Originally uploaded Mar 26, 2024

Neoth Pov

The soft sound of rain filled my halls. A flash of light outside cast long streaked shadows of rain on the windows as the sound of thunder soon followed.

The storm wasn't far now, not that there would be anyone else to enjoy the rain. Many major cities were all empty or destroyed. The dragons were making a clean sweep of both continents, and they were being thorough.

Reaching up I took a lantern that was hanging from the wall. With shaky hands I lit a match and waited for the lantern to illuminate the dark lonely halls of my museum.

As the lantern lit my way I was only reminded of better times. Both for me and our race. We were a flourishing civilization, occupying two whole continents as we deepened our research into both mana and aether.

It was truly a shame, especially for me as a historian. I was tasked with the duty of recording and remember all that has transpired in this world. To keep all of the past knowledge that was passed down to us from people now beyond us to the next generation.

And better soon this place that holds so much information and emotion, all that have culminated over thousands of years will be gone with me alongside it. When the initial evacuation began and many of our people began to flee into the pocket dimension many of our greatest scholars and researchers created I refused.

I couldn't imagine just abandoning this place and leaving it to burn all by itself. I was this museum's keeper and I will gladly burn down with it.

Perhaps there can be a silver lining in this story. Maybe there will some time when there is another race of people that will take our place. No matter how hard the asuras of Ephetous try to erase every single atom of our existence some of it will remain.

Maybe they will find us through our remains and pick up from where we left off. Or heck maybe we will survive, at least the one who made it safely away from the dragon's fire.

My lonely footsteps echoed throughout the barren hallways. To each side of me was a wall of glass, on my left an ancient map drawn over several thousand years ago rested, protected from the outside elements. On my right was the fossilized remains of a large reptilian beast that predated us by several million years.

My hands trembled as I light my way through, it hardly felt worth it to even use my already weak mana to light the many torches that lined the halls. My hands, so wrinkled and weakened by time. I wondered how many years I even have left, trying to find solace in my soon encroaching death.

"Not that it really matters, thinking about a sunrise I will never get to see." I cast my mind back to my life. It was long, yet most of it was spent cramped in my study or amongst my collection of ancient relics and documents. Perhaps that was why my back ached so much. I had to lean on my cane for support with one of my hands as I held the lantern in the other.

Spellforms that ran up and down my entire body glowed warm as they soothed my aching body somewhat. All that research into vivum and all I can do is prolong a painful existence, if only I had a few more years to perfect such techniques.

While our kind's understanding of mana was at its peak our grasp on aether was merely the fundamentals in the grand scale of things.

It is the material or energy that binds and creates the world as we know it. Perhaps even other worlds that are beyond our own if some of our theories are correct.

But the main academic studies splits off into three main branches with subcategories in all three. I had decided to tread on the path of vivum, the study of life, death, and souls. While my old colleague Vago went on the path of aevum, the study if time.

It felt like it was just yesterday when we were both wide-eyed kids who competed against one another in all matters of things. To our grades in school to the little board games we would play. Of course him having a affinity for aevum I would accuse him of cheating on more than one occasion.

But thinking of such things at the end of my life only felt comforting. I wondered what I would have been able to do with just a few more years to study aevum. I could feel I was walking towards the horizon of understanding. A chance to stumble onto something not even our greatest scholars have yet to find.

But Fate has always been a cruel mistress. Dangling hope right in front of our eyes as she snuffs out your life with her other hand.

I was interrupted from my time reminiscing when a loud knocking could be heard. I let out an involuntary yelp as I caught the lantern I had dropped before it hit the ground.

'Just who could at be at this hour? I thought everyone had already left.' I said in my own head as I hastily made my way to the front entrance.

Cautiously I nudged the large doors open. While they were large doors made of marble the hinge mechanisms they were built upon made opening them an ease even for a weak bodied individual like me. But opening the door had reminded me that I had left the doors unlocked, thinking there wouldn't be any visitors.

I quickly shook away any ill notions, the person must just be being polite.

Through the small crack in the door I had made I peeked outside. The sky was dark, as lines of harsh rain beat down.

"Hello?" I cautiously asked.

I had to stagger another small yelp as a large figure emerged from the night's darkness. A man in a large hooded robe approached. I tried to peer in to make out his face but whether it was my eyes getting old or some kind of spell he had utilized I couldn't make it out.

"Hello, master Neoth. May I come in, the rain is coming down quiet hard now." A deep baritone voice that seemed to shack me to my very being spoke. And without even second-guessing myself our how his figure knew my name I opened the door for me to enter.

