The Lost Spire, Part 1 - SCP Foundation

WarriorofChaos

The Lost Spire (Part 1) by WarriorofChaos

Recommended reading music

2008

20th of March

Cave Entrance: Dingle Peninsula, Co. Kerry, Ireland

“This is the entrance to the ruins?”

“Yeah, this hole heads straight down.”

“How do you know for sure it’s connected to the Fae Empire?”

“Hey, I may still be a rookie, but I’ve seen a lot of the crazy crap Site-120 gets involved with, and when I took a peek inside the ruins, I saw writing on the walls that matched the Fae artifacts I’ve seen in Vemhoff's department.”

Standing before the recently uncovered hole leading into the mysterious underground cavern, Dr. Daniel Asheworth, Jessie Rivera, and junior Site-120 archeologist Chris Halloran are preparing to conduct the on-site investigation of the caverns. MTF units and mobile researchers are present to assist the investigators and ensure civilians don’t enter the area.

“I still think it’s crazy. I mean, how did a relaxing family trip turn into discovering more ruins?! I honestly didn’t plan this.” Chris said, feeling dumbstruck by his unexpected luck.

“Either way, you should be proud of yourself.” Rivera said to Chris with a slight grin. He’d only started working for Site-120 several months earlier, yet she and many of the other personnel had already grown to admire his fascination for ancient civilizations and his charming sense of curiosity.

“Don’t get me wrong, I’m annoyed I have to scrap my day off, but I’m intrigued to see what’s down there! Plus, at the very least I’ll be credited for the discovery.”

“I guess that is something to help improve one’s mood.” Asheworth says as he pulls out his EVE Emission Scanning Portable Radar tablet, or EESPR for short. Ever since they discovered Arcadia back in 1998, Site-120’s Research and Maintenance teams, along with assistance from other sites, have researched extensively to develop more durable and versatile EVE scanners for their personnel. The new EESPRs are not only capable of handling incredibly vast amounts of EVE radiation without risk of overloading, but are even able to identify the specific form of EVE that is being detected, meaning it can inform the user what type of entities or objects the readings are coming from.

Asheworth takes a few steps closer as he points the radar towards the mouth of the cave and proceeds to scan the entrance. Twelve seconds later it finishes analyzing and the readings are displayed.

“So, what do we got Daniel? You pick up anything?” Rivera asks as she comes to Asheworth’s side to view the radar’s readings.

“Well, I’m getting some faint traces of residual EVE coming from deep in the tunnels. It’s old and degraded, but the readings say it’s definitely of Fae origin.” He turns to Halloran to inform him of the results. “You were right Chris; these are indeed Fae ruins.”

“See? I knew I was right! You guys can thank me later when we’re not busy.” Chris said with a satisfied laugh.

“Yes Chris, we’ll pat you on the back when this is all over. But the question now is, what was this structure for?” Rivera says as she stares down the dark tunnel.

“I think it’s time we find out. Let’s gather up a squad and get geared up. I’ll inform command of the current findings.” Asheworth says as he puts away the EESPR and proceeds to walk back to the on-site camp.

“Roger that, doc. But do we really have to bring a task force with us though? I mean it’s just ruins.” asked Chris.

“I’d rather be cautious than go in unprepared. After all, we can’t ignore the possibility those tunnels may not be deserted.” Rivera starts to follow Asheworth back to camp while Halloran thinks over what she said before following them.

After Asheworth informs the rest of the on-site personnel, as well as command about the EVE readings in the tunnel and the confirmation of Fae origination, they gather the team members who will be exploring the tunnel. The team will be led by Ashworth and Rivera, with Halloran following behind to assist with archeological investigations.

“Okay remember, we need to keep our eyes peeled and stay cautious at all times. If there are any hostile entities down there, we don’t want to risk them surprising us.” Ashworth informs the exploration team as they all stand in front of the cavern entrance. “I also want you to stay right next to us Chris, don’t want to risk having you disappear on us.”

“When have I ever when exploring ruins?” said Chris

“You never know which ruins might be your last.” Rivera retorts to Halloran’s uneasiness.

“That’s a fair point, I’ll stay close.” Halloran responds after swallowing the lump in his throat.

“Alright. Now if there’s no more questions, lets get moving.”

20th of March

Unknown Ruins: Dingle Peninsula, Co. Kerry, Ireland

Several minutes after traversing through the tunnels, the team found themselves walking along crumbling marble walls and worn out alabaster floors. Asheworth stops and shines his flashlight on a large rusty plaque engraved with ancient writing.

“Yep, this is Fae alright. This is the same royal seal we’ve been finding in ruins connected to the Fae Empire.”

“If that seal is on this plaque, that means this was an important location to the royal powers, whether it be Mab or her sister.” Rivera stated as she approached the plaque. She leaned in and carefully brushed away a layer of dust to better view the writing. “Chris, can you decipher this? Vemhoff informed me that you’ve been learning ancient anomalous languages as part of your studies.”

“I’ve helped Vemhoff on occasion with translations, so this shouldn’t be a problem.” Halloran cracks his fingers as he steps in front of the plaque and points his light towards it. “Well…from what I can decipher here, this place was used by the royal powers as a repository.”

“A repository? How so?” asked Asheworth.

“If I were to guess, this place was used by either of the two queens to store objects of great value, such as ancient treasure, artifacts. and documents.”

The idea of a structure filled with artifacts and treasures of the Fae Empire really intrigued both Asheworth and Rivera. Any such items could prove very useful in learning more about the mysteries of the empire and the ancient past.

“Could it be possible that they also stored objects that the empire hoarded or stole from other races during their rule?” Rivera asks Halloran as she shines her light deeper down the halls.

“Well, if the Fae thought they were important or valuable enough then it’s possible. Let’s just hope nothing down there deteriorated beyond restora-huh? Hold the phone.”

“What is it?” Rivera asks.

“I think there’s something else written here.” Halloran points his light toward a spot near the bottom right corner of the plaque that is still coated in dust. He carefully brushes the dust away revealing a message that had been chiseled onto the plaque. “It looks like someone carved a message on here.”

“What does it say?” Asheworth asked as he and Rivera moved in closer to see the message.

“Let’s see…” Halloran proceeded to drag his finger under the letters as he transcribed the writing. “I leave this message on the chance that I’ve succeeded in bringing retribution upon my sibling for her crimes, but have unfortunately perished myself. This repository was used to guard some of our most sacred relics and our most powerful tools of subjugation and destruction. Fearing the chance that I have been slain along with my sister, I have placed many art pieces and historical scrolls for those who come after us to ensure we and our history are not forgotten, as well as to ensure our more peacemaking wonders are not lost. But more importantly, I leave these to ensure that the next great civilizations after to come do not repeat the mistakes and crimes we have committed as the result of my sibling’s wicked heart. If any have stumbled upon this vault and finds this message, please…do not let darkness shackle this world and Gaia’s children once again.” Halloran is silent for several seconds as he contemplates what he just deciphered. “…that’s quite a depressing message.”

“Yeah… and I’m pretty sure I have a good idea who wrote it.” Asheworth says as he then looks over to Rivera, the look on her face telling him that she had the exact same idea. “Well then, now that we’re aware of what it is that we’re dealing with, we should keep on moving.”

“Hold on, first things first.” Halloran then pulls out a digital camera from his pack and snaps an image of the plaque. “Just taking images for documentation and archiving, photographic evidence is one of the most important pieces of documentation in my opinion.”

“Smart thinking Chris.” Asheworth says before he turns back to the rest of the team patiently waiting. “All right, let’s keep moving, but stay cautious and pay attention. If this place contains treasure, then there’s the possibility of booby traps up ahead, that is if whoever left that message didn’t disable them first.”

The team continued their trek through the abandoned hallways of the repository. Along the way Halloran took numerous pictures of the surrounding structures, along with examining any objects of interest. They came across a number of degraded marble podiums, some of them with busts of two separate crowned Fae females. The conditions of both the podiums and busts ranged from barely intact to completely shattered. Halloran stopped to look at the shattered pieces with a look of consideration before he suddenly crouched down and started collecting the broken marble pieces. Rivera and Asheworth took notice of this and looked confused at Halloran’s actions.

“What are you doing Chris? I know we said to collect artifacts, but I don’t think those broken pieces will be of any value.”

“I’m not collecting them for study, they are for testing.”

“Testing, testing what?” asked Rivera.

“Well, if there are possibly booby traps in this place that are still operational, then we need some way to test this without wasting lives or valuable resources.” Halloran follows this by tossing a hand sized chunk of marble into the air before catching it. “That’s what these will be for.”

