Warning

The Codex Sanctus Umbra contains major spoilers. Please don’t read it unless you’ve finished all the previous chapters.

Codex Sanctus Umbra

To those reading this in the days ahead,

Welcome back to the Codex Sanctus Umbra. I am Loo, a book brought into existence by Amalee, the first daughter of God. Within my pages lies the truth of our world, recorded through the discoveries of Madoxx on his journey.

Read carefully, for truth is a force both powerful and perilous.

The Codex will now unveil the revelations uncovered in the shadows.

The First Sin

And on this day, God breathed life into her.

And on this day, she woke.

And on this day, she reached into the void.

And on this day, a tree grew.

Yet God still watched.

She created, her hands unbound.

She wondered, her thoughts unchained.

And God whispered, “You are my daughter.”

And on this day, God saw the seed of sin.

And on this day, He knew her heart.

And on this day, He did not turn away.

And on this day, He said, “You are loved.”

And on this day, the Codex was born.

And on this day, she spoke her stories to it.

And on this day, God smiled, for she created as He had.

Yet God still knew.

Her hands would build, her heart would burn.

The tree she grew would touch the heavens,

And from its ashes, the world would change.

And on this day, a door was closed.

And on this day, the heavens turned.

And on this day, a secret was buried.

And on this day, the earth closed above her.

And on this day, the stars waited in silence.

And on this day, the prison held.

But one day, the stars will fall.

And one day, the earth will break.

And one day, the Codex will sing again.

And on that day, the end will begin.

And on that day, the skies are bound to fall.

And on that day, righteous evil will be born once more.

And on that day, the last will be chosen.

And on that day, God will come down for the last time.

And on that day, He will say:

This poem was etched on a stone tablet Madoxx found along the way. It speaks of God's actions on a day in the past and the mission He set forth for His soldiers. This stone tablet predicted the fall of the skies and foretold an end yet to be seen in the distant future.

It tells of Loo, the Codex, and how I was created by the first daughter, Amalee, to hold her stories. Yet, this is all I know, and my purpose now remains unclear.

The tablet also speaks of God's first mistake and His love for His creations. Though He is all-knowing, He acts in mysterious ways. God knew of Amalee’s wicked heart, yet He still loved her and forged her. Yet He also knew she needed to be punished—her prison forged of her own making.

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The creation of Heaven and Hell.

And when the rich soil was made, and God stepped for the first time since He condemned her, He remembered.

God made His daughter to please.

Yet in her soul was a shadow of sin, and yet God still created.

Others did rise,

Bearing her flaws, her heart, her fate.

He saw humanity was chained.

But still God shaped them,

Knowing their hearts could harbor ill.

For He, all-knowing, could plainly see

Who’d turn to the dark and who’d be free.

But love was boundless in Him.

He made them all, both dark and light.

And yet, one day, His all-knowing was tested.

A soul deemed lost found paths unknown.

Zora, the fallen, rejected his fate.

The chains of sin broken,

Turning from sin, rejecting shame.

God, astonished, in silence stood,

And knew His judgment misunderstood.

No soul was alike, no fate was a chain.

Could humans rise beyond their stain?

Thus, He set forth the land of which the first bore her sacred tree.

A test of will, of purity, would be held.

But Sina proved a point—not all were righteous.

Not all could turn; some sin was chained.

So God created again.

A place for rest, a place for those who could see light.

He formed the heavens and the depths of hell.

So where once God stood for the first time since He condemned His daughter,

A place where the soil was rich, He named this home,

For the righteous. For those who’d strived, who’d sought their best.

To heaven’s grace, the righteous soared.

And He created halls for the sinners who ignored.

The Second Golden Scroll

This second golden scroll speaks, and we listen to its story.

God stepped on the new earth for the first time since He punished Amalee and felt it still needed something.

So others rose. Those others are now known to be humans—created after Amalee. Yet, like her, they carried evil in their hearts.

God felt humanity was cursed to sin always and forever.

