Darkened skies and a myriad of flames enveloped the green terrains of Herusel. Thunder boomed and lightning coursed through the clouds. The bright daylight merges with the darkest of nights.
There were armies fighting on the battlefield. An army of undead charged against an army of monstrous demons. Other races accompanied each side. Humans, Elves, Dragons, etc., allied with the undead. It was the same on the other side.
In the skies were a multitude of giant creatures. A Wyvern donning blades that looked like nebulae as wings fought against a massive Devil shooting divine light. Near the shore was a massive Titan clashing against a massive Leviathan twice the Titan’s size. Then, directly on the battlefield, was a man, with a multitude of elemental orbs around him, staring at a shadowy dragoon riding a horse across the battling army.
This was a war on a global scale against two factions. They weren’t fighting for land or power or anything like that. One was protecting something while the other wanted to replace.
It was a mere title. A title that brands someone as a Legend. They are called the Great Ones.
There are 12 Great Ones and can only be 12, as that is what the highest being has permitted. These 12 Great Ones can be replaced and be worshiped. Like gods do. However, there was one more candidate. One whose power and status earned him the title, but because there were already 12, one had to be forgotten.
That one was Sirafuem, Dragon of Apex Light. Along with him were five other Great Ones that fought to protect his position as a Great One. It was a favor they owed Sirafuem that they wanted to pay back.
The leader of the opposing faction, one that wanted to rid Sirafuem, was Tisuderos, Behemoth of Blackened Souls. Alongside him were the five remaining Great Ones. Most were considered stronger than the rest.
This battle Tisuderos had initiated and was the one that suggested the removal of Sirafuem’s title of Great One. It wasn’t because Tisuderos deemed him weak or unfit for the title. It was because Tisuderos feared Sirafuem’s power and so did a few.
Tisuderos wanted to erase Sirafuem from history, and the latter took no hesitation to fight back.
Plummeting from the skies were Tisuderos and Sirafuem. Sirafuem kicked Tisuderos down towards the undead army, annihilating a massive portion of Tisuderos’ army.
Sirafuem stared down at the fallen Tisuderos as he picked himself up.
“What’s the matter, Tisuderos? Is my light too bright for you to fight back?” Sirafuem taunted, stretching his massive wings. His scales radiated energy that could cause even the strongest to tremble. His aura alone could melt ice continents.
“You wretched! I will darken your vision and you will cease to exist from this world!”
Tisuderos let out a bloodcurdling roar and jumped towards Sirafuem. With great speed, Sirafuem flew behind the Behemoth and delivered a powerful blow to the back of Tisuderos’ head, crashing the latter through a mountain.
“Is that it, Behemoth? Must I bash your head into the ground once more? Shall I send you back to your den where your mother resides?” Sirafuem taunted. A provoked Tisuderos roared and snatched Sirafuem’s leg. The Dragon attempted to escape but was instantly smashed into the ground. The Behemoth jumped and landed on one of Sirafuem’s wings, tearing the wing apart.
Sirafuem roared and devastating beams of light shot out from all over his body. Hit with the barrage of light, Tisuderos found both of his arms ripped right off.
The two quickly separated from each other and stared at each other as they both slowly regenerated.
Suddenly a Phoenix descended from above accompanied by a multi winged Angel who threw bolts of sporadic lightning at it. The Phoenix swiftly dodged each and every bolt and fired back a storm of fiery bullets.
Both evaded each other’s attacks. The Phoenix landed next to Sirafuem and the Angel on the Behemoth’s shoulder.
“Do you require assistance, Sirafuem?” The Phoenix asked. Sirafuem signaled with his wings and the Phoenix nodded her head.
“Then shall I support the others?”
“Go and help Jearer. I doubt he can successfully take down that bladed wyvern. Though his speed is unmatched, the Wyvern’s blade can cut through space. Do what you can.” Sirafuem explained and the Phoenix quickly took off to help her other ally.
“Damn bird!” The Angel cursed and prepared to take off, but Tisuderos stopped him.
“No! You will go and provide assistance to Las! This… light.”
Tisuderos looked up at the mixed night and sunny sky. A golden light from above shines directly on both Tisuderos and Sirafuem, the latter brimming with energy while the other blinded by the light.
“Go and make sure that wretched Drake is slain and his soul reaped!”
The Angel hesitated as he looked up at the sky. Tisuderos noticed the Angel was idle and yelled at him.
“Hurry up, Seraphim! We must win!” He commanded. The Angel growled before shooting up into the daylight.
“Why me, Tisuderos?” Sirafuem asked, his wings glowing incandescently with blue flames. “Why am I to be the one to be killed and replaced? Is my power that much to fear?”
