Ravissant

In Ignotis - Into the Unknown

In Ignotis - Into the Unknown

Milos immediately went to bed after removing her boots and breastplate. She did not care about taking off the rest of her armor. She was so tired and sore in all places. After the Summer Solstice tournament, she went straight to planning and spend the rest of the day with Fortem. She needed enough rest for tomorrow’s mission. She did not care looking at the dress that Emma prepared for her. The moment she laid her back on the bed, she immediately fell asleep.

Milos woke up a few hours later, feeling rested. The sun was still hidden. Dawn is about to break in less than an hour. She immediately went to take a bath in the river close to her home.

She decided to sleep in her bed at home instead of the garrison barracks in the castle. She wanted to see his parents and siblings before she went to the Old World.

They were all still sleeping when she left the house to bathe. When she came back, she was surprised to see the inside of the bag that Emma gave her. Instead of the black clothes that she chose for her mundane clothes, Emma made her a top in old rose and a royal blue skirt. Inside was a denim jacket too. The skirt was definitely shorter than the one that she sketched which made her growl a little. She put it back in the bag. She’ll change by the golden door as planned.

On top of that, she didn’t want her father to see her in those mundane clothes. When she came out of her room, now back in full Elvin armor, her mother and father were already awake, waiting for her in the living area.

“You take care of my child,” Estelle, Milos’ mother, told her, enclosing her in a tight embrace.

“Make us proud,” Cassius told her. His face was emotionless, almost commanding. Her father was always like that - stern and intimidating. Even if she already managed to become one of Omnia’s champions, she remains to be intimidated by her father’s presence.

She peeked inside the room of her siblings. They were still fast asleep. She kissed her mother on the cheek and slightly nodded at her father before she went to the door.

Her stallion was already prepared, by his father she assumed. She mounted the beautiful beast and wave one more time to Estelle who was standing with her father by their door.

She tapped her stallion and then galloped in full speed towards Silver Rock.

Fortem was still not around when Milos arrived. It was still about half an hour till the sun came up. She took the time to change into her mundane clothes.

She was definitely dissatisfied with how she looked. Well, she would have loved it when she was younger but the mundane clothes made her look less than a fighter that she was.

Milos was already tucking her armor to her bag tied on her stallion when she heard someone approaching. The sun was starting to come out but she had to manifest fire on her palms to see if it was Fortem who was coming.

To her surprise, it was not Fortem. It was Neonella.

Neonella was one of her superiors. Milos took her soldier stance and offered her greetings to Neonella, then asked. “What are you doing here?”

“I just want to see you, talk to you before you go.” Neonella already descended her horse and was walking towards her.

“Talk about what?” She asked.

“I wanted to give you these.” Neonella handed her papers, money they used when they visited the Mundane world. “I thought this may come in handy knowing that you are not allowed to use magic outside Omnia.” Neonella handed her the paper bills.

Milos unknowingly took it, looked at it, then looked at Neonella. “You kept these?” She asked.

“Yes, it reminds me of Olethea, our time in the mundane world, among other things,” Neonella answered. She began walking back towards her horse.

Milos looked at her walking away. She didn’t know if she was required to say anything. She was lost for words.

Neonella got back up on her horse, she turned to Milos. “Try to find her if you can, look for Lucas.” She said, then went away, not looking back.

Milos just stood her, looking at Neonella’s back as she went further away from Silver Rock. When her silhouette disappeared, Milos looked at the paper bills and tucked them inside her skirt pocket.

She went back to her horse when she heard someone else coming. This time, the sun was already at the horizon. It was Fortem approaching. He was already wearing the mundane clothes that Emma made for her.

From afar, she already saw Fortem, grinning. He looked like he was amused at her, maybe because of what she wore.

When he descended from his horse, the grin was still there, then turned into a full smile. “Well, it does look good on you.” Fortem could not help but tease.

Fortem didn’t seem to see Neonella on his way to Silver Rock. If he did, he would have mentioned it already. Milos didn’t feel the need to tell Fortem that Neonella came to see her before they left.

