The Calamity of Ages Past was a name that struck terror into the hearts of many. Those who knew the terrors it had once unleashed to the world, still tremble before its wake.
A power so ferocious that despite being at an almost all-out war, numerous different races banded together to subjugate Gaelhe.
A melodious tune filled the dragon’s nest. All that heard its tone, felt a sense of belongingness and camaraderie. Sache only had one skill and that was to sing her heart out.
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The Calamity of Ages Past
Evanescent as the dewdrops of summer
Ties to our roots, we no longer remember
For the maw of the abyss lurks beneath
Our hopes dashed, our dreams slashed, we seethe
-o-
Oh Great One, we succumb, for there is no other choice but to do so
Oh Supreme One, we worship thee, for your deeds overwhelm our individuality
Oh All Consuming One, we spite the darkness, we will come together as one
Oh Calamitous One, we thank, for you have brought us salvation
-o-
The world may prosper but it will never stave off hunger
The world may shatter but it will always recover
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“Singing of my Legend will do you no good, Human Bard.” Gaelhe’s words broke apart the illusion that Sache’s singing brought forward.
“Before we do anything too rash… could you at least please, pretty please just say my name? Meeting a Legend face to face is truly an honor!” It was astounding that such a small person could yell so loudly. “It’s Sache, by the way!”
Seeing a human girl bowing before him was all too common of sight for this Legend. Even kings and queens bowed before him yet there was something that made this little girl before him stand out.
Instead of fear, she was full of anticipation and curiosity.
“Do you not fear the Legends? The Calamity of Ages Past is one of the very few creatures that forced countless races to work together to escape total extinction. And yet… you are excited instead. Why is that?” The dragon leaned in even closer, causing the entire cave they were situated in to rumble.
“Haha… I’m just not afraid!” Sache looked to the side. There was a large bead of sweat falling down the side of her face. She wiped it off with one hand, “It’s hot in here, isn’t it? Haha…”
Sache was not fooling anyone, especially an ancient creature like this.
“No… there’s still fear, it’s just being overwhelmed by your innate sense of curiosity. Such a strange Human Bard. Sing me a song, if you manage to satisfy me then I’ll let you leave.” Teasing such a cute creature like this wasn’t an idea he was inherently opposed to.
Isolation tends to break down barriers.
“There’s this Tall Tale I think you would really like. It’s just… I’ll play it if you promise me you won’t immediately eat me. Dragons never lie! Remember that! You are too prideful to break your word!” Sache raised her hand trying to delay the inevitable.
“Pride tends to not matter when even a dragon is bored. Entertain me.” Laying down its head the scale of a mountain, it awaited for its ears to be delighted with music.
Sache made an audible gulping sound. “Well, here goes nothing.”
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A Child’s Exploration of the World
Eyes that reflected innocence, he observed the world
Ears that only believed in what others said, he trusted
“Little one, please go sleep.”
“Yes, mommy,” a promise he kept
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Sache immediately covered her eyes, waiting for her soul to be consumed. “Wait! In my defense, it seemed like you really wanted to hear that-”
“Leave.” The previously playful tone that this ancient force of destruction had was no longer there. It had been replaced with a longing one.
“Since I’m already here, I have a feeling you might want to… you know… keep you company.” Sache kept her movements slow, dropping the lyre she had in her hand down.
Each step seemed to take longer than the last but in reality, she walked the same pace.
“I have the world at my beck and call! Countless kings and tyrants offer their vast wealth to keep me satisfied! If I want something I can get it! What gives you the audacity to look down on me?! Gaelhe, The Calamity of Ages Past! The dragon that single-handedly made the very world tremble before its feet! A creature so powerful that-”
Amidst its ear-shattering roars, even as its ego spoke out, speaking all of his achievements. A tiny little voice managed to somehow suppress all of that.
“You feel lonely.”
Sache opened her arms wide open. She stood in place, waiting for this dragon that had terrorized the world to make its move.
