Era of Arcane: The Journey Beyond Worlds

Prologue

    The largest temple in Sastan remained illuminated under the dark night sky, as bright as day. Yet, High Priest Etu was not, as usual, praying within its sacred halls. His aged figure stood by the window, the lamplight casting a mottled shadow behind him. The air in the silent temple was heavy with tension. The rhythmic sound of footsteps broke the stillness. The High Priest moved towards the hall and let out an almost inaudible sigh, "At last, you have come."

    The temple attendants stood in a solemn row as a soldier clad in armor entered, placing his right hand over his left chest, kneeling on one knee before the High Priest. "High Priest Etu, the king's second son has been born. You are summoned to bless him at the baptism."

    "Very well," Etu responded softly and followed the soldier out of the temple. The baptism proceeded step by step. As Etu gazed at the second prince, his violet eyes gleaming like polished amethysts, a tender smile touched the corners of his lips. "This prince will grow to become a great king," he said respectfully to the reigning monarch.

    King Caeculus Sastan smiled warmly. "Then, Etu, what name should be bestowed upon him?"

    "Kermonfel Sastan," Etu answered, bowing his head.

    "Very well, Kermonfel it is, my son," Caeculus's deep voice resonated through the palace.

    All the attendants in the palace knelt and proclaimed in unison, "The second prince, Kermonfel, has been baptized."

    High Priest Etu raised his head, casting a glance at the radiant young prince before quietly exiting the palace. As he walked along the corridor outside, his thoughts drifted to the stars he had observed recently, their patterns constantly shifting. Furrowing his brow, he muttered, "Will this continent ever know peace?" His prophecies had never been wrong, and he knew that beneath the surface of tranquility, unrest was brewing. Everything remained uncertain; the fate of this land was unknown.

    Etu hastily returned to the temple, a growing sense of danger gnawing at him, stronger than before. He summoned a loyal servant of the gods and retrieved a small redwood box from a hidden compartment on the table, wrapping it carefully in cloth before handing it to the attendant. "Lago, deliver this package to Duke Raymond Beps. Tell him it is a gift from me for his daughter's coming-of-age ceremony. He is to give it to her in a few years when the time comes."

    "Yes, High Priest Etu," Lago responded solemnly, carefully taking the package before leaving the temple.

    Gazing up at the starry sky, Etu murmured softly, "Lisa, who has slumbered for ten years, will you awaken and change the destiny of this land?" He sighed deeply, his wise eyes closing slowly as his arms fell limp at his sides.

    The next day, all the temple attendants gathered in mourning before the statue of the deity. High Priest Etu, the greatest cleric of Sastan, had returned to the embrace of the gods. Only one tale would be told: the greatest prophet, Etu, had passed after making his final prophecy. His last words foretold: "When the glittering veneer fades, chaos will begin to surface. The Daughter of the Gods will soon awaken, and the wheel of fate has already begun to turn. From this moment, everything will change. Destiny's choices shall determine all."

    Lago, following High Priest Etu's instructions, boarded a carriage and made his way to Duke Raymond Beps' estate. He couldn't help but feel curious about this duke—not only because Raymond was a renowned noble in the capital, but also because, despite his limited interactions with other aristocrats, his knowledge and martial prowess were admired by all. What made him even more intriguing was his decision to marry a commoner's daughter rather than entering into a traditional noble union. This caused quite a stir at the time, especially with rumors that the woman he married was a great beauty, though few had ever seen her, which only fueled the curiosity.

    What was more peculiar was that after many years of marriage, they had only one child—a daughter who, since her birth, had never opened her eyes and remained in a state of deep slumber. Despite being in perfect health, she had now been asleep for almost ten years. Duke Raymond had tried every means imaginable to wake her, exhausting both his efforts and emotions to no avail. This time, High Priest Etu had sent Lago with a package, and Lago was certain that whatever was inside must be of great importance. But why did the High Priest say it was meant for the duke's daughter? In Lago's opinion, it seemed unlikely that the girl would ever awaken after such a long time. Yet, judging by Etu's tone, it appeared there was still hope. No matter—Lago's only duty was to deliver the package and the message.

    The carriage came to a stop, and Lago stepped into the duke's estate. There were surprisingly few servants and guards. After informing the butler of his presence, a maid was sent to guide him to a reception room. He was about to take a seat when, unexpectedly, Duke Raymond himself entered with steady strides. Lago bowed respectfully, "It is an honor to meet you, Your Grace."

    "Does High Priest Etu have a message for me?" Raymond's words cut straight to the matter.

    "High Priest Etu instructed me to deliver this to you and said it is to be given to your daughter on her coming-of-age ceremony," Lago said, presenting the package.

    "Thank you for coming all this way. Would you care to stay for a meal?" Raymond asked, carefully placing the package aside.

    "No, the task is done, so I'll be on my way. Farewell, Your Grace." Lago exhaled softly as he exited the estate, with Raymond merely nodding as he instructed a servant to see him out.

    Raymond slowly made his way to the bedroom, where his precious daughter lay on a bed draped in white velvet. He gazed at her with a pained expression. Nearly ten years had passed, and his beautiful daughter had yet to open her eyes even once. Gently, he stroked her long, violet hair, as though offering her silent comfort—or perhaps, comforting himself.

    The door to the room creaked open, revealing a strikingly beautiful woman with fiery red hair. She was Raymond's wife, Cathy Beps. She walked over quietly and embraced Raymond. "Oh, why is the heavens so cruel? Why can't our daughter open her eyes and see us?"

    "Cathy, don't despair." Raymond led her to sit by the bedside. "Remember, High Priest Etu foretold that our beloved daughter would awaken on her tenth birthday. All we can do now is wait."

    "But what if... what if Lisa never wakes? I..." Cathy's voice choked with sorrow, her eyes welling up with tears that fell uncontrollably.

    "There, there. Don't you trust me?" Raymond pulled her into his arms, his voice thick with emotion. "Believe me, our Lisa will wake. She will!" Cathy nodded in his embrace, the room once again falling into silence.

    "Only a few days remain until Lisa's tenth birthday," Raymond's deep voice echoed softly through the room. "Just a few more days..."