Chapter 1
The Rift
Thedas. Brecilian Woods Outskirts. 9:31 Dragon. Ten years ago.
Usually, when he dreamed, it was like how a normal dream plays out for those who weren't mages, or a dwarf for that matter (dwarves never could dream unless they were Grey Wardens; and even then, one could argue those dreams are nothing but Nightmares). Most of the time, when one's mind entered the Fade as they dreamed, they wouldn't remember the experience. It was often like a succession of images, emotions, ideas, and sensations for an individual who lacked magic (or was a dwarf)
This was one of the few times he was aware of being within the Fade as he was asleep and would be one of the few times he would remember the experience. Even though he never was able to wield magic himself, since his father was a mage, it was not uncommon for children of mages to occasionally be able to fully experience the Fade.
It was the first night that clan Lavellan had taken him and his sister in from their father's clan. They had paused for the night away from his father's clan. His father's people didn't want them anymore.
Even though he was aware of being in the spiritual realm beyond the veil as he slept in the waking world, he ignored the awed feeling and slid down against a tree trunk, his head covered by his arms and knees. Within his small corner of the Fade, his imagination had weaved forth the environment he felt the safest in: a forest.
He always enjoyed it when his father's clan traveled into the forests. The tall trees providing comfort from the hot sun were gentle and calming compared to the open plains. Compared to the busy sounds of villages filled with mostly Shems, he preferred the sounds of the birds and bugs in nature. It was tranquil for him.
But in his current state of grief, he didn't care for the chirping of the songbirds, nor the sound of crickets; he just wanted to cry.
He missed the sounds of his parents talking and laughing with one another. He missed the sound of his mother's voice when she sang to him.
But now, they were both gone. All thanks to Zathrian.
He dug his fingers into his arm as he thought of his father's clan's Keeper with hatred growing in his heart.
He hated the elf. Loathed him. Zathrian was the reason why he would never hear his mother's songs or his father's laugh ever again. Tears rolled down his pale face as he moved onto his knees and looked down at the fresh earth.
Suddenly he slammed both of his fists into the ground, a scream of frustration ripping out of his throat as he continued to pound at the dirt with his hands. Eventually, instead of hitting the dirt with the sides of his fists, he began to claw at the mud each time he brought his arms up and down
He was only a child who had already been through so much. And now he was alone with his little sister. He wasn't ready to be left alone.
Between each scream of frustration, the more hoarse and dry his throat became. Each time his hands made contact with the dirt, dust was shoved under his fingernails.
It was difficult for him to find a place of solace to let out his frustration. He didn't want to leave his little sister alone out in the waking world at this moment. After she had witnessed the horrific way their parents died, she didn't want to leave his side. Only in the dream in the Fade, was he able to vent out all his anger, rage, and sadness aloud.
Eventually, his throat hurt too much from screaming and he felt lightheaded from all the tears. Ceasing in his tantrum, he then rested his face into the messy dirt, letting the last of the water drain from his tear ducts and wet the mud with his salt.
"Why?" He barely choked out aloud to no one. It was so difficult to speak with a hoarse throat.
It wasn't fair. Life never was fair to him or his family. Was that all his life going to be? Be full of hurt?
He continued to lay there, his tears slowly replenishing to fall down his face and over the bridge of his nose. Snot was beginning to fill his nostrils; he sniffled them into his throat instead.
As he lay there, he let himself feel the cool wet mud against his cheek, and let his pointed ears listen to the sound of the wind blowing through the leaves above his head.
Amongst the sound of the breeze and the birds, he picked up a distant sound of a woman's voice singing. Quickly, he sat upright and strained his elf ears to focus on the source of the singing. It sounded like his mother's voice, the tune just like one of the songs she would sing to him and his sister when she was alive. Getting to his feet, he made his way in the direction of the soft melodic humming.
Look into the sky
Can you see the moon across the ocean
Coming close to me
I can hear the melody
As his bare feet left soft imprints against the mud and grass, he could hear the woman's singing voice get louder and clearer as he neared closer. Beyond the underbrush sat a woman on a fallen tree log. While his mother had blonde hair, this woman's long hair was brown along with two frontal braids spilled over her shoulders out of her dark blue hooded cloak. The dress she wore was a soft light yellow with simple lace and pearl beads at the hem. Her soft hands gently plucked at a lyre as she continued in her song.
Cry into the void
Let my voice become the hand that reaches
Out to you and leads
To my long lost memory
Carry me home
I lost my way on roads ever weaving
Home
Where darkness fades and hearts are ever believing
Carry me home
I close my eyes and cling to you ever dreaming
Find me
Oh don't forget the child for whom you are grieving
Her voice was melodic. It reminded him of his mother's, leaving a sense of warmth and tranquility in his heart.
