When the old gods fell, the sky of our world 'Boarde' turned dark, the lands crumbled as the seas vanished, leaving only vast, grandiose basins of sand across the world. the few races on our world who were smart and resilient enough to survive were the only ones left, we thought that was the worst to come. We were wrong. So very wrong. From the dried basins we once called lakes, oceans and seas came grandiose canyons that opened up to the deepest pits of 'Underworld' the dead souls of thousands turned bitter and cruel had resided there. Not anymore. For out of the canyons came 'the Hive' the mechanized souls of our loved ones came tearing through those canyons, clambering to the surface, the gates that were once sealed shut over entrances to Underworld were smashed open; we fought, every single sentient being fought side-by-side against our corrupt ancestors. It didn't matter anymore, our prejudices tossed aside. Any previous conflicts swiftly forgotten.

Be it who they were, what they were, what walk of life they came from. We didn't care, every single person ready to fight stood at the gates, erecting fortresses and blockades around them. Boarde stood ready for the oncoming horde... it didn't mean we were. We were outnumbered beyond our wildest imagination. every single departed soul came pouring out, intent on destroying us all. 100,000,000 years worth of the dead came for us, races and species never seen before erupted from the gates and canyons, some erupting and then diving from the sky, others rising from the ground. We held them off for 10 years, our supplies gone, our lands destroyed. We would survive. But not in the way we thought we could. This plan was regrettably mine... As all the forces of Underworld poured out, intent on our destruction, our main forces drew them away from the gates, even the grandiose statues that stood at the gates rose, mountains of stone that could move; they forced The Hive away from the gates, giving them no chance to return. and at that exact time, every single civilian left on Boarde dashed through the gates, the grand golems slamming the doors shut behind us.

In 1,000 years, we shall leave the depths of hell I told them. eventually that time came, for when we left; our world had been revived, the oceans returned, the land lush and green. all Boarde needed now was to be repopulated by sentient life, cattle from those thousands of years ago roamed the lands, valiant steeds, dragons, leviathans. everything from our long forgotten ancestry was back. But this new world caused other issues, now with land to reclaim for ourselves laid out before us, the united people of Boarde split into factions once more. Our 4,000 years had changed us, Humanity no longer exists, the only remnant of our last stand are the ancient golems, standing besides the gates once more. Immortals.

We soon found out just how our world had been revived, a god and goddess had brought life back to it. The goddess of nature 'Gaia' and the god of life 'Talí'. Upon further research and exploration, I have discovered several things. Namely that Boarde now consists of two continents, aptly named after our two gods, Gaia in the east, Talí in the west. New races were brought into our world, we were categorized by our races. The 'New World' races and the 'Elder' races. Now we have rebuilt our lands, and our populace. It is time to see what is to come.

I slammed the ancient, leather-bound book shut, letting out a small sigh as I placed it back into it's respectful position. I let out a short yawn, my eyes were sunken and drooping. It'd taken far longer than expected to find any books that could interest me, it was only natural I'd find some old, decrepit, ancient history book first. Not like I believed any of it after all, it'd been written in times of the ancients, though much of what was written here complied; I couldn't help but give off a chuckle. The sound echoed throughout the vast empty expanse of the library, echoing off the marble walls and seemingly tumbling and cascading down the double-helix of ornate staircases. Such a small sound filled the vast space, I was given a recurring wave of mumbles and dissipating grumbles.

"Tch, kids these days"

"No damn respect"

"Grr, can't even read in peace"

Where merely a small collection of the responses I obtained. It didn't matter. At the very least, I was simply here for the sakes of research. A soft sound started to emanate from my coat's pocket: an odd hum of various pitches, but, to me something like this wasn't odd, I pulled out the source of the sound. A smoothly cut, black crystal with an array of dazzling blue glyphs running through it's surface: the intensity of the light produced dimming with each drop of tone in the alien noise it produced. Runestone. Arya. It took me a moment to decide on whether or not to touch it, sighing, I sprinted out of the Librarium swiftly, the moment I escaped the building and came out the door, I slid one of the glyphs on the stone upwards, it's alien noise being replaced with that of a girl's voice. Middle-aged, forcing on a more refined voice. She spoke quickly.

"Daaaaaaaaaarling!"

"Don't call me that Arya, it's a pain"

She seemed somewhat displeased with my cold response "Hmmph, it's not like I can just call you servant after all is it?" I sighed in response to this.

"Why the hell are those the only two choices!?" I growled, irritated by her choice of words.

"Fufu~ I think calling you servant is just found, oooh, how about errand boy?"

"Gah! Screw you, just call me Rallo dammit! My names Rallo Von! How many times do I have to tell you!"

To that, she only offered me a cruel chuckle, I could hear cloth dropping in the background now, old hinges being opened, then the odd rushing of water in a closed off room. "My my, you young boys are so feisty, it's why I keep you anyways, now, hurry home~"

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"Arya I hate you!" I slammed the glyph down, the Runestone going dark as I slipped it back into my pocket, her voice could be heard no more. A pain in the side. Only more to come it seems.