She had accurately come forward, exactly halfway through them. It had taken her a few steps where it would only take Gaelhe a small shake in his head to reach. Despite this minuscule distance, it seemed like the gap between worlds, vast and impossible to traverse.
“Do you want to know what happens to the child in the Tale later? He closes his eyes and wakes up to a brighter day. He meets new friends, talks to new people, and plays around with children even younger than him. He enjoys life. All he needed to do was open his eyes.” Sache was grinning from ear to ear, never before had Gaelhe been so offended by something that he desperately needed to hear.
“Do you want to open your eyes, little one?” Sache stared up at the world-ending dragon before her and belittled her. It required a lot of confidence to even dare utter such a thing before it.
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“My eyes are already wide open.” Gaelhe took a step back, deeper into his nest. Into a tighter area where even his humongous body could feel snug.
Sache sighed.
There was a small critter that peeked out from the golden pile. It sniffled its little nose and looked at Sache then back at Gaelhe. Its tiny paws ran as fast as they could, dragging Sache’s lyre back to her.
“Then I guess it’s time to sing a lullaby. You’ve been awake for far too long. A good night’s rest should do the grumpy you well.”
“The stars shined, it’s time to sleep little one. Leave all your worries for tomorrow for tomorrow you will be a happier lad. Do not fear the future, do not regret the past. Close your eyes and say goodbye. But not to me, but to your nightmares~” Sache’s voice held a strange sort of power.
I’m Gaelhe, The Calamity of Ages Past! The dragon that had singlehandedly made the very world tremble before its feet! It’s not a nightmare! It’s a blissful dream! This Human Bard… a single swipe of my claws will render her into pulp. Yes… this witch shall no longer bother me!
Gaelhe’s wrath peaked, and his entire body broke out into a destructive black and red luster. He was gathering up all his power… why was he gathering so much power for such a feeble Human Bard?
He had turned into a giant source of crimson flare, igniting the world in his rage.
A single flick of his wrists was enough. Yet why was he so agitated that he was even willing to scorch everything all around him to cinder just to get rid of her?
The very nest exploded outward, breaking the very ceiling, and letting the night’s sky enter this underground area.
“At times like this, I should really be scared, huh? But oddly enough, this just feels right. Humor me before you do it. Gaelhe, look up. What do you see?”
The stars shined brightly in this dark night sky. It so brightly shined that even without light, you could witness the world in all its glory.
“The stars. Hah! They’re the last things you’ll ever see.” Gaelhe extended its body, covering the entire sky with his bare wings. For as far as the eye could see, there was a dark sky welcoming their demise.
“Not ‘the’ stars, ‘a’ star. Gaelhe, you’re the brightest star I’ve ever seen. So bright that you gave everyone hope when they all despaired. It’s unfortunate that they have never considered your feelings. But I’m here to listen to your sorrows now. Come.”
A flurry of crimson fire scorched the very skies. Those who were still awake to witness this felt every bone in their body melt. All Gaelhe needed to do was unleash it to lay waste to the world.
He roared, bursting in rage, aiming everything at Sache.
It seemed as if the very world ended yet the crimson fire that was initially supposed to rain down in the world colored the sky in its brilliance. The previously scorching flare turned mellow, it had illuminated the future. It remained but only for a brief moment, returning the sky back to its glorious luster.
Underneath Gaelhe’s previous nest, there laid two figures. A young maiden caring for a young child. The child slumbered on her lap, seemingly just finished a terrible nightmare.
“Who knew a small Bard like me could even influence a Legend? With a Tall Tale no less.” Sache patted Gaelhe’s head. “That was stressful.”
Feeling her back give out, she let her body fall. The back of her head hit some rubble as she landed, “Ouch! Of course, there’s always something that just has to go wrong! But…” Sache looked down, seeing Gaelhe take on a more accurate form of his emotions, she was glad.
“As always, the stars above the sky always look so mystical. But today, just for today, a brighter star shined right here.” Sache removed her coat, covering Gaelhe’s body.
