Page 30

The Twilight

“ S o how are we going to prove we were ever here?” Kuro scoffed as we set out through the ruins the next morning. “What kind of bullshit proof do we need to bring back for these assholes?”

“If we can locate a skill book, even just one, Captain Boromia would probably make good on his promise to your party,” Sky answered, leading the way as usual. “At the very least we need to prove that we went to the dungeon.”

“I thought you said the dungeon was a death sentence?” Kai replied, looking up at him.

“It is,” he nodded, his ears flicking in annoyance. “That’s why I didn’t suggest we go in. We should probably just sweep the ruins as best as we can and hope we find something that the RSB wants.”

“Which is?”

“Anything valuable, especially magical items like the books. Things like that are exceedingly rare.”

“So, we have almost zero chance of finding one,” Kuro muttered. “Great.”

“How do we find a magic item?” I asked, catching up with Sky.

“You, me, and Mira feel for them using our abilities.”

“But isn’t this place picked clean? I mean, if the RSB knows about it, wouldn’t they have come here to get things already?”

“Very few parties have ever made it this far. Those that go in the dungeon never come back out. Even the RSB knows that. But the rumor persists that the dungeon is full of skill books due to its magical essence.” He paused for a moment, stopping us all. “You and Mira, close your eyes.”

We did as we were told, both of us standing near Sky.

“Now reach out with your magic, feel the world around you,” he said softly. “And turn your attention toward the ground specifically. You’re not looking for creatures, but the presence of magic itself.”

I’d used this skill more than once in our search for kobolds to slaughter.

But this time I wasn’t looking for a creature, I was just looking for power, which was something I’d never done before.

I let my consciousness drift downward through the soles of my feet and into the earth below.

At first it was just cold, strange, and nearly devoid of life here in the ruins.

But just as I was about to pull back, I felt something else, a warm sort of glow deep within the earth.

“W-What… is that?” I stammered, concentrating on it harder. “It’s… bright.”

“It doesn’t feel like a monster,” Mira added. “Or a living thing at all.”

“That,” Sky said, opening his eyes at last. “Is the magic of the dungeon and what Captain Boromia thinks is a hoard of magical artifacts deep within the earth.”

I opened my eyes, blinking as I adjusted to the dim light of the ruins once more. The magical energy I’d sensed still lingered in my mind, a tantalizing presence just out of reach. I could feel it still buzzing through the bottoms of my feet.

“So, what you’re saying is,” Kuro interjected, his voice dripping with sarcasm, “we can sense this amazing treasure trove, but we can’t actually get to it without dying horribly in the dungeon? Fantastic.”

Sky’s wolf ears flattened against his head, his piercing eyes narrowing at Kuro. “I’m telling you why he sent us here, not saying we should go in, idiot.”

“Guys, please,” Kai stepped between them, his voice soft but firm. “Fighting won’t help us find what we need. We should focus on searching the ruins thoroughly.”

I nodded, grateful for Kai’s levelheaded approach. “He’s right. Maybe we can find something valuable on the surface without having to risk the dungeon.”

Sky’s ears perked up slightly as he turned away from Kuro. “Agreed. Let’s spread out and search, but stay within sight of each other. Call out if you find anything unusual. And if you see that Guardian, turn around or hide.”

We fanned out across the crumbling ruins, carefully picking our way through fallen stones and overgrown vegetation. I kept my senses attuned to that magical energy below, hoping it might lead us to something closer to the surface.

After about an hour of fruitless searching, Mira’s excited voice rang out. “Guys! I think I found something!”

We all rushed over to where she was crouched near a partially collapsed wall. As we gathered around, I saw her gently brushing dust off a small, ornate box nestled among the rubble. Its surface gleamed with faint, iridescent runes that seemed to shift and dance in the dim light.

“Careful,” Sky warned, crouching down beside her. His ears twitched forward with interest. “It could be trapped.”

Mira nodded, her hands hovering just above the box. “I don’t sense any malicious or protective magic, but... there’s definitely power here.”

I knelt down on Mira’s other side, reaching out with my own magical senses. The box radiated a subtle warmth, different from the deep, pulsing energy of the dungeon below. It felt... inviting.

“Can you open it?” Kai asked, peering over our shoulders.

Mira bit her lip, then gently placed her fingers on the lid.

With a soft click, it sprang open. We all leaned in, holding our breath as Mira carefully lifted the lid.

