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Staircases of InfinityLore Inside the building, it was abandoned for a long time and never heard about it why it still there. Upon heading inside the building which seem to be open, the inside of the building has rotten and messy stuff and the smell was unbearable to breathe. But there was a blank white door that seem to be clean and not messy for unknown reason while this building hasn't been clean for a long time. When the man try to open the door, it won't open which seem to be locked and there was no key around this building which seem to be impossible to open the door to get inside, but there was a note that slip underneath the door which said "Knock on it for seven times to enter." As that, the person knock on the door seven times to see if it works or it might be a prank. After he knock the door seven times, he heard the click of the doorknob which mean the door is unlocked and he can process what is inside that room. When he open the door, the man was shocked to see endless staircases which they are over the place in this unknown realm that he has enter this strange place which every staircases in a weird or uncanny way. The door shut closed on it's own and lock it to prevent him from leaving this strange place. Upon walking on these staircases, he look around to see a empty white space that seem to be creating uncountable stairscases in this realm for the purpose to walk on a endless staircases which is impossible to count many staircases appearing in this realm. The poor man kept walking which he started to be worry that he has enter this abandoned building that someone wasn't a living person that created this place or why this was abandoned in the first place. He kept walking like he was upside down as a spider which some staircases are like magnet from preventing me from falling into the endless of nothing. This realm kept getting more weirder it get when I see some floating staircases spinning around and glitching each other and repeat the same thing. The man was looking for the door to exit the unknown realm so he can get out of here alive as he kept looking around. While he kept walking, he saw a paper on the next tread and pick it up that reads "If you want to leave this place, you must find a green tread to step on it that will activated it and then it will summon a door somewhere hidden in this realm. To find it, you must follow the patterns of each three treads that shakes a little that will lead you out of here. You only have 5 minutes to find the door, if you don't find it in no time, you be stuck in here once the green tread appear tomorrow." The man finished reading the paper as he drop it in fear if it failed to find the door, he'll be stuck in here until that green tread appear tomorrow which he is worry the more he keeps failing in days, the man might die of starvation and dehydration. He begin to stop being in fear as he determined to leave this realm for good as he continue walking to find the green tread. the male humanoid hyrax looking for the green tread as this realm has endlessly staircases popping up that will take him a very long time to find it which he shouldn't have ever enter the abandoned building in the beginning. He kept searching while looking down on the treads as he walking on them until he found it that was up on the top and rush there to step on the green tread which I activated it that cause the door summon somewhere which I need to find it really quickly. He rush down to find the shaky white treads that will lead me out of this hellish maze realm for good. The man found one tread shaking and kept running on the staircases to find more as he look at the wristwatch as the time is ticking. He went to the left and found a second tread shaking which he is almost finding the door in no time, he kept running and saw the other staircases acting weird that are turning into ice as the man is surprised at this which the realm is trying to stop him from leaving this place. As he kept running, he only has two minutes left while he's running to find the last shaking tread on the staircases, he look around in hurry until the spikes came out of the staircases just before he stop. The spike went down as he continue walking downstairs and he was worry this realm trying to kill him as well too which the paper the man read it didn't mentions about stopping or killing people here, this place is pure evil whoever created this monstrous realm which the man have no idea what's the purpose for this building build in a middle of nowhere. While he was running, he finally found the last third tread shaking on the staircase and sees the same color door after he came here. I only have 30 seconds to make it, he kept running as the staircases begin to crack and fall apart into pieces that is falling to the endless pit. The man was shocked which his victory for escaping has failed. But, he still has a chance to jump long to make it to the door. It was 15 seconds as the man step back up on the staircases and being rushing downstairs as he makes a big leap and made it to the door and finally open it and the same room with the same smell and he closes the door shut and was relieved which he finally made it out. The man exit the abandoned building which he has trauma for being stuck in that strange realm that gave him PTSD which he has fear of similar abandoned building that has that too and begin writing the note that says "Do not enter this building, it is extremely dangerous!" I place it on the door to prevent people entering this place which I don't want them has the same fate like me too.F.A.I.L.U.R.E.There was just darkness all around him. It was the first thing Starlai realized as he gained consciousness. But his senses were defective at the moment, it was like his head was filled with haze that prevented him from being in contact with his own body. Did he even have a body? He felt like he was just floating in a void, inside black nothingness. Starlai tried to move his limbs and he could faintly feel that he indeed had arms and legs. But moving them didn't feel normal, it was more like he was under water. It almost felt like the haze in his head was surrounding him as well. How was that possible, he didn't know. What did he know, though? A very high-pitched sound pierced Starlai's ears and distracted him from his thoughts. The sound managed to cut through everything, the blackness, the haze, even Starlai's brain. He opened his eyes, just a second before a bright red light began to flicker in front of him. Starlai's eyes were blurred, but as he stared at the light, his vision gradually sharpened. It was like the haze was now slowly getting out of his head. He realized that he was in some sort of confined space, it almost felt like a coffin. He heard another piercing sound and could feel from a slight tremble around him that wherever he was, it had started to move. Then his little coffin started to open, pouring in blinding light, and Starlai fell forward, on his stomach against a hard floor. He was a little dazed and remained on the floor for a moment, trying to get control of his own body. It felt heavy, but after a couple of attempts, Starlai successfully lifted his body from the floor, although his balance was a little shaky. He glanced at himself, noting that he was wearing some black and white outfit that resembled a space suit. It felt weird, like a second skin. Then he decided to look around, but couldn't be more confused. He had just emerged from a capsule of some sort. There were a lot more of them lined against a wall, but as far as Starlai could tell, they were empty. He was alone. He let his gaze wander and the bright rectangular lights on the ceiling illuminated the space so perfectly that it seemed like there wasn't even a single shadow around. The room was pretty much empty; there was just a console at the center and a door leading out in the opposite direction from the capsules. Starlai decided to check the console, but it showed just an "ERROR" with big red letters. He tried to get it to work, but in vain. It was stuck. It appeared there was nothing he could do, so he decided to leave the room, walking towards the thick metal door. It whirred open as soon as he came close to it, granting him access to the next area. It was dark at first. The door closed behind Starlai with a loud thump that ominously echoed in the dark space where Starlai had ended up now. He didn't know what to do, but then a spotlight suddenly lit up, revealing a singular screen in the middle of everything. Starlai started to slowly walk towards it and once he was close enough, he could see the message on the blue screen. “WHO ARE YOU?” Starlai was confused by this. He knew who he was, his name was Starlai. But the more thought he put into this, the more terrified the question became. He couldn't really tell anything about himself. His identity was a completely blank page. What did he like, what did he dislike? What kind of personality did he have? How old was he? Did he have any talents? And the worst of all, what was his past like? It was like he didn't have memories, just a few scattered small fragments floating in his brain that couldn't fit together, like an impossible puzzle. “I'm Starlai, a nobody”, Starlai said quietly to the screen. The screen turned off and went black. Followed by this, at the far end of the room a door opened, similar to the one Starlai had already passed through. A round green light got lit above it so Starlai could see it better. He figured that there was nothing else for him to do but to advance through this entrance and started to walk towards it. It automatically opened once it sensed his presence and Starlai noted that there was just darkness beyond it. But that's how the previous room had been like, so he wasn't worried. He passed the door and as it closed behind him, it left him in the darkness. Starlai waited. As if somebody had just flipped the switch, suddenly the whole room was basking in the bright light, almost blinding Starlai. He blinked a few times to get used to the illumination, then he looked around. He was now in an empty room with white walls surrounding the nothingness. There was just one thing, another monitor in the middle of the room. Starlai stepped closer to it, wondering what this one was saying. Soon he was able to read the question it had for him. “ARE YOU MALE OR FEMALE?” A simple question that most people could answer right away without having to think about it. But for Starlai, it was different. He looked at his body and could somewhat distinguish having breasts and a wide waist. Clearly feminine traits, but Starlai knew he was a male. He just had the wrong body. Had he always been like this or had someone transferred his mind to this body just to screw with him? Though, it made him question himself, was he right about being a man? Thinking about it was frying his brain, but in the end he came to the conclusion that at least, at that moment, he felt like a man. “I'm male”, Starlai answered. At this point he realized that even his voice sounded wrong. As soon as he had vocalized his answer, another door suddenly appeared in the opposite direction from where he had entered. It was like it had been invisible at first, gradually becoming visible. It was yet again a thick metal door and Starlai assumed that it worked just like the previous ones. He was right. Once he was close to it, it automatically whirred open and granted him access to a room that broke the pattern as it wasn't completely dark. The place was dim, bathing in green light. There were numerous screens hanging on the walls, showing nothing but glimpses to empty rooms of some sort of facility, and the screens glitched occasionally. The strangest thing about the room probably was that there were vines of actual plants slithering all around like motionless snakes. They were pulsating oddly and in a rather eerie way, Starlai noted. At the center of the room there was once again a monitor, so Starlai knew what he had to do. “WHY ARE YOU HERE?” Starlai didn't know how to answer. He had no idea where he was or how he had ended up here. There was nothing at all in his memory. It gave this extremely uncomfortable sensation inside his head, making him dig his nails on his scalp and he started to scratch himself violently, as if doing this would erase the feeling. Would he get the answer if he dug deep enough? Ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. There was only one response he could give. “I don't know…” Starlai said quietly, but then he yelled: “I don't know!” A mass of vines that had gathered at the far end of the room began to suddenly move. Now they resembled snakes more than before as they slithered like they were alive, soon revealing another doorway. Starlai stopped hurting himself and for a moment he just stood there, looking with dreadful eyes at the entrance to the next room. It was very dark, but Starlai could see glimpses of dim lights that seemed to appear and disappear in a continuous cycle. The latest question had caused a turmoil in his mind and now he was afraid to continue forward. However, he realized soon enough that there was nothing else he could do. There were no alternate routes and he still didn't know where he was or what was his purpose in all this. He just had to keep going. With stiff movements, he began to walk forward again, all across the room of plants until he reached the next room. As he stepped into the darkness, the vines moved again, sealing him inside. This place was similar to the previous one, it just was a more mechanical version. Instead of vines there were thick and black wires that were like tentacles, spread around like a parasite. They were everywhere, at the ceiling, walls and floor, and they were holding onto screens that resembled the ones in the previous room. The footage they showed was cryptic, rotating weird shapes and objects that didn't seem to mean anything, but sometimes even people appeared, though they were way too blurry to identify. Some of the screens were cracked and even those that were in a good shape kept malfunctioning and glitching. Except for the one that was in the center of the room. It was held above the floor by a few wires, showcasing it like some ancient relic. Starlai walked towards it, noticing that his steps made no sound. He wasn't sure how to feel about that. He was a bit afraid to look at the blue screen. “WHERE ARE YOUR FRIENDS?” This confused Starlai more than frightening him. Friends? Did he have friends? Though, why else would the monitor ask him that if he didn't have any. But he just couldn't remember… But, he was all alone here. Where were his friends, indeed. Maybe they had all abandoned him into this hellscape. Maybe they had found a way out and were living a good life. Isn't that what he deserved? No meaningful relationships, just loneliness and being forgotten by all. Starlai didn't know who he was but he hated that person. And if he did that, then all the other people should too. “I have no friends”, Starlai said bitterly, his hands clenching into fists. Following the familiar pattern, a door appeared as soon as he had answered. It was once more a metal door that opened upwards, granting Starlai an access to somewhere… odd. He could see how the color crimson dominated whatever place lay ahead and he began to approach it. Once he was close enough to get a better look, he noticed that the doorway was leading to a corridor, breaking the pattern. He took his first step in the strange hallway, the door behind him rumbling down, closing him in. He could see nothing ahead of him, it was like the corridor was endless. Starlai began to walk forward, gazing at his surroundings. There were still wires intruding the structure from various spots, but they were dark crimson, not black like the ones in the previous room. They stretched far ahead, Starlai couldn't see the end of them. But as he walked along the narrow corridor, he noticed how the color of everything around him, the walls, the ceiling, the floor and the wires, they were gradually becoming brighter. From the dark crimson it transformed into a glowing red, the hue that brought violence, passion and blood and flesh into Starlai's mind. He wondered where he was heading to, if anywhere. Maybe he was in hell, walking through a corridor that had no end. As he progressed, he noted that the wires that had accompanied his lonely journey were slowly disappearing from the scene. For a while there was nothing but the empty hallway, until something rather disturbing started to appear around him. Eyes. Dark, bulgy, disgusting eyes were on the walls, watching his every step. It made him extremely uncomfortable, and it kept getting worse. More and more eyes appeared, some of them becoming bigger and bigger, and some fleshy tissue had started to replace the metal on the walls and ceiling. It truly felt like he was on a road to hell. But still, he had nowhere else to go, so he continued to walk. Starlai was relieved when he realized he could see the end of the corridor. Though his relief was only temporary as soon as he reached the room beyond the hellish hallway. The same kind of horrors were still surrounding him; the fleshy walls and the eyes, but in here, some of the eyes were absolutely gigantic, and Starlai felt like he couldn't hide anything from their gaze. All the eyes watched him silently as he insecurely walked forward, feeling so small and insignificant under their constant supervision. The redness of the place made him feel ill, it was like he was inside someone – or something – like a pesky little parasite. In the middle of all the redness was a blue dot, a monitor that had the next question for Starlai. It was held by a fleshy column; the tissue was framing the screen in a grotesque way. Starlai walked towards it, a little bit afraid of what it was asking him this time. “ARE YOU REAL?” It was an impossible question to answer. There was no way Starlai could know that. He could think, he could feel, but it didn't prove anything – he could be artificial, every ounce of him. Maybe all this was a simulation, somebody was testing him. The more he thought about it, the more distressed he became. “I don't know!” Starlai yelled, starting to nervously stomp around. “I don't fucking know! I don't want to exist!” The screen went black. His surroundings started to tremble violently, like an earthquake. But he didn't care. He could get crushed, buried in the flesh. He just wanted out and if this was the way, so be it. The eyes around him were getting bloodshot, frantically glancing all around. Starlai was just happy that they didn't pay attention to him. Something hit Starlai in the head. He wasn't sure what, because he could feel the impact, but not any pain. After that, he was devoured by pitch-black darkness. The sound of everything crashing down ceased. It was like he was floating in a void again; there was nothing and it was silent, being similar to the state he had started with. Had he died? He wasn't sure. But if he hadn't been real to begin with, it means he wouldn't technically die, either. He was suddenly blinded by a bright light, he couldn't look at it directly. It infiltrated his comfortable space of nothingness, but Starlai got the feeling that he had to reach for it. Somehow he got his body moving, like he was swimming through the void, floating towards it. Then he woke up again.Lore IntroductionLore Introduction Hihi! I'm mostly known as Asher, but I also go by Leviticus, Bones (preferred), or Dino. Godsveins also works :-) Since I'm joining a new platform, I wanted to do a bit of an introduction, that way you guys aren't lost and I don't have to upload absolutely everything (including old art that no longer represents me or the stories). Messenger of the Swan This is the story that I mostly upload art for; it's the catchall for the universes that take place in the Swan Timeloop. The Swan Timeloop was created as a punishment for Satan and his cabinet, which included other dissenting angels of God (as far as that universe is concerned). Jagger Kaiser bears the sins of Lucifer , Jared Wheeler bears the sins of Gabriel , and Jamie Ramirez bears the sins of Michael . Messenger NOTE: This is canonically the first and longest universe in the timeloop (Each timeline/universe ends when Jagger dies). Jared Wheeler and his band, Devil's Tattoo, are finally starting to gain recognition in their town of Vireohaven, Washington (USA). After getting small tastes of fame, Jared craves more. Jared... isn't the smartest, though, and after hearing about people selling their soul to the devil, he attempts the same. The demon that he summons takes control of his body, per the contract Jared signed, which sends his soul to an alternate reality called The Distortion. His bandmates (Jamie, Gus, Cody, & Tyler) have to figure out how to get him out of it. Footnote I'll post more information about the other stories if I post more about them here, but I don't wanna make this post too long! Thank you for reading!!A Prelude To Destruction - Chapter 2Chapter 2: The legend of three warriors “This way”, the short creature said to the trio, waving her clawed hand as a sign for them to follow. She began to walk through the village and the three beings, still confused about the world around them, figured that their best option was indeed to follow her. Wherever she was taking them, they didn't get far when one of the people in the village got the mole-like creature's attention by gesturing her to stop with his free hand; the other one was occupied as the man was carrying a bucket full of water. “Got some new recruits, huh, Nial?” the man said to her with a sly grin on his rather handsome face; he was a young man with a stubble beard, dark eyes and black messy hair, dressed in a simple and quite shabby tunic and pants. “No, not exactly”, the escort of the trio replied and the tone of her voice gave away that she had no idea what was going on with the three strange beings. She shook her head. “Lady Ihtiriekko found them lost in the woods.” “Wow”, the man whistled. “In the Forest of Cursed Cries? They had been really lost, then. Like, how's it even possible?” “Well, at this moment, nobody knows”, the short creature admitted and shrugged her shoulders. “I'm taking them to the manor. See you around, Markon.” “To the manor? They must be really exceptional guests in that case.” Markon raised his hand in the air. “Well, I'm not going to waste more of your time. See you, Nial.” He walked past the group, continuing on his way. But the three creatures gave some last curious glances at the man. However, soon they focused on their new acquaintance again. “So, your name is Nial?” the black cat asked. “Oh, sorry that I didn't introduce myself earlier!” She seemed a little embarrassed and smoothed down the pleat of her dress. “But yes, people call me Nial. Though my name is actually Flamenial.” Then she instantly looked like she had already got over her embarrassment and smiled brightly. “Pleasure to meet you!” “What did that friend of yours talk about?” the white raven asked. “About recruits?” Flamenial waved her hand again signaling for the trio to keep moving. Once the group was on the move again, she responded: “This is the Village of Newfound Hope. This is a place where criminals can get a second chance in life. Most folks are human, like Markon, since their laws are different than with other races and can be… well, less severely punished for their crimes. But here are some other races too.” “Like you and Ihtiriekko?” the black cat asked. “Well, I'm a dwarf and come from a faraway northern land. Most of my people like to remain within mountains where we have built our homes. I'm the only dwarf here, which is quite understandable if you know my kind.” Flamenial paused for a brief moment, focusing only on walking. It seemed like she wasn't sure how to word her next sentence. “Lady Ihtiriekko, she is an overseer. Her kind are one of the most powerful people in this world. In fact, they try to keep our world safe and they have the closest connection to gods than any other race. Lady Ihtiriekko is the one who's responsible of this village.” “Are you a criminal, too?” the raven boldly inquired. “Oh, of course not!” Flamenial denied immediately. “I'm just lady Ihtiriekko's assistant.” The three creatures were attempting to grasp all the information they