The Nether deathlands!

"Argh" I jolted awake with a painful grunt. A stabbing pain erupted from my left leg. I swept my eyes over that location to find a foot long graze running down the soles of my leg.

In my left arm rested a picth black spear. An elaborately beautiful one. Magnificent dual dragons raced down its length, their race ending in their majestic roaring heads right at the neck of the spear. Its lightless cone head extended forth gracefully by a foot.

It resonated a frequency that melded with the vibrationof my palms. It felt extremely natural in my left palm, as if it had been grown from it. I sensed that the weight of the necklace on my neck had grown lighter somewhat only to realize that one of the silver canines that rested in place was no more.

I gave out a brash laugh and dragged my aching body over to the gleaming terrace. The dim horizon was bathed in a molten scarlet light as the golden tint that overcame the heavens during the day took form once more.

The exotic fields vaguely reflected the crimson light, giving rise to a glorious scenery. Two hurtling stars tore through the open sky, immediately attracting my attention.

My eyes widened when it became obvious that their trajectory would land them right in the middle of the terrace. Where I stood!.

They morphed into wailing meteors as the streaked across the sky, however the split second before they engulfed my figure , the blinding light that they had donned dimmed drastically, revealing two humanoids within.

The first was a lean pink haired young man with devasting features that very nearly betrayed him as a woman. The other was a goldenhaired youth with an upright expression. However, both these youths had expressions that assailed me with gross contempt as they scanned me over.

They weren't absurdly tall, so they couldn't be shuras. Could they then be the lesser deity spirits she had mentioned?

"by order of the princess of Gradyl you are to follo-". They spoke in tandem, their voices derailing as they noticed the long wound that marked my leg. I gave a shy cough, freshened up and changed clothes.

When I appeared before them once more several veins bulged painfully on their foreheads. However they still led me without complaint.Through our simple trek I could not stop the wonders of the vanaheim from stealing my gaze.

 A lone butterfly flitted by me, it wings glowed with vibrant gold, medling perfectly with it's ephemeral surroundings.

Before i knew it we had stopped before a a grand hall, gilded with a divine golden metal and encrusted with immaculate diamonds, its beauty caused me to freeze in my steps as my eyes held its form, as I disappeared behind the marvelous doors I felt a swirling energy of remarkable purity rotate around me.

A grand scene akin to the libraries of earth appeared before me. Polished dark oak cells lined the realm in four rows for miles to come. Artifacts that radiated divinity sat endlessly across the shelves with an untamed luster. Even the two beside me had intoxicated expressions. They probably hadn't been her more than once. Indeed their next words asserted my deduction.

" Per the decree of lord Varos a worthy extension of the house of Gradyl must possess a sacred art and two artifacts from the house of the ancestral treasury." The pink haired young man spoke.

" You may chose any" the golden haired youth concluded. Their hate filled expressions became clear to me now. A boon this large must have been one to be secured with a meritorious deed. I was now certain that Theia must have pulled a few strings. It probably didn't bode well with these two. 

I turned to the large library with a shrug. I hadn't been through three years of high school to be bothered by this. My strut within the shelves was originally a casual one, however soon a traceless trance overpowered me.

My limbs moved as if sentient and an egging voice in the recesses of my mind spoke to me coercively. [No, move forward. Take a left. HERE!] I stopped in front of a distinct shelf. As compared to the other a shelves it looked far to erstwhile and decrepit. In its sole space rested an old battered single paged scripture.

A bottomless ancient aura arose from it, despite its ancient countenance.

[ And THERE!]. A dull crimson ring lay opposite to it in a similarly shabby shelf. It was one so ordinary a second look at it would a rarity from any one who crossed paths with it.

An eerie feeling vaguely told me that it would be crucial to my survival. Unaware of my actions even as I executed them I placed the ring on my right index finger.

Immediately I felt an erratic rush of information in my head. " spatial storage!". I frowned. Despite today being the first time I had come across something like this I was certain it was no heaven defying ability.

A dubious glint flashed on its surface, there was a deeper darker use for it. I was certain. For now I placed my fingers on the sheet. It vanished in a burst of scarlet light. I was vaguely aware of the contemptuous stares of those behind me, however paid them no heed as I trekked onward. 

The enigmatic voice vanished as if it had never been. 

A gaudy golden shelf sat aloofly in front of me. Several blazing artifacts lay idly on it. My eyes trailed onto a crimson vermillion pearl with a meter radius. It radiated a strange comforting heat. My eyes continued down the shelves idling past flaming swords and glowing armor, inexplicably there turned to the pearl.

It radiated a familiar loneliness. 

With a sigh I lightly touched it surface and watched it disappear into my ring. "Since you're done let's go". The pink haired male said crudely.

Perhaps he had decided I was mentally challenged after witnessing my choices. The gaze of the other wasn't too nice either, it even seemed a little threatening. I went along with them as testing them would earn no merit.