Asheworth thought about Halloran’s plan. It would be better to not risk his or the team’s lives just to check for traps, so using something useless like a throwing stone would be a preferable substitute.

“Good thinking Chris. Everybody, grab some stones! We might need them for trap checking.”

Everyone proceeded to stuff their pockets and packs with pieces of marble chunks, afterwards they continued forward.

More than half an hour passed as they travel downward. Every few steps they would stop and toss a handful of stones forward to test for a trap. Luckily the team had not encountered any form of traps yet, so they continued on their way, while Halloran documented their progress through photos.

During the walk, Asheworth pulled out his EESPR tablet and begin taking readings. A high amount of Fae EVE was definitely being picked up as they went further down, signifying that they were getting closer to the end of the structure.

Suddenly, they heard the sound of a loud metal clanging in the distance. Everyone was tense as the MTF raised their weapons cautiously.

“What was that?!”

“Shh! Keep it down.”

Asheworth looked toward the squad leader and gestured for him to come forward. Following the order, the MTF then moved up ahead to investigate. They stopped by the next turn as the leader counted down before they moved forward and pointed their guns down the hall. After several seconds they lowered their weapons.

“All clear! It seems an armor set on display just stared falling apart and its weapon toppled over.”

“Well that’s a relief” Halloran sayid as he wiped the sweat that was forming on his head.

“We should still stay on our toes just in case.” Rivera replied as they and the others caughtt up with the MTF and continued forward.

Halloran stopped to examine the crumbling armor. It resembled that of a medieval knight’s armor, but it had a more regal design, and was made of a glittering silver metal with a slight violet hue. It was beautifully embellished and engraved with floral patterns and inlays filled with gold. Even in such a deteriorated state, it was a work of art.

“Such craftsmanship! Is this what the royal guards of the empire wore? You don’t come across such fine armor sets as this very often in expeditions.” Halloran wasted no time taking several pictures before catching up with the others. As he did, he noticed many other sets of armor on display, all in varying states of decay and wielding many forms of weapons such as spears and glaives.

Eventually, their walk reached its end as they came across a set of ornamental double doors, each depicting carvings of two crowned Fae females. Asheworth pointed his light upwards to reveal a groove opening in front of the doors and saw what resembled a portcullis.

“This is it, the vault doors.”

“Looks like the person who left that note also left the vault open for us, how generous of them.”

“Kind of a risky decision don’t you think? Didn’t they worry their own people might try to steal its contents?

“I guess not.”

“Well then, how about we see what’s inside shall we?” Harrison said as he rubbed his hands together before proceeding to push open the double doors.

“Chris wait!“ Asheworth called out in warning, but was too late as the double doors had already been opened.

The other side revealed a massive open chamber with a domed ceiling. A silver chandelier covered in large orange crystals was hanging in the center of the area. To their surprise, the chandelier crystals were emitting a warm light that was enough to illuminate the chamber, revealing all the contents within. The room was filled to the brim with jewels of all shapes and colors, coins and heirlooms made of many forms of precious metals, many art pieces ranging from statues and paintings, objects that resembled weapons or some form of magic constructs, as well as numerous scrolls and tomes.

“It’s like being in an Indiana Jones movie!” one of the MTF said as they all looked upon the room in surprise.

“Look at all this gold and these relics! There’s enough in here to fill a museum, and we could fill an entire library with all these documents!” Rivera said to Asheworth, amazed at the treasure they saw before them.

“I know, this is indeed a huge find.” Asheworth then moves up to Halloran as he puts his hand on his shoulder and looks at Halloran with a smile. “Congratulations Chris, I think you may have just earned yourself a promotion from the higher ups.”

“… You know what, I take back what I said earlier. I’m grateful that I stumbled upon this place on my vacation!” Chris said as he couldn’t help but grin like an excited child before he rushed into the chamber to examine the contents.

“All right then, let’s get to work! Half of the MTF will head back topside to inform command of what we’ve discovered and get containment units down here to gather the contents of this chamber. The rest of us will get to work cataloging and examining the contents.” Asheworth informed.

For the next hour, they all began charting down and examining the chamber’s contents. The contents were remarkably preserved over time, most likely through thaumaturgical means. Asheworth was busy scanning all the objects with the EESPR, discovering that all the constructs and many of the weapons emitted lots of EVE radiation. Rivera examined the figurines. Many were of Fae individuals who she theorized were likely very important cultural or historical figures to the Fae Empire. Some of the paintings depicted landscapes, but others portrayed what might’ve been major historical events. Halloran occupied himself with examining and translating the scrolls and tomes, all of which either described historical events or myths and legends told during the empire’s golden age. All the while the rest of the team examined the other treasures and prepped them to be transported.

“Wow, who would’ve thought one of Mab’s children would go on to be one of the empire’s most tenacious and tactical commanders? Huh, so that’s what seelie and unseelie means in Fae culture. Wait. Mab and…Wha-why can’t I read this one word? Is this supposed to be a name or-Whaa!” Halloran was so deep into reading the tome he was holding, that he did not notice the tipped over gold candle holder until it was too late. He tripped over it causing him to fall to the ground and led to a waterfall of gems and coins to shower onto his head.

“Ow! Oh, by Saint Andrews’ balls that hurt! I hope nobody saw that because I don’t want this making me look like a-hello?” Halloran said as he dug himself out of the pile of loot that he was unintentionally buried under, his self-complaints were interrupted when his eyes caught sight of something interesting. A very beautiful oil painting, one that was apparently buried under the treasure he’d accidentally knocked over. The painting was held within a very regal floral themed armor frame, made from the same material that the armor in the halls were made of. But the contents of the painting were what caught his attention the most. The painting depicted a city of white buildings under a moon-lit, star-filled sky. The center of the painting held a massive gold and marble palace, topped by a large spire and surrounded by towers. It was possibly one of the most beautiful paintings he’s ever seen in his life.

“Well, aren't you quite a sight to behold! What are you doing under all these treasures?” Halloran proceeded to pick up the painting and examine it much closer. “Never seen a place like this depicted in works in any of the other ruins we’ve found. Even the architecture seems completely different. Then again, if this painting is in here then this place must be related to the Fae, and is very important.” Halloran thinks it over and decides to bring it to Rivera to hear her input.

“Hey Doctor Rivera, you got a minute?”

“Yeah, what is it?”

“I found this painting and I can’t figure out the location it’s depicting. Do you recognize it?” He presents it to Rivera who begins to examine the painting. As she does, she can’t help but admire the professionalism and intricacy of its craftsmanship.

“Huh, where did you find this?”

“It was buried under a huge coin pile. I assumed since it was stored in here, the painting must be important, or the city it’s depicting is. So does it ring any bells?”

“No, doesn’t look like anything I’ve ever seen. This is something new, but I agree that it’s probably important. Hey Daniel, Come here!”

Hearing Rivera, Asheworth immediately headed over to Rivera and Halloran. “What’s going on?”

“Chris found this painting; he believes the city it is depicting might be of great importance. Have you ever seen anything similar”? Rivera asked.

Asheworth began to examine the painting, seeming just as curious and intrigued as her and Halloran.

“Hmm, it doesn’t seem familiar to anything I’ve come across before, however the frame is obviously made from irrilite. The buildings shown are clearly of Fae architecture, but the style is different.”

“Maybe it’s the capitol of the empire?” asked Halloran.

“Arlende? Unlikely. Tomes and paintings the Droganians have shared with us bare little resemblance to our find.” Rivera replied.

What about those two Fae kingdoms that were destroyed decades ago? Asked Halloran

“Hy-Brasil and Avalon? Impossible. We’ve seen photos of Hy-Brasil before it was destroyed. The architecture doesn’t match, and it also can’t possibly be Avalon because from the data and documents we’ve gathered, Avalon had no large structures and was more akin to a village. Besides, those kingdoms didn’t exist until after the Fourth Occult War.” Rivera replied back.

“What about Olivié? Did she mention anything like this when discussing ancient Fae history?” Asheworth asked Rivera as he put down the painting.

“She might have, I can’t seem to recall. But it would be a good idea to speak with her and see if she’s found something that matches.”

“I’ll also send a message to O5 Command and see if they have anything that matches, maybe The Foundation already came across it but were, unaware of its connection to the Fae. Chris, I’d take a photo of the painting.”

“Already on it.” Chris said as he took out his camera and took several images of the painting. “I’ll print out a couple copies so you guys can present them to whoever you plan to get answers from.”

