Erevnitís studied the gold band that sat before him; for a ring that possessed the power of a God, it was quite plain. The fabled Elysian Ring looked worthy of a local goldsmith, not the Vulcan of legend. Few would even suspect it was older than civilization itself. A medium-size, the ring shone brightly in the sun's rays; the words noli quaerere paradiso, vivere flashed on the inside of the band like the sparks of a blacksmith's forge. The outer surface of the ring had seven tiny diamonds winding around it. They made a perfect circle, but that was it. No other adornments.
Despite the ring's façade of simplicity, Erevnitís could hardly believe his luck. He knew he owed his success to more than fortune alone, but he could hardly contain his excitement. Finding the ring had been his life's purpose. Hercules had his twelve labors, but Erevnitís had this, and sometimes he thought he had the harder of the two. Erevanitís had spent decades searching through labyrinths that rivaled Daedalus' and castles that even Aries would envy. He visited almost all the ancient archives searching for obscure references to this tiny artifact lost to time. He remembered traveling countless miles to abandoned cities, bargaining with djinns, exploring grottos, matching wits with sphinxes, conversing with sages, and consorting countless oracles. During that time the ground was his only bed, his clothes and pack were his only possessions, and his staff? That was his only companion. Studying. Searching. Wandering. Wishing. Listening. Looking... Longing. That was his existence. And while it was full of purpose, it was devoid of pleasure. Looking back at the blended years he saw how this task had consumed him. Erevnitís could no longer claim even a slight semblance to youth; he had spent it on his life's long quest.
Erevnitís looked down at his tattered cloak and robes. His life was about to change. His aching feet would finally get a rest from the blisters and pain of constant walking. His scars would remain—he had received far too many of them from his various exploits—as would the limp he had received from a minotaur. However, with what Erevnitís was planning, he would no longer have to defend his life with a sword. He would fear man or beast no longer. His face, lined with worry, would finally be able to smile again, and he would laugh for the first time in years. If people were watching him then, they would see his dull grey eyes suddenly start to sparkle like the fruit of Hesperides.
Erevnitís put the ring on. It felt different from other metals he had handled; it was slippery and denser. He did not know how that was possible, but then, the Elysian Ring was magic, not metallurgy. Erevnitís started to slide it down his finger, but then he stopped. He was suddenly pained with the memories that started his entire journey. He could see their faces in the ring. His family's faces before they burned to death right before his eyes. They had looked to him as the flames ate at their flesh, roasting them like burnt offerings to the gods. They gazed at him while they screamed begging him to help them, but he could not. He watched his paradise burn that day.
Erevnitís had been the King's Counselor in his early years. He was talented from a young age and was destined for greatness. He was brilliant, and the king capitalized on that fact, taking full advantage of his fortune. It was not a bad life; Erevnitís was rewarded handsomely, had access to all the city's centers of learning, and was able to live in the king's palace. He married the love of his life and had three children. Those were the happiest years of his existence. Nothing could improve his fortune—he already had it all. Somewhere along the way, he learned of the fabled Elysian Ring. It became his obsession, but he was never actually able to look for it. He had more pressing matters in his own kingdom.
The king's wife became ill just after Erevnitís and his wife celebrated their 13th anniversary. At first, it seemed like a normal enough ailment and the healers were sure it would pass. It did not. It got worse with time. Soon it became clear that the queen's life was at a crossroads. The king pled for Erevnitís to heal her, but he was not trained in those arts. Life magic was not like alchemy or miracle-working. It was an art of convincing another's spirit itself to stay in the body. The queen did not have enough determination to stay in the living realm and soon crossed over to the underworld.
The king was furious and devastated. Soon his wrath turned on Erevnitís and he demanded retribution. The king stole his magic, before publicly executing his family for his failure to crown and country. He then banished Erevnitís stating that he would have to live with the pain or join them in Hades. That was when Erevnitís made his decision to hunt the Elysian Ring till it was in his hand, or he was dead. He began his journey, but the light had left his eyes.
But now he had the ring! He could finally turn his fate around. Erevnitís took a deep breath and slid the ring all the way down his finger. The Elysian Ring, crafted from a shard of Cronus, gave power over dimensions and time. While one had the ring on their finger he or she could travel to infinite realities and Erevnitís began as soon as it was on. He seemed to be able to navigate the time stream with little effort, although, because time ceased its hold on him, perhaps it took him centuries to master. Certain things were irrelevant when the Elysian Ring was involved.
In one stream he saw himself as a king. In another, he saw himself as one of his world's greatest heroes. He passed those as he searched. Erevnitís knew he would never rest in those lives, just as he had not rested in his other which was now a distant echo. He had spent his whole life trying to fix what had happened in a few brief hours and now he was so close...
He searched and searched until finally, he found it. He chose a simple alternate place in time, one where he lived a modest life on the outskirts of a town: far from royalty or power. He lived with his wife and three children. He knew he would amount to nothing in this world, but he smiled regardless. Erevnitís took the ring off and materialized into his newfound home.
Erevnitís's eldest daughter came running to him when she saw him. He could hardly believe his eyes; she was just as he remembered her. Tears filled his eyes. Which surprised him. Funny, Erevnitís thought, I wonder when the last time I cried out of joy was... "Bampás! Where here have you been? You're late and mama's not happy!" Arina grabbed his hand with an urgency to get him back home. She was laughing with joy all the way back. He saw his wife through the open window of his small house. She looked just like he recalled her: elegant, beautiful, and relaxed. Erevnitís looked down at the ring in his hands and, suddenly, threw it as far away as he could. He did not need it anymore. He had found Elysium.