“So you knew, huh?”
“It was obvious from the first day we met. I could also feel that the feeling is mutual amongst a few others, but there are others stronger than me. So what’s the reason?”
“Enough! Sirafuem, you must die today! Your explosive power and cold-blooded emotions to the mortals are a danger and non-fitting of the title of Great One, while a noble other is!”
“Hmph, and you expect someone to be the opposite of that? When I die, who will replace me? It seems that only your people know and somehow mine are clueless. Who is this noble person you speak of?”
Suddenly, the skies darkened and cleared. There were no clouds, no light, no lightning, only the view of the thrice moon.
The Phoenix alongside Jearer grouped up with Sirafuem. A Drake covered in golden scales floated in the sky, guarded by golden shields. A tsunami flooded the shores and traveled toward Sirafuem. It then delayed itself and the Leviathan towered from behind. Lastly, the dragoon, riding his horse, arrived.
“You all feel that?” The Phoenix asked.
“So, this is the guy they wanted to replace you with?” The Drake said, Sirafuem gave him a quick glare.
“He has arrived,” Tisuderos said as he bowed his head. A Reaper, the Seraphim, the man with elemental orbs, appeared on the back of Tisuderos and bowed. The Wyvern landed and bowed his head as well before the Titan who swept up next to Tisuderos kneeled.
In the starry skies was a Dragon whose wings were nearly a hundred times his size. They radiated with strange energy and their wings looked exactly like a starry night sky.
Sirafuem stared at the descending Dragon until he noticed that the number of stars increased. Suddenly there was a massive storm of explosive stars, landing and circling Sirafuem.
“What in the Overseer’s name?”
“Sirafuem, I would like you to meet the one who will replace you,” Tisuderos said, lifting his head.
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“This is Starstorm, Dragon of Eternal Punishment.”
Starstorm descended and though his body was about the same size as the Titan, the size of his wings could easily touch the atmosphere.
“So, what have you come here for?” Sirafuem asked. Starstorm stayed quiet for a while before answering.
“To bear witness to this slaughter and execution.” He said in a booming voice.
In just a moment, several of Sirafuem’s people lost the light in their eyes. Assassins possessing weapons of deadly force slain the Phoenix, the Horseman, and the Devil. The Drake and the Leviathan were the only ones who managed to survive and escaped on behalf of Sirafuem. The Dragon was still stuck.
Sirafuem clicked his tongue as he was now left alone. He slowly lifted from the ground before crossing his arms.
“Since you took three from me, I will take three from you.”
Immediately, Sirafuem’s body let out a blinding light. Amid the blinding, Sirafuem began his quick assault.
Suddenly, a massive body fell to the floor and when the light dissipated, Sirafuem found himself alone with a dead Titan. Its body split into several pieces.
He looked around before turning to block one of Tisuderos’ attacks.
“Why won’t you just accept defeat!?” The Behemoth yelled, toppling Sirafuem to the ground.
“The strong do not die so easily!” Sirafuem responded, tackling Tisuderos. Sirafuem grabbed onto Tisuderos’ maw and opened it wide.
Light filled up in Sirafuem’s mouth. As he readied his attack, the Seraphim darted towards him, Lightning following from behind.
“DIE!!”
Sirafuem immediately snatched the Seraphim and stuffed him in Tisuderos’ mouth, impaling him onto one of the Behemoth’s fangs.
“Mastros, you know better than to follow the darkness.”
“And I will not follow your light!”
“Then you will die by mine!”
A beam of fiery light shot out from Sirafuem’s mouth, straight down toward Tisuderos. Tisuderos screeched in pain as Mastros’ lightning exploded through Tisuderos’ body. Seconds later, Tisuderos succumbed to the pain, and a fried corpse in his mouth.
Black souls shot out from Tisuderos’ body, fleeing away.
Sirafuem grunted, his body dimmed. He turned around to face the Wyvern.
“Sirafuem.”
“Traitor.”
“Please, this must stop.”
“Then you should’ve joined my side, Acceral.”
Sirafuem stretched his wings and Acceral too. The latter threw blades at Sirafuem and he dodged, tackling the Wyvern into a mountain.
“Last words?” Sirafuem asked.
“Tisuderos was right. You are a danger to this world! Your influence is that of a Tyrant’s!”
Sirafuem smirked as he charged up another attack. Acceral struggled to escape Sirafuem’s grasp until a massive dragon skull pierced the Dragon’s chest, barely scratching the heart.
“For the people that live in thy presence, thy presence must be reaped and fear be extinguished.” The reaper said.
Sirafuem tumbled into the ground, blood spilling from his chest.