"You have my gratitude." The man said as he swiftly entered and closed the door behind as to not let any more rain get in. "I know moisture is a concern with museum pieces."

I simply waved away his concern. "They are all going to be destroyed anyway. A couple particles of rain won't matter."

The large man chuckled as he removed his hood. "Perhaps. But who is to say that they will all be destroyed."

As he removed his hood as revealed his face I immediately recognized him. His dark complexion with long dark hair farming his square chin and chiseled face. He looked like some ancient statue of a god come to life. Not old yet not young at the same time. And his eyes, they were his darkest features. Almost pitch-black pupils stared back at me, but within that abyssal darkness there seemed to be twinkle of something. Some kind of power I couldn't understand that hid just beneath the surface.

I staggered back. In equal measures shocked and afraid. This man was the man crazy enough to make a stand against the asuras. A man who had battled dragons by himself and came out on top. The man who rebellions against gods.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

"You are..."

"You may know me as the Emperor. But that is merely a title I had chosen to adopt. I am only here as a visitor." He assured me as a small smile crept up on his face. It seemed almost unnatural, at how seemed to he try to emulate human emotion. At a passing glance it was normal but upon closer inspection you could tell something was wrong with it. I couldn't quite place my finger on it but something was different.

I stood still for a couple seconds unsure of what to do. This man was a warlord, strong-arming many of my race to his cause. All of which seemed futile to me. The force the lord of dragons had dispatched to the lesser's realm was merely a cleanup crew, not there full military might. Even if we are able to push them back to Ephetous for now I doubt our victory would last long.

The Emperor clearly seeing my discomfort place out his hands to show that he was unarmed. "Relax Neoth. I didn't come here to pick a fight. And killing an old man like you now would seem dishonorable." He joked.

He took a step closer as he placed a large hand on my frail thin shoulder. Even though it was only his hand I could feel the weight and most of all the power that bubbled just beneath the surface. An otherworldly kind of strength that seemed to have a will of its own, just barely held at bay by him.

"And you are of higher purpose than just death here." He reassured.

Regaining my wit I brushed off his hand. "If you are here because I rejected Vago's offer than you may leave. You coming here personally doesn't change anything." I stated as I turned to walk away.

With just a couple stride he quickly caught up to me and stood blocking my path with his bulk. There was an unmistakable aura to him, that made me want to comply to his wishes that took willpower to overcome and ignore.

"If I may ask for your reasoning?" He asked with an eyebrow raised.

"If I indulge you will you leave." I said with a sigh.

"If that is what you wish." He returned with a firm nod.

I took another deep breath as I motioned for him to follow. We walked side by side for some time, as I took in one last view of all the exhibits that inhabited my museum. A place that was the cornerstone of research and learning back when we were at our peak. Young students and scholars would come from lands far away to seek the knowledge that was stored here.

It was officially called a museum but under my care it has grown to be so much more. The deeper parts were expanded to house a library the size of a small town, filled with thousands of text. This place was a pool of knowledge, of records of our past accomplishments that was suppose to withstand the test of time and be a reminder to our future generations of what their ancestors did before their time.

I had spent my entire life in these halls, being tutored by my father personally to inherit it. I had hoped to do the same some day, but alias. Another thing I had failed for my father. I couldn't help but let a warm sorrowful smile bloom across my face as I walked by each and everyone of the pieces on display.

"You seem very fond of this place. Was it perhaps your reluctance to leave your duties here?" The warlord's stern voice snapped me out of my memories.

"Oh, excuse an old man for falling back into his memories." I said, slightly embarrassed I had forgotten he was here.

In return he merely shook his head. "No, they should be people like you who record what we do. For we can not leave our progeny blind of the past."

"Indeed." I agreed.

We walked for a bit longer until we reached one end of the hall. At the far side placed right by the wall was a large table. Well, it looked like a table from a distance but as we came closer the smaller detail came to light.

An entire city carved into the blackwood of the table. Each small minute detail cut and raised up to be a perfect replica of the city it represented. A city that no longer stood.

The Emperor slowly approached the piece of artwork and marveled at it. I had done the same when I fist came upon it and liberated before it was destroyed with the city. And now it was all that was left of the once might monument of our glory.

The Emperor studied the table for a few moments before turning to face me. A small smile decorated his otherwise emotionless face.

"You saved this artwork didn't you?" He said, but I could tell he knew the answer before he asked the question.

