The city loomed closer, its towering spires twisting into the luminous skies, adorned with intricate carvings of celestial beings. Waterfalls of liquid silver cascaded from its edges, dissipating into radiant mist before touching the ground. Yet, as Kael drew near, he realized the city was not as pristine as it first appeared.
Vines of shadow-like tendrils clung to some of the structures, cracks spreading like veins in the crystalline walls. The streets, though paved with luminous stones, were deserted, their stillness punctuated by a faint hum in the air. It was a place that once thrived—a paradise abandoned.
As he moved through the empty city, Kael’s war-honed instincts told him he was being watched. Shadows danced at the edges of his vision, but every time he turned, there was nothing. His unease deepened when he stumbled upon a statue in the central plaza. It depicted a winged guardian, an Eliorn, standing tall with a sword in hand, its features proud and serene. Yet vines of shadow had coiled around its form, distorting its majesty into something ominous.
“You walk where you should not,” a voice cut through the stillness, cold and sharp like a blade.
Kael spun around, gripping the celestial sword that had appeared in his hand earlier. Out of the shadows stepped another Eliorn, but unlike the radiant creatures Kael imagined, this one was different. Its wings were tattered, its once-lustrous feathers dulled, and its eyes burned with suspicion.
“You are no guardian. You are mortal,” it accused, its voice laced with venom. “Why are you here?”
Kael held his ground, though the imposing figure unsettled him. “I don’t know why I’m here,” he replied honestly. “I died… and woke up in this place. That’s all I know.”
The Eliorn narrowed its golden eyes, studying him. “Mortals have no place in the Celestial Kingdom. Your presence is a disturbance. Perhaps you were sent as a weapon of the Umbral Beasts.”
“I’m no one’s weapon,” Kael shot back, anger flashing in his voice. “I didn’t ask to be here, but if I have to fight to survive, I will.”
The Eliorn’s wings flicked, stirring the air. “Bold words, for one who does not understand the gravity of this realm.”
Before Kael could respond, a low, guttural growl rumbled through the air. Both he and the Eliorn turned to see shadows pooling at the far edge of the plaza, coalescing into twisted shapes. Umbral Beasts—creatures of darkness, with elongated limbs and hollow, glowing eyes—emerged from the depths.
The Eliorn moved with unnatural speed, its blade materializing in a flash of light. “If you wish to prove yourself, mortal, fight!”
The battle was unlike anything Kael had ever experienced. The Umbral Beasts moved with eerie fluidity, their forms flickering like shadows caught in a tempest. Kael fought alongside the Eliorn, their movements an unspoken rhythm of light and steel. With each swing of his celestial blade, the beasts disintegrated into wisps of darkness, but more kept coming.
“Don’t let them surround you!” the Eliorn barked, its voice cutting through the chaos. Kael nodded, his instincts taking over. He fought with precision, but exhaustion began to gnaw at him. The celestial sword, though powerful, seemed to drain his strength with every strike.
Finally, as the last beast fell, silence returned. Kael stood panting, his muscles burning, the sword still glowing faintly in his grip. The Eliorn approached him, its expression softer but still guarded.
“Perhaps you are not as worthless as you seem,” it said grudgingly. “I am *Selene,* one of the few remaining Eliorn in this forsaken realm. If you wish to survive, you will need my guidance.”
Kael met her gaze, his determination unshaken. “I don’t know why I’m here, but I’ll find out. If you can help me, I’ll follow you.”
Selene’s eyes glimmered faintly, and for a moment, she seemed almost amused. “Very well, mortal. But know this: the path ahead is perilous, and trust is not easily earned.”
As they set off into the heart of the city, Kael couldn’t shake the feeling that his presence in this realm was no accident. The answers he sought were buried in the secrets of the Celestial Kingdom, and Selene was his only chance to uncover them.
