“WAH,” I sprung, like a mummy breaking from a coffin. My hands slowly sept into the soft surface below as a striking yet familiar pain began hurling up my arm. Every inch of my body ached and screamed in protest. ‘Unlike the last time I don't think I'll be able to simply tough this one out,’ I thought with a soft audible whimper.

Turning my head, I gazed out the familiar wood shudder only to be met with the crumbling and disfigured wall beyond. Thatch roofs were penetrated with gaping holes, and even the tower's cobblestones were falling apart as if they were shedding sorrows. 

“If this town wasn't lifeless already it definitely is now,” I whispered with a bitter sense of remorse, Unlike the prior disregard I had initially felt.

“Grandma grandma, he’s awake, he's finally awake,” the little girl's voice boomed across the room as she trailed off running down the hallway. “What a twisted sense of deja vu,” I giggled to myself as I gazed hollowly into the fireplace.

Flashes of the prior battle passed through my mind. Splatters of blood and a black shadowy death infested my thoughts. Why did I feel the need to fight so aggressively? and why did I feel as though I could effortlessly defeat them when I was clearly in over my head?

“God I really hope I’ll find some answers to this ever-growing mystery soon or my head might just explode,” I groaned. Gritting my teeth, I vigorously rubbed my forehead with the palms of my hands in an attempt to free my weak mind from a coming migraine. 

“What in Ravaryn’s name are you doing?” a soft familiar voice called out. “Aaaaah e… elder Dragomir,” I stuttered, peering out from beneath my palms. “I was just um you know massaging my cranium, as one does,” I replied scratching my cheek.

“Are you… ok, dear?” she hesitated. “You haven't suffered anything more than just amnesia have you,” she scowled, giving me the same bloodthirsty gaze that she typically only directs towards Ezra. “Hypothetically, if I said I had then…,” I trailed off in fear for my life as the elder’s cane punctured a series of dents in the wooden floor as she paced towards me. 

“Let me have another look at you,” she said, reaching her hands out in an overly creepy manner, curling her fingers in excitement. “Elder I swear, I’m completely fine,” I cowered climbing out from the other side of the bed. 

“HOW DARE YOU,” the elder screeched as her long bony hand pulled me down by the shoulder, sending me plummeting back into the bed. ‘How on earth did she even reach me? I was meters away,’ I questioned internally. 

“I’VE NURSED YOU BACK TO THE WORLD OF THE LIVING NOT ONCE, BUT TWICE IN THE PAST WEEK. SO DON'T YOU DISRESPECT MY TREATMENTS BY GOING AND OPENING YOUR WOUNDS NOW BOY,” she whaled, grabbing a small jar from her dress pocket and pouring its rattling contents into a glass of water at my bedside. 

“Wait, what do you mean in the past week, how many days have I been out?” I asked out of confusion. Instead of replying, the elder aggressively clasped the murky concoction that had once been my glass of water before propping my head up. She Shot me yet another disapproving glare, making me freeze in place as she poured the potion down my throat. 

It was a nice feeling. There's nothing quite like a good glass of water when you’re severely dehydrated. I gulped and gulped and gulped until the nice rejuvenating feeling became a sickening gurgly mess within my stomach as I finally finished the glass. A sour aftertaste numbed my mouth as my head began to spin in circles causing my eyes to become heavy. 

“That heroic spectacle of yours was five days ago, and hopefully these herbs should keep you sleeping for another couple,” she soothed. Her personality had once again performed a full 180.

“What that wassss ffffffive days ago!” I stuttered. 

Cayden Dragomir 

“Finally, now that I've gotten rid of that noisy idiot I can enjoy some peace and quiet,” I thought aloud as my chest filled with relief. 

I relished in the warm spring breeze as it blew up the side of the watchtower, brushing my hair off my face. Crouching down I let my feet slip off the edge leaving me hanging from the tower's railing before swinging down landing perfectly in my cozy, peaceful, and quiet abode. “Aaaaaaah,” I grinned, stretching out my legs and placing my hands behind my head. “Solitude at last.” 

Keeping my eyes closed I savoured the cool patch of shade cast by the tower as well as the morning's zephyr which wafted gently through the hammock's thin fabric cooling the sweat of hard labour from my back.

Taking off my long trench coat I rolled it into the form of a pillow before reaching into a satchel that matched the black leathery material of my jacket. I pulled out an old book that read; Ryker the Dragon and Remus Aubrey: The Guardians of Ravaryn. 