My stroll began, it'd darkened since I left the library: perhaps sometime around late noon? There used to be a clocktower in the plaza I stood, but the top few floors were little more than rubble right now: the last Black Blood revolution had done quite a lot of damage, especially to the taller and more archaic building in Trustram. This summer however, it was like all those events previously had been forgotten. People were smiling, laughing and talking happily, many peddlers and merchants hiding beneath the shade of cloth sheets and tents from the scorching sun, massive varieties of vegetables and spices where being sold out in the open, the hustle and bustle in the middle-class areas was something I found much more enjoyable. On my way home, I passed through several streets, and with each street came a new smell: the warm and motherly feeling of bread as it baked, then the rough and choking scent of burning wood, after another few minutes of my venture, I left the middle-class area behind me, now, that same choking smell stayed with me; people were strolling through the streets here as well, but instead of the enjoyable hustle and bustle of the plaza outside the library, here there were no peddlers and merchants looking for coin, only a few civilians, slowly moving along, eyes downcast to the grimy cobble pathways, not daring to make eye contact with me, or anyone else for that matter.

Other than the far more gloomy feeling of the area, I wasn't particularly affected by the change of scenery. At least everything was rather quiet and passive here. It was a shame that passive mode didn't last long. Yelps of pain resounded across the street from one of the many, shadowed and narrow alleys: then, the voice of an adult, male it seemed. They're safe I thought, maybe the kid just tripped over. I gave up on that assumption when I heard the words of the man. "Shut the fuck up! A filthy beastkin like you deserves this!" I heard the sound of a heavy boot as it collided with something soft, and then that same, soft thing cracking into the cold, stone walls of the alley. I gritted my teeth. There was nothing I could do. What was the point in helping? I began my steps forward, the kid would have to deal with this on there own; and with a heavy heart, and a sickening feeling in my stomach, my hands clenched to fists, and the gloomy feeling of the other civilians here swarmed me, my eyes lowered, and I started to walk...

But, for some reason, my steps were hesitant, I came to a stop, turning my body around, and slowly moving back to the alley, the sounds of kicking and beating still haven't stopped, and something else started. Sobbing, and defiant screams from the child "You took my mommy an daddy! Why do you keep tormenting my family!" The kid really let out a defiant scream, like an injured dog backed into a corner. Sadly, the child was silenced once more, I couldn't see, but I could hear a liquid slapping against the pavement, the child coughing, choking it seemed. But, they let out another roar "Please... kill me if you want... I just... want my family.... to be with..." and with each pause, came another cough and that unseen, crimson liquid splashed to the floor again. My eye twitched uncomfortably. Looks like I've snapped. I stormed into the alley, sprinting at full speed, roaring at the group of men that had been beating the child "DIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIE!" My body acted on instinct, springing off the floor and raising me knee, It collided into the jaw of the nearest attacker, shattering his jawbone as my weight knocked him to the floor, he jerked around and twitched slightly, but came to a stop rather swiftly as I drove a fist into his stomach. It was rather unfortunate that I felt a sharp pain slice along my cheek. One of the attackers had drew a knife when I was paying more attention to his now unconscious friend. The darkness of the alley had probably saved me from having that blade jammed into my skull to be honest. After a swift pause, I sprang off the ground again, my right foot swinging round, a wide, sweeping kick that collided brutally with the shins of knife-wielder. Only one more remained now, the owner of the voice of that abusive man. This time, he pulled out something even more dangerous, a short sword that had previously been concealed in his cloak was now drawn, pointed to me. His grin turned to a scowl, sadistic in fact, like he'd won. "Kid. You have one chance, run now, so I can finish off this little mutt, okay?" While he spoke, he kicked behind him, sole of his heavy boot having slammed into the collapsed child. Another heavy impact on a small frame of a body.

The grimace that lathered across my face intensified, with the child's pained yelps continuing on, bursts of weakened noises, calling out. Vile...

"Vile. Vile man..." I rasped hoarsely through a clenched jaw. The man allowed his sickened grin to widen slightly; I lowered my fists, released them to palms and looked once more to the floor. And as I did, a small part of me was nagging at me. I just lowered my guard to a man who'd kick the crap out of a young child. A terrible man. There was nothing to stop him from just killing me now. And as I dismissed that thought, it was actually proven to be correct. I didn't have time to react to the sudden attack. The sword came down, the blade tearing through the skin of my shoulder, deeper and deeper still. Another THUNK and suddenly, my left arm was no longer attached to my body. No blood came from me however. Only from him as I dug in deep to the ground, shoving the weight of my leg into his stomach, and as he stumbled, winded I chuckled unnaturally. He started to cower slightly as I slammed my heel into his wrist after he fell. CRACK. I took his blade as it clattered to the ground. Now I was the one who was grinning. And with that, blood came, as I said, not of my own, but of his.

I forced the blade inwards to the center of his chest. Tearing sinew, piercing flesh, fracturing bone. Rending the heart. He shuddered, a spasm in his arm, a wriggle in his calf. Then stillness. No more words, no more grinning from this man, only stillness. Only silence. The boy whom I'd just about forgotten about squealed. My free hand moved to quickly cover his mouth, but it wasn't there, it was on the ground about a foot behind me. The child scampered, running, seemingly for his life. I sighed to myself. "Really, not even a thanks..." I ducked down to grab my missing arm, standing as I slung it over my shoulder and leaving again, muttering to myself once again.

"Rallo buddy. Arya is gonna kill us..."

"I know Rallo, I know we're as good as dead once we get home"

"Yup... hey, wanna get a drink before we head back?"

"Yup"

People looked at me oddly, perhaps because I was talking to myself? Maybe because I was missing an arm? Hell, maybe even because of all the blood on me...

"Y'know Rallo, maybe we should just go home instead, death by Arya is probably better than getting arrested"

"I can agree with that as well Rallo"

Whelp, I'm screwed.