Beneath the Sunless Sky

Chapter Twenty-One

—Khae Falairas, Velara—

Once, only once, had Idelle ever set foot in the Grave. It had been an accident, her mind reaching out to touch Ori's in the middle of the night, when she had been awoken by Ori's cries in her sleep. She had tried to soothe her, had wanted to give her pleasant dreams, but the moment their minds met, Idelle had been cast adrift, torn away by Ori's power and sent careening into the Grave.

Once was enough.

But, if she hoped to find Zharaleon in the Grave, she could not hope to avoid it. It took extraordinary concentration on her part even with the dream powder to guide her. Her consciousness had reached the strange, barren world, but her concentration was already failing. Whether it was due to the nature of this place, or her lack of experience with such things, she could not say, but she found herself very much wishing Ori was there with her. Her cousin had far more experience in this foreign world. Everything was so strange, so incredibly different from anything she knew, she found herself being scared by her own shadow.

The Grave, Ori had once explained, was the remnants of other worlds, other places that had once existed before their own. What kept it from fading away, Ori didn't know, but though it seemed abandoned, it was not, not truly. Life still existed here, though much of it was in forms that were much different from their worlds.

In the distance, Idelle could see a great, sprawling forest that seemed almost to beckon to her beneath the startling sunless sky that hung above them. A wolf howled from within the trees. Idelle shook her head and turned her back. No, she absolutely was not going into the scary forest.

When she turned, she fully expected to see exactly what had been there before, rolling hills wandering into a sunless distance. Instead, the moment she moved, a city appeared to the west. It might very well have been the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.

Tall, towering buildings reached toward the sunless sky, soft lights glowing from within every window. The architecture was exquisite, designed to be beautiful as well as functional. Spires and curves dotted the landscape, drawing the eye from one building to the next in a sprawling display that left her breathless. Without even realizing it, her feet were moving toward the city, her desire to explore overriding any dangers that might be present within. The Grave was abandoned, home only to echoes and monsters. Yet, this city was perfectly preserved, not even a hint of a crack in a single façade. That alone should have been warning enough, but she walked toward it all the same.

When she reached the edge of the city, she realized how small she truly was in this towering world. Her feet created quiet thumps against the metal roads as she walked. Built into the streets themselves, lined on either side, were strips of light that paired with the glow of the city to guide her way. She couldn't help but crane her neck, twisting to look ever upward as she tried to take in everything at once.

There wasn't a scrap of debris, a hint of refuse, and not even a speck of dirt along the roads. Everything looked as though the people of this city had vanished just moments before. It sent a shiver down her spine to think of it, but there was something about this place, so warm, so welcoming, that Idelle couldn't bring herself to be afraid. She sent out a faint pulse of magic, detecting nothing hostile nearby. How could such a place still exist, she wondered?

Around another corner and, suddenly, she heard music. It was faint, likely further into the heart of the city, but still so distinct that it couldn't be mistaken for the rustling of the wind. Carefully, Idelle made her way toward the sound, wondering why music played in this forgotten place. Given the state of the city, she would have expected the music to be somber, steeped in sadness that undoubtedly reflected the final days of this place, but, as she grew closer, she was surprised to find that the music was upbeat, and to her further astonishment, she understood the lyrics. It was a song of love, of devotion, and how bright and beautiful the world was with their love beside them.