They sauntered forward in an aloof way leading me through a paved path. Lightless towers similar to the one I had resided in littered the vicinity. Several winged humanoids streamed across the sky. I spotted a male, a female and one that was about myheight but possessed the features of a child. 

They glided through the currents happily as they threw down curious gazes at me and my entourage.

Several others either flew about idly or were spotted in strange cubicles, some radiated the recondite scent of molten metal. From others the odiferous wind of baked goods. I was witnessing a marvelous civilization. Our path grew narrower as the void fey became much more plentiful. Soon we arrived at a tower like none we had ever seen before.

A profound hale assaulted us as we gazed at its splendor. It shone darkly like nothing we had ever seen, glorious.

Three figures guarded the gates. Two were Winged like many I had seen before. They stood Infront with immovable postures. The other had a far more complex visage. A mane full of deep liquid gold hair and a face that put the sun and moon to shame.

In many ways he was similar to my escort, however he looked far more princely. The contemptuous smirk that tainted his face clued me in on his personality. The moment he laid eyes on us a disdainful frown marred his phizog and creases swam around his brows. "What is trash like you doing here?. This is a very important meeting. Leave before you embarrass which ever scion you serve. Despite his words the only emotion I felt was surprise. Surprise that those with human ancestry had to face this much contempt on the daily.

Beside me veins bulged on the two youths. the golden-hairedmale was about to speak again. "Lord Ken' my mistress asks for your pardon. These three are her servants. And the dark one is needed for today'sceremony." A maid said as she pointed to me. She spoke in a tone neither servile or overbearing. 

"Hahaha. If it's a request from my betrothed I simply must oblige". Contrary to expectations his tone was calm and betrayed a hint of intense fanaticsm.

The maidbeckoned the three of us forward as the grandiose doors opened on their own. the narrow tower expanded into an endless hall full of distinguished fey.

Glistening armor and overbearing weapons rested on each of their bodies, along with immaculate badges that betrayed their nobility.

At the very apex sat an imposing middle-aged man. A deep immeasurable aura arose from his being. A sensation akin to sitting next to a nuclear reactor. The elegance resting on his face betrayed the fact that he had definitely been a lady killer in his youth. 

Immediately I locked gazes with Theia. The familiarity of her gaze aiding me as I was led through rows of fey, vaguely aware of their curious glances as I appeared at the feet of the throne. Immediately I was shackled by the weight of an imperious stare.

As the lord of house Gradyl appraised me, I was made aware of just how vastly powerful he was. The hairs of my neck rose in terror as if awaiting truly horrendous fate.

" Lets this session commence."He said finally, turning his gaze from me.

It was...unimpressed.

"We beseech our lord for enlightenment" The crowd responded in tandem. His voice overflowed with magnificence as he lifted his gaze and swept the grand hall with it.

Theia descended gracefully as she called. "Rubel. Marcel, I thank you for your service."

"Your service is our life master" they responded with unshakable respect. One that stemmed from the depths of their souls.

I had my misgivings initially but I was now certain that they were her servants.

Theia gracefully rose into to the sky. I felt a robust force lift me from the soles of my feet. A flash of panic crossed my eyes before I realized Rubel an Marcel were in similar situations with unchanged expressions. They simply could not hide the disappointment in their pupils when I did not present the comedy they hoped for. 

"Today my daughter recruits a new member to our household. Adam the son of Cane. Like all of us before him his worth must be tested and of course considerations made for his ah 'cough' frailty. 

However, that is not todays most important order of business. I am rhapsodic to announce the engagement of my treasured daughter to the grand Vanir prince. Lord ken of the house of Freyja!"

Immediately the man I met at the great doors stepped forward in an elegant but arrogant saunter.

He took his place among his brethren eliciting a rupture of applause from the entirety of the hall. A disgusted expression flashed across Theia's countenance for a split second, fading into oblivion just as fast.

A multicolored radiance shone out of an imposing spatial crack. I stood helpless before it as a powerful voice boomed overhead. "For now, we wish our brother farewell. Adam soon to be from the house of Gradyl."

"Listen." Theia now cautioned. "This is going to lead you to a third circle ream. With Marcel and Rubel's combined strength you should have absolutely no problem overcoming it. But even more so than your safe return I pray for you to return different, to return stronger.

Her vermillion lips very nearly stroked the side of my ear. So much so that I could feel her warm breath caress my cheek. "sure", I responded with a cheeky smile. "I promised to be a warrior worthy of her surname after all".

The jest in my voice had vaporized into the void. For a moment even her celestial countenance was dazed by the deep baritone that formed from my lips.

Rubel and Marcel. Marcel now favored me with strange respecting gazes that carried smidgens of pity. All the same our three figures disappeared into the strange rift. The sound of boisterous laughter fading behind us, nothing but oblivious to the dark glint that tainted the rift just as the least dregs of spatial tremors vanished.