had received. The world around them was still a confusing but also a very intriguing place. And maybe Flamenial would help them further to understand where they had ended up – and maybe even why, if they were lucky. So far their existence had been a strange one, like they had literally come to life at the moment Ihtiriekko found them from the forest. Knowing nothing, it was like they were little children that were unaware of the world around them. The only thing they were sure about was the connection between each other, like they had the same origin. It was an odd but also comforting link they shared and even though they were clueless pretty much about everything, at least they had each other. Flamenial continued to guide the trio through the village and they were able to take a better glance at the life of the settlement while walking through it. They came across a handful of humans, both men and women, young and old, and the three creatures weren't the only ones giving curious stares at people. They also gained curious looks from the villagers, something that Flamenial noted as well. “We are a close community”, she explained. “Everyone knows everyone. People are just interested in you, I hope you don't mind.” “It's alright”, the deer-like creature assured. “We are interested in the people, too.” “Well, you can certainly explore the village later”, Flamenial said. “But first, I want to talk to you a bit. And that is the best to do with a cup of tea.” As they continued to pass through the village, the small group could eventually see a large building peeking from behind other houses and a neat line of trees. It was different from the rest of the buildings in the village, its window sills and roof were decorated with delicate and beautiful patterns. While the other houses were mostly white, this one was purple. There was a balcony on the second floor that would give a perfect view at the village. It had a grand veranda where the entrance lay; black double doors were standing tall. It clearly was a home to someone important or rich – or both. This was, of course, just one more wondrous thing to the three creatures and they looked at the manor with awe. “This is where I live with lady Ihtiriekko”, Flamenial said brightly with a smile. “And I guess you can, too. I'm sure lady Ihtiriekko won't mind.” Once the small group had reached the doors, Flamenial pulled them open, and this looked a little heavy task for her tiny body. She let the trio in before she shut the doors behind them. They had come to a grand hall. Right in the opposite direction from the door there were stairs leading to the second floor. A beautiful chandelier which had sparkling crystals in it was hanging above the hall, the sunlight that was percolating from the huge windows made them gleam in a magical way. The whole place was decorated with portraits of important people of the past, forever guarding their home from their frames. Ornamental objects were also doing their job at brightening up the place, ranging from vases to statues of animals and mystical beasts as well as decorative weapons. There were two corridors going left and right and soon Flamenial started to guide her guests to the left one. “Come here, please”, she said as she headed deeper into the manor. The three creatures continued to follow her and their surroundings just kept fascinating them. All of this was so strange and new. Eventually Flamenial took them to a hall where a dark and tall wooden table was placed in the center of the room, numerous chairs surrounding it, and a couple of silvery candelabras standing on it. The table was well kept as its surface was shiny and one could see their own reflection from it. This of course intrigued the trio since it was the first time they could see their own faces. All three of them spent a couple of minutes looking at their own reflections and all of them felt like there was a stranger staring back at them. They were so occupied by this that they didn't even notice Flamenial was gone. “Just… who are we?” the deer-like creature muttered with a low voice, but the other two could hear him. They could ask the same question. Then Flamenial appeared back to the hall, but her return went pretty much as unnoticed as her disappearance. She was carefully carrying a silvery tray with four cups on it, containing hot beverages. She noticed how curious the three strangers were about their own reflections, being a bit confused by this behavior for a second, but then realizing the situation. “You have never seen yourselves, am I right?” Flamenial asked as she walked closer with the tray. The trio exchanged looks with each other, then nodded. The dwarf placed the tray on the table and sat down on one of the chairs. “Please, take a seat. You can sit wherever you want”, she said with a smile. Her guests decided to all sit on the same side of the table, next to each other – maybe they instinctively felt safer that way. Once they all had sat down, Flamenial shared the hot drinks with everyone. The three creatures stared at the contents of their cups and sniffed the drink. It smelled pleasant, it had a sweet scent that reminded them of a forest. The black cat dared to taste the beverage at first, taking a sip and licked her lips. The flavor was a little bitter, but it seemed like it had been sweetened by something. The other two soon followed her example and tasted the drink as well, all coming to the conclusion that it was fine. “What is this?” the black cat asked after another sip from her drink. “It's berry tea with a hint of honey”, Flamenial replied, seeming pleased that the beverage she had prepared was liked. She drank some of her tea before she started to talk again: “So… You three know nothing at all?” “No”, the white raven said and all three of them shook their heads. “It's like… we came into existence only a while ago.” “I'm sorry, but I just don't understand how you ended up in the Forest of Cursed Cries”, Flamenial stated, more as a pondering for herself rather than saying it directly to the trio. “It just… doesn't make sense. The whole place is cursed and it's filled with soul-devourers. One simply doesn't get lost in that forest.” “Well, we don't know how we got there”, the deer-like creature said. “Our consciousness began to work only after Ihtiriekko woke us up.” “Huh, is that so…” Flamenial looked very thoughtful for a moment, even her whiskers trembled a bit. “I suppose lady Ihtiriekko may know something more since she was there.” “Why don't we ask her?” the black cat inquired. “Where did she go, anyway?” “I… I think it's best to not bother her right now”, Flamenial responded, seeming a bit nervous all of a sudden. “She's probably meditating currently and shouldn't be disturbed. It's an overseer thing, I can't really explain it. But I'm having a hunch that finding you from the forest has stirred something within her. You're not ordinary beings.” “Not ordinary, huh…” the deer-like creature said quietly, staring at the contents of his cup as if he could find some sort of revelation from there. He wasn't sure what "ordinary" even meant. He and the other two had no idea what could be considered as regular in this world. The white raven and the black cat looked at him, probably sharing the same kind of thoughts as he did. None of them spoke for a while, they just drank their tea in silence. Flamenial remained thoughtful for a moment as well, but soon decided to steer the conversation to a different direction. “You know, you sort of remind me of an old legend.” This piqued the interest of the trio and they looked at her, eager to hear more. Their attention made the dwarf glad. “There were once great three warriors”, Flamenial started to tell the story. “Mengkai, a powerful warrior monk from the east, Kelith, a magnificent spellcaster from the north and Raiica, a fierce blademaster from the west. They joined together in order to annihilate a demon lord Pheleos that attempted to take over a human kingdom in the north, planning to spread his influence from there. Now, demons can be very powerful and dangerous, they don't have souls so they try to steal them from others, even the weakest demons are doing this. But Pheleos was mightier than most of his kind, making it hard to defeat him. The humans had an army that fought against his dark forces, but to take him down, they needed someone powerful. That's where Mengkai, Kelith and Raiica came into picture. Bravely they rose against him before he would become too powerful and managed to vanquish him. They became celebrated heroes in the region and even to this day, young warriors visit their graves in hopes of getting their blessing. Like I told you before, I come from the north so this story is well-known there. But in other regions, it's not that popular. I guess every place has their own heroes, though.” Flamenial paused for a moment, sinking into her thoughts. The three creatures drank their tea and waited for her to speak again. The dwarf tilted her head slightly as she examined the trio with her big green eyes. “You don't have names, right?” All three shook their heads. “Well, how about I name you after the three warriors in the legend?” Flamenial asked as a smile conquered her face again. The trio exchanged looks with each other, this time with clear excitement. If they had names, they would be a step closer to becoming someone. They all shifted their gaze back at the dwarf and nodded. “Great!” Flamenial exclaimed. “Let's see… You, green one.” She pointed at the deer-like creature. “You're the only male of your group, and so was Mengkai. I think the name suits you. And then…” Flamenial was bouncing her gaze between the raven and the cat. “I think Kelith would be a great name for the raven. And so, the cat can be Raiica. What do you think?” They all had names now. It was an empowering feeling for the trio who had entered this world without knowing anything, without being anyone. But thanks to Flamenial, they had got a piece of identity. “Thank you, Flamenial”, said Kelith. “I think I speak on behalf of all of us when I say that you have given us a great gift and we appreciate it.” Mengkai and Raiica nodded. Flamenial couldn't contain her joy and was wearing the most radiant smile the trio had so far seen on her face. But it didn't last long and started to fade slightly. “I'm terribly sorry, but I don't really know how to help you further”, she said apologetically. “I think only lady Ihtiriekko knows what to do. I'll consult her later. In the meanwhile… How about you get familiar with the village?” “We would love to”, Raiica said, being sure that the other two were on the same wavelength as she was. So far they had just been following someone around, first with Ihtiriekko and then Flamenial, but now they could have a chance at exploring the world on their own. “Great!” Flamenial drank the rest of her tea and stood up. “I'll prepare rooms for you. We don't often get visitors, so there's a few guest rooms available.” The trio followed the dwarf's example by guzzling down the remaining contents of their cups so Flamenial could take the empty ones back to the kitchen. She picked them up one by one and placed them on the tray and began to walk away. “I think you know the way out?” Flamenial yelled from the room where she had disappeared to. “Yes, we do!” Mengkai responded as all three were preparing to leave. While the trio was retracing their steps back to the entrance of the manor, they could hear a loud bang of metal from the room where Flamenial was. All three stopped on their tracks for a brief moment, exchanging confused looks. Was the dwarf okay? But they could hear, although just barely, low muttering with a colorful language. The three creatures assumed that she was fine and continued their journey out of the manor. The bright daylight welcomed them as soon as they passed the double doors. Mengkai, Kelith and Raiica were all glancing in different directions, overwhelmed by the many possibilities they could do. They could feel a tender breeze caressing them, like it was greeting them to this world, whispering their new names. Perhaps they didn't have a past, or identity, but they were real and existed. Their fates were somehow intertwined, but they wanted to figure out who they were as individuals. And from there, their journey of discovery would begin, in the small Village of Newfound Hope.