Regaining his posture, Snow did his best to clear his conscience and looked at the beautiful woman.

The woman’s subtle smile and sweet tone radiated a pure and welcoming warmth.

But Snow could still see it, the small darkness behind her eyes… he didn’t miss it, he couldn’t miss it.

Even in this state of confusion, uncertainty and fear, his eyes didn’t miss it; he'd taught himself not to. Noticing his lack of response, the woman continued.

I won’t waste any time then. I’m sure you know what I’m going to ask. So please… tell me what happened.

Snow replied with a different question.

“Where am I? Is this really thee other side?…”

A small pocket of silence hung between them only for a second. And then she replied,

“ Yes, this is thee…other side you speak of. Also known as “sun sky”

“But this knowledge given in your last year at the military academy, is it not?”

Snow didn’t answer.

The woman who brought you here, did she tell you she was the priestess? Narrowing his eyes,

Snow replied, “Is she not?”

“No she is not”.

“She’s merely an envoy that is constantly relaying information to the priestess.”

“But you believed her, didn't you? She said, cocking her eyebrow.”

Snow didn’t answer, instead he frowned slightly, recounting the events from when he met the supposed priestess till now. Why did he believe her?

The woman smiled and continued,

“Well I’ll tell you why you did. It’s because that particular envoy is what’s known as a truth seeker”.

“They emit a scentless fragrance from their clothes made by our lady priest, it lulls your senses and enhances your agreeableness.”

“Making you nearly unable to lie or disagree. All while under the pretense that you're in full control of your mind and decisions.”

The woman tilted her head and placed a hand on her cheek, her smile widening.

“Now then I’ve given you some valuable information and insight, I’d say I’m do the same, no?”

Snow averted his eyes from her smile, not letting the plain expression leave his face. And took his seat in front of her. He’d lost this debate and his rationale for a while as well it seems.

“Fine, he said,”

He’d avoided even thinking about what happened that day, but how could he, he’d spent almost five weeks in that empty shell of the world, alone.

What seemed like so long ago now, still played fresh in Snow's mind, he was entering the outer edge of the main city from the eastern labor lands. He was a blacksmith in training in his last year;

he'd just turned 19.

The outer edge of the main city was as far as he’d been his whole life. But you were just close enough to see the city lights changing colors every few seconds, illuminating the skyscrapers.

The moon loomed over it all like the perfect compass leading you straight there.

It was routine for him to come here every Friday to get tune ups or buy new equipment from the workshops. As dumb as it was, he couldn’t fix or build anything outside the blacksmith’s workshop,

so that meant he’d have to pay for tune ups and equipment or risk losing his apprenticeship.

He’d completed 6 orders that day. They were shit orders, but that was the most he’d done all week. 

20 credits, honestly spirits were high, that could get him everything he needed today and still have some to spare.

Finally, seeing the shop ahead and the same scurry of people, trash and children, he passed up the big water fountain, sparing it a glance. The water spilled slowly from the hands of cloaked and hooded women.

The priestess, she was hovering above the circle of water below her, the cloak didn’t fully cover her, giving an oddly misplaced sexual undertone. Snow had accumulated some knowledge about sculpting over the years. ,

But even before then, the statue always felt wrong. That train of thought had led all the way to the workshop,

After purchasing and handing off the things he wanted fixed, he stepped out ready to head home. But a man stepped in front of him, the same man that did every time asking for money. He was clearly homeless.

“‘Please do you have any money to spare?”

His voice was ragged and coarse.

This man did this every time. Did he not recognize me? Snow thought His face a clear portrait of irritation, Snow replied.

“Look, old man, I'm down too. You’ve gotta figure stuff out on your own.”

The same thing he told him every time. Snow shoved passed the old man continuing his walk out of the store visibly less happy than before.

Once he passed the fountain again he sighed slowing down, and turned to look at the distant city again, the lights were still there.

But the moon… it wasn’t the pure silvery white he knew. It was now a pool of solid purple in the sky.

“What the…? What is that?”

All the people around began to notice as well, all starting to mutter words of confusion.

Snow looked around him, his sight landing on the old man.

He was looking as well and as snow looked at him a beam of purple light hit his tattered shirt, And not even a second later he was gone in a poof of gray smoke.