Raiz is in the middle of recovering when he suddenly stops and immediately goes on guard again. His sense of danger hadn’t receded. His eyes glow as he looks around and immediately settles onto the leopard’s corpse. The gelatin had started to congeal itself, an acidic mist rising from the beasts body as it quickly decays in front of him. Then it bundles itself together tightly and, using the momentum, launches itself straight at Raiz. With a start he quickly dodges to the side and watches as it splatters against the ground in a mess.

The scattered blob immediately starts to gather itself again. With a frown Raiz grabs his dagger tightly and pierces it into the strange creature, embedding it into the ground. A piercing scream emanates from the blob in a grating, discordant voice. Its form struggles to escape from its confines, but the dagger refuses to let it budge. Using Insight Raiz notices it’s the crystalline structure that’s forcing the creature to stay in place. Taking a moment to glance at the leopard he finds it’s almost completely eroded, a toxic smell and clearly melted body assailing his senses.

“A parasite…” Raiz mutters, remembering one of the books he read briefly mentioning it. “Or something similar.” His eyes glow as he examines it further, his mild interest quickly switching to curiosity. He can clearly see there are two different types of energy fighting inside the parasitic creature, forming a strangely discontent symbiotic relationship. Determined to study it he leaves the dagger behind and starts to carefully tread back toward the library, hoping nothing disturbs the place while he’s gone.

It doesn’t take long for him to arrive as he strides past the pedestal and statue, heading to the small part of the library filled with all manner of things. Rummaging through the mess he quickly finds a crystal phial and grabs it along with another knife, racing straight back to the previous location. Thankfully the area remains undisturbed when he arrives. Immediately he sets to work as he uses his second knife to slowly scrape the strange gelatin inch by inch into the crystal phial.

The creature desperately attempts to resists but its natural weakness to crystal made its aggressive gestures no different from the tantrum of a child. Ignoring its desperate pleas Raiz finishes the job and secures the phial, staring at it with interest. He hesitates for a moment, torn between returning what he’s found or continuing on with the journey. His desire to see that cave again wins out and he decides to continue. This time he moves carefully, refraining from attacking any other creatures as he quickly returns to that cave.

Standing on the edge of volcanic land and the rich forest, he again peers up at the cave’s entrance; it’s disconnected sides, one fiery and the other lush, captivating him once again. He spends a minute taking it in, reminiscing slightly on the how small he felt last time when he looked up at this grand entrance. Not much time has passed but he feels, even just a little, slightly different.

Raiz knew this isn’t because he had gotten stronger, nor because he had grown wiser. He simply knew more. And by knowing more he could see more, and through that he could understand more. His world was so small before. Now it had become slightly larger, filled with many more things. Perhaps in a years time he would look back at this self, staring at this cave, and think the same thing. For Raiz, that is something joyful.

As Raiz stares at the cave door a strange feeling overcomes him. A feeling that the two sides hold more meaning then he thinks. He backs away to allow his vision to widen as he peers deeply at the two sides, his eyes glowing slightly. Then he holds his step, his eyes widening and his breath catching. The lush, green side roars at him as he sees a gigantic creature in its frame, thick muscles and heavy wings spread out as it roars towards the sky. On the other, the black-red fiery grit shapes itself in the manner of a grand bird; its wide wings and brilliant feathers desiring to reach the heavens in one step. Each seem tenuous, as if to break out in a fight in a single moment, yet at the same time harmonious as they draw themselves in like two sides of the same coin.

It is then that Raiz’s gaze tears itself upwards to the carved words above, their nature ferocious and bloody as they brand themselves into his mind.

We were born of it, and we will be ended by it.

With the words imprinted into his mind Raiz forcefully tears himself away, shutting his eyes tight as he slowly lets the pain dwindle away from them. Only after a few minutes did he dare to open them again, no longer using Insight to look around. His vision is blurred for a moment before recovering its clarity. However Raiz felt no less trepidation from the circumstances. He felt if he had stared even a minute longer, his vision may have been permanently impacted. It seems not everything is safe to peer into.

With his vision mellowing the depiction of those two beasts also fade away, returning itself to the lush green and fierce red clashing against each other. The words too no longer show their distinct colouring, now plain and simple. Still they stand, both a mystery and a puzzle Raiz looks forward to solving. In his eyes those words are a hint. As to what he can grasp from that hint, that will be up to him to determine.

Left to his pondering Raiz quickly returns to the library, re-entering its grand hall. He heads back to his favourite spot near the middle of the place,a small open space filled with a bunch of partly read books. Raiz looks at them for a moment before sweeping them away, throwing them in a corner without bothering to return them to where they were. Perhaps Lorvane would be rather indignant if he were still here to see this.

With the space now free Lorvane rushes over to what he’s now deemed the junk corner and rummages around until he finds a phial stand, bring it back to that space and placing it down with the phial holding the specimen. He stares at it for a few moments, briefly pondering what to do now. He’s tried to use Insight but it seems he’s not strong enough to study it, his eyes feeling a piercing pain when he attempts to peer into its secrets.

“Could I make my eyes stronger…” Raiz whispers to himself as he rubs his chin. But would that help? Raiz turns his eyes to the journal, the only book he hadn’t discarded, and decides to flick through it in search of the answers. When he last went through it only some parts of the journal’s information showed up. From what Raiz had gathered, there was a restriction on the journal that is slowly being lifted as time passes. Only once it’s completely gone can he read all of it. As Raiz studies the journal further more information pops out to him, each piece of the journal reflecting Lorvane’s thoughts and knowledge.

Something is not right here. I feel suffocated, gripped by the unknown as if I’m floundering in the darkness while being gazed upon. Is this fear? Of what? It is said the subconscious knows far more then the conscious ever could. I don’t fear for my life. I fear for my knowledge.

…

The Awakenings are a mystery. They say when initiated, one is cleansed by the heavens. I felt it myself. Cold, impassive, merciless. Those aren’t the words to describe heaven.

I was able to make a trip down to the lower continent, difficult as it is. The stories proved true; these creatures are no less intelligent then us, but having been driven mad by the corrupted energy they have already succumbed to its addiction. Why are we so different? It is said that our tribe’s share a common bloodline. Could that be the reason?

“The land in the sky,” Raiz yells excitedly as he reads the passage. “He came from the sky!” Raiz jumps up and down wildly for a minute before calming himself down. Still excitement shines in his eyes as he goes through the remaining text that had revealed itself to him. Although no longer looking Raiz finds what he’s searching for, confirming his theory.

They consider the abilities we acquire from aspects divine. I scoff at that notion. Do they not notice that as one’s body improves, so do their abilities? If a person throws fireballs from their hand, it is the strength of their hand that determines its power. Divine? Hah! This strength is ours, and no-one can take it away from us. Not even a God.

Having got his answer Raiz goes to close the journal when his eyes pass through the last lines of text, garnering his interest.

What I’ve found only further confirms my theory. There is a gap in history. A passage of a thousands years wiped from existence. How could there not even be a scrap of information on what transpired during this time? If this is a co-incidence, I’ll eat my own foot. No, it’s machination at play. I grow more afraid every day. I need to find a place to hide what I’ve discovered.

“A lost history…” Raiz remunerates for a moment before leaving it. At least for now, such things mean nothing to him. Placing the journal back down Raiz takes a second to scratch into the floor his simplistic plans. First, hunt for more energy and develop his eyes. Second, scour through the books to find information on those beasts. Third, when his eyes are strong enough; study the strange specimen he found.

With a goal to set himself towards Raiz feels assured and immediately sets to work.