PaperDeamon Aridin Portal

 

Lord Dalv and the Woven Cities

Dalv always enjoyed the soft “clack” that his shoes made as he walked on wooden floors through his museum. The floors were polished, the walls painted a deep red and the various exhibits hung on the walls with care and protected by glass. “Most agreeable.” The black gauntlet on his hand felt cool against his skin and surprisingly easy to use and grip.

He still had a good number of weeks before the grand opening but already, the place was about one week from completion. Glancing to the parchment in his hand, the listed items on it were almost all filled with neat little tick marks. “Very agreeable.”

A deep well of pride and satisfaction rose in his chest on seeing the completed list. It had been a long road but the dedication and hard work had brought him to this moment. Now here he was, only a few short months from achieving his goal…

He turned in time to see a young man in a grey coat coming up to him, his silver hair flowing behind a warm smiling face. “Lord Blackhand.” The man bowed.

“Bertrand.” Dalv greeted, returning a smaller version of the bow, his black hand gauntlet coming up to his chest. “How are we looking with the collection, my friend?”

“I am well enough. I have an appointment today with Priest Pepin. I hope that isn’t too much of an inconvenience. Law is a law and all with us Lycans.”

“Not at all. You’re more than welcome to attend.” Dalv said, setting his hands on Bertrand’s shoulders. “And I don’t just mean that because of law. I know Pepin has been a big help to you since that night and I treat anyone under my employ as a friend because they are and that is what you are.”

“You’re too kind, sir.”

“A gentleman does as is expected and it makes me happy to do so.”

Bertrand smiled at that, settling his fidgeting hands and taking a small breath for himself.

“So the collection. We got a new one come in. It’s a silver cube. Tenstro’s Cube? Or is it TenTra’s…”

“You got it first time.” Dalv said with a smile. “Show me?”

Bretrand jumped into motion, leading Dalv down one of the spacious and empty side corridors. Various paintings lined the walls, each had a small stand built in front of them with a plack detailing the painting, the artist and some story behind both.

“Tenstro found the cube but was never able to figure out it’s purpose.” Dalv continued as they walked. “Most stories say he did crack it and never told anyone. That secret was what people hunted him for. Rumour and such. But I’ve seen documents and letters, mostly forgotten, that Tenstro did tell someone. Said he’d found something before ‘going on a trip’ I reckon he slipped away and hid, letting the rumour weave his cover story. All that was left was the cube and its secrets.”

“Smart,” Bertrand commented. “Rumours stick… Hard…”

“Indeed.” Dalv nodded. An akward pause grew. “I guess we both know what that can be like, eh?”

“Yeah. I’m just sorry it was for you too… Anyway. Here we are.”

Bertrand pushes up a door marked ‘staff only’ and lead Dalv inside. Wooden crates covered in thick sheets lined the walls. The smell of hay filled it and made Dalv’s nose scrunch up.

Bertrand went and pulled a uncovered box onto a central table and pulled off the lid. Inside sat a metal box with glass in one side of it. The glass wave smooth and rounded at the edges and front. Several dials and buttons lined one side of the cube.

“Bigger than I thought it would be.” Dalv said with a growing smile as he bent down to inspect it. He fished out a white glove from his coat pocket and nimbly put it on. He inspected the buttons on the side.

“Hmm. I wonder what these-“ Pain shot through his gauntleted hand in an instant. A blaring noise issued from the metal box, the glass on its front slowly lighting up a crystal white sunrise.

“Master Blackhand!” Bertrand's words could only just be heard over the din… “Master Bla-“

BOOM!

Dalv felt the sensation of falling. Blinding light filled his vision and the roar of air past his ears. He tried to shout or yell but his hit something hard first. Dim light replaced the bright light of before and the roar of air gave way to a quiet sound of rustling leaves.

“Ow…” Dalv picked himself up and looked around. A single frame of light lay ahead of him. Whenever he was, it was damp. A small pain shot through his back as he half hobbled towards the light. “What the- where am- WOAH!”

He made a step and almost landed on nothing. Dalv’s managed to catch himself as he looks at the sloped stone under where he was about to step. Trees towered around him, knotted together so thick, it was impossible to make out any kind of horizon. Dalv’s expression went wide- this was far from the city he called home. He quickly snapped his head around. The stone revealed a pyramid with a flattened top. Multiple doorways poked out from the sides. Dalv’s eyes scanned the treeline again, multiple structures, glistened with light from their tops. Glassy spheres as big as Dalv radiated a miasma of coloured light.

Dalv looked to his side to see a path cut into the side of the pyramid. He gently made his way across, wondering if he was in some unconscious dream… He glanced at the trees as they towered around him, now noticing how they held the stone pyramids like giant hands, some curling around the pyramids and continuing up, choking the stone structures. In some of the other pyramids, he could make out movement. People. Humans-. Dalv heaved a sigh of relief. Someone… Maybe he’d just been transported across Sazen? It wasn’t familiar but he could breathe the air, humans lived here and the trees were trees. Maybe a strange, unexplored part of the world…

Finding a more open space, Dalv found himself in a more open space, a plaza cut into the side of the pyramid, a slice into the stone with the roof overhanging with no support.

“Hello?” Dalv called calmly… “Anyone.” No answer…

Dalv turned again, looking at the Plaza. A small garden lay in the center… He could just make out a small plaque… With another quick glance around, he stepped forward to inspect it. As he read, his eyes widend. He may not know the place but the name was unfamiliar… As his mind though back, nothing of it sounded familiar… Wh- what? Where was he?!

‘A garden of Aridin. The fantastic forest world of the Paperverse.’

“Paperverse?… World?… What-” Dalv looked around again as if something should have changed as the reality of his situation sank on his shoulders. A whole new world… What-

“Where am I!?”