Delythena's POV
"I finally found you" I said, relief washing over me.
She smiled, but something was different. Her appearance here was nothing like in my former world. She looked young and radiant so different from the frail, old beggar I once knew.
"You didn't find me" she said as she slowly stepped closer. "I found you."
"I know you have many questions" she began as she stepped closer to me.
She shifted her gaze to the river. "This river is enchanted and far from the place where you live now" she suddenly said.
I glanced at the clear water while listening to her.
"This river is called the Healing River. It has the power to cure any illness" she explained.
"Can people bathe in it?" I asked curiously.
She shook her head. "No. You must drink the water from the river."
"Isn't it dirty?" I frowned.
She shook her head again. "This river is purer and clearer than any human. No one has ever dared to bathe in it because those who try will be turned into trees" she said, making me gasp in shock.
"The trees surrounding you right now were once people who attempted to bathe in the river" she added.
My eyes widened in horror. "Why is it forbidden?" I asked in confusion.
"Because no human is truly pure, and this river refuses to be tainted" she explained. "And also, because people began using it for profit."
Her words made sense, and I found myself nodding in understanding.
A brief silence followed.
"Do you like this place?" she suddenly asked and I know what she meant.
"Honestly... yes" I admitted. "Even though the people here are strange."
She chuckled. "You're strange too because you're not an ordinary person."
I turned to her, confused. "What do you mean?"
She smiled and shook her head. "The face of Delythena is yours. The life you lived as a mortal... was only a dream who looks like one" she said with her cryptic words.
My eyes widened and my mind filled with confusions. "A dream? And what do you mean?" I gasped. "That was a very long dream if it really is"
She nodded. "Two versions of you existed in different dimensions. The Reverie you knew in the mortal world was nothing more than a dream that is made. Yes, a long dream but a dream nonetheless. Your true self the real, awake version of you is Delythena in this world."
I stood frozen, my mind struggling to process everything.
"I went to the mortal world to wake you from your dream and bring you back to the place where you belong" she continued. "The place that is your true home. You were under a hallucination spell a powerful illusion meant to keep your mind trapped. In reality, you've only been dreaming for a week."
My chest tightened. "I... I don't understand" I murmured, feeling my thoughts spiral into chaos.
She studied me for a moment. "Do you remember anything from your childhood in the mortal world?"
I tried to think back, but no memories surfaced. The only thing I could recall was already being grown up. I had no memories of ever being a child in the human world.
I slowly shook my head.
"You'll understand everything in time" she assured me.
I stared at her, my mind still struggling to grasp everything she had just told me.
How could my entire life everything I knew
be nothing more than a dream?
"But... it felt so real" I whispered. "I had a life there. People I knew. Memories."
She gave me a knowing smile. "That is the nature of the hallucination spell. It creates a false reality so perfect that you would never question it. But the fact that you cannot recall your childhood proves that it was never real."
I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly dry. "Then... who cast the spell on me?"
Her expression darkened slightly, but she didn't answer right away. Instead, she looked toward the glowing river, as if lost in thought.
"That is something you must uncover on your own" she finally said. "The answers will come when you are ready to face them."
I clenched my fists. I hated answers like that. I hated feeling like I was being dragged into something beyond my control.
"But why me?" My voice came out almost desperate. "Why was I trapped in that spell? And why now? Why bring me back now?"
She turned back to me, her eyes filled with something I couldn't quite name.
"Because your true power is awakening, Delythena," she said. "And there are those who would do anything to stop that from happening."
I felt a chill run down my spine at her words.
"My true power?" I echoed. "What do you mean?"
She sighed, stepping closer. "You were never meant to live an ordinary life, Delythena. You are far more important than you realize. The power within you is something this world has not seen for centuries, and those who fear it sought to keep you asleep hidden away in a false reality where you would never awaken."
My breath hitched. "Then... the hallucination spell was meant to trap me?"
She nodded. "Yes. It was placed upon you to keep you from realizing who you truly are. But spells like that do not last forever. No illusion can suppress the truth indefinitely. The moment your power started to stir, cracks formed in the dream. That is why I was able to find you it was time for you to wake up."
I felt my knees grow weak. Everything I had known, everyone I had ever met in that world... none of it had been real?
"But if I was asleep for only a week in this world... Why did it feel like years in that one?"
She smiled sadly. "Because time flows differently within a hallucination spell. What felt like an entire lifetime to you was only a brief moment here."
I shook my head, trying to make sense of it all.
"If my power is so strong" I asked, "Then why don't I feel powerful? I don't remember having any kind of abilities."
Her expression became serious. "That is because your power has not fully awakened yet. But it will. And when it does, you must be ready because there are those who will try to take it from you."
A lump formed in my throat. "Who?"
She looked at me, her glowing eyes unreadable.
"You will soon find out" she said. "But first, you must remember who you truly are."
Before she disappeared, she spoke once more.
