TBATE: Djinn's Theatre

Prologue: A Different Kind of Trial

Ellie watched as Regis became an incorporeal black mass and went inside Arthur's chest. Arthur had brought her, along with Mica, and his prisoner Retainer Lyra Dreide with him in the Relictombs. Now they are standing before a black crystal gate. According to Arthur, this was something he had been looking for, and that it would give him some kind of test.

She was still thinking about the faint whisper of words she had heard when she approached the door when Arthur put his hand against the crystal door.

"Next part can be a bit trippy." He said.

Before Ellie had time to consider the meaning of his words, she saw him sink into the black crystal as if it was made of dough. A moment, and then he had vanished behind the door. She stood there, stupefied at what just happened.

Lyra was first to break out of her stupor and press her hand against the crystal door. She too, as Arthur had, vanished behind the door.

Ellie looked at Mica who had an expression that was a mixture of exhaustion, surprise and excitement. She nodded and went ahead, Boo following closely behind her. She pressed her hand against the black crystal. The crystal clinked, as it folded to make room for her hand. She took a deep breath and walked into the crystal. Her skin tingled from the strange, warm caress of the black crystal flowing around her skin.

Then, her vision was filled with white. It felt like she was in the middle of a snowfield, except she could not make which was the ground and where the sky was, as there was no blue in the scene, or any other colour, except white. Then the white faded away rapidly, revealing that she was in some room. But it didn't take her more than a second to realise that this can't be the same room that Arthur had entered. Firstly, and most obviously, he wasn't here. Secondly, and most importantly, there were people here who weren't in the Relictombs in the first place, some weren't even in Vildorial, and then there's one who she doesn't even recognise.

"Ellie?" said Emily, nudging her glasses.

"Do you know what happened?" Virion asked, searching the room. "Where's Arthur? Wasn't he with you?"

Ellie was about to answer when light coalesced behind her into the shape of a bear. Then, light shattered, revealing a scared Boo. He grunted in confusion.

"I was... in Relictombs with brother. He went inside a black crystal door with Regis and then vanished. I followed him, but ended up here." Out of the corner of her eye, Ellie noticed the person she didn't recognise staring at her wide-eyed while she was explaining what happened. That was the beautiful girl with long flowing dark blue hair and ruby eyes. She had a delicate face, but she was dressed in a battle robe of unfamiliar design.

Light coalesced behind Ellie again, and this time Mica appeared behind her. She looked at everyone, from the familiar and expected party in Relictombs—minus Arthur and Regis—to Virion, Bairon, Gideon and Emily who were supposed to be in Vildorial, and Varay who was supposed to be on a mission to deal with Alacrya loyalists. Then to the girl with blue hair.

"Uh, where are we?" She asked, voicing the question everyone had in their minds.

'Welcome, Beings of Flesh'

It was the voice that had spoken to her before. This time though, she could make out the words. The voice spoke directly inside her head. The Lances tensed up, indicating that it wasn't just her who had heard it.

"Did everyone hear what was just said?" Virion asked. Everyone, including the blue-haired female, nodded. Virion turned to her and spoke in the tone he often used when giving out orders.

"Are you the one that brought us here? What do you want?" He asked, his eyes sharpened.

"No... I was brought in here, just like you all." She responded.