Archibald "Archie" Rivers is a medical student who experiences vivid, recurrent dreams that become more intense with each passing night. Little did he know that these aren't ordinary dreams; they are windows to another world, a realm far removed from the modern comforts and scientific rigor that define Archie's waking life. On the day of his most crucial medical exam, he boarded a train that catapulted him into the very world he had visited in his dreams. He soon realised that he had gone mad by studying too much!
The room shimmered with elegance as the chandeliers glimmered, adorned with crystals of iridescent lights that reflected on the gold and bronze decor and cast a constellation of lights on the ceiling.
The wall bore murals of the battles between the four races and the dark creatures.
Athan waved his hands lightly as a swarm of what Archie thought were fireflies came and went under the dishes and utensils, and they lifted them away from the pair to continue their conversation.
The table reflects the expressions of Archie and Athan, both grim, stern, and depressing, as they recount the memories of Archie's parents' murder and the desolation of his hometown.
"As you know, your grandfather and I were members of the council of Astral. We were investigating the west of Elysium, where the human race once lived.
Now it was and is still infested with dark creatures. Among the creatures of the night were the wraiths, the ones you encountered while you tried to enter Astral.
They have been wandering around Elysium, seeking the ruins of souls.
But the souls of the Elves, Phoenixes, and Dwarves, who were blessed by the God of Light, are not easy to tempt and covet. The best souls are the ones that easily get tempted, which are humans.
So, they made a deal with dark sorcerers and the Fomorians to create a portal and link it to Middle Earth.
The day that your parents died was the day they succeeded in creating that portal.
If they had created it in the west of Elysium, we would never have been able to find out. Your grandfather and I stumbled upon the portal they had created by accident."
"How did you stumble upon it?"
"Because they created the portal at ANU, and we often patrol the former sanctuary."
"Why ANU of all places?"
"Because the village of ANU was once the residence of the gods."
Archie's eyes widen as he mutters, "Sid and his family."
"That was right. Long ago, after the battle of the God of Light and Order against the devil, there was a thousand-year period of peace.
The village of ANU was a place where the gods created their second home. The God of Light and Order brought his comrades that supported him during the war, and they enjoyed their victory by aiding the races in Elysium to establish and create a civilization here.
Among them were the wind deities that lived there almost permanently. The entire family was annihilated in one night, during the raid of the dark creatures."
"But they are gods; shouldn't they be immortal?"
"You are right, but during their stay in Elysium, some of the gods came and created their physical form to live in Elysium.
Not only that, they decided to procreate like us, with the normal races, to increase their numbers and help strengthen the population, creating mixed races.
Sid's parents, originally from the celestial heavens, came to the village of ANU and had two little deity children of the wind. "
"But why was it necessary to create a portal at the village of ANU?"
"Because that was how the celestial beings came from heaven to Elysium. The sorcerer that worked with the Fomorians and the Wraiths found the teleportation circle and had deciphered the celestial encryption to transport them to Middle Earth."
"So, why did the Wraiths target my parents?"
"Because of you."
"Once the portal was opened, your mother, Liv, sensed them and contacted your grandfather. Everything happened so quickly."
"Hold on. Why was it because of me? Something doesn't make sense.
You said I could not see my grandfather now because there was no way of teleporting myself back to earth.
How on earth did my mother manage to be here on Middle Earth and contact my grandfather from the other side?"
Athan went silent, as Archie had caught on to the gap in his explanation.
"Well, son, I was trying to explain it to you, but you were asking me questions in between my explanations."
"Alright, I apologize. Please continue."
"I am not sure if I am the right person to talk about this, but if you do want to speak to your grandfather, there is a way to contact him."
"Really? Why didn't you offer that to me in the first place?"
Athan did not answer Archie, and he hesitantly waved his arm. A golden bowl came floating in and landed on the mahogany table.
The water was filled to the brim. The rim of the golden bowl was wide, with carvings on it. Another wave from Athan, and the bowl glowed.
The water rippled as Athan chanted in tongues. After he completed the chant, it went still, and the reflection of Athan was seen on the other side, except it wasn't Athan at all.
"Grandfather."
The face of his old man, who had been Archie's rock for almost a decade, appeared. His face was rugged and filled with concern, and the dark circles and eye bags were more prominent than the day he saw Archie out of the house to prepare for his exam.
"Hello, Archie."
Amos Blaise looked at Archie, his gaze distant and grim, like he was trying to prevent the inevitable, but it happened.
"Grandfather, tell me what happened the day I lost my parents and you came into my life."
Amos released a long sigh and said,
"It was morning here, but it was night in Elysium. The wraiths were teleported here on earth to infest and multiply by feeding the souls of the humans on earth.
However, that was what we initially thought when we first stumbled upon the portal. But almost immediately, your mother called us using the watch that I gave you; she said they were there at your place and asked us to hurry.
But we were too late. By the time we reached the house, it was gone, and you were holding your parents ever so tightly. You were expressionless because you were in a state of shock.
After that, your grand uncle and I needed to come to a conclusion because we did not know you had powers until today, when you unleashed the mana cyclone. Ten years after the incident, only we knew that you had powers all this time."
"You mean you didn't know?" Archie arched his brow in disbelief. He thought once and for all that he would get straightforward answers.
"We didn't know how. We thought your mother sacrificed herself and unleashed a tremendous amount of mana on Middle Earth, which she swore not to do while she chose her life on earth. But this morning, Athan informed me it was you who unleashed all along."