Chapter 0: Prologue

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BEYOND THE

VEIL: THE

GREAT SHIFT

CHAPTER 0:

PROLOGUE

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Eleanor and Gideon rocked softly with the flowing water, surrounding them on all fronts were smoldering embers and gray smoke. If it wasn't for their "circumstances", they would've long ago gotten some type of lung disease.

Neither one of them knew each other well. Eleanor studied at the University of Gwyn before her unintentional introduction to the world of the supernatural. Gideon on the other hand was introduced to the world of the supernatural at a very young age. While Eleanor stayed under the civilian leadership to maintain her role in society while still being in touch with the supernatural, Gideon did the opposite.

Unfortunately, fate had other ideas as they currently rolled through the smoky and smoldering steam of the 'Nameless Continent.' They had been rolling through this desolate and nameless continent for about 48 hours.

Sighing softly, Eleanor looked at Gideon as a topic of conversation came to her mind. "Did you know that the 'Nameless Continent' was once the largest continent ever," Gideon didn't respond as he kept looking at the metal-layered boat.

"I've heard it once connected with the icy continents of the south and north—some even speculate the current continent of Icysylva was once a part of this supercontinent. Did I get all that right, Miss Historian?" Eleanor could only blush in embarrassment at Gideon's response.

Seeing no response, Gideon smirked: "So… was I right?"

"Yes, you didn't have to be such an asshole about it, but you're right." Chortling, Eleanor continued to blush in embarrassment as he had this certain glint in her eyes which made Gideon smile softly.

"Do you know any other historical knowledge about this continent?" Gideon shook his head softly as he raised his fingers. "I only know 3 things."

This piqued Eleanor's interest as she allowed Gideon to continue. "This continent once had a name, however, like everything else—it was destroyed a few thousand years ago by some mysterious cataclysmic event lost to history." Placing his ring finger down, only Gideon's index and middle finger remained.

"The first successful exploration of the Nameless Continent was conducted in 12 A.C by Ser Lumian Godwym," putting down his index finger, only the middle finger remained with Gideon looking at him before smirking.

Eleanor seemed to catch what Gideon was doing as she frowned upon his gestures, and sighed in defeat—Gideon put down his middle finger and said his final fact.

"The second successful voyage to the Nameless Continent was conducted by Ser Merlin Ainsley in 1994 A.C." Before Gideon could continue, he heard Eleanor's voice.

"Shame that every book detailing Ser Merlin Ainsley's voyage was destroyed during the siege of Parris in 2024 A.C." Before neither of them could continue on the shared topic of history, they felt the boat hit something hard.

It was land!

Looking up fully, they could see about 2 meters ahead of them—the rest was covered by thick gray fog and smoldering embers clouding the sky and ground. Stepping off the boat, Gideon tried it to the black sand beach and began to walk with Eleanor.

They walked and walked.

Walked and walked.

Walked and walked.

It could've been a couple of hours, days, or even months—neither Gideon nor Eleanor could tell with the smoldering embers and gray fog covering the sun in its entirety.

Eventually, the gray fog was completely in front of them without staying without. Because of this, Eleanor and Gideon held hands and walked through the desolate continent without end in sight. A certain amount of dreed entered their stomachs, however, it didn't bother them that much as they knew from the beginning they could die.

While being 'special', both Ser Merlin Ainsley and Ser Lumian Godwym were far more special than them and they had nearly been killed during their voyage.

Eventually, the gray fog cleared with the smoldering embers lessening. The loud streams of water began to overwhelm their senses as they cleared through gray fog.

Looking to his right, Gideon saw a stream of water flowing upstream as he grimaced, "If only we entered that stream…"

"Gideon… Gideon…" He was snapped from his assuming thoughts when Eleanor spoke his name softly. Looking at her, Gideon saw dilated eyes as she looked forward.

Looking in the same direction, his eyes also dilated in slight shock and fear. In front of them was a large building with two stories, it was mostly white and silver with columns and arches being the entrance to the building. It was simple yet beautiful, very reminiscent of the architectural style of the Caesar Empire during the late stages of the 5th Epoch.

Suddenly, both Gideon's and Eleanor's minds went blank as they felt lost in an empty sea. Unknown to them, a pair of golden sunglasses appeared on them—hanging from their neck collar. They began to walk and entered the silver building.

As they entered, the feeling of an empty sea became even worse as they walked up the white stairs and entered a room. The room was large with silver and white arches and columns completely being the entire wall facing west. The room was mostly empty besides one thing.

In the middle of the room within the center archway and column stood a small throne fit for an absolute Lord. It was intricate with it being completely made from silver and white wood. Even glancing at the throne, made Gideon and Eleanor's mind swirl in pain and loss.

They both walked past the throne, and more matter how much they wished to look at it or their surroundings—their bodies did not listen.

Before long, they made it to the edge of the archway and column and saw something that made them shiver.

In front of them was a small crater surrounded by waterfalls that drowned the crater. Within the middle, a small portion of land stood with a large great tree that was nearly 150 meters tall which barely made the top branches of the stick out of the crater.

"Magnificent, isn't it?" Both Gideon and Eleanor knew the soft yet rigid and beautiful voice came from behind them, it was the person who controlled them and the person who sat on the silver throne.

Sold footsteps walked closer and closer as a cold hand touched their shoulders, "You see that," a hand extended beyond their shoulders and into their vision. It was a male hand based on how much muscle and shape it had.

Eleanor recognized the clothes the man wore based on the long sleeves with blue tints around the lining; it was robes monks from the Snow-Cleave Continent wore.

The man smiled with his short dirty blonde and twisted red eyes coming into view, he had the aura of a snake with the fangs of a wolf. He smiled at Eleanor before rubbing her chin, she could only grimace as massive amounts of unknown energy flowed within her.

"In a few decades, this will be the birthplace of my Lord's new dynasty. Azeroth's Dynasty, a rule that never ends with a ruler as gracefully as the heavens he stuck down. Quite the beauty, however, it is a shame…that you won't get to see it." Gideon and Eleanor felt this pain explode through their bodies as if it were a never-ending storm of misery and despair.

"Thou dared to pry into the matters of the Lord. With this, thou shall receive death!" They fell limp to the ground as the figure with dirty blonde hair stood in the opening of the archway as he watched the brown tree.

"Go to Eldritch Morr and assassinate Emperor Thorlann, you know what to do after, correct?" A deep and powerful voice came from the silver throne hidden within the shadows. The dirty blonde-haired man smirked as he looked at the figure on the throne.

"Commence Phase 1," instantaneously, the dirty blonde-haired man disappeared as the forge in the throne crossed its arms together, a small unnoticeable smirk on its lips.