Chapter 3

Clive had barely closed his eyes when the darkness around him began to shift, melting away like ink in water. For the first time in his life, he wasn't surrounded by endless blackness. Instead, he found himself standing in a warm, golden glow. Confusion hit him as he looked around. The sensation of sight was foreign and overwhelming. He blinked rapidly, trying to understand what was happening.

Before him, the familiar scent of ale and sweat filled the air. After his eyes adjusted to the many colors he looked down trying to catch a breath and that is when he recognized the wooden floorboards beneath his feet, with his eyes still on the floorboard, he picked up the low hum of voices, and the creak of chairs. These were sounds he was used to hear in old Neil's bar but this time by slightly looking around him he could see what made the sounds he had gotten so used to hearing.

Clive stood in Old Neil's bar, his eyes taking in every detai greedily. The rough tables scattered around the room, the smoky air that hung in a haze, and the flickering oil lamps casting shadows on the wall. He noticd the cracks in the walls, the worn out edges of the bar counter, and the faces of the regulars he had only ever known by scent and sound. How was this possible? Was the world finally compensating his eye sight? 

And then he saw her, she stood near the center of the room,Her dark hair fell in loose waves around her shoulders, and her eyes seemed to pierce through him. She wore a simple dress, the maroon fabric contrasting against the dimly lit surroundings.

"Clive," she greeted,with a gentle yet firm voice, cutting through the noise. It was the same voice he had just heard telling the patrons of the bar a legend, bu-but now it carried a warmth that seemed to soothe the confusion inside him.

He stared at her, in confusion "Lady Harlingen?" The words felt strange on his tongue, like a question he never expected to ask, well he never did expect to ask such a question in his life.

She smiled, a smile that reached her eyes. "Yes, it's me. Do I fit the description of me you had in your mind?" She asked her smile never leaving her face

He shook his head slowly, still grappling with the impossibility of it all. He looked down at his hands, turning them over as if to confirm that they were truly his. The rough, bruised skin was familiar, but the sight of it was not.

"What is this?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Lady Harlingen smiled, stepping closer. "A gift before I leave. You've lived in darkness all your life, and I think there are things you need to see."

As she spoke, the room began to change. The walls of the bar faded, and the warmth of the amber glow was replaced by a cold, oppressive chill. The world around him twisted and contorted, the comforting familiarity of Old Neil's bar giving way to a landscape of devastation. The sky was crimson, and the air reeked of blood and the land was in a state of utter devastion distant wails could be heard and infront of him was a colossal figure sprawled across the barren land. The figure'bodh was so immense dwarfing everything else around it. The being's immense form was twisted and broken, it's skin dry and cracked,the sheer size of the being and the feint pressure it exuded made Clive's knees weak with fear, his eyes widening in fear and he took several steps back "What.....what the hell is that thing?" Clive stammered,his voice almost a whisper. He had never imagined anything like this in his entire life, not even when he imagined what the abominations outside the city walls were like he never imagined anything as dreadfully but at the same time beautiful like this.

Slowly turning his head, searching for an explanation. Lady Harlingen stood a few paces away from him her gaze never leaving him.

Hwr expression was unreadable, way different from the warm presence she had in old Neil's bar. Now she seemed pretty distant as if she was weighing something in her mind. Her eyes seemed to flicker, a hint of something Clive could not describe before her mask of calm returned. "This Clive, is what remains of an elder god."She said softly, though his confusion only worsened. "A being of unimaginable power, reduced to nothing more than a husk."

"This is what remains of the Crimson War, Clive—a war fought among the gods themselves. A war where brother turned against brother, and all were consumed by their own ambition and wrath...a war where I lost everything. " Clive could feel the hurt in her last words.

She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath before speaking in a calm voice "let me tell you how it all began, In the beginning, the Creator, the source gave rise to the gods, each embodying an essential force of the world and each embodying an aspect of him. Zebha, the God of Light and Primordial Flame, illuminated the world, while Revi, the God of Night and Mysteries, governed the shadows and the unknown. Together with Hentesa, the God of Primordial Waters; La'faura, the God of Winds and Air; Nesa'i, the God of Sorcery and Decay; and Ferho, the God of Life and War, they maintained the balance that allowed the world to flourish.

