SECOND BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES OF FANTASILIA SERIES
𝘈𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘨𝘶𝘦. 𝘈 𝘴𝘪𝘦𝘨𝘦 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘛𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘴. 𝘈 𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧.
Xanthiene Vivenca, af...
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2412 Strilaxis 20, Daleth
Xanthy groaned. Soft sheets pressed against her palms when she hauled herself up. Bare, gray-green walls blinked back at her as she rubbed the sleep off her eyes. What happened? Where was she this time?
Two wooden stools guarded the bed where she sat. A basin atop one of the stools was filled with water with an unmistakable greenish tinge. Xanthy scratched her head. So everything that happened in the cavern wasn't one long dream?
She grunted as she slid off the bed. A loose, wool tunic that reminded her of graspel fur fell to her knees. She frowned as she raised her arms and turned here and there to examine the furry sack covering her body. How in the Queen's name did she end up in this?
A door to her left gave a quiet whine and two people stepped inside the room. Xanthy rushed to the bed and propped herself back up. Keeping her eyes on the new people as they shut the door with a soft click. It's amazing how doors here functioned like how they did in Cardina.
They were dressed in the same wool, knee-length tunics but theirs were paired with tight, dark gray trousers. Bare feet slapped the smooth, gray floor as they approached the stool. Tiny, tinkling sounds ensued with every step they took. Xanthy squinted and found tiny bells sewed in a strip of cloth tied to their ankles.
A girl with bluish-silver hair tied up in an up-do peered down at the basin containing the greenish water. Lamplike, yellow irises reflected from the water's surface, accentuating a flat expression that was neither a scowl nor a smile. The girl picked the basin up.
"Uh, can you tell me where I am?" Xanthy asked. Her voice scratched against her dry throat and bounced against the walls.
A boy no older than Malin with dark blue hair and pale yellow eyes blinked at her as the girl set the basin against the stool again. Xanthy stared at the flower pin glinting on the boy's chest as it caught light whenever the boy moved. "You're in a room," the girl inclined her head at Xanthy like that answer explained everything.
Something barked and Xanthy leaned over her bed to see a creature with long ears, short snouts, and furry tails. It bounded around on four legs, its tongue lolling off its mouth as it panted. Xanthy narrowed her eyes again. Was that creature...transparent?
"Bramre, heel," the girl snapped at the creature. It whined before jumping into the air once. A flash of green later, it was as if there was nothing where the animal had just been. Shivers made the hairs on Xanthy's arms stand up. Was that a ghost animal?
Xanthy cleared her throat. The girl's face was still as she whirled to Xanthy. "Yes?"
"Can you elaborate more?" Xanthy circled a finger, gesturing vaguely at the air around them. "Where am I?"
"In the First of the Lower," the girl raised an eyebrow before glancing at the boy. The boy shrugged.
Xanthy drummed her fingers against each other. "And...that is?"
