My first breath in the new world was full of dirt and rain. I awoke face-down in muddy soil, sputtering as cold raindrops needled the back of my neck. Panic set in when my fingers clawed through wet earth above I had been half-buried, a shallow grave serving as my bed. With a strangled gasp, I pushed myself up on unsteady limbs.
Clumps of soil and decaying leaves clung to my clothes as I stumbled upright. Heart pounding in my ears, I squinted through the darkness, trying to remember who I was and how I got here. Fragments of memory flickered—modern city lights, the hum of traffic, a life that felt a universe away—but now all of that was shrouded by a curtain of rain and night.
A distant rumble of thunder illuminated the world for a brief second. In that flash, I glimpsed towering trees encircling me, their branches clawing at the stormy sky. I stood in a forest at the edge of a clearing—and not far off loomed massive walls and spires, silhouetted against storm clouds. A city? I wiped rain and grime from my eyes, trying to focus on the shape of architecture beyond the treeline. Warm lights glinted from high windows and parapets. Instinctively, I staggered toward those lights. Civilization meant safety, or so I hoped.
Behind me, beyond the reach of the lightning flash, something stirred in the dark forest. A branch snapped—a wet, heavy sound that echoed his own crunching footfalls. I froze. The back of my neck prickled with a sense of being watched. I could see nothing now but gloom between the tree trunks, yet an unseen presence pressed against the edges of my mind. The air itself felt wrong, charged with a primal fear. Slowly, I took a step backward, eyes scanning the treeline. Another crack closer this time like something immense shifting its weight among the bracken.
My breath caught and every instinct screamed run. With adrenaline suddenly flooding my veins, I turned and bolted toward the city lights. My feet pounded the soggy ground, slipping on moss-slick roots as I raced for the forest's edge. Behind me, a guttural hiss cut through the rain, and branches quivered as if swiped by a great force. I dared not look back Icould sense it giving chase an unseen monstrosity just beyond the corner of his vision, a shadow darker than night itself. The coppery taste of fear filled his mouth.
I broke free of the treeline, lungs burning. Ahead, a broad dirt road led straight to enormous gates of the city. In the storm's darkness, the walls of Velduros rose from the earth like the ramparts of some ancient fortress, yet threaded through with a faint emerald glow. Runes etched into the stone pulsed gently, holding the night at bay.
Beyond the gates, the city's skyline was a blend of strange contrasts: I saw tiered rooftops curving like pagodas next to Victorian-style clocktowers crowned with wind turbines and glass domes. The architecture combined elegant wood and paper-lantern aesthetics with wrought iron sky-bridges and brass pipework that vented plumes of harmless steam into the air. It was as if someone had woven together Edo-period Japan, Victorian England, and a futuristic green utopia into one living tapestry. In different circumstances, I might have marveled; now, all he felt was desperation.
Behind me, the forest edge erupted in a cacophony of rustling leaves and a furious snarl. I sprinted the last stretch. The city gates were partly open—just a sliver, but enough for him to squeeze through if he could reach it in time. A pair of armored guards stood under a glowing street-lamp of stained glass and bioluminescent vines. The guards' uniforms caught my frantic eye: lamellar chest pieces and high-collared coats with a crest of interlocking gears and sakura flowers. One guard carried a halberd etched with sigils, the other some sort of steampunk rifle emitting coils of arcane vapor. Both stared wide-eyed as I hurtled toward them, a mud-splattered stranger emerging from the stormy darkness.
"Help! Please—open the gate!" I shouted, voice cracking. My words came out in the common tongue of Velduros, though he did not remember learning it. Perhaps it was instinct, or something in this world smoothing over the language barrier. The guards hesitated only a moment. The sight of sheer terror on my face—and that unearthly growl now emanating from the black forest—spurred them to action. One guard barked an order and the other hauled the iron gate open just enough for me.
I lunged through the gap, stumbling past the threshold of the city walls. The guards immediately began cranking a mechanism; gears churned and the rune-forged gate groaned as it swung shut. For a heartbeat, I risked a glance back into the rain.
On the road just beyond the closing gate, he saw nothing only darkness and sheets of rain slashing down. But as the gap narrowed, he caught a final glimpse: a pair of eyes in that darkness, reflecting an unnatural amber light, and the suggestion of spidery limbs withdrawing into shadow.