"Open your eyes. Do not let yourself be blinded by illusions. And do not place your trust in those whose only desire is to bring you down" she warned.
"Envy is a dangerous enemy, and not everything that grows on a tree is meant to be eaten some are deadly."
Her cryptic words lingered in the air as she vanished before my eyes.
Two days passed, and the Final Battle of the Enchanters had arrived.
My heart pounded in my chest. Unlike the others, who had real powers, all I had was my bow. It was my only weapon my only chance at survival.
But that wasn't even the worst part.
The battle would take place in Celestara Spire an arena that floats above a sea of molten lava.
One wrong move, and I wouldn't just lose I'd burn.
"Delythena, are you ready?" Savena asked as we rode in the flying carriage.
We were on our way to Celestara Spire, and I could feel the heavy tension in the air. That place was no ordinary battlefield teleportation didn't work there. The only way to reach it was by riding these winged horses.
"I'm nervous" I admitted softly, not bothering to hide how I felt.
"Don't be" Savena said with a reassuring smile. "You're strong now, and you have your powers."
Instead of feeling comforted, my anxiety only grew worse because I knew the truth.
I didn't have any powers.
I forced a small smile, not wanting Savena to notice the uneasiness creeping into me.
As the carriage soared higher, Celestara Spire finally came into view. It was even more terrifying than I had imagined a massive floating platform of ancient stone, suspended above a sea of molten lava. The heat from below distorted the air, making the entire place feel suffocating even from a distance.
The closer we got, the louder the roaring of the lava became, like an endless storm waiting to consume anyone who dared to fall.
"This is it" Savena said, her tone turning serious. "Once we land, there's no turning back. Are you ready?"
I swallowed hard and clenched my fists.
Ready or not, I had no choice.
The carriage landed on the stone platform with a slight jolt. The heat was unbearable, and I could feel the sweat forming on my skin almost instantly. Around me, the other competitors were already arriving, each one radiating confidence and power.
Savena stepped out first, turning to give me a reassuring nod. I took a deep breath and followed, my boots clicking against the ancient stone.
A loud, echoing voice suddenly filled the arena.
"Welcome to the Final Battle of the Enchanters!"
I turned my head toward the source of the voice. On a towering throne at the far end of the arena sat Zadkiel Vanderbilt, the Supreme Ruler. His piercing gaze swept over the competitors, and for a moment, his eyes met mine.
Something in his expression shifted, but before I could dwell on it, the announcer continued.
"The rules are simple: defeat your opponent, or be eliminated. The last one standing will be crowned the Champion of the Enchanters."
A wave of murmurs spread through the crowd.
I tightened my grip on my bow, my heart pounding in my chest.
This was it. There was no turning back.
A deafening gong echoed through the arena, signaling the start of the battle.
Around me, the competitors wasted no time. Spells ignited the air, clashing like violent storms. The ground trembled under the force of magic, and flashes of fire, lightning, and energy erupted from every direction.
I took a step back, gripping my bow tightly. Unlike them, I had no spells to cast, no elemental powers to summon. I was just a mortal girl armed with nothing but a weapon that barely felt like my own.
"Delythena!" Savena's voice rang out from somewhere in the chaos. "Stay sharp!"
Easier said than done.
A blast of wind magic suddenly struck near me, sending chunks of stone flying. I barely dodged in time, rolling across the hot ground before quickly getting back on my feet.
Across the battlefield, I saw a figure approaching me Aric Solven, a known prodigy in wind manipulation. His golden eyes locked onto me with an amused smirk.
"Well, well" he mused. "Let's see if you really belong here."
He raised his hand, and a massive gust of wind shot toward me.
I had no time to think. Instinct took over. I pulled an arrow from my quiver and aimed, feeling the bow hum beneath my fingers.
The moment I released the arrow, something strange happened.
I gasped as five different colors of light burst from the arrow blue, red, green, white, and purple. The glowing streaks swirled around the battlefield like ribbons of pure energy, illuminating the entire arena.
Everything stopped.
The ongoing battles ceased, the warriors frozen mid-attack. All eyes turned toward me, their expressions shifting from confusion to awe... and fear.
Then, without warning, darkness engulfed the arena.
The wind howled violently, sweeping across the battlefield like an unseen force. The lava beneath the floating platform bubbled and raged, sending embers shooting into the air. The earth trembled beneath my feet, and cold raindrops began to fall from the once-clear sky.
"What's happening?" someone shouted over the roaring winds.
I couldn't answer. My breath came in short gasps as the energy around me intensified.
This wasn't just magic.
This was power raw, uncontrollable, and overwhelming.
And it was coming from me.
Panic surged through me as the chaos intensified. The arena was no longer just a battlefield it had become the eye of a storm. The five swirling lights from my arrow expanded, streaking across the sky like celestial threads weaving a force beyond my understanding.
