Whispers of a Dead Empire

Chapter 4

After thoroughly exploring the kitchen, I recovered a few good-sized pots and a couple of rusted old rusted knives. Not what I would prefer to have, but they would do for now. There was also another room, but it was locked, and I had no way to break into it right now. But that would be an item later on my list. I should head outside next and see if I can find any source of food or water. Since I also had an idea of this building's interior, I should pull it into my domain. It's a safe starting place, and it shouldn't hurt anything. I went upstairs and found what could be roughly considered the center of the building. But how was I going to do this? I tentatively poked around my HUD since I was still trying to get the hang of it. Eventually, I discovered how to set down the first part of the domain. An outline of a small pole appeared, and I directed towards the hall's center and confirmed it. A deep purple rod materialized and started to billow violet smoke. It reached the cealing and began to rush across it, seeking its way outside. Alright, so part one is complete. Let's explore the area and see what else there was.

I carefully stepped through a destroyed set of double doors and went outside for the first time since I woke up. The sounds of birds chirping filled the air, followed by the rustling of leaves as the wind rushed through them. The temperature was almost perfect for me. I rolled my sleeves up, revealing my scarred arms. The years I spent in the kitchen have taken their toll on my body. All of my mishaps were forever tattooed on my flesh. I took a moment to stare at the scars as I replayed the moments that caused me to get them. Some were from just barely touching an oven grate or by a baking tray that shifted too far while I was carrying it.

I tore my eyes away from my arms, chastising myself. I needed to focus. Now wasn't the time to get distracted. I looked around the area that sat just outside the door. There was a ruined water fountain that was in the middle of a small clearing. The walls were shattered and torn apart. Weeds grew in the stone gaps while other plants were forcing their way through just behind them. There was a small path that was barely visible. Weeds choked out some of the plants, and vast swaths of grass hid the ground in waves of life. A far cry from the feeling that the building gave off. It looked like nature was on its way to reclaiming this area.

I stepped out into the piercing rays of the sun and looked around. This building was the only one here, and it was quite sizable. Maybe it was an outpost at one point in time. I looked up towards the sky, and faintly glowing in the far distance were two moons. I know that when I said I wanted a fresh start, this wasn't what I expected. Gravel crunched under my feet as I moved across some stone and out into the wild. I firmly grasped a rusted knife for dear life. I didn't know what could be out here, and any measure of security was more than good enough for me. The chirping of the birds grew louder as I approached the tree line. The foliage was thick everywhere but on the path that cut through the forest. I guess I better stick with it and see where it went. I walked through the woods, keenly picking apart every small noise that I heard. So far, so good, just the sound of distant wildlife.

The canopy occasionally broke apart, and thin rays of light fought through the greedy grasps of the leaves and bathed small patches of ground in a loving illumination. Maybe I could find something that could feed me, even if it was minor. I used my rusted knife to cut away some foliage, carefully stepped over some of the large overgrown roots that covered the forest floor, and approached one of the large bushes that seemed to be soaking in the light. I ran my fingers across the leaves' soft cool surface, shifted the plant around, and saw some berries. Out of curiosity, I picked one and ran it over my fingers. It was about the size of a blueberry, but the color was something closer to a grape. But I couldn't get ahead of myself, if this was poisonous, I risked killing myself, so I needed to investigate. I didn't have extensive knowledge of survival in the wilderness, so I had to be cautious. With that thought in mind, I shifted the bush around and saw that berries lined it and looked relatively untouched. Maybe I should take that as a warning sign and leave them alone; after all, if it wasn't safe for the wildlife, it wasn't safe for me. To top it all off, since this wasn't Earth anymore, I'm not even sure what's safe for me to eat or not.

I dropped the berry to the ground and quickly traced my steps back to the path I was following. I was sure that I would find something to eat out here eventually. Maybe even make a few makeshift traps to capture the wildlife if I could. For the first time in a few years, I started to feel excited. I pressed on quietly, walking down the trail, carefully looking at the forest around me. I was so intent on listening to the wildlife that when I heard my stomach rumble, I nearly pissed myself. I gave it a quick pat in turn. I'll get to you later, I promise. After walking quite a ways, I found some more berries, this time, the bush seemed like it had been picked through already, so I guess these berries were okay. I chose a handful of them and placed them in my bag. I would hate for them to get crushed.

After getting them settled into my bag, I found myself back on the path and followed it once more. It cut through the forest before eventually hitting a small lake. The water glittered softly as the sun reached the middle of the sky. A few large creatures milled about on the far shore that looked like overgrown deer. The largest one that must have stood over three and a half meters tall stood and watched over the small herd of animals. It had an array of massive antlers and a huge muscular body that rippled with power. I had to be careful; if that thing were to attack me, I would stand no chance. But at least I found water. I would have to collect some of it in a little while, bring it back to where I stayed, and boil it out. With my first mission completed, I decided to scout a little further and find a position to drop the next part of my domain. I pushed further ahead with the intent to go as far as possible to secure my domain. Because once I finalized this domain, the only way to get more resources was to get them from outside.

I kept up my leisurely pace until the sun broke past the middle portion of the sky. I had no clue how long I walked, but I think this will do. I brought my menu, and I confirmed my choice for the domain. A violet pillar rose from the ground. It steadily grew in brightness and billowed out massive gouts of purple clouds. The clouds quickly rose to the sky, pressing against an invisible force that kept them in the area. They expanded and increased in speed as they spread across the sky. The purple clouds from the first totem appeared and met the rest like a hungry lover in the far distance.

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The clouds completed their journey encasing the sky in a violet bubble. The air felt heavy and power coursed through me. I felt in touch with the surrounding environment like it was an extension of myself. It was time to head back to the outpost and summon my companion. The violet haze cast an ominous light across the forest. The clouds rolled and shifted in the sky as they danced in strange patterns. This was home now; I mused to myself as I kept walking. I should make the most out of it, at least until I could make it back.

The light level never once changed as I walked back towards the outpost; it was like the domain kept the surrounding environment in a time limbo. In an undetermined amount of time, I arrived back at the outpost and walked through the ruined double doors and into the large lobby. For the most part, the hall was empty, other than the debris that lay strewn across the floor. I pushed away some of the junk that clogged the floor. Once I was content with some space, I looked through notifications and saw the option to summon my companion. I cleared my throat and stared at the empty spot. So this was my life now. Former line cook turned into a domain god. It was hard to believe even as it was happening. I stared at the open area for a few minutes longer, lost in thought before I clicked on the summon companion option.