What Lies Beyond

Back then, Mysie hadn’t expected anything interesting to wash up during her beach cleanup after the False Whale incident. Just kelp, shells, and maybe a crab with too much confidence. But instead, she found a head.

A statue head made out of a marble, to be exact. Weathered, mossy, and ancient with eyes so smooth and hollow, staring at nothing and everything all at once.

Of course, Mysie brought her discovery to none other than Pun Hmorg himself. And here they are. Examining the head statue with Pun Hmorg poking at the statue’s cheek with his paws, “Well, this is weird,”

Mysie dusted a patch of moss off the forehead, “I think it's very pretty. Like...someone sculpted it with all their heart but forgot to take it home,”

Pun Hmorg squinted, “Yeah, but I had no clue what it is or what this is for. Two things I can only tell is that this statue is definetly not from the Void, nor this is a Colsentian design we see nowadays,”

“Then where is it from?” Mysie asked.

Pun Hmorg shrugged, “Beats me,”

Mysie felt that warm restless tug in her chest, the “new mystery detected, must investigate immediately” tug.

Pun Hmorg saw it, and his whole face dropped, “Oh no no no. NOPE. I know that look. That’s the ‘adventure’ look,”

She grinned, “It’s important!”

Pun Hmorg shook his head, “It’s suspicious is what it is!”

But Mysie ignore him, “We should go check the Forbidden Forest, for starters!”

Pun Hmorg’s eyes widened in shock, “You mean...the dark one that hasn't even explored widely by Stelciars and Phosrays alike?”

Mysie nodded, “Mhm, that’s the one! We can ask Stardust to accompany us!”

Pun Hmorg chuckles nervously as stepped back, “Look, I would love to go to uncover whatever mystery this statue has but...you do know that they're almost out of Pumpkin Spiced Latte and that today's the last day of the season to get them, right?”

Mysie blinked up in disbelief, “...Did you just choose a drink over an artefact from possible ancient civilization a Stelciar has yet to discover?”

Pun Hmorg waved both arms as he spread his wings, “Hey! They're creamy and spiced and...gah, you wouldn't understand! Good luck to your adventure, though!”

And then he was gone.

Mysie sighed, looked at the statue-head again, “Guess it’s just me, then… unless…”

A small streak of shimmering blue drifted down from the sky, landing softly on the ground. It unfurled—first like a fire, then like a Stelciar as little dust of stars floats around them.

Stardust tilted their head, “Hm, I felt your curiosity from halfway across Colsentia,”

Mysie beamed, “Stardust! I was just thinking about you! Want to help me find out what this thing is?”

Stardust studied the statue carefully, “This one's very ancient and out of place indeed,” they tapped the statue's chin, “And I would be honored to assist,”

Thus, they headed towards the Forbidden Forest.

—

The trees greeted them like suspicious old neighbors. Leaning towards them, whispering leaves brushing against one another. Light trickled down in slanted beams that made everything look like it was quietly glowing.

Stardust walked in front of Mysie, leading the way, “There’s a trail here,” they murmured, “Hidden, but not forgotten,”

Mysie hurried after them, “A trail from where?”

“From something very old,” Stardust hummed, “Older than the Void, and maybe the entire Colsentia itself,”

Both passed a row of vines, trees with roots forming unusual shapes they never saw in other trees, and stones carved with spirals that gave Mysie goosebumps.

And the deeper they walk, the more often the statue-head vibrate in Mysie's sling bag.

“I think it wants to go somewhere,” Mysie whispered.

Stardust nodded, “Hm, it remembers where it's from,”

Hours passed with a quite walk until finally, Stardust stopped.

Before them stood a door half-swallowed by the nature with vines coiled over the door that is carved with an image of a foreign-looking Stelciar. Symbols and runes spiraled across the edge: sharp, angular, nothing like the writings she knew.

Mysie stepped forward, “Stardust…this is—”

“Not from our era, surely,” Stardust finished quietly, “This is much older than you and me,”

The statue vibrates louder.

Mysie took it out from her bag and held it up in front of the door, “Maybe it’s a key?”

She pressed the statue’s forehead to the center sigil.

Nothing happened.

She tried the left side.

Nothing.

She tried knocking, just in case the ancient civilization respected politeness.

Still nothing.

Mysie gave the door a good shove.

It did not move.

She threw herself into it.

It still won't budge.

She even tried kicking it, which only hurt her paw.

Stardust placed a their paw against the door, “I'm afarid it won’t open to force,”

“Then how?”

Stardust studied the carvings, the symbols, and the silence itself, “It’s sealed by something beyond simple magic. Whatever lies behind it…is waiting,”

Mysie looked up at the towering door, “So...does this means that it ends here?”

“For now,” Stardust said, “But this is only the beginning. The forest gave you a direction, and the statue brought you here. The door will open when the rest of the story finds you,”

They stood together in front of the sealed entrance. Mysie, clutching the moss-covered head and Stardust shimmering faintly in the shifting light.

A mystery older than history breathed quietly behind the stone.

Waiting.