Then the gates clamped shut with a reverberating thud. Whatever horror lurked outside remained out there… for now.
I collapsed against the inner wall, chest heaving. I realized he was shaking, whether from cold or shock or both. The guards bolted the gate and exchanged looks. One guard, a tall woman with pointed ears like some kind of elf, approached me warily. Rainwater dripped off her conical metal helmet.
"You're safe now, inside Velduros's walls," she said, her tone equal parts reassurance and curiosity. Velduros. I now had a name for this city. "What in the spirits' name was after you out there?" she continued, peering at him.
"I… I don't know," I managed between breaths. I brushed a sleeve across my face, smearing mud. "I didn't see it clearly. Thank you… for letting me in." I looked up at the elf-guard. Her eyes were bright and inquisitive, and despite her fearsome armor and weapon, she seemed concerned more than hostile.
She nodded, still catching her breath from the alarm. "Lucky we hadn't sealed the gates for the night yet. You came out of nowhere." Her gaze flickered over my disheveled form, noting the dirt and the shallow cuts from brambles on his hands. "You're not hurt, are you?"
"Not badly," he replied. Physically, aside from scrapes and exhaustion, he felt intact. Mentally was another story—nothing made sense. A hundred questions swirled in my mind, but he could hardly articulate any. Where am I? How is any of this real?
Another guard, the one with the arcane rifle, approached after ensuring the gate was secure. He wore a mechanical monocle that whirred softly as it adjusted focus on Jasen. "Did you come from the forest road? There's been rumors of wild constructs and worse in those woods at night," he muttered. He gave me a once-over and frowned. "You're lucky to be alive, friend. That forest's in no place for unarmed folk after dusk."
I simply nodded, still gulping air. He realized he had no weapons, not even a coat—just his damp modern clothes, which drew a few odd looks. A t-shirt and jeans plastered with mud certainly didn't match the mixed feudal and steampunk fashion around him. Feeling exposed, I wrapped my arms around myself. The rain was easing to a drizzle now, but a chill had set into my bones.
The elf woman softened her voice. "If you've no lodging in the city, you should find an inn or tavern to get warm. The night market district is just through that archway." She pointed down a cobbled street illuminated by softly glowing spirit-wood lanterns. The lights were encased in glass orbs, each containing a small living sapling whose leaves glimmered with green bioluminescence. The effect was that of walking through a gentle starlit grove rather than a city street. I pushed off the wall on unsteady legs and inclined his head in thanks.
"I… appreciate it. I'll do that," I said. I just realized I had nothing no money of this world, no idea where to go. Only the clothes on my back and a lingering sense of dread. Yet the guards seemed content I was an ordinary traveler who'd had a brush with danger, nothing more. Perhaps it was better not to mention the grave or my lost memories just yet.
As I began to shuffle in the direction the guard indicated, she called after him, "And stranger—welcome to Velduros. May the Sixth Eye watch over you." It sounded like a local benediction. I glanced back, offering a weak smile. I had no idea what the "Sixth Eye" was, but he murmured, "Thank you," and continued on his way.
Passing under a stone archway carved with intricate patterns of lotus blossoms and gear cogs, I entered the night market district. Even at this late hour, the city was alive, though in a subdued, after-midnight manner. Under awnings of silk and glass, a few vendors were still selling hot food and odd trinkets powered by flickering runes. A steam-powered rickshaw chugged by, its chimney puffing a pleasant-smelling vapor perhaps fueled by burning fragrant spirit-wood instead of coal. The people I passed were just as eclectic as the architecture: a trio of cloaked scholars strode by, carrying books that glowed faintly.
A man in a tailored Victorian waistcoat cycled past on a penny-farthing bicycle augmented with what looked like levitation runes etched into the big wheel. An elf with mechanical prosthetic arms haggled with a dwarven vendor over crystalline machine parts. I felt as if I had wandered into an otherworldly bazaar dreamed up by a futurist and a historian in equal measure.
Despite the wondrous sights, I shivered uncontrollably. Exhaustion and shock were catching up to me. The adrenaline that had propelled him this far ebbed, leaving me light-headed. As I hugged myself and scanned for any sign of a place to rest, a warm golden glow caught his eye. Across the street, beneath the canopy of an ancient oak whose branches were interwoven with hanging lanterns, stood a building that radiated invitation.
