“Quick, man the battle stations, the city of Everlight needs you!” the voice boomed through the crystalline city. People stopped what they were doing in shock, and some screamed in terror. The day so many feared but nobody thought would happen, looked to have arrived.
Everlight, the shining bastion of hope and goodness. Made up of seven spires, with the largest in the middle, the buildings were of sleek crystal. Bridges spiralled around and connected each tower, often extending further out than necessary, as if made to just show off the abilities of the architects responsible for their construction.
If one wanted to travel quickly from one spire to the next with speed, they only had to jump onto one of the floating crystal discs that could take them to where they wanted to go.
Everlight had been constructed with the most brilliant elementalists over a four thousand years ago. It stood on a floating island in the middle of a great canyon, with a bridge of shimmering crystal that connected the city to the outside land.
Water forever cascaded over many points of the city, seemingly endless in its supply. But this too was a feature implemented by the wielders of that powerful elemental magic.
The city had been ruled over by a long line of kings and queens, who’s bloodline could be traced back to the original people that built the city.
Everlight was a peaceful place to live. A city where it focused on the arts of all kinds and creativity in all its avenues. Everyone that worked, no matter how lowly of importance it may have seemed, were treated with respect. All were told and shown how what they did mattered in the happiness of Everlight as a whole.
“You need to go and take Adamantia with you. Go into the escape pod and flee this place.” The haggard King Balor was a man of average height but of ropey, bulky muscle. His once perfect black beard, that sat just at the start of his chest, had become knotted with streaks of grey. Deep purple lined his now sunken eyes and his voice, once a smooth and rich bass, was now broken with scratches and rising pitch.
“Is this the day, the Day of Darkness?” The light blue hair contrasted her russet brown skin. Queen Zeraph stood over a foot taller than her husband and was as capable a fighter as anyone else in the city of Everlight. Swaddled in her arms was a baby less than four months old and to the surprise of everyone, she was asleep.
“Only if we let it.” Balor kissed his wife and readied his warhammer onto his shoulder. The head, a rustic orange, had a beautiful red ruby set in the handle.
“Everlight will never be the same again. Stay safe, my love.” Zeraph and Balor shared another kiss before the Queen broke away down a winding corridor.
Outside of the castle, Forge manned a floating crystal disc that was mounted with his latest laser cannon. Its chromatic body was already a red glow. He wore a suit of armour that almost appeared out of place from the rest of the knights. It was sleek and light and moved with his body.
Though most of the action was on the ground below, Forge was busy with the sky. An evil sorcerer had brought a meteor shower down onto Everlight, and it took every ounce of Forge’s strength and the effort of his machine to keep the fiery boulders at bay.
Furious wingbeats kept a creature high in the sky and away from the unfolding carnage below. A large, black dragon, with chunks of scales and flesh missing, showing bones, roared with unrighteous fury.
Standing atop the dragon, a tall figure wielded an emerald sceptre in one hand and a jagged sword in the other. A black cloak hung from shoulders, obscuring the withered and dry husk. Where the eyes should be, two fiery purple orbs of hateful light glowed.
“The Day of Darkness has finally descended upon Everlight. Everything in the world of Etherum will forever be changed. We will no longer hide in the shadowy wastes of our home.” The voice was as dry as the body.
“Like I’d always said it would, Lord Husk.” Sitting on a smoking hovercycle, the woman was clad in a torn leather jacket. Seemingly pointless spikes adorned her shoulders and in one of her hands, a vicious glaive with a crimson blade, green hair flew about behind her. The head was a black metal that reflected no light. Unlike the crystal powered technology of Everlight, the hovercycle was clunky and spewed a black smoke.
“And if they survive and realise that you had a part in this, Circe?” asked Lord Husk.
“They already know.” The husk smiled and let out a dry retch of a laugh, and after a moment, Circe did too.
In an ecstatic rush of vile hatred, the dragon and hovercycle hurled toward Everlight like one of the fiery meteors. People ran, but the dragon let out a putrid green cloud that engulfed many unfortunate people. Their skin instantly bubbled and blistered and sloughed off.
“The fall of Everlight is now.” Circe cackled in glee as she sliced her victims in half, showering in their blood.
“Come on, I’ll turn you all into bone dust!” King Balor had fought off thirty skeletons and they continued to advance on him, like a never-ending tide of death. His mighty warhammer made quick work of the mindless minions.
