[ Dreams of a cataclysmic end are nothing new as their world had long ago begun its descent into an untenable blight that wilts and decays everything in its path. However, this one feels different. More potent and steeped in a chaos that overwhelms his senses fast.

The stone ground that once spread across the foundation of Phoenix Gate fractures as fire rains from above, unleashing shadowed flames that envelop his body and smothers all the air out of his lungs until Joshua finally wakes with a start. Violent cough after violent cough spills out of him, enough to rack his body with harsh shudders but not enough to draw blood from within, which in itself is an anomaly.

Immediately, Joshua's hand flies to his chest, feeling over flesh that had served as a prison for five years now, only to find it dormant and unresponsive –replaced with a crystal that is cool to the touch rather than tempestuous.

Dirt is hastily shoved away as Joshua digs himself out of the ground, growing increasingly panicked by his foreign surroundings. He knows he's not in Phoenix Gate. Not in the Hideaway. No longer approaching Origin. Not even in Valisthea. ]

...Did we perish then before we could ever meet our destination? Founder, it can't be...

[ There are fewer experiences more harrowing than apparently dying (again) and resurrecting (again), and one of them is dying and resurrecting underneath a copious amount of dirt to the point where Joshua has never felt more unclean in his life, except perhaps after his and his brother's unfortunate run-in with an aggressive morbol in the wild. Even then, this is starting to feel like a fair contender for the top spot, which should be the last thing on his mind, Joshua realizes. Unfortunately, circumstances have led him trekking through unforgiving terrain without access to magic or his weapons, which has only amplified the amount of sweat and grime clinging to his skin.

When he'd finally reached civilization, he also hadn't expected to be immediately tugged into a festival of sorts while being heaped with praise for being a 'shard-bearer,' a title that immediately had him on edge. Before he can even ask any proper questions, a plate of fresh food is thrust into his hands, piled to the top with berries, meats, and cheeses –enough to send some of them nearly toppling off the edge.

As he weaves through the throng of eager bodies, trying not to drop anything, he manages to find a more secluded area to simply breathe and sit next to someone who looks either equally confused or unamused by present circumstances. Whatever the case may be, Joshua remains cautious in his approach. ]

Forgive my present state. In spite of being so eagerly plied with gifts from the locals, no one has thought to offer more suitable garments for the occasion. I suppose I should have taken my chances and bathed in the wilderness earlier, but I had not been expecting this level of welcome.

That being said, would you mind terribly if I took a seat? I promise to leave ample space between us.

[ A trip to the markets had been in order after sneaking out from yet another welcome celebration, this one slightly less overzealous than the one in Springstar, though that didn't seem to put a damper on anyone's recruitment pitches. Rather, there had been talk about rallying for the next oracle, a term he's beginning to think doesn't mean what he thinks it means.

In the process of investigating this new world, he'd found himself poking his head into the Antiques & Babbles Market in search for something he could use in self-defense, but judging from these prices, he'd be better off learning hand-to-hand combat or finding a way to reconnect with his eikon. Maybe even learning the fine art of wielding a wooden beam, though his arms are clearly not built for that level of athletics.

He sighs after a moment and approaches the nearest person to him, who he mistakes for one of the shop vendors– ]

I don't suppose you would be interesting in bartering labor in exchange for one of the plainest poignards on display? Or is there a hunt board I should consult?

[ He highly doubts he's going to find much success hunting with no weapons or magic, but he has to find some way to survive long-term. ]

[ Like it says on the tin, throw anything out there. Feel free to poke me at dreadwyrm on discord if you're unsure. ]