~ [☆] Shinka System [☆] ~☆ Shinka is a dormant power sealed within all beings, awakened only by those with sentience, with rare exception; Shinka has two dominant halves, two sides of a coin. ~ [☆] Positive Shinka and Negative Shinka. [☆]~Positive Shinka is easier to control, but ultimately weaker, awakening in those with a pure heart, or at least somebody willing to fight for a better future. Negative Shinka on the other hand is far harder to control, but exponentially more powerful, awakening in those whose actions are utterly selfish, or those who intend only to take. ~ [☆] Elusive Shinka Types [☆] ~There are three types of Shinka which elude most beings, though there are rare circumstances they can be tapped into. These types include; Divine Shinka is a form of Shinka unique only to those with holy standing and/or power in Heaven, such as Gods and Angels. Unholy Shinka is a form of Shinka unique only to those who hold significant power in Hell, including only Devils and Archdemons. Neutral Shinka a form of Shinka unique only to those whose blood specially allows for its usage, specific only to the Goddess of Balance; Themis, and the Ikami Bloodline. ~ [☆] Shinka Traits [☆]~In some cases, a person's Shinka can be mutated to carry 1 of 6 Traits, sacrificing one end of their Shinka in exchange for greatly empowering another. Forceful Shinka | Extremely Potent at the cost of Control.Manipulative Shinka | Easy to Control at the cost of Potency.Guardian Shinka | Extreme Defensive capability at the cost of Offense.Warrior Shinka | Extreme Offensive capability at the cost of Defense.Swarm Shinka | Heightened Shinka Release at the loss of Residual Shinka.Cycle Shinka | Longer Residual Shinka at the cost of limited Shinka Release.The Tree Of Winter WonderBy the morning when the winter sun had appeared in the sky, Kimene and Amaru left the small northern settlement where they had stayed the night. The friendly folks of the village wished them good luck on their journey as the duo headed even further north. Winter had come suddenly in these parts, which wasn't really anything surprising to the individuals who lived here, and the snow had fallen and covered the land only a few days ago. The road Kimene and Amaru followed was coated in snow like everything else around them, but luckily there had been enough travelers so they had left a clear trail in the whiteness that seemed endless. Heavy snowfalls could make traveling difficult, but at this time it wasn't a problem and the duo could walk through the woodlands without it costing too much effort. They hadn't wandered far away from the previous village when Kimene started blabbering. “The kingdom in the north is an interesting place, I tell you”, he said excitedly. “For example, there is a garden with flowers and trees that you won't find anywhere else! And they bloom even in the middle of winter! It's said that a lot of spiritual energy has gathered there and sometimes you can even see celestial creatures visiting the garden. In addition, the castle is an ancient one with many mysteries concealed within its walls. Like, there's treasures that are rumored to have strange powers no one understands. Oh man, I've been wanting to visit the place for so long and see all these marvels myself!” Amaru was a bit amused by his partner's enthusiasm. But Kimene was cute when he was like that, always curious to see and learn new things. His passion for wanting to experience all sorts of mysteries was a remarkable one and it was one of those traits Amaru liked about him. “So, how long is the journey we have ahead?” Amaru asked. “Umm…” Kimene seemed to ponder something, tilting his head slightly. “I'm not sure. But I think we just need to stick to this main road and we'll eventually reach the place. It just makes sense, right? That the most used path leads to the biggest towns? Oh, maybe we should have got a map…” “Don't worry, I'm sure we'll find our way to this kingdom for sure”, Amaru tried to assure him. Kimene gave him a little awkward smile. “Yeah.” He squeezed the collar of his puffy winter coat a little bit and shivered, not necessarily because of the cold but because of anticipation. But it definitely was a little chilly, too, even though the morning was beautiful. Kimene and Amaru had bought winter coats about as soon as they had reached the snowy northern lands, since their usual clothes wouldn't keep them warm and shielded from the freezing temperatures. Now they could traverse the cold region more comfortably. The beautiful morning eventually turned into a lovely day. The sun was shining brightly in the sky and its golden rays made the snow glimmer. There was certain beauty in such sight and Kimene and Amaru walked through the woods with joyful minds. Kimene was once again retelling the stories of the north that he had learned from his mother and Amaru happily listened, enjoying how his partner was sharing his passion. In the winter, days are short, and the sun begins to set sooner than what the two travelers were used to. The snowy world is silent, but as the light was fading away, it seemed like the woods were becoming even more silent as the darkness was settling in. But Kimene and Amaru didn't let the lack of natural light stop them just yet and when it was too dark to see around, Kimene snapped his fingers to create a sphere of light that would grant them illumination. From his command, a white glowing orb appeared before them, being about the size of an apple, and it swirled and bounced around in the air in a playful manner as if it possessed the mind of a child. But it did its duty well and showed Kimene and Amaru the way in the darkness. “Look, it's actually a bright one this time”, Kimene commented on his little creation; he was able to use magic, sure, but he wasn't exactly great with this ability, unlike his father who happened to be a royal court mage. Amaru knew about the complicated relationship Kimene had with his father and it was likely that creating a source of light when nothing else was available was just one of the many things they had practiced together, but Kimene had never mastered it, no matter how simple of a trick it was. Wanting to be supportive, Amaru said: “You did well, it's a good orb of light.” Kimene smiled a little, pleased by his partner's compliment. “Thanks.” His creation banished the darkness well and the two travelers were able to continue wandering through the snowy woodlands a little bit longer after the sunset. But exhaustion kicked in eventually, and they decided it was time to rest and resume their journey tomorrow. They made a little camp by the side of the road, cleared a patch of snow out of the way and sought some firewood nearby. A dead tree that had fallen on the ground a long time ago appeared to be a perfect source for wood they needed and with a little clumsy axe made with magic, Kimene harvested some logs from it, Amaru then carried them to the spot where they had set their camp. Once there was enough firewood for the night, Kimene lit a campfire with a little fire magic and so they had a warm source of light; the little white orb wasn't needed anymore and it faded away, disappearing into the cold winter air like a ghost. Kimene crouched near the crackling fire and held his hands close to it to warm up; it felt so good after traveling in the cold all day. Amaru sat down a little bit further away, but still close enough that he could feel the warmth too. He generally didn't like fire, but understood the necessity in this situation; they would probably freeze to death since the temperature had dropped after the nightfall. After a while Kimene decided that he had warmed up enough and moved toward Amaru. He sat down in front of him and Amaru wrapped his arms around him gently and held him like that. Kimene let out a content sigh and watched how the flames danced in front of them. It was hypnotic, in a way, and eventually it made Kimene drowsy, he almost drifted to sleep while being embraced by Amaru. A sudden noise brought him instantly back to this time and place. It was like a loud yell of a child, echoing through the forest. Kimene's ears perked up as he waited to hear the sound again. “What was that?” he whispered to Amaru. “Could be a spirit of some kind”, Amaru replied; he had lifted his head to listen as well. Now that Amaru mentioned that, Kimene was able to connect the dots. It had indeed sounded like an otherworldly noise. But was it a good or a bad sign? Kimene and Amaru weren't strangers to spirits, they had encountered both benevolent and malevolent ones, but often you don't know beforehand which one you're dealing with. So, this one could also be either. Without communicating with words, Kimene and Amaru were on the same wavelength, just listening carefully. The sound repeated itself again, this time coming closer. In addition, other similar noises joined in, it was almost like a whole chorus of high-pitched voices that eerily resembled cries of children. Terror tiptoed into Kimene's heart and he squeezed Amaru's arms tightly. Amaru tried his best to calm him by holding him tightly, but Kimene couldn't stop worrying; even though Amaru was able to deal with spirits, if these were malicious ones and there was a whole pack of them, it would give trouble to Amaru. And Kimene couldn't do anything about it. All of a sudden, something jumped through a snow-covered bush and right in the vicinity of Kimene and Amaru's little camp, startling the travelers. It was a blue little creature, resembling a frog with transparent wings and had huge yellow eyes. And the more Kimene and Amaru stared at it, the more they got the feeling that this thing wasn't hostile. It was also eyeing the two travelers with great curiosity, tilting its head. Soon it gave them a weird sound, like a yap, and it jumped back to the bush where it had come from. Kimene and Amaru were left to wonder what the critter had been – until it came back. It repeated its yap again and signaled with one of its front limbs at them. Then it made another bounce to the bush, but its head was peeking out, intently watching the duo. “I suppose… it wants us to follow?” Kimene said, however unsure of the little critter's motives. “Seems like it”, Amaru responded. “Should we do it?” Kimene pondered this for a minute, but his adventurous side was taking over. So he said: “Yeah, let's see where it wants to take us.” He slowly got out of Amaru's warm embrace and stood up. Amaru heaved his body off the ground as well and kicked some snow on the fire to extinguish it, the flames died with a hiss. For a second the world was utterly dark, but Kimene used his magic again to create a source of light. A glowing orb appeared out of nowhere, but this time it was blue and a bit less radiant. “I guess it's good enough”, Kimene surmised, although being a little disappointed in himself. Amaru patted him on the shoulder. “It certainly is good enough.” Kimene decided to leave it at that and he took a step closer to the weird creature. Its head disappeared and rustling noises told Kimene and Amaru that it was going somewhere. For a brief moment they lost the critter from the view, but then noticed it again as it took flight. It made sure that the two travelers saw where it was going and began to fly deeper into the forest. Kimene and Amaru glanced at each other and went after it. They followed the creature for a little while when Kimene asked: “What do you think it is?” “I don't really know”, Amaru replied. “But it's not definitely a spirit.” “Maybe it's a fairy”, Kimene guessed and seemed to be very pleased with this idea. “Oh, there are so many stories about fairies, it would be great to tell one myself!” Amaru chuckled a little. There it was again, that enthusiasm. “Well, let's hope so.” Every now and then the little creature glanced back to make sure that the two travelers were still following. It was a little tough terrain to walk through because of the blanket of snow and the vegetation was dense. But Kimene and Amaru managed to push through and the critter continued to show them the