The continent of Esteria, a beautiful and immense land, has a history soaked in blood. In the early age, the goddess Astra created ten races to enjoy her majestic creation. All of her creation could use magic. For hundreds of years, the races lived in harmony, enjoying Astra’s presence.

Humans were blessed with double the amount of land as the other races, and double the amount of time spent with Astra. In the year 350, the demon race, led by the vicious warlord, Helion, launched an attack on Esteria. His brute strength and charisma persuaded several other races to join forces against the humans, whom he saw as Astra’s favorite creation, with the aim of extinguishing them all.

Astra withdrew from her creation to protect herself, for she saw no possibility of dissuading the warlord. However, she bestowed four human champions with angelic weapons to halt Helion's conquest across Esteria. These humans became the heroes of old who would slay Helion and create a new and peaceful Esteria. 

Helion was defeated but at the cost of a million innocent souls. Astra wept for the loss of her creation. Earthquakes ravaged the land, separating all the different races as her tears flooded the lands and changed them into oceans. Esteria was broken into continents, and only a fraction of it remained the original Esteria. The demons were banished to far and uncharted territories for their many crimes against Astra, territories where the heroes of old created a magical seal to bind them. The Goddess sent four minor deities, one in each of the four kingdoms, to observe from afar and keep watch, in case the demon race should rise again.  

Astra was the source of magic for her creation. Since her departure, magic can be inherited, learned, gifted, or obtained. All magic comes from the World Tree Elysium, located on an island in the middle of the Sela Ocean. It is a reminder of Astra’s love for her people. No one who has sought the tree has ever returned.

Each child at the age of ten participates in an awakening ceremony to determine if the spirit of Astra will awaken their magical potential. A covenant is made to use magic for the enrichment of the world. Those who choose the path of wickedness will receive the Mark of Damnation from the Church of Astra, which will strip them of their magical powers. 

After Helion’s defeat, over three hundred years of peace passed until the untimely assassination of King Leo the First of the Northern Kingdom in the year 800 AS (after separation from Astra). His assassination became the catalyst of the Second Great War of Esteria, which lasted for twenty years. Since the end of the war, some nations have fared better than others.

Esteria has been at peace for twenty years. Yet even now, there are those in the shadows plotting its downfall.

Chapter 1

It is the year 845 AS, on the fifth day of the Month of Angels on the Astral Calendar. Adventurers roam the land in search of an ancient goddess, hidden deep in the Eastern Kingdom. Near the town of Dalton, south of the capital of Glashmere in the Eastern Kingdom, four friends from Ifer seek shelter from the rain.

Slash, a self-taught swordsman with lightly darkened skin, peers through the fog and heavy rainfall and spots a cave not far away. He brushes his short, black, wavy hair out of his eyes and looks back at his three companions.

“We can take refuge there,” he says, pointing at the cave. His brown eyes reflect the rainfall.

His three companions hurry after him into the mouth of the cave. The most precious being his fiancé, Sodina. Many say she is the living image of the Goddess herself—with her long red hair, fair skin, and entrancing blue eyes that resemble the serene afternoon sky. Despite only being twenty years old, her wisdom and demeanor match those older in age. Her jaded green dress is soaked by the evening rain as she leans over, wringing out her hair.

“That rain came out of nowhere,” Sodina says, looking over at Slash.

Slash smiles as he puts his hand on her head. Looking deeper into the cave, he sees a path leading inside. “It looks like luck is on our side,” he says.

“Goddess Astra, grant us your light.” Sodina points her staff forward as the blue orb near its end shines brightly.  

Amanda, a short woman, twenty years of age with long brunette pigtails, and freckles covering fair skin, sits on the stony interior of the cave. “The last thing we need is more rain,” she says with a disgruntled expression. Wiping her glasses, she looks back toward the torrential downpour. “The last few days were filled with rain. I’m tired of it all.”

 “Wet hair seems to be the latest fashion trend in the kingdom,” Lorenz jokingly replies.

Being the oldest at twenty-two years old, Lorenz sees himself as somewhat of an older brother to his three friends. His lush, long purple hair and clear fair skin have made him a favorite amongst the women in Ifer. It helps that he’s also the oldest son of the mayor.