“All right. Let’s just finish up here until the containment team arrives, and then we can head back and begin our investigation.”

With the plan thought out, the three of them continued archiving all the contents of the chamber. Two hours later the containment team arrived and assists in gathering all artifacts.

20th of March

Esterberg's Market District: Częstochowa, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland

As head archivist, it was just another day of reviewing old documents and ancient records for Olivié Gwyneth. She’d just finished explaining another old tome for a client.

With a sigh of relief, Gwyneth placed her client notes in an envelope and tossed it into her “Out” box.

“Finally, that should cover the last request for the day.” Satisfied with another job done for the Sidhe Lounge, Gwyneth stood up from her desk, stretched her arms up, and sighed with relief. She headed over to the kitchen to brew a cup of hot tea.

’’I’m drowning in archive requests. Maybe I should consider getting an assistant.” She said while waiting for her kettle to boil.

Suddenly, her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of knocking at her her front door.

“Huh, perfect timing.”

With a smile, Gwyneth headed straight to the front door. Waiting on the other side was Jessie Rivera carrying a small envelope.

“Hi Olivié, I guess you got my message?”

“Yeah. Your timing is perfect, I just finished up and I’m making some tea.”

“Thanks, that would be great. I can’t stay long; I have a lot of documenting I have to do back at 120.” Rivera said as she entered and followed Gwyneth to her personal library.

“Sure, I understand. So, what did you want to talk to me about? You said you needed my help with something. I’m guessing it involves the Empire.” Gwyneth asked as she settled into one of her comfy reading chairs.

“Yes. You remember Chris, that new junior archeologist I told you about? Earlier today while he was in Ireland during time off, he discovered an entrance to an underground tunnel. Daniel and I took a team down there to investigate and discovered an ancient structure from the Fae Empire.”

“Oh, please tell me you found something big!” Gwyneth exclaimed.

“We did. There was an Irrilite plaque with the royal seal not far from the tunnel entrance that Chris was able to translate. The ruins were a repository used by Mab and The Inventor, one that contained-”

“A repository?! Jessie, be honest with me. Tell me that it wasn’t empty!” Gwyneth rose quickly got up from her chair and interrupted Rivera.

“Let me finish. Anyway, that plaque I mentioned before, there was an inscribed message on it… a message that we have no reason to doubt was left by The Inventor. Apparently before she went to face against Mab, she came to this repository and stored many artifacts and documents of great importance to the empire, as well as intentionally leaving the repository opened and unprotected in the hopes of future civilizations discovering it and doing great good with it.”

With eyes gone wide, Gwyneth just stood there frozen in place staring at Rivera as she took in all the information that she learned.

…

…

Squeal!

Until she broke this behavior by loudly squealing with glee and excitement. She then grabbed Rivera by the shoulders and looked her in the eyes.

“Jessie please! As one friend to another, you have got to get me into that repository! Just imagine all the untold historical text and valuable artifacts that are just waiting to be viewed!”

Rivera gently pushes Gwyneth back into her chair.

“Geez Olivié, relax! I think you might need to lay off the tea a little bit, you normally don’t react so hyper.” Rivera says as she sits back into her own chair.

“Don’t be silly, there’s barely any sugar in the tea that I drink. Oh, that reminds me, just a second.” Gwyneth then gets up from her seat and heads back down the stairs. She comes back up a minute later with two fresh mugs of tea, giving one to Rivera.

“Thanks. As for the repository, unfortunately we already had all the contents transported to Site-120. But don’t worry, I promise I’ll share everything we uncover. I’ll contact you if we ever need assistance.” Rivera then blew on her tea before taking a sip and placing it on the coffee table in front of them. “The contents are why I’m here actually. Well, one of them to be more specific.”

Rivera then placed an envelope onto the table and slid it towards Gwyneth.

“It’s this painting that Chris found. It seems to be of some sort of city, one likely of Fae origin given it was stored in there. However, we can’t seem to figure out the location it’s depicting. I was hoping maybe you have some idea, maybe you came across something similar.”

“Well then, let me take a look.” Gwyneth picked up the envelope and slid out the photos into her hands. As she views the photos, her face slowly morphed from professional curiosity, to subtle familiarity and then to baffling shock.

“By word… Is this? It-it can’t be… could it? It really exists?!”

“What does exist? What is it?” Rivera asked as she can tell that Gwyneth is in disbelief.

Gwyneth then quickly put the photos down before she rushed over toward her bookshelf and climbed the ladder to the higher shelves. After some searching, she found the tome she was looking for. She returned with it and placed the tome down on the table. Rivera caught a glimpse at the title — The Spire Star: The Six Grand Citadels of the Fae Empire, By Trygve Dirmarren.

“Jessie… You might have just found the evidence needed to solve one of the oldest Fae mysteries and myths in all of history!” Gwyneth opened the tome and started to browse through the pages until stopping at one page with an illustration of a map depicting six cities. Five of them were placed on the point of a five-pointed star while the sixth was in the middle. Each city was also accompanied by text that appeared to be in Anglo-Saxon runes.

“Now, I’m sure you are familiar with the kingdom of Arlende right?” Gwyneth asked Rivera as she pulled out her reading glasses.

“Of course. It was the capital of the Fae Empire where the royal palace of Mab and The Inventor was located, it was also the kingdom of the Star Gazers during the Age of Tranquility prior to the empire.”

“Yes, but did you know it wasn’t the only major city of the Fae Empire?” Gwyneth then turned her attention to the map, individually pointing at the six cities. “While there were many smaller settlements the empire was composed of, there were six major city-states that were the empire’s center of power. They referred to these cities as the Spire Star. They were considered the most powerful, prosperous, and most beautiful cities in the entire empire, nothing could compare to how majestic they were. Not only that, but each city was inhabited by a specific sub-species of Fae people. Of course, only the upper class Fae were able to enjoy many of the benefits each city had to offer, though of course Fae of all kinds were free to visit and settle down in either.”

She pointed to the city in the middle of the star.

“First there was Arlende, the Velvet Spire, which was the heart and control of the Fae. The twin queens Mab and the Inventor ruled over all. It was the wealthiest and largest city. It was inhabited by the common Fae, Homo Sapiens Sidhe, but the population mainly consisted of aristocratic Fae. But you already knew all this of course.”

Gwyneth then pointed to the upper right city.

“Next was Brasilveen, the Amber Spire, considered the mind of the Spire Star. as it was a hub for learning and studying magic. This city was dominated by the Elves, scientifically named Homo Sapiens Sidhe Tumuli, or as you would know them as the Tuatha dé Danann. Many believe Hy-Brasil was built over the ruins of Brasilveen, due to the similarity in their names and the history of the inhabitants of both.”

Gwyneth then pointed to the lower right city.

“Then there was the Sapphire Spire. The name of this city has been lost to time, but the author of this tome has dubbed it Niflheim. Located on a cliff along the shore, it was known as the Sea Hub and provided entertainment and relaxation, and even had a colosseum built for tournaments. Mab herself visited the city often, as it was governed by one of her own daughters. The dominant inhabitants were the Undine or Undying, scientifically named Homo Sapiens Sidhe Naiad. Sadly, it had one of the most destructive ends when it sank into the sea. There is some speculation that it may not have been completely destroyed, as witness accounts described seeing a bubble made of light forming around the city before the cliff collapsed into the water.”

Gwyneth shifted her focus to the lower left city.

“Fernafaun, the Emerald Spire, was nicknamed Gaia’s Meadow and the inhabitants embraced nature. They built their structures from natural materials such as towers made from hollowed out trees or living in high treehouses. They bonded with the creatures of the wild, enchanted them, and taught them magic. The entire city was filled with flora and fauna. Its people were known as Dryads and Sprites, both under the scientific name Sidhe Norn Napaea, with the Dryads embracing flora and the Sprites embracing fauna. As they were so linked with nature, their city survived the empire’s fall in a sense. The city fused with the very essence of nature itself.”

Gwyneth then turned to the upper left city.

“In the west was Neonachlar, the Opal Spire. Dubbed the Star Valley, it was known to have the most beautiful view of the night sky, resembling a black ocean filled with diamonds. Inhabited by the Pùca or pixies, scientifically dubbed Homo Sapiens Sidhe Stellaris. Pixies resembled Sidhe Fae, except they had pale green skin, six small eyes, and wings like a dragonfly. They were quite short and their hair was multicolored and vibrant. They were expert craftsmen who lived in crystal topped treehouses and towers so they could always watch the stars they worshipped and loved. The fall of this city is up for debate. Some believe they went into hiding before the collapse, others think they found a way to ascend into the heavens to be among the stars, while others think they somehow escaped to a realm of stardust and dreams.”

