The Dawn of the New World

But out of the fifteen, three of the images reflected within the cracks were strikingly dissimilar to the rest of them.

The first one was showing a scene from a world covered in dark blue water. There was what appeared to be static reflecting on the crack's surface as the image alternated between different points of view before finally stopping on one.

The image on the other side of the crack showed a large body of water. It was far too dark to make out anything with some level of certainty but the shifting water and what seemed to be an inconceivably large moving shadow somewhere in the murky depths would keep anyone foolish enough to harbor any of thoughts of entering it at bay.

The second crack was located in space. It showed an empty moon traveling across a void. Nothing but frigid darkness surrounded it from all sides. The moon's surface was littered with millions upon millions of holes of various sizes.

It looked more like a beehive than anything else. It was not attached to any planet or solar system, but somehow it was still traveling at breakneck speeds through a kaleidoscopic storm that went on without an end in sight.

The third crack was above a stone forest with hundreds of meter long jagged rocks jetting out of a cloud of pinkish fumes. The fumes were so dense that nothing could be seen below them but every now and then a large beast or a body part thereof would fall down from the sky and into the blanket of fumes.

And whenever that happened, just for an instant the fumes would get pushed aside to reveal what was concealed within.

Each falling beast carcass would get attacked by a creature with a body consisting of 4 to 6 serrated wings each of which was at least two meters in length attached to a matt black carapace that was flying right under the fume cloud.

Its entire frame was not visible but half of that beetle-like face that could be seen was discharging the same pink fumes without rest as it flew around. And below this creature was an army of slumbering humanoids.

They were curled up in the fetal position with their heads between their legs and three pairs of thin disjointed arms holding them together. They were packed together to the brim littering the surface below in droves, so much so that not even the ground could be seen underneath.

The pink fumes concentrated and finally fused into watery red drops of liquid before raining down on top of the sleeping creatures. It wasn't clear whether that liquid was keeping them asleep or providing them with nourishment and unless one entered the crack to check they would probably not find out for themselves either.

When she was sure the danger had passed, Princess Helena stood up absentmindedly and tapped on one of the hexagon tiles to peer towards the pyramid. Her misty eyes fell on the spatial cracks and became transfixed, or rather on what lied within them.

Her pale lips quivered and parted, recalling an old poem her grandmother, the Grand Priestess used to sing when she thought they had fallen asleep. Princess Helena would sometimes force herself to stay awake to listen to what sounded like the nonsensical ramblings of an old woman but...maybe that wasn't the case.

'First comes the cloud-less storm, bringing with it an old visitor, oh all alone.

He once 'again' resides, for the second of the first times.

Then comes the quinze (fifteen) eyed monster.

It grumbles and moans, inviting the naive in with an appetizing treat, but once you enter you can never leave.

And from its stomach will he arrive, he who walks along the unseen line.

So young and tasteful, so bright and beautiful.

A bud yet to bloom, filled to the brim with doom.

With a snip and a snap it will sound his end, but will he manage to stand in the end?

So innocent and youthful, he who struggles to walk the path amid light and gloom.

But his time will come, bringing with it a sadness that will never end.

He, who roams and rambles, amid the bountiful stars and upon the never-ending conundrums.

He, who fights against the masters of his fate, accepting death rather than to take the reins.

He, who stands in the shadows, birthing kings and ending reigns of almighty Dragon Sovereigns.

He, who has seen it all but is blind to what is by his side.

Only he will stand on my side-'

*BOOOOOOM*

An explosion interrupted Helena as one of the exposed walls of the pyramid suddenly burst into pieces.

And before it could settle, through the dust and debris walked out a figure covered in soot. He was holding a large bladed weapon in the right hand while the left one was gripping onto a white lightning bolt.

He waved the weapon from side to side to clear his line of sight and once he got a good look at his surroundings, he turned back around to shout towards the hole he had just created.

"I FOUND IT! THIS IS THE WAY!"

A short moment later about half a dozen large figures ran out of the hole. Some of them she instantly recognized even though they were charred black and bloody, namely Burak and Isak among others but she could not tear her eyes away from the human who was in the lead.

Her lips parted again as she uttered the poem's last verse out loud.

"Only he will stand on my side, when all else fails, bringing my people to a new light,

I welcome thee back to my world, to you who are yet untainted by what is yet to come,

O King under the broken heavens, Lord of the forgotten lands."