Cerila’s POV.

I stood atop the platform at the base of the giant golden double doors. The doors were so large in size that I was but an ant in comparison. I couldn’t imagine what beast or man was meant to use those doors in any normal way.

This only confirms that this is a hallucination or dream…did I…did I die? No…I can still feel myself breathing, and when I touch my arm, I can sense the warmth of my skin. If I was dead, then shouldn’t I have felt nothing at all?

Then must I go forward?

I decided that I had no other options, so I placed my hand on the door. I didn’t push it or anything and instead rested it there. It felt cold to the touch, but to my surprise, that was enough for the grand door to react.

My teeth shook in my head as the ground shook violently. One of the doors began to open, and since it was so massive, it looked comparably slow. If one were to have stood back and looked at the doors, it would have been nothing more than a crack, but the entrance was large enough to march a hundred men-wide column through with extra space to spare.

Once again, with the door open, I couldn’t smell anything or anyone inside. There was no wind blowing in from the massive room that apparently lay beyond. It was just a curtain of darkness, only the light from outside illuminating a small line of a stone floor.

It was nerve-wracking, to say the least. It was such a massive place, being entirely dark and lacking any signs of life or inhabitance in the space. It felt as if I had stumbled upon a freshly created dungeon that was in pristine condition and untouched by even the world itself. I took a hesitant step back.

This was even more unsettling. If this was a dungeon or something similar…then, I was just a speck of dust amongst giants.

Should I really go into this place? Should I just wait to wake up and come to my senses? I…

My heart lurched in my chest as those thoughts crossed my mind. A sudden flash of a familiar feeling hit me. It was like the feeling of coming home after being away for a long time. Was that this place’s way of telling me to come in?

I clenched my fists and let out a deep breath. I got the impression that this wasn’t some simple dream. It didn’t have the detached, ethereal feeling a dream or nightmare had. This space felt closer to being a real place that was oddly missing the few key things that made it real.

And since this isn’t a dream…I might not be able to leave if I sit here forever. And I have to go back. I still have so much more to do.

My heart raced in my chest, but with my eyes closed and fingers clenched, I walked straight forward and into the vast darkness. After taking a few steps, I opened my eyes to…nothing. It was still completely dark and—

Rumble.

An enormous vibration shook the floor, and I flicked around just in time to see the door start to close. As my only source of light at the moment, I raced toward it, but I was far too late. The door shut, and I was lost in the vast darkness.

Damn it…I know I have torches in my Spatial Ring. I can just—I…I can’t wait…how do I use the ring? Did I take it off? How? Wait, no, it’s still only my hand? What is the meaning of this?

However, as if this place was listening to me, my problems with light were solved the next moment. I slowly turned around and couldn’t help but gasp. Never in my life had I read or thought about such a place existing. Not even in my wildest dreams could I come up with something like that.

The room was now illuminated by rows of sconces hanging off decorative pieces of white stone, and enormous and elaborate chandeliers that seemed to go on forever on the ceiling. The light showed two rows split down the middle with golden statues sitting atop the same white stone pedestals. There had to have been hundreds upon hundreds of these giant statues.

They all towered over even the biggest and grandest of homes in Luminar’s capital. The statues themselves wore ornate armor of varying designs. Some wore grand plate armor fit for knights. Others wore simple chainmail or even what looked to be leather with metal. Then, there were those who wore armor that was more closely associated with the Holy Kingdom. Men and women wearing paladin-esque armor with hoods and holy symbols of Amon-Ra dangling from their necks. Regardless of what they wore, they all knelt down on one knee with their heads bowed.

Is this place something to do with Hubris? Could it be?

And just from the ones closest to me, I could see that every statue differed in face, race, and gender. Of the vast majority of Humans, however, there seemed to be a small number of High and Wood Elves. I even saw the horns and tails of a Dragonkin or two off in the distance.

I looked up at the closest one to me. The facial structures of the statues were perfect, and if I knew who this person was, I would have said they had been cast in gold. It was almost like these people were stuck here and turned into the statues themselves.

Even so, everything is so pristine. There are no signs of life at all…not even the scent of rodents in such a massive place. Even the fire, despite there being lit candles, has no smell…what an odd place.

—

I went deeper into the statue hall, and it took me what felt like an eternity just to make it halfway through the room. When I looked back, I could no longer see the golden doors from which I had walked in from.

From time to time, to break up the monotonous and seemingly endless stroll into this place, I would check the faces of the closet statues, and I was right; they truly were all different and unique. And with the amount of exact detail…even the moles or blemishes on their faces, it was unnerving to an extreme degree.

Also, for the first time since walking in, there was a change to the room. In the center pathway were new statues. They were the same as the others in most ways, all individually unique with their own designs and such. But they were in a different pose.

They all still knelt on a knee, but instead of bowing to the floor, they remained tall and upright. And for some reason, as far as I could see, they were all Human. There were only a handful of them as well, maybe a dozen or so spread out along the lengthy path.

I continued to walk along the path leading to the front of this massive hall, which came into view. It seemed like some kind of ascended throne or platform type of area, but…there was no throne or seat where a ruler of this place would sit. Or at least not that I could see.