Before Gwyneth could continue, Rivera put her hands up signaling her to stop.

“Hold on Olivié, I’m going to have to stop you for a moment. Look, don’t get me wrong. I truly find the story you’re telling me fascinating, and it has helped me learn more about the empire and the Fae than I already knew. However, I honestly don’t see what this has to do with the painting we found. Also, you mentioned something earlier about a mystery. What mystery?”

Gwyneth sighed in understanding before proceeding to respond to Rivera.

“Trust me, I was actually just getting to that. I know this might seem unnecessary detailing these ancient cities and their peoples. But it’s important to understanding all the facts about the empire to help you make Comparisons.”

“Comparisons?” Rivera asked, honestly confused on where Gwyneth was going with this.

“Yes, comparisons. Because out of all the six cities of the Spire Star, out of all the lands of power and wonder that held up the empire, only one stood above them all. A city so beautiful and powerful that it rivaled the capitol of Arlende itself, one that was so breathtaking that many would consider it a symbol of pure flawlessness and absolute divinity, one many considered an absolute paradise untouched by the wickedness of Mab’s influence. It was, in all sense and purposes, the crowning achievement of the Fae Empire. Out of all the spires, none were more glorious… than the Silver Spire, Fata Morgana.” Gwyneth said in a tone and manner that was both filled with obvious pride, but also pity and grief, as if she was speaking of a cherished loved one who had long since passed away.

“Fata Morgana? Is that-“ Rivera began to say before being interrupted by Gwyneth as she instantly responded.

“Yes, that is what the painting is depicting. It was a utopian citadel that was built on the ocean’s surface, a few miles off the ocean shores. They say that when the sun would set, Fata Morgana would overlap it just as the moon would during an eclipse, and the city would shine and sparkle brightly like a perfect diamond, absolutely flawless. It was a city of wonder, peace, and creativity. Many of the finest art pieces and some of the most soothing hymns were created within its walls. Even the architecture of Fata Morgana were works of art, tall smooth towers from pure silver and magnificent spires from glistening crystal, all adorned with etchings with detailing of the finest gold and alabaster. Fountains and pools of pure crystal blue water were spread throughout the city, with hundreds of bridges and walkways constructed so one could view them from near and far, as they sparkled with starlight during the night hours. But Fata Morgana cherished nature just as much as it did its architectural beauty. Their parks glistening with the greenest dew coated grass and lush healthy trees that had bark as gray as marble and leaves that were a silvery green. On windy days, they would produce beautiful melodies like that of a wind chime. But no sight within Fata Morgana was more breathtaking and more glorious than the heart of the city, a massive, towering palace that could be seen even miles outside the city’s walls. They called it the Titania Spire.”

“Wait, Titania? Like from A Midsummer Night’s Dream? Was that the name of the ruler? If I’m honest, I always assumed that Titania was…” Rivera asked as she interrupted Gwyneth for the second time.

“What? That Titania was possibly the Inventor’s name?” She then laughed for a moment. “No of course not, don’t be silly. That’s just a common misconception that Shakespeare made when he did his own research on the Fae Empire and wrote that play, not knowing that the Inventor lost her name and assumed that it was Titania. However, there was a figure named Titania that existed in the past before the empire, but she wasn’t a queen. She was described as a very magically gifted and benevolent motherly figure in legend. She was very beloved by all and helped perform many miracles for her people. Though she wasn’t a queen, some theorized she may have possibly been an ancestor to Mab and the Inventor, but that’s just speculation. Fata Morgana supposedly named the palace after her, because much like she was, the people of Fata Morgana were capable of many incredible things.”

“And who were the people of Fata Morgana? I assume much like the other five cities; the inhabitants were a sub-breed of Fae.” Rivera asked, as she began to start writing down this information for future investigations and research.

“Sidhe Leanan Hesperides, better known as… The Changelings or Otherkin. Much like how their home was seen as the most glorious city of the empire, they were seen as the most beautiful of all Fae peoples. They looked almost practically identical to common Sidhe Fae, but their eyes were colorful instead of black and sparkled like gemstones. Their skin was also much healthier looking in color and had a slight blue glint to it, almost as if it were made of pure porcelain. Their hair could appear in any color imaginable, and always flowed like silk. But it was their wings that was their most beautiful trait. Large and vibrant, translucent and with a texture that made one think of the Northern lights. But above all, they were strong and flowed with mana. The minute you set foot within the walls of Fata Morgana, you would witness its citizens soaring in the air with grace and glamor, as they relished the feeling of the wind flowing through their hair and wings.” Gwyneth stops to look behind her at her own wings before continuing. “While us common Fae have lost the ability of flight long ago, if the changelings were still around, they might still have the ability.”

“Still around huh? I’m guessing the end of Fata Morgana was even more devastating than the others during the fall, wasn’t it?” Rivera asked as she could tell that something bad happened to this city and its people. She began to feel great sympathy and would have loved to have met such incredible individuals for herself.

“… I don’t know.” Gwyneth responded plainly.

“…What? What do you mean you don’t know?” Rivera asked in honest confusion and surprise.

“I mean, I don’t know! Hell, nobody knows what happened to it. No one knows if it survived the fall or if it was destroyed, it just… disappeared.”

“Disappeared?” Rivera questioned.

“Yes. While it’s not entirely clear what occurred, we have found tomes that give us clues to what may have occurred, although it’s mostly speculation that these tomes are little more than fairy tales, so it’s therefore up for debate whether the accounts are true or not. According to legends, on the morning of the day the Inventor clashed with Mab, leading to the empire’s downfall, a strange humming chime of sound rose far off the shore’s horizon where Fata Morgana stood. Very soon after, a mysterious glittering pink mist appeared and proceeded to engulf the city, completely hiding it within its shroud. When the mist finally dissipated, and the humming fell silent… Fata Morgana was gone. Vanished without a trace. One minute it was there, and the next…” She raised her right hand and snapped her fingers. “…nothing.”

For minutes the room was silent. Rivera was gathering all the details in her head as she tried to form the big picture of everything that Gwyneth had just revealed to her. However, there were two questions in her mind that had yet to be answered.

“I see now why you aren’t sure about the cities’ fate, but there are two things I’d like to know. If this city was so cherished and so influential to the Fae and the empire, then how come we at the Foundation haven’t found anything that hinted it ever existed? Also, there’s still this great mystery you claimed we might have solved.”

Gwyneth didn’t speak for a moment, then she let out a deep breath, regained her composure, and put on her professional persona.

“Well, there isn’t an exact answer to the first question. But I have a theory that might explain why no evidence of its existence has been found. To put it simply… my theory is that Mab is the reason.”

“I see. While that wouldn’t be all that surprising, what makes you think it was because of her?” Rivera asked, now interested in hearing more about Gwyneth’s theory.

“Well, I already said it earlier. While the other five cities still followed a feudalistic dictatorship influenced by Mab, and favored the aristocrats far above the poor and the Human and Yeren slaves, Fata Morgana did not. Mab had no control over the city, because they followed the morals and ways of the Inventor. She protected the city from her sister and her cruelty towards the poor. They also had no traces of slavery. It was said that the Inventor and the ruler of Fata Morgana were incredibly close friends, and legend says the Inventor entrusted them to protect something she highly valued. Mab hated Fata Morgana and was jealous of the city. Because of the Inventor’s protection, as well as the respect of the rest of the empire, Mab could not destroy the city. Doing so would have likely escalated in a revolt against her, for even the aristocrats and Mabbites valued Fata Morgana.”

“So, what did she do if she couldn’t even touch the city?”

“Well, in one of those same tomes that described its disappearance, it was mentioned that it was incredibly foolish to bring a memento of Fata Morgana outside of its walls, for the mad twin would bring down her wrath upon them if caught in the act. So, I believe that Mab chose to separate or isolate Fata Morgana from the rest of the empire to the point that not only did she destroy the marble bridge leading to its gates, and likely imprisoning the Changelings within their own homes, but she would also severely punish anyone with either imprisonment or death just for bringing anything out of its walls. Anything that was already outside of the city before Fata Morgana’s exile was either forcibly returned or destroyed. So, anything that was of Fata Morgana origin disappeared along with the city. That’s where the mystery comes in!” Gwyneth stated with a sense of encouragement.

“And the mystery is…?” Rivera cut herself off, suggesting that Gwyneth finish the sentence.”

