Realization

Thanatos finally slowed to a stop, the soles of his skeletal feet softly meeting the cave floor.

He lowered the mage gently to the ground, his bony hands supporting her until she found her balance. 

In the silence of the aftermath, they stood still, chests heaving with their labored breaths. 

The echoes of their escape finally died away, leaving the air charged with tension.

"Thank you… for saving my life," the mage said, her voice still quivering from the adrenaline. 

In his mind, Thanatos grinned, an image of a toothy, grinning skull that only he could see. 

'And thank you,' he thought, 'for carrying me and saving my life…'

'And of course you know,' Thanatos continued to think to himself, 'I appreciate the assist, but let's not forget who got me into this mess in the first place. I mean, yeah, she saved me, but technically, I'm still in the red, here.'

He couldn't help but chuckle internally. Gratitude was all well and good, but he wasn't going to forget his own plight that easily. 

They stood there for a moment, two strangers thrown together by circumstance, each grateful for the other's presence.

"It seems you can understand me," the mage said, eyeing him curiously. 

"And it seems like you're trying to tell me something. Just hold on a minute." 

She fumbled through her grimoire, her eyes darting back and forth, until finally she found the spell she needed. 

With a flourish of her staff and a muttered whisper, the air around them shimmered and the staff began to glow. 

But after a few moments, the magic fizzled out, leaving nothing but silence and the mage's frowning face.

It looked like she tried to cast the spell, again. Or rather cast another spell as she whispered something once again, and her staff fizzled at the tip.

Thanatos' bony hand flew to his mouth in surprise as he exclaimed, "So, what exactly has changed?" 

Then, realization struck him like a bolt of lightning. "I can speak!" he cried out, his voice a mix of excitement and bewilderment. 

At first, the mage thought nothing had happened, but then she heard it—Thanatos' voice! "Oh my, it worked!" she exclaimed, joy radiating from her face.

Thanatos leaned forward, the curiosity in his voice palpable. "How is it that I can speak? What did you do?" he inquired, his bony hand gesturing at his jaw. "I've never been able to speak in this form before. Did you cast some kind of spell on me? Or was it something else?"

The mage glanced at her staff, a mischievous twinkle in her eye. "Well, it was a bit of magic, but not the kind you're thinking of. I simply reversed the enchantment that kept your voice bound.

The mage, still wearing that playful smile, replied, "I cast two spells, one to give you a voice, and the other to project it. This way, you're not just speaking, but you're being heard. It's simple, really."

Thanatos couldn't help but feel a bit impressed. "Just like that, huh? Well, I have to say, I'm grateful.

"You're welcome," the mage responded, beaming with a smile.

"Oh, finally!" Thanatos exclaimed. "It was hellish, not being able to talk. I mean, not that I'm complaining or anything. Being a walking, talking skeleton has its perks, right? But hey, at least now I can banter back and forth with you without using my hands." He gave the mage a mischievous wink—or, rather, he would've if he'd had eyes. 

"You certainly have a way with words for a monster," the mage remarked, impressed by his eloquence. "I must admit, I wasn't expecting such a well-spoken companion on this adventure of mine." 

She chuckled, shaking her head in disbelief at the strange twist her quest had taken. "I can't wait to hear the stories you have to tell."

'I'm not a monster," Thanatos thought, indignation rising within him. 'I'm a Web Novel writer from Earth! Well, I was…before…' He trailed off, realizing that he couldn't just blurt out his true identity. 

'Not yet. No, no. That wouldn't be wise,' he reasoned with himself. 'I've read and written too many fantasy stories to know that revealing such information could have dire consequences.'

'I must learn more about her, this world, everything,' Thanatos decided. 'Only then will I know if it's safe to reveal my true self.'

 He glanced at the mage, her expression a mixture of curiosity and cautiousness. 

She, too, seemed to be sizing him up. 'I suppose that makes two of us,: he mused with a wry chuckle.

He understood that the next steps of their journey would require caution, secrecy, and perhaps a bit of subterfuge.

'There's something about her…' he mused, his empty eye sockets narrowing as he studied the mage. 

"She feels familiar…but I can't place it. Is it just a trick of the light? Or is there something deeper here?" He resolved to uncover the truth. 

'Yes, yes,' he thought, determination growing within him, "she will be my key to understanding this world, and perhaps even my own fate."

"If you don't mind," Thanatos began, his voice taking on a more serious tone, "I'd like to ask you a few questions."

The mage raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into a half-smile. "You read my mind," she teased, "I was about to ask the same thing."

Thanatos chuckled, the air of suspicion and tension giving way to a warmer, more inviting atmosphere. "Then let's start by introducing ourselves.

****

Moments later.

The mage answered all his questions, and confirmed his suspicions.

The world that they found themselves in, was known as Ardania.

Indeed, the world of Ardania was split into two halves—the Known Lands, a sanctuary for those who cherish peace and harmony, and the Uncharted Territory, a desolate, nightmare-ridden landscape teeming with terrors of all kinds. 

The Territory was said to be the last domain of demons, monsters, and ancient evils long forgotten.

The mage told Thanatos that they were in a dungeon, and that she had hired a team of adventurers to protect her while she carried out her research.

The goal of the expedition was to explore and study the mysterious depths, but their encounter with the undead led to their encounter and well…you know the rest.

She introduced herself as Charlotte Westwood, the number one magic researcher and magic instructor in the nation of Viridia, the human nation, and a high-ranking member of the Viridian Academy of Magic.

After all was said and done, Thanatos didn't have any more questions, in fact only one singular thought continued to recur in his head.

'I've had this gnawing feeling all along, but now I'm sure of it. This!....This is my novel!'