As the next wave came upon the King, before he could act, he watched as skeletons in the back row were flung this way and that. Their bodies crashing against the walls and falling into lifeless piles on the ground.
A monstrous form of mottled fur and flesh bound into the room. Rippling muscles of solid stone flexed and twitched as the harbinger of chaos roared in triumph, locking eyes with Balor. Nostrils flared and the tusks shone bright, with one broken, as the hooved creature readied to charge at the King.
The creature, a majestic blue bull, stood at fifteen feet in height. Its horns jut out over its head, were close to six feet in length. The bulging tusks were covered in slime and smoke escaped from its nostrils.
“I was wondering when you’d show up.” Balor smiled as he readied himself for the challenge. A figure stepped out from behind the bull. It reached out and patted the sickening chest.
“It’s a marvellous creature, isn’t it?” The voice sang across the room in a soft and warm tone. Delicate enough to put people to sleep.
“You’ve outdone yourself this time, cousin.” Balor spun his mighty weapon around just to show off his strength. He then stopped and held the warhammer in front of him, with the ruby facing out.
The hood was drawn back and revealed a woman that looked to be in her fifties. Her hair was a grey, uneven bob, shorter at the back and longer in length at the front. One side of her hair stopped in length with her ear, the other side ended at her collarbone. Gold bands glowed around her neck and a smile that seemed a little too wide for her narrow face unsettled most that looked upon it.
“You never deserved to rule Everlight,” she snapped.
“So, you’re going to help destroy it, in a fit of rage? Like a child that doesn’t get what it wants?” Balor couldn’t help but smirk, knowing the insult would infuriate his cousin.
“How dare you!” she screamed. The bull struck the ground twice with its hoof and lowered its head. It charged at Balor.
Queen Zeraph had gone down deep into the floating island that Everlight sat upon. Low and deep pulses could be felt through the room, the destruction above seemed as though it was going to tear the whole place apart. Zeraph wanted to stand by her husband and help defend her home and her people. Though as she looked down into the face of her child, fiery hot passion flushed through her yet again. Her child needed to be safe.
As Zeraph finished descending the last set of floating crystal steps, she found herself in a grand antechamber that glowed a pure white and blue.
In the middle of the room, standing twenty feet in height and surrounded in an intricate lattice of gold and silver, was the source of power for Everlight. A crystal. It thrummed with life and pulsated blinding colours.
“It’s all over for you.” Zeraph managed to snarl at the crystal. “You’ve provided this magnificent life, this beautiful city. But since, you’ve drawn nothing but evil. Put us in constant danger as petty, jealous children want to harness your power for their own evil.”
“What would you have me do, then, Queen Zeraph?” A wizened old man in a grey robe materialised out of nothing. His bald head was covered in an intricate network of glowing blue tattoos that continued under his robes. His weathered skin looked worn and was covered in deep wrinkles. His eyes were milky white.
“Defend us. Protect us. We lay down our lives for you, surely you have enough power in yourself to do something?”
“I already provide you with the running of this beautiful city. You can do miraculous things because of me. Surely, you’re not this ignorant?” His voice was as stretched as the age of the planet itself.
“No, but I’m a Queen and a Mother. I am desperate. I don’t want to raise my child in a world of death.” Zeraph showed her child to the elderly man. The baby was awake now and cooed and babbled a precious song of life.
“I have existed for countless millennia. I have seen the passing of many ages and have seen my fair share of wars. What makes you any different?”
“They aren’t as determined as I am.” Zeraph’s baleful glare, full of anger and determination that would normally make anyone crumble, had no effect on the elderly man.
The man closed his eyes for what felt like an age to Zeraph. He nodded and let out a deep sigh.
“Well, what is it?” Zeraph was ready to pounce into action, but she knew she could do nothing to this man. He was only a projection of the essence of the crystal.
“You must sacrifice something.” His cloudy white eyes stared right through Zeraph’s very soul and in that instant, she knew what it was that needed to be done.
“What about my daughter?” asked the fierce warrior Queen.
“That’s not of my concern.” The old man bowed his head in feigned emotion.
“Let me say goodbye.” Zeraph looked at her daughter and kissed her forehead. “You will be brought up in an age of peace. You will not know the disgusting fear we’ve had to live with.”
She lay the bundle of blankets down on the floor and took the relic of a man’s hand.
Zeraph was instantly awash with a feeling of uncontrollable heat surge through her body. Her very lifeforce was ripped from her body and she disappeared into a blue blink of terrible nothingness, the crystal was seemingly no more.
