“Her will was split into six, and the inheritors of those wills came to be known as Rulers. Only six shall ever exist, and if an inheritor were to ever perish, then her will shall be passed on. A solemn responsibility, don’t you think? But I choose to think about it differently. Through us, Cosmos lives on. We carry her dreams, her fears, her burdens, and thus we keep her memory alive until the day comes when we must leave her embrace. Goodbyes are ever so solemn, but with every end comes a new beginning.”
Arch Magus Virgil, Ruler of Augurium
———
Isolated at the very edge of the world lies The Æternum, a vast forest grown on top of an ancient battlefield of old. Warriors and heroes of kingdoms past had gathered here to defeat a primordial atrocity known as The Constellation when the land was yet young, only to be slaughtered, The Constellation never seen again. Whether they had succeeded in defeating the scourge, only the dead know. The result, however, lead to the death of a being known as The Comet. With their death, humanity became shackled to the earth, unable to ever reach The Stars. All hope was lost and the continent quietly mourned, accepting their fate of eternal stagnation.
Ever since the beginning of their existence, humanity had yearned to reach for The Stars. It was the land of their creator, and where limitless potential awaited them. The desire blossomed within everyone, a nagging longing deep within their heart for which there was no escape. It was a base instinct, an inevitable truth. But as long as The Comet remained dead, that deep-rooted desire would remain unfulfilled. Until now.
It was a moment that no human could have forgotten, for the world had rejoiced at its birth. The land trembled, the sky danced, and the Rulers celebrated for The Comet had finally returned—hidden somewhere within the grand landscape that is Telus Mater.
The continent belonged to six great nations, each led by a Ruler of transcendental power. The Rulers had given up on reaching the heavens above and were content with their meager dominion over the earth, all the while entertaining dreams of a higher purpose that awaited them.
However, with the rebirth of The Comet, the pathway to The Stars opened once more. Humanity could finally reach the land of their creator, the one they call Cosmos. The Ruler who controls The Comet shall gain authority over the power of Creation itself, and thus, the world once again embroiled itself in war.
The Grand General was the first offender, invading the lands of Polus in an effort to take their might for himself. He was a shrewd man, a tactical thinker, but his ambition overshadowed his caution and he wished for nothing more than to rule both the earth and sky above.
The President was neutral in their conflict, but the scent of commerce wafted ever so enticingly through the tense landscape. Only a fool would ignore such a golden opportunity, and so she underwent business with both nations in an attempt to prolong the hostilities for as long as possible, providing weapons, technology, and materials to the highest bidder. She was, of course, interested in obtaining The Comet, but the time-old temptation of greed trumped all others.
The Arch Magus was more cautious about the invasion. Although The Grand General hadn’t trifled with his territory, The Arch Magus foresaw the continent’s eventual collapse if Polus were to fall, and so he sent his soldiers to pressure The Grand General’s eastern border, forcing his forces to be split apart from his northern advance. The Arch Magus was a man that hated conflict more than any other, but in times of great turmoil, one must take up the mantle to ensure balance and order remain unbroken throughout the world.
The Overlord and The Chieftess were indifferent to the brewing war. They had always been isolated from the other nations and ignored the struggles of those not of their kin. They prioritized The Comet’s retrieval above all else and set out to find traces of its birth throughout their domain. One sought to conquer the power for themself, while the other wished to hide it away, protecting it from the world’s maddening influence.
But in the end, it was The King that would find the location of The Comet first, hidden away in the heart of The Æternum. Regarded as a land of death, the forest was filled with a dark miasma that covered the vicinity of the woods. It was believed that the grudges of those that died in the ancient battlefield took physical form, creating an aura of decay which invaded the mind and slowed the steps of any who dared to enter.
It was as if the forest was trying to guard something, and although suspicions of its nature entered the minds of various rulers in the past, the resources and manpower needed to chart an expedition through The Æternum proved too costly to consider.