The structure looked like an old Victorian tea house fused with a greenhouse. Its ground floor was walled with polished timber and brick, but large arched windows revealed a cozy interior. The upper floor had a curved roof of green-tinted glass panels, through which vines and dangling ferns were visible, illuminated by gentle lamplight. A wooden sign swung above the door, painted with elegant calligraphy: The Radiant Pearl. Below the name, smaller letters in a script I didn't recognize likely gave the same name in another language. The soft hum of conversation and clink of porcelain could be heard from within. It looked half tavern, half café, and wholly comforting.
I didn't hesitate I pushed open the heavy oak-and-brass door and stepped inside The Radiant Pearl. At once, I was enveloped by warmth and light. The interior air was perfumed with the scent of spiced tea and honeyed bread. Soft music played from somewhere perhaps a self-playing pianoforte in the corner, accompanied by the gentle thrum of an automaton plucking a shamisen-like string instrument. I blinked, adjusting to the amber glow.
The tavern café's main room was a blend of rustic charm and futuristic elegance. Potted trees and climbing plants were arranged artfully among the seating areas, their leaves twinkling with enchanted lights like tiny constellations. Brass light fixtures and glowing orbs of arcane energy hung from the ceiling, intertwined with hanging gardens. Patrons sat at low wooden tables or on cushioned benches. Some sipped from ceramic tea bowls, others nursed glasses of what looked like luminescent ale. A few heads turned to glance at I mostly curious eyes noting my sodden, dirty state then turned back to their business.
I stood awkwardly near the entrance, water pooling at my feet from my drenched clothes. I suddenly felt self-conscious; this was clearly a high-end establishment, and I likely looked like a homeless man who crawled out of a grave which was uncomfortably close to the truth. I was about to retreat, unsure if I even had the right to be here, when a soothing voice addressed me.
"You look positively drenched, darling. Please, come in and warm yourself."
I turned toward the voice. Walking toward me from behind the bar was a tall woman of ethereal beauty. She had the slender, pointed ears of an elf and eyes of a deep violet hue that seemed to almost glow. Her hair cascaded in silver-white waves down her back, and she wore a fitted dress of midnight-blue silk, accented with iridescent feathers at the shoulders. A single violet lotus adorned her hair, matching her eyes. As she approached, I felt an inviting warmth radiating from her presence, along with something else he couldn't pinpoint—a heady mixture of comfort and allure that made it hard to look away.
Before I could stammer a reply, the elven woman fetched a thick embroidered towel from a shelf. She closed the distance and, with surprising familiarity, draped it around I shoulders. Her long fingers briefly brushed the back of his neck as she did so, sending a slight tingle down his spine. "Sit, sit," she insisted kindly, guiding me to a nearby cushioned bench by a wall-mounted hearth. The hearth was a marvel in itself: a circle of rune-inscribed stones within which danced a smokeless golden flame, likely a product of arcane science rather than wood. I sank onto the bench gratefully, the heat seeping into my chilled limbs.
"Thank you," I murmured, clutching the towel around myself. Up close, the woman's face was even more striking flawless alabaster skin, high cheekbones, and a smile on her wine-red lips that was both comforting and vaguely intoxicating. He realized he was staring and quickly averted his eyes, focusing on the hearth.
"It's no trouble at all." She sat down beside him, a bit closer than a stranger normally might, but her presence was oddly reassuring. "We don't see many travelers at this hour, especially not in such a state. My name is Arianna," she said, tucking a strand of his damp hair behind his ear in a gesture so swift and natural he barely registered it. "I own The Radiant Pearl. Consider yourself my guest tonight."
I struggled to say my name like it was a hard concept to remember I even had one until something came to mind. "I… I'm Jasen," I managed to reply, feeling heat rush to my face whether from the hearth or her in my personal space, it was hard to tell. "I appreciate it, miss but I have no money with me, I"
Arianna pressed a finger softly to my lips, shushing his protest. Her touch was cool and sent a pleasant numbness through me. "Hush. We can discuss coin later, sweetheart. You're shivering like a leaf." She withdrew her finger slowly, and Jasen found himself exhaling a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. She rose and called over her shoulder, "I'll fetch you something hot to drink. Just relax."