But this woman was not his mother. He was hesitant but also curious about the being before him.
The woman paused in her singing and looked up towards him, her fingers halted in plucking the lyre's smile at him. "I was not expecting an audience." strings. "Oh. Hello, little one." Although her low hood hid the top of her face and eyes, he could still see her
"Who-" As soon as he tried to speak, he felt how dry and raspy his mouth and throat were. He then broke into a coughing fit.
The woman lowered her hands. "What's wrong? Have you been crying?" She asked with a hint of concern in her voice.
Licking his lips, he allowed his saliva to wet the inside of his mouth so he could try and talk again. "Yeah." He managed to croak out.
With a rustle of her cloak, she made space for him on the log and patted it. "Would you like to sit down?"
Hesitation then filled him. As he was widely aware of his surroundings here in the Fade, that meant his mind was very much vulnerable. The Fade was a dangerous place, festering with spirits and demons. He had heard stories from his father about how demons tried to tempt mages into forming contracts with them to eventually turn their mortal bodies into abominations. Even if he had no magic himself, the demon could still manipulate his mind through evil temptations.
"Are you a demon?" He then blurted out, regaining more of his normal voice.
The woman cocked her head to the side, slightly confused. "No. I am not. What would make you think I am one?"
"My dad told me that demons try to tempt people. With whatever they desire. At the cost of the person's body. They want to possess us and eventually turn us into abominations." He looked away. "And the ways they carry out the wish never end well for anyone."
The woman chuckled softly. "Well, I am not a demon little one. You have nothing to fear. I do not have such a need to possess a body for that matter, nor do I wish to do anything else but merely exist as I am. I am perfectly quite satisfied with just wandering around the voids."
"You're a wandering spirit?" He raised a brow.
This time the woman paused in her answer as she seemed to stare off into the distance. "I don't know." She finally replied. "I had been wandering alone for so long that I've forgotten.
"It doesn't matter" Shaking her head, she looked back in his direction. "Now little one, why were you upset earlier?"
He ran his dirtied fingers through his snow-white hair to scratch an itch on the back of his head. "I lost my parents." He admitted, feeling as though he could trust the strange spirit. "They both were killed."
"I'm sorry about that." He could hear the sadness in her voice as she spoke.
Wanting to change the subject, he decided to ask her about what she was singing. "It's pretty." He asked.
Smiling gently at him, she plucked a couple of notes out of her lyre. "Thank you. I call it: The Place I'll Return to Someday." She then patted the space on the log again. "Would you like to listen to more?"
Nodding, he sat down beside her and she picked up where she left off in her music, her fingers dancing across the cords to play again.
Voice that calls from there
And the footsteps of its fallen angels
Now becomes the beat
Of my heart so incomplete
Every night I bathe
In the blue that washes over me
And brings me to my knees
In this longing I believe
Slowly, he let his relaxed form lean against the woman, feeling the velvety fabric against his skin. Closing his eyes, he let himself relax into the music she played, letting every word flow through him like a velvet caress. It was very much like when his mother would sing to him, but this woman's voice left an ethereal feeling within him.
He remembered that his father told him that demons within the Fade were originally spirits who were compassionate to others until they were corrupted. If this woman wasn't a demon, then she must have been a very kind spirit indeed.
Carry me home
I lost my way on roads ever weaving
Home
Where darkness fades and hearts are ever believing
Carry me home
I close my eyes and cling to you ever dreaming
Find me
Oh don't forget the child for whom you are grieving
When she finished her song, she gently put the instrument to the side and reached over to pet the top of his head. "It was beautiful." He murmured, feeling relaxed at this point. "What's your name? What should I call you?" He asked, opening his eyes to look up at her. The shadows of her hood hid her eyes from him.
"You can call me whatever you want, little one." Her fingers carded through his white locks, occasionally feeling his pointed ears with gentle touches.
He thought about how she reminded him of his mother. He didn't want to name her after his mother, but he thought of the next best thing. "Evune." He said.
Evune meant moon in the Dalish language. His mother had worn a necklace with a moonstone rock. He remembered how his mother often remarked how he and his sister as babies would love to play with the clear white rock necklace she wore.
The woman let out a chuckle in response. "Very well. Then Evune is who I am. And do you have a name, little one?"
"Quen."
Present day
In the empty darkness of the void, the Goddess looked down on the world called Arborea.