“Whether Fata Morgana ever even existed!” Gwyneth exclaimed. “We know that the other five existed because not only do we have evidence such as artifacts and ruins, but the other Fae races do exist as they are still around to this day, even though they’re not as common as Sidhe Fae. A number of the Fae citizens here in Esterberg are one of the other races, like Susan Ilifir who’s a Dryad that owns a flower shop, or Bishop Adasatra who’s a Pixie glassblower. Fata Morgana on the other hand… There’s nothing. No ruins, no relics, not even the Changelings! Nothing has ever been found to confirm that Fata Morgana was real, because of that most today believe it to be nothing more than an old legend, a mere myth.” Gwyneth said before letting out a sad sigh. “I think I even mentioned it once in a story I did a lecture on.”

“But do you believe it existed?” Rivera asked, sensing Gwyneth’s ambiguity about Fata Morgana.

“Well, I always had hope that it was real, or at least something like it. But, over time I started to have my doubts and was considering maybe it was just an old made up story” Then she looked back up to Rivera as her expression changed from that of gloominess to satisfaction. “…But that has all changed thanks to you and the Foundation!”

She then grabbed the painting photos and brought them towards Rivera.

“Because you found this! This painting here, one that you claimed was found within the royal treasure repository, is proof that Fata Morgana indeed existed! The Silver Spire was real, and the Changelings were a real people!” Gwyneth said to Rivera feeling satisfied and delighted to know that an old mystery was just solved, before she came to a realization and sat back in the chair. “Of course, that only leaves one mystery unsolved.”

Rivera could instantly tell what Gwyneth was thinking, as she too had the same question on her mind.

“…Where did they go?”

Bzzt. Bzzt. Bzzt.

They were interrupted from their thoughts by a buzzing sound. Judging from the vibration that Rivera felt within her pocket, it was her own phone. Realizing this, she stood up from her chair while pulling the device from her pocket.

“Sorry, would you give me a minute? This might be important?” Rivera asked Gwyneth as she moved away to speak privately.

“No, go ahead, I don’t mind. Work is important after all.”

Satisfied with Gwyneth’s response, Rivera immediately answered.

“Hello?”

“Jessie, it’s Chris. Have you gotten any information regarding the painting yet?”

“Yeah, I definitely got a lot of information regarding the location depicted in the painting, among other things. It’s called Fata Morgana, an ancient lost state of the Fae Empire. Why?”

“Because we might already have a lead on this place!”

“What? What do you mean and how?”

“Two reasons. First is that we didn’t look at the painting hard enough. While being examined, the research team found an envelope hidden on the back under the frame. It had a message in ancient Fae that I feel you should know about.” Halloran said excitedly through the phone.

“Well… What did it say?!”

“It said If great time has passed by the time this note be read, heed these words so that my people can reunite with its missing thread. Let the melody flow before the fading sun and the sparkling shore, and the world will see the white towers shine once more. But there’s more, on the back of the note is a bunch of musical notes for a song. I think you can already guess where this is going?”

Rivera eyes widened in shock as she immediately put two and two together. The note was telling them how they could bring back Fata Morgana.

“Did you already inform Daniel about this?” Rivera asked as she paced back and forth, immediately understanding the seriousness of what was occurring.

“Oh I just talked to him before calling you, in fact that’s where the second reason comes in. You won’t believe this, but it turns out… the Foundation already found this Fata Morgana!”

Rivera stopped pacing as she took a few seconds to register what Halloran just stated to her.

“…What?!”

“I’m not making this shit up, they did! SCP-3903, some sort of extradimensional city that at times partially manifests in baseline reality some distance off a beach shore, but only under certain circumstances. They discovered it a few years ago, and have been keeping track of it ever since. However, while they did have their suspicions, the O5 didn’t know it was truly of Fae origin because we could never get inside the city… At least no one from the Foundation that is.”

Halloran’s last words caught Rivera’s curiosity as it sounded suspicious yet important.

“What do you mean no one from the Foundation?”

“Well, apparently the city will appear before the sun disappears off the horizon to specific people that were dubbed 3903-A. These are humans who claim to believe they may not be spiritually human, saying that they believe themselves to have been some form of Faerie in another life, dubbing themselves Otherkins.”

“…Otherkins?” Rivera looked towards Gwyneth with a look of complete shock as she recognized that term from their earlier conversation.

“Look, once Asheworth sent them the picture of the painting, they immediately noticed the similarities and demanded we get more information. He already informed them about the note we found. Once we get the data from you, they’ll possibility authorize an attempt for Site-120 to try and make contact with the city first thing tomorrow. But I honestly have my doubts it will work. I mean they won’t open the doors for humans unless they’re an 3903-A instance, so how do we convince them to let us in?”

Rivera could understand where Chris was going with this. From what the Foundation could tell and from what she was able to gather so far, it appeared that the city won’t just allow ordinary humans to enter its walls. Maybe they don’t believe we can be trusted, or they have specific rules when it comes to gaining entry. Suddenly Rivera had an idea. Maybe if they brought a Fae with them, it would show them they could trust the Foundation, maybe they’d allow entry.

Luckily Rivera already knew someone who knew she and Site-120 were trustworthy, and she was in the same room as her.

“Would you hold for a second?” She then put Halloran on hold as she then turned back and walked over to Gwyneth. “Olivié, I’m going to need your help. I think we already found your lost city, and I need you to be a voice of reason and persuade them to let us in. I can’t think of anyone else who I can count on for this. Can I count on you?”

Gwyneth once again stood frozen in place staring at Rivera, as she contemplated what she had just heard.

…Then she immediately bolted out of her chair and headed back downstairs.

“I’LL GET MY EXPEDITION GEAR!”

Rivera couldn’t help but laugh at her friend’s sudden excitement and enthusiasm. Knowing that Gwyneth was all in on the idea, she turned back to the phone and continued speaking to Halloran.

“Inform the O5 that we’re bringing along Olivié Gwyneth to act as an ambassador of Esterberg, and as a means of gaining trust with the inhabitants of Fata Morgana.”

“Ok, I’ll tell them you’re bringing her along. But I don’t think that’ll be enough. Sure, she’s a Fae just like them, but I don’t think just one Fae friend of yours is going to be enough to convince them to let us in their doors. We need someone much more powerful who can persuade them to reason, and it would have to be someone they are familiar with. However, if this city is as old as I think it is, then it would have to be someone or something that has been around during, or even before, the Fae Empire! Where the hell could we possibly find such an entity?!”

Rivera thought it over and admitted Chris had a good point, it’s going to take a lot more than just one Fae to convince them to let them in their home. It would have to be someone who not only knows Site-120 and the Foundation as a whole can be trusted, but someone who knows more about the Fae and ancient history than anyone else, someone they would be familiar with and respected.

Then it clicked as Rivera smiled, for she remembered they already knew such an individual, who also had experience with negotiations and all kinds of thaumaturgy.

“I think I know who would fit that role.”

21st of March

Brzezno Beach: Gdańsk, Poland

Standing on the beautiful, expansive shores of Brzezno Beach, Daniel Asheworth and Chris Halloran were watching the lovely sunset, as they waited for Jessie Rivera and her companions to arrive. Unfortunately, Halloran’s patience and assurance were starting to weaken.

“Are you sure this is the right place, and you’re positive there’s no chance of possible witnesses?” Halloran asked Asheworth, as he continuously tapped his foot in the sand.

“I’m positive. We chose this beach carefully. It’s large, has a great view, and it’s the closest one to Site-120 and Częstochowa. As for witnesses, the beach is vacant at this time, and we have numerous MTFs on watch duty to ensure no college freshmen try to throw any late-night parties. We also brought some thaumaturgists Pataphysicists to whip up some narrative spells along the coasts to make people oblivious to whatever happens, a little extra precaution.” Daniel replied as he continued to watch and admire the sunset.

“Well, that’s good to hear. But I was referring to the fact that Dr. Rivera isn’t here yet. What’s taking her so long? If she doesn’t make it in time, we’ll miss the mark!” Halloran said as he began to tap his foot faster.

“She had to pick up our two representatives for this exploration. One of them lives in the Ural Mountains, so it’s understandable it will take her longer to get here.”

“Wait, the Ural Mountains? What kind of person would live in th—“ Halloran began to say before he was interrupted by the sound of a helicopter in the distance. They both turned to see a Foundation chopper approaching the shore.

“See? Made it just in time.” Asheworth said as the helicopter began descending towards the beach.