For countless eons, the gods ruled in harmony, their powers interwoven to create a world where light and dark, life and death, existed in perfect balance. Zebha's light nourished the lands, while Revi's night brought rest and reflection. Hentesa's waters and La'faura's winds gave life to the earth, Nesa'i's sorcery provided knowledge and power, and Ferho's influence ensured the cycles of life and conflict.

But the peace was not destined to last. Ambition and desire began to seed discord among the gods. Revi, who ruled the night and all its mysteries, grew envious of the source's love for Zebha his brother who also had the source's most powerful aspect 'whisper of life' . Even though ferho was the god of life he did could only sculpt his creations but was unable to give them life, all the mortals of their world were given life by zebha. The mortals worshipped the light, seeking it for comfort and guidance, while the night was often feared and shunned. In his attempt to create his own world and fill it with life revi created what is known amongst pathfinders today as the'Mirror realm', a realm that is the complete opposite to ours, a realm where horrors and abominations roam.Revi believed that true power lay in the mysteries of the night, in the unseen and the unknown, and that the world needed to be reshaped to honor these truths.

Revi's envy turned to ambition, and he found allies among the other gods. Nesa'i, the God of Sorcery and Decay, who reveled in the unknown and the inevitable end, joined Revi, seeking to weave greater mysteries into the fabric of reality. Together, they sought to overthrow Zebha and shroud the world in eternal night, where secrets and shadows would reign supreme.

But Zebha, along with Ferho and La'faura, opposed them. Ferho, the God of Life and War, understood that life needed balance—a balance that would be destroyed if the light were extinguished. La'faura, who governed the winds and air, feared that without light, the world would stagnate, with nothing to drive the winds and cycles of life.

This conflict led to the Crimson War—a war that raged across the heavens and the earth, shaking the very foundations of creation. The gods clashed with all their might, their battles causing the skies to bleed and the earth to quake. Zebha's light clashed against the encroaching darkness of Revi and Nesa'i, while Ferho and La'faura fought to maintain the world's balance.

In the final, cataclysmic battle, Zebha and Revi faced each other in a struggle that would determine the fate of the world. Though Zebha was powerful, Revi's mastery of the unknown and the assistance of Nesa'i proved formidable. In a desperate bid to save the world, Zebha unleashed the full force of the Primordial Flame, intending to burn away the darkness and restore balance.

But the power was too great. The flame exploded, consuming not only the darkness but also Zebha himself. As Zebha's light was extinguished, Revi and Nesa'i seized the moment to cast a veil over the heavens. This veil blocked out what remained of Zebha's light, plunging the world into an eternal twilight—a world where the sun was weak, and the night ruled.

Without Zebha's light, the balance was lost. The world fell into darkness, and the remaining gods were left weakened and fragmented, their powers diminished. The mortals were forced to get used to a world where the night and its mysteries held absolut and the darkness brought fear, despair, and the rise of the Fallen—Revi's creations born from the mirror world. Sometime later after seeing the sufferings of humanity without the guidance of Gods and in a world of eternal night the source then the source orchestrated a great event called the smiting, capable human warriors who were chosen by the source disappeared and came back in possession of godlike strength.

As she spoke the scenario changed showcasing 7 beings that had an opressive aura as slightly imposing as the dead god's one. And behind them an enormous tree towered over them, the tree was majestic, holy, pure ,divine even the word beautiful seemed like an insult to use when describing this enchanting tree covered in golden vines. 