The world was constantly changing, but the Goddess had long left it behind. She had witnessed the consequential events of her actions. Her husband had punished the races before vanishing from his elven children forever. The Divine War ended many lives and weakened the Gods, and the Argon Conflict had plagued the lands for centuries. Now, the God Lakan's cult of Devas and Archdevas was on the rise.
She had watched the other forces that had started working behind the scenes in her world and another's. But there was little she could do except watch helplessly as plans between the two collaborated in a dangerous plan.
One of these evildoers had taken time to finally achieve the power they needed to carry out their schemes. What was originally a simple act of planting a few minor seeds of unimportance, had ended up turning into an overgrowth of meddling within the wheels of fate.
Her daughter, Mystel, who had the power of foresight, had already been weakened from the Divine War; there was no way she could have seen this coming, especially when it involved forces from another world.
She sighed and looked on from the void. The Goddess had been waiting for this moment, for her last gifts to the world to truly prove themselves. All of her power had been used in creating them, thus while she could no longer aid the world she had come from, her gifts could.
"My children, your test begins now."
xoxoxo
A deafening crack echoed, shaking the ground; Erune and Princess Rida jolted from their meditation in the small, secluded stone room.
"What in the-" Rida began, hopping to her feet, her sleek brown squirrel tail sweeping around her purple skirt as she stormed to the door. Erune quickly followed after Rida, the fur on her cat tail still puffed up in shock against her short sky-blue dress.
As she came up beside the Elin Princess and looked up at the Arborean sky, her eyes widened in horror.
Bright green etched itself furiously across the sky - an oozing wound, a long gash across the blue canvas.
And then the rip burst.
From the middle of the crack, a large, swirling bolt of green light shot down and exploded upon the earth beyond. The ground shook immensely, nearly toppling Erune over. She and Princess Rida braced against the rippling shockwave that blew through the valley. Erune's nose wrinkled at the pungent smell of burnt brimstone that came from the green fissure, far from Pora Elinu.
As the quake lessened, the Erune brushed aside her light blue hair that had blown in front of her face before she slowly raised her head. The swirling spire of crackling green energy stretching from the sky crack continued to whip around in the distance.
Soon after the fissure appeared, sounds of chaos erupted from the rebuilt city of Pora Elinu below the shrine; Princess Rida began barking out orders to her guards.
For Erune though, the world around her became muffled and muted as she focused on the green spire.
"Oh Goddess Elinu..." She whispered to herself. "What is happening?"
xoxoxo
Eirai shot two arrows at the ghostly being that had rushed towards her, the strange ghoulish creature letting out a blood-curdling screech before boiling away into green smoke, which was quickly sucked back into the small green tear that mirrored the one in the sky.
The rabbit Elin's ears winced from the howl of the defeated monster, but the rest of the creatures had finally been extinguished. She looked over at her friend, Finnoe, and nodded.
Finnoe signaled for her colleagues to work quickly - the Mysterium Order scholars moving to set down glyph pillars around the green crystalized tear. Once the totems were put in position, the barrier was activated, sealing the area around the rift with a barrier made of teal film. It would hold, but not forever.
"That's the last of them here," Finnoe remarked, marking down in her notebook the quarantined areas in the region.
There are still more, though." Eirai noted. "Your co-workers cannot simply cover every single one of these rifts."
Since the green spire had appeared in the sky, numerous smaller versions of the tears had also appeared around the two continents that made up Arborea. From these rifts, strange beings burst forth. None of the bestiary records had seen such monsters before-not even the Archdevas' monstrous experiments resembled them.
"Of course not." the Fox Elin huffed, tossing one of her twin blonde braids over her shoulders. "We've only contained the ones near towns and cities. Refugees have been coming in for some time now." She glanced at her friend. "Have you heard from the Federation leaders? They've been discussing the matter for quite a while,- I expect them to call on you and your sisters soon."
Slinging her bow on her back alongside her large ninja star, Eirai crossed her arms and shook her head, undoing her braid bun and letting her braid bounce against her back. "The Federation is still trying to understand who this new foe is. Princess Rida has also been called in on their meeting as far as I know."
"Princess Rida?" Finnoe paused in her notes, her fox ears cocking in surprise.
Eirai nodded. "Such events are troubling, even for our Gods. Rida told Erune that the Goddesses Seren and Mystel have expressed concern." She glanced back at the quarantined rift and mused aloud. "The Archdevas have been silent since we last drove their leader into hiding, so who is this new foe?"
"The Mysterium Order is running tests as we speak," Finnoe answered, tucking away her notebook. "Hopefully we will have some answers soon."
xoxoxo
Amongst the withered old elvhen trees sat countless rows of large mirrors. Some had large cracks; pieces of glass gone for centuries now. Others held no reflection, their insides dark and bleak. However, a lone mirror still functioned, its magic flowing out into the elderly woman's palm like little tendrils of light.
