminara explained. "However, there is a way to activate your prism element. We need to find the Prism Stone. It's located somewhere within the town of Duskmire, though I'm not entirely sure of its exact whereabouts."

Vael's voice, filled with a newfound vigor from his pact with Luminara, echoed through the cavernous space. "Okay, let's head out. Lyria and Elrik are waiting for us," he called, shouldering the bag that housed Moxy. As he approached the cave's entrance, he raised his voice, announcing his departure, "Guys, I'm finished—"

But his words faltered, his announcement crumbling into a choked gasp. The scene before him ignited a visceral inferno of rage within his chest. Elrik lay on the ground, a worrying pool of blood forming beneath him, while Lyria was caught in the merciless grip of a sable serpent, a blade perilously close to her throat. It seemed time itself had stopped, the serpent's arm tensed in preparation to deliver a fatal strike.

"Stop!" Vael's scream shattered the tense silence. The assailants paused, their attention snapping to him.

Draven, one of the sable serpents, turned with a mocking smile. "Well, well, well, the guest of honor has finally appeared." He tossed Lyria aside like a ragdoll and began to saunter towards Vael.

In response, Vael drew his blade, a futile attempt at defense. "Stay right there," he warned, his voice strained with a cocktail of fear and defiance.

Draven's laughter was chilling, echoing off the cave walls. "Foolish Elysian, you don't stand a chance. But, for the sake of time, if you come with us without a fight, I'll spare your friends." The sinister smile playing on his lips was like a harbinger of doom.

It was then that Luminara's voice resonated in his head, a whisper of reason amidst the chaos. "Don't go with him. Who knows what they'll do to you. We need to find the prism stone. That's the priority. Run away," she urged.

But her words were like distant echoes to Vael. He couldn't—wouldn't—abandon his friends. In a world that had become so alien, Lyria and Elrik were the closest thing to a lifeline he had. They had offered him kindness without knowing his true identity, and that wasn't something he could turn his back on.

"I'll come with you," Vael declared, meeting Draven's gaze with a steely resolve.

Draven's laughter, mirthless and cold, filled the air once again. "Excellent. Caelum, grab his friends. Bring them with us," he ordered, then stepped closer to Vael. "Lord Zephyrian is expecting you," he sneered before launching a punch that collided with Vael's face.

The world blurred, pain exploded across his senses, and darkness swiftly engulfed him as he slipped into unconsciousness.