Camiare: An Isekai

Chapter 21: Acutalis Sanctuary

Nathaniel POV

Fuck.

A massive headache greeted me as I regained consciousness. I reached to grab my temples, but discovered I couldn't move. It felt like my body was there, but not there at the same time. I couldn't open my eyes. All I could sense was darkness. Surrounding me, enveloping me in its cold embrace. Actually, it felt like I was lying in water. My clothes didn't feel wet, but the water was definitely there, surrounding me. Judging from the highest point I could feel it from, it was probably four to five centimeters deep.

What had happened? The last thing I remembered was reading on my status screen xetral poisoning and . . . . . . . lightning.

I was alive, that's for sure. While I couldn't move my body, I still could use my mind.

Wait . . . why is everything getting darker?

Why does my mind feel so heavy?

Why not just relax and sleep?

Why am I trying so hard to stay awake?

Who am I trying to prove here?

Who am I?

...

...

...

|Acutalis Sanctuary|

Lufis POV

Lodged in the side of the mountains, the Acutalis Sanctuary was a jaw-dropping sight. Actually on two different mountains across from each other, the tan brown stone arches and buildings created over the centuries glinted with the splendor of the rising sun. Carved into the stone, the Sanctuary stood out amidst the other misty mountains, with there stone peaks held high in the distance. Farther out, the snow peaks of the Northern Acutalis Mountains could be seen, crowning the dawn.

As the only kid, I was kindly escorted out of the room by an elderly monk when the adults started talking about the situation, while Nathaniel was taken into the Inner Sanctuary. Taking me outside, the elderly monk handed me a wooden ball and then walked off humming, leaving me completely unsupervised.

Setting the ball on the floor, I sat with my legs over the edge, dangling over the edge of the mountain. With nothing else to do, I stared out into the distance. I had known that the world was big from reading my books, but it is a whole other experience seeing it in person. It really blows you away how small you really are.

As I watched the horizon, a monk walked by. Out of curiosity, I asked the monk about the mountains history and purpose, and he gave me a brief explanation.

The mountain I was currently on was called Xinshan. The newest part of the Acutalis Sanctuary, it was built because of the crowded conditions due to the sheer number monks. This mountain features four natural hot springs and several dining halls with accompanying kitchens. I wasn't surprised about the number of dining halls after seeing Monk Crinitus' girth. Crops and cattle were kept in underground greenhouses with lush grass and natural skylights. Visitors are only allowed on the Xinshan mountain, which had the path that lead toward Camiare's northern border.

The second mountain across from me is called Yushan. This was the original mountain that the Acutalis Monks lived on, until they started expanding eight hundred years ago. The Inner Sanctuary, a place enriched with rateh, is also a special place where xetral flows more naturally; is located at the heart of the mountain. This is where Nathaniel is currently being attended to by the Elders. It is connected to Xinshan by hundreds of stone bridges, which arc from mountain to mountain, leading to different locations.