Tenebris Renasci: A World of Magic and Gunpowder

After about an hour or two of rest, Alexander awoke to a strange humming and dimly illuminated room.

The smell of earthly herbs and candle wax filled his nostrils as he rose from the handmade bed he laid upon. 

Groaning in disorientation, Alexander raised a hand to his throbbing head. 

The last thing he remembered was passing out after barely healing his leg. 

Speaking of his leg, Alexander still felt a pulse of pain and agitation emanating from it. However, besides the pain, he felt something tightly wrapped around it, a cloth of some sort.

Along with the cloth was a thick leaf that was covered in a strange black ornament slathered on his thigh. 

Alexander was confused as to who had done this and quickly began examining his surroundings. 

It was then that he noticed he was in a small, windowless room that had walls crafted from thick branches and plaster.

A thatched roof sat atop those walls, while the floor beneath him was wood that was weaved together in a checkered pattern. 

Alexander's eyes widened as he realized he was in a completely unfamiliar place. 

How the hell did I get here?!

He quickly rose to his feet, careful to avoid the candles that surrounded his makeshift bed. 

He then turned his attention to the room's exit, which was a door frame that was covered by a long handmade cloth. 

Pushing past it in uneasy stumble, he was greeted with a wider room that held a similar vibe to the first, only more cluttered. 

Herbs hung from the ceiling, dried leaves, and leather pouches hanging by strings. 

A small window sat near the front door, with several small candles sitting on the windowsill. The view outside was dark, with the starry night sky blanketing the background. 

Clay vases lined the walls alongside various jars and other miscellaneous items that Alexander couldn't properly identify. 

As Alexander's attention was drawn in by his unfamiliar and unique surroundings, he failed to recognize that the previous humming had ceased.

Emerging from behind a cloth from beside the room Alexander previously inhabited, a figure walked cautiously toward Alexander. 

As the figure slowly approached him from behind, Alexander quickly turned around, spotting none other than the demon woman.

As his eyes landed on her, he immediately noticed her striking features. 

She was a small-framed woman with black skin that held strange blue patterns ingrained into it.

The woman had thick locks of blue hair that were tied back in a ponytail, along with six blue eyes that blinked in unison as they examined him. 

She had two thin horns that protruded from her forehead and curved upwards, housing the same blue patterns as the rest of her skin. 

She had a long swaying tail that curled with curiosity as she and Alexander stared at each other. 

She was dressed in a long simple dress that was slightly worn and dirtied. 

Alexander was absolutely taken aback by the strange figure before him, taking a cautious step back as he raised his hands in defense. 

Who… what is that?

The demon woman slowly raised her hands in a non-threatening manner as she took a step back from Alexander. "You… pale conqueror… yes?" The woman asked in his language, though it was broken and her accent thick.

Alexander raised an eyebrow, unsure of how to respond or even if he should respond. 

He didn't know if this woman was keeping him prisoner or a patient.

The demon woman, noting Alexander's silence, spoke once more. "Pale conqueror… no fear… Zara not… kill."

Alexander fevered his brow as he took in the woman's broken speech. 

He didn't know if he could fully trust her, but seeing as she didn't immediately kill him, and adding the fact he wouldn't be able to do much if she did, Alexander lowered his hands slowly. 

As he lowered his hands the woman followed suit, a relieved expression befalling her face.  "Good… boy." The woman said with a nod, her expression then became somewhat curious, "How… leg?" She asked with a point to Alexander's leg.

Alexander hesitated briefly before looking down at his bandage leg. 

The pain he felt had subsided greatly, but there was still a lingering stinging feeling.

"Uhm, it's fine." Alexander answered, "Did… did you do that?"

The woman nodded, "Yes, you were hurt bad, I help… Zara help." She said with a point to her chest. 

There's that name again, Zara, I guess that's her?

"Why?" Alexander asked the woman- Zara, "Why did you help me?"

