I ran. I cannot remember when I started running, never growing tired, I continued.
As I continued running, I took notice of the scenery around me. Tall structures haunted me; these are buildings—buildings from my home.
I feel eyes boring down on me from an unknown distance. Surprisingly, they were not bothersome.
My sinking awareness slowly eluded me. With realization seeping into my face, my mind produced the question, 'Why am I here?'
Indeed, why am I here? I thought hard.
Why is this land so ravaged? What happened to earth?
Why did I continually ignore that earlier. Wait. Why did my mind choose to ignore my life on earth?
It can't be… I forgot? But why can I remember now… Why was this city destroyed?
The eyes that continued gazing into me suddenly pierced my soul—as if reading my thoughts.
A faint chuckle erupted.
'You are aware…'
'No matter, your memories from earth will continue to allude you; so long as you're outside—walking in that world.'
The familiar voice from that night returned once more, its mumblings, I can barely understand.
I ceased running and asked, "Who are you?"
'You do not need to know.'
Bang!
My mind buzzed like glass shards shattering. My reality crumpled like paper. I spun into oblivion—or what it felt like.
The insurmountable voice trickled my soul once more.
'Beware of the lurking darkness.'
…
Hah! Gasping for breath, Lucas awoke from his bed. Clutching his head, he tried to recall the dream that continued to elude him.
"I can't remember!" he exclaimed.
Giving up, he slumped back to his bed, feeling the sweat that trickled his back. Faint words surfacing in his mind.
"Darkness…what should I be aware of…?"
Looking to his right, Lucas saw the ancient book—relieved that it's still there.
He picked the book up, scrutinizing every detail.
"This language… Intriguing, it seems to be ancient Lauratian."
Lucas pondered hard, seemingly trying to read the ancient text—proving futile.
The ancient Lauratian language originated from the Lauratian Kingdom, South of the continent. The Lauratian Kingdom reigned the south for 300 years before it succumbed to the current Radiant Sun Empire.
'I should ask Rinia if she is able to decipher these—maybe she already has?' Lucas pondered.
With haste, Lucas cleansed himself, donned a fresh set of attire, and proceeded towards the lecture hall. Meandering through the dimly lit corridors of the dormitory, an eerie sensation sent shivers down his spine, igniting goosebumps upon his skin.
'The wind?'
…
Examining the expansive hall, rapidly filling with bustling activity, he discerningly selected a seat nestled in the corner, adjacent to the luminous windows.
The inaugural lecturer of the day swiftly made his entrance, Donald Weasle, characterized by his unruly mane of hair and a pair of goggles perched atop his head. Clad in a modest coat extending down to his knees, he cast his gaze over the gradually tranquilizing lecture hall before offering a genial greeting.
"Good morning, everyone. Quite a chilly day, isn't it?" he remarked, met with a hush of silence before commencing his discourse.
"The advent of innovation has bestowed upon us a multitude of marvels the most significant of all—machines! We use machines in everyday living, some for labor, others for transportation, all of which are machines powered by steam or another. One cannot deny their great contribution in bettering our lives; deprived of them, we would be relegated to crude manual labor, perpetually bathed in perspiration merely to accomplish mundane tasks."
As the lecture progressed, Weasle delved into the significance of steam power and machinery in the modern era. He elucidated the intricacies of basic machinery like clocks and heaters, as well as elucidated the mechanics of locomotion, albeit momentarily forgetting to mention the quintessential component: the steam engine.
Throughout the lecture, Lucas couldn't shake off the feeling that evoked goosebumps—as if being watched.
The lecture concluded after an extensive discourse that spanned well over an hour, during which Professor Weasle delved deep into the intricacies of steam power and machinery.
Remembering the issue in deciphering the ancient book, Lucas quickly packed his notes, heading for the hallway, towards the elusive 'Supernatural Research Club'.
Chuckling, Lucas thought, 'I hope Rinia knows Lauratian.'
. . .
Entering the dimly lit confines of the antiquated club room, Lucas hastened his steps toward Rinia, who was engaged in conversation with another girl named Maticia. Sensing Lucas's approach, Rinia swiftly concluded her discussion with Maticia, her demeanor shifting to one of focused urgency as she turned her attention to Lucas.
In a hushed tone, Rinia inquired, "Where's the book?" Her words laden with anticipation.
Lifting the ancient book Lucas replied, "Worried your little 'Magus' book might get stolen?" a hint of mockery in his voice.
Rinia pursed her lips replying, "Of course not, besides doesn't it interest you too."
"I never said it was uninteresting, it seems magical enough—at least the text written on it is ancient."
"So, you know about the ancient Lauratian language too. Are you able to decipher it?" Rinia asked with expectation.
With disappointment Lucas replied, "I thought you'd know. No worries, we could ask Professor Philip, the historian, about it."
"Great idea, he should know a bit about this language."