Perspective: 1st person

I’m traveling through a strange hall. The hall is a mix between a mall and brick dungeon. Dark shop windows line the walls at intervals but the walls were lit by candle sconces. Rarely an iron bar gate appears between or in place of shop windows. The gates are always closed and the exact same shop window seems to be repeating. It’s not supposed to be this way. Something has gone wrong. Sometimes an old man with a battle ax is walking with me. He’s phasing in and out of existence and has a wound to one leg that had been wrapped with dirty cloth. I question him about the phasing but he seems confused by the line of questioning. Before I can figure stuff out further, spider creatures run at the two of us from somewhere in the dark. The old man runs at them with a battle cry.

Before the ax makes contact with the creatures, I’m suddenly elsewhere. Reality had fixed itself. I was meant to be there. A room somewhere deep and hidden greets me. Like the dungeon it was lit by candles but it was safe there. A banquet style table was laid out in front of me full of unusual ingredients. Behind the table a small glowing blue ethereal dragon sat on a chair. Next to the chair a man with jet black wings and hair stood with hands clasped in front of him. On closer inspection, his hair consisted of feathers much like those on his wings. He also wore a butler uniform. Somehow I knew these two but they didn’t know me yet. I had been through this before but they didn’t know that.

The dragon addressed me with a female voice and explained that I had been chosen to join her faction. I was the only one and other larger groups existed. She offered power in exchange for protection. In order to create a link though I needed to create and use an attunement potion. She then offered for her butler to assist me and he handed me a recipe for the potion. He told me that I was allowed to take all the time I wanted however and experiment. It was an investment.

I somehow know how to make many useful potions and tonics. I would try to make use of all I could. There would be no returning in the near future. I turn my attention to a large metal dish with slots in the bottom standing in the corner on a cabinet. I add ingredients and it fills with a caustic green liquid from an unknown source. The ingredients liquefy and drain through the slots. I open the cabinet and there was now a bottled potion inside. The dragon praises my knowledge. This was just the beginning. I was determined to get it right. My future was about to be an uphill battle. I at least needed to be prepared.