Zara's tail flickered as she took a step closer towards Alexander, her eyes thoughtfully examining Alexander as she opened her mouth to respond. "You had sword of importance, the same symbol… as the mechanical skybeast and other pale conquerors."

Symbol, pale conquerors, what the hell is this lady talking about?

"What symbol?" Alexander asked in confusion.

Zara tilted her head before pausing for a moment. 

Her eyes then flickered with an idea.

"Stay here, I… be back." She said before quickly turning back towards the room she emerged from and disappearing behind the cloth that hid the room. 

Alexander, though confused and disoriented, remained in place.

Just as fast as she disappeared into her room, she returned with a red Pathfinder uniform in hand. 

The robes were burned and bloodied, but it was quite obvious who the uniform belonged to.

The Ambur kingdom.

"Look." The woman said as she held out the worn sleeve of the uniform to Alexander, pointing at the symbol on it. "Symbol of importance, you." She said eagerly.

Alexander narrowed his eyes as he barely made out the symbol, it was the symbol of house Nova.

Suddenly, upon seeing the symbol Alexander was hit with a wave of memories. 

He remembered sitting with Béatrice as they discussed some sort of training. 

He remembered how sharp of a turn the conversation took, and the last words she uttered to him before he blacked out. 

"Sorry Alexander, but before I waste time training you, I need to know if you can survive it."

Suddenly his eyes widened.

"That bitch!" Alexander exclaimed angrily as he began to piece together his shitty situation. "She did this shit to me!" He said with a point to Zara. 

Alexander knew without a shadow of a doubt that it was Béatrice who had put him in that damn crate.

Was this part of her training?!?!

Zara lowered the uniform as she tilted her head once more. "Who… bitch?" She asked curiously. "Bitch bring you in crate?"

Alexander gritted his teeth as he turned away from Zara. 

He couldn't believe it, but It made sense. 

She had put him in that crate, but why?

Why tie him up?

You can't hope to train someone if they die tied up in a crate, hell the only reason he even survived that whole ordeal is because of Zara!

Béatrice was trying to fucking kill him!

"Ugh!" Alexander growled out loud in anger, "Where the hell even am I!?"

"You… in my village," Zara answered as she watch Alexander walk around her home angrily.

Alexander quickly turned towards Zara with narrowed eyes, he couldn't tell if she was being a sarcastic jackass or genuinely helpful.

"Where IS your village?" Alexander asked, careful to keep himself from boiling over in anger.

"Auma hills, protected place, hidden from pale conquerors," Zara answered.

Auma Hills… where the fuck?

Alexander raised a hand to his forehead as he realized how heated he was becoming. 

He needed to relax and focus on his current situation rather than getting mad over how béatrice fucked him over. 

Taking a deep breath Alexander began to collect his thoughts. It was clear that while Zara had an understanding of his language, he still needed to phrase his questions accurately. 

"Zara." Alexander began, his tone lacking his earlier ire, "Is this the demon continent or the main continent?" He asked.

Zara paused for a moment, before tilting her head. "Zara is… demon, so yes."

Alexander nodded, "Okay, that's a strange answer but I get it." He said with a sigh. 

The demon continent, Béatrice, really wanted me dead.

"Pale conqueror, why mad?" Zara asked, "Your people come here, take and fight, are you not the same?" She asked curiously.

Alexander chuckled in disbelief. "Lady I'm six, I couldn't care LESS about fighting and taking things, in fact, I want to LEAVE!"

He turned to Zara with a finger pointing towards the window. "Home, I wanna go home!"

Zara's expression turned somewhat sour as Alexander pointed outside. "Can't go, Zara needs you, you… important."

Alexander stared at Zara in disbelief, clearly taken aback by this strange importance thrust upon him. "Important?" He asked, his eyes narrowing, "too what?"

Zara's eyes softened as she looked down at the uniform in her hands. "You… are a pale conqueror… high importance, I can use you, for the benefit of the village and chief."

Alexander felt himself slipping further into confusion. 

"How?" He asked, "How can I help anything, I'm a kid!"

"Of importance," Zara replied.

"To what!"