Report: A Strange Realm

159.044 New Sun | 318.088 New Moon

Report from Zanii'vol Ev'kiilos to his greatness, High King Avernus Sara'tiriin

Mission Codename: █████

Personal Preface
It began with no more than a rumor, whispers among the Council. A realm that delves deeper into the continuum of space and time than even the Crossroads. A domain that was lost after the Civil War; knowledge long forgotten and only known to the Ancients. I thought it was simply so, a myth and no more. A tale to tell in the spaces of time between debates and competitions of power.
Yet, in front of me, a gateway unlike any I have seen. It is both strange and mystifying. I feel a compulsion to both enter and leave. A confrontation of my hunger to look into the unknown beyond and my primal fear. But, into this gateway, I must venture into. What wonders or dangers shall I find on the other side?

Mission Objective
By order of High King Avernus, I am to look for this "unclaimed divine domain." For the next week, I am to venture into the Crossroads on my own and look for this domain. Should I find the domain, I am to enter and begin my proper report of the conditions. This is assuming the realm is indeed a reality.

"Heed to the power that is the greatness of Chaos itself. Heed to the power that is the greatness of █████." This incantation I must chant in the tongue of the Ancients while holding this sacred relic that is █████ at the Deepest Boundary of the Crossroads. Only then should a gateway reveal itself.

---

Day 1
A single day has passed. Without my clock, I'd no idea the passage of time here. The realm is real. I am in awe, so much so that I've no words, neither in our or in the Ancient tongue to describe this place. Day and night are non-existent, at least, not in our time in Infernus. Perhaps the day and night cycles here are longer, like in Lord Odin's realm.
This place is desolate, no signs of life, with no signs of civilizations ever having been here. How could any? Not a single piece of foliage can I witness.
My magics work here, although they seem suppressed, more so than even in The Crossroads. Now that I think about it, I feel my mana being drained, no, that is not the right word. Siphoned would fit much better. Rather than my body feeling the effects of the fatigue due to lack of mana, I feel as if I am slowly drifting away if it makes any sense.
I will keep on venturing into this unknown. What a marvelous find!

---

Day 2
I am convinced that there are no day and night cycles. Two days have passed in Infernus Time. I know of no realm where a day or night lasts so long. This place borders on day and night. At times, a great glow of a golden hue fills the realm. At other times filled in shadows. This place, a merging of light and shadow, steeped in perpetual twilight. As far as I can see, there is no sun, no moon. The only light there is is that which penetrates the clouds of shadow above me.
I've yet to find anything of intrigue. At the very least, I have found geological structures, albeit, they are all completely barren.
My magic is becoming weaker. I performed a basic fireball about an hour ago. The explosion was rather disappointing.
I've begun constructing a theory: that this place can directly siphon the very mana from the living. As to how far, I do not know, nor do I wish to find out the hard way. For some odd reason, the same fear I felt before stepping foot into here is creeping back into me.

---

Day 3
I've found the first signs of potential civilization: strange black, metal buildings. They are made of a material I've never seen. Strangely enough, they seem to strip away, as if something is constantly stripping away at their layers and releasing them like feathers. Yet, these strange works seem to retain their shape, even after being stripped, seemingly defying physics themselves. I tried to take a sample of a structure, however, upon meeting my claw, strange engravings lit up all over, and I was thrown back by an unseen force. It seems taking a sample back home for a study is out of the question.

---

Day 4
My clock has stopped altogether. It runs on mana. My theory seems to extend to non-living objects as well.
My sense of time is nearly gone. How long have I traveled since I last checked? The buildings, they are staring at me. I feel as if I am under constant watch, a million eyes gazing upon me, observing me.
The ability to perform magic is nearly gone. I can barely cast a basic ember. I must begin looking for a way out now.
Time has no meaning here. I am sure of it. This place is a void. Demons should not come here. I cannot risk his greatness, nor Zan'nal'takriin into coming here. This place is beneath Chaos. Something lurks here that wasn't meant to be discovered. There is a reason why this place was forsaken to even the 5.

---

Day 5...or 6
I cannot get out.
I feel myself becoming weaker. My body weighs millions.
I've no longer bearings on time. What is time?
Darkness and light, that is all that is here. No life here. Only death. Only the madness and realization that this place will be my tomb.
The last of my sanity. The last of my being. I am being stripped away. I am becoming one with this place. My soul is fading into the void.
I cannot move but a single finger. I write these final words with my claw with great effort and my remaining sanity.
I can only lay here, awaiting to fade into nothingness. I have failed the High King and our Great Devil.
I'm really going to die here...all alone. I am afraid. "Vol'malrin nil fol'miikrul an'nan."

---

Addendum
After failing to return after nearly three weeks, a search and rescue party was sent to locate Lord Ev'kiilos. The High King led this party. With great fortune, Lord Ev'kiilos was found, his life hanging by a single thread.
A thorough examination was performed and no signs of magic nor physical damage was present on the Lord. Interestingly enough, however, upon recovery of the Lord, the High King explained in great detail that Lord Ev'kiilos seemed to no longer be within reality, yet still in it. I've pondered at this meaning. Whatever this means greatly confuses me.

- Archivist Darin'nol, Enshii'fol

After much thought and council, I hereby declare the end of Mission █████. All evidence is to be locked and stored away in the Avernus Family Secret Archives. All information on the events of Mission █████ is to be declared false under the pretense that Lord Ev'kiilos found nothing. Let the people keep believing in the "Twilight Domain," as myth and nothing more.

- High King Avernus, Sara'tiriin

Archivist Avernia, Iinmol'niil: A Note on the "Twilight Domain"

I write this at the request of High King Avernus (given name Al'faron). Just yesterday, thief and master criminal Holv'aniil, Enri'kul attempted to leak the information contained within Lord Ev'kiilos's report. As I understand, the myths regarding the Twilight Domain had nearly been suppressed, until this criminal decided to break into the Avernus Family Secret Archives.
Although Enri'kul failed to leak the sensitive information, he was not willing to leave silently. After his "silent trial," the High King ordered Enri'kul to be executed and had him escorted to a gateway portal. Enri'kul, shouted in complete madness, Twilight this and that. This, of course, brought back to life the myth of the Twilight Domain. And now, it is all everyone is talking about. We are, in our greatest efforts, attempting to prevent the public from knowing the truth.

I've also been updated that Enri'kul has been sent into the Twilight Domain. Based on Lord Ev'kiilos's original report, it's theorized that, if left long enough, any living being will fade into nothingness.
I've also translated, to the best of my ability, the original report, into the modern tongue.

- Archivist Avernia, Iinmol'niil, mortal year 1087