The Arrival - Serenia
Ardyn and Atina moved through the mountains with an ease that seemed to speak of years of practice. Ardyn had decided to practice speed over movement, so they sped through treetops and over rocky areas faster than the mundane could ever hope to see.
They were following the direction dictated by Ardyn's soul song. It resonated and calmed as they moved closer to their destination.
The mountain range suddenly stopped. They stood on the edge of the cliff and looked at a black abyss. Ardyn looked down into the darkness and instinctively knew that there was no bottom.
Over the black abyss was a thin layer of mist. Ardyn watched the wisps of it swirl near the cliffs – they swirled near but seemed to be unable to reach the cliff edge.
Further from the cliff, the mists became a sparkling, silvery sea. Within the stagnant silvery mist moved currents of powdery blue mists that seemed denser and heavier.
Toward the center of this mist was an archipelago of a dozen sharp islands grouped together in the shape of a crescent moon.
Ardyn nodded and looked down into the abyss again. She knew she needed to go to those islands, but she also knew that they could not just use regular magic to get over the abyss.
"Can your shadow magic get us across?"
"No, My Lady." Atina shook her head as she looked out over the abyss. Her dark eyes shone with a black light. "There is no shadow here. This darkness is Void, not shadow."
Ardyn nodded. She had learned much from her time in the enlightenment pool. She exhaled deeply. Her soul would not have brought her here if there was no way across.
She sent her Song of Breath out over the abyss – seeking other magics – and half of the song was swallowed into the darkness. She physically jumped when her magic was forcefully pulled. Still, she did not let go of it. Her perceptions followed, and she maintained a fine line of magic tethered to it.
Instinct set in, and along with Song of Breath flowed Song of Calm. The soul magics wove with each other, and as they did, they attracted the mists.
The dense blue mists reached down into the abyss and pulled her coiling, weaving magics up – when they did, they reached out to Ardyn. The mists mingled with Ardyn's soul magic and spoke into her soul.
'You can help us. Help Serenia. The Life Slip is the way and the gift.'
The mists spoke tentatively, as if it was difficult for them to do so. In response to this, Ardyn pushed her Song of Nature forth. It entered the weave, and the mists responded. The silver portion became more bright, vibrant, and the blue mist became denser, fuller.
This mist was the Aetheric Sea. A magical mist sea of healing and vitality, and the archipelago was Serenia. The Aetheric Sea – Aureas – spoke to her, and she struggled to understand.
"We are going to Serenia."
"Yes, My Lady." Atina moved closer to Ardyn, as if she already knew Ardyn had a plan to cross this odd abyss.
Ardyn breathed slowly, and her Soul Shield extended out and around both her and Atina. Her braid of Song of Breath, Song of Calm, and Song of Nature flowed around the Soul Shield and wove into its edges.
The Shield became more than a guard; it became a cushion of air that thickened beneath them and lifted both Ardyn and Atina from the ground.
Ardyn focused – beads of sweat forming on her forehead, a stream of it flowing down her back – and pushed her magic forward. She and Atina slowly rose into the air. Ardyn's magic began to balance itself – moving to places along the thread that were weak and needed shoring. The magical mists of Aureas reached out to them – helping them to move across the abyss.
When they got to the deeper areas of Aureas – the Aetheric Sea – the mists helped even more. As they moved across the Aetheric Sea, Ardyn's control became better and better. Her breathing remained controlled and steady.
The first island of Serenia was close. The island had sharp angles, bright, sparkling blue ore veins running through it, and long thin roots swaying in the mists below. All of the other islands were the same – merely varying shapes and sizes.
The mists continued to carry them on their way – bringing them to a dense, crystalline blue walkway that circled the island. They rose up – the mists extending upward to push them over the walkway – and they saw the massive twin redwood trees in the center of the crescent-shaped group of islands.
The twin trees intertwined and spiraled up, as one, into the sky. Their bark was deep red, like fire and clay, and their leaves were silvery blue.
Dust fell from the bark and into the mists below – a wide moat of red around them like blood pooling around the recently murdered. Brilliant blue walkways spanned out from each island to the pair. Their brilliance slowly fading as they reached the moat of red.
Each walkway ended at a narrow terrace that circled the twin trees. Here the walkways were clear crystal and seemed in disrepair.
Ardyn and Atina arrived at the first island. As soon as they made it to the walkway, the mists released Ardyn's magic and dropped back into Aureas below them. Ardyn's magic receded back into her soul, and she swayed, her body weak.
Atina instantly stepped to her – giving her support – and Ardyn looked out over Serenia. Her body trembled from the strain of crossing the abyss.
Aureas's voice was louder, clearer, and the magical sea of mists spoke to Ardyn.
'You did well – you are ready. Help Serenia, fully learn the Life Slip – the next step to obtaining The Life Way.'
As Aureas' voice faded from Ardyn's soul, both she and Atina stiffened—a palpable sense of danger flowed over them. Their eyes both moved in the same direction, tracing the feeling of danger to its source.
Standing on the terrace encircling the twin redwoods were hundreds of ancient stone figures. Moss hung loosely from their heads like hair, and draped over their shoulders like vast ancient capes.
When the pair focused on these forms, their heads slowly turned toward them as one. Their ancient stone faces glowed with an old patina.
Even as Ardyn and Atina watched, they both saw the stone dust fall from them, like blood, to pile at their stone feet.
The stone figures' eyes blazed, and Ardyn knew that she needed to save them to save Serenia. She could sense their connection to the island chain and the moat of red staining the mists below.
This was her test and—for now—she didn't even understand the question.