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The bundle of blankets laughed and giggled, the precious little princess, Adamantia, had no idea of what was happening around her.
Forge heard the thunderous crack rip through the atmosphere. His heart sank as he turned to watch the island that held Everlight split in two. One half lurched and pulled away and the resounding crashes and clashes of the shattering crystal was deafening. The castle spire split in two and then the other half of the island also started to fall.
“We are finished.” The seemingly half metal man hung his head in defeat.
“It burns, it burns!” screamed both Husk and Circe. A burning blue flame had erupted over their entire bodies. In a flash of blinding light, their forms disappeared.
Balor wheezed and bled from his stomach. His hand did the best it could to hold everything in. He pulled himself up with the handle of his warhammer and watched as his cousin and the bull were engulfed in a blinding blue flame.
Balor’s look of triumph changed to that of confusion as he watched the bodies disappear in a blinding flash.
“Zeraph, what have you done?” Balor ran as fast as his injuries allowed and made his way down into the depths of the now falling island.
“What now, my king?” Forge, Balor, and the survivors of Everlight stood along the rim of the chasm. Their once beautiful city now lay in a gargantuan pile of shattered crystal and earth.
“We rebuild it to the best of our ability. And we prepare ourselves for the return of any evil.” In Balor’s free arm, he held the bundle of blankets that held his daughter. She babbled and reached out for his face and pulled on his beard.
*
A few months had passed since the rebuilding effort for Everlight had started. Progress was slow, as the art of manipulating the elements had long since died out, as had knowledge of building the finer technologies used.
Forge’s gift with technology had been a blessing passed down to him from a truly ancient being. One that claimed to have come from a different world to his own.
He could build laser cannons and hovercycles, hover tanks and bolt pistols. Forge could use the crystal computer that was a part of Everlight, but he had never even gotten close to the ancient and seemingly magical technology that was a part of everyday life for Everlight.
Most of the other people in Everlight, and on Etherum for that matter, struggled to even grasp some of the basics that Forge tried to teach them.
For years now, Forge had felt a great weight upon his shoulders. What would happen to this planet if the knowledge of technology died with him? It was one of the few ways Everlight could compete with the evil sorceries of The Scorched Wastes.
Forge was currently in his secondary lab, hidden away in the Scarlet Forest. Aptly named as the trunks of the trees were a violent colour and the leaves were a constant sunburst.
The quiet man had always found solitude and inspiration living among nature. As incredible as Everlight was, its shining glory of intricate architecture that was still unmatched, it often didn’t help Forge. He found it stifling with an almost unnatural air about it. He was only ever there when he was needed.
Forge’s body was a stark contrast to the primordial, breathing atmosphere of the Scarlet Forest. Every leaf, every insect, the trees and the water and every other creature however monstrous or small, moved on its own. Vibrated to the beat of its own life and whim.
Whereas the man of metal, the technological genius of Etherum, so much of his body lay still and lifeless unless he made it move. There was no pounding pulse. No connection to spirit.
A man made of improvements to keep his life from being completely torn asunder from Etherum. Some were frightened of his appearance and others were silenced in awe. Few truly called him friend.
Just as Forge was about to connect what he thought would be the last two wires on his latest invention, he felt the earth beneath him quake and groan. A snap of thunder brought his attention to the sky above and he watched as the swirling clouds spread, leaving a circular window to the sky above.
A blinding flash of white-hot light made the man cover his eyes, and in an instant, it was all gone. Forge couldn’t explain why he had the urge to see the sight, he just ran with all his might in the direction he knew he had to go.
Within minutes, Forge found himself in a clearing. In the centre of the clearing lay a bundle of blankets. Forge approached the blankets with a mix of apprehension and confusion.
As he got closer, the sound of a crying baby reached him, and all thoughts of fear were gone. Forge ran for the bundle of blankets and picked it up. A small child with wispy blond hair greeted him, the crying had ceased immediately. The baby startled to babble and blow bubbles.
The violent snap of a twig brought Forge back into the moment. Forge looked out to where he had heard the sound, but his glowing red right eye moved in all directions. A monstrous form shuffled with a dexterity that seemed to belie its size.
“I ain’t outrunning that.” Forge brought the baby in close to his chest and raised his other arm. A few clacks and whirls transformed his arm into a large cannon. It hummed to life and glowed yellow.
