The Story Begins
Jhinn’s journey into the underworld was not a conscious choice; rather, it was as though he was summoned, pulled from the real world and plunged into a place of shadows and illusions. The world he found himself in was both haunting and alluring—a dark, sprawling labyrinth that seemed to shift and change with each step. He had been told stories of this place in whispers, tales of otherworldly creatures and the strange relics they guarded.
The most powerful among these relics, the Fang of God, was rumored to have the power to draw out a person’s soul and reveal the depths of their true desires. Jhinn had always been curious, and that curiosity had built up like a pressurized lava drill and led him into the depths of underworld.
Unknown to him, his quest had already attracted the attention of the Púca, a mischievous breed of shape-shifting spirits that loved nothing more than to toy with wandering souls. They watched from the shadows, their whispers gently sliced through the air as Jhinn pressed forward, determined to find the Fang and uncover whatever truths it held about the portals he sought.
Encounter with the Púca
A flicker of movement caught Jhinn’s eye, and he saw what appeared to be a rabbit, small and swift, darting just beyond his reach. As soon as he tried to follow, it shifted shape, morphing first into a fox, then a bird, then into a creature with long limbs and gleaming eyes. The rabbit seemed to stretch it's form deep into the cavern, leading him deeper into the labyrinth, warping space and matter with each transformation.
Jhinn was entranced, his mind fixated on the power he imagined awaited him at the end of his chase. He hardly noticed how the walls around him seemed to pulse, shifting and distorting with each step. The Púca’s whispers grew louder as he ran, their voices a mixed of mocking laughter and cryptic taunts."Eager Beaver," one of them sneered, echoing a nickname he hadn’t heard in ages. The familiarity of the voice, like that of his friend Azura, threw him off balance for a moment. But he shook it off, his pride and determination blinding him to the Púca’s tricks.
Meeting the Lapori
As he rounded a corner, he came face to face with a creature he hadn’t seen before: a Lapori, a bunny-like humanoid with soft, silver fur and eyes that glowed with an inner light. Unlike the Púca, whose energy was frenetic and mocking, the Lapori had a calm and almost gentle aura. The Lapori tilted its head, observing Jhinn with a gaze that felt both knowing and otherworldly. “Why do you seek what lies within?” it asked in a soft voice, as though it could sense the very heart of Jhinn’s ambition.
Jhinn hesitated, unsure of how to respond. "I… I need to understand," he stammered, feeling as though he was speaking both to the creature and to himself.The Lapori gave him a small, almost sad smile. “Be wary,” it cautioned. “The path you seek holds shadows that feed on what you desire.”Before he could ask more, the Lapori disappeared, leaving Jhinn alone once again. The warning lingered, but his desire for the Fang of God was too strong, too all-consuming. He dismissed the caution as another obstacle on his path, a test of his resolve.
The Enigmatic Guide: Morrick
As Jhinn hurtles through the underworld’s abyss, he is completely focused on chasing the elusive rabbit—the shape-shifting Púca—that darted ahead. The darkness around him thickens until even the faintest shapes start to blur, and Jhinn realizes he’s sprinting in a void with no sense of direction. Suddenly, his foot catches on something sharp, sending him tumbling forward.
He sprawls across a cold, rocky floor, the rough texture scraping his skin. As he rises, a faint, ghostly light flares in front of him, revealing the outline of a tall, cloaked figure. Jhinn tenses, unsure whether this new figure is friend or foe. The figure leans forward, his face partially hidden in shadow, but his voice emerges with a calm, seasoned tone.
“Running in the dark will only make the shadows deeper, boy,” the figure says, his voice both haunting and oddly reassuring.
Jhinn stares, mesmerized by the soft glow emanating from the man’s staff, illuminating just enough to reveal his features. It’s an older man, his face lined with wisdom, his eyes piercing and filled with the weight of many journeys. This is Morrick, a traveler who has wandered these lands longer than Jhinn can imagine.
“Who… are you?” Jhinn stammers.
Morrick taps his staff, sending a wave of light around them that holds back the darkness, if only temporarily. “Names mean little here, but you may call me Morrick. You’re chasing illusions, boy, and losing yourself in the process.”
Jhinn, defiant, tries to brush past him. “I don’t have time for this. I’m searching for something… important.”“Important?” Morrick chuckles, though there’s a sadness in his tone. “The Fang of God, I suppose? The tales are alluring, but power without purpose is as empty as this darkness.”
Jhinn hesitates, thrown by Morrick’s knowing words. “How do you…?”
Morrick gestures to the shadows around them. “The underworld shows you what you want to see, and sometimes it uses that desire to trap you. I’ve watched many souls chase their own reflections, thinking it would lead them to greatness, only to lose everything.”
Despite himself, Jhinn feels a surge of doubt. “So… what should I do?”Morrick leans in, placing a firm hand on Jhinn’s shoulder. “Walk with me. I’ll show you the way forward, but know that the path isn’t what you think.”
Reluctantly, Jhinn nods, feeling a strange pull to follow this mysterious figure. As they walk, Morrick begins to share stories of his own encounters with the illusions and spirits of the underworld. He warns Jhinn of the Púca’s tricks, explaining how it preys on ambition and shapes reality to confuse and lead wanderers astray.
As they journey together, Morrick’s calm wisdom begins to soothe Jhinn’s anxieties. Though Morrick never offers direct answers, he plants seeds of doubt and curiosity, encouraging Jhinn to question his motives and the nature of the “power” he seeks. But just as Jhinn starts to see Morrick as a mentor, he notices something strange about his guide—Morrick’s shadow seems to move independently, shifting and flickering with a life of its own…