As Arianna moved gracefully back behind the counter, I allowed myself to sag against the back of the bench. The world was still spinning so much had happened in the last hour, I could hardly process it. I watched the tavern owner prepare a drink: she opened a brass samovar etched with glowing runes and poured steaming liquid into a ceramic cup. With a delicate wave of her hand, she caused a sprinkle of spices to float from a jar and swirl into the cup unassisted. Magic. It had to be magic. The runes, the strange technologies, the things I'd seen they confirmed what I already suspected. This is not Earth and I'm in another world.
The realization hit me like a hammer, and a tremor of panic threatened to resurface. But before it could take hold, Arianna was back at my side, offering the cup. "Careful, it's hot," she said softly.
I wrapped it hands around the cup, noting the gentle orange glow in the drink. An aroma of cinnamon and something floral wafted up. Sipping cautiously, I found it was a kind of spiced chai, sweetened with honey, enriched by a warmth that spread through my body. I sighed, tension easing. Across the table, Arianna watched me with those luminous violet eyes, chin propped on the back of her hand in a pose of keen interest.
"Better?" she asked her voice had a musical lilt that made me feel safe, like a child being lulled by a lullaby.
"Yes. Thank you, truly," I replied earnestly. "I—I was lost out there I don't even know how I got to the forest. If you hadn't " I stopped short, the memory of clawing out of a grave flickering in my mind. Some instinct told me not to blurt that out. I barely understood it myself. Instead, I said, "I was in the forest and something chased me. I'm just grateful to be somewhere safe and dry."
Arianna's eyes darkened with sympathy as she reached out to lay a hand on my forearm. "You poor thing. You've had a ghastly night, haven't you?" Her touch was gentle, the pressure just enough to be comforting. I felt a sudden flush of warmth at the contact, as if a cozy blanket had been wrapped around my very soul. The sensation was pleasantly drowsy. "You're safe now, I promise," she cooed. Her fingers began a slow, light stroke along my arm as she spoke, almost in a soothing rhythm.
My initial wariness was melting under her kindness and the hot drink. my eyelids felt heavy. The tavern's glowing lights took on a hazy quality, and even the lingering fear from the forest began to dull. "I'm safe…" I murmured, not sure if I said it aloud or just thought it. I found himself leaning slightly toward Arianna, drawn in by her presence. It occurred to me in some distant corner of his mind that sitting this close to a stranger might be odd, but nothing about Arianna felt threatening. Quite the opposite I felt an almost magnetic comfort radiating from her, pulling me in.
She smiled at my relaxation, her eyes half-lidded as she watched me. Her thumb unconsciously made small circles on the inside of my wrist. "That's right," she said in barely more than a whisper, "just relax."
My head lolled to the side, and I blinked slowly, trying to focus on her face. For a heartbeat, I thought I saw something in her expression a flash of lustful hunger? Her eyes seemed to flare with a subtle inner light, and the gentle smile on her lips curved into something sharper. But when I blinked again, her expression was merely the picture of compassion. I must be more exhausted than I realized, I thought. Yet, a faint alarm bell rang in my mind. The tavern owner's touch was tender, but there was a curious heat where her skin met his, a tingling that wasn't entirely comfortable. It felt like the warmth one feels right before a fever breaks pleasant, but with a hint of weakness that follows.
I tried to straighten up, to shake off the sudden lethargy. "I maybe I should… find a room or." I began, realizing I was growing more tired and light-headed by the second. But Arianna's hand suddenly moved from my arm to my cheek, turning my face gently toward her.
"Shh," she crooned, locking her eyes with mine. Those violet eyes were impossibly deep, twin pools drawing me in. Any protest I had died on my tongue as I stared back. "There's no need to rush off. You can stay right here with me." Her other arm slid along the bench behind me, not quite touching my shoulders but caging me in a loose embrace. Her proximity was dizzying; I felt his heart thud slowly, each beat muffled as if by a thick fog. The edges of his vision dimmed. Part of me realized something was wrong, that maybe he should pull away, but that part was distant and small.