Forge narrowed his eyes and watched as large, spindly, and hairy legs crept out from between the trees. Each leg ended in a razor-sharp, sickle like claw. The legs bent as they readied to pull out a mass behind them. In a moment, a monstrous looking creature had flung itself forward from the trees and was halfway between the trees and Forge. The legs snapped and darted about, surrounding the body of a large, mangy, black gorilla that had the eyes of a spider. The creature eyed Forge and let out a disgusting, bloody roar.
“Spirilla. Nasty things.” The cannon became a little bigger and its humming grew louder.
The creature charged at Forge, its spider legs carrying the body of the ape, which swung like a deadly pendulum. The creature was almost upon its victim, its saliva sprayed upon Forge’s face, he finally fired the weapon. Viscera sprayed all over Forge’s body.
Half of the gorilla body and five of the spider legs were all that remained of the smouldering corpse. Forge took a step back as the body collapsed around him.
“We need to go, before other things come to eat this one.” Forge carried himself as quickly as he could back to safety.
“Raine, what have you got there?” The voice of Forge’s wife brought a smile to the shining man.
“I found a child. It seems like it came with that flash of light.” He handed the bundle over to his wife, who took it with a warm smile.
She was a squat woman, standing not much over five feet tall, but she would always let you know she was over five feet. A thick bunch of fiery-red hair was pulled back in a bun, countless strands of hair stuck out in any other direction. Her large blue eyes lit up with a warmth when she held the baby.
“A miracle?” Freja asked.
“Must be.” Forge sided up with his wife and put an arm around her shoulders.
“His name is embroidered on the blanket. Gareth. Where do you think he came from?”
“There’s an endless universe out there with infinite galaxies, who knows?”
*
It took three years to rebuild Everlight. It looked like only a shadow of its former self. It now sat at the bottom of the chasm and roads had been built into the walls to allow access into the city.
None of the spires were as tall as they once were. No ostentatious, criss-cross, winding bridges were in sight. The transportation discs couldn’t be replicated. With no crystal, Everlight could never be what it once was.
In the following twenty-five years that followed, King Balor, with the help of Forge, trained up a small, specialised unit for the doubtless return of evil.
There was Needle. A dashing old chap with grey hair speckled with frosty white. He had mutton-chop sideburns with a connecting moustache. Lithe and with the reflexes of a fox, he fought with a rapier that he had forged himself when he was only a boy. He wore a flared white, long sleeve shirt that exposed his hairy chest and brown pants with black boots. Needle fought with a panache and flair unmatched in the rest of Etherum.
There was Rictor, a young warrior of the Rockton people. An ancient people that had been around since the start of Etherum. A hothead with great strength, he stood at eight feet in height and weighed almost a tonne. His body appeared of one single rock, laced with fiery blue that flared when he exerted himself.
Standing at a little under six feet, Claw was a woman with dark skin and springy hair that was normally tied back in a bunch. She was a speedy, hand-to-hand combatant who could transform into a mighty were-panther, but with no recollection on how she came across this ability. Only a small child at the fall of Everlight, she felt it was her duty to now help protect Everlight, that it would succeed with its second chance.
Much to the fear, and pride of King Balor, Princess Adamantia had also recently joined. Balor had trained her to fight from the moment she could walk. She was never meant to be a part of the team, but after she had shown up every other fighter and gone toe to toe with Needle and Claw in a public display, it was impossible for Balor to not allow her to join. Adamantia was strong and fought well with a few weapons, but her favourite was the sword and shield. Though she struggled a little with her interpersonal skills and felt a great oppressive weight upon her, the princess was always willing to learn, so she could be her best as future Queen of Everlight. She had the same light blue hair of her mother.
Gareth was the last to join. Brought up by Freja and Forge, he was the only other being on the planet, as far as anyone could tell, that was able to begin to understand Forge’s secrets with technology. Not being of Etherum, he wasn’t quite as fast or as strong as the natives of the planet, but he more than made up for it with grit, always determined to prove he was as good as anyone else. Though he was taught melee combat, he specialised in ranged combat and used a plasma rifle of his and Forge’s creation, that in a pinch could be wielded as a staff. Standing at five and a half feet, he had pale skin and an unruly shock of black hair.
They were simply known as Fighting Force.
*
Far from the bright beauty of Everlight, laid the Scorched Wastes. A vast land that had always been the way it appeared, it was home to many an evil being and power. It was a place where the very trees fought each other over the dry nutrients that may have been found in the soil. Viscous lightning storms constantly wreaked havoc across the landscape.