 “Are we sure no monsters are on our scent?” Lorenz asks, readying his short bow. He peers back out of the cave, squinting.

           “The rain would cover our scent even if monsters were roaming this area,” Slash says to Lorenz.

His calming voice eases the tension in Lorenz’s shoulders. Putting the arrow back in its quiver, Lorenz turns toward his friends and lets out a sigh of relief.

“An ambush is the last thing we need,” he says, “but you have yet to steer us wrong.” Letting out a loud laugh, he takes a seat by Amanda and twirls her pigtails. 

She pulls away from him with a scowl. “How many times have I told you not to play with my hair?”

Playing with his younger sister’s hair has been a habit of his ever since they were young. Amanda finds it extremely annoying and always berates Lorenz for his behavior.

An hour passes by as the group nourishes themselves on pumpkin bread and water.

“We should explore this cave, since it’s not on the map,” Slash says to his friends. “We need your light magic to guide the way, Sodina.” 

Walking forward, Slash pulls out his sword and proceeds into the cave with Sodina right behind him. Amanda stays in the middle of the pack, while Lorenz guards the rear with his bow at the ready. The way forward holds an impenetrable darkness. The light from Sodina’s staff illuminates the path.

Walking through the darkness, sounds of screeching echo throughout the cave, bouncing off the moist stone walls.

“What was that?” Amanda squeals as she grabs the hem of Sodina’s green cloak. She is the least capable of combat in the group.

“Keep it down.” Slash hushes her. A door appears ahead of them in the light.

“Strange,” he mutters as he investigates the oddly placed entrance. “A door with no warnings or instructions right in the middle of a cave. Be at the ready—”

Without warning, the floor collapses beneath them. The group falls into the darkness, wailing and flailing as they tumble down.

“Illuminate!” Sodina yells.

She shoots a flash of white light from her scepter, revealing the ground they are plunging toward.

She closes her eyes as she chants a prayer. “Goddess Astra, hold away our graves.” She looks at her friends once more before she shouts, “Levitate!”

With only a few feet to spare, the group’s fall slows and they descend gently to the ground. Amanda collapses onto her knees, crying. “Surely Astra is with us, because our death was imminent,” she yells out in frustration. “Why did I ever agree to come on these adventures? One of these days, we won’t be so lucky.”

Sodina walks up to Amanda, wrapping her arms around her. “Everything will be okay,” she reassures her with a smile.

“It would appear far too many have met their death in this area,” Lorenz says, pointing toward several decayed and broken skeletons littering the large pit. Amanda shudders.

“I think there are people around here,” Lorenz adds as he points toward a path sparsely lit by torches. “That path might lead us out of here.” He takes one step forward, but his right leg buckles under him, bringing him to his knees. He winces.

Slash walks over to him and offers a hand to help him back up. “You all right?”

“It's nothing but a piece of wood that went too deep,” snaps Lorenz. “I already pulled it out.”

           “The way you’re speaking leads me to believe otherwise.” Amanda sighs, walking over to her brother. “Let us see it!”

Sodina leans her staff toward Lorenz's right leg, revealing a deep bloodied wound on his calf. Surveying the injury, Amanda pulls out a vial of blue liquid.

“This is going to sting a bit,” Amanda warns her brother before pouring it on his calf.

Lorenz yells while covering his mouth, then inhales and exhales deeply. His heart pumps faster as he tries to resist the painful sting in his leg.

“Well, it's not a hug from the Goddess.” Sodina giggles.

Slash chuckles, too. “Your humor brings a smile to my face.”

“You always seem to keep the situation pleasant.” Lorenz groans as he avoids looking at his wound.

“That should stop the bleeding,” Amanda assures him.

Pulling out a large bandage, Slash wraps the exposed flesh, to Lorenz's relief. He makes sure to tightly secure the cloth around his calf, ensuring that he’ll still be able to move.

“I am sorry for putting all of you in harm's way,” Slash says as he bows his head, looking at Lorenz.

“We could have chosen to wait out the storm near the cave's entrance, but now there is no escape,” Lorenz replies grimly.

Looking toward the darkness in front of him, Slash points his sword. “I will slay all who come our way.”

