Shadows of the Darkened Veil

The Glass Palace emerged into view, its structure not merely of glass but composed of intricate outer and inner glass formations. Towering buildings surrounding it appeared diminutive in comparison. The palace seemed alive, pulsing with an ethereal energy. It wasn't simply reflecting city lights; numerous artefacts worked in concert to generate illumination. A calm green light would flicker for a second, then slowly dissolve into darkness.

'How could they construct something like this? It's almost impossible to build something so tall, so beautiful, with such… lights. What in the world is this place?' The green aroma spread across the cab, and Ravindra's mouth hung open. His previous fear of venturing out had vanished, replaced by pure concentration on the magnificent view.

"Elder sister," he began, "Is this-"

"It is indeed the Glass Palace," she interrupted, looking out the window. "The home of the Jarl. Close enough… Stop right here."

A guard rushed to attend her, recognizing her importance. No matter the circumstances, she was one of the Jarl's favoured individuals and always received special treatment.

"Lady Pradom, but who is this guest with you?" The guard's eyes scrutinized Ravindra, his primary duty being to prevent unauthorized entry.

"You stay in the cab for a while," she instructed Ravindra. "I will call you soon."

'What can I do anyway?' Ravindra thought. 'I don't know how to use magic yet. I could have slept in an inn, but she brought me to this palace. Well, it wasn't so bad—it looks beautiful.' His face repeatedly lit up with a smile as he gazed at the structure. 'Whatever it is, one shouldn't stop admiring something so remarkable.'

Meanwhile, Sigrid conversed with the guard. "Prepare the guest room and inform Setward Sysrs that this is a serious and important matter. Tell him to be there immediately. I am not entirely certain about this guy," she said, gesturing toward the cab.

The guard questioned, "Is it really worth the risk to bring someone like that into the palace?"

"Don't worry," Sigrid responded confidently. "I will handle him."

"We'll do as the lady says," the guard acquiesced.

"Ravindra… oh, little brother," she called, "it's time to get moving."

"Coming!" he answered promptly.

They entered the palace. The interior was even more vibrant and majestic than its exterior. Bright lights illuminated the space, and numerous people moved about, almost all dressed in formal attire. While the colors varied, a distinct pattern emerged. Lady Sigrid's dress stood out, more reminiscent of a formal event than work-related clothing.

Most inhabitants were departing, and nearly everyone cast surprised glances at Ravindra. Many knew Lady Sigrid, with some even greeting her. 'She is so powerful,' Ravindra observed. 'They look at me with such surprise and then greet her. What's wrong? Perhaps I'm not wearing appropriate clothing.'

But clothing was not the sole reason for the stares. Whenever Sigrid brought someone to the palace, drama or disruption invariably followed. Though they wouldn't express it openly, nobody particularly liked her. As a detective, she had interrogated almost everyone within the palace walls and was considered troublesome—a fact they carefully concealed.

"Is there a problem with my outfit, elder sister?" Ravindra asked, noting the numerous eyes upon them as they reached the guest room.

"No, not for now," Sigrid replied. "But when we meet the Jarl, you'll receive a new suit. These clothes look like you're going out to buy vegetables."

"Oh… I thought they were good," he said, slightly deflated.

"They look normal but are not," she explained. "They're worn by the middle class or by higher-class individuals when preparing for sleep. They're far too casual."

They waited outside the guest room until a guard signalled to Sigrid.

"Go inside the room with this guy," she instructed. "After that, we'll talk. I have something to take care of."

"You're not coming, elder sister?" Ravindra asked, their interaction suggesting a genuine sibling relationship.

"No, just go with that guard. Someone wants to talk to you before we meet the Jarl, okay?"

"Okay, no problem," he responded, remarkably composed after their long journey.

As he approached the door, the guard opened it. "Umm… you're not coming with me?" Ravindra asked uncertainly.

"Just go," came the simple yet mysteriously terse reply.

Nervousness began to creep in. 'What is this? What aren't they telling me?'

Inside, an elderly man sat at a table, casually consuming fruits. Ravindra entered, and the guard closed the door behind him.

"How are you feeling?" the old man asked, studying Ravindra intently.

"Good… pretty good… never felt better, um… next question, please?"

The old man continued observing Ravindra silently. "Ehh… Sir… Are you there…?"

"How are your memories coming?"

"Memories?" Ravindra looked puzzled. 'Oh, memories. Does he mean my memory loss story? Well, I might have lost memories… who knows?'

They stared at each other for over thirty seconds before the old man spoke again. "The Jarl and Sigrid are calling for you, boy. Follow the guard outside. He will take you to Sigrid."

"Okay," Ravindra replied. The old man resumed eating his fruits.

After following the guard for a while, they reached a room containing five people: Sigrid, a man she was conversing with, another man sitting and waiting, and two guards holding spears.

