A Key to Our Invisible Ties

Prologue: Station of Awakening

I was falling. No. I was sinking, sinking further and further down into the murky black darkness that was swallowing me whole. I couldn't remember how I had gotten there, why I was sinking, or even how I was sinking; I just was.

There was nothing with me. No light. No sound. Just darkness.

Dark, darker, yet darker.

I was falling deeper and deeper into the abyss, sinking further than anyone had before. Like an endless dream, or maybe a dream-filled end.

Endless darkness within darkness. An endless abyss of sleep.

Nothing made sense, yet it was sound. Everything was clear, yet it was muddled. Up was down, and left was right. I couldn't breathe with my lungs full of what might have been water, yet the air still managed to reach me with a gracious breath. I opened my eyes, yet I still saw nothing but black.

I've been having strange thoughts like this lately. I'm not even sure if any of this is real...or not...

As I sank deeper into the darkness, as if I were sinking into a lake of darkness, fear alluded my mind. Despite it all, I felt no fear at the moment. Instead, I felt warm and safe, oddly enough. Like nothing could hurt me even as I descended into the darkness. Like I this was where I was supposed to be.

That's when my descent slowed to a crawl. My body began to shift until I was no longer upside down, and I no longer felt as though I was being pulled into a dark ocean. As I turned right-side up again, my feet finally hit something. When I was standing again, my eyes opened, and I was able to see clearly once again, no longer dazed by sleep.

I looked around as I slowly became aware of my surroundings, unsure of where I was. I took a step, and light engulfed the invisible floor I had landed on. The darkness that covered the ground shed off into the sky and transformed into doves that flew around me before flying off into the distance. I covered my eyes as the light spread out from the darkness that was being peeled away, and when I could see what I was standing on.

It was stained glass, strangely enough. In fact, I was on top of what appeared to be a large pillar with a ceiling of stained glass, and the purple glass itself detailed a strange yet familiar image. It was of a young man with white hair wearing dark black and purple and black robes who sitting down and gazing into a book that was in his hands, a curious expression on his face.

Behind him were smaller images of other people: a young man brandishing a divine-looking sword in an odd-looking pose, a young woman holding a staff behind her while wearing a kind smile, a stern-looking man in plate armor giving a glare, and another young woman holding a sword and book in both hands, ready for battle. There were many more images of people detailing the outer edge of the platform, too.

I didn't know why at that moment, but those faces I could see seemed familiar. However, I couldn't place them due to how hazy my head was starting to feel. I couldn't help but groan as I slowly lifted a hand to my now-aching head.

Just what was going on?

As I was looking around, I felt a sudden chill before I heard something.

"So much to do, so little time..."

I immediately spun around in shock and a bit of nervousness when I heard the...voice? No, it wasn't even a sound. It was more like a thought I could feel. Who was that, and why did it feel so... ethereal?

"Please, do not worry. Take your time. Do not be afraid." The soundless voice whispered into my ear, somehow managing to come off as gentle and charitable. "The door is still shut, but it will not stay closed for long. We must prepare you for what lies ahead."