Chapter 15: The Second Realm
Darkness consumed Arthur's world. The familiar sensation of his body dissolved into nothingness as his core finally formed. For what seemed like an eternity, he floated in a void—formless, weightless, suspended between worlds.
Then, without warning, visions flooded his consciousness.
Civilizations appeared before him—one after another, each different in their own way. They flashed past like images on a frantic slideshow, too rapid for Arthur to discern details. Ancient stone structures. Gleaming metal towers. Strange dwellings suspended in misty air. Communities built into massive trees. Each glimpse revealed societies utterly foreign to anything from Earth's history.
The parade of civilizations gave way to scenes of conflict. Wars raged across unfamiliar landscapes—beings of indescribable forms clashing with weapons that defied comprehension. Death permeated these visions, accompanied by profound sorrow and loss. Corruption spread like a disease through realms of beauty, darkening and twisting everything it touched.
As the visions began to fade, dissolving back into the void, a voice resonated within Arthur's mind. It wasn't spoken aloud but seemed to originate from within his very consciousness, repeating with increasing urgency:
"You must reach the Seventh Tower. The darkness comes soon."
The message pulsed through his awareness, embedding itself deep into his memory before everything went black once more.
...
Arthur's eyes shot open with a violent start.