Beyond the Void

Chapter 70, Stuck in the present

of Shattering 408 - The newly crowned Ebonveil Emperor carries out the first reform of the Empire, completely restructuring the nation and especially all that concerns the Bloodied Arts and other, more depraved practices.

An excerpt from the diary of Pia...

ANDARIS

Four moons and four tens since the Mark of the Other One blossomed.

Andaris broke through the thick bushes. It was clear something upset the guardian. She said nothing, but Andaris could feel a sense of disapproval in the back of his mind. Most likely she deemed his use of the blood-red blade as a machete inappropriate.

But he had made it to a major road. It was paved with gravel and wide enough for two carts. He consulted the compass for a moment and then decided to follow the road northeast. Soon, a few carriages and horses passed him. There were curious looks thrown at him. He wondered about asking for directions, but decided it was unnecessary.

Andaris did not feel tired. Actually, he was feeling great, despite the uncomfortable night spent in the forest. The past three days, he had woken up early and he had not felt the need to sleep longer. He had caught something resembling a hare to cook. It looked like a hare, with the long legs and all. Yet with mouse-like ears. And it was remarkably slow and lethargic. It was still revolting to process the critter, but he needed food.

The sense of wonder and awe at his surroundings had returned in full force. Although it felt different now than on his journey south. Was it because he knew he was safe now or because he knew a part of the truth about this world?

Everywhere Andaris looked, he saw familiar shapes and reminiscent of something familiar. All was untouched here, at peace. A slight drizzle began and Andaris pulled up the hood of his cloak. He wondered if he needed new chest armour. He had only kept the red sash.

His mind was stuck in the present. Here. Wherever and whenever he was. Andaris stopped and followed another passing carriage with his gaze. He was here, right now in this very moment. The past had become distant. When he thought about being absent from work or unfinished relationships, his heart did not flutter anymore.

A sense of absence filled him when he tried to think about anything that had happened before this world. It was sad. Sad that he could not find this sense of peace in the world before. There were a few quiet sounds, instead of the endless cacophony of the city. The slight wind in the leaves, the faint pitter-patter of the rain, his slightly ragged breath and his footsteps on the gravel. The silence coming from the world beyond was crushing. It reassured him.

The future was out of his grasp, yet it did not cause him any worries. He was not scared of its promises. Andaris knew tomorrow would bring sights that would be even more wonderful. Peace would last for a little longer. It was all right to concentrate on that. And not the thoughts that made him question his existence.

His step was full of vigour and he had not felt this well for a while now. Occasionally a wound would throb or his throat felt rough. He had gotten rid of his bandages and nothing bled or oozed pus any longer. Five parallel slashes covered his torso and his right shoulder looked like it had been used as a pincushion for arrows. There were smaller cuts and signs of bruises all over his body. But several annoying scabs still refused to heal.

It was darkening when Andaris caught sight of a village. Human presences had been on the wind for a while now. It had given him time to get used to them. A few farms lined the side of the road. They looked like small livestock farms. Already his appearance had caught some attention. Some threw a second or even a third look at him. Here and there, someone whispered something to the person next to them and pointed a finger at him.