The woman had her eyes closed in concentration, listening to the echoes from the mirror's hidden network. She ignored the twinges of disturbances from the Fade and continued to search for an outlet, the place where her world ended and another began.
At last, a reply.
"Who are you?" She questioned out loud to the alien force.
She felt a response. Its name was Seren, Moon-Goddess of Arborea. When it asked the old woman for her name, she smirked.
"Some call me a God, but my name is of little concern. More importantly, it appears that our worlds are now linked - as well as our fates. Because of this, I cannot stand by idly and let this continue."
xoxoxo
As secretaries, agents, and scholars walked by her, Eruno loudly chewed on some sugar pine taffy gum, her arms behind her head as she and her three siblings walked through the halls of the Federation headquarters in Velika, one of the three main capitals. The Valkyon Federation was an alliance composed of seven of the main races of Arborea: Amani, Human, Elf, Castanic, Baraki, Elin, and Popori.
Over the last few years, the Federation had called upon the Fae Sisters, special agents to help investigate delicate matters concerning the welfare of the nation-particularly since two of the Elins were considered Mystel's Chosen.
The Fae Sisters consisted of Eruno Fae and her twin sister, Erune, and their two older twin sisters, Eirai and Zyllian Fae. The younger twins were Mystel's Chosen while the older two were unofficially titled as their Guardians. All four women had the same eye color of light purple.
"So," Eruno began, swishing her giant fluffy squirrel tail back and forth, rolling the candy idly between her teeth. "Guess they finally figured out something?"
"We shall see." Zyllian said sharply, the Elin Reaper standing out the most from the rest of her Elin kin.
While Elins tend to have the tails and either ears or horns of the animals that were found in nature, when Zyllian appeared with the Reapers during the Argon war, some of these Elins had demonic horns and wispy long tails that looked as though they had been dipped in dark black ink.
Zyllian's eye twitched in disgust at her younger sister's laid-back behavior as Eruno continued to loudly chew. Instead of admonishing her though, the Reaper focused her attention forward.
Erune kept wringing her hands as she walked. It was too soon for her to be sent on another mission. Especially after they had just returned from the Northern Arun expedition a few months ago. She mentally shook her head to clear the grim thoughts that continued to plague the corners of her mind. Eirai noticed her sister's discomfort and gave her a pat on her shoulder as they walked together.
As the sisters came across a set of double doors, the human and elf guards nodded at the girls before opening the doors to announce their presence.
The administration room was massive, countless shelves of books and scrolls lined the walls, stretching high up above to the glass ceiling. Through the windows, sunlight beamed down upon the large world map in the center of the room. The Federation's world leaders surrounded the map, with Princess Rida taking center stage.
Upon noticing the Fae Sisters' presence, the Elin Princess curtsied before turning to address the four. The rest of the leaders continued to discuss with each other.
"Perfect timing." Rida's well-groomed squirrel tail swished around in excitement.
Eirai was the first to salute, followed by the rest of her siblings, though Erune curtsied instead. "I take it that you have information?"
"Yes, we do. Seren contacted me. The large fissure," Rida moved aside to gesture at the green mark on the world map. Various smaller marks littered the rest of the parchment. "is called The Breach, a Rift that is a gateway to another dimension-to another world."
The Fae Sisters fell silent, the information sinking in.
Eruno's mouth gaped. "Yer fucking kidding right?" The squirrel Elin started to scoff, only to be nudged hard in the ribs by Zyllian. "Ouch!" Eruno hissed but her older sister only replied with a glare.
Princess Rida rolled her eyes before continuing. "No, I am not. The creatures that have come forth from these rifts are demons from the Fade, the spiritual realm for that world, similar to the Dream for us.
"Seren has managed to contact one of the Gods from that world. The Breach originated from there, but the cause of it stretching into our world was not simply done by just one person.
"While they do not often interfere in the affairs of their people, the 'God' could sense that this incident was assisted by someone from our side."
"Do they know who that person is?" Eirai spoke up.
Princess Rida shook her head. "No, they do not. The 'God' was unable to discern who or what they are- only that their aura originated from our dimension."
Zyllian's eyes narrowed as she crossed her arms in suspicion. "Can we even trust this…'God'?"
"We cannot," Rida answered. "But they are the only ones we can contact and gain information from. Mystel's foresight is unable to see things that are happening in that world, so we must rely on that 'God' for now. Seren, Mystel, and the other Gods agreed.
