[Chapter 15 part 2] Wise - Warping to the Isle of Dreams

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“Next is your hair.” Astra continued. “Everyone except Light needs to pick a new color. There are mirrors in the bag. Stick to the ordinary.”

“Why am I an exception?” Light asked.

“Because Barsal shaves his head.” Astra answered.

Taking a mirror, Wise drew in necromantic magic and slowly discarded the concept of death. He then willed the leftover power towards his scalp, and his black hair turned blond. This was ordinary magic, something anyone could learn. Once ‘stripped’ of affinity, it’s far weaker, but can do anything.

Rose chose ash blond. Hope picked black. Silver grey. Soul brown. Then there are the other three… Dawn was a redhead. Light’s dreadlocks were white. Neglecting these two, Astra addressed Free, who sported bright green, “What did I say?”

“This is perfectly acceptable for a plant-using ninja.” Free responded.

“Right…” Astra decided not to press the issue. Instead, she raised her arm, and they watched it darkened to a light tan. “Match this as best you can.”

Everyone did as requested. Thanks to a certain prank, they’d all mastered this skill. Rose acting serious while neon pink was hilarious.

Astra nodded, “Even before the Fracturing, it’s been customary to match your tone to your geographic location. The only ones who ignore this are visitors, foreign dignitaries, immortals, and occasionally those with compelling personal motives. In a major tourist destination like the Isle of Dreams, it’s especially important because out-of-towners are always the target of swindlers…”

Astra stiffened, “My God… You’ve no idea what scams are, do you…?” She muttered.

Rose objected, “Yes, we do! There were some examples in your library.”

Astra appeared unconvinced. With trepidation, she brought out small pouches. “This is ‘Gold’,” She said, jingling them. “Enough to live comfortably for months.” She dropped them on the table. “There’s one for each of you. Try not to waste it.”

Pocketing his share, Wise noticed his mother had returned to her usual pale white. Astra glanced at her arm and shrugged, “I can’t change it. Or at least, not for any length of time. The HEAVENLY DAO doesn’t want its chosen altering who they are. That’s why Lily is trapped in a twelve year old’s body. The only exception are those few who reach the wall while concealing their features, like the shapeshifters of Noaran.”

“Anyway,” Astra faced Light. “Most structures aren’t as solid as my fortress. I don’t want to hear you crashed into someone’s bedroom.”

“I don’t think something so uncool could happen to a ninja.” Light protested.

“The HEAVENLY DAO also doesn’t save fools from themselves.” Astra countered tersely. “If the roof looks weak, you’ll fall right through.”

Their mother turned to Free, “I’m repeating for emphasis: only plants. If news gets out that Sola’s double is creating deformed monstrosities… Understand?”

“Completely,” Free nodded. “except for the ‘deformed monstrosities’.”

“That’s everything.” Astra had finished her mental checklist. “For today, there’s only one item on the agenda. You’ll compete at the Stone Coliseum this evening. Simon will handle the registrations.” Where is he anyway? … He’s at the warping station.

“No need to stress. It’ll take half a dozen matches before you’re paired with someone your level.”

“Other than than, try to to settle in. You’ll visit the Guild tomorrow, once the chaos of my arrival has subsided. For touring the Isle, I’ll leave that to you and Lily. Keep a low profile and stay out of trouble. Any questions?” There were none.

“Let’s go.” They took their bags and followed Astra out. It’s a short walk. Since the residence was designed for dignitaries, the layout was organized so visitors could discretely warp out. Which is perfect.

Wise was filled with anticipation. He’d have the chance to observe Enera from space, which, for him, would be the equivalent of a guided world tour. It might leave me drained, but it’ll be worth it.

“Everything’s ready.” Simon stood near a dais in a large chamber. Next to him were steps to an elevated platform above which hovered a metal sphere covered in handles.

“Good.” Astra motioned. “Everyone up there and grab hold. Make sure your bags are shut tight and nothing is loose in your pockets.”

Simon joined them, and the room quivered under the buzz of mystical machinery. A round force field materialized around them, disappearing as it stabilized. The first step: isolation. They were being cut off from reality. As proof, gravity lost its hold, leaving them floating.

The force field shimmered again. The second step: compressing. Their surroundings began to grow. We’re shrinking. Soon they were two inches tall, hovering in a colossal enclosed space.

“The shield normally isn’t this transparent.” Astra explained. “I had Simon use special settings for a clearer view.” Thanks for the consideration. Although they didn’t feel it, they accelerated abruptly towards a hole in the wall.

“Say…” Dawn asked nervously. “What happens next? To my shame, I must admit I thought warping was basically teleportation. It’s mostly glossed over in books…” Darkness engulfed them as they rushed down a metallic pipe.