The King and The Grand General, ruling the two nations closest to the forest, had also chosen to forsake exploration into the land of death. When The Comet was born, however, The King became suspicious of the forest’s mysterious nature, and so he sent out the Moving Fortress Alexandria, commandeered by Lorelai of the Thrones to investigate.
And while the leaders of the world continued to move, a lone knight would awaken once more.
As it always had. As it always would.
———
Lorelai
Lorelai nervously paces around her personal control room—her mind consumed by a cacophony of thoughts—as she awaits for her aide to return. It has been weeks since her crew first set off into the forest, yet their minds are still unaccustomed to The Miasma’s enfeebling nature. Although the fortress is able to safeguard against the brunt of the mist, vestiges are still able to slip through the cracks. Lorelai is fine due to her natural barrier of aura, but the others are not so fortunate.
They are strong, but even the mighty will falter when under such conditions for so long. This is not an enemy that can be fought—only endured. It pains her heart to see her subordinates, her friends, slowly waste away, but there’s nothing she can do for them. She’s helpless.
But not all is encased in gloom; they have achieved their mission. The Comet is in their grasp. They can finally go home.
The door suddenly swings open revealing a disheveled-looking knight trudging towards the commander. Her eyes once glimmering with scarlet hue are now muddled, replaced by a darkened shadow. Her face is solemn; Lorelai can already tell that she doesn’t come bearing good news.
“I’m sorry…” she says. “We couldn’t save him. The magi tried their best to shield him from The Miasma, but too much was already inside his body. He has succumbed.”
“I-I see,” Lorelai murmurs. “Make sure to lay Gilderoy with the others. We shall give them a proper burial once we return home; I doubt they would like to have their resting place in this damned forest.”
“Of course.”
Lorelai never has been able to steel herself whenever a life under her care is taken. It has happened many times, more than she can count, but the feeling of guilt remains no matter how much time passes. But she doesn’t consider her empathy a curse, rather a reminder. A reminder to never forget the fallen and to push on, carrying their dreams and wishes alongside her.
“How many have succumbed thus far?”
“Six, commander. Fortunately there isn’t anyone else with severe symptoms, but the air’s been plaguing them for a while. They say they’re fine, but I know they’re just putting up a brave face. No one wants to worry you when you’re already busy with keeping everything running.”
“Those idiots…” Lorelai sighs. “Of course I’m going to worry about them. No matter how important our mission is, I’d rather they value their lives instead of overworking themselves to death.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
“Speaking of overworking idiots, how are you doing Celia? Your face looks a lot more gaunt than before.”
“Eh, I’ll survive,” she chuckles. “Wow, now I’m the one putting on a brave face. Guess we’re all just a bunch of stubborn fools in the end, huh?”
“Heh, I can’t deny that,” Lorelai laughs. “On the bright side, only another week of traveling and we’ll finally be out of The Æternum. I know everyone is excited to leave, especially now that we’ve secured The Comet.”
“Oh! I actually wanted to tell you something about that!” Celia perks up. “Remember when we first found him?”
“In that meadow unencroached of The Miasma? It is odd how such an area could exist in the middle of this forest, but The Comet himself isn’t immune to the mist right? That’s why we had our best magi form a barrier around his room. It’s a bit surprising, though, that the world’s hope of ever reaching the Stars would lie in such a small baby boy.”
The Comet’s appearance has been quite a shock to Lorelai and her crew. Legends and records of old have documented its discovery in the past, but never has the world found it while in such an infantile state. Did someone birth it here, in this forest surrounded by decay, or is it a product of the earth itself? Too many questions, and yet no answers. Well, in the end, it doesn’t really matter. They have managed to secure the key to The Stars above, and that is the reward in and of itself.
“Right? I was pretty surprised too. But while the Comet himself isn’t immune to the mist, I think his presence actually helps alleviate its burden.”
“Oh? How so?”