“Aaaah, there's nothing like a good book,” I shrank, letting the hammock absorb my body. ‘Sometimes I really do wonder if it's true how strong they were. How can two men single-handedly end the great war? Like I know Aragarth put up a barrier but no matter who these books are written by, one thing is always written the same way. Those two individuals were each on par with the entire allied strength of the founding kingdoms,’ I thought to myself as I remembered the overpowering green light that surrounded Everett a few days ago. 

I gazed across the valley. My eyes landed on the crater where Everett had fought. Is this the kind of strength they used against you, father?’ I pondered as I longingly clasped my bow. ‘if I want to know what they did to you if I truly wish to avenge you…  is that the kind of strength I will need?’

‘But that's Impossib…’ “Oooh, what are you reading,” a curious voice sang from above. Craning my neck I squinted up at a head of flowy blonde hair but it wasn't until I saw his gleaming emerald eyes that  I realised who it was. 

“What on earth are you doing here, shouldn't you be resting,” I retorted as I angrily awoke from my solitude. “C'mon I’ve been sleeping for an entire week I’m bursting with energy,” Everett returned, leaning over the tower railing with an overly large and toothy smile. 

Realising that I wasn't going to humour his playfulness he instead began energetically bouncing in circles. ‘A bit too happy to be alive by the looks of it,’ I groaned softly.

“WHACK…” “OWW, What was that for!” Everett croaked from behind the tower ledge. “It was for my sanity,” a deep voice followed. “This town is not large enough for another Ezran,” the voice continued.  

‘Grandmother?,’ I realised confusingly. “Come Cayden. There is something I must show the both of you,” she said, peering down from the tower. “An answer to one of the many questions you have been asking over the years,” she continued as her eyes embodied a slight sadness.  

“So you like history then,” Everett said, breaking a long period of silence. “I suppose I enjoy figuring out why the world is the way it is. Why people are the way they are,” I began after a short sigh. “I guess it helps me to “accept the way things are,” we spoke in synchronisation.

“I feel the exact same way,” Everett cheered as he picked up his pace to keep up with my Grandmother. “Although I’m also fairly certain that books are the only reason that I know anything about Ravaryn at all,” he continued, placing his hands in his pockets as if to retract himself. 

“What do you mean, are you saying that you're from beyond the great Maldi,” I chortled, humouring the thought. Before catching a piercing side glare from my grandmother up ahead. “I’m not sure,” he replied, snapping me back to reality. “It's almost as if I’ve been trapped or isolated my entire life. Separate from the rest of the world I suppose.” 

I was stunned. His words were unbelievable, saying that he came from somewhere separate from the rest of Ravaryn. And yet I could tell that he was completely serious. His eyes were glazed over as his brain became further lost in his thoughts. His brows were knit as if he was searching his mind desperately trying to recall a lost memory.

I felt bad for him. But all I can do is pray that wherever my Grandmother is taking us will lighten Everett's burden. Speaking of where we are I could have sworn I had explored every inch of the Sparkling Hollow but I don't have even the slightest clue where we are. 

The air had become shrouded in a thick mist and the flattened dirt and grass path we had been walking on had shaped into a hard smooth rock. Strangely curved trees latched at the cliffside above making me wonder what was below. I peered over the abrupt ledge as the sea’s rugged waves smashed at the rockside hundreds of meters below. “Eeeek,” I released in fear, causing Everett to look back at me in surprise before cackling to himself. 

“Grandma, where on Ravaryn are we?” I called out after focusing my eyes on the sky-blue colour of the area's flora. My grandmother continued steadfastly as she turned her head in our direction as if to say something but no words left her mouth until she had turned her back to us once more. 

“In every corner of the world, there are ancient temples, sacred places where people once worshipped Aragarth. The other kingdoms wished to take control of Ravaryn after Aragarth had fallen. However, the only way to do that was to break people's ties with the great kingdom, destroying their faith and Aragarth's memory,” she spoke solemnly.

“They destroyed them, didn't they, the great temples?” Everett chimed his voice matching grandmother's tone. “They tried,” she continued. “However, such places had become rich with Zoi from thousands of years of worship. So much so that no strength or force could damage them. Instead, the great spell weavers of Almaria used that energy to seal them away. Forgotten to the bounds of time,” she finished stepping over a large protruding root in the path.

“So how on earth did you find this place,” I projected. “Since long before your birth I had been creating a spell to grant me passage into this place. However, I became so devoted to that task I fear it stole me away from your mother. Even in her final years.” ‘So this is why she's been acting so sad,’ I realised. “Grandmother I’m…” “We're here,” she bellowed, cutting me off.

She turned to the side, before a great hole in the dark rocky cliffside. As Everett and I walked up next to her I couldn't help but feel an ominous chill pulsating from within the giant sea cave like a heartbeat of pure zoi.