The Dreamer's Fall

Chapter 27 - A Return to Nothingness

As Nithe's sun dipped below the horizon, Arthur sat at a desk in his tent within the bounds of Fenric's camp. Outside, he could hear Foster and his other guards hammering spikes for the large tent that would act as their barracks for the remainder of the war.

Arthur's tent was lavish since it came from the Revan estate. It had two adjoining rooms sectioned off from the main entrance space by the tent's crimson-colored canvas-like material. One adjoining room was the servant's quarters where Senna would sleep, while the other served as Arthur's bedroom.

The main entrance space was around nine hundred square feet and acted as a drawing room. Inside, a large desk sat in the center while a few chairs circled a small coffee table before it.

Beneath the furniture, a massive handcrafted rug sat upon multiple layers of the same canvas-like material. There were even numerous fire pits with appropriate ventilation to match, not that Arthur needed it in Revan.

Arthur thought all the furniture was opulent and gaudy, yet it was surprisingly efficient. The furniture was designed to be easy to take apart and rebuild for storage and transport. It was as if it were made from many three-dimensional puzzle pieces, all interlocking together.

He didn't know whether it was more efficient to use regular furniture or not, but it was unique, if nothing else.

Arthur felt exhausted when he finally got a chance to sit inside his tent. Unfortunately, he was a light sleeper ever since his name was still Ethan, and the constant noise his guards made as they set up their tent meant that he wouldn't be able to sleep, no matter how tired he was.

He had finished rewriting the mana soul spell during the carriage ride, and now all he needed to do was double and triple-check it to ensure there were no errors. However, as he stared at the strange arcane script, he found it difficult to concentrate due to the noise and fatigue; thus, he decided to put it off for tomorrow.

Kyren was floating around silently nearby, his eyes closed, as if he were sleeping despite his inability to do so. Arthur debated telling him of the progress, but Senna was still setting up her room and would likely hear him talking if she entered the drawing room. Plus, he wanted to avoid getting Kyren's hopes up if the spell didn't work as intended.

Closing his research journal, Arthur stood up and walked into his bedroom before closing the canvas flap behind him. The bedroom was just as lavish as the drawing room, except it took it one step further with multi-colored furs lining the floors and bed.

He placed his research journal in the end table drawer that stood near his bed and took up the lotus position on the floor, deciding to cultivate to pass the time.

Only the light chirping of insects in the distance greeted him when he opened his eyes again. He wasn't sure how much time had passed, but since it was quiet now, he could finally sleep. Arthur threw the fur blanket onto the floor and collapsed onto the bed before closing his eyes once more.

A heart-wrenching guttural roar suddenly entered his ears as Arthur's eyes shot open in a frenzied panic. He quickly lifted his right arm, ready to fire out his hidden blade at a moment's notice, while his heart pounded on his ribs as if trying to break free from its cage.

Looking around at the scenery before him left him in a stupor. He was in the tunnels leading to the massive chamber underneath The Cat's Cradle.

Arthur's mind attempted to outrace his pounding heart as it tried to rationalize how he got there, but before it could, the clacking of claws on stone behind him halted any thoughts other than to flee.

He shot up and began to sprint through the damp tunnel, driven purely by his base instincts to survive. The creature behind him roared once more as the clacking sounds grew closer.