“Pho…Phoenix…”
“Your precious Phoenix has been reduced to ashes, your Tyranny.” A human said, standing on top of him.
Sirafuem swung his arm, hoping to hit the man, but he’d vanish, appearing above him with several elemental orbs behind him.
“Know your place, Beranock. Phoenixes do not die so easily.”
“But yours does. Anything to say before your time ends?”
“Same as Tisuderos before I killed him. Why must I be the one to be forgotten?”
“Oh, dear Tyrant. It must feel good to be born strong and live at the top of the food chain. No one to take your power and only all to prey on. Your name alone fills one with fear. Hell, I’m surprised I can still be next to you.”
“The world needs someone that does not rule with an iron fist, but of an open heart.” Acceral added, approaching the two.
“Thy name gives fear. If forgotten, all shall worry no longer.” The reaper appeared.
“All the others have done great deeds that have earned them a spot of a Great One. You have done things unspeakable and destruction unimaginable. Your Legend will only continue to strike fear to those that know your name. You must go.”
After hearing their words, Sirafuem exhaled as his life flashed before his very eyes.
A tear trickled down his face before his body glowed.
“If I will be forgotten, then you will have to end me first!!”
An explosion erupted from Sirafuem’s body, blasting away Beranock, Acceral and the Reaper. Sirafuem ascended into the sky as his wings shined.
[Apex Light]
A pillar of light shone on Sirafuem. When the pillar dissipated, Sirafuem’s body was covered in blinding light.
“I’m going to eviscerate you all!”
Sirafuem dove straight towards the three. His roar echoed through the skies as he plummeted closer and closer.
Then, just before he could make contact, stars pierced through his wings and his heart.
Sirafuem crashed into a mountain, a massive explosion erupting.
“Ough! What the… hell?”
Sirafuem looked around until he noticed two massive wings approaching him.
“It pains me to say this, but more destruction from you will taint the soil of this world. This fight started with those who wanted to rid you of the title of Great One and will end with the person taking it.”
Starstorm stretched his wings, and they gleamed with galactic energy.
“You… I will-!”
“You will cease to exist, Sirafuem. This life is a curse. I wish your soul to be born anew. I will make this world a better place.”
The energy in Starstorm’s wings coursed through his body and grouped up in his chest.
[Orion’s Rapier]
A beam of nebulae energy pierced Sirafuem’s body. The latter let out a weak cry of pain until there was nothing left. All that was left of Sirafuem was a pile of bones and ashes.
“Though this world will forget you, I will bear your name in my heart, Sirafuem.”
With that, Starstorm turned and faced his three companions.
“With my influence and the will of the Overseer, we shall make this world anew.”
The three nodded. Starstorm lifted up into the sky and soon, he vanished.
The reaper approached the corpse of Sirafuem and noticed his corpse was vacant of Sirafuem’s soul.
“What’s wrong, Las?” Beranock asked, and the Reaper turned.
“This corpse is void. No soul attached.”
“Well, of course, his soul is gonna be in the afterlife. It’s not just gonna linger around.”
The Reaper shook his head before crumbling into the ground. Beranock rolled his eyes before turning to Acceral.
“What will you do now?” Acceral asked.
“Well, there are now eight empty seats at the council. We should seek out those candidates to fill the seats.”
“And what about the dead?”
“We will make their existence known. They fought well. Sirafuem, however, shall be forgotten and lost in history.”
“As if he never existed?”
“If they never existed, then there should be no fear of them. Am I wrong?”
“N-no.”
Beranock chuckled before kicking off into the air.
“Well then, Acceral. I bid you farewell. The next time we see each other will be in the time of peace. No more Tyrant for people to fear.”
As Beranock vanished, Acceral just could not bear the guilt as he stared at his former companion.
“I’m sorry, Sirafuem, but this was the only way.”
And so the bladed wyvern took off into the sky back to his home.
A little while later, a tiny bird clad in flames flew above the corpse of Sirafuem. The tiny bird soon left the vicinity with a tiny light particle on its back.
Soon, the six empty seats of the Great Ones would be filled and the six that were killed would be known as former members, though seven were slain.
Sirafuem’s name vanished alongside his followers. In a decade’s time, only the elderly would remember his name and they were called crazy, gossiping about a Legend that never existed.
Those that supported Sirafuem were cast out of their seats at the council and were only remembered as Legends, their seats being replaced immediately.
Now a newly formed council of Great Ones, the world progressed and 2,000 years passed.
War existed, though on a small scale. Peace was among most of the world and the influence of the Great Ones have made nations with promising futures. Though the air did linger with an ominous aura. As the old saying goes, when there is light, there will always be darkness…