“Okay, I didn’t realize it was actually this cold. Brr. Oh, you there, yes you, could you bring me my bag? I have some treats for you if you do…” Sache masterfully manipulated a small critter to follow her orders.
The night ended with Sache still hungry. But overall, it was a pretty good day.
~~~
By the time Sache had opened her eyes, she was in a completely different area. It was a small hut in the middle of nowhere. She looked around only to see a normal villager speak out.
“Oh, you’re finally awake. You passed out in the middle of my fields. What were you thinking, sleeping there?”
“Eh? But I was-” Sache’s stomach grumbled. She immediately blushed, not knowing what to say.
“It’s fine! Here, fill your stomach with something. We’ll talk later.” He promptly left, looking into the distance. He gave a thumbs up into the distance.
A ferocious figure waved its wings, disappearing into the distance. The villager waved its hand, pocketing gold in his pocket. Never would’ve he expected that a Bard would be personally delivered here by a wyvern.
He was given explicit orders to cater to her needs and to let her travel on her own once she was ready. The pay was something very high for something so simple.
He didn’t ask questions nor did he need to. It was something simple, getting involved any further wasn’t to his liking.
Sache ate numerous bowls that were unbefitting of her stature. In her defense, she was hungry. And a very valid point at that.
“You could’ve at least said goodbye,” Sache recalled how beautiful the scene was last night. “You didn’t even give me any farewell gifts! Argh!” Sache messed up her hair, a very justified response. “You have all the wealth in the world and yet you’re still so stingy! Grr!”
“Oh, miss. There was a letter attached to you when you collapsed on the fields.” The villager showed a beautiful and pristine letter that hadn’t even seen what dirt was.
“Make up a better lie next time. Give me that!” Sache took it off his hands and read the contents.
“Hmm… Uh-huh… Yep. I see… I guess that settles it. Gaelhe, I won’t slander you then, hmph! You did give me something that I liked.” Sache seemed to be even more energetic than usual. She gripped the letter tightly, a little bit too excited for what was the come.
“Miss, what did it say?” A sudden intruder came up to interrupt her. It was a child, seemingly the villager’s son.
“It’s something that I’ve been searching for a very long time! A trace for something I’m after! Haha!” Sache wore her backpack and patted the child’s head. “It’s time for me to go on ahead! Make sure you listen to your parents, alright? Don’t accept candy from Faes. They’re a mischievous bunch!”
After traveling for a little while, Sache looked around to see that there was no one following her. She immediately took out a special bottle from her backpack like a little gremlin. It made her heart tremble a little bit but she firmly believed the letter that she was given.
Uncapping the bottle, a nearby animal suddenly reared its head in curiosity. With a single whiff, it was knocked out cold.
“Now that’s the good stuff! Bottoms up!”
After wiping her mouth, she checked how Gaelhe had been doing. Her face was finally flushed red. The first time in a long time.
Title {Calamity of Ages Past}
Name {Gaelhe Und'rthe}
Reputation {3 Continents}
Honor {Destructive Evil}
Gravitas {1%}
Affiliation {???}
Blessings
Inscribement {Ender of Worlds}
[Inherently grows in strength proportional to its desire to destroy.]
Engravement {Lore Eater}
[Gain a fraction of the power of a Tale when consuming it. The stronger the Tale, the longer the cooldown. Cooldown: 65 Months]
{Additional Lock: View the world from another’s point of view.}
Achievement {Condition Lock}
{Required: Destroy the world.}
{Additional Lock: Remake the world.}
Permanence {A Fateful Encounter}
[The view of the world changes your Tale. Status: Becoming a Symbol of Change.]
{Additional Lock: Embrace change.}
{You weren't as stingy as I thought. Giving me a hint for a Tale that involves immortality. It's not the level of a Myth or even a Legend but a clue's a clue. I can't wait to listen to everyone's story as I travel!}