He turned his full attention from the table back to me. "Neoth, you seem to have difficulty letting go of the past. Even now I could tell you escape into your memories to try to hide from the present." He spoke as he took steps towards me until we were face to face.

"You hold unto these relics of the past as a reminder. As a source of comfort for yourself." I stared into his eyes which seemed to be a gravity of their own. My eyes were unconsciously drawn towards the inky black-holes they seemed to represent.

"Perhaps I do. What of it? This is the life I chose and it seems to be at its end now." I reluctantly said. I knew what he was trying to do, trying to get in my head and break my mental barriers down to swoop in and to drag me into his cause when I am vulnerable. But what more do I have to lose?

"Here is what I believe." I said as I pointed an accusing finger at him.

"I believe this little war you are waging. This whole shit all for nothing. You know that these dragons they have sent are only the extermination force. We have yet to even glimpse at these beings at their peak, these creatures that even asuras consider to be gods among their kind.

I know you are lacking in numbers. Why the hell would you come to an old man like me? You need all the help you can get. All these people you are throwing away trying to insure a future that will never come. You can burn all these lives in your feeble attempt at survival for all I care. But I will die here. I will die where I was meant to be, guarding my galleries.

But if you are so confident that you will succeed in your goals then show me. You must have seers and diviners within your ranks right? What have they seen? Hmm? If the future you promise is to come to pass then show me." I yelled, my throat screamed out in pain as my entire body ached by the sudden movement but I didn't care.

All this pent up rage and sadness flooded out of me in a stream. All pointed towards this one man. Looking back at it he didn't really deserve any of my harsh words. Not that it seemed to dampen his mood. But he was only a man trying to do what he thought was the best for the survival of his kind. And I couldn't blame a man for trying against even the most improbable odds.

Silence hung in the air as I finished my ramblings. We stood in still for a while as I breathed heavily.

The silence was broken as the sound of a massive portal being ripped open in the fabric of our reality could be heard. As a hazy purple light filled the skies.

The Emperor quickly stepped around me as he placed himself in front of me.

"Leave me. Let me die in peace." I uttered.

The Emperor only looked back at me with a sad smile. In his hands materialized a sword with a gleaming white blade. Its bronze colored hand-guards fashioned into the wings of a eagle, as his robes melted away to reveal the blackstone armor that was trimmed with brilliant gold. Upon his chest-plate a three-headed eagle was engraved onto its metal surface. It's large wings spread out in flight.

"No, Neoth. I told you that your death is not here. Not now. Fate has more to offer you."

"What are you sayin-" Before I could finish my question the Emperor reached out his large hands as spellsforms and runes spilled out from his gauntlets and surrounded me. Even with just a quick glance I could tell what he was trying to do.

I tried to move quickly to free myself from his spell but it was already too late. I could feel my physical body being pulled away from this space as my vision stretched and my mind felt like it was being tossed around.

"No! I can't leave this place, not like this!" I screamed as aether carried me far away from my museum.

The last words I heard as pillars of dragon fire burned through into the museum walls and ceiling was the Emperor's. A mixture of sorrow, regret, and hopefulness for future was conveyed in just a couple words.

"We will see each other. In another life, in another way, Neoth. Guide the boy well."

***

My mind screamed as I exited the memory. I shuddered as I thought back to it. A past memory I didn't know I had. Was I getting so old that even aether and mana wasn't enough to stop me from going senile?

Perhaps it was the constant body-hopping that was messing with my head. Or maybe it was a memory that was purposefully locked away even from me.

But who? Who could have done such a thing to me of all people.

My thinking was interrupted as a massive boom shook the ceiling, knocking tiles of marble and stone free.

"Sounds like they breached the outside layer." I mused. Battling Oliurk and Vago's forces in a aerial combat was just a waste of time I concluded.

The only real chance I had for buying myself more time was to lure them deep into my own realm and to surround them from all sides. And while the thought of having unwanted visitors mucking about in my place wasn't a pleasant feeling what other choice did I have?

We will draw them into a kill zone and deal with them directly. Knowing Oliurk he will be making the attack himself personally. He is too prideful to do otherwise. Although he may be a good strategist, if you knew his character he become predictable.

But predicting him and fighting against him are two separate things. And this fight will cost me dearly.

But I still couldn't quiet shack the linger feeling of the recently uncovered memory from my head. Was there a reason why it revealed itself to me now of all time? Or was it some strange coincidence?