Henry felt an intense sensation in his body, as if he was swimming but from the inside. His stomach churned, and his mind was blank. He couldn't see anything, not as if his eyes were closed, but like there was nothing he could physically see.
'What's going on?'
A sensation of breath his the back of his neck.
Ready to have some fun, boy?
The voice was deep and implanted in his mind.
'What do you mean!'
The Rotting Fish began laughing. Henry felt as liquid entered his lungs, water surrounded him, he tried screaming, but nothing could get out.
'Shit, can't… die-'
Immediately he was thrust around and felt his body land on a harsh, strong surface.
Wheezing, he opened his eyes, holding on to the floor for dear life.
He was inside a small, dark room, made of stone bricks. The floor he was holding on to was moist, and feeling the rest of his bruised body, so was he.
The air he consumed was filled with moisture, it reminded him of sitting in a hot shower for too long.
Moving around his surroundings, he found an opening in the wall that led into the streets of the unknown city.
'Where am I?'
Looking out, the area was visible in a twilight tinge, everything was struck by a hue of blue from above. However, there was no sun nor moon. Just two massive stars staring down at him.
Shivers went down his spine.
'This doesn't look like the description's of any ancient city.'
He swallowed, and thought back to the description's of each city.
'City of life, clocks, eyes, flesh, eyes, memories, and doors…'
Immediately, he began walking around, searching for any indication of life. The cities streets were almost identical, at one point when Henry turned around he realized, he didn't recognize where he had come from. Was he running in circles? Picking up a rock that fell from one of the ruined homes, he carved an X into the floor. Then he ran up ahead and turned to a street, drawing another X. He continued looping until he should have returned to his first X, but in horror Henry looked down the street, and saw no marking. He didn't even recognize it, turning back to where he had come from, couldn't find any of his markings, nor could he fully be certain he'd been there before.
'What the hell is this place?'
Sneaking inside one of the ruined houses, he tried to find any inscriptions that could give him any sort of detail. But there was only one word scratched into the wall written in a language Henry barely understood, thanks to Joshin.
"Peasant."
'Well that's nice.'
Henry searched through the home, finding some moist furniture made of wood, that had degraded into scraps. To start a fire, he would need to find a dry area, but with the cities immense humidity, that idea seemed impossible.
Soon he had gathered a decent amount of wood, using his uniform's jacket he fashioned a line, then he hung the wood on it, hoping to let some moisture drip out, and dry the wood.
'If I leave this home, I doubt I'll be able to find my way back.'
Sitting down, he made note of all he had.
"Let's see."
Pants,
Undergarments,
Shirt,
Jacket,
Tie,
Ballpoint Pen,
Slowly Henry pulled out the square trinket, with its new revitalized form, that had been given to him by his teacher.
'What do you do?'
Visually the object was the same just with a new color on half, though when holding it Henry could sense some sort of energy running through it.
"Come on."
Henry focused on the object to imagine some sort of energy running through his fingers into it, concentrating to the point of nearly passing out, but nothing happened.
"Fuck, can you do anything, aren't you an artifact, you're meant to be powerful, give me aide or something."
Trying to cheat, are we?
The voice blasted into Henry's mind.
"AH!"
He held his ears, but that changed nothing.
"No, I just want to use what's rightfully mine!"
What's rightfully yours, you say?
The voice seemed curious.
Would you like a helping hand?
Its voice was almost calm, kind for once, not threatening, or obnoxious. Henry contemplated the idea, he didn't know the rotting fish's motives, merely that it was looking for entertainment.
"Why would you, help me?"
He paused, waiting for a response.
Oh, well, that's simple. I know what's going to happen next.
The voice giggled with anticipation.
And it would be so unfortunate if you were, due to your misfortune, to die, or worse, before I get to see your future.
Its malicious smile could be heard even with no physical body to watch.
'What does it mean, "What's going to happen next."'
Henry pondered the creature's words, but settled on taking its support, he needed all the help he could get.
"If you want to help, be my guest."