“We believe in you, Slash,” Sodina says with a smile.

She lifts up Lorenz and puts his arm around her shoulder. Slash looks at Sodina with an approving gaze. Her words always boost his confidence.

“We have a wedding to plan in the coming months.” Sodina giggles.

           “I'm going to scout ahead,” Slash says.

“Be careful, love,” Sodina cautions him before giving him a comforting kiss.

He nods to her and descends toward the illuminated path. It soon leads to a split. Slash takes the left pathing, walking into a large square room lined with lit torches.

A growl comes from the corner, and he spins toward it. There stands a wolfen, five foot tall with foam oozing from its mouth.

What in Astra’s name? Terror climbs his spine as he looks into the eyes of the beast.

The wolfen, covered in thick brown fur, lunges toward Slash on all fours. Slash clenches his sword with both hands and sidesteps the attack, dodging the massive canine, and digs his blade into the beast’s flesh. The wolfen snarls in pain, blood dripping from its shoulder. Turning around for a second attack at Slash, the creature jumps into the air, diving toward him, its mouth wide open.

 “Off with you!” Slash yells, slamming the tip of his sword into the wolfen’s neck.

The body of the beast flails as Slash slams the ferocious creature toward the ground. Soon, it falls limp.

* * *

The distant sound of snarls sends a trickle of worry down Sodina’s spine. “Come on. Slash might need our help,” she says to the others.

Walking slowly into the darkness, Sodina leads Amanda and Lorenz with her staff illuminating the path ahead. The split in the path appears before them. Looking down, she observes footsteps in the dirt.

“Let’s go left,” Sodina says.

“This cave gives me a bad feeling,” says Amanda, her eyes flitting this way and that.

Walking through the hallway, the group makes it to Slash, who is looking around the room.

“Nice of you to join me,” he says, crossing his arms. “There is a door over there, but I wanted all of us to be here before proceeding.”

Slash starts to walk toward the door. A massive sound echoes from the darkness above. He jumps backwards as a massive ten-foot-tall spider drops to the ground before them.

“I hate these stupid things,” Slash yells. 

           “What in Astra's name is that monstrosity?” Lorenz says.

The spider steps back, its eyes twitching in different directions.

“We need to take out its vision, or we have no chance of beating that thing,” says Slash.

“Let's do this, baby!” Sodina shouts, charging forward, smacking Slash on the butt.

Slash runs toward the spider, tripping on an unseen hole in the ground, landing in front of the hairy arachnid. The spider takes one of its legs and slams it toward Slash. He rolls to the right, avoiding the crushing blow.

“Be careful, Sodina!” Slash yells.

Sodina nods, sprinting toward the spider and slamming her staff into its legs. The spider jumps back, baring its long, dark fangs. 

Slash runs at the spider and jumps. He crashes his sword down onto the spider’s back, just barely avoiding its fangs. The spider screeches and tries to buckle him off.

Distraught by the screeching pain of the sound, Slash is caught off balance and falls.

“Slash!” Sodina cries as the spider turns around quickly and lowers its fangs toward Slash.

He rolls to the left and right as the spider continues to attack him, with poison dripping from its chelicerae. Sodina runs toward the spider's backside and slams the pointed edge of her scepter into one of the spider’s legs. The spider turns and swings a different leg at Sodina. Flying back, she slams against the stone wall then falls to the floor.

Coughing up blood, Sodina looks at the spider. Her vision blurs as she closes her eyes. 

Amanda’s wide eyes follow the spider as it turns back to Slash. She quickly moves to Sodina, crouches down, and puts Sodina’s head in her lap. “Drink this.” She gives her a bottle filled with green liquid.

Lorenz glances down at his leg, wishing he could join in the fight. He pulls out his bow and shoots three arrows in rapid succession. The arrows hit the spider on its underbelly as it beats its chest.

“Right in the cheeks.” Lorenz chuckles.

The spider turns away from Slash and scuttles toward Lorenz.

“Not today!” Slash yells.

Slash runs behind the beast and cuts off one of its legs. The spider rises slightly, scuttling from its injury. Lorenz shoots three more arrows at the spider’s abdomen. Slash runs up and cuts another two legs off, throwing the spider off balance. The spider lets out another screech.