"There is someone on the other side who may be able to close these rifts, but they do not know how drastic the situation is, as it affects us as well. We cannot rely on whoever this person is to fix things on time. This is where you four come in. " She looked at the four. "The others and I have discussed sending envoys over to the other side to aid the person who can seal off the Breach. Mystel has already placed her opinion in the matter: she sees you four as the best choice."
"Only us?" Eruno questioned.
"Seren has discussed with this God about the races from our world and theirs. They have humans and elves as we do, but would possibly view Castanics as demons. Amani and Baraka also look similar to their 'Qunari' and golems.
"If we are to convince the people of this other world about the conflict that affects us both, we must send a race that looks alien, yet not intimidating. The "God' apparently took quite a fondness to us Elins and Popori, saying we look the most innocent." Rida then huffed, her tail ruffling in annoyance. "Just because Elinu crafted our race to initially have very youthful bodies does not mean one should not take us seriously. Honestly, many of us have lived for many years and-" The Princess continued to rant to herself in front of the Fae Sisters, who were all watching her with stupefied looks at this point.
Erune delicately raised her hand and spoke up with a small voice. "Um," Princess Rida halted in her disgruntled mumbling. "If the Popori also suffice, why are none being sent?"
Rida placed her hands on her hips. "Eventually the 'God' thought Popori just looked like 'dwarves' or whatever race they have, in animal costumes. Besides, the 'God' can only aid a few of us in their world. And then there is Mystel's recommendation based on her foresight. While she cannot see the events in that world-nor can she identify the perpetrator who caused it-she sees that you, the Fae Sisters, must go there to handle these affairs."
"Does the 'God' know who started the Breach on their side?" Eruno asked. When Rida shook her head in reply, Eruno snorted. "So...we have an unknown evil from their world who was assisted by an unknown evil from our world," she moved her hands animatedly in an almost comical fashion. "that causes this great fiasco which is threatening both their world and ours, but it appears that there is someone on the other side who can close these rifts?" The Princess nodded at Eruno's annotated summary of the situation.
"Whoever this person is, they do not know about the enemy from our world," Eirai noted, Rida agreed with the oldest Fae sister. "Simply standing by and relying on them to seal the rifts promptly to avoid threatening either of our worlds is not enough. Besides, entrusting our faith in them to even do the job is risky. Will they even help prevent the threat or not?"
"If they don't do anything," Zyllian growled out from behind her mask. "It'll be considered an act of war. Especially since it's from their world to ours."
Princess Rida nodded in grim agreement. "Indeed. We cannot wait, as time is of the essence." She said sternly. "Seren and the 'God' have arranged to take you to the other world." She then paused, her eyes downcast. "You four may be gone for a long time, so be sure to take everything that you need for this journey."
"But how will we return?" Rida turned to acknowledge Erune's query.
"The 'God' said they will help you back once it is time. That is all I know of. I wish you four good luck."
"We'll be ready in three days." Eirai made a final salute to the Elin Princess, her sisters following suit.
xoxoxo
As soon as the sisters returned to Pora Elinu, Zyllian made her way to the cemetery grove for Elins. She walked past a Castanic who was sobbing in front of the memorial of their Elin friend who had passed recently. Under her mask, she wrinkled her nose and had to remind herself that the Castanic wasn't a Deva or Archdeva-she could smell their filth anywhere.
Ignoring the mourner, she continued past the remnants of other graves for her Elin kin. Some gravestones had been removed after the appearance of the Reapers; her eyes avoided one particular spot, it was removed once she returned home, and made her way up the stone steps surrounded by flowers.
The guards bowed and allowed the Reaper access to the sacred gravesite exclusively for the Elin royalty, though it had very few occupants.
Before her were two very recent placards of the names of the two princesses who had lost their lives:
Syona and Zolyn
Kneeling before the crests, she removed her mask and gently traced the letters of Zolyn's name.
"My Lady-" She stopped herself.
No. She wasn't Zolyn's retainer anymore. After... what had happened, her oath was void when they became Reapers.
She could have re-invoked it, but she was ashamed.
Ashamed of how things had turned out.
Ashamed of the other Elin's blood on her hands.
Ashamed that she couldn't do anything to save her.
Please Zyllian...This is my last order to you… The words echoed in Zyllian's head, her hands turning into tight fists until the nails dug into her palms. Images of a deformed hand reaching out to her before the corruption took over the Princess once again.
Taking deep breaths, she calmed the shadows that crept close to her form. Leaning forward, she rested her forehead upon the letters and spoke with a low voice. "Lady Zolyn, I have to go away for some time, but I promise you. You WILL be avenged…I WILL find him, no matter what it takes."
