:IC June Challenge: Artur the Mirror's Apprentice

The Prologue (Youth, Earth, Day, Ancient, Joy): Year is, who knows, maybe a little after the beginning of times, maybe a distant future- maybe now? The world is ruled by a peaceful civilization, woven with dreams and music. Artur is your average kid, with blooming imagination and an eager reader. He never knew his parents and had little to no friends because of his little talent: He can weave his dreams and use the power around him- a magic user, you may call. So he spends more time with his own friends, a group of 'spirits' (they never fully explained who or what they are) who call themselved 'the Nine', coming from a country they call 'Promised Land' bridged to this world from a weird mirror he found in a basement of an abandoned house. His best friend from the group is the Bear, kind, wise and enjoys the company (and fluffy, in 'spirit' terms) but his terms with others are pretty fine (except the Crow and the Fox, they kinda scare him, always talking about a 'waiting', 'the day' and 'chosen')
For the design, I chose the Thracian clothing, because the capes and adorable hats they have "Earth" is for the balance and peaceful nature of the chapter, "Day" is the part of Artur's life where everything was happy and clear in a child's eyes. And of course, good old childhood with his dreams must be joyful

The Call (Adolescence, Water, Night, Modern, Confusion): Years passed, the old, peaceful civilization long gone, replaced by a tyrant and dark world where visions and music no longer exist. Artur no longer is able to use his magic, cannot communicate with the Nine, doesn't know where the mirror is now. Hel, he doesn't even remember his past properly! Every day is a new challenge, nobody knows if they'll ever see the (now very dim) sun ever again. Dreaming was the job of mental patients, whom become never heard of again once they are found by the police. And one day, all in a sudden, familiar voices speak to him- the Crow and the Fox. They tell Artur about a dark curse appoaching Promised Land, by a young man called Mordreth and only Artur, the Chosen One can stop him. During this encounter, police finds them and a chase begins. The Crow and the Fox helps Artur in the way to a basement, where the Mirror of Artur's childhood stands. Whole Nine were there behind the Mirror, telling them how long since they've been waiting for this moment and calling Artur to jump into the Mirror and save Promised Land. But, out of confusion, fear (and bit of anger after all those years) he didn't and ran away
Design is your classic living-a-hard-life thing. "Water" is for the renewal of his mind, since it's been a very long time he experienced the magic. It's also a small 'awakening' from a long time of sleep in this world where dreams doesn't exist. "Night" is the part of Artur's life where there was a big uncertainity and fear coming from that uncertainity- and of course, all the tyrant dystopian setting is straight up dark

The Awakening and Cleansing (Adult, Fire, Morning, Medieval, Rage): Some more time has part in tranny, now just without extreme restrictions and Artur now is a bitter man. He's slighty angry about how his life getting more and more dull and he can't do anything about it. One day walking down the street, he saw an antique store selling a strange mirror. The item awoke some past feelings on him so he decided to buy and took it home after work. After that, strange visions comes to him in his sleep; images of places burning, screams of dying people, figure of a man in all this destruction.. And one night, he wakes up from his sleep, to see an old friend: The Crow. S/he shows and explains him everything happened when he didn't jump. So now it's time to get shit done! Artur jumps into the Mirror, meets up with the old friends and adventure begins as the Chosen One to Promised Land, now named Discardia. Of course, it doesn't go with hardhips: Secrets, Mordreth's manuplative and douche-y nature, death of the Bear.. All lead up to Artur's already-screwed up psychology going worse. So, everything goes classic, Artur arrives to Discardia, faces off Mordreth, they fight and at the end, Mordreth escapes from the piece of the Mirror, which was destroyed during attack the the Bear was killed. Artur wanted to go after his back but the Hare says to stay back and build things up. Yet, Artur still jumps into the Mirror last minute and everything goes into silence
Yeah, design could be more realistically medieval but- it's for the sake of EPIC. "Morning" is for (oh so subtle) the awakening of magic and inner power and inside Artur. "Fire" (oh gods more subtle) is for the rage and power

The Return and Epilogue (Old Age, Wind, Dusk, Futuristic, Sorrow): Long time has gone since The Chosen One was jumped into the broken Mirror and disappearence of the Nine (they are technically Eight now but for the sake of old times) so the people of Discardia decided to take matters into their hands. The rebuild the cities, advance a technology which is accomplied with magic, choosing a humble ruler.. Suddenly, the Mirror awakens and guess who is back?- Artur, now an old man. After a long time of recovery, he decides to live with the Discardians, mostly because he cannot come back to our world now. While all this, there's a change with Artur; he's very bitter and looks sad. Not in a romanticized, burst-out-crying type but there's a distinct face of suffering and remorse. People think it's because of what happened in the Mirror but he never talks about it, even making people promise that they never question about the Mirror. Now, Artur just goes around the lands as the wise man, teaching kids about the magic and dreaming, which he remembered after all those times..
For the design, I looked up old Orthodox priest clothes and some Overwatch concept arts for futuristic clothing (because I suck at futuristic/sci-fi clothing) "Wind" is for freedom and balance he finally finds once again and a bit of 'Winds of Time' sound to it (and it surrounds his new fancy 'dress') "Dusk" is for his oldness and, his power getting weaker and weaker. But, does he ever passes away? Is he immortal now? Is it because he's the Chosen or it's because of the Mirror? What did he saw in the Mirror? What could he saw or learn in the Mirror so bad what he's now this bitter old man? To be honest, this is where it is now open to all interpretations of people..

(Oh gods, it already took so much to write the whole thing)
So, that's all folks! It's all open to interpretations from now on Why didn't I write up everything about it? Because that's the spirit of Blind Guardian's original story for me- and that's what makes it beautiful! I encountered many interpretations of the same piece and they all sounded very cool epic of their own  
So, do you have your own interpretations, of mine's and/or BG's masterpiece as a whole? Let me know in the comments!
Enjoy!

PS CS6
Original story (c) Blind Guardian
Design, story and art (c) me