"Oh, there you are," Sigrid looked at Ravindra with surprise. "Eirik, he is the one."

Eirik stood next to Sigrid, nearly matching Ravindra's height. Sigrid ordered Ravindra to stand beside Eirik and began comparing their builds.

"You both have the same builds. Give him your suit," she commanded.

"Are you sure, Lady Sigrid?" Eirik hesitated.

"Just do what I say."

Seeing someone else wear his expensive suit made Eirik unhappy. While handing Ravindra the garment, he whispered, "This suit took considerable time and money to create. Please be careful with it."

"Come on, let's go," Sigrid's voice cut through the moment.

Ravindra attempted to speak. "Elder sister, I saw a-"

"No time for chit-chat," she responded her demeanour now completely professional.

They entered a hall with several tables and chairs. It wasn't the Jarl's formal court but more of a casual discussion space. A throne stood at the room's end, surrounded by numerous chairs.

"I need to speak with someone," Sigrid instructed. "Go there and do not move." She pointed to a luxurious chair, her tone almost threatening.

Ravindra complied, though he sat next to a guard, hoping to engage in conversation.

"Hi," he began. "I was wondering… what magic do you use?"

"I use a spear," the guard responded. "Isn't that obvious? My magic is Enchantment, mainly related to thunder. Pretty rare, huh?"

"Yeah, pretty rare," Ravindra replied, feigning knowledge. Internally, he analyzed the information. 'His contracted magic is Enchantment, an Ethereal magic, while his primary elemental magic is thunder. Why Enchantment, though? Is there a way to gain more ethereal magic through ritual? Perhaps I can acquire the enchantment. But for now, I should focus on Dark Magic… Wow, these people have no idea I possess the infamous Dark Magic. I wonder what their reactions will be when my elder sister reveals this to the Jarl.' Just senseless imagination.

"What's your name, good man?" Ravindra asked.

"Does it really matter?" the guard responded bluntly, clearly uninterested in conversation.

"OK. Anyway, mine's Ravindra Chouhan. Nice to meet you."

The guard nodded but remained silent, suspicious of someone who would speak so casually to a guard before meeting the Jarl.

While Sigrid was occupied talking with someone, Ravindra decided to explore. He asked the guard for directions to the toilet and began to sneak away, glancing to ensure Sigrid remained distracted.

As he ventured into the inner section of the hall, the beautiful palace was up for exploration if he didn't bump into an elderly man with a pale face, a long beard, and a small crown atop his head. The man wore ultra-luxurious clothes.

"Where are you going, young man?" the man inquired.

"I was just going to… the toilet? I…I…I forgot the direction. Can you tell me?"

"You want me to tell you the direction to the toilet?"

Growing bolder, Ravindra retorted, "Why can't you just tell me where the toilet is? Are you told by the Jarl not to tell anybody?"

"I am the Jarl, son," the man revealed.

"Really?" Ravindra responded. "I came to meet you…umm…Nice to meet you… The elder sister said you had worked for me." He leaned closer to the Jarl, whispering while guards attentively watched, "Something related to… Dark Magic."

"You use… That?" The Jarl appeared shocked but carefully controlled his revelation.

"I use Dark-"

"Not here," the Jarl interrupted. "Let's go to the court. Who's your elder sister?" He exchanged meaningful glances with the guards, who immediately understood their task of providing privacy.

"I don't know," Ravindra replied. "She was called Lady Sigrid by almost everyone she met. Don't tell anybody, but she is making me do everything forcefully. She even scolds me."

At that precise moment, a woman entered—appearing the same age as Sigrid, her true age obscured by carefully applied makeup. She wore an apron that initially suggested she was a cook, but in reality, she was the Jarl's daughter. Carrying a tray of cookies, she approached with a mixture of pride and arrogance.

"Father, I made these," she announced happily. The Jarl, however, seemed to be suppressing laughter while hiding some inner pain. "You taste one as well," she declared, offering a cookie to Ravindra.

"Thanks," he responded. "I was a little hungry." Without hesitation, he consumed the cookie instantly.

"What did you… My father was supposed to eat first," she protested.

The Jarl, who had been holding a cookie, now began to stall for time. It was becoming clear this was a deliberate trap.

"What's the problem, Diana?" the Jarl asked. "He is an interesting fellow. You won't believe me."

"No. First, tell me how they taste," she insisted.

Ravindra's face contorted into what could only be described as the most grotesque expression in human history. "What is this…?" he muttered.

"What?" Diana appeared confused.

"This thing is so bad," Ravindra proclaimed. "It's raw. The uneven texture is terrible. So much sugar, and why so much salt as well? This is literally poison. This is a serious assassination attempt!"