Many monsters had found it safe to be here, in a strange sort of way. Though there were many creatures that almost all fought for survival, at least here in these dead lands, they weren’t also actively hunted and slaughtered like if they were anywhere else on Etherum.
Though there were many kingdoms and zones and places of import on The Scorched Wastes, one place stood out among the many.
As though it was a dark, twisted mirror of Everlight, was Castle Blight. A castle of twisted black metal and scorched bone of colossal monsters. The towers, like deadly spears, twisted and knotted around each other.
Encircling the castle was a mote of lava, filled with a foul beast that lived in the lava as a fish does in water.
Within Castle Blight, there was a colossal room, though it made one feel claustrophobic with the sinister air that filled the room.
The very walls were coal black with razor-sharp edges that jutted out in random place. An intricate latticework of glowing green veins covered the entirety of the room, offering more than enough light for anyone within.
At one end of the room was a pair of thrones. One, a grand twisted structure of metal and blinding, solid topaz. Upon this throne sat the woman in tattered, scratched leather. Having seemingly not aged in the time since the failed attack on Everlight, she sat brooding, unmoving. Her long green hair covered most of her face and her eyes were lifeless. Her very breath brought little life to her body. Propped up against her throne was her glaive.
The other throne was made of countless bones from countless creatures. Upon it sat the husk of a being. His skin withered and clinging to his very bones. His hood was drawn down, revealing a gaunt face and bald head. The glowing orbs for eyes could barely be seen.
These two rulers had sat, unmoving, for twenty-five years. The power of the crystal had tethered them, and the rest of the declared enemies of Everlight, in the castle, frozen in time.
Suddenly, the glowing orbs for eyes flared with a brightness and the woman in the topaz throne gasped for air.
“It seems the power of the crystal has finally waned, Circe.” The withered man stood and raised his arm. His sceptre appeared in his hand as if from nowhere.
“Well, Husk, I think that means we can once again start our assault on Everlight, what do you think?” the woman was standing now too, glaive in her hand. The two cackled as they together envisioned destroying Everlight and ruling Etherum.
*
Forge had been patrolling the border of The Scorched Wastes for the past month. Most told him it was pointless. Nothing major had happened since the Day of Darkness, but Forge, ever ready to pounce, did not want to risk another assault because Everlight had grown complacent.
He had just set up camp for the night when an evil cackle that bounced through the night sent a shiver down his spine. He recognised the voices.
Forge sprung into action like a rabbit. He in a single movement, he hid the evidence of his camp and was underneath a rock. A pair of night-vision goggles showed what Forge had feared for twenty-five years. The evil of The Scorched Wastes had returned.
With reckless abandon, Forge leapt out from beneath the rock and aimed his cannon arm at the dragon. His cannon glowed and hummed, and a powerful burst of energy exploded forth and hit the dragon.
As the dragon circled back toward Forge, he continued to run toward them and pepper the enormous creature with his weapon.
Husk and Circe descended upon Forge; both were laughing hysterically. Husk pointed his sceptre at Forge, and the man of metal was lifted into the air. Forge screamed in pain as his body was crushed.
“I think I have a wonderful idea in how we can send terror through the entire city of Everlight.” The evil laughs of Husk and Circe were the last things Forge ever heard.
*
“King Balor, I come with a gift.” A meek boy was carrying a small box. The boy’s face was smudged with dirt and his clothes were worn.
“Bring it forward boy.” Balor and the Fighting Force were siting at a grand table in the throne room, sharing a meal, stories, and laughs. They had just finished a day of rigorous training.
They boy put the box in front of the King and backed away.
Balor opened the box and his face immediately contorted into twisted horror. For a few moments, no sound could escape his lips.
The members of Fighting Force crowded around him, and one by one, they were all choked with fear. Gareth was the last to peer into the box. He stepped away.
“You care to explain this?” Balor was standing now; his fists had punched holes into the table.
“I’m sorry. He said if I didn’t do it, he would murder my family. Please, I’m just a farmer.”
“What did this man look like?” Balor narrowed his eyes, pure hatred seethed from his whole body.
“Like a dried-out corpse. His skin clung to his body, glowing purple orbs for eyes.”
With a roar, King Balor flipped the giant table. The box fell to the floor, and Forge’s head rolled out.