The village of Everglen sat on the edge of the Valeon Forest, where ancient trees whispered secrets older than the kingdoms themselves. It was a small, quiet place, barely known on the grand maps of the world. The village rested within the borders of the Kingdom of Lyrion, a peaceful realm that was once a hub of trade, art, and learning. However, years of famine and economic decline had turned Lyrion into a shadow of its former glory. The mighty kingdom lay on the Orysian Continent, known for its expansive wilderness, untamed magic, and forgotten ruins that spoke of worlds long gone. Aetheris, their world, was a place of mystery, where the barriers between realms were thinner than anyone knew.
Everglen itself was a simple, self-sufficient village. Its residents lived off the land, harvesting crops, raising livestock, and living in harmony with the natural world around them. Though humble, the village was beautiful a place of cobbled streets, wooden cottages covered in ivy, and the smell of fresh pine from the nearby forest. Takaviel had lived here his entire life, though he had always dreamed of exploring the lands beyond.
Takaviel, eighteen, stood by the small cottage he shared with his sister, his lean figure casting a long shadow in the light of the setting sun. His black hair, wild and unruly, blew gently in the evening breeze. He was strong for his age, muscles shaped by years of hard work, but his face still carried the soft innocence of youth. His brown eyes, deep and thoughtful, always seemed lost in a daydream. Takaviel loved books one of the few comforts left to him since their parents had vanished. His curiosity about the world was boundless, and he often spent long hours wondering what lay beyond the Valeon Forest, beyond the Kingdom of Lyrion, beyond even Aetheris itself.
By his side was his younger sister, Hana, the only family he had left. Fourteen years old, Hana was the opposite of her brother in many ways. Where Takaviel was often lost in thought, she was grounded in reality, wise beyond her years. Her long, chestnut hair framed a soft, kind face, and her bright green eyes seemed to hold both knowledge and compassion in equal measure. Hana was loved by everyone in Everglen, known for her gentle spirit and willingness to help others. She had a warmth about her that brought people comfort, despite the tragedy that had struck their lives.
It had been two years since their parents had disappeared. They had gone to the capital city of Vaedorn, the shining heart of Lyrion, for a trading mission. They never returned. Rumors spread through the village some said there had been an accident, others whispered of something darker but Takaviel and Hana never knew the truth. All they had was the memory of their mother's gentle voice and their father's reassuring presence. Now, they only had each other.
Takaviel did his best to provide for Hana. He worked tirelessly in the fields, mended the house, and took care of the animals, always with a quiet, determined sense of duty. But the loss weighed heavily on him. He often wondered if their parents' fate would have been different if they had never left the safety of Everglen.
It was on a night much like this that everything changed.
Takaviel stood outside, gazing up at the night sky. The stars glittered above, clear and bright. Yet, something felt different. The air was thick with tension, and a strange unease settled in his chest. As he stared across the fields, he noticed it a faint, flickering light in the distance, far beyond the boundaries of the village, hovering just at the edge of the Valeon Forest. It was no ordinary light. It pulsed, unnatural, like a living thing.
"What is that?" Takaviel muttered to himself, his brow furrowing in confusion.
Curiosity, his constant companion, urged him to investigate. He grabbed his cloak and quietly began to walk toward the woods.
Hana, as if sensing something was wrong, stepped out of the cottage. "Takaviel? Where are you going?"
Takaviel turned to face her, trying to mask the worry in his voice. "I saw something a light, over by the forest. I'm just going to check it out."
Hana's green eyes darkened with concern. "It's late. You shouldn't go alone."
"I'll be quick," he assured her, though he wasn't sure of it himself.
But Hana, ever protective of her brother, shook her head. "I'm coming with you."
Without waiting for his protest, Hana followed him. Together, they made their way through the quiet village and into the woods, their footsteps muffled by the soft earth.
As they drew closer to the light, the air around them began to change. The temperature dropped, and the familiar hum of the forest chirping crickets and rustling leaves faded into an unnatural silence. They soon reached the source of the strange glow, and what they saw left them breathless.
Hovering in the air was a tear an impossibility a jagged crack in the very fabric of reality. It shimmered with otherworldly light, its edges twisting and writhing like a living thing. It pulsed with a soft, eerie glow, casting strange shadows on the trees around them.
"What… is that?" Hana whispered, her voice trembling.
Takaviel stared at the crack, his heart pounding. He had always dreamed of discovering something beyond the ordinary, but this… this was beyond anything he could have imagined. His curiosity mixed with a growing sense of dread.
Then, from the depths of the crack, something moved.
A massive hand a grotesque, terrifying appendage began to emerge. Its skin was dark, almost black, with an oily sheen, and it was covered in pulsating, glowing runes. The fingers were long and thin, tipped with sharp claws that glistened like knives in the dim light. It was not human. It was not of this world. They both stood frozen, their eyes locked on the grotesque hand as it twisted and writhed out of the crack, its long fingers curling in the air like it was searching for prey. The unnatural chill in the air seemed to settle deep into Takaviel's bones, and he felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise. His heart pounded in his chest, and his mind screamed at him that they were in danger.
"Hana," Takaviel said, his voice low and tense, "we need to run."
Hana nodded, her face pale as she slowly backed away with him, her eyes never leaving the monstrous hand. They turned and began to sprint, racing through the trees, their breaths heavy and labored.
But the hand noticed.
With terrifying speed, it shot forward, its claws reaching out with inhuman precision, aiming straight for Hana. Takaviel's eyes widened in horror as he saw the hand closing in on her.
Without thinking, without hesitation, Takaviel pushed his sister with all his strength, sending her tumbling to the ground just as the hand's fingers grazed her. The hand faltered for a moment, adjusting its aim as it sensed the change.
It latched onto Takaviel instead.
Hana scrambled to her feet, her heart racing, as she realized what had just happened. "Takaviel!" she screamed, rushing to her brother's side. She grabbed onto his arm, desperately trying to pull him free, her green eyes wide with fear.
Takaviel gritted his teeth, his muscles straining as he tried to resist the hand's pull. He dug his heels into the ground, fighting with everything he had, but it was no use. The hand was far too strong.
"Hana, let go!" he shouted, though the fear in his voice was barely contained. "You have to get away!"
"I won't leave you!" she cried, her voice cracking as she held onto him with all her strength.
But it was too late. The hand tightened its grip around Takaviel, pulling him closer to the crack. His feet lifted off the ground as the force became too much for him to resist. He looked at his sister, his heart breaking at the thought of leaving her.
"Run, Hana… just run," he whispered, his voice filled with both fear and resolve.
With a final, desperate pull, the hand yanked Takaviel into the crack, dragging him into the dark abyss. Hana's cries echoed through the night as his body vanished from sight, and then there was nothing but the cold silence of the forest.