The first sensation El experienced was an enveloping darkness, swiftly followed by a sharp pain that radiated throughout his body.
Every movement set off another wave of anguish, yet he persevered, managing to sit upright. Even in this position, the sting of his injuries lingered, and he clenched his teeth in a attempt to distract himself.
Struggling to assess his surroundings, he attempted to use his king's eye's advanced perception, but a searing, draining sensation surged through his head, threatening to push him into unconsciousness, forcing him to abandon that effort. A pounding ache soon developed as an aftermath of the attempt, leaving him momentarily still as he fought to regain composure. Although the pain diminished, it didn't vanish entirely, and he had no choice but to find out what had happened to him and where he was.
After a struggle, he finally managed to rise,and relying solely on his basic senses to orient himself.
As he surveyed the dimly lit cavern, and noticed a faint beam of light filtering in from above. Following this glimmer, El realized it originated from the hole through which he had fallen.
A quick analysis of the cave walls confirmed they were far too smooth for any hope of scaling them, dismissing that option entirely.
As he turned around, his gaze fell upon a fork in the path ahead, both options shrouded in darkness. However, thanks to his knowledge of cave systems gleaned from countless books he read, he began to consider his surroundings: the currents of air, the freshness of the atmosphere, the inclines and rock formations, signs of presence of past visitors, and the openness of the passages.
He had always been somewhat of a nerd, delving deep into topics that intrigued him. If he encountered an unclear description, he would scavenge the internet for clarity.
Often, this would lead him down rabbit holes of interconnected subjects until he forgot his original query, necessitating a return to his text—a cycle he found both maddening and enlightening.
Returning to his current predicament, El began his search for clues. Minutes later, he reached a conclusion but decided to inspect himself, as something felt awry.
Approaching a corner, he carefully peeled away his tattered tunic, allowing his hand to brush over his shoulder where the skin bore an uneven texture, a remnant of the hybrid's claws.
To his shock, the bleeding had ceased completely; only patches of dried blood remained affixed to his skin. He exhaled in relief, relieved that he would not have to contend with the inconvenience of fresh blood dripping down his body. The mystery of his swift recovery eluded him—he might have discovered the answer through his king's eye, but that option was now off the table, and he was reluctant to endure the pain of invoking it again. Perhaps he would investigate it later, but for now, the imperative was to move.
After re-donning his tunic, he proceeded toward the fork in the path, opting for the left passage based on the clues he had gathered. The faint draft was decidedly stronger from that direction, and the rock formations supported his intuition. And to his astonishment, he discovered markings that hinted at prior intelligent activity—an arrow etched into the wall, unmistakably guiding travelers from long ago. If he had to estimate, it had been a long time since the creation of these marks.
But still for marks to be recorded in a trial..
'am I not alone in this time plate currently or was it conjured by the rune' he thought to himself
To reassure himself, he summoned[essence arrow], conjuring an arrow with essence energy, and shot it into the ceiling, leaving a deep mark in return.
El continued on his way after dispelling the bow, every step leading him deeper into the unknown passage.
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After nearly an hour of walking through the passage, he finally spotted an exit in the distance. A few minutes later, he emerged from the tunnel and was taken aback by the sight before him. The exit opened onto a high platform that appeared to be partially manmade; however, the real shock lay below. There, nestled within the mountain, was a breathtaking city built from stone—complete with houses, roads, and an impressive size that suggested a considerable population, possibly numbering in the tens of thousands.
He descended the stairs flanking the wide platform and began to walk down the main road. As he looked around, he sensed an unsettling absence of life even without his advanced senses. The rock-built houses, showing clear signs of neglect, were starting to collapse and deteriorate. Despite their primitive design, the architecture was remarkable, but it raised an eerie question: who had created this city? Had it been constructed during a conjuring trial, or was there more to these trials than he had observed? He yearned to discover the answers; the deeper the mystery, the richer his writing would then be.
After walking for a few minutes, he noticed a larger structure at the heart of the city, differing from the rest. It resembled a hall, and he felt that something valuable might await inside. As he approached the entrance, he braced himself for what lay ahead. To his surprise, the hall was an open space with a smooth floor, its ceiling adorned with intricately carved decorations. The walls were covered in diagrams that seemed to narrate a historical tale.
Curious, he searched for the beginning of the story depicted in the diagrams, his eyes scanning the artwork.
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