Despite the ring's façade of simplicity, Erevnitís could hardly believe his luck. He knew he owed his success to more than fortune alone, but he could hardly contain his excitement. Finding the ring had been his life's purpose. Hercules had his twelve labors, but Erevnitís had this, and sometimes he thought he had the harder of the two. Erevanitís had spent decades searching through labyrinths that rivaled Daedalus' and castles that even Aries would envy. He visited almost all the ancient archives searching for obscure references to this tiny artifact lost to time. He remembered traveling countless miles to abandoned cities, bargaining with djinns, exploring grottos, matching wits with sphinxes, conversing with sages, and consorting countless oracles. During that time the ground was his only bed, his clothes and pack were his only possessions, and his staff? That was his only companion. Studying. Searching. Wandering. Wishing. Listening. Looking... Longing. That was his existence. And while it was full of purpose, it was devoid of pleasure. Looking back at the blended years he saw how this task had consumed him. Erevnitís could no longer claim even a slight semblance to youth; he had spent it on his life's long quest.
Erevnitís looked down at his tattered cloak and robes. His life was about to change. His aching feet would finally get a rest from the blisters and pain of constant walking. His scars would remain—he had received far too many of them from his various exploits—as would the limp he had received from a minotaur. However, with what Erevnitís was planning, he would no longer have to defend his life with a sword. He would fear man or beast no longer. His face, lined with worry, would finally be able to smile again, and he would laugh for the first time in years. If people were watching him then, they would see his dull grey eyes suddenly start to sparkle like the fruit of Hesperides.
Erevnitís put the ring on. It felt different from other metals he had handled; it was slippery and denser. He did not know how that was possible, but then, the Elysian Ring was magic, not metallurgy. Erevnitís started to slide it down his finger, but then he stopped. He was suddenly pained with the memories that started his entire journey. He could see their faces in the ring. His family's faces before they burned to death right before his eyes. They had looked to him as the flames ate at their flesh, roasting them like burnt offerings to the gods. They gazed at him while they screamed begging him to help them, but he could not. He watched his paradise burn that day.
Erevnitís had been the King's Counselor in his early years. He was talented from a young age and was destined for greatness. He was brilliant, and the king capitalized on that fact, taking full advantage of his fortune. It was not a bad life; Erevnitís was rewarded handsomely, had access to all the city's centers of learning, and was able to live in the king's palace. He married the love of his life and had three children. Those were the happiest years of his existence. Nothing could improve his fortune—he already had it all. Somewhere along the way, he learned of the fabled Elysian Ring. It became his obsession, but he was never actually able to look for it. He had more pressing matters in his own kingdom.
The king's wife became ill just after Erevnitís and his wife celebrated their 13th anniversary. At first, it seemed like a normal enough ailment and the healers were sure it would pass. It did not. It got worse with time. Soon it became clear that the queen's life was at a crossroads. The king pled for Erevnitís to heal her, but he was not trained in those arts. Life magic was not like alchemy or miracle-working. It was an art of convincing another's spirit itself to stay in the body. The queen did not have enough determination to stay in the living realm and soon crossed over to the underworld.
The king was furious and devastated. Soon his wrath turned on Erevnitís and he demanded retribution. The king stole his magic, before publicly executing his family for his failure to crown and country. He then banished Erevnitís stating that he would have to live with the pain or join them in Hades. That was when Erevnitís made his decision to hunt the Elysian Ring till it was in his hand, or he was dead. He began his journey, but the light had left his eyes.
But now he had the ring! He could finally turn his fate around. Erevnitís took a deep breath and slid the ring all the way down his finger. The Elysian Ring, crafted from a shard of Cronus, gave power over dimensions and time. While one had the ring on their finger he or she could travel to infinite realities and Erevnitís began as soon as it was on. He seemed to be able to navigate the time stream with little effort, although, because time ceased its hold on him, perhaps it took him centuries to master. Certain things were irrelevant when the Elysian Ring was involved.
In one stream he saw himself as a king. In another, he saw himself as one of his world's greatest heroes. He passed those as he searched. Erevnitís knew he would never rest in those lives, just as he had not rested in his other which was now a distant echo. He had spent his whole life trying to fix what had happened in a few brief hours and now he was so close...
He searched and searched until finally, he found it. He chose a simple alternate place in time, one where he lived a modest life on the outskirts of a town: far from royalty or power. He lived with his wife and three children. He knew he would amount to nothing in this world, but he smiled regardless. Erevnitís took the ring off and materialized into his newfound home.
Erevnitís's eldest daughter came running to him when she saw him. He could hardly believe his eyes; she was just as he remembered her. Tears filled his eyes. Which surprised him. Funny, Erevnitís thought, I wonder when the last time I cried out of joy was... "Bampás! Where here have you been? You're late and mama's not happy!" Arina grabbed his hand with an urgency to get him back home. She was laughing with joy all the way back. He saw his wife through the open window of his small house. She looked just like he recalled her: elegant, beautiful, and relaxed. Erevnitís looked down at the ring in his hands and, suddenly, threw it as far away as he could. He did not need it anymore. He had found Elysium.