It was a day of beckoning and sorrow. Ever since the Righteous and Wicked Goddess had cursed her disciples of anger, the dirt shook as the first War of the Kinds had ravaged the world they call Leiden.

Wars have started and ended, battles have been won and lost, and races have been extinguished and glorified. It has been thousands of years since the Goddess had died, or better hoped she is, there is no more room in hell, and the world is swallowed by it.

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Jana 12th, 1912.

Valley of the Lilacs.

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Ash had fallen in the valley's forests; it tainted the grasses with death as Soaring Ships soared through the dark skies. People, covered in fur are known as the Werebeltiere conquered half of its region.

Then a massive beam of light shined from below. It hit a Soaring Ship and it burst like a sun. It was a Battle of Conquest between two races; the Langerohren, a race born to control the magic in life; and the Werebeltiere, a race of savage warfare with a civilised culture.

While this battle had begun moments ago, the Humans skittled around, covered in dirt and mud-coloured clothes. They were getting details on the war as one of them describes.

“Dear Goddess…”

One of them—Eli—spoke to the other humans.

“Lads… try to understand their ways of war. If we get lucky, we might get some information in one of their downed Soaring Ships.”

“Speak of the devil.”

A Soaring ship had fallen from the dark skies and more poisonous ash had followed behind it. The humans decided to act quickly and ran towards the Soaring Ship.

It fell gracefully, no explosions. All of them wore their masks and covered their skins with heavy clothing. They walked with their weapons slung on their shoulders, slowly creeping inside.

Their gears clanged while traversing the dark corridors of the Soaring Ship. One of them—Smit—saw a box with a screen, and he pointed it out to Eli. Eli then ordered the orders to collect any info on the box.

“The box is a Werebeltiere Knowledge screen, it includes a map and their news in the thing.”

*Kreeek, kreek*. Eli and another Human heard footsteps, they hastily put their weapons in front of them—which were bolt-action rifles designed by the Germanic Colonies. Then, a figure in the shadow glows in red and gold and appears with a musket, it eludes the corridor with its tail stiff, it is a Werebeltiere with its weapon. It aimed at them. Eli fired a round at him, piercing the armour of the Werebeltiere, then it tried to fire its musket but was killed with another round of their rifles.

*Thug*. The body of the Werebeltiere falls with its life drained slowly, it clenches its chest.

Eli quickly ends its suffering by bludgeoning, killing it with honour.

“Quick, gather that shit and move out… they’ll spot us after the battle.”

The other Humans quickly mapped the entire battlefronts of the Werebeltiere and other devices that would seem useful.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

“Run the fuck back, throw some smokes to conceal us if they spot us.”

With the green grasses turning into vile mud, the Humans sprinted, fearing what was coming. After they reached a forest, a sudden glitched whistling sound erupted and an explosion erupted from where they came.

They quickly ran out of the battlefield.

…

Eli saw a large smoke cloud emerging in a village, he asked the other Humans to leave the town behind but not until they heard a screaming plea in one of the houses.

*Growl* “Help my daughter!”

A Werebeltiere Mother stuck in a burning doorway screamed for help in their species’ language. One of the Humans told Eli to leave it behind, yet Eli understands what she is saying.

“It’s a mother, she wants to save her child.”

“We don’t have time to save some random kid from a kind that tries to kill us.”

“No… my order is to save that child.”

Eli leaned into the mother’s ear and spoke their language.

“We are friendly, we are going to save you and your child.”

“D-Do not save me, my legs are broken! Take her with you!”

“But the Great Anger?”

“Forget the Goddess’ curse! I want her to experience life itself! You Humans are rats that will keep her safe from this Hell!”

“… Im Herzen, vuttenic. I accept. Best of wishes for your path in Heaven and may your soul rest from this Hellish world.”

The mother cried in relief and sadness as Eli took the Werebeltiere girl with their exodus to their colonies. Eli gave the mother his apple and prayed for her while the others collected any materials left.

They walked away from the village.

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Jana 13th, 1912

Valley of the Suns

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“Person, me hungry…”

“Here, have some bread.”

*Chewing noises*.

In the valley's forests, they have reached a large stone, hidden by it is an entrance covered by moss and greenery. It was hard to spot unless you looked close to it. They entered the cave entrance and proceeded to move downwards to the depths.

The Werebeltiere girl shivered in fear and spoke out to Eli in her language.

“T-the depths… hell’s domicile.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll protect you no matter what.”

Light illuminates the stone path of the cave, and then another Human guarding the path greets them. He looks the same as Eli, but his face and skin are different.

“Why is a Werebeltiere here?”

“Made the oath...”

“I see… who’s the wife?”

“I’m not married you dunce… her mother died.”

The human quickly changed the topic with Eli being ordered to report to the head reconnaissance’s office inside the caves. Eli and his men continued downward.

After a long descent into the cave, they came across a large gate that the Werebeltiere girl was curious. It opened with more armed Humans greeting the group.

The Werebeltiere girl was astonished, a whole bustling town underground. Machinery and lights that were unknown magic to her.

“Well… lass, welcome to Shank’s Colony.”

End of Chapter 1.