Ep 19. A New Dawn

The chill struck Aaminata before her eyes fully opened. Icy air bit at her skin, the snow beneath her damp and cold. Her breath came out in visible puffs as she forced herself to sit up, her mind struggling to reconcile the grand council chamber of EaYu with the desolate expanse surrounding her now.

Snow stretched endlessly in all directions, broken only by jagged cliffs and scattered, frost-coated trees. The sun hung low in the sky, casting everything in an eerie bluish-white hue. Aaminata's muscles ached as she pushed herself to her feet, brushing snow from her cloak. Her pulse quickened as the memory of the blinding light that had engulfed her returned.

"What… what is this place?" she murmured, scanning the unfamiliar landscape.

Her fingers instinctively brushed over the band of Taj Alwahm resting lightly on her head. The relic was dormant now—its golden tattoos absent from her skin—but its weight brought her a small measure of reassurance. Her saber, North, rested securely at her side, its presence grounding her.

Aaminata took a deep breath, steadying herself. Years of combat training pushed back the rising panic. She forced her thoughts into order, assessing her surroundings. Her eyes traced the jagged cliffs on the horizon, the scattered trees in the distance. Nothing looked familiar.

"Xetas…" she muttered to herself. "Or Yuesai. They could have done this."

Her mind raced through possibilities. Could the sudden light have been one of their relics? A new weapon or ability designed to disorient and capture her? But as she continued scanning the endless expanse of snow and ice, doubt crept in.

She thought back to her studies, recalling every map of EaYu, Xetas, and West Yu she had ever examined. None of the terrain matched anything on the continent. There were no islands in EaYu's known geography that is this cold in the summer.

"This can't be Yuesai's doing," she whispered, her voice carrying faintly over the wind. "And if it isn't... then where am I?"

Her hands tightened into fists as a chill deeper than the cold swept over her. This place—wherever it was—was utterly foreign. For the first time in years, she felt truly adrift.

Aaminata began walking, each step sinking into the thick snow. Her breath came in steady puffs, her body moving on instinct as her mind churned with unanswered questions. The biting wind whipped around her, stinging her exposed cheeks.

The terrain shifted subtly as she pressed forward, the ground beneath her boots growing more uneven. The cliffs on the horizon loomed closer, casting long shadows over the icy expanse.

And then she saw it.

A faint glow pierced through the gray haze of the sky. At first, she thought her eyes were playing tricks on her, but as she squinted, the glow intensified, rising high into the sky like a column of light. It pulsed faintly, almost beckoning.

Her breath hitched as she stared at the beacon. "What is that?" she muttered.

Her instincts screamed to approach it. If there were answers to be found, they would be there. Taj Alwahm remained dormant, offering no insight or warning, leaving her to rely on her wits.

Determined, Aaminata adjusted her cloak, shielding herself from the wind. The beacon became her anchor, its faint glow her guide through the desolation.

As she continued toward the light, the silence of the landscape gave way to faint noises—at first just whispers carried on the wind, but soon distinct sounds reached her ears. Cracks like shattering ice.

Her heart raced. She slowed her steps, her senses sharpening. The noise grew louder as she approached the source, echoing through the frigid air. The clash of two forces reverberated—something against ice, punctuated by the hiss of freezing air and the sharp burst of something breaking apart.

She crouched low, slipping behind a jagged outcrop of ice for cover. Her hand instinctively went to North, drawing the saber quietly. Her breath caught as she peered around the edge of the outcrop.

In the distance, two figures clashed in a chaotic battle.

One wielded ice, massive shards forming and reforming around them, slamming into the other combatant. The second figure moved fluidly, constructs of glowing light springing into existence around them—shields, blades, and barriers—dissipating just as quickly as they struck.

Aaminata's grip on her saber tightened. The light from their battle cast flickering shadows across the snow, making the already surreal scene even more otherworldly.

"Who are they?" she whispered, her breath fogging the air. "And what are they fighting for?"

For a moment, she considered approaching. But instinct held her back. She crouched lower, watching the battle unfold, every nerve in her body on edge.

Whatever was happening here, it was far beyond anything she had ever encountered. And yet, she couldn't shake the feeling that this fight—this strange island—was part of something much larger.

As the combatants clashed again, the sound of shattering ice filled the air. Aaminata stayed hidden, her mind racing. She would wait, watch, and learn. Whatever this place wanted from her, she would face it on her terms.

The beacon pulsed faintly in the distance, a constant reminder of her ultimate goal. But for now, her focus remained on the battle before her, the questions multiplying with every passing moment.