 “That noise is unbearable,” Lorenz grunts, kneeling on the ground.

“Slash!” Sodina yells across the cave floor. “Go for the rest of the legs!”

Slash nods, charging once more toward the spider.

“Okay, here we go,” Sodina says. “Freezing Tempest!”

She stands, lifts her staff in the air, and points it at the creature, unleashing a stream of ice wind toward the spider's legs and freezing them.

The spider tries to free itself from her spell’s frozen grasp by squirming about, but topples over and slides across the room helplessly. Slash grips his sword once more and swings his blade, slamming it into the frozen legs of the creature. Shattering each leg with ease underneath his furious blows. Lorenz shoots five arrows at the spider, blinding the beast as it nears its imminent death. Slash runs around to the front of the spider, thrusting his sword between the beast's fangs. Green slime sprays out of the spider's mouth, covering him completely.

“Ugh.” Amanda turns her head in disgust.

The spider's blood continues to ooze on the ground as Slash walks away from the carnage.

“That was a close call,” Lorenz says. 

Slash saunters over to Sodina.

“Give me a hug, baby,” he says.

“Don't do it,” Amanda shrieks.

Sodina ambles toward Slash and embraces his blood-covered body as her arms crawl and slide through the disgustingly sticky juices.

“True love,” Lorenz says, slapping his chest.

“I couldn't do that,” Amanda says, looking away in disgust.

“If you love someone, you love them in the most intense moments as well,” Sodina says. 

“Always cheerful, that one is,” Lorenz adds.

Slash sits on the ground after the kiss, wiping the slime off his body. Sodina walks across the room, pressing her hand on the door and accidentally releasing the internal magical lock. A giant rock door slides open. Sodina's face lights up with excitement at the room beyond.

“Something amazing is in there,” Sodina says. Her eyes wide with awe, she looks back at her friends.

 Slash shoots straight up and runs toward the door, eyes wide open.

“Oh, by the Goddess.” Slash's mouth drops open,

In front of them is a pool stretching to at least forty feet long, and a fountain giving off hot steam. The room has a welcoming atmosphere, with a twin twenty-step stone staircase at the end of it. Amanda puts Lorenz's arm over her shoulder, walking toward the door.

“Be cautious, you guys,” Amanda reminds them.

Slash, with his sword still drawn, walks cautiously toward the step leading into the pool. It glows with a green light.

“Do not fear dear children of Astra, for you are safe.” A female voice echoes throughout the room. 

“Despite your calming voice, we have no reason to trust you,” bellows Slash as he points his sword forward.

“You have the right to be skeptical, human,” the female voice says.

A ten-foot-tall fairy emerges from behind the staircase near the end of the fountain. Her hair is white in color, emitting a brilliant light. Her translucent pink wings are massive, spanning ten feet wide. They give off a gentle breeze as she hovers slightly above the staircase.

“My name is Ella. I am one of the servants of the Goddess Astra.” Ella flies down into the pool, standing in the water. She wears a light blue dress. “This is the water from the heavenly city of Arcadia.”

Ella gazes down at the party of four with a smile that could illuminate the darkness.

Slash looks at the water and takes his boots off, followed by his tunic. Shaking ever so slightly, he steps forward. “As the leader, I will go first,” he enthusiastically says. “It's just like taking a dip in the pool with a bathing suit on.” He smiles playfully “But we are in a deep cave and could be attacked.” He walks into the warm pool, lowering his body into the deep, soothing water.

Ella smiles, flying towards Slash. “You, brave warrior, have the faith to trust the unknown,” she says. 

Amanda sits Lorenz down so he can remove his weapons and armor. Then Amanda, still in full dress, runs toward the pool and jumps into the warm water.

“This pool feels like happiness.” She grins. “This is wonderful! Oh, what a glorious story we have to tell our townspeople,” she says, throwing her hands into the air.

Sodina takes off her shoes and walks into the pool near Slash.

“My love, you are wonderful,” Sodina says, wrapping her arms around Slash and kissing his neck slowly.

Slash blushes as he splashes water toward Sodina's face.

“Oh, you!” Sodina says, putting her hands together and splashing him right back.