way. Still, they had no idea where it was taking them. Somewhere ahead of them a sudden light burst out, like a warm fire. It faded slightly, but didn't vanish. Kimene and Amaru didn't know what it was, but the little creature was flying towards it. It appeared to become more vigorous after spotting the light and hastened its pace, not looking behind anymore to see if the two travelers were still there on its trail. Kimene and Amaru struggled a little to get through this part of the forest, it was so dense, and the little critter managed to get further and further away from them. But at least the duo knew where it was heading, so it didn't really matter that much. Suddenly, however, the forest somehow became easier to traverse, almost like the slumbering plants had made way to Kimene and Amaru, although they didn't see them actually moving. But they were still grateful for this, and soon enough they reached the place where the light was shining. Both Kimene and Amaru were speechless. There was a ring of fire surrounding a huge spruce tree, but there was something magical about the flames; even though they radiated warmth, they didn't appear to be able to burn living things. The two travelers saw this with their own eyes as little creatures, similar to the one that had led them here, were going in and out of the fire, not harmed by this at all. They were dancing and letting out the strange noises similar to cries of children; so these beings were the ones Kimene and Amaru had heard earlier. Some of them were flying around the spruce, a magnificent tree that stood taller than any other in this forest. Sparkling balls of light, glowing in different colors, decorated its snow-covered branches. There was also golden dust sprinkled around, giving the tree a holy look. Kimene and Amaru had never seen anything like it, but it was gorgeous and definitely worthy of being mentioned in Kimene's book, much to his delight. It was a secret celebration of some kind and Kimene and Amaru noticed their little guide having fun with the rest of its kin. The two travelers had apparently earned a special invitation, which Kimene was happy about; he could have his story about fairies. He sat down on the ground, in front of the fire and watched how the creatures celebrated the winter and the grand tree. Amaru sat down by his side and silently they observed this magical and possibly rare festivity. Side by side they followed the winter celebration, until sleep started to take hold of them. Leaning against each other, they fell asleep, but still, the little critters continued their festivity, lasting even to the moment when the sun would rise. Then they disappeared, scattering into the woods to hide again. Their magical fire faded away as they left the spot, and so did the decorations on the great spruce. When Kimene and Amaru woke up soon after the celebration was over, there was nothing left except the grand tree. And so they were left to wonder; was it all just a dream?GiftsgivingThe cold winter air along with the aroma of the cinnamon apple candle calmed Dakota as he flopped onto his bed. Thoughts raced around his mind as he tried to keep himself from spiraling. Tomorrow was going to be overwhelming, sure, but he could handle it! He could stay cooped up in his room, away from all the noise! Dakota sighed. No. That wouldn't work since he did want to go out there and eat Giftsgiving food, and open presents. A sound made him jump, and he quickly got his phone out. Just a notification from one of the games on his phone again. Dakota sat up, and messaged Lucia. "Hey, are you doing anything tomorrow? Is your family going to come visit or anything?" It didn't take long for Lucia to message him back. "Nope. Nothing's been planned this year. Why? What's up?" "I wanna get out of the house tomorrow. Found out we're having Giftsgiving over here and I really don't wanna deal with all the noise, or socializing with family." "The forest has a pond, right?" "Yeah, but it'll be frozen over because of the snow." "Perfect! I'll see you tomorrow!" Dakota tipped his head, wondering what Lucia had planned. Outside in the snow would be better than inside with all the noise at least. The next day, Dakota was cuddling Mocha on his bed, smiling as he listened to her purring. She was kneading his sweater as he pet her. The door opened, making him flinch and causing Mocha to jump off the bed. He let out a sigh of relief when he saw Lucia. "Scared ya? Sorry. Guess I should've knocked first, huh? But look!" Lucia beamed as she held out a pair of ice skates to Dakota. "I thought we could go ice skating on that pond!" "Isn't that dangerous?" Dakota sat up, taking the skates and looking them over. He'd gone to the skating rink with Lucia before, so he knew how to ice skate, but he still wasn't very good at it. "Well, kinda? But with my help it'll be fine. Ice magic and all that. I can put a strong layer of ice over it, so the pond shouldn't melt after that. Plus it's chilly enough to stay frozen!" She beamed. "I don't know about this. Are you sure it'll be safe?" Dakota frowned, tipping his head. There was always a chance that the ice would break. "Positive! I promise I won't let you get hurt." Dakota nodded, bundled up, and headed out with Lucia. Outside, the snow sparkled in the sunlight. It was calm and quiet until Lucia ran ahead, pointing out how beautiful the forest looked covered in white. As she yapped on, Dakota balled up some snow in his hand, quietly got closer to Lucia, then threw the snowball at her! Lucia shivered, wiping off the snow that got on her coat. "Hey!" She quickly started making her own snowballs as Dakota made a run for it! Laughter filled the air as the two of them chucked snowballs at each other on the way to the pond. Once at the pond, Lucia knelt down, pressing her right hand to the solid ice, and using her magic to conjure up a thick extra layer to protect it from any cracks. "There! We should be fine now!" She took off her backpack, put on her skates, then held out her left hand to him. After putting his skates on, Dakota took her hand, smiling. "I didn't know you could still use your magic with your prosthetic." "Mmhmm! It comes in handy if I ever need to use this hand, but it kinda sucks needing to do this in the winter. It's really cold right now. Ember can do the same thing with her magic, too!" "Why didn't you leave it at the house and use your other hand? Wouldn't the glove have been enough?" Lucia tilted her head, thinking. "I'm gonna be honest. I didn't think about that, but yeah I should do that next time, huh? Hey, speaking of magic, can you use yours during the winter?" Dakota held on to Lucia's hand as he skated. He was trying to remember the things Lucia taught him, but that didn't stop him from wobbling. "Kinda? The plants don't last very long in the snow." "Can you make different kinds of plants? Like ones that bloom in the winter?" "I haven't tried since I'm use to vines and vining plants, but I think the Celestialites can? I never actually looked into how to do more." He was perfectly fine with his vines. "I don't really use it for much other than vine swings and growing sprouts into blooming flowers. How often do you use yours?" Sparkles of curiosity shined in Lucia's eyes. "Not as often as I did when I was a teen. When I'm bored I like trying to make little ice sculptures, but I'm not really good at those." She smiled. "I've used it to freeze water like this though~" "Is that why you say it's safe?" "Yep! You know I wouldn't let you get hurt!" She gave him a quick peck on the cheek. Dakota blushed, smiling. "I think I'm ready to try this on my own." "Don't worry about falling, okay? You'll be fine." She let go of his hand. "I'm here to catch you if you fall." Dakota nodded, and skated off! The two of them spent about an hour at the pond. Lucia showed off all kinds of tricks she could do, and gave pointers to Dakota whenever he needed it. Once they got cold, they headed back to the house and cuddled on the bed, eventually falling asleep under the warm blanket.A Prelude To Destruction - Chapter 1Chapter 1: Lost in the woods It was a cursed forest where very few dared to enter, but nonetheless, a winged woman was walking in between the great tall trees that thrived, and these kings of the plant world didn't care at all about the place's haunted reputation. But then again, they had grown there long before the forest became blighted. All sorts of creatures avoided these woods, but the winged woman wasn't one of them. She defied the hidden darkness that resided in here just with her presence; this wasn't her first time wandering together with the shades which the thick branches and their foliage casted. However, her defiance came with a price, for her once pure white wings had taken the color of dark blue instead, though there was still some light blue in the tips. Who knew when they would turn dark too, if she continued to visit the forest. The decision wasn't hers to make. Though light wings or dark wings, she still retained an angelic look, for she had a slender body and long white hair with a little bit silver in them. She had golden eyes with a strong look in them. A powerful aura surrounded her and undoubtedly there was a sense of authority in her appearance, especially her beautiful blue clothes that were a telltale sign of someone who wasn't an ordinary person. It wasn't hard to believe for an individual like her to risk their life in a place like this. As she calmly walked further into the woods, a horrifying sound reached the woman's ears. It wasn't anything strange to her, but no matter how many times she would hear it, it never became easier to bear. It was the disturbing and heartbreaking cry of a ghost child, left abandoned in the forest right after their birth. They never had a chance in life, they never grew up or learned about the countless things this world had to offer. All they could do was cry and yearn for a proper burial – which would never come. The woman felt sorry for all the little ones that had been abandoned in the forest, but there was nothing she could do for them. The woman was approaching a part of the woods where the vegetation was more dense. The sunlight was barely able to touch the forest floor, but a few sneaky beams of light managed to slip through the branches and leaves. Carefully she kept her eyes on the undergrowth, for what she was seeking could be found around these parts, based on her experience. Keeping a keen eye on the plants, she eventually spotted some she was looking for: a blue herb with white berries that resembled cloudberry. She picked all of them from the spot, gently putting them inside the bag she was carrying. Once she had harvested them, she continued her travel even deeper into the woods, hoping to find even more of them. The need for these precious herbs was getting increasingly dire. She was familiar with the woods and with its few critters and sensations; she was probably the most knowledgeable person in the world when it came to this forest. And yet, as she proceeded to even deeper parts of the woods, a weird sensation was pestering her mind like an annoying insect. There was a presence somewhere nearby, something she wasn't familiar with. She had to check it out, it was her duty. Guided by this sensation, she ventured towards the part of the woods that was probably the darkest and most dangerous one. For this reason, she had to hurry, because if there somehow was someone who needed aid, the likelihood for them getting devoured by the forest was growing minute by minute. Something was rippling in the air, a powerful impression that felt almost electrifying. The woman was able to recognize it as a form of magic. It was a rather strong one, too. Whoever had ended up in this part of the woods wasn't an ordinary person. While there was a chance that they were capable of doing alright on their own, the woman wanted to check their condition. She had to help them if needed. Thanks to the mysterious ripples that traveled through the air, the woman could easily pinpoint the location of the foreign presence she had been sensing. She came to a small clearing where all these sensations were mixed in together, swirling around