Inside, nestled on a velvet cushion, was a small, crystal orb no larger than a marble.

It pulsed with a soft, silvery light that seemed to beckon us closer.

“What is it?” I whispered, unable to take my eyes off the mesmerizing object. Something about it called to me, the pulsing light mimicking the beat of my own heart.

Sky’s ears twitched as he studied the orb intently. “I think it’s... it’s a skill stone,” he said, his voice tinged with awe. “I’ve only ever heard stories about these. They’re incredibly rare. We have a better chance of finding a diamond mine on the main road than finding one of these.”

“More rare than a skill book?” Kuro asked, his earlier sarcasm replaced by genuine curiosity.

Sky nodded. “Much more. Skill books teach you a specific ability, but you still have to put in the work and the practice to use the skill effectively. But skill stones... they can enhance or evolve an existing skill in unpredictable ways. Instantly.”

“So, who gets to use it?” Kuro asked, eyeing the orb greedily.

Sky’s ears flattened. “We’re not using it. This is exactly the kind of proof Captain Boromia needs. It’s far more valuable intact and it could buy all of us a life of ease with the RSB. ”

I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the pulsing light. It seemed to call to me, whispering promises of power. “But... couldn’t we just try it out? See what it does?”

“No,” Sky said firmly, reaching for the box. “We can’t risk damaging it. This is our ticket back to Selas with a successful mission.”

As his hand neared the orb, a spark of silver light arced between it and his fingers. Sky jerked back with a hiss, shaking his hand.

“It... it shocked me,” he muttered, looking puzzled. He shook his hand again. “That fucking hurt.”

Mira frowned, her brow furrowed in concentration. “Maybe it’s attuned to a specific type of magic user?” She reached out hesitantly, but before her fingers could make contact, the orb pulsed brightly, causing her to flinch back.

“Let me try,” I said, drawn by an inexplicable urge to touch the glowing sphere. As my hand neared, the orb’s light intensified, its silvery glow warming to a soft golden hue. My fingertips tingled as they brushed against its smooth surface.

Suddenly, the world around me faded away. I was engulfed in a sea of golden light, knowledge and power flooding my senses. Images flashed through my mind–ancient rituals, forgotten spells, and the very essence of magic itself. It was overwhelming, exhilarating, and terrifying all at the same time.

However, when my eyes opened again, I was no longer in the ruins with my party.

I gasped, my heart racing as I spun around, trying to make sense of my new surroundings.

The starry expanse stretched in every direction, seeming to go on forever.

The purple horizon pulsed gently, like a cosmic heartbeat.

“Hello?” I called out, my voice echoing strangely in the void. “Sky? Kai? Mira? Anyone?”

There was no response, just the eerie silence of this strange, starlit realm. I took a tentative step forward, half-expecting to fall through nothingness, but my foot met solid ground - or at least, what felt like ground.

Suddenly, a voice spoke from everywhere and nowhere at once. It was neither male nor female, young nor old, but it resonated with ancient power.

“A cleric of the Twilight…” the voice intoned. “How interesting.”

I spun around, trying to locate the source of the voice. “Who are you? Where am I?”

“I am everywhere and nowhere, the balance of what lies between,” the voice replied, its tone both amused and intrigued. “As for where you are... you stand at the threshold of realms, young one. The nexus of magic itself.”

My heart pounded in my chest. This was far beyond anything I had experienced since arriving in this world. “Why am I here? What do you want from me?”

The starry void shimmered, coalescing into a vaguely humanoid shape before me. It was composed of swirling galaxies and pulsing nebulae, its eyes two brilliant supernovas. The moment I saw him, deep down in my guts I knew I was staring at a god.

“Want? I want nothing. You called to me, cleric of the Twilight. Your essence resonated with the Orb of Communion, awakening ancient magics long dormant.”

I swallowed hard, my mind reeling. “I... I called to you? But I didn’t mean to. I just touched the orb and-”

“Intent matters little in the face of destiny,” the cosmic being interrupted. “You stand at a crossroads, young cleric. The power you seek lies within your grasp, but it comes with a price.”

“Power? What power?”

“The power to protect your friends.”

My heart raced. The god was right. That was what I’d been seeking since arriving in this world, a way to protect myself and my friends from the monsters, the wildlands, and the RSB now too. But the god’s warning gave me pause. “What... What kind of price?”