The sharp sting of cold air struck your face as you stumbled forward, your knees buckling on the uneven cobblestone beneath you. A crimson sky stretched out above, casting an eerie red glow over the sprawling city before you. The buildings were old, centuries behind modern architecture, yet they pulsed with a strange, unearthly energy.

"Where... Where am I?" The question left your lips in a hoarse whisper as you pushed yourself up, blinking hard, trying to make sense of the world around you.

Everything seemed familiar, yet completely foreign at the same time. The historical atmosphere was unmistakable. This was the 18th century—or at least it looked like it—but there were things wrong with this picture. The sky had never been blood-red in history, and the mechanical golems patrolling the streets surely didn't exist in the 1700s.

You moved forward, cautiously stepping through the crowded street. The people—if you could call them that—wore clothes from a bygone era, but alongside them walked beings you only knew from mythology: towering beastmen with fur-covered bodies, elegant elves with glowing eyes, and even the occasional automaton clanked by, its gears whirring.

"Stay calm," you murmured to yourself, trying to keep your heart from racing. "This has to be a dream... or some kind of simulation."

But the cold weight of reality sank in. You weren't in a dream, nor a game. You were here, in this strange, distorted version of history. Panic welled in your chest, but you swallowed it down. If this truly was a past warped by something unnatural, you had to find answers.

"Hey, you there!" a voice called out.

You turned to find a middle-aged man standing nearby, his dark robes covered in faint, glowing runes. He looked at you curiously, but there was no malice in his gaze. Just curiosity.

"You seem lost. First time in the Crimson Empire?" he asked with a half-smile, his sharp eyes scanning you from head to toe.

"Uh, yeah... you could say that," you replied hesitantly, not knowing whether you could trust him or anyone here. "What is this place?"

The man chuckled softly, folding his arms. "You must be new to this part of the world. It's not every day someone like you stumbles into this timeline. You're in the heart of the Crimson Empire, ruled by the Magi Lords and protected by the Order of Golems. You'll get used to the strange sights soon enough."

The words hit you hard. "Timeline? What do you mean by that?"

The man's eyes gleamed with interest. "Ah, I see. You're one of those... Outlanders. You weren't born here, were you? No, you came from somewhere... else." He stepped closer, lowering his voice. "You may want to find someone to help you before you attract the wrong kind of attention."

You swallowed hard. His words only deepened the pit of confusion in your stomach. "Where can I find someone to explain... all of this?"

He pointed down the street, where a tall, gothic tower loomed in the distance. "Seek out the Council of Shadows. They've been watching your arrival for some time. If anyone can explain why you're here, it's them."

Without another word, the man walked away, disappearing into the crowd, leaving you with more questions than answers. Your pulse quickened as you took in the twisted world around you. Beastmen, magical beings, and machines were all woven into this timeline in ways that defied logic and history.

And now, the only clue you had was the Council of Shadows. But could they be trusted?

The ground beneath your feet felt unstable as you moved toward the tower. Every step brought new sights—street vendors selling potions, a pair of centaurs haggling over goods, and towering golems silently patrolling the perimeter. The further you walked, the more you realized how warped history had become.

If this was indeed a warped version of the 18th century, something—or someone—had done this deliberately. And if you weren't careful, you might never make it back to your own time.

Reaching the base of the tower, you took a deep breath and steeled yourself. Whoever the Council of Shadows was, they had the answers you needed.

But deep down, you had a feeling that the truth would only raise more terrifying questions.