Once the helicopter landed, Asheworth and Halloran approached it as the sliding doors were being opened. Out came Jessie Rivera and Olivié Gwyneth, the latter had a huge smile on her face, as she was hauling an expedition backpack and carrying an HD video camera.

“There you are Jessie, you made it with several minutes to spare. I have to say though, you sure took your time.” Asheworth said to Rivera as she brushed her hair out of her face from the helicopter blades picking up wind.

“Yeah, sorry about that. Olivié was really excited for this and did several last minute bag inspections.”

“Hey, can you blame me? I’m about to become a witness to the rediscovery of one of the greatest citadels of the Fae Empire! Of course I’m excited!” Gwyneth said, as she started slightly bouncing in place from the adrenaline.

“Hey, I’m just as excited too. I was starting to worry that you weren’t going to make it. So, where’s this other guest that you took so long to pick up?” Halloran said to Gwyneth before speaking to Rivera.

“I believe that would be me.”

The groups attention was brought towards the helicopter as two other individuals began exiting, both of them reptilian in appearance with large leather wings on their backs. One was crimson with long white hair wearing royal looking robes and jewelry, while the other was a dark brownish gray wearing golden knight styled armor and carried what resembled a platinum colored double bladed lance with gold detailing. Unlike Halloran and Gwyneth, Asheworth and Rivera were quite familiar with the two entities.

“King Ragna, It’s been a while. How are things going with Arcadia?” Asheworth said as he walked up to greet the Droganian monarch with a handshake.

“Asheworth, it is good to see you again. It’s never been better thanks to your Foundation, I sometimes barely recognize it with all it’s modern accommodations and advancements. However, I would like to apologize for the delay. We needed to have a discussion with the rest of the Dragoon’s Circle about allowing me to accompany you on this investigation. They eventually agreed as long as Captain Agron accompanied me as protection.” King Ragna said greeting back with a courteous bow before presenting his armies’ commander.

“Apologies from me as well, Asheworth, but we didn’t want to take risks with this Fata Morgana, considering what my league shared with me of what you’ve informed him. If this city really was part of the Fae Empire, I feel it’s better that I accompany him.” Captain Agron said as he stood by his king’s side.

“It’s not a problem, we completely understand. However, we still believe you accompanying us would do more good than harm.” Rivera reassured the two Droganians as she moved to stand next to Asheworth.

King Ragna responded with a courteous nod before his attention shifted toward Gwyneth and Halloran.

“Ah, these must be your two other companions, I am humbled to make your acquaintance. I am the Vajra King Ragna Von Morrowind, head of the Dragoon’s Circle and ruler of the Droganian city of Arcadia.” King Ragna greeted them both with a bow while his hand was on his heart.

“Um… Chris Halloran, it’s a pleasure to meet you, your highness.” Halloran responded awkwardly, not expecting this type of company. While Halloran heard some background about the Droganians, he wasn’t that familiar with them in comparison to the Fae, despite knowing the history between the two races.

Gwyneth’s greeting and demeanor however was much more enthusiastic and friendly than Halloran’s.

“I’m Olivié Gwyneth, Fae historian and the head archivist of the Sidhe Lounge. It is an honor and pleasure to meet you and your captain your highness! Gwyneth exclaimed as she enthusiastically shook his hand. She suddenly came to her senses and stopped as her face turned red from embarrassment. “I’m… I’m so sorry about that, I didn’t mean to be so forward. It’s just that meeting you is so exciting. My grandmother used to tell me stories about your ancestors when I was little.”

“No need to apologise, I’m actually quite flattered at your enthusiasm.” King Ragna assured her that it was nothing to worry about.

“If I may interrupt, how exactly are you going to help us get into the city? Which, may I remind you we need to hurry and summon quickly while the sun is still up!” Halloran said, as he was getting anxious from wasting time.

“Relax Chris, we still have time. But to answer your question, the Droganians’ predecessors, the Sky Keepers, were wise and powerful dragons who helped many sapient races to thrive and build civilizations in the ancient past, including the Fae. So if the Fae of Fata Morgana see that we have two dragons accompanying us, they’ll let us in for sure.” Asheworth informed Chris, who then calmed down. “But you’re right, we should get started.”

“Agreed. Do you guys have the notes to perform the summoning?” Rivera asked as Gwyneth started filming in anticipation of the arrival of the city.

“Yeah, we made a copy of it to bring along. But that begs the question, how do we play it? It’s a music sheet, and I’m going to guess whistling won’t work.” Chris asked, as he pulled out the folded copy he had in his pocket.

“No need to worry, I have it covered.” King Ragna said as he pulled something out of the folds of his robe. A regal jewel encrusted wind instrument that resembled a pan flute. “While I do put my royal responsibilities as a leader first, I do often like to dabble in the art of hymns in my spare time. Now, the note if you please?”

Halloran walked over and held up the music sheet for King Ragna, he memorized the notes for a minute before bringing the flute to his lips. He took a quick deep breath, and began playing.

—

Silver towers, so grand and majestic

Stars so bright and pure

Home to dreams and beauty and grace

One of love and peace

Just like a mother's gentle touch

One can feel the cities warm embrace.

—

The group was mesmerized as they watched the king’s flute performance. It actually proved to be quite enjoyable. When his performance concluded, they all turned their attention toward the beach and waited for the effects of the song to occur.

…

…

…

…

…

Yet nothing appeared.

“…Is something supposed to happen?” King Ragna questioned the others, just as confused at the inactivity.

“I-I don’t get it; this should have worked! The note clearly said if we played the music on a beach before the sun fully set, Fata Morgana should appear! So where is it?!” Halloran said, feeling confused and aggravated.

“Maybe we missed a step?” Rivera asked, thinking that maybe they overlooked some sort of detail.

“No that can’t be it, there was nothing else on that note but the message and the music sheet. We even checked every corner and crevice of the painting and—“ Halloran began to rant before he was suddenly interrupted by Gwyneth, who unlike the others kept her focus on the horizon.

“Wait a minute!”

“Look, Olivié, I know this seems to be going bad but—“ Rivera tried to assure Gwyneth, feeling that she might be feeling disappointed that nothing happened. However, Gwyneth interrupted her as she glanced around, wide eyed.

“No guys seriously, shh! Everyone be quiet!” Gwyneth shouted, as she held her hand up, commanding everyone to listen to her.

“What’s wrong?” Asheworth questioned.

“Listen… Don’t you hear that?”

Everyone stood absolutely silent as they listened to their surroundings. Suddenly they all began to hear something, a very faint sound that was almost unnoticeable, a slight humming noise that seemed to be very slowly growing in volume.

But then they all began to feel a faint strange sensation around them. There was a growing pulsation in the air. They felt the air around them begin to vibrate as if reality itself was bending and reforming, like a small pond rippling with sudden small waves.

“…I’m not the only one who feels that, right?” Halloran asked, feeling overwhelmed.

“I know this feeling… dimensional fluctuation.” King Ragna spoke out, recognizing the feeling of space and reality being manipulated.

“I don’t like this.” Captain Agron said as he got into a defensive position, pointing his lance forward and guarding King Ragna.

Suddenly, an audible beeping noise began to rise. Everyone wondered where the beeping was emanating from, until Asheworth came to a realization and pulled something from his jacket pocket. His EESPR was the source of the noise. He had it in standby mode and it must’ve detected EVE readings and reactivated. Sure enough, it was picking up high levels of EVE radiation coming from way off the shores.

That’s when he noticed a shimmer forming in front of the sun.

“Guys, you might want to look at this.” He said to the others, as he pointed towards the sea.

Everyone now took notice of the vastly growing shimmering aura and energy that was forming out on the ocean. It grew and rippled as it began to take form, like a desert mirage. The strange noise also began to change, as it shifted from a soft humming to a melodic chorus of hymns. The sound they heard could best be compared to an angelic choir singing in harmony.

It wasn’t long before the light of the aura began to softly fade, and as it did, structures began to become more visible. Gleaming white and golden buildings, silver towers, and expansive bridges could be seen. But the most amazing sight of all of was the massive palace-like structure in the center, one that towered over all the other buildings and loomed over all its surroundings like a guardian angel.

Fata Morgana, the Silver Spire of the Fae Empire… had returned.

“By Bahamut’s scales…” Captain Agron said in absolute shock and amazement, as he lowered his spear while continuing to stare at the incredible sight before him

“Fata Morgana…” Asheworth said, just as hypnotized by the sight.