She slipped on her mask, sealing herself off from the world before rising and leaving the gravesite.
xoxoxo
Finishing the last of the ties on the supplies, Eirai placed the items in her knapsack. Her rabbit ears twitched at the sound of the front door opening, followed by a set of light footsteps. Turning around, Eirai found her friend Finnoe standing in the doorway of her bedroom, the fox Elin musing to herself while cleaning off her monocle.
"So," Finnoe began. "The Federation has informed the Mysterium order of their plans-mainly about the Fae sisters."
Eirai nodded. "So soon after the events of the Northern Arun expedition too." She let out a sigh. "I worry for Erune and Zyllian. Those two still haven't gotten over it."
"I read the reports. It has been hard for all of us Elins with our Princesses' deaths." While the Mysterian scholar had left the residency of Pora Elinu years ago, she and other Elins who migrated away from the forest city still held their royalty in high regard. Finnoe sat down on a chair in the room and folded her hands in her lap. "How bad is it for those two?"
Eirai settled down on the large bed across from her friend, lifting her head to look at the ceiling. "Zyllian...has become snappier than usual. She has lashed out against Castanic soldiers, especially ones who defected from the Devas."
"And the shadows?"
"They are slowly growing stronger, but I've been keeping an eye on her. Though she hasn't been getting much sleep lately."
Dragging a hand down her face, Eirai let out another loud sigh. "Erune has been depressed like Zyllian, but her way of coping is different. She had been seeing Princess Rida for meditations often, but this new mission right after what had happened - she's not ready."
"It cannot be helped." Finnoe agreed sadly. She knew how fragile the youngest Elin was. The poor Priestess had shut down when they returned home after the expedition a couple of months ago; she had been utterly traumatized by the incident. "She may never be ready for such things, but the world cannot wait for her, not while our enemies are still plotting their next moves."
"I know." Eirai relented. It was hard sometimes, being the oldest of the four. She had to be the one to take care of her younger sisters. Still, she tried her best to help the three through their struggles, as she had no one to turn to for comfort when she was alone before. "I just wish there was more I could do for her."
xoxoxo
Rays of sunshine fell upon the lake's rippling surface. At the edge of the water, Erune knelt, her hands in prayer as she meditated, her mind dancing through the wisps of the Dream.
"Erune?" Princess Rida's voice broke the Priestess's concentration, the sounds of laughter from children fading as Erune's mind was returned to the physical world. Rising from the flattened grass, she turned and curtsied to the Elin princess.
"Greetings my Lady."
"We will be leaving soon. Are you ready?"
Erune hesitated, gripping the hem of her robes. She tried to swallow the lump that developed in her throat as she replied to her Princess and mentor. "I...I don't know…" Nervously, she clutched her hand to her chest.
Rida noticed Erune's uneasiness. "What's wrong?"
Tears pricked the corner of Erune's purple eyes. "I'm scared, my Lady," She confessed aloud, her head ducked down in shame. "What if I fail? What if I can't do anything like last time? What if I can't save anyone like-" Erune burst into sobs. Rida quickly grabbed her shoulders, reaching to wipe the young Elin's tears.
"I know Erune, I know. It wasn't your fault though."
"But Paesyn, Lady Syona, and Lady Zolyn...I was too late to save any of them." Rida winced as Erune mentioned her older sisters' names.
Zolyn and the Popori, Paesyn, had been with the Fae Sisters during the expedition. During that time, they had learned of Princess Syona's fate when she had gone on ahead as a scouting party for the exploration.
"It wasn't your fault Erune. Neither my sister Arin, the Queen, nor I blame you for their deaths."
"I just..." Erune continued to cry into her hands. Rida let Erune sob freely until she finally calmed down a little. "I'm scared of being alone. I know my sisters will be there but…"
"You won't be alone, Erune. The Dream connects us. Even if its reach is farther away when you are in another world, you will still be able to tap into it. The Children will be with you." The squirrel princess hugged her protege. "And Seren will watch over you and your sisters. Remember, our hearts see you. Always." Kissing the top of Erune's head, just above her circlet, Rida drew back and smiled. "Now come, the others are waiting."
xoxoxo
Much of their magical items and equipment had to be left behind, Rida advised the four that the distance from being from the Dream would render such devices ineffective. Eruno pouted when told she couldn't take her snow tiger mount friend. Finnoe assured the four she would take good care of their belongings while they were gone, to which Eirai nodded in thanks to her friend.
xoxoxo
The Fae sisters and Princess Rida were escorted by Federation soldiers across the desolate, quarantined plains toward the Breach. When the group finally reached the crater, they saw energy swirling around and ascending to the hole in the sky.