"From the smithing new deities were born but they were not capable of miracles as that was only a gift granted by the source to his children, but do not think these gods are weak they are very strong, but only four out of the seven are seated on their thrones overseeing their domain the are two vacant heavenly thrones belonging to the Lightbearer and the Master of the night. Two of of the three are still in the process of claiming the thrones but the last one is a god without a domain his domain is nothing, he rules over none and he is a god to no one, so out of the 7 gods only six are worshiped." Lady Harlingen spoke in her calm voice, clive could still not understand why she was telling him all of this and revealing so much so he asked 

"Bu-but why are you telling me all this, what do you wish for me to do with this information you have shared with me?" He asked in a deep voice , Harlingen's smile returned "Revi's creatures from the mirror realm are getting stronger and stronger, we are currently living in a fortified cities because of them. Our world is no longer our and we live in fear that one day a much powerful abomination will attack and destroy our only sanctuary and to top it off the new gods do not give a damn about humanity even though they too were once humans, they have altered altered laws and changed the history placing themselves at the very start of creation. I have witnessed all of this and I have been in search for a savior, I am cursed to see but never to intervene, so I can only tell you this but I cannot force a decision on you. Only a person who has not seen can never be blinded by trivial things, I want to make you a weapon.....my weapon against the divine."Clive sighed heavily shaking his head 

"I am blind incase you have forgotten, and I too despise this world what makes you think that I would want to save it or anyone else for the matter? If I had the strength I too would cleanse this world in blood!"Clive exclaimed in a bold tone that took lady harlingen by surprise. 

"Because it would mean protecring the memory of your mother and proving to her that you ars special as she always said you were. You do not have to love the world to save it, save It to protect the memory of your mother, I'm not asking you to be a hero, I'm asking you to be a protector, and I'm willing to give you the means to do so.Yes you are blind boy but you can be so much more, a pathfinder." Hearing Harlingen's words Clive trembled and raised a finger to point at himself shakily 

"M-me? A pathfinder? That's-that's.....is that even possible for someone like me?" His voice became soft in the end, Harlingen nodded 

"It is possible even for someone like you, for a pathfinder's power comes from within the soul. Now since I still have a little bit of time let's start the ritual."After her words, the world around them began to crumble and clive now found himself tied up in on a pallet, looking around he could feel the familiarity of this place it was his shac. And the pallet he was tied on was his bed, trying to break free from the restraints, the room suddenly lit up. All around him there were gentle columns of light, dancing and flickering like living things, since the columns of light were so close to him he could feel the heat they gave off reminding him of the heat he would feel when he passed by an oil lamp at Old Neil's. 

The scents of herbs and incents assaulted his nose mixed with another smell he was not familiar with above him he could see intricate patterns drawn on the shack's ceiling, with a crimson crystal hanging down from the ceiling looking around him he could see various objects he had never seen before placed in an strange manner around him , just as he was beginning to feel fear a soft voice spoke from beside him 

"Do not be afraid this is the ritual every seeker goes through before becoming a pathfinder, the soul pathways ritual. It is a painful process so please try to keep it down we don't want to attract unnecessary visitors." Lady Harlingen smiled at her own words

"Are you still manipulating my dream?" He asked in a low voice,almost a whisper. 

"Both yes and no, you are now in a semi dream state. So everything you see here is real, and we are in your shack currently. Now keep quiet my time is running out." Clive clenched his teeth but did as he was told 

Lady Harlingen began to chant, and the candlelight became explosively big, the intricate patterns above pulsate with an otherworldly glow and before he could make any further observations a sharp pain shot straight through him and he could not help but scream disregarding lady Harlingen's words, dark veins appeared all over his body and his eyes turned black, faint inscriptions appeared where his pupils were supposed to be, clive violently tried to free himself but the rope did not give in, Harlingen continued with her chants and amidst his pain clive saw her pulsate with an otherworldly light but he did not get to look at her long as Harlingen suddenly pierced his heart with a dagger. 

Confused and in pain clive could only stare at her with hatred as he could feel his strength leaving him, Harlingen kept her hands on the dagger and watched as he died.

"Now let the path guide you back, Sacred arts;soul pathways." A tear rolled down her face as she spoke, the gem above clive glowed with a much brighter intensity, the shack became increasingly cold but it did not affect Harlingen, she quietly watched over clive with an expectant look on her face.