Everyone was absolutely overwhelmed as they admired the sight lying before them. The glistening lights coming from the many buildings within the city, the angelic and beautifully crafted architecture, and the omnipresent white glow that surrounded it all… It had to be the most beautiful and divine sight that any of them have ever seen.

“Ooh… It-it’s so beautiful.” Rivera said as she came out of her stunned trance.

“…It’s enough to make a grow man cry.” Halloran said, as his eyes began to water, overwhelmed by the stunning city. Then he suddenly shook his head as he came to, before wiping away the tears and trying to act calm. “N-not that I was crying or anything!”

But it became clear someone was crying as they heard the sound of sniffling and quick breathing. It became clear that Gwyneth was the culprit as she continued to film the sight before her, her eyes becoming red as they dripped with tears. Seeing this Rivera immediately went over to comfort her friend.

“Olivié, are you okay?”

Gwyneth remained silent for several seconds before finally responding.

“I’m more than okay. I’m overwhelmed with joy!” She said as her expression shifted to that of absolute glee, as she continued crying tears of joy. “It’s real. The legends were true! Fata Morgana IS REAL, and it’s even more beautiful than I ever imagined!” As she began to regain her composure, she exclaimed. “We have to get in there!” with pure excitement.

“I agree with the young lady. I think it’s time we see this metropolis from the inside!” King Ragna said as he was just as excited to visit the city.

“Well then, what the hell are we just standing around for?! Everyone into the… Chopper?” Halloran began instructing the others, before something in front of them suddenly caught his attention.

Just in front of them, a large flat spherical disk manifested on the beach. It was shiny and reflective, it looked as if it were composed of pure silver. Suddenly, another disk appeared behind the first one, then another disk after that one, and then another, and another, and another. The disks continued to manifest out of thin air, aligning vertically in front of each one another towards the city. It was quickly clear to everyone what they were looking at.

It was a bridge.

“Well… that’s convenient.” Rivera said as she got over the sudden surprise.

“…Right, I forgot silver disks manifesting was mentioned in the 3903 document. But this wasn’t supposed to happen! They only form after a 3903-A throws a skipping stone, and they never straight up manifested into a bridge before!” Halloran said as he moved up to one of the disks then knelt to get a closer look.

“Who cares! We have a bridge so let’s take it. Besides you can ask them when we’re inside!” Gwyneth said as she immediately hopped onto the first disk, startling Halloran who ended up falling face first on the silvery surface. Gwyneth then proceeded to cross the bridge, overwhelmed by excitement and this golden opportunity.

“Olivié, wait!” Rivera shouted as she began to follow Gwyneth, attempting to catch up with her.

“Well then, let us not let the young Fae lady wait any longer. Let us move forward, come Agron!” King Ragna said to the rest of the party as he too began crossing the bridge with Captain Agron following right behind him.

Halloran then got up and rubbed his forehead, annoyed that Gwyneth surprised him and made him hit his head.

“Well, I don’t know about you, but I think we should follow the others. I’m honestly just as curious to find out what we’ll see.” Asheworth said as he helped up Halloran.

“Yeah, you’re right, no more waiting” Halloran said as the two of them proceeded to catch up with the others on the bridge.

For almost 30 minutes, they continued walking forward as the city got closer and closer, while the shore grew further and further in the distance. Things were calm and peaceful as they made their way across the bridge. As they did so, each of them couldn’t help but wonder what would be waiting for them.

During their walk, Asheworth wondered what kind of rich sources of thaumaturgical knowledge they would uncover. Considering the feeling of reality warping and the EVE readings that were detected, he suspected that Fata Morgana seemed to be outside of baseline reality. This made him beg the question however, why and how did it happen? Was there some sort of major anomalous event that separated it from baseline reality, or was Fata Morgana always like this? It couldn’t help but remind him of Esterberg, a nexus that was both full of magic, and home to many Fae. Maybe Fata Morgana was always a nexus? Well, he hoped to soon find out the answers.

Rivera, on the other hand, was more interested in the culture and lifestyle of the city. At first, she expected the city to appear deserted and in ruins, but the sight before her told her the exact opposite. She also recalled the information Halloran told her about the 3903-A instances that claimed to be reborn Fae, how the city appeared to them, and how a number of them had apparently entered its walls. Taking all those details into consideration, there was no doubt in her mind there were people in the city. She just hoped that they were peaceful.

Halloran was thinking about the vast history and artifacts which could be uncovered. If this city really did exist back during the Fae Empire, then surely they must have history books overflowing with knowledge of the past. He could already image the quality and quantity of artifacts they’d get to glimpse, judging by the size of the city and its architecture. One thing was for certain, he had his fingers crossed for the chance that they had a museum.

King Ragna was curious about what kind of government this city followed, and who lead it. He recalled during their meeting with the Dragoon’s Circle, that Rivera informed them Fata Morgana did not follow Mab’s ways. If that was true, he hoped that his people and theirs would come to an agreement and form an alliance or beneficial relationship. If these people did follow The Inventor’s teachings, and if the ancient stories regarding the noble Avalus were true, then surely they would want to make up for the atrocities committed on his ancestors because of Mab.

Gwyneth, on the other hand, she wanted to know everything. She shared the same curiosities as the others, but she yearned to learn everything from their traditions, technology, laws, economy, politics, artworks, literature, and more. She was so excited she was even noting down a list of questions as they were walking. Normally she wouldn’t be so giddy and enthusiastic, but who wouldn’t be when they had the opportunity to study a surviving remnant of one of the most powerful empires in all of ancient history.

It wasn’t long before their walk finally came to an end. They found themselves standing in front of a massive pair of highly decorated golden double doors. Each half made up the effigy of a crowned Fae woman with six wings, and had light blue gems in place of eyes. They could also see that the city was surrounded by a large white wall, with watchtowers located every forty feet.

“Ok, am I the only one who feels like they’re standing at the gates of Heaven?” Halloran asked everyone as he stood staring at the massive gate in awe.

“I mean, it is a heavenly sight.” Rivera replied with a shrug of her shoulders.

“Marvelous, quite fine craftsmanship! This reminds me a lot of the Arcadian gates.” King Ragna said as he walked up and slid his hands on the doors, admiring the fine carvings and smooth polishing of the metal.

Suddenly, Captain Agron jolted as if he felt a presence. He then looked up before quickly dashing toward King Ragna “GET BACK MY LIEGE!” He grabbed King Ragna by his shoulder guard before pulling him away from the gate back towards the others.

“Calm yourself Agron! I was just admiring the—“ King Ragna tried to assure Captain Agron that there was nothing to fear.

Until he was interrupted by the sudden appearance of a figure standing before them.

“Oh, I see.”

Standing in front of them was a woman in an elegant armor made of a silver metal with a violet tint. She carried some form of khopesh staff or a war scythe with a crescent moon shaped blade head. The armor was not bulky but light and slim in design, as it hugged her figure perfectly. It seemed designed for quick and acrobatic movement. She wore a helmet with a violet visor made from what appeared to be glass or some form of crystal. There were no gauntlets for the hands, leaving them bare, and strangely she wore no footwear. With the exception of what resembled white silk stirrups, she was practically barefoot.

Even with the armor, it was easy to recognize what this woman was, she was a Fae. However, she had many characteristics that differed her from a common Fae like Gwyneth. She had the same elegant pale skin, but it appeared much healthier in color and saturation. It had a blue hue and tint, as well as a visible shine to it. Her eyes were just as big and shiny, but they were a bright green instead of pure black. Her hair was a dandelion yellow and hung in a ponytail poking out of the back of the helmet. But it was her wings that were the most unusual. They were immense, with an ethereal glow to them. They were pearly white, with a rainbow of colors visibly shifting continuously in a spectral pattern. This made the wings resemble an aurora borealis. But the most shocking part, more specifically for Gwyneth, was that her wings were fluttering gently, and she was hovering just above the ground.

“The hell?! Where did she come from?!” Halloran shouted in shock at the armored Fae’s arrival.

They would soon be answered as, from above, more armored Fae, both male and female, came down from atop of the white wall. All of them either soaring down on their wings or slowing their fall by fluttering them until they landed softly. All of them were in the same armored attire and carried weapons, some a form of blade and others that resembled… guns? They also all had the same physical characteristics as the female. Shiny pale skin, colorful shiny eyes, vibrant colored hair, and large shimmering wings capable of flight.

Everyone was on edge by the arrival of the armed guards. Captain Agron moved in front of King Ragna and stood defensively. Gwyneth however, continued to stare at them in shock, amazement and familiarity. Having studied and read all about the legends of Fata Morgana, she immediately recognized the Fae in front of them.

