The Buried Empire

19|Elysian

Elysian

relating to or a characteristic of heaven or paradise.

AGNAR

"Beautiful", the cavern opened into a whole new ecosystem.

We stood at a ledge, the cave ended as soon as it began. Sun shone from somewhere above. The entire terrain was covered in a soft white blanket of snow. Mountains hung mid-air. Long bridges connecting them.

We watched in awe as people flew around. Laughter echoed as a bunch of- children? Flew above is playing- catch? I could see a waterfall in the distance and little tufts of green sprouting around the area. Where that water went? I had no idea. Below us was an expanse of white and pink swirling around. It looked like- water?

"Is this real? Or is my brain just glitching?", she was standing next to me but Aceline's voice felt so far away.

I was tugged harshly out of my daze when I felt Caelum stumble, almost falling onto me.

'I don't remember the entrance being like this.." Caelum mumbled.

"Remember? So you've been here before?", aceline asked looking around," noway."

"Yeah I have." a painted expression painted his face and he clutched his shoulder

"Caleum jewel!" a loud voice cried. A man dressed in golden robes descended in front of us. A woman wearing similar robes pulled him into a hug.

The man pulled down his hood revealing closely cropped hair. A nasty scar ran along the left of his face. An eye patch covered his left eye.

The woman was crying. Her arms wrapped around Caelum, pulling him into a hug.

She looked slightly older than the man. Her eyes were bloodshot. Her calloused hands suddenly grabbed onto mine.

"Are you okay?" she asked, examining my face.

Yeah, my brain was glitching too. She looked over at Aceline and Caspian. She moved past me leaving me under the scrutinizing gaze of the man.

"You look tired. It must have been such a long journey," she said in a motherly tone that made me want to curl up like a cat.

Caelum walked towards the man who was now standing in front of me.

"I'm so sorry father." he choked out. Was he crying?

"You are home now, that's all that matters. He said holding Caelum in an embrace.

I looked at my friends. What just happened?

ACELINE

"Hey guys..." caelum said. My attention was fixed on him. How can someone forget the entrance to their house?

"Welcome to my home, and these are my parents." he smiled.

"Yeah thankyou captain obvious!" i wanted to say more but I was cut of by angelic laughter, coming from his 'mother'. 

"You are such a ray of sunshine Aceline, its refreshing to see you inherit your mom's sarcasm."

Was that a compliment?

"Please join us for lunch. We have much to discuss." his father said. I almost forgot he was there.  This woman knew my mother who i barely knew, that felt like a major stab right in the heart. I tried walking without support. Immediately regretting my decision i winced. I slowly lifted my leg . My ankle looked like it had completely detached from my leg.

"Oh dear, you must be in so much pain. Here let me help you". She said kneeling down. Her palm moved in a swiping motion over my foot.

Crack.

That was the sound of my foot 'reattaching' itself. She stood up and smiled. I simply stared.

"Lets go now." she said, a mini bus stood about 20 feet away from us.

My ankle felt warm. It didnt hurt anymore. Caspian stared at me.

"Looks like magic runs in the family huh." Agnar pondered out loud.

"Lets just hope his sister doesn't know how to use it.", The atmosphere turned gloomy at the thought of 'her'. Caspian's visions were getting more and more frequent. Sometimes he would do the most mundane tasks and zone out. His visions bothered him more than he let us know.

We sat in the magic mini bus. Magic because, it started flying, It literally grew wings and started flying.

The mountains zoomed past us in a blur and we stopped after reaching a huge platform. 

hm that was fast. my surprise was soon replaced with an even bigger surprise.

In front me stood a massive castle. Caelum was talking and laughing with his parents. He looked different, for the first time ever he looked carefree. The robes that his parents wore disappeared as they walked in. 

back then, i didn't notice the fine silks the couple wore. the fabric of the clothes gently swayed as they moved. Caelum's parents were wearing sort of like an armour. gloves covered their hands and metal covered their wrists.  he mother had a sword slung across her back. it blended so well with her clother it was almost invisible.

my observations were cut short because of my friends.

"Woah dude, i didnt know you were this rich." Agnar chuckled, excitement clear in his voice.

"Yeah i-" Caelum started explaining only to be cut off by a new voice.

 " Your Higness, i cannot believe you are back!", said a middle aged man. A smile broke out on his face as he hugged the older man.

"your higness?" Agnar voiced my question.

Caspian snorted. "There is no way you saved this much while working as a teacher", he joked looking around clearly not noticing the exchange that just took place

"Do your friends have no respect for the crown prince.", the man said to Caelum,expressing his distaste towards us.

The what now?