like a whirlpool of energy. A shred of a sky could be seen above, something that wasn't possible in most parts of the woods. It was clear to the woman that something had fallen from heaven, crashing into the trees of the forest and hitting the forest floor. On some of the branches and on bushes and other plants were having light purple wisps of magic dancing around, as a remnant that something magical had happened here as the power still lingered. All that now remained were three unconscious creatures whose kind the woman hadn't seen ever before. A white raven, a black cat and a mostly green deer-like creature. The woman could see that they were bipedal since they all possessed fingers. All of them were about the size of a human child, making the raven and the cat larger than the animals they represented, while the third one was smaller than a deer. The cat and the raven had strange markings decorating their bodies, the cat having white marks while the raven had purple ones. The third creature diverged in this trait as well, as their body was partly covered in green scales while the front had a pale color. But all three of them shared one feature: they all had horns. There were two purple horns on the head of the raven, two blue horns on the head of the cat and one horn on the head of the deer-like creature, gradually turning from a shade of green to darker green. The woman had no idea where these beings had come from; she had never heard of such creatures as these three. But she knew she couldn't just leave them here, she could learn their story later. She walked to them, crouched a little bit and placed her hand lightly on the side of the closest critter, the cat. They were breathing normally and the heart was beating. The woman did this brief inspection on all of them, coming to the conclusion that they all were doing alright, they just had been knocked unconscious by something. It was desired that they would stay in a good state, so the woman began to wake them up. Blue little swirls were circling around her hand as she moved it slowly near the heads of each creature. These twirls would gently touch them, beckoning them to awaken. The woman's magic worked and one by one the three creatures opened their eyes and sluggishly raised their bodies from the moss bed to a sitting position. They looked very much confused, clearly not recognizing their surroundings at all. But the woman noticed that there was also something else: they didn't identify who they were. However, this wasn't the right place to resolve these things. “Can you all stand?” the woman asked from the trio as she got on her feet again. The creatures still were puzzled; it was as if they had slumbered for centuries and had no knowledge of the world around them. They glanced around, then looked at each other with great perplexity; it seemed like that they didn't know each other, but at the same time, they did. For a little while they tried to understand what kind of bond they had between each other, but failed. This also confused the winged woman, because it only deepened the mystery how these three had ended up here. But again, this wasn't the right time and space for figuring these things out. “Are you able to stand?” the winged woman asked again. The trio shifted their gaze at her, trying to identify her. But just like with everything else so far, they had no idea who she was. Time for proper introductions would come later, even these three seemed to understand this, and they started to get on their feet. Their movements were wobbly, like with baby animals, and it gave an impression that they hadn't stood for a long time – if ever before. Eventually, however, they managed to find some sort of balance and not for a moment too soon. A terrible howl echoed through the forest; it was hollow, hungry and suffering. It was the most dreaded creature in the whole place, the reason why most people would stay away. While the winged woman was well aware that such abominations were on the prowl continuously in the forest, she really had hoped that they wouldn't encounter one. “Dammit”, she muttered to herself. “We have to go. Follow me.” The three creatures just nodded to her and hurried after her as she began to show the way and guide them out of the forest. Even more of those eerie howls joined in with the first one; whatever being it was, it hunted as a pack. Usually they were after the many souls of children that still lingered in these woods, but whenever possible, they preferred fresh souls. The winged woman was afraid that they had already got the scent of her and her little surprise companions. She wasn't too worried, however, she had dealt with such beasts before; she was a much more powerful entity than them. But never before had she had little beings with her that needed her protection. The woman tried to be as swift as possible while passing through the forest. Unfortunately, she was unlucky today and even though they had managed to move quite a distance without any conflict, suddenly a dark critter appeared from the shadows right in front of them. It resembled a huge and hideous wolf, its fur had a dark purple color. Its tail was thin and had some lavender feathers at the tip. These same feathers were also poking out from various other parts of its body, such as in the neck, elbows and lower thighs. Its bright red eyes were fixed at the small group and a deep growl was coming from its insides; it saw the winged woman and the three creatures as prey. Fearlessly the winged woman stepped forth while the trio remained in the background, not really fazed by the danger in front of them. A magical energy started to surge around the woman's right arm, engulfing it in a white glow. The dark wolf-like being got closer to her, measuring her with its red eyes. Then the woman raised her hand towards the beast and a white blast got shot from her hand, a holy light, hitting the monster in the head. It fell to the ground, but was it dead or just unconscious, it was hard to tell. Nonetheless, there was no need to kill it right now, the winged woman just wanted to get past it. “Come, quickly”, she said to the three creatures and pressed onwards, the trio continuing to follow her. The eerie howls sounded more and more distant; perhaps they had decided to go after the poor souls of the children trapped in the forest. This was a good sign, the winged woman thought, and while they still were in a danger zone, they weren't in immediate peril anymore. Confidently she dared to slow down her pace now and so did the three creatures she had found. The trees around them started to gradually thin out and more daylight managed to get through the branches, blessing the plants on the forest floor. The winged woman was feeling relief, for they would soon get out of the cursed woods. The whole world seemed brighter when the small group reached the tree line. The sunlight was absolutely radiant, something the three pairs of eyes weren't used to and they shielded their eyes with their hands. The beautiful songs of birds could be heard, an indication that things were well. A slight breeze was gently stroking the leaves of the trees, sounding a bit like humming. It was strange how different the world was outside the cursed forest. As the three creatures followed the winged woman out of the shadows of the trees, they couldn't help but notice that there were statues made from pale stone standing by the edge of the forest, having quite a bit of distance between each other. They were rather tall, almost as tall as the trees, and they depicted a feminine humanoid figure with four arms and strange antennas on her head. There was something holy in her appearance. All three of them stopped to stare at the closest one and it invoked strange familiarity within them. It was almost like they knew who this woman was, but had no memory of her. The winged woman noticed that the trio wasn't following her anymore and that their gazes were fixated on the statue. “Who… is she?” the black cat asked, much to the surprise of the winged woman. So, these little creatures could talk. The cat had just spoken with a female voice, but it also sounded like she wasn't used to talking, like she hadn't used her voice ever before. “This is the Mother Goddess”, the winged woman answered as she took a step closer to the trio. “These are the holy statues of her that guard the forest, preventing any evil escaping as long as they are standing here. Haven't you heard of her before?” The trio gave quick glances at each other as if trying to find out who had the answer. But then they just shook their heads. “We don't know…” said the raven and although the voice sounded a bit raspy, perhaps having the same case as the cat, it clearly was a female voice as well. “We don't know anything. Not even who we are… We seem to have a connection with each other, but that's all.” “That's… interesting”, the winged woman muttered thoughtfully. “Well, I'll guide you to the nearest village. We can talk about your situation more there.” She turned around and headed towards a small path that was going through another set of trees. It clearly wasn't used much, but it wasn't overgrown either. Oddly, it seemed like the trees around it were bent a little bit, guarding this little path. The three creatures were all glancing around with a child-like wonder while following the winged woman. The sensation of these woods was so much different than in the cursed forest where they had woken up, of course they would find it fascinating. The winged woman got the feeling that they were like children, not being familiar with the world around them at all. It was strange. And now that they had left the cursed forest, she noticed something else about the three creatures. Now that the tainted energy wasn't suppressing them anymore, they were emitting power that reeked of divinity. But what did that mean, the winged woman wasn't sure and she was lost deep in thought while walking forward, barely paying any attention to the trio. Usually the winged woman would just fly this part when making her trips to the cursed forest, it was much faster. But now, as she had a small group of odd beings following her, she had to walk, since probably only one of them had the ability to fly. But the journey to the nearest village wasn't a long one and soon enough the path guarded by trees started to brighten up and the trees were moving out of the way. Only a little bit away the group could see the village, a tiny settlement in the middle of woodlands. The buildings were cozy ones, although a little bit old, white with dark wood decorating their frames. The folks were walking around and doing their chores, and the three creatures noted that most of them looked like the winged woman, except they didn't have wings. There was a lot of curiosity in their little eyes as they got closer, having lots of questions popping in their minds, but the winged woman wasn't the one who would provide answers. Even now, she had closed herself inside her head and didn't seem responsive to the outside world. When they reached the first buildings, a little strident female voice then made its way to the little group's ears: “Lady Ihtiriekko! Lady Ihtiriekko!” A small creature hurried towards them and she looked much different than the few individuals the trio had seen so far. She resembled a mole, had dark grey skin, pale blond long hair tied to a bun, huge green eyes, a little strange snout with whiskers on it and her hands were broad, possessing big claws. She was wearing a pink dress with a headpiece. She huffed a little after her sprint and bent over a bit. “Lady Ihtiriekko, you're back! Oh, I didn't know you would return so soon, I'm not quite finished with the task and – “ The winged woman pushed her aside coldly and continued moving forward. “No matter. Take care of our guests.” Then she just walked away, leaving a group of confused creatures behind. “Our guests?” the being with the whiskers said quietly and looked at the trio and it seemed that only at that moment she registered their presence. “Oh… Oh! Hello there, haven't seen you before! Who might you be?” The three creatures shared glances with each other once more, as if one of them had somehow