Arianna's voice seemed to echo directly in his mind. "You've had such a long day don't you deserve a moment of peace? Of pleasure?" The word hung in the air, and Jasen's cheeks burned. The tavern around them faded; I was aware only of her perfume jasmine and vanilla and the gentle caress of her thumb against my cheek now. A wave of euphoria swept through me, and with it, an almost overwhelming urge to close my eyes and give in to this warmth.
"She's feeding on you." The realization came not in words but as a visceral gut feeling. My eyes snapped open or had they closed? It was hard to tell, but some instinctual alarm had finally pierced the haze. My limbs felt heavy, but I managed to shift back an inch, breaking Arianna's hold on my cheek. She blinked in surprise, and for an instant her beautiful face shifted the gentle concern twisting into a look of frustration. In that instant, the amber light of the tavern caught her eyes at a certain angle, and I thought I saw them flash crimson, like glowing coals. Her nails against his face felt sharper than before.
A sudden clink of glass broke the moment. A new voice, calm and clear, cut through the fog in my mind: "Pardon me, is this seat taken?"
I turned sluggishly toward the source. Standing at their table was a woman who hadn't been there a second ago. I hadn't heard anyone approach, yet here she was, mere feet away. At first glance, one might have mistaken her for a noble lady from a bygone era. She was tall and poised, clad in a long charcoal-grey coat with subtle patterns of cranes and dragons woven into the fabric in black thread. The coat's cut was unusual—somewhere between a Victorian riding coat and a traditional kimono robe, flaring slightly at the hips as it fell to her calves. Beneath it, a hint of a silken inner tunic with a high collar peeked out, fastened at her throat with an ornate jade brooch. Armored gauntlets of lacquered wood and metal covered her forearms, each etched with an emblem resembling an eye inside a hexagon. At her side hung a slender curved blade in a black lacquered sheath, and on the opposite hip, a brass-hilted pistol of clear steampunk design was holstered.
But most arresting was the woman's face: elegant, with high cheekbones and dark eyes sharp with intelligence. Her black hair was pulled into a bun secured by two long ornate hairpins that resembled little steampunk contraptions themselves, tiny gears whirring at their tips. A few loose raven strands framed her pale face. She fixed Arianna with a cool, polite smile that did not reach her eyes.
Arianna withdrew her hand from me and stood quickly, all hospitality gone from her posture. I felt air flood back into my lungs as if I'd been freed from an embrace I hadn't realized was suffocating. I shook my head, the fog receding with each passing second away from Arianna's touch. The weakness in my limbs began to diminish, replaced by the prickling memory of alarm. What was she doing to me? I wondered, heart pounding now as clarity returned.
The tavern owner regarded the newcomer with a mixture of annoyance and wariness. "Lady Vaelwyn," Arianna purred, dipping her head in a slight bow. Her voice was sugary sweet, but I detected a faint hiss under the words. "How unexpected to see you here tonight."
The newcomer—Lady Vaelwyn—kept her slight smile, but there was steel under her polite tone. "A pleasant evening to you as well, Arianna," she replied, voice measured. It was the voice that had cut through I stupor: low, clear, each word enunciated with educated precision. "I was merely out for a late tea and found myself drawn to The Radiant Pearl. Such a warm, welcoming atmosphere here." Her eyes flicked to me, and I felt as though those dark irises could see straight through me. "I do hope I'm not intruding on anything… intimate."
Arianna's lips tightened almost imperceptibly. "Of course not. I was only offering a bit of comfort to our weary traveler here." She glanced down at me, and there was a flash of warning in her violet eyes warning for me to hold my tongue, perhaps. Her once gentle grip on my arm had turned into a subtle claw, fingertips pressing into his sleeve as if to claim him.
I swallowed, suddenly caught between two women and utterly uncertain of what to do. The fog had cleared enough for me to sense the tension thick in the air. The entire tavern had gone quiet; the other patrons watched with interest that ranged from furtive glances to open staring. It seemed like this Lady Vaelwyn's presence was notable.
Lady Vaelwyn tilted her head, examining me briefly. "He does look weary. And yet…" She trailed off, eyes narrowing at the sight of Arianna's fingers digging into my arm. The elegant woman lifted her gaze back to the tavern owner, and when she spoke again, there was a subtle edge beneath the civility. "I wonder if what he truly needs is rest. Excessive… comfort can be quite draining for someone in his condition, don't you agree?"