Well, pickup the artifact, I can't see it.
'Can't see it?'
Did this mean, the creature could only see things directly influenced by Henry?
Slowly he picked the square up, its familiar shape brining him a sense of unease.
Oh my, how adorable.
The rotting fish began laughing maniacally.
So sweet, just for our boy Henry.
Disgust washed over Henry's body, the thought of that creature using his name was repulsing.
Well, I can help with this indeed, do mind it might sting a bit.
'Sting?'
Immediately Henry's body went stiff, unable to move his arm nor legs he fell to his side, trapped.
'What! What's happening!'
He tried to scream, but no words came out, it was as if he had been turned to stone.
'It tricked me, shit.'
Instantly, his eyesight was lost, and all he could feel sweat dripping down his body.
'Help!'
Whatever mind reading being Henry screamed for was not there, and for a moment, he thought all hope was lost. Until an extreme pain entered his eyes, a sweet voice ringing in his ears.
[Chosen, Henry Philips.]
Slowly, from his fingertips to his feet, he began to move. Yet, his sight was still gone.
'Have I gone blind?'
[Artifact Factor One Unlocked.]
Immediately a rush of blood went to the terrified Henry's eyes, followed by immense pain, as if his eyes were being pulled out and put back in over, and over, and over, and over.
He screamed and screamed, if whatever lurked in the unknown city wasn't aware of him, it would be now.
However, just as fast as it came, the pain ceased, and Henry's sight returned.
Gasping for air, he held his eyes, the pain left him curled up on the floor.
'What was that!'
Looking around, Henry couldn't see the artifact. Did he lose it?
'Come on, where are you.'
As if willed by his thoughts, from within his chest a familiar blue energy shot out projecting the same unknown inscription's from the conduit circle, in front of him. This time something was different, as Henry looked at them his eyes adjusted, and slowly they became readable.
-Artifact-
[Old Man's Hope]
-Description -
Though I cannot be there in his darkest moment, I will sacrifice it all to give my true [??????] aid, the best I can.
Henry read the description, however even with his adjusted eyes, it was incomplete, the inscriptions were incomprehensible for him to even look at. Moving his eyes down.
-Factors-
[Spectral Sight]
[??????]
[??????]
'"Factors"? In all I've read, there's been no mention of these. Are they only visible to artifact users?'
Henry focused on the Spectral Sight inscriptions, and they suddenly grew, showing more information.
[Spectral Sight]
-Description-
Long ago, a scholar carved out his eyes, in belief that it would allow him to see beyond the mortal plane, between the veil of worlds. In a cruel twist of fate, an unknowable god found it humorous, and made his severed eyes able to see what the scholar wished.
Henry immediately touched his eyes.
'Are these mine? Or someone else's?'
The idea that his eyes were replaced with those of a crazed scholar mocked by a god repulsed him, yet also intrigued him.
"Unknowable god" In the academy Joshin had touched on the subject of gods, saying that the ruins between worlds, mentioned their existence, but those who truly came to understand any one god immediately went mad, and were unable to be conversed with so the understanding of the gods were limited.
Henry looked around, realizing that there was something different about the air, he could see chunks of it, moving in fluid waterlike patterns. Reaching for the pattern, a surge of energy entered Henry's hand.
'Miasmal Energy… I can see the miasmal energy!'
The energy that had chosen him, the energy with the power to turn a desert into a lush forest, Henry could see the flow of that energy this meant.
'I can find my way around.'
If this place was an unending maze, then the miasmal energy would have to be the only still pattern.
This was great, with such an advantage he would have no trouble surviving, maybe he could even find an area where the condensed energy let plant life flourish.
Staring back at the floating inscriptions, he attempted to swat them away with his hand, though it did nothing.
"Go away."
At the thought of them leaving, they were absorbed back into his chest.
'So I can will it to appear, and disappear.'
Testing this, Henry summoned and dismissed the mystical inscriptions multiple times, enamored by the sight, before feeling the air around him get colder.
'I need to start a fire.'