The Runic Template

Eucalyptus murmured in his sleep, thrashing slightly as a bellowing, raspy voice cut through his dreams: “Bold.”

He jolted awake, instinctively standing in defense. Great ancient walls surrounded him, the dim light revealing that he was in the catacombs of Y’vinixi. He had been in a REM sleep within the Sanctum of Reflection, only to be teleported here.

“Who goes there?” Eucalyptus shot a mental burst, his voice steady yet tinged with subtlety, a skill honed during the city’s turmoil.

The walls of the catacombs shifted, forming a male creature slightly taller than Eucalyptus, who stood a bit over six feet. The creature’s features were barely visible in the dim light, but his presence was unmistakable.

The creature’s voice resonated within Eucalyptus’s mind. “You’ve managed to impregnate the impenetrable, conjure a mental vantage point to witness the hanging of your closest comrades, all this after drawing upon the primordial powers of Vörgrig.”

Eucalyptus’s eyes widened. “Lord Axos!” he whispered, surrendering.

The creature shook his head. “No, I’m a causality of his action to make alive Manzanita.”

“Who are you?” Eucalyptus asked, his voice trembling.

The figure glided across the room, almost merging with the shadows. “I am your cousin, Larson.”

Eucalyptus’s eyes rolled back as he fainted again.

He awoke to Larson hovering over him, levitating debris from the floor and using it to poke around in his nose. Eucalyptus almost sneezed but was interrupted by Larson’s calm yet stern voice, “I wouldn’t do that.” Larson pointed to a door at the end of the room. “You’ll wake the inhabitant feast.”

“Inhabitant feast?” Eucalyptus asked, confused.

Larson smirked. “Your little storyline told you nothing, did it? Have you ever wondered why you’re so limited in your abilities? Waking up here with your powers dangling before you like some evolution-based tier set, all while you’re left feeling like a sad therapeutic project for a man-child who couldn’t catch a father to save his life? Ha!”

“Huh?” Eucalyptus muttered, bewildered.

Larson’s eyes glinted with a mix of mischief and wisdom as he locked gazes with Eucalyptus. In that instant, Eucalyptus was flooded with awareness of his predicament and the impending events.

“We are heralding the return of Axos,” Eucalyptus droned, almost in a trance.

“For Christ’s sake,” Larson retorted, exasperated. “Why, we are heralding the return of Axos for Christ’s sake!”

“Who is Christ?” Eucalyptus asked, perplexed.

“Never mind that,” Larson waved off the question. “We must quicken the pace; the narrator must return to his lock. Yes?”

“Indeed,” Eucalyptus replied, more out of confusion than understanding.