Arianna's smile froze. The veneer of friendliness slipped from her voice. "I am simply taking care of my guest. Surely, that's my prerogative in my own establishment, Lady Vaelwyn."
"Taking care. Yes, I'm sure." Vaelwyn's eyes flicked to the faint, wilting aura around me the one only someone with a sixth sense might perceive. "I think the gentleman has had enough for one night." She extended a gloved hand toward me. "If you'd allow me, sir, I can escort you somewhere to properly recover. This district can be treacherous for those unfamiliar with our city's… peculiarities."
I hesitated. I felt steadier by the second now that Arianna was not touching me, but I was still light-headed. Arianna's presence, while comforting at first, now struck me as predatory with her jaws just at my neck. There was no denying that something had been happening something that left me weaker. And here was a stranger, yet clearly someone of status and confidence, offering a way out. My gut told me to trust her, if only because Arianna seemed subtly afraid of her.
Arianna, sensing me leaning toward the newcomer, tightened her grip once more, causing me to wince. Her eyes flashed with desperation masquerading as concern. "Jasen, dear, you don't have to go anywhere. You're safe here with me. You haven't even finished your tea." There was an almost hypnotic coaxing in her tone again, and I felt a tug on my mind, the beginnings of that soothing fog trying to return.
Vaelwyn's hand remained outstretched between them, unwavering. "Mr. Jasen, is it?" she addressed me directly for the first time, using my name with familiarity as if she already knew it. "The hour grows late. If you have nowhere to stay, I assure you I can arrange safe lodging. Velduros can be overwhelming on a first night." There was kindness in her voice now, and a hint of insistence.
I took a deep breath my instincts solidified Arianna's velvet hospitality hid danger, whereas Vaelwyn's stern demeanor strangely promised protection. Apologetically, I gently pried my arm from Arianna's grasp and took Lady Vaelwyn's hand. "Thank you… My lady," I said, my voice hoarse but resolute.
Arianna's eyes narrowed, and for a fraction of a second her facade fell: her violet eyes flickered to a demonic shade of red and a subtle ridge of horns threatened to emerge from her brow an illusion dispelled almost instantly as she regained composure. "As you wish," she said coolly, stepping back. The sudden loss of her contact felt like a weight lifting from my shoulders. Air that was not tinged with her heady perfume filled his lungs.
Vaelwyn helped me to my feet. Up close, she moved with a lethal grace; even the simple act of steadying me felt like part of a precise martial form. I noticed the slight rustle of fabric over armor beneath her coat and caught a whiff of her scent cool rain and a faint trace of sandalwood. It was grounding, real, without the enchantment that had clung to Arianna.
"Do come again, Jasen," Arianna said with a tight smile as Vaelwyn led me toward the door. The proprietress's voice followed them, smooth but with an undercurrent of ire. "I'll keep a pot of that chai ready for you… on the house."
I managed a polite nod, though he didn't dare utter thanks this time, not after realizing what her hospitality entailed. With that, Lady Vaelwyn guided me out of The Radiant Pearl and back into the cool drizzle of the Velduros night.
The relative quiet of the street was a relief. The rain had calmed to a fine mist, and the glow from the tavern's windows cast long beams of light across the damp cobblestones. Vaelwyn released my hand once he steadied myself outside. The night market's vendors were mostly packing up now, and a gentle hush fell over the street, broken only by distant gears turning and the drip of water from eaves.
I stood uncertainly, not sure what to say. I felt immensely grateful, but also embarrassed and still terribly confused by everything. "Thank you," I began. "I don't know what I was thinking… she was… I mean, I feel stupid." I rubbed my temples where a dull ache was forming.
Vaelwyn turned to face me, her expression softening a fraction. In the street's lamplight, I could see her more clearly now. She was perhaps in her mid to late twenties (or so she appeared; with magic, who knew), her complexion smooth and almost luminescent in the glow of a nearby spirit-wood lantern.
"No need for apologies," Vaelwyn said gently. "Arianna has a way of clouding even the sharpest mind when one isn't prepared. Essence drinkers like her prefer willing prey."
