The tunnel is not like the dome I just left, it is a regular tunnel, cruder even, as if dug quickly, without taking much precaution, no beams are present to reinforce the tunnel like you would find in mining gallery.

  I feel a bit oppressed by how close the walls are, the air feels thin as if running out. The flame of my torch flutters, my breath fastens, the smoke itches my throat.

  'Looks like I do not like being underground.'

  I try to humor myself; the recent events shook me a lot. I keep on walking. I notice that the tunnel is slightly going up, hoping for an exit, I walk faster.

  I see a miniscule dot of light at the end of the tunnel, simultaneously my torch flutters again, this time the fire dies.

  'Shit, the fabric must've run out.'

  Now pretty much blind I keep fumbling forward, guided only by the light of what I hope is the exit. I walk for what feels like hours.

  I do not feel alone, the darkness that envelops me seems alive. I shudder at the thought of the mysterious creature being here.

  'At least I won't see it coming.'

  It does not comfort me. I keep talking to myself, thinking about the story I will tell Brutus, imagining how I can turn it into an epic ballad to maybe impress the people at Antonia's party. Thinking of anything but oppressive obscurity.

  I also consider hypotheses for what I saw in the dome. My best guess is that it is the remnants from ancient folks, because no-one I know ever talked about a structure lost in the forest.

  What I cannot explain however are the weird stone and the statue of an unknown entity.

  'Could be a deity though.' I reckon. Numerous stories talk about deities walking the Continent and sometimes even meddling with humans, but if they ever lived, they disappeared a while ago.

  The light keeps getting closer and brighter. I am close, the smell of smoke lingering on my skin is slowly replaced by fresh air, the smell of green grass and rain. I break into a run, no longer blind.

  I finally get to the end of the tunnel covered by bushes, pushing myself through the vegetation, I leave the dark dome and its secrets behind. I can breathe freely again.

  I take a few minutes to gather myself, I stay alert however, keeping in mind the reason why I ended up underground in the first place. I am pretty much at the bottom of the hill, not too far from the path.

  I look back at the tunnel's entrance: I could almost believe it wasn't there, thick bushes hiding it perfectly.

  Not wishing to stay in this cursed forest a moment more than necessary, I start making my way back to the town.

  'I wonder what father will say, seeing me coming back empty handed and covered in injuries.'

  I arrive at the gates late in the afternoon, the whole back I thought of countless ways to explain what happened to my father, telling him the truth seemed foolish. I could not imagine myself telling him:

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  'Guess what father, I was chased by a shadow and fell right into a cave! Which was an ancient dome with a real big statue of some monster or deity. Then I took an almost never-ending tunnel and here I am.'

  I chuckle at the idea. While funny enough, saying that will make me look like a madman.

  I gather enough courage to go through the open town gates, and I notice that the town watch isn't guarding them. A rare occurrence but I am too tired to care.

  I slowly make my way to the house, avoid the main street, still everything is quiet. Not wishing to encounter my father sooner than later, I enter the house through the back door.

  The room is empty, I sigh from relief. With not much strength left I stumble toward my bed and crash into the hay mattress. I am almost asleep when someone knocks heavily on the door of the shop. Groggy I go and open to whoever it is, expecting a client.

  What I do not expect are five legionnaires waiting right before the door. Caught of guards, I freeze. The closest soldier, probably an officer looking at its feathered helmet, asks me:

  "Are you Scypion Orson?"

  "Yes that's me." I answer without thinking.

  "You signed the Enlistment Oath, come with us"

  He turns half expecting me to follow him. I, do not move, stunned by his words. The Enlistment Oath is an infamous document that when signed, immediately makes you part of the military and that for a duration of minimum seven years.

  You cannot change your mind, you cannot go back and act as if nothing happened, because failure to appear when called means you're a deserter and the fitting punishment is the coward’s brand, a mark the shape of a circle deposited using a red-hot branding iron onto the face. Anyone found with this scar is an outcast, any kind of service will be refused to him, no one will sell or give him anything.

  Seeing that I am not moving, the officer give his men a small nod, two of them grab me by my arms. Them touching me makes me react at last.

  I try slipping out of their grasp, but they obviously are used to being resisted to and I cannot move a finger.

  "I didn't sign shit!!"

  I half-scream, panic creeping in my voice. The officer takes a piece of paper from his pack and shows it to me. It is an official document: the Enlistment Oath, with my name at the bottom. I do not recognize the writing, but I know it is not mine. He puts away the document and walks away.

  "Let's go!!"

  The legionnaires follow him, and me with them. I struggle to break free, but it is all in vain. A few minutes later we arrive at the town square, joining the rest of the legionnaires that came in the first place. They are not alone though, it seems there was a town assembly.

  Most of the inhabitants are here, looking at our small procession.

  'No wonder I didn't see a lot of people in the street or at the wall.'

  In the crowd I first see my family, my mother covering her face with her hands, sobbing, my brothers are not even able to look me in the eyes, keeping their head facing the ground.

  And then there is my father, arms crossed, wearing his work apron, his face wearing a disappointed expression. I call out to him as we get closer.

  "Father please, help me!"

  My eyes start to tear up.

  He shakes his head, does not move an inch. He scolds me.

  " Couldn't you just do what you were told? Instead, you had to disappear for a full day and come back as if nothing happened. I expected more from you Scypion."

  " What do you mean a full day?? What..."

  And it all clicks together: I didn't question how long I was out, seeing the afternoon light from inside the dome, despite my sudden hunger, and my cuts already starting to heal being evidence of the truth: I spent a whole day unconscious. Therefore, I missed Antonia's banquet.

  At this exact moment, as I start to understand what probably happened while I was unconscious, Antonia appears with her father next to her.

  He is not particularly tall but corpulent, his head already balding despite not being too old yet. She smiles at me, her eyes full of malice. I am sure of it, she is the one who forged the Oath, at least her father did.

  "You miserable pompous bitch!!"

  I yell out to her, unable to contain my anger any longer. I try to free myself, but again the soldiers handle me perfectly and I end up with my hands tied, sitting on a mule attached to the horse which the officer rides. The Sun sets as we go past the gates, leaving behind the inhabitants of Oblivis without even a proper goodbye.

  I look straight forward, my face basking in the purple light, tear streaks on the grip of my face, my mind in turmoil, my heart heavy. We ride, still, toward the sun.