“It’s, um, a bit hard to explain. I was doing a check-up on him earlier in the makeshift nursery we made. I was feeling pretty tired from helping out the scouting division, but the moment I entered the room there was this…feeling. I’m not exactly sure what it was, but the moment it hit me all of the fatigue I had gathered up seemed to just disappear. I thought maybe it was just a fluke, but when I checked up on him a little later the same thing seemed to happen.”
“Huh? There wasn’t anything like that reported during the brief.”
“Maybe because everyone was distracted? We were really excited after all, considering how long we spent searching for him in this decaying realm, so the excitement must have blinded us when we first brought him up. We could turn his room into a sort of treatment area for people that are about to succumb.”
“I’m…not sure. As a commander, I can’t allow our one hope of peace to be potentially endangered by an excess of Miasma entering his room. His life must be safeguarded even if we must all perish to do so.
“As Lorelai, I’d be damned if I just let someone die when there’s a chance to save them. The problem is, I don’t know if his presence has any other effects besides what you just described; the records of old have stated almost nothing about what The Comet is capable of. His abilities are still unknown, and I may potentially be sentencing our knights to death rather than saving them.”
“…Being a commander sure is hard work huh?” Celia murmurs.
“It sure is,” Lorelai says with a sad smile. “I guess I’ll have to visit him personally later before we make any decisions. For now, I have to stay focused on surveying our surroundings. We can’t let anything surprise us now, not when we’re so close to home.”
“You don’t have to worry. It’s been pretty quiet so far besides dealing with the Miasma, and we haven’t seen any Nox scouts in the air.
“That’s exactly what’s odd.”
Lorelai sighs, uneased by the simple nature of the expedition. It is too uneventful, too bloodless. Experience advises her that complacency grows from incompetence, yet everything seems to be going as planned.
But peace is merely an interlude to tragedy, a lesson taught to her when the Nox Caelum empire invaded their lands.
“It’s too quiet…” Lorelai mutters. “Celia, are the scouts on the top deck absolutely sure they haven’t noticed anything suspicious? Grand General Xeros should definitely know about The Alexandria’s departure. An ambush is probably awaiting us any minute now.”
“No. At least, not when I was up there. The only thing around us is the forest.”
“Damnit. There’s no possibility of the Nox troops being on ground due to The Miasma, so just where can they be?”
Lorelai rubs her old wounds out of habit and paces around the room as she attempts to decipher what awaits them. When dealing with Xeros, one must always be ready for the unknown, a lesson she knows more than any other in this world.
Lorelai is intimately familiar with The Grand General’s schemes from her years directing the war against the Nox in the frontlines. Countless scars run along the exterior of her body from her run-ins with the corvid-like man, disfiguring her once pristine figure. Her hands are bruised with calluses; the soles of her feet are as sturdy as stone. But rather than be ashamed of them, she takes pride in her wounds. Each scar represents a soldier saved—a family spared from grief. Her rugged body is her utmost pride for it represents her stalwart dedication towards the nation and its people. As long as she can save a life, just one more, then she will gladly bear the world's cruelty.
“That crow has eyes and ears everywhere,” she ponders. “Just where will that bastard pop out of…”
She brings out a map of the Æternum onto the war table and carefully examines the forest. The Grand General is greedy, his ambition bottomless. He will never allow The Comet to be controlled by someone else; his pride won’t allow it. No, he’ll steal it away, letting others do the dirty work before swooping in to take the prize. And yet, not a single soul is detected in the air. Is it possible that Xeros hasn’t been alerted of the Alexandria’s deployment? That is even less likely…
Lorelai lets out a loud groan. She’s always trusted her instincts whenever this gnawing feeling of suspicion invades her gut. It’s what kept her alive out on the front lines. Yet, despite the countless simulations run through her mind, there seems to be no possibility of attack in the air. Perhaps, if the Caelum troops moved by ground, then they may have been able to hide from The Alexandria’s sights, but that’s impossible. Unless…
“Wait!” Lorelai gasps. “If that man is with the troops then it just may be possible, but the reports state that he’s currently defending Nox Caelum from The Arch Magus. Would Xeros really jeopardize his eastern front for that long?”