The ground beneath me cracked. Lava surged, restrained only by an unseen force. The wind howled, rain poured harder, and the entire arena seemed to be caught between elements clashing for dominance.
I dropped my bow, my hands trembling. My chest felt heavy, my body burning with an energy I didn't know how to control.
"Delythena!" Someone's voice barely reached me through the roaring storm.
I turned, my vision hazy. Through the blur of wind and light, I saw the fear in everyone's eyes not just my opponents, but even the spectators. Warriors, enchanters, and even the judges stood frozen in place.
They weren't just watching.
They were afraid.
Then, just as suddenly as it had begun, everything stopped.
The wind vanished. The rain ceased. The lava stilled.
For a moment, there was only silence.
And then—
Thud.
I collapsed to my knees, gasping for air. My body felt like it had been drained of everything. The five colors that had once filled the sky flickered, then faded into nothingness.
I was shocked when, all of a sudden, time stopped. Everyone froze in place, and I was the only one who could move.
The people around me started to disappear from my vision, replaced by a bright place surrounded by massive stones, each engraved with different symbols. Four tall stones encircled me, while a larger one stood in the center, carved with the image of a phoenix. On the sides, I noticed markings of fire, water, air, and earth.
"What is happening?" I asked confused.
Then, a deep and powerful voice echoed through the space.
"Delythena"
A chill ran down my spine as I froze in place.
"Who are you?" I asked.
"I am the ruler of the spirits" the voice introduced itself, making my eyes widen in shock.
The ruler of the spirits?
"What is happening? And where am I?"
My heartbeat thundered in my chest. I glanced around, trying to make sense of my surroundings the towering stones, the strange markings, the overwhelming energy in the air. It didn't feel real, yet it was more vivid than anything I had ever experienced.
"You are in the Sacred Plane" the voice continued, deep and commanding. "A realm beyond time and space, where only those chosen may step foot."
"Chosen?" My voice wavered.
"Your power has awakened, Delythena."
My eyes widened at what he said.
"What power?" I asked, confused.
"You possess the Omni Power" he stated.
I didn't react at first not because I wasn't surprised, but because I had no idea what that meant.
"What is that?" I asked, bewildered.
"Omni Power is the absolute and all-encompassing form of power, granting complete control over everything matter, energy, time, reality, and even existence itself. In simple terms, you can control all powers."
My eyes grew even wider, and my mouth fell open in shock.
"But the power you possess is not easy to control. Even though you have dominion over all elements, mastering them is another challenge. If you fail to control your abilities, your own power will consume you until you lose yourself completely, forever."
A shiver ran down my spine at his words, making my skin crawl.
I swallowed hard, my throat dry. "Then... how do I control it?" I asked hesitantly.
The ruler of the spirits remained silent for a moment, as if measuring my resolve. Then, his voice echoed through the space.
"You must learn balance, discipline, and absolute control over your emotions. Power without restraint leads to destruction. That is why no one before you has ever fully mastered the Omni Power. It is both a gift and a curse."
A heavy weight settled in my chest. "Then what happens if I fail?"
His voice darkened. "Then you will cease to exist not just in body, but in all forms. The power within you will unravel reality itself, and you will fade into nothingness."
"And remember, the power you possess can change your very character, so you must control it properly and wisely," he warned. "And one more thing one of the elements you hold is fire, and you already know that only one being can truly own the flames, and that is the Supreme Ruler."
"Zadkiel" I murmured.
"You cannot use this element" he stated firmly, making me frown in confusion.
"Why not? I thought I could control all powers?" I asked, bewildered.
"The Fire Spirit can only have one true master. However, in your case and that of the Supreme Ruler, you both possess it you were both chosen. But the Supreme Ruler is the rightful owner of this power. You may only use it if you form a pact with the Fire Spirit" he explained.
"A pact?" I repeated.
"A pact means you must call upon the strongest element fire when absolutely necessary. However, the price of this pact... is your existence itself. Once you use it, you will be consumed by nothingness" he said gravely.
My breath hitched. "My life?" I echoed in disbelief.
"Yes" the ruler of spirits confirmed. "A contract with the Fire Spirit is absolute. The moment you call upon its full power, you offer yourself in return. You will cease to exist once your purpose is fulfilled."
A cold shiver ran down my spine. The weight of his words settled deep in my bones.
"So, you're saying that if I use it... I die?"
"Not just die, Delythena" he corrected. "You will vanish. Your soul will not move on. You will be erased from existence itself."
My hands clenched into fists. The power to control everything... yet the price was my very being? Was this really a power or just another form of a curse?
"Is this a curse?" I couldn't stop myself from asking.
"No, this is a gift," he replied. I frowned.
"How can this be a gift when the price is that high?" I argued.
"You are the only one who possesses the Omni Power. You were chosen. So be wise" he said firmly.
I was about to speak again when he cut me off. "When you return to reality, everything will change" he declared.
Before I could react, everything faded into darkness, and I lost consciousness.