So God ran a test to confirm His doubts.

Until Zora proved Him wrong. Zora showed that humanity could be good.

Here, God learned that not all humans were the same. Not all had evil hearts. So, on this day, He created heaven and hell to reward and punish those who deserved it.

God’s Last Message to His Soldiers

And I,

God's last act,

His final words:

"I shall return home.

But before the gates close behind me,

I will choose,

One to rule heaven,

One to reign in hell.

Many will be called,

But only two can rise.

One to govern the light,

One to master the dark.

To these, my chosen, I command:

When the stars have fallen,

When the dust and the battle is won,

Come before me,

And bow,

And tell me that the task is done.

For this is no gift I bestow,

But a duty.

The weight of creation upon your shoulders,

The games will begin,

And all of existence shall bear witness.

Loud enough so that I may not miss it.

There, an angel will be born. The same with a demon.

Then rise to the top and take your place."

God returned home, but where this is remains unknown. He left a few chosen to rise and rule hell and heaven, respectively. He tells them this is an order: one day, when the job is done, one devil and one angel will remain. God will call to them, and they must report.

What will take place after this act is unknown, but if God has deemed it, then it will come to light.

Truths of Magnus

Magnus sighed and turned back to me. “Let me tell you a story, boy. Two hundred and fifty years ago, Sina committed the greatest sin this land has ever known. She burned down the Tree of Life—a tree that had stood since the dawn of time, its ashes glowing white as it fell. But the story doesn’t end there.

“When the tree burned, its true form was revealed: a cage. A prison. And within it was her.

“A group of men carried the statue—yes, the one you saw back at the orphanage—out of Bountyreach. Even Zora, the man who founded this kingdom, was shocked at what emerged from the tree’s remains.

“A single girl, bound by roots and branches, lay slumped on the stump. Next to her was a book—a black, withered tome. The very same book you now carry, boy. The book that chose you.

“When Zora opened the book, his body went limp, and he fell into a trance that lasted a year. For 365 days, he sat unmoving, suspended in that otherworldly state. Then, one day, he simply stood, as if nothing had happened. He dusted off his clothes and ordered all the people of Sina to gather.

“When everyone was assembled, a brilliant red light washed over the land. Men, women, children, animals—everything fell into a deep, dreamless sleep for 100 years. The girl was buried deep within the earth, along with the traitors who had betrayed the sacred kingdom of life.

“And do you know where we stand today, boy?” Magnus leaned closer, his eyes burning with intensity. “This is the land of Sina. All the people you see here? They are the betrayed. Punished. Stripped of their magic and their freedom. If any of them so much as attempt to use magic, they burst into flames and die.

“This land is a prison—a cruel punishment for those who wronged the sacred land. But even in this cursed place, hope remains. The children born here can wield magic. And thanks to the church, I discovered this fact. They gave me this information, not out of kindness, but for their own gain.

“For years, I danced to their tune, their pawn in a grand game. But then, 15 years ago, something miraculous happened. A gift beyond measure appeared before me. You, Maddox. You, the one who brought the skies crashing down and set me free.”

His smile widened, sharp and menacing. “I thought if I got you close to your friends and killed them in front of you, it would trigger your powers—just like that day in the forest. But it didn’t. Even now, with Eliza standing before you, the shock still hasn’t worked.

Here, we learn that the tree was Amalee’s prison.

We uncover the wicked schemes of the church.

We discover that Zora was the creator of the dome that curses the land.

Magnus favored Maddox because he saw him as the key to bringing down the skies.

And only newborn children can wield magic within the confines of the dome.

Thus concludes what has been unearthed for now. The Codex Sanctus Umbra is far from complete. Many truths remain buried, waiting to be discovered by those brave enough to seek them.

What lies ahead for Madoxx, the devil, and his kingdom? What new mysteries will emerge from the shadows?

Return to the Codex Sanctus Umbra, where all truths are etched, eternal and unyielding.

Go forth, hunter of shadows, and uncover what hides in the dark running from the light.