Echoes of the Core

Chapter Five: Echoes of the Past

Some time had passed and she kept her secret to heself. Then the dreams started. At first, they were nothing more than fleeting images—glimpses of stars scattered across the black void of space, planets slowly spinning in their orbits, and distant galaxies shimmering like jewels. Aeris woke each morning feeling a strange sense of calm, her mind lulled by the soothing vastness of the universe.

But as the days passed, the dreams became more vivid, more intense. The stars no longer simply shone in the distance; they seemed to pulse with energy, as though they were alive, calling to her. Sometimes she could almost hear a whisper in the background, too soft to understand, but there. Always there.

One night, she dreamed of a planet—Luminara, she realized, but from a time long before. The land was unscarred, lush, and vibrant. In her dream, she watched tribes of witches and wizards gathered in a great circle, performing feats of magic she had never seen before. Spells that twisted the very air, raised mountains, and turned rivers to light. They were working together, channeling an ancient form of magic—Chasm Magic—harnessing the raw energy from the planet's core without fear or restraint.

She woke with her heart pounding in her chest, her body drenched in sweat. It's just a dream, she told herself. It has to be.

But deep down, she wasn't so sure. The presence she had felt during her waking hours seemed to have followed her into her sleep. It was growing stronger, more persistent. And each time she dreamed, she felt as though it were trying to tell her something—something important.

The dreams continued, and each one brought her closer to understanding. The visions of the past grew clearer, sharper, until one night, she found herself standing in the midst of chaos.

The ground beneath her feet trembled, splitting open as dark energy poured forth from a gaping chasm. Flames licked the edges of the tear in the planet, and from it emerged creatures—beasts born of raw magic, twisted and monstrous. Wizards and witches fought desperately against the onslaught, their staffs glowing with light as they hurled spell after spell to hold back the tide of darkness.

And then she saw him. Vespera. The ancient wizard who had become a legend. He stood at the edge of the chasm, his face stern and resolute as he raised his staff high above his head. With a shout, he called forth the strongest wizards, gathering them to his side. Together, they unleashed a wave of magic so powerful that the very air shimmered with energy. It was Vespera who led them, using his immense power to slowly, painstakingly, close the tear.

But it was too late. The damage had been done. Luminara had been scarred forever, and the cost of sealing the chasm had been great. As the tear finally sealed shut, Vespera vanished, his energy spent, his fate unknown.

Aeris woke with a start, gasping for breath. The dream had felt so real, so visceral, as though she had been there, witnessing the catastrophe firsthand. But more than that—she realized with a cold shiver—the energy she had felt in the dream, the raw power that had surged from the chasm, was the same as the presence she had been feeling for weeks.

This wasn't just a dream. It was a message. A warning, maybe. Or something more.

The next day, Aeris sought out Bramble. It had been weeks since they'd begun practicing together, but now, after her dream, she needed answers.

She found him in the courtyard, his eyes lighting up the moment he saw her. "There you are," he called out, his tone lighthearted. "I was starting to think you'd forgotten about me."

Aeris shook her head, smiling despite the turmoil brewing inside her. "I could never forget. I've been practicing, and... well, I have a lot to tell you."