The deep black of a violent storm paints the sky in the colour of a dark shadow. Sleeping on the ground far beneath this tempest is a small boy, collapsed on the corpse of a Pegasus long since dead. Slowly the storm dissipates, over two days and nights, and finally, when the black is washed out from the heavens, the boy begins to wake.
This boy, Astraoth, opens his eyes to a boundless red sky, finding himself in the same position as when he first collapsed. Rubbing his eyes, Astraoth sits up, looking around at his surroundings, slightly shaken by the significant change in scenery.
Still, Astraoth quickly regains a grasp on his location, and ponders,"Hmm...The sky is now red again, but the ground is still dry and desolate. If I am in the same area, which I very likely am, then the storm likely dissipated after I killed the Pegasus, and thus, the second obelisk should be here."
Astraoth quickly gets to his feet, patting the dust and dirt off his clothes, which are now stained a dusty gray. Astraoth looks to the dead Pegasus and coats his hand in Essence Energy, stabbing it into the beast's skull. Quickly, Astraoth pulls out the Pegasus' beast core, finding a small black sphere pulsing with blue and purple energy. Astraoth places the beast core next to the first and begins to extend his consciousness outward, searching for the next obelisk.
His mind is drawn to the former focal point of the storm, where the Pegasus first emerged from. Astraoth stumbles over there, still sore from fighting so hard, and creates a small ball of Essence Energy in his palm. Placing his palm on the ground, Astraoth sends the energy into the ground, and it resonates with the obelisk deep in the ground. It is forced out and appears in front of Astraoth, and is, like the first, a half-meter tall.
It radiates a quiet aura, and Astraoth grabs it tightly in his hand, readying himself to leave. Astraoth looks to the horizon and, unable to distinguish one part of the land from the next, attempts to sense which direction he came from. Focusing his mind, Astraoth feels a remnant of his aura left behind in the west, to his left.
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Astraoth quickly whips around to face the west, closing his eyes softly. Breathing in sharply, Astraoth's eyes snap open, and Astraoth sprints forward in a burst of speed, rushing quickly toward his temporary home. Astraoth rushes past the desolate land of the south, passing through land worn and battered by wind, rain, hail, ice, lightning, and unceasing storms.
Astraoth's mind wanders as he runs to his safe haven, thinking,"This land is, for the most part, barren and lifeless, but with the storms finally ending, perhaps life could reawaken someday...But regardless of this land's situation, I need to get to my shelter."
He continues on, past the south, and arrives eventually into the west, with abundant life and vegetation. Eventually, Astraoth comes at the same small gorge he first arrived at when he was transported to this world. Astraoth begins to contemplate his time spent in this western land, since he first arrived in this beautiful land, with its ruby sky, blue sun, and auroral violet plant life.
He recalls how he felt when he first came to this land, reminiscing,"When I first arrived here, I was stunned by this land's flamboyant colours and vibrant beauty...Its brilliance was simply astounding. And now that I'm back, I feel it again. This feeling of peace."
Shaking his head, Astraoth tries to refocus,"I must not be distracted. This peace is wonderful, but peace cannot save my life in this cruel world of mine. Once I pass this trial, once I survive and grow strong, I can enjoy peace all I want, I can enjoy life all I want. Now, I must go and prepare. My next battle awaits."
And so, Astraoth forces himself to leave the beauty of life and the comforts of peace he enjoyed so dearly. He begins the rush to his shelter, the rush to ready himself for his next battle, not knowing that his troubles, his battles, were only just beginning, not knowing that the peace he so desperately craved, the peace he so desperately loved, would not be his for a very long time to come...