Ella smiles as she sits at the edge of the pool.

“Dear humans, you know of the legend. Correct?” she asks the party of four.

The group nods, looking at Ella.

“Goddess Astra closed off these areas to the public and built enormous caves, volcanoes, and structures filled with trials of all types,” she says.

“Legends say fountains like these are used across Esteria,” says Amanda. She adjusts her glasses to ensure the fairy goddess before her is no illusion. “The history books say this is one of the last four fountains left, because Helion defied the Goddess.” 

“You are the correct, young one, and our tears grant one hundred years of additional life,” Ella adds. “You are practically like little brothers or sisters to us.”

Ella grabs Amanda and lifts her into the air, holding her like a young child. 

“How cool is this?” Amanda says, swinging her arms in the air as Ella flies around the room.

Ella strokes Amanda’s hair and twirls her in the air. Amanda puts out her arms, enjoying the experience.

Sodina looks at Lorenz, sitting quietly near the edge of the pool. “What's wrong, Lorenz?” she asks.

Lorenz looks down at the pool. “My leg is fully healed, and I am at peace enjoying this moment,” he assures her. He searches for a joke but is at a loss. “I’d rather not trouble you with my endless thoughts.” Standing up, he does a backflip into the water.

Hours pass as the party of four enjoys their time with Ella and relaxes in the pool.

“I would like to reward you for finding this place,” Ella says. “If you have any vials, please give them to me.”

Slash holds out his bottle, and Ella lifts it toward her eye.

“These tears may come in handy as you travel Esteria,” she says. Ella cries into sixteen small vials before handing them back.

“Drink up, young ones.” Ella smiles.

Slash turns to his group, drinking his tear right away, feeling more refreshed than ever. Amanda raises her bottle to drink hers next.

“Bottoms up,” she cheers.

“Look out!” yells Slash. His eyes trace an object rapidly approaching from the room’s entrance.  

A spear impales Amanda through her chest, killing her instantly.

“Amanda!” Sodina yells. “Amanda, come back to us!”

“Where did that come from?” Lorenz bellows.

“Who dares defile this place?” Ella cries, shaking. She looks around, trying to ascertain where the attack came from.

Sodina climbs out of the pool and rushes over to Amanda's lifeless body. She runs her fingers through Amanda's hair and then down to her eyes, closing them slowly. A pool of bright red blood surrounds Amanda's body, lying limp on the ground.

Lorenz runs to grab his bow.

“Augh!” he screams in pain.

Both of his legs are taken out by a twirling scythe.

“Augh!” he screams one last time as his upper body falls to the ground with a thud.

“Lorenz!” Slash yells, pulling out his sword.

The terror climbs through his back as he runs over to grab Sodina's hand. Lorenz crawls as the scythe comes around again and cuts his upper body in half.

Panic eclipses his mind. “You bastards, show your face!” Slash shouts, demanding the unknown assailants reveal themselves.

Ella puts up a magical barrier around Slash and Sodina.

“There is nothing you can do for them, young ones,” she says with a sorrowful look.

 Ella carves a circle in thin air as a portal opens, revealing the mouth of the cave. She puts out her hand as Slash and Sodina levitate, flying through the portal.

“Young ones, never come here again,” Ella warns them as the portal closes behind them.

Slash slams his fist into the ground in frustration.

“We cannot get their bodies,” Sodina says as tears slowly form in her eyes.

Slash screams towards the night sky, his lungs about to burst. Sodina puts her hands together, bowing toward the ground, tears flowing down her cheeks.

“Goddess Astra, please receive our dear friends into your presence,” she says. 

Slash looks around, lifting his view toward Sodina. He notices a small dart in her right shoulder. His eyes widen in fear.

“Sodina—”

Her eyes meet his, her lashes fluttering, and then she stumbles and falls forward. Slash runs over to catch her before she hits the ground.

 He embraces Sodina in his arms, running down same the hill they came up a few hours ago. From the look of the dart, it must be poisonous. The area around her shoulder is already starting to turn a dark purple.

Slash makes for Dalton, the closest town to his location. He takes a right turn and runs through the night. The moonlight pierces through the gloomy fog, revealing the dirt road ahead. In the distance, he sees the light of town.