“Changelings…”

She immediately jumped in between both parties and held both her hands up at the stranger signaling them to stop. This seemed to be working, as they recognized her as a fellow Fae. Their tensions lowered a bit.

“Olivié, what are you doing?!” Rivera questioned, as she became concerned for her friend’s safety.

“Just let me try and talk to them, I think they’re just being cautious. Please, let me try.” Gwyneth assured the others that she knew what she was doing, and to give her a chance.

“Miss, please. It might be too dangerous, we don’t—“ Captain Agron tried to persuade Gwyneth not to interact as he still had his doubts. But then King Ragna put his hand on Agron’s shoulder and looked at him with a calm and commanding demeanor.

“No, let her speak. I trust her judgement.”

“But my liege—“

“Stand down!” King Ragna commanded Captain Agron, with a stern commanding voice, who after several seconds complied and lowered his weapon.

Nodding her head in appreciation for trusting her, Gwyneth then slowly approached the guards. She cleared her throat a little before she began to speak to them in ancient Fae.

“(Do not worry, we are not here to cause any trouble. Please, let me explain.)”

The guards were surprised at the sound of Gwyneth speaking ancient Fae. They began whispering to one another, all except for the female guard with the dandelion hair who raised her hand to silence them. She then pressed a sigil on the side of her helmet and the violet visor dematerialized, fully revealing her bright neon green eyes. Despite her intimidating expression, the look in her eyes showed she was just as surprised as the other guards.

She then began speaking back to Gwyneth, also in Fae, with what resembled a Brazilian accent.

“(…You speak our ancestral language? I was under the impression that most had forgotten in favor of the many human languages.)”

“(Yes, most if not all other Fae speak in the modern languages created by humans, although there are still many others who speak modern Fae or our ancestral language. You and your squad… you are Changelings, aren’t you? Sidhe Leanan Hesperides?)” Gwyneth responded back as she was now standing face to face with the guard.

“(Indeed, but I am surprised that you also know of our genetic lineage. Most usually refer to us as Changelings, or simply as Fae.)” The guard responded as she was becoming more comfortable with Gwyneth and was also becoming more curious about her.

“(That’s because I am a historian. My name is Olivié Gwyneth. I study the history and culture of the ancient Fae Empire, including its myths and its peoples. Such as what is described in this tome.)” Gwyneth said as she pulled out the same tome about the Spire Star from her backpack before she showed it to the guard, whose eyes widened in recognition at the illustration shown to her.

“(The Spire Star, the six cities…)” She was then silent for a few seconds before she looked at Gwyneth. (Was it you who played Morgana’s Lullaby?)”

“(Well, not me exactly.)” Gwyneth then turned towards the others before looking back at the guard “(So this really is Fata Morgana?)”

The Guard simply responded with a soft nod as her demeanor became softer and more welcoming.

Halloran then decided to approach and help, by explaining what’s going on.

“Um… (“Pardon me for interrupting, but I feel I should—)”

The female guard however interrupted him by speaking to them… in English. A huge surprise to Halloran and the others.

“It is not required to speak in our native tongue, we are quite familiar with the languages of these modern times.”

“Ooh… Well, that’s quite convenient.” Halloran said as he wiped his forehead while quietly muttering to himself. “Thank god.” He then shifted back to a more professional demeanor. “…As I was saying, would you mind explaining why you tried to attack us?”

“My apologies. However, we were not trying to attack you. We were merely being cautious as we were unsure if you were friend or foe.” she said, before placing her right hand on her left breast plate. “I am Artoria Fernclove, Captain of the royal guards. Now, which one of you played Morgana’s Lullaby?”

“That would be me, Captain Fernclove. I played the melody which summoned your magnificent citadel. However, it was young Asheworth and his companions who discovered the relic which revealed the melody to them.” King Ragna said as he approached, now standing beside Gwyneth.

“And who might you be sir? Also, and pardon me for asking, but… what exactly are you? I don’t believe I am familiar with a creature such as yourself and your armored companion. However, judging by your attire, I assume you are some form of aristocrat or monarch.” Artoria questioned as she examined King Ragna with unfamiliarity.

“You are indeed correct. My name is Ragna Von Morrowind, I am the Vajra King of the city of Arcadia. I am what is now known as a Droganian. However, I should let you know that your race has interacted with mine before, long before Fata Morgana or even the empire existed. Though we were much different in the past then we are now.” King Ragna introduced himself with a bow and his hand on his heart.

This made Artoria and the other guards raise their eyebrows in confusion.

“What? I am afraid that is impossible, for as far as I know, the only such reptilian creatures that we Fae have ever interacted with were the…” Artoria stopped suddenly as she came to a sudden realization, one that caused her eyes to widen with absolute shock. “…No. You… It-it can’t possibly be…”

It seemed that her companions had the same realization as they wore the same shocked expression.

“Maybe it would be better if I simply showed you.” He then looked over to Asheworth and the others “If you would be so kind as to give me some space.”

They immediately knew what King Ragna was implying and they all backed away, as he did a little as well. Finally, King Ragna began to close his eyes as he built up thaumaturgical power, so much so that his hair and robes started flailing as if caught in strong wind. His entire body was then engulfed in a golden aura, which then began to morph into a new shape and grew much larger in size. Finally, after several seconds the aura diminished, revealing the king in his glorious dragon form.

He was truly a sight to behold. A draig dragon with a muscular yet elegant figure. His body was completely covered in shiny, smooth, crimson scales. There were small white spot patterns dotted all along the legs, body, and tail, while golden stripes went across his neck. His underbelly was milky white and edged in gold. He had a long flowing white mane that narrowed along his neck and ended at the tip of his long tail. He had two large golden-brown horns that took an inner crescent shape and looked as smooth and polished as marble. Much like his humanoid form, he had blue eyes, and the leather folds of his wings were golden orange. His wings were strong and majestic. Even in his dragon form, he radiated the elegance and power of a king.

Asheworth and Rivera were genuinely impressed by his appearance, as this was the first time they had ever seen King Ragna’s dragon form. Halloran and Gwyneth were just as impressed, as they stared at him wide eyed.

However, Artoria and the guards had the strongest reactions, as they all loudly gasped with wide eyes, their faces showing absolute shock and disbelief. Some of them even dropped their weapons, letting them tumble onto the ground. Artoria, while barely audible, even whispered “Sky Keeper…” to herself.

They all stared at the winged lord for several more seconds, before they all fell to their knees and bowed to him, as if he were a divine figure… Which he technically was to them.

“Huh, looks like you made the right decision bringing him” Halloran said to Rivera, slightly amused by the guards bowing at King Ragna’s feet, both metaphorically and literally.

“There is no need to show such admiration. I am indeed flattered by your respect, but it is not necessary. You may rise.” King Ragna said with a booming, yet gentle voice. He then was engulfed in the golden aura again as he reverted back to his humanoid form. “But yes, the Sky Keepers live on, stronger than ever thanks to the individuals before you” He then addressed Asheworth and Rivera, who couldn’t help but smile because of the respect.

The guards all rose, and the ones who dropped their weapons retrieved them with a look of slight embarrassment. Artoria then slowly walked up to King Ragna, now looking at him with great respect.

“…Why have you come here?” She asked.

“Well, my companions wish to learn about your metropolis here and its people. They believe that whatever information you can provide them could be useful to them in protecting the world from forces that would seek to destroy it. They would also like to know of your city’s history and what led to its disappearance in the past. As for me, I was hoping of speaking with your leaders in negotiations, in the hopes that mine and your people could form a beneficial relationship, such as a partnership or an alliance. Is this acceptable? Much like my companions, I do also wish to see the inside of your beautiful home.” King Ragna informed Artoria as he looked up at the golden gates again.

Artoria was surprised at first by this information, before she suddenly turned to her guards.

“OPEN THE GATES!”

The others immediately saluted back before they flew back up into the sky and over the wall. A few seconds later, the gates began opening, and light emerged through the open space between the two doors. Eventually they opened completely, allowing them all to see the inside of the city. It was even more glorious on the inside than on the outside.

“Welcome, to the city of Fata Morgana! Come, her Grace would want to speak with you all immediately!” Artoria greeted them with a welcoming smile, as she took on a more excited demeanor and encouraged them all to follow her.

“Yes ma’am! Oh, I have so many questions!” Gwyneth said, as she rushed to stand next to Artoria.

The others immediately followed as they passed through the gates, finally getting a glimpse of the Fae utopia.

{Part 2}