Royal Palace, Solareth — Throne Hall
Golden light filtered through stained-glass windows as Kris stood before the king of Solareth. The room was vast, its marble floor glimmering like a still lake. Jessica stood beside him, her eyes calm, hands behind her back in respectful posture.
King Aldros leaned forward from his throne, fingers steepled. His voice was low, yet heavy with command.
King Aldros:
"Cromos, you say? Destroyed your realm single-handedly?"
Kris: (voice steady but quiet)
"Yes, Your Majesty. My people… they didn't even have time to scream."
Jessica: (gently)
"He wasn't lying. I examined him myself. His wounds, his aura — it's different. Twisted by a force none of us here have seen before."
The King rose to his feet, pacing slowly. His crimson cape swept across the steps of his dais.
King Aldros:
"There is a reason fate placed you in Solareth, Kris. And I may have the answer. An ancient tome, hidden deep in the jungles of Elyndra, has long eluded us. It is said to hold knowledge from the Age of Titans… including secrets about realmwalkers."
Kris:
"A magical book?"
King Aldros: (nods)
"Yes. Bound in starlight and inked with the essence of dimensions. If Cromos's rise is more than just conquest… that book will tell us."
Jessica:
"Where exactly is this jungle?"
King Aldros:
"Elyndra. The oldest floating island. Covered in mist, and filled with beasts that remember war better than peace. Few return. Most don't even get past the trees."
Kris: (firmly)
"Then we'll be the ones who do."
---
Elyndra — Two Days Later
The jungle hissed around them like a living beast. Vines hung like serpents, trees towered endlessly skyward, and the ground beneath their feet pulsed with strange energy.
Jessica: (swatting at a glowing insect)
"Solareth's forests sing. But this one… this one screams."
Kris: (sword at the ready)
"Stay alert. We've been watched since sunrise."
Suddenly — a faint crack in the brush. Kris swung around, blade raised. Jessica's palms shimmered with healing light, ready to cast.
Voice (from the shadows):
"If I wanted you dead, I wouldn't have stepped on that branch."
A cloaked figure stepped out from behind the thick vines. His cloak was tattered, black with red lining. His eyes were unnerving — one a vivid purple, the other a haunting red.
Kris:
"Who are you?"
Zagan: (calmly)
"Someone who shouldn't exist."
Jessica:
"Wait… those eyes… Kris—"
Kris:
"I see it. He looks like me."
Zagan: (gives a small smirk)
"Not like. I am you. From another strand of reality. But unlike you, I didn't just lose my home. I lost everything."
A heavy silence settled over the jungle.
Kris: (cautious)
"What are you doing here?"
Zagan:
"Guarding the book. The one you came for."
Jessica: (incredulous)
"You have it?"
Zagan: (nods)
"Buried beneath the ruins of an old shrine, deeper in the forest. But I protect it for a reason. That book reveals truths that can shatter kingdoms."
Kris:
"We were sent to retrieve it."
Zagan:
"Then your king doesn't know what he's asking. Or maybe he does."
Jessica:
"What do you mean?"
Zagan: (voice colder now)
"Some truths… should never be written. Let alone read."
Suddenly, a deep roar echoed from the foliage. Birds scattered into the sky. The earth trembled.
Jessica:
"What now?"
Zagan: (drawing his blade — a thin, curved weapon with arcane symbols)
"Your test. If you can survive this, I'll take you to the shrine."
---
Meanwhile — Overhead, on a twisted branch
A creature cloaked in shadow crouched silently. Its glowing violet eyes narrowed, locked on the trio below.
Unknown Entity (whispering):
"They've united… and soon, the Requiem shall bloom again."
---
End of Chapter 2