acquired the knowledge about their identity during their travel from the woods. But of course, all three of them were just as clueless as before. “We don't know who we are or anything, really…” said the deer-like creature, speaking with a male voice, and he too sounded like he wasn't used to talking. “That winged woman… She found us and brought us here.” “I see, I see…” The trio's new acquaintance appeared consumed by thoughts for a minute and she observed the group with her green eyes. Then she spoke again: “Well, you better follow me, then. You obviously are a little confused so let's shed light on some things, shall we?”My Guardian BeastDreams of his homeland had guided Akruul back to the north. Longing had found its way into his heart, which eventually led to him making the decision to visit his hometown. Years had passed when he walked out of the little settlement, turning his back to the place that held his roots. How long had it been, maybe even ten years? It was about time for Akruul to return and see how the town was doing nowadays. He had left it in hopes of adventure and becoming a heroic warrior. Now he had seen many corners of the world and had grown quite a swordsman, slaying monsters. He had achieved all he had dreamed of, and maybe that was one more reason for him to return to his hometown, just so he could share his success and stories with the people that had belonged to his childhood. Winter had come early in the north, Akruul noticed as he slowly moved through the lands. It almost felt like in one moment there was a green and lush world around him, but suddenly everything got covered in pure white snow. But growing up in these parts, Akruul knew it was nothing unusual for the winter to sneakily arrive ahead of time. As he wandered through the snowy landscape, he felt a strange warmth in his heart. Perhaps it was because he was getting close to his old home and was feeling sentimental already. It was alright, however, and even though he was an experienced warrior honed by many battles, he allowed himself to feel soft emotions. And so Akruul smiled slightly as he walked on the path that had recently formed into the snow; now, there had never been too many foreigners visiting this northern land, but sometimes merchant caravans remembered the existence of the settlement and would come to pay a visit there. It seemed like this was the case right now as there were multiple tracks in snow. Well, at least it would make Akruul's travel a little easier, although the heaviest snow blanket was still yet to come. It took Akruul a couple of days traversing in the snow before he reached his destination. Surrounded by a silent white forest, Akruul climbed on the hill and from there, he could see the little town. He stopped for a moment and observed the settlement that had formed downhill, right by a black tall rock. It was like nothing had changed during these years he had been away; everything looked exactly the same when he had last seen the town. Smoke was coming out from most of the chimneys, rising higher into the air, giving a sign that there was still life bustling under the snow-covered roofs. The exterior of the town seemed the same, but how were the people? To get an answer for this question, Akruul began to walk down the hill, and there wasn't much distance left between him and his old hometown. As Akruul stepped on the grounds of the town, he almost felt like he had walked back to his childhood. His sentimental feelings were growing stronger now as he strolled among the little buildings, the cozy homes of the townsfolk. He hadn't encountered anyone yet, but he wasn't worried; anyone would rather be sheltered in the warmth of their homes rather than being out in the cold. Though he remembered the people being resilient, it was needed in these rather harsh conditions. Snow, ice and cold were something that didn't discourage the townsfolk, they still were able to thrive. So, as Akruul made his way further into the town, he started to get an odd feeling when there was no one around. Until he finally spotted someone. In the fading daylight a hunched figure came to his view, a thick coat covering their body, like one would expect. It was an old woman and Akruul actually recognized her; she was the lady Imasan, one of the village elders and a known storyteller, Akruul and other children had enjoyed her stories back in the day. “Imasan!” Akruul said loudly to get the old woman's attention, rushing towards her. She turned to face him after hearing her name and for a brief moment she was squinting her eyes as she tried to figure out who was talking to her. Eventually she did recognize the man and a joyful expression spread on her old wrinkled face. “Akruul! My goodness, you have grown into such a handsome young man! It's been so long since the last time I saw you, how are you doing?” “I've been doing good, thank you”, Akruul replied as he stepped closer to the old woman. “Where is everyone? It's not that much of a cold day.” A shade appeared on old Imasan's face and she shook her head. “Well, things have changed a little after you left… You see, a beast has been plaguing our lives for about ten years. It's time for our annual winter celebration, but ever since the beast appeared, we haven't really been able to celebrate… It's almost like it loathes the festivities, attacking our village in frenzy if we gather around and rejoice together. So now the folks celebrate indoors and only with their families. It's a sad thing, really… It does come to the village other times too, but especially when we join together to have a good time.” “Oh, I almost forgot the winter celebration”, Akruul said and glimpses of childhood memories quickly flashed in his mind. “Do you know where the beast makes its lair? I can try to slay it.” “Well, you certainly look strong”, Imasan responded and there was a little trace of a smile visiting her otherwise worried face. “We don't know exactly where its nest is, but it always comes from the north. I'm sorry, but that's all I know.” “It's alright, Imasan”, Akruul replied and tried to assure her with a smile. “I can track it down. I'll come back soon.” “Good luck, my dear boy”, the old woman said and for a second she grasped Akruul's hand firmly. The man nodded and he squeezed her hand. They both let go and Akruul walked past her, heading to the north. The old woman watched him go, keeping her eyes on him for as long as she could. At that moment, snow began to gently and softly fall and it didn't take long before Akruul had disappeared behind this white curtain. Imasan tried to send good luck to Akruul through her heart and then she waddled away, heading home, her hope on the young man. Akruul walked across the snowy lands like a lone spirit. The world around him was completely silent and there was nothing but pure whiteness all around him. It was almost like he was wandering through a dream world, completely detached from reality. The snowfall was hindering his movements a little bit and if it was going to last for long, then it would make it really hard to push through all that freshly fallen snow. It would also hide all the possible trails made by the beast. However, there were many other ways to track a monster or an animal, you just had to keep your eyes and ears open on your surroundings. Akruul had learned a few things during his travels and developed keen senses. He let his gaze wander in the surrounding trees, monsters often left claw marks on them or if they had the ability to fly, there would be lots of broken branches on top of the trees. So far he hadn't noticed anything, though. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching him, observing his every move through the snowy woodlands. Perhaps it was the beast he was hunting. The problem was, he didn't see anything abnormal around him, just complete whiteness. He tried to focus on hearing, but there was nothing but silence. The feeling was almost haunting, like he got trapped in a dimension where there were only him and the beast, hunting each other. Akruul didn't like it at all. But he could only move forward. A sudden roar tore apart the silence of the white world, resonating in the winter air. It was a fierce and powerful roar, Akruul hadn't heard anything like it before. He felt a strange familiarity with it, which confused him. He pushed this bewilderment aside, however, and focused on locating the beast. It didn't seem like the roar had come from far away. Before Akruul was even able to begin this part of the hunt, he saw something in the distance, a creature of some kind that was looking at him among the trees. It was weird. This thing wanted to be found. But it didn't appear hostile, not yet at least. Akruul stopped for a moment to stare at the beast. It was quadruped and mostly white, so no wonder it could blend in with the snow. It had cerulean stripes decorating its body, like the ones of a tiger. The strangest part was that it appeared to have three heads: one of a tiger, one of a horse and one of a dragon. The being was a weird mix match of various creatures. But to Akruul, a beast is a beast, no matter what it looks like. The man was ready to draw his sword while still maintaining eye contact with the monster. He slowly got his trusty weapon out, but the beast wasn't really reacting at all. It continued to watch him for a moment, but then it leisurely turned around and started to walk away, but its horse head made a movement that signaled him to follow. Akruul was greatly baffled by this, but also extremely curious. He lowered his weapon, but didn't put it back to sheath, just in case he would need it. He decided to do what the beast wanted and started to follow it. Maybe this was a trap. Maybe he should just turn around. But he wanted to figure out what was going on with this creature. Perhaps he could find out why it has been attacking the village. Akruul maintained a safe distance while tailing the beast, just in case, although it still hadn't shown signs of aggression towards him. It kept going straight forward for a good while before it decided to take a turn to the left, starting to climb uphill. Akruul was sort of grateful for the beast to show him the way, because the trail it left on the snow made it easier for him to move. Occasionally he was left behind a little bit, but he noted that the beast would keep an eye on him and it would stop just so he could catch up. Where was it leading him? Akruul had no idea. It was such a tiring task to walk uphill that Akruul was grateful when they were traveling on an even surface again. They pushed through the snowy woodlands for a while before a tall black rock suddenly came into view; it was almost like it had just emerged from the ground, thrusting towards the sky. The beast started to circle around it, like it was looking for something. Then Akruul noticed a mouth of a cavern in the rock, which was probably what the beast was searching for. His hunch turned out to be right as the monster disappeared inside it. Akruul stopped at the entrance and hesitated. Why had the beast led him here? What could possibly lurk in this cave? He still had the chance to turn around. But he would never get answers to his questions if he didn't enter. His grasp on the hilt of his weapon tightened and he stepped inside the cold and dark cave. He walked through a tunnel for a while, almost in total darkness, but then a blue light appeared in the distance. It was an eerie light, but it also became his guide. He could see the figure of the beast standing in the far end of the tunnel, right by the chamber where the light was coming from. It followed the man with its gaze, all three heads staring at him. It was rather unsettling, but Akruul walked closer until he finally reached the chamber. Akruul wasn't sure what he had expected to find from there. Maybe a treasure of some kind. Maybe a litter of similar beasts or some kind of other creature this monster was taking care of. Maybe even a human. The last part turned out to be right, but in a way that confused Akruul the most. He was staring at himself. Not exactly who he was now, but a child version of him. Akruul didn't know how to respond to this and just stared at the little