My eyes widened. "Essence-drinker…? Is that what she—? I mean, I felt her draining me. My energy, or something." I swallowed, bile rising as I realized how close he'd been to perhaps ending up as a lifeless husk on that tavern bench.
Vaelwyn gave a small nod, one corner of her lips tugging upward in a wry smirk. "A high elf by day, a succubus by night. She walks in both worlds. Technically, feeding on willing patrons skirts the law, but… it's frowned upon to say the least." She eyed me thoughtfully. "You're fortunate. A few more minutes and you'd have been difficult to rouse. And by morning" She didn't finish the thought, letting me imagine the outcome. I shivered, despite the towel still around his shoulders.
"I owe you my life then," I said earnestly, meeting her gaze. "Thank you, Lady Vaelwyn."
She waved off the formality lightly. "Just Vaelwyn is fine I'm not one for stiff titles despite appearances." At this, a tiny note of humor colored her tone. "Besides, I haven't formally earned the title of Lady in any court that matters—Lady is more a courtesy people insist on given my family name and… reputation."
I nodded, unsure how to respond. Now that the immediate danger was past, awkwardness crept in. I was a stranger in soaked, muddy clothes being helped by an elegant, armed woman in the middle of a foreign city at night. A dozen questions fought for priority in my mind. Who exactly was Vaelwyn? Why had she helped me? She clearly knew Arianna, and the guards had mentioned the "Sixth Eye" the same phrase Vaelwyn used as part of a blessing was that connected to her? I also wondered if she somehow knew my name in advance; she had addressed me correctly without being told. That detail nagged at me.
Vaelwyn seemed to sense my turmoil. She gave me an appraising look, as one might a puzzle box that just landed in her lap. "You're not a local, that much is obvious," she said softly, her eyes almost studying the air around me rather than just his face. "In fact, I suspect you're not even from any land of this world." She said it calmly, but it felt like she could see right through me to my core. I stiffened, unable to mask my surprise or anxiety.
"I—uh," I stammered. Should I admit it? Would she think me insane? Then again, she clearly was familiar with supernatural things. "I'm… not from here, no. I don't understand how it happened. The last thing I clearly remember was—" Then I frowned, trying to grab hold of hazy memories. "I was in my home city, on planet called Earth, and then… nothing. I just woke up in that grave out there." I nodded toward the gate, now out of sight around a bend, but present in my mind.
Vaelwyn listened without interruption. Not a glint of disbelief crossed her face. Instead, at the mention of the grave, her brow creased in concern. "A grave, you say?" She crossed her arms. "Fascinating. Cases of planar transmigration or reincarnation travel between worlds are rare, but not unheard of. However, one usually doesn't arrive buried. That implies…" She trailed off, considering possibilities.
I couldn't suppress a bitter half-chuckle. "I woke up buried alive. I'm just glad it was shallow. If it was someone's idea of a sick joke, I'm not laughing." I rubbed my arms, recalling the sheer panic of clawing out of the earth. The towel had slipped off and hung around my elbows now.
Vaelwyn's eyes flashed with empathy at my description. "I'm sorry you went through that rest assured, whatever the cause, we will get to the bottom of it." The way she said we gave Jasen an unexpected sense of relief—he wasn't alone in this, it seemed, at least for now.
She gestured down the road, and they began walking slowly side by side. The city around them was dimmer now as many lamps were lowered in the late hour. Still, Velduros at night was breathtaking in its own right. The misty rain gave the gaslights and magical luminaires halos that glowed against the ivy-covered brick walls. Above, I could make out bridges between buildings some enclosed in glass and filled with greenery, connecting academies, laboratories, and homes. A clocktower in the distance struck a musical chime—three bells for the third hour of night.
They passed a small patrol of city watch armor gleaming, swords at their sides marching in disciplined formation. I noted one of them wore a mempo, a stylized half-mask evoking a demon, reminiscent of samurai armor, yet he carried a Tesla-coil spear that crackled softly at the tip. The blending of epochs would have fascinated I endlessly had he not been consumed by his own plight.
After a silence, Vaelwyn spoke again, choosing her words carefully. "Your arrival is serendipitous in a way. I happened to be investigating some anomalies at the city's edge tonight unusual energy fluctuations from the woods. That's what led me near the gate, and how I found you." She glanced at me. " It seems you've stumbled straight into the thick of Velduros' more occult side on your first night." Her lips quirked. "Not exactly a gentle introduction."