The Jarl struggled to contain his laughter, secretly delighted at avoiding his daughter's culinary creation. Diana, thoroughly annoyed by the critique of her passionate baking, dropped the plate. The cookies scattered across the floor, and she stormed away, walking faster with each step.

"Brilliant," the Jarl said, now bursting into laughter. "Absolutely brilliant. You have earned yourself a formidable enemy. You're going to have to worry about that."

With a simple gesture of his finger, the guards understood their mission: clean the mess, leaving no evidence of the cookie's potentially fatal nature.

"Good," the Jarl continued. "We will talk in the inner court. Let's go." He placed a hand on Ravindra's shoulder, and they entered the inner court together. Approximately twenty people turned their attention to the pair, every individual bowing as the Jarl entered.

The Jarl nodded in acknowledgement. "I have some important matters to discuss with Sigrid and this new fellow," he announced.

Most of those present began to leave, as the matters in the inner court were typically casual and rarely truly secretive.

The Jarl seated himself on the throne, with Ravindra standing to his right. Sigrid stood nearby, visibly annoyed that Ravindra had arrived with the Jarl after she had explicitly instructed him to remain in place.

"How good is he?" the Jarl inquired.

"Not good at all," Sigrid responded. "Not a criminal either. No other records elsewhere. Good 90 affinity, but sadly no idea how to use anything."

"How long?"

"Two weeks, at least."

A faint voice emerged from the shadows behind the throne. "Two weeks is too much."

"Oh, MY GOD," the Jarl exclaimed, disappointment evident in his voice. "I told you so many times. Just use the door. You're going to give me a heart attack." He clenched his fist, shaking his head while breathing heavily.

"He's clean," Sigrid said with a sigh. "He has no memory."

Ravindra, caught between confusion and fascination, tried to locate the source of the voice. "Where… where is that voice?"

"What now?" Sigrid tilted her mouth and responded.

"Who's talking? No, I mean from where?"

"Manners, please," she chided.

"It's his style, apparently," the Jarl explained. "He likes to be in the SHADOWS." The word "shadows" carried extra weight, and the Jarl seemed thoroughly annoyed by this individual's dramatic entrance.

"That's so cool," Ravindra mumbled, unable to contain his admiration.

"They are pressuring our source," the shadowy voice continued. "He must obtain a doctor within three days, or things might take a different turn." This time, everyone remained calm, except Ravindra, who was extremely confused.

"This memory-lost patient can't work in three days or so," Sigrid observed. "We need to consider alternative options."

"We can use him to understand more about Dark Magic things," the voice from the shadows suggested. "He might be useless otherwise."

Ravindra's face contorted with annoyance at the comment.

"No," a voice interjected, entering the room. It was the old man Ravindra had met earlier—Setward Sysrs.

>>>>>

An unnamed diary, of someone from the capital of Grimhold who's capital city is called Moonshard due to the presence of Nordic lights at night. A major city in the country is Ravenhold… Even though Ravenhold is larger in size but smaller in population and population density when compared to Moonshard.

First Entry.

This is my first time writing a diary… I never wrote anything before. One of the teachers at the academy said that should write a diary because it would help with my anxiety, MR. Ashok always gave me special attention due to my anxiety.

Here is a thing or two about me, my friend used to make fun of me, and Mr. Ashok always had my back. He is probably the reason why I am still in this academy. My parents died in an accident a few years ago and that was the start of my anxiety. He always gave me tips on how to overcome anxiety through meditation and yog, my confidence to talk to others is also because of him, unlike anyone in my life he holds a special position.

The only friend, I have is Veronica, but she doesn't like me at all. It was just that others bullied me and she was always there to just… support me… She never invites me to any of her parties or the house of any of her friends. Still, I consider her my friend, at least other than my uncle and aunt, she actually asks if I am ok or not… If I need help… In reality, I have no friends, Mr. Ashok always told me I should make a few, at least someone I can share my feelings with… Veronica is the not one and others… they… just don't like me… but everything just changed today.

Today, we learnt something special… They said it was time for us to do a ritual and have a affinity in Ethereal magic, that will start our magical journey. Mr Ashok told me that my blessing is quite rare, it's cryomancy. The ability to control and create ice is said to be a powerful and very responsible blessing by god.

When he announced the class about my blessing, everyone changed their attitude towards me. I was the only student in my class to have Cryomancy. Veronica invited me to her house for a party today for the first time but I had to refuse, I am working part-time in a store, my uncle and aunt don't give me any money and I have to pay all of the debt I owe the academia. At least I have a worn-out room to live.

Ulfic, he talked with me for the first time, he is one of those people who always did well in the academy, and he also has a lot of friends, in that class of 60 students, he and his friends didn't even know that I even existed, many didn't. He also has one of the rare blessings, Ferromancy, which has something to do with metals. He wanted to know me, he asked for my name and talked with me a little as well. My bullies ignored me as well, maybe because of him…