“Captain, let’s focus on our mission please,” Milos said, trying not to mind the look Fortem was giving him. “We need to cross the mundane world before the sun comes up.”

Fortem didn’t reply but went on tying his horse and securing her things by the tree. His smile was still stuck on his face. He proceeded to walk towards where the Golden Door was located. Milos followed even without being asked.

They stood in front of the Golden door.

“Open the door now,” Fortem told her.

“Me?” Milos asked, surprised.

“Yes, you. Who else?” Fortem said.

She asked for Fortem’s hand. “Give me your hand then, chant with me…”

“No, you will open the door on your own,” Fortem said. “But you can hold my hand if you feel the need to,” he teased.

“Am I supposed to open the door on my own?” She asked Fortem, amused and confused.

“Yes, you can open it on your own. You are more powerful than you can imagine.” Fortem was serious now.

Milos took a deep breath and chanted.

“Quam fortiter patens clausus magicis”

“Quam fortiter patens clausus magicis”

“Quam fortiter patens clausus magicis”

“Quam fortiter patens clausus magicis”

“Quam fortiter patens clausus magicis”

“Quam fortiter patens clausus magicis”

The ground began to shake as the golden door began to open. The vines that have crawled at the edges of the door, a sign of not being opened for the longest time, began to fall down.

For the first time in her life, Milos felt how powerful she was. She managed to open the door to the mundane world alone. She didn’t even feel drained or even strained to do so.

This was the huge difference age and training can do to their magic.

Her heart fluttered at the idea that Olethea might still be on the other side, waiting for them.

In a few minutes, the door was fully opened. Milos could not believe herself. She looked at Fortem.

“You believe me now?” Fortem told Milos, winking.

Milos smiled. She rarely smiled. She couldn't even remember when was the last time she smiled. But she did. And Fortem smiled back.

“Are you ready? Fortem asked.

Suddenly, Milos was in doubt. She was worried. It was written all over her face.

This time, Fortem took her hand. “Let’s go.” He reassured her.

Milos nodded and entered the portal while holding Fortem’s hands.

And just like that, they were in the same alley that Milos, Neonella, and Olethea were 8 years ago.

However, this time, the alley was different. It was clearer than it was before. There was no more trash lying around. All they saw was two large bins and a new metal gate.

The drum and other wood palettes that made the portal there less obvious were not there anymore.

“We need to cover the portal with something,” Milos told Fortem. She was already looking for something to somehow hide the portal.

“No need for that,” Fortem said.

He raised his hand and mumbled something, then the portal began to close.

Milos looked at him, surprised. “Why did you close it?” Secretly, she was amazed at how easy it seemed for Fortem to close the portal.

“We cannot risk anyone from entering or going in the portal.” He explained. “I will open it again when it's time for us to come home,” he added.

Milos was not used to her panicking. She is a top soldier in the Elvin army. She is one of the champions of Omnia. She shouldn’t be acting like some scared little girl. She took a breath and tried to compose herself.

“So where do we go?” Fortem asked her.

Milos started walking towards the sidewalk. Fortem followed. When she was by the street, she saw the familiar bookstore, the bookstore that Lucas and his family-owned. She literally had to place her hands on her chest. She felt her heart ready to fall off.

She looked at Fortem, as if she was asking for permission. Fortem nodded as if he already understood what she meant.

Fortem followed her as she crossed the street towards the bookstore.

She slowly opened the door of the bookstore. It was the same door as before. The bench beside the door where the three of them waited for the alley to clear up was still there too - old and rusty, but still standing.

Milos could hear her heart beating in excitement when she was inside the bookstore. Fortem silently followed, looking around and trying to adjust to the things that he was seeing in the mundane world.

Milos felt pained as she walked on the aisle where Olethea walked during their first time in the bookstore. No trace of their magic was left in the area.

She looked back at Fortem. He was now holding a book in his hand, browsing through its pages. She walked further and when she was about to make a turn on the next aisle, she accidentally bumped into a person.

She slipped and was about to fall but the guy she bumped into was fast enough to catch her back and arm.

Milos felt her heart stop, she was out of breath. Looking down at him was a beautiful boy, a man, with green eyes.