“Normally it’s quite similar,” Astra answered. “But for this trip, I asked Simon to slow the speed.”

“So how will this work exactly?” Dawn pressed.

Wise stepped in, “From here, we’ll travel up two hundred miles to the pillar’s global network and then follow along it to the Isle.” They sensed powerful magical fluctuations. “We’re at the final step: sending. In seconds, we’ll shoot upwards at twenty times the speed of sound.”

Without warning, they soared into the arctic sky. Below, Xarst receded rapidly. Wise had hoped to spot the fortress but failed. Maybe if there’d been more light… The sun rose on the horizon, and the brightness washed everything away. Until the sunlit side, there won’t be much to see.

Shielding his eyes, Wise noted they’d switched directions and were sailing horizontally. He squinted to make out the approaching expanse of aquamarine. The Blue Abyss… Probably the most normal-looking. In contrast, the neighboring land resembled splintered glass. It’s surprisingly whole… He’d expected an ‘islands in the sky’ sorta thing. That was shallow thinking. Enera’s surface was more akin to a cracked egg. Though not all of it.

Many ‘rough’ sections had a fuzzy texture. The Twisted Lands. Here the already broken earth had been contorted into corkscrews and spaghetti by the HEAVENLY DAO. I wonder what they’re like up close. Unfortunately, his ability didn’t provide visual stimulus. Despite this shortcoming, Wise was appreciating his gift. What’d Nero call it? ‘All-Knowing Grasp’. He scoured the scene before him, devouring the feedback.

Among the warped geography, there were two solid bodies, one green and one yellow. The Green Hell and Sarada Desert. The gigantic trees and drifting sands completely hid the broken land. Both were uninhabitable, but the Green Hell was the larger and more lethal of the two.

Wise shifted his gaze to the depression to their North. Ground Zero, the center of the apocalyptic spell. The mile-high crater walls encircled this death zone. Inside, mercurial gravitational fields spun a perpetual dust storm, rearranging the landscape on a daily basis. Within the tempest, remnants of Sola’s undead army awaited a new master.

Further off, something caught his interest. It looked like giant tweezers had dragged the crust upwards and then lost their hold, leaving a pyramid of floating landmasses. So there were ‘islands in the sky’ after all. Aery had controlled the highest peaks before the Fracturing, and The HEAVENLY DAO had honored this distinction. The atmosphere has been manipulated to make the top portions breathable.

Far off, dark grey clouds obscured the surface. Ash from below… Hopefully mother takes care of that. He turned South.

There’s the Barsal Empire, named after its founder. Barsal Farran had been a conquerer, expanding his territory until the early Dark Age. However, once Sola revealed herself, he’d swore off future conquests. His efforts in uniting Enera and his contributions on the battlefield had eventually earned him the title of hero.

Wise noted the large sunken portion without cracks. The ‘Gala plateau’. As the largest mystically-dead region, it’d been spared the fury of Sola’s spell. It’s the only place where there’s solid ground all the way down. Void of magical uncertainty, it gave the Barsal Empire its technological edge.

Eyes meandering, the names of countries, immortals, and historic events crowded his consciousness. To think there are poor sods who study hard. Of course, this was only a partial picture. Many populated areas were deep underground, such as the Demon World and Middle Earth. There’s also the planet’s other side.

One of the black whirlwinds rising from the surface passed close by. Light Funnels… Their interior brought concentrated sunlight deep into Enera. Wouldn’t we be fried if we passed through? To prevent that eventuality, the HEAVENLY DAO had severed the pillar’s network where they crossed. Good to know…

There it is. Among the dark lines, Wise had found a white one. We’re nearly there.

“That’s the Pillar, right?” Dawn broke the silence, talking extremely fast. “So the Isle is below? Yet we aren’t heading down. Rather we’re traveling towards the pillar’s top. What happens when we reach it?”

Astra smiled, “We fall really fast. It’s unforgettable, especially the first time.” She peered ahead serenely. “Warping nowadays ruins the experience. It happens so quickly, there’s no time for fear.”

This is her dark side. Their mother relished every opportunity to toughen them up. Her children wouldn’t be wimps. It makes her evil sometimes. They already felt like they were falling from the lack of gravity. With a downward plummet added to the mix… It’ll be unnerving.

“Mother, I hate you.” Dawn whispered. Astra had time to raise an eyebrow before they swapped directions.

As they plunged, a piercing shriek rang out. Dawn was staring down, screaming at the top of her lungs. Wow… The shocking sight had a calming effect, mesmerizing them.