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No response came. In the distance, I spied a faint glow flickering through the woods, and curiosity got the better of me. Drawn to the light, I pushed through thorny bushes and hanging vines, cursing as they scratched my arms and face. As I got closer, I discovered an ancient stone temple blanketed in moss and vines. Flames danced in braziers lighting the entrance. I hesitated for a moment, wondering if entering would be wise or even remotely safe.
"Great," I muttered sarcastically. "Because this doesn't look ominous at all."
Suddenly, the cry of a raven pierced the air from above the temple. I looked up to see a large black bird perched on a crumbling statue, its eyes reflecting the firelight. As it took flight, I felt compelled to follow it inside the ancient temple. I had no good reason for following other than it was the first living creature I came across. For all I knew it could be leading me to a trap, although I had no idea what kind of trap. So far I was alone in this world, and in my desire to not stay that way I followed the only other living soul here.
As I stepped inside the stone temple, I found myself in a vast chamber illuminated by flaming braziers. Intricate symbols and scenes of what looked like two ravens gliding across the skies across battlefields, marriages, births, and deaths adorned the walls. I ran my fingers along the walls of a scene depicting a war between the titans and smaller human-like figures that looked like they were wielding magic. In one scene on a half-crumbled structure on the wall, was a large muscled man carrying a mighty hammer into battle.
“So there really were humans here before, but they warred with the titans...I would say that was a bad idea but it looks like the humans have some sort of magic, or maybe something that looks like it." I commented to myself, appreciating the artistry before me. And needing to hear the sound of my own voice to stave off the fear.
At the center of the room lay a massive stone table, carved with runic letters I didn't recognize. Behind the table stood an imposing statue of a dark haired old man with one eye patched and ravens perched on each shoulder. It felt as though I was being watched, and I turned to see one raven peering down atme from atop the statue. It cawed loudly as if beckoning me closer, and as I approached the table, the runes began to glow.
"Okay, glowing runes. Now we're getting somewhere," I said, trying to quell the growing unease in my gut. "Just need to figure out what the hell they mean..."
"Who are you?" a voice demanded from behind me, making me jump.
I spun around to find a Titan woman with wild, white hair and silver eyes like molten metal. She had an impressive physique, with muscles that rippled beneath her shapely form. Her heavy white armor, made of fur and silver, clung to her body in all the right places.
"Ah, finally, another person!" I exclaimed, almost feeling relieved. "I'm Kal, and I—"
Before I could finish, she unsheathed a massive great sword and swung it at me. I barely managed to dodge, as the blade sliced through the air where my head had been moments before.
"Hey, what the fuck?!" I yelled, stumbling backward.
"Stand still, illusion," she growled, her eyes narrowed. "You have no power here. You're preventing me from returning to the physical plane."
"Wait, wait, I'm not an illusion! I'm a human! You've got the wrong guy!" I tried to explain, but she wasn't listening. Instead, she continued her relentless assault, forcing me to dodge andweave around her strikes. In my haste, I knocked over several vases, their shattered pieces scattering across the temple floor.
"Would you just listen to me?" I pleaded, growing desperate as her swings grew fiercer.
"Ha! A tricky illusion, indeed," she laughed manically, her eyes wild. "No wonder our kind had such difficulty dispatching the gods."
"Gods? What are you talking about? Please listen, I'm just a human who drank some weird poison and wound up here!" I insisted, trying to reason with her.
She lunged forward, her sword aimed for my throat, but before it could make contact, the large raven swooped down, grabbing onto my clothes and hoisting me into the air. I couldn't help but feel grateful for my new feathered friend.
"Thanks, buddy," I told it as we soared away from the Titan woman, who was now visibly annoyed by our escape.
"Listen, I'm not an illusion! I’m real!" I called down to her, trying once more to explain. "I drank that poison and ended up here. Who are you? Do you live in this place?"
She stopped her charge, skidding to a halt and stared up at me wide-eyed, her expression a mix of shock and disbelief. "Impossible! You’re real?! How are you here?! You're no Titan.”
“I'm just a human named Kal, mated to a Titan named Thorsten—"
"Thorsten?" she replied hesitantly, lowering her sword finally.
"Who's this Thorsten?" she asked, curiosity replacing her earlier hostility. "What does he look like?"
"Thorsten is... well, he's a titan," I started, my voice shaky after our near-fatal encounter. "He's around 8 feet tall with long white hair and striking silver eyes. He's strong, muscular…he has a small mole under his left eye….we met in the human world where I'm from."
Her eyes widened as she processed the information. "I won't hurt you," she said, lowering her sword. "Come down and we can talk properly. I want you to explain everything." The raven hesitated but eventually let me down, its talons loosening their grip on my clothes.
I was still wary of the woman, but when she laid her sword down, I reluctantly decided to trust her for now. She sat on the ground and gestured for me to do the same. "Tell me everything," she urged.
I stared at the cut on my arm that had started to bleed. I was shocked that I could even bleed in this strange place. "How am I bleeding here?"
"It's all in your head," the woman explained. "You don't feel any pain because our real bodies aren't here with us, but I bet your body in the real world is bleeding right now. You're going to feel the pain when you wake up… if you wake up."
"Great," I sighed. "What will happen to me if I die here?"
