The sun was glorious in this world. Golden rays lined a pale shade of blue for a sky, while fruit trees with exotic pink petals filled the lands beneath the heavens.

Splash!

Dirty boots met river

"Is this...water? So...pure..."

Indeed, it was clearer than some diamonds he held... Too bad the water behind his feet ran dirty.

"...Im sorry. I will move."

He continued his path, his all black cloak, shirt, and pants a stark contrast to the vibrant pink, crystal clear water, and flawless blue skies. His tattered cloak fluttered like a flag in the wind, his step squelching with riverbed mud.

As he finally walked around the Pink Forest (and gathering some berries from the branches), he laid his eyes upon the largest city he had ever seen.

Pale white marble, clearly magical with the faintly glowing golden runic script meticuluously carved upon them, contrasted a blue sky and pink lands. Everything was of this material, from the hundred meter wide and two hundred meter tall wall, to the various temples, towers, and palaces visible from his location.

Even from here, he could make out the location of the market using enchanted hearing. Most were selling items never heard of. Things such as 'indigo' 'tobacco' 'Tyrian Purple', and 'honey' were as foreign to him as permanent safe shelter.

The city seem to draw the beholder in, somehow appearing bigger the more he took it in. His nose could make out the smell of grilled lamb in the distance as he-

Armored forearms blocked his path. Ahh it appears he inadvertently walked towards it. Explains the two guards that approached him. One was redheaded and short.

"Hey there stranger. May we ask for your business with Argentum, our beautiful Silver City?" the taller guard's baritone voice called out.

He blinked his cerculean eyes at the guards. That-

"-is the most beautiful looking breastplate I had ever seen," he told the taller of the two.

Indeed, it was immaculate in its carvings, solid platinum depicting a dragon roaring with its rings outstretched, upon silver-esque armor.

"Ha! My colleague here would be wearing one too, if she didn't fail her promotion tests!"

The aforementioned colleague performed a strange hand sign he never seen before towards her superior.

"Hey I outrank you now. Anyways..." he looked looked back at him.

"So. What brings you to Argentum?"

"Nothing, I do not even know how I got into your nation. Or what continent I am on. Or if I am even on the same world from an hour ago."

PSST. Septimus!

?

Deceit detection shows nothing

"I see. So, where you from traveler?"

"Abyss."

"...the region you are from is called 'Abyss'?"

"Yes."

"What, did it have some giant gaping hole that spewed out soulless demons that ate people's faces?"

"Yes"

Poor sap...

Well. I will try to improve the mood.

"...whats next, the land was cursed for millenia and you, after winning an immensely costly victory, came here accidently while wandering in self exile?"

"Yes"

Wow, good job, 'sir'

Blinking chocolate irises met unfazed cerculean.

"Sir... do you mind meeting with our Queen?"

"Yes, but I will go."

///

Solid purple rolled out to greet his wet shoes and smelly self.

The Queen Regnant sat on her throne, a massive edifice of arcane Snowstone and glacier-ice blue Cryo-Sapphires. There were twelve steps, each flanked with a phoenix on her right and a lion her left, the phoenixes with wings outstretched, the lions mid-roar. Each Snowstone statue lifelike in detail, time and a half in size, eyes of Cryo-Sapphire. All leading up to the Everwinter Throne, the head of the seat reaching into the cieling like a column pressed against a wall. The heart of the throne, where the monarch sits, was made of solid Cryo-Sapphire, carved and telekinetically reshaped.

Her white haired and silver eyed gaze bored into what remained of his soul.

He honestly wished to die, hence he did not kneel and instead maintained eye contact.

The queen sat unmoving, straight backed and hands clasped upon her lap, before she closed her eyes and sighed.

"Do you know why I had you brought here?" she asked him.

"Tell me."

She made a hole in the world, and soon the hole showed a world...

His world.

A world of war and horror... a world of only suffering and false hope, a world that-

-is covered in farms and schools and playing children?

He teleported over to the gazing hole to confirm. Yes, unmistakable. It is. Somehow.

"My apologies, but can you give me some personal space?"

He was standing atop one of her throne's armrests. He teleported back to his prior location and did a quick bow.

"My apologies. You took me by surprise thats all,"

"It is fine. If you are ready, I can show you more."