4. Bronwyn

4

brONWYN

I jolt awake, heart pounding, muscles tensed for a fight. The cacophony of sounds assaults my ears—raucous laughter, unfamiliar music, the clinking of glasses. My eyes dart around, trying to make sense of the kaleidoscope of colors and movement surrounding me.

"What the fuck?" I mutter, scrambling to my feet. My hand instinctively reaches for the knife at my hip, but it's gone. Panic rises in my throat.

Bodies press in from all sides, alien faces peering at me with curiosity and concern. I back away, hands raised defensively. "Stay back!" I snarl, my voice hoarse and trembling.

The air is thick with unfamiliar scents—sweet spices, roasted meats, and something... else? I can't place it, but it makes my skin tingle.

Everywhere I look, there's movement. People—no, not people, creatures—dance and twirl in elaborate costumes. Lights float in the air without any visible source. A group of what look like blue-skinned bat people soar overhead, their wings casting fleeting shadows.

My breath comes in short gasps. This can't be real. I must be hallucinating, or maybe I hit my head when I fell. But the sand beneath my feet feels solid, and the winter chill biting at my exposed skin is all too real.

The sky above is painted in purples and blues and pinks, looking like twilight thought it was just the middle of the night. And I struggle to reconcile all the changes that I am experiencing.

My mind reels. Just moments ago, I was running for my life from bloodthirsty orcs. Now I'm in the middle of some fantastical party? It doesn't make sense.

I scan the area for exits, but the streets twist and turn in ways that defy logic. Buildings stretch impossibly tall, their architecture unlike anything I've ever seen. In the distance, I spot what looks like a mountain floating in mid-air.

My legs wobble, threatening to give out. "Where am I?" I demand, my voice cracking. But I can barely hear myself over the festivities. "What is this place?"

What have I done?

I stumble backward, my heart racing as the crowd's attention turns to me. The music slows to a discordant halt, replaced by a rising tide of whispers. Eyes—so many eyes—lock onto me, filled with curiosity, confusion, and in some cases, suspicion.

"What is she?"

"Where did she come from?"

"Look at her clothes..."

The voices swirl around me, a dizzying cacophony of unfamiliar accents and languages. I catch snippets of conversation, but my mind struggles to process it all.

My gaze darts from face to face, taking in features that are almost human, yet undeniably not. They are all tall, dark-skinned figures, their bodies lithe and graceful. But it's their wings that truly captivate me—massive, bat-like appendages that flex and shift with every movement.

I blink hard, convinced I must be hallucinating. But when I open my eyes, they're still there. Winged people. Actual fucking winged people.

"This can't be real," I mutter, my voice barely audible over the growing commotion.

The crowd parts, and I spot a group of these winged beings moving purposefully in my direction. Their expressions are hard, determined. My muscles tense instinctively, years of survival on Earth kicking into overdrive.

I drop into a defensive stance, fists clenched at my sides. My eyes dart around, searching for anything I can use as a weapon. A discarded bottle, a loose stone—anything.

"Stay back," I growl, baring my teeth. It's a futile gesture, I know. These creatures could probably tear me apart without breaking a sweat. But I'll be damned if I go down without a fight.

The winged figures approach cautiously, their wings half-spread in what could be a threatening display. Or maybe it's meant to be calming? I can't tell, and I'm not about to take any chances.

My breath comes in short, sharp gasps. Sweat beads on my forehead despite the chill in the air. Every instinct screams at me to run, but where? I'm surrounded, lost in a sea of unfamiliar faces and impossible beings.

As the winged figures draw closer, I can make out more details. Their eyes are unlike anything I've ever seen—large, reflective, in colors that shouldn't exist in nature. One of them, a male I think, reaches out a hand. His fingers end in what look like claws.

I flinch back, my heart pounding so hard I can feel it in my throat. "Don't," I warn, my voice shaking despite my best efforts to sound tough. "I don't want to hurt anyone, but I will if I have to."

"Wait!"

The voice is loud enough to draw the creature's gaze away from me. They turn as I do, and my eyes lock onto a new figure approaching through the crowd. Another winged being, but this one's different. Taller, more imposing. His midnight blue skin shimmers in the strange twilight, and his silver eyes seem to pierce right through me.

My breath catches in my throat, and for a moment, I forget the danger surrounding me. Instead, everything in me screams to run to him, the air feeling like it's pushing me to him.

Two others flank him. The first is what can only be a demon. My mind reels at the sight. A demon? A real fucking demon? I traded orcs for a fucking demon?

My lungs start to function again when I see the other person with him, though. She is human and she looks unharmed, to my relief. Maybe I can trust these people.

My gaze automatically drifts back to the blue-skinned man. That something about him is still calling to me, tugging at something deep inside. It's an ache, a need, I've never felt.

Without warning, he surges forward. My muscles tense, ready for an attack, but he doesn't come at me. Instead, he plants himself between me and the other creatures, his massive wings spread wide. The action is so unexpected, so bizarrely protective, that I can only stare in stunned silence.

"Back off," he growls, his voice low and threatening. The other winged beings hesitate, clearly caught off guard by his intervention. And then their eyes drift to the other two creatures and widen.

What a weird fucking night.

I blink, trying to make sense of what's happening. Why is he protecting me? He doesn't know me. Hell, I don't even know what he is. But I can't deny the wave of relief that washes over me at his presence.

The human woman steps forward, her eyes wide with concern. "Are you okay?" she asks, her voice gentle.

I open my mouth to respond, but no words come out. Am I okay? I don't even know where I am or what's happening.

The demon moves closer, his silver eyes studying me intently. Every instinct screams at me to run from him, but I'm rooted to the spot. His presence radiates power, and I can feel the hair on the back of my neck standing up.

"It's solstice," the blue winged man calls out. "Tonight, we celebrate, with strangers and loved ones alike." His tone is deep and soothing, charming. It's no surprise that the others start to move back.

"He's right," I hear someone murmur.

"Yeah, who cares?" Another voice.

"Turn the music back on!" Someone shouts.

And suddenly, the place is back alive with music and dancing. People return to eating and drinking and even though glances dash our way, no one is staring.

I stare at the blue-winged man as he turns to face me, his silver eyes softening as they meet mine. The chaos around us seems to fade away, leaving just the two of us in this bizarre moment.

"Are you alright?" he asks, his deep voice gentle and filled with concern.

A strange flutter ripples through my chest, catching me off guard. I've never felt anything like it before. It's... warm, comforting. I find myself nodding, unable to look away from his gaze.

"I'm Zyxander," he says, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "But you can call me Zyx."

I open my mouth to respond, but the question that tumbles out isn't my name. "Where am I?"

His smile grows wider, revealing sharp canines that should terrify me but somehow don't. "You're safe. We're in Terramyst," he says.

My mind reels, struggling to reconcile this information with everything I've ever known. But as I look into Zyx's eyes, I find myself wanting to believe him. There's something about him, something that makes me feel... safe. It's a foreign sensation, one I'd almost forgotten existed.

The flutter in my chest grows stronger, spreading warmth throughout my body. I should be terrified, lost in this strange world with its winged people and talk of gods. But standing here, with Zyx's gentle gaze upon me, I feel something I haven't felt in a very long time.

Hope.

He must take my silence for confusion because he adds, "Oltyx's realm."

"Oltyx?" I repeat, the unfamiliar name feeling strange on my tongue.

Zyx's expression shifts, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he gives me a smile that steals my breath away. It's warm and inviting, filled with a kindness I haven't seen in years. The tension in my body begins to melt away, replaced by an inexplicable sense of relief.

But that is shaken when he answers…

"The god of earth."