Ah, but that is a meaningless question. One that Lorelai knows the answer to very well. The General is a corvid through and through.
“Celia, alert all scouts to change surveillance towards the ground level of the forest!” she commands. “You must activate the barr-”
But it is too late. A loud shriek suddenly pierces the air, and a violet cloud of energy begins to materialize above the fortress. It starts off small, but quickly grows into a massive maelstrom of crackling energy. It shadows the Alexandria, blotting out the sky and encasing the fortress in darkness. The raging storm short circuits the magi defensive enchantments, leaving the expedition completely vulnerable to the outside.
“Damnit!” Lorelai dashes to the communication systems and yells into the transmitter. “All personnel, I repeat, all personnel, quickly make your way to the bottom deck. Seek shelter in the safe rooms immediately and make sure The Comet is safely secured within the nursery!”
The cloud’s aura grows stronger as the air around the fortress grows heavy. The violet energy begins to shift the light around it, distorting the landscape as it coalesces into a singular, condensed ray.
“Celia, run downstairs and get to cover! I’ll try to shield the fortress before the ray hits!”
“Wait Lorelai, you can’t! The aura condensation is too strong!”
“Just go! I have to do something or else we’ll all perish here!”
Lorelai quickly runs to the top deck and emerges out into the open rooftop. The ray of violet energy above is nearing its completion, the malevolent aura threatening to reduce everything around it into rubble. Lorelai quickly gathers every ounce of power within her and begins to recite an invocation.
“O’ bountiful mother above, Let thy blissful radiance shield your children from this baleful wraith. Lend me the strength so that we may overcome the darkness and march on to the starlit sky above!”
Energy surrounds her body, twirling and spinning as her fervent chant nears its conclusion. With a pained cry, she bellows out to the swirling nebulae above as the power of Creation answers her call.
“Daybreak’s Ward!”
A golden barrier manifests around The Alexandria, enveloping it in a radiant, shining luster. Lorelai grits her teeth from the colossal force exerted onto her as the violet ray finally reaches its singularity.
The raw maelstrom of energy shreds everything around it, and it makes one last ear-piercing howl before the violet cloud unleashes a deafening beam of destruction onto the fortress. It crushes down on every crack and crevice of the struggling bastion as it whittles away at its defenses. Lorelai’s shield is able to block the worst of it from reaching the lower levels, but the overbearing pressure crushes down on the exterior of the fortress. Eventually, The Alexandria gives way to the energy, falling onto the ground as its legs collapse under the duress. It crashes onto the earth with a resounding boom, leveling the surrounding trees and turning the area into a barren waste of dirt.
A hulking figure steps out before the ruined Alexandria. The Caelum knight stands tall, towering over all others. His large height appears to reach even the clouds themselves, and giant midnight black armor is clad upon his body. A spiked mace rests in his right hand while an enormous tower shield lies in the other. The air around him is suffocating, and a purple hue emanates out of the sockets of his great helm.
An army of soldiers begin to emerge before him armed with strange mechanical machinery and weapons. Steam erupts from their unwieldy powered suits, and a strange exoskeleton protects the outside of the armor. The mechanical apparatus groans and creaks as they trample the earth below, and enormous, jagged blades lay attached to their arms. The emblem of the corvid is engraved on their helm while the outside is covered in a dull, muted bronze.
Lorelai’s fears have become reality. There’s only one man amongst Xeros’s commanders who has the capacity to unleash an invocation of this scale, and his power is the worst to deal with for one such as her.
Gravity.
“Rejoice you insects of Polus!” the hulking knight roars. “Today, we march to the songs of destruction!”