I shook his head, managing a tired smile. "You can say that again though I'm grateful you were there to make sure it didn't end worse." I hesitated, then added, "You mentioned something earlier—'the Sixth Eye'? The guard also said it as a blessing. What is that, exactly? A deity or...?"
Vaelwyn's face lit just a little at the question, as if pleased he asked. "The Order of the Sixth Eye," she clarified. "It's not a deity more of an organization. We are a society of investigators and scholars who study hidden truths, especially those beyond ordinary sight. The 'sixth eye' refers to a third eye of perception, beyond even a sixth sense seeing what others cannot." She tapped the small eye-shaped insignia on her black leather glove. "We handle mysteries that involve the arcane, the cosmic, the inexplicable. Strange creatures, magical crimes, things of that nature."
I absorbed that It did align with her actions or more of her look she had clearly recognized the succubus for what it was and had knowledge of planar travel. "So, are you like a detective?" I ventured.
Vaelwyn chuckled softly. "That's one way to put it. A private investigator of the supernatural, if you will. Though our Order operates somewhat autonomously from the city's regular peacekeepers." There was pride in her voice, and a hint of burden too.
We reached a small plaza where a marble statue of a scholar stood, holding a lantern that was an actual hovering orb of sunlight probably a magically sustained daylight for this square. Even at night, the plaza was well-lit and felt safe. Benches ringed a fountain that was currently off due to the rain. Vaelwyn led me to one of the benches under the eaves of a copper gazebo, shielding them from the drizzle.
I sank onto the bench with a weary sigh. "This is all… a lot," I admitted, looking at my hands. They were still caked with bits of dirt under the nails. "Earlier tonight I was—" I stopped, realizing I couldn't even complete that sentence. I hardly remembered what earlier tonight on Earth was. Was I driving home from work? Did I go to bed? It was terrifying how blank my memory was around the event of coming here. I could remember certain things like mythology or supernatural or basic math and science things but who I was and my history was coming up blank.
Vaelwyn sat beside me, not too close, giving me space. She studied my face for a moment. "You're handling it surprisingly well, all things considered. I've seen hardened men go mad with less of a shock and the stories of other transmigrator's vary from losing their senses to complete dissociation depending on their age and life before ."
I let out a shaky laugh. "Believe me, I feel like I might be on the verge of losing it. I'm just… taking it one moment at a time. Survive monster, check. Find shelter, pending. Avoid soul-sucking demon, check." I gave her a sidelong glance. "Meet a mysterious investigator who might be the only person I can trust so far… check."
Vaelwyn smiled at that, a genuine warm smile that made her features even more striking. "I'm glad I pass your criteria." She paused, then reached into a hidden pocket of her coat. "In the interest of getting you fully back on your feet, I have something for that lingering dizziness." She produced a small vial filled with a softly glowing cyan liquid. Uncorking it, she handed it to me. "A restorative draught. It will counteract any residual vitality drain and clear your head."
I eyed the potion with curiosity and a hint of skepticism old habits from Earth died hard; random strangers didn't just hand you glowing drinks back home. But I had little reason to doubt Vaelwyn's intentions at this point. If Arianna had meant to drain him dry, Vaelwyn had intervened to save me. I accepted the vial. "Thank you." The liquid inside shimmered when I tilted it. It smelled faintly of mint and ozone. With a bracing breath, I downed it in one swallow.
It was pleasantly cool, and immediately he felt a tingling spread through my body. The ache in his temples lifted, and the lingering fatigue receded like darkness before dawn. I sat up straighter. "Wow… I feel… I feel much better."
Vaelwyn nodded, recorking the empty vial and tucking it away. "Good. Now, Jasen" She turned slightly to face me, one leg crossed over the other in a casual yet composed manner. "I'd like to ask you a question or two, to get a sense of things. Nothing too probing," she added gently as she saw me tense slightly. "More like a little test. Are you up for that?"
I wiped my damp palms on my jeans. "A test? What kind of test?" My mind immediately flashed to standardized tests or bizarre psychological evaluations, but something told me Vaelwyn had something more unconventional in mind.
* Images of character's here.
-Arianna
- Lady Vaelwyn