A tall woman stood at the edge of the crater with her back turned to them, her robes flowing in the air and the spire's energy was stirring up. One of the guardsmen shouted at her to leave the quarantine zone and drew his weapon, but Princess Rida told him to stand down. The woman then turned to the group.
The woman was elderly but held an air of pride and strength. Parts of her shaggy white hair were styled into two horns on each side of her head. She smiled as the group approached.
"So, you are the Elin Princess Rida? Your Goddess, Seren, has told me much about you." The woman surveyed the rest of the group, her pointed greaves clanking slightly as she spoke. "And I presume that these four girls are your representatives for our negotiations? All siblings?"
The Princess nodded. "Though I would not call them all girls, ma'am. The older two have already reached adulthood some time ago while their younger sisters are just in their prime."
A hoarse chuckle came from the old woman. "My my. Your race is very peculiar. Your life spans are like elves but you show very little signs of age. No matter." She bowed to the group in a sign of respect. "To whom do I owe the pleasure?"
Erune came forward and curtsied. "Greetings, God from another realm. I am Erune Fae, one of Pora Elinu's Priestesses, and the youngest of the Fae sisters. What is your name, if I may ask?"
"Well, aren't you a polite young lady?" The Priestess flushed at the God's words. "However, my name is of little importance."
Princess Rida raised an eyebrow but Erune did not let that faze her. "It is an honor anyway."
"And who is the rest of your company, little one?"
Eirai strode next to her little sister's side. "I am Eirai, eldest of my sisters. Zyllian is my twin and the other is Eruno."
The woman looked at Eruno and Erune. "Ah, the fabled Chosen ones by your Gods. Excellent.
"Now that all the formalities are out of the way, I presume you four are already ready to go." The eldest of the four glanced at her sisters before nodding. "Then, we shall depart."
Blue energy began to gather around the woman's hands, trailing off to surround the Fae sisters. She turned to the Rift and held up her hand to the spire, the magic from her hands creating a doorway to a dark abyss. A brief hint of metallic aroma filled the air around her.
Stepping partway into the abyss, she beckoned the four to follow. The Fae sisters looked back one last time at their world before entering the portal. As soon as they all entered, it closed behind them.
"May the grace of the Gods guide you four. And my heart sees you. Always." Rida whispered.
xoxoxo
"What is this place?" Eruno wondered aloud as she looked around in amazement.
Boulders both massive and weightless, architecture torn from its foundations from places far forgotten, dangling spindles of rubble and landmasses strayed too far from their rightful place were suspended eerily, a putrid ochre miasma hanging itself in the air where it ought to seek the ground instead.
The smell of ozone filled the air.
"This, my dears, is the Fade. Magic comes from here, as well as demons and spirits. Mages from this world receive their magical power from this place and can enter it spiritually in their dreams. Souls of those who die return to the Fade."
"Like the Dream from our world." Erune was in awe but then hesitated. "But, it does not feel comforting like it…"
"The Dream does not have demons. That is probably why." Zyllian spoke in a quiet voice. "I feel uneasy here…"
The elderly woman began to walk away from the four. "Come. This is not a place for the inexperienced to linger. Be on your guard."
The four trailed after the woman through the strange realm in silence. Eirai stalked ahead of her sisters. "Where do you plan on leading us out to? I would presume that this... Fade is not our final destination."
The woman turned her head and smirked while continuing to stroll casually away. "You are correct but worry not. Our entryway was the Breach in your world, and our outlet is where the Breach originated."
"When we arrive, what customs should we be aware of? Besides the fact that there is this Breach and soon-to-be inter-dimensional relations now."
"Planning ahead, I see. Very wise. However, it is not my place to explain. You must educate yourselves when you arrive."
Erune held her staff close. "Will you not come with us? Perhaps your presence could ease the people's hostility over our appearances."
The woman laughed at Erune's comment. "My dear. Unlike your Gods who willingly show themselves often, I would rather avoid the people. I have experienced enough of their madness to stay away from their affairs."
Zyllian's eyes narrowed. "Then why are you helping us?" Her armored fists clenched as she eyed the woman warily.
The woman stopped walking and turned to look at them. "I only interfere to help nudge history along its path. Some things need more of a shove than a simple nudge.
"Fate is inevitable for everyone. I have seen what your Goddess of Fate has seen. This crossover of the Breach has interrupted the histories of our worlds and we must mend it to bring back order to our Fates.
"If you solve the cause of this unforeseen event, things will resume as they once were and should be." She paused and frowned, her eyes focusing on something in the distance in the whirling mists around them. "They arrived sooner than I expected. Now is the time you must make haste without my part as a chaperone." A roar echoed through the air, startling the four.