I finally reached the stairs but stopped and looked up. The statue right before the stairs was…incomplete. It looked like a Human man wearing the same golden armor with a cape and fur lining the neck. The giant golden pauldrons sat proudly upon his shoulders, but there was no face to it. I walked up to it and placed my hand on the leg.

It felt warm, and…am I…crying? What is this warm feeling in my heart? I—is this a trick of the mind again?

I recoiled back away from the statue, battling with the sudden burn of emotions that seemingly came from nothing. It made no sense for me to cry over a faceless statue in such an eerie place, but… even so…the statue felt so familiar.

I turned away from the statue and began to climb up the giant stairs. I had to literally jump up and throw myself over in order to do so. It felt ridiculous, but there was simply no other way.

I reached the second to last step and stopped to look down at myself. Not only was this place off on how it felt to the senses, but it seemed to affect me in weird ways as well. The entire time, I wasn’t enhancing myself with mana, nor did I even feel like I could. And despite walking all that distance and climbing these stairs, I wasn’t even slightly winded.

It’s truly an odd and unnerving place. It’s trying so hard to be real, but it’s just missing the simple things…

I shook off the feelings and jumped up. Instead of pulling myself all the way up, I peeked over the edge. Sure enough, it was an enormously flat space, but up against the wall was indeed a throne—a normal person-sized one at that.

And there is someone, or more accurately, something sitting on it.

I climbed over the final edge and made my way toward what looked to be a black suit of mythril armor. I figured—no, I was certain that this was where I needed to be, as in that suit of armor's hands was Hubris, the sword I had been using just prior to coming to this place.

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However, right before reaching the silent figure, I was forced to a stop. Suddenly, it felt like a million fingers were pressing down on every part of my body. I was locked in place, and the world around me was shaking.

“Do you seek power?”

Huh? What…what is this? How am I just understanding words in my head? Is this statue communicating with me?

In response, the pressure increased, and I was forced to my knees. Before, it wasn’t painful, but now I felt as if the sheer might of these invisible fingers was crushing my soul.

“Aren’t you tired of being resigned to the whims of fate? Don’t you want to break through that awful cycle?”

I…yes. Yes, I am.

“I’ve been expecting that answer, Cerila. Then come. Pick up the sword. I’ll show you how to defeat that wretched spawn of the Progenitor.”

The overwhelming pressure abated in a snap. The armored figure upon the throne had no defining features. It was impossible to tell if it was a man, woman, Elf, or Dwarf, or if a person was even in there in the first place. I had no idea. And the way it communicated with me directly as if it knew me…

Was Hubris…a sword truly speaking to me?

I reached out to grab the sword but stopped myself. Just exactly what kind of power was the sword trying to offer me? Grandpa, who used the sword for decades, never mentioned something like this to me. What would happen to me if I took power from a weapon that not even one of the strongest Exarches ever to exist didn’t have?

“All have wielded my power before, Cerila. Their mission was no different from yours. But it is your opponent that cannot be compared to those who came before you.”

Sylvia? The spawn of the Progenitor…what will you do to her?

“Defeat her, obviously. This is what you desire, is it not? Our goals are aligned; allow me to assist you, Cerila.”

It only took me a moment to mull over the offer. It was a simple answer. One I knew from the beginning.

No. I don’t want outside help. I’ll best her and prove myself with my own abilities and hard work.

I stepped back and away from the statue, but before I could do anything, its black armored hand grabbed me. I hadn’t even seen it move. It simply did not move one instant, and then the next, it had already grabbed me.

“A shame. We could have done this together. But I don’t need you to do what needs to be done.”

Wait! Let go—

—

I blinked my eyes open, and I was back. Sylvia was falling on top of me, my sword in hand, posed to cut her arm off after launching her in the air. It was like I had never gone to that place or talked to Hburis.

But there was a huge problem—a very big one at that. One I couldn’t begin to fathom. First, I couldn’t move my body. I felt trapped, watching the world around me through my very own eyes.

Secondly…I could hear. This sensation…I don’t even know what to think of it. I can just…hear now. My ears work for some reason when they have never before. It was overwhelming in every way.

I could hear the crowd yelling. I could hear Sylvia grunting. I could hear the sound of Hubris cutting into her flesh and bone, followed by her hiss of pain.

The sound of blood being drained, of the ice crystals around me twinkling with each of my steps. And then, the blinding light that flashed my vision white. I felt like I needed to vomit and cover my ears, but I couldn’t do anything.

The first step in defeating a Vampire is simple for people of our caliber. First, do not allow their blood to exist on their terms. Freeze it, burn it, blow it away, do whatever you must to keep it off and away from you.

Once again, the voice spoke to me, but this time I could hear the voice of…a man? It was deep and slow in tone as it spoke directly into my head. If I had to guess what a man sounded like, it would be that.

I looked across the field, or well, I was forced to. Sylvia had been blown backward. Her body was burnt in places; the arm which had held her sword and been sliced off slowly regenerated. It was the slowest form of regeneration I had seen from her.

