Endus awoke on his back, dirt pressed beneath him, staring into a vast blue sky. Unfamiliar creatures of various shapes and sizes flew overhead, darting between floating islands suspended in the air. He groaned as he pushed himself upright, pain ringing through his skull and his vision blurring momentarily. When his eyes cleared, he took in the beauty around him: he was lying by a small lake in sprawling grassy plains that stretched beyond his sight, dressed only in a cloth wrapped around his waist. Flowers dotted the grass with vibrant colours, while clusters of trees were scattered across the landscape, their wood tinged faintly red and their leaves a striking orange.
"Where am I?" he rasped aloud, his voice hoarse. Leaning over the lake, he scooped up the cold water, drinking deeply and splashing his face, uncaring if it was safe to drink. The clear blue of the water reassured him. As he glanced at his reflection, he saw a rugged, dark-skinned face with hair matted in thick locks, falling around his head. Though he knew nothing of his surroundings or past, one thing was certain—his name was Endus.
From a nearby grove of trees, a man emerged, moving with hurried steps towards him.
"Another newcomer?" the man called out, his tone questioning. Before Endus could respond, the stranger raised a hand towards him, his expression suddenly tense. "Behind you, move!" he shouted urgently, and Endus noticed the man's hand glowing faintly. Hearing a series of soft thuds behind him, Endus turned to see the source, his body freezing with terror.
A monstrous beast bounded towards him on all fours, its form vaguely humanoid but twisted, with dark blue skin and massive, black antlers jutting from its head. The creature's muscular frame was twice Endus's size, its brutish face split by a wide mouth filled with sharp, glistening fangs. Light flared over Endus's shoulder from the man's outstretched hand, forcing him to dive into the lake. He submerged, the icy water shocking him but giving him a momentary shelter from the madness above.
When his lungs burned for air, he surfaced cautiously. The stranger stood at the lake's edge, his pale hand charred and ashen, flakes of blackened skin falling from it. The man was older, his beard white and long, his hair pulled back, and he wore blue robes like the hide of the beast lying dead a few feet away, its orange blood seeping into the grass. The man extended his good hand to Endus, pulling him from the water.
"We must hurry," he said in a calm but urgent voice. "Another will come soon. The sky darkens." Endus, now noticing the purple shade overtaking the sky, let the man guide him. Standing in front of him, he saw that the man was a few inches taller and more muscular. "Another small one," the stranger muttered, looking him over with a frown. "Curse my luck." Endus bit back his frustration at the insult, remembering the strange light the man had wielded to save him.
Curious, Endus glanced at the carcass of the beast, its face pierced by a clean, circular wound. He wanted to inspect it further, questions swirling in his mind, but the man had already turned towards the forest. Endus followed, jogging to keep up, surprised by the older man's speed.
"Where are we?" he asked, feeling the need to understand his surroundings. "And who are you?"
"The Everchanging Plains, as far as anyone here calls it. My name is Pauli," the man replied over his shoulder. The name and place offered Endus little comfort. "What was that beast, and how did you manage to kill it? I'd like to know such skills myself if the world's this dangerous." Pauli ignored his questions, his attention fixed on reaching their destination.
At last, they reached a clearing in the forest where a small hut sat at the centre of a lake, built from the same red wood as the trees. They waded through the shallow water to reach it, and by the time they arrived, the sky had darkened completely, stars faintly visible overhead. Pauli opened the door quickly, urging Endus inside.
The hut was as simple within as without: dark, windowless, empty save for a fireplace at the centre. Pauli knelt by it, soon coaxing a small flame to life, casting a warm glow over the cramped space.
"That beast is what we call a Devourer," he explained, his tone somber. "It's the main predator of the Everchanging Plains."
Endus processed this, realising that other dangers must exist if the Devourer was only the primary threat. Pauli continued, "I'm sure you're wondering why you're here, but neither I nor anyone else can answer that. However, there is a way to escape—and a way to defeat the Devourers."
Endus leaned closer, absorbing every word. Pauli paused, allowing the information to settle, before speaking again. "To the north lies a bridge leading to a smaller island. Guarding it are two knights who will not let you pass unless you bring them the Heart of a Traitor."
"A Traitor?" Endus repeated, noticing Pauli's voice tremble slightly at the word.
"Yes," Pauli confirmed, his voice tinged with unease. "If the Devourers are the main predators, then the Traitors are akin to gods, lurking in the abyss. They are impossible to defeat unless you're truly blessed by the Halls of Veneration."
The strange terminology made Endus's head ache. "It's a lot to take in," Pauli said, seeing his confusion. "But with time, you'll understand more. First, you must enter the Halls and find which Hallway opens for you. Pray that it grants you something useful, or you'll meet the same fate as those who came before you."
Endus had more questions he wanted to ask, but he decided to trust the man and follow his instructions. The strange power Pauli had shown clearly marked him as someone worth listening to.
"Close your eyes," Pauli instructed. "The Halls of Veneration are accessible to all, though they lie in the depths of your mind, not in a place where we can set our mortal feet."
Endus closed his eyes, following Pauli's orders.
"The Halls are there; you can feel them, but first you must venerate the gods. Thank and praise them for the breath in your lungs and for granting us this chance at life. Only then will the doorways open."
Endus tried to follow the instructions, closing his eyes and attempting to feel gratitude for the life he had been given, but he could not bring himself to truly mean it. As soon as he had awoken, a beast had tried to end his life, and without Pauli, he would have died in this foreign world without understanding anything of its nature. He tried to feel gratitude and praise the gods, but he could only feel hatred, and he scorned them.
Still, he felt himself move, as if against his will, though his physical body remained seated by the fireplace. After a few moments, he heard a voice call out to him—a voice unlike Pauli's, filled with command, deep and resonant.
"Open your eyes, hateful one," the voice said, and Endus obeyed.