Blue energy crackled in her fists. "Follow the path and you will reach the outlet. I will hold them off as much as I can, but some may get past me. Try not to let them through the outlet with you." She lifted a hand to point ahead of the group before purposefully striding away in the opposite direction.
"Come on, it's time to go." Eirai hurried ahead, closely followed by Zyllian. Eruno glanced back one more time before trailing after her sisters.
Erune took a long look at the departing woman. "Thank you." She murmured. "May the grace of my Gods bless you. And my heart sees you. Always." Turning around, she ran to catch up with the rest.
The woman chuckled. "Such a polite little lady. Now…"
Giant segmented legs clambered over the ruins, heaving up a grotesque, bulbous form, attended by a seething mass of arachnids. The woman smiled. "Your timing is impeccable. Shall we?"
The vast creature opened its gaping mandibles and hissed.
xoxoxo
High shrill screeches rang out among the chunks of ruins that the four ran through. Roars followed the shrieks.
Eruno whipped her head around to find the sources. "How much further?" She yelled above the noise.
Eirai looked ahead at a crossroad. "I don't know, but we have to stay together. Stick close-" A bony hand burst out of the ground near her. "RUN!" The other three followed her down a random path, avoiding more arms that exploded from the ground.
The restless arms wrenched themselves from the dirt, revealing themselves to be green, elongated beasts - malnourished and skeletal. Their bony tails whipped back and forth as they uprighted themselves and turned their hollow, yellow eyes to their prey. Other creatures burst out of their hardened cocoons in a shower of molten slag, fiery arms outstretched. Some slithered up from their shallow graves, unwinding their spindly, cloaked bodies, covered with a fog of ice. The lesser of these beings rose with the filth of the ground itself, forming themselves into hooded figures, quickly gliding along the ground in the direction of the Elins.
Thudding footsteps of armored legs tearing through the ground signaled the approach of the army's general. The demon had massive, swollen biceps with calloused spikes jutting from its elbows. As its seven spider-like eyes landed on the girls, it reared its crustacean head up and bellowed, piercing the battlefield and dampening the morale of the four.
Eruno swore under her breath. "We can't run forever, sis! We already lost the path!"
Zyllian growled under her mask. "That damn 'God' left us here to die!"
"This way!" An unknown voice called out. The four looked in the direction of the source.
A golden glowing form of a woman beckoned to them. "Hurry! I am here to help!" She turned to run through the mist, away from the screams of the demons pursuing the group. "Quickly!"
"Eirai?" Zyllian glanced at her sister for orders.
Eirai furrowed her brow. "We have little choice." She dashed after the spirit.
xoxoxo
The Fae sisters followed the glowing figure through more ruins until they reached a broken wall with a green fissure on the stone's surface.
The radiant being put her hand on the wall beside the green shimmering scar. "This is your outlet."
"But it's closed." Eruno frowned.
"I cannot open it. You must wait for someone else to do so." The noise of the demons began to approach.
Zyllian turned and got into a stance, holding her twin scythes out. "Whoever it is, better hurry…" She snarled.
Eirai let loose a flurry of arrows: as they landed, they transformed into small trap glyphs. "We have to hold these demons off until then. Like the 'God' said, we cannot let them through."
Smirking, Eruno hefted her axe from her back. "Well, time for a warm-up exercise! Bring it on!"
The demons were visible now and coming closer, their general leading the assembly. It let out a roar before charging.
A low hissing sound came from behind Erune, causing her cat ears to twitch. She looked at the fissure on the wall. Cracks began to form around the scar, causing it to widen. "Eirai, the fissure is opening!" She cried out.
The four let their guard down for a split second. The hulking demon dodged Eirai's traps to let the other demons be caught instead as it threw itself at the group. It lifted its arms and summoned a ball of coursing energy with an intoxicating scent around it.
Eruno jerked her attention back and tried to make a shield barrier with her axe, but the demon's energy blast barreled into the four. As the explosion knocked them back, the fissure behind them opened, pulling them through the portal.
Zyllian, Eirai, and Eruno hit the rocky ground while Erune collided with a soft surface that grunted before falling backward.
Erune struggled to get up from the body she crashed into, her eyes moved from the green coat fabric to the gray scarf, to a pale tattooed elven face with sea-blue eyes and white hair. His left hand glowed with the same green glow as the Breach.
The elf opened his eyes after closing them from the impact. He looked back up at the opened portal where the glowing being vanished and then stared at her in disbelief.
"By the Creators…" He breathed. "Who are you?"