Sylvia looked up with pure malice in her eyes as she glared at me and gritted her teeth. “You…what have you done? What is this?” she hissed.

No…no…how…how is any of this possible? How can I hear her voice and understand her? I… I don’t get it…this isn’t what I wanted!

It’s my doing, so fret not. I simply wish not to lose one of my primary senses.

Free me now! Return my body to me!

No. Not till this is over. This spawn can not remain in this world, and it will not continue to exist as long as I am here.

Now, on to step two. Stop fighting as if you are a simple person. You are a god amongst fools. Fight like it. I’ll enlighten you.

I could feel my mana being controlled without my consent as multiple spell cores were formed. I felt my body surge with mana from depths of that I never knew existed. It was a feeling beyond explanation. No amount of training could have replicated that for me.

The swords of ice that formed various shapes of long swords, short swords, and many others floated around me, and my body burst forward with tremendous speed and force. It felt as if Sylvia had suddenly appeared in front of me, but it was I who had closed the distance in the blink of an eye.

The blades crashed against Sylvia, who dodged side to side with equally impressive speed. She simply crushed one of the ice swords with her hand as she gritted her teeth. Fresh crimson blood splattered from the gash on her hand, and she flung it toward me as I tried to get in close, but another bright flash burned the blood away.

Sylvia managed to keep her distance from me, but that was all she could manage. The constant attacks of magic were starting to overwhelm her.

Control your ice. Immobilize her.

Give me back my body, and I will!

Stubborn one…fine, I’ll do it myself.

I felt the formation of a dual spell core of wind and ice as a tornado of lethal wind and bleak ice mixed together. For the first time, I heard what such a spell sounded like. It was terrifying, but what was even more frightening was the speed at which I cast it. Normally, it took me a few moments to prepare for a dual school spell core, but that was instant.

You’ve always been capable of this much. I tried to help you, but you denied me. Now, you will learn through strict instruction. Pay attention.

When the storm cleared, Sylvia was encased in a block of ice. I was already running toward her, but the ice was cracking, and she broke free. Her body had transformed slightly. Her arms and legs were thicker, and her veins pulsed with power threatening to break free from her pale skin. The whites of her eyes were dyed the color of fresh blood.

“You’re pissing me off!” she yelled.

Right before Sylvia was impaled by Hubris, she simply punched down at the flat of the sword. It was a reckless move—an impossible one at that. Trying to time something like that was closer to suicide than a last-ditch effort. But the sheer force from her enhanced body rocked my vision downward as Hubris went into the fresh snow below.

What freakish strength. But it seems she has activated her Blood Sorcery now. Things will be getting more serious from here on out.

Sylvia used the moment to escape to the side, but I formed more spell cores, and an army’s worth of icy swords was launched at her. Sylvia dodged and ducked, running full speed to where her old arm lay frozen in the red snow. And she wasn’t able to dodge all the swords. The swords stuck into the back of her arms, torso, and legs, but she still continued to move forward.

What a silly beast. Did she truly believe that reaching that sword would save her? Does she have no sense of danger or urgency? Pathetic.

Those words echoed in my mind as the crowd around us roared. I felt the sensation in my hands. I had driven my sword through Syvlia’s back and into her heart.

No…no this…this isn’t—

There is no need to worry, Cerila. This is simply the first step. Crush the heart, remove the head, then burn the body. This is how you guarantee these beasts stay in the dirt. You’ll be free to be with your lover till the end of your days now that she will be gone. You should be thanking me, really.

My body moved on its own again. The sound of flesh being cut and blood dripping as Hubris was pulled out from her back. I twisted my hips and squared the blade off in preparation to cut her head off with a single swing.

My body moved, and I lashed out with everything I had—every ounce of power I could muster in an attempt to regain control. I forced mana into my limbs and halted my movements with all my might. I did everything I could because it was then that I imagined what would happen if that blade connected. How he would look at me…I never wanted Kaladin to look at me that way.

NO! STOP! THIS ISN’T WHAT I WANT! I WON’T LET YOU!

My body finally listened to me, and the dark silver blade of Hubris stopped just short of Sylvia’s neck. The blade wobbled as the invisible force tried to push it ever closer. But I couldn’t let that happen. I wouldn’t let it happen if it was the last thing I did.

You foolish girl! There is no place for you beside him while this monster draws breath! Slay it now and be done with it all!

NO!

Damn you! I—

“Impressive. To have realized that you have power over your own mind at such a young age…to not give into such tantalizing temptation and external forces. You are a strong one, aren’t you, Little Fox?” a cold voice said, sounding like it came from Sylvia.

I felt something. It was beyond bloodlust, something that outstripped anything I had felt before. Kaladin, even Avasta, that Dragon Emperor, was nothing in the face of this. The wave of dread was soul-crushing and domineering. It was a primal fear deep within me. It told me to run, to hide away. Because not doing so would lead to my death.

No—impossible. This can’t be…

The sound of the crowd was drowned out as Sylvia’s head slowly turned to look over her shoulder. Her eyes were closed, but they fluttered open.

A single swirling crimson eye looked up at me.

“It’s been some time, Tyldiur, hasn’t it?”