In the steps of Eternity

Into The World: Part 2

Turning away from the guardsmen I infuse Mana through and around my legs to run as something unexpected unfolds before my eyes. The world around me begins to shimmer and light up, flooding the very woods with an eerie but very comforting light.

Before I could muster a second thought a rumbling growl begins to fill the woods, seeming as if coming from every direction. Placing my feet back firmly onto the ground a halo spreads from my two feet and shoot out into the woods. Following the light, shimmering lights begin to float into the air as if flapping wings carried them into the skies..

Remembering my lessons about the local wild life I remember that the shape of these lights resembled an Insect that I thought above all else was rather beautiful. A moth that many believed ascended to the very stars as moonlight shined upon their wings. As moonlight falls upon their delicate wings they shimmer as if they were the spirits of the world themselves.

Turning around I see that the guardsmen are just as confused but return to some sense of awareness when they catch my movement. “Who are you!?” one of them shout at me while the other goes to drag him back. “It's dangerous, we hear their call, we need to get out of here before they arrive.” he says before giving one final tug.

Just as the one in front nods to consent to leaving the area the rumbling growl from earlier repeats itself, this time much louder almost as if it were right on top of us. Hearing the growl so close and loud the Guardsmen begin to shake as they turn to sprint off into the distance... But it's too late for that it seems.

Before the guardsmen stand a dozen men shaped figures of much larger build. “The Wood Woad...” says one of the guardsmen in a shaky voice. Trying to look at the figures they seem to be made of stone and plant, almost colorless like the trees themselves, but strangely they seem to have bits of man forged steel plates worn in various places.

Concerned for where this might go I circulated my Mana through and around my feet once more and ran in the opposite direction but this time as I did so I felt eyes watching me where ever I went. Leaving a trail of shimmering lights drifting towards the air.

After getting a comfortable distance away from that area I hear the Growl almost like a whisper followed by the screams of men and then silence.

Sitting on a rock I found near by I sit, close my eyes and breathe while circulating my Anima and Mana to calm myself. “What was with those things? Why did they look at me and watch me run away like that? It was creepy.” I could only think to myself while the cool night breeze pass over my skin.

While I focus on myself I hear the rustle of the bushes around me and with a start I open my eyes. Looking around I find nothing strange except for what seems to have been placed on the stone beside me. Simple robes, seemingly made of the fibers from the forest. Strange as it might be it prompts me to look at myself, and that is when I notice it.

The travel clothes that Ms. Meridith had given me have become nothing more than rags, barely covering much of anything. Taking a closer look at them they seem to be devoured by the immense anima that they had bathed in while in that other plain.

Picking up the clothes left beside me, there seems to be a problem. The clothes... They are clear. Or at least they were. The moment I got flustered from the thought of people seeing me in these rags, or the see through clothes the clothes in my hands began to shift from clear to a shimmering Pale silver-purple. Realizing that someone or something thought about my need for clothes I notice that there are some for inner and outer wear. “Very considerate.” I think outloud.

One problem remains though. If someone was close enough to leave me clothes. Would they still be watching? Should I change or should I not? And so I decided to find a spot shrouded by as many bushes as possible before changing.

The inner clothes seem to be rather form fitting compared to what I had seen sold in the stores in town, but they are very comfy, and I can still feel the flow of the air through them. Wearing the rest I find that the outerwear seems to be a kind of plain travel robe with a hood pre-stitched onto it. With a calming breath I take my hair out of its coiled tail and instead put my hair into intricate over the shoulder braids.

It would be a pain to wear a hood with a big tail hanging off the back of my head wouldn't it? And with that thought in mind I finish before pulling the hood over my head. With one final breath I feel something rather strange. Compared to any of the clothes I have worn so far the circulation of Mana and Anima seems to be a lot faster, and much more comfortable.

Deciding that I need to continue moving, I probe the feeling I get while I wear these clothes and before I know it I find myself standing face to face with yet another cave. “Caves. It's always caves. Why are there so many freaking caves!?” I think to myself, well, complain more like really.

But instead of any ominous uneasy feeling I have felt from any other cave before this one seems to be very comfortable to be near. And so curiosity begins to get the better of me.

Taking a few steps into the darkness of the cave I am greeted with warmth as my vision adjusts to the darkness. Passing my Mana through and around my eyes my vision becomes even more clear and I find Passages almost as if they were carved out of the very earth.

Taking a deep breath I start to take one step after another, deeper and deeper into the cave. And I am shocked more and more as I continue on. I think they were called The Wood Woad? They seem to be standing almost lifelessly in carved out ridges like some sort of display. They seem like they are sleeping.

Determining to check out the depths of the cave I press on and find that there are branching paths the further I go in. Marking the walls with my Mana, I pick routes at random and continue walking. More and More Wood Woad are standing along the walls of the cave still, almost as if the halls are home to an army of them.

Reaching the end of the seemingly endless hall I am greeted by two Wood Woad of much larger stature, and yet they are the most human like and have more armor plating than the others before now. Seeming as if they were of the highest order of Knights. Between these two Wood Woad, there is a Decorative door standing tall.

Stepping between the almost lifeless Wood Woad, I place my hand on the door as the seams shimmer with light and come to life. Revealing the figure of a Lunar Moth engraved on the surface before the doors slowly open revealing a large cavern with a singular Island in the middle of dark water.

Looking at the water and the island I become reminded of a singular event from the other Plain.