boy whom he had once been. The same black hair, the same blue eyes. Akruul was so baffled by this that he almost lost the grip of his sword. “What the hell is this…?” Akruul muttered. His younger self didn't say anything. The beast, on the other hand, stepped closer to the man and gently pushed him in the back with its dragon head, guiding him towards the little boy. All of this was so strange and Akruul glanced at the beast that just nodded to him. It wanted him to get closer to the little boy for some reason. He shifted his gaze back at his younger self. How was this possible? Was this some magic trick? The boy didn't move or show any emotion, which made Akruul a little terrified. But he wanted to know whether the boy was a real living thing or just a mirage, so he reached for the child, touching him to the shoulder. A flood of memories and sensations filled Akruul's head, it was like they had been locked away – or maybe even erased – from his mind. But now, he was reliving the most horrible years of his life. How his parents had fallen into ice, swallowed by the dark freezing waters, just because Akruul had forgotten his favorite fishing rod on the ice. How his big brother became resentful toward him because of this, blaming him for the demise of their parents, and hated that he had to take care of him now. How the brother started to spread venomous lies about him so all the other children would exclude him from everything and remind him that it was his fault that his parents had died. How the winter celebration he had loved to spend with his family became just utterly miserable to him, because his brother neglected him. All the hatred and grudge were coming back to him, something that had been sealed away for ten years, because he had split himself into two entities; one was the child filled by hate and the other one was the heroic warrior he had dreamed of becoming. All the horrible memories were carried by the child, while the adult Akruul remained completely oblivious to what he had experienced in his younger years. But now, it was time for them to merge, to become one. Akruul opened up his heart and took in all the horrendous memories, all the hatred and grudge. The child version of him turned into an entity of white blinding light and this light sunk into Akruul's chest, disappearing inside him. He understood it all now. Why the beast was attacking the village, what its role was. It had simply taken care of the part of him no one else wanted. Akruul turned to face the beast. With his hand, he reached for the dragon head and petted it tenderly. “Thank you for showing me the truth”, Akruul said. It was time to raid the village one last time. Akruul hoped that his brother was still alive.Father Of Hundred WretchesAnd all of them had gathered around, all the immature and ugly, all the wicked without identity. They were a sad lot but persistent and they had remained in this polluted land waiting for this day to come. Decades ago they lost their purpose, roaming these forlorn streets like dead spirits that didn't know how to move on. This was their empire, built by their father from steel and cogs and springs. The sky above them had lost its brightness permanently, stained black by coal. The sun and moon and stars had stopped visiting the town a long time ago, repelled by the pollution of the different machines and factories that operated on a daily basis. This was the home of these poor wretches and there was absolutely no one who loved them. “Daddy! Daddy!” Their moans filled the air of the town of misery, sounding so extremely haunting that it would disturb even the bravest. They marched through the streets like veins of filth upon the paved ground. One could easily find their appearances pitiful, for they had been mutilated and molded into something unnatural. But these were the unholy children of the father, such a bond would never break. Some of the wretches had mutated into beings that barely resembled a human anymore, having either too few or too many limbs. Some had even grown spikes on their bodies. But mostly they had crudely become half man, half machine. A black metal now tarnished their grotesque bodies, replacing parts of them with varied severity. Limbs, organs, patches of skin… Some had a clockwork running their rotten brains. They were absolutely hideous, an insult to mother nature. And yet, they existed and had become part of this world. The little wretches had all got drawn to a mansion at the edge of town, summoned by a mysterious force, almost like telepathy that connected their fragmented minds. There hadn't been much going on inside their skulls during their miserable pointless lives, but this was something that had ignited some sort of thoughts and even longing. They were all part of something bigger; they knew this deep down in their rotten souls, but since their creation, since their rebirth, they hadn't been quite complete yet to be useful in the grand scheme of things. They knew nothing but loneliness and violence, but now, they could sense that things were about to change, that they would learn something else – but what, they didn't know yet. It was almost impossible to tell, but as the wretches were joining together, it had become nighttime. The sky was even more black than usual and made it look like their little polluted town was floating in the middle of a void where there was no escape from. The darkness was somewhat cast away by the lamps powered by electricity, but even in their illumination the town was dim. On the courtyard where the wretches were gathering, a cluster of lamp posts that had been carefully crafted into black pieces of art were surrounding the area, offering light for the grandest celebration the most miserable dwellers of the town had ever participated in. While the whole town was vastly in a state of decay and disrepair, the mansion appeared surprisingly well kept. The pavement in front of the building was still in good condition and the flower beds had actually been taken care of. They were blooming, thriving, unlike anything else in the town. But how could they possibly flourish in a place that hadn't been graced by sun in a lifetime? And yet, they did, blossoming in black and purple and white, as if mocking the rest of the plant world for being able to do this while everything else was withering. Perhaps it was one of the father's achievements as well. “Daddy! Daddy!” The creatures of filth and sin were crying out in front of the great building that had once been the home of their father. Still it appeared as a place suitable enough for the country's elite to wine and dine in. The mansion was black, like drenched in ink. But it had a grand design, all the windowsills and the one magnificent balcony on the front were beautifully shaped. Even after the passing of father, it still retained the look of belonging to a wealthy and successful man. It wasn't abandoned at all, no, somebody else had taken it as their home. The door on the balcony slowly opened and forth came a figure. Somebody who appeared as a young man even though they had already lived decades, just another testimony of the father's brilliance. His right eye, part of skull, the whole contents of his chest and right arm and hand had been replaced by the black metal. This was the first son of the father and the only one who was his own flesh and blood. And still he had made him part machine, perhaps to prolong his life, loving him too much to let go. But alas, it was the father himself who had lost his life. All that was left behind was his heart. Right at that moment, the first son was holding this heart in his hands. He stepped forward on the balcony, to be closer to the crowd that had gathered on the courtyard. He raised the heart above his head with both hands, holding it up for all the wretches to see. They cheered loudly after catching a glimpse of this one and only piece that was left of their father. The heart was still beating, although slowly. It almost looked like a normal human heart, but it had turned black. Perhaps by coal, perhaps by his own design. But to the wretches this was the most precious relic, it was the one thing that connected them. They would even be prepared to die for it if they had to. “Brothers!” the first son shouted loudly, his voice carrying into the ears of the wretches, and they suddenly went silent. “We were left with the ultimate sorrow when those beasts that called themselves righteous slayed our dear father. In the end, after all these decades, nothing was left of him except his heart – and his greatest work yet.” The first son paused his speech for a moment and lowered the heart to look at it fondly. He had taken care of it all these years, so this day would finally come. Then he returned his attention to the crowd and they were hungry to hear more, he and the heart were their full focus. It was almost like their brains were working as one, like cogs in a machine. And the first son started to speak again: “I took it as my responsibility to care for our father's heart, to ensure his legacy was safe. Most of you don't know this, but our father was working on something grandeur that was then left unfinished when he passed away. I believed it was my sacred duty to continue our father's work and I studied his notes with utmost care. And I understood them, our father's ingenuity, I could claim his visions as mine. I continued his work where he left it, but it truly was a tough one. It took me decades to finish what he had started, but I did it! And because of this, my dear brothers, we have gathered here tonight. Our father shall live once more!” The group of wretches cheered again, this time even louder, and their bellow was heard by the whole town. The first son disappeared back into the mansion with the heart while the crowd of the mutilated ones were left to wait. Their excitement was immeasurable, but they were patient. After all, they had already waited for years. And then, finally, their wait was over. The wretches were practically screeching from joy, their voices distorted when they saw the main entrance of the mansion creaking open. From the dark bowels of the grand building came forth a figure, one completely made of black metal. The wretches hadn't seen this form before, but they knew who it was. This person marched out of the mansion with heavy steps and walked closer to the crowd, the light of the lamps shining on his black metal body. He was twice as tall as a regular man and all his plates of metal had been carefully crafted to perfection. He had the head of a hawk with shiny blue eyes and there were other bird-like details in his body, such as talons on his feet and hands and wings on his back. And in the exposed metal ribcage, a black heart was beating; the heart of the father. After all these years, they had got their father back, in the form of a metal deity. He had seen the awfulness of the mankind who had forgotten their god. Disgusted, the father had then begun to build a new god for people, something real they could pray to. A machine was perfect for this, for it was something that would not get bewildered by human emotions. And its body would last the tides of time, the fangs that would normally gnaw at the bodies of mortals would be deflected by the perfect metal shell. These were the visions the father had been guided by when he started to work on creating a new deity for this broken world, but he had never thought that he would be the one to give his machinery the consciousness. But so it happened after the first son had inserted his heart into the machine. There was no more flesh on his body, no more blood running through his veins. Physical human weaknesses didn't apply to him anymore, except maybe the heart, the only organ he still had, his very core. He was a perfect organism, god of metal and steam. But a machine can't show fondness, can't bring warmth through a mere touch. As the father stood there by the entrance of his mansion, in this moment of reincarnation, he felt proud for his children, especially for the first son. But alas, he couldn't show this for all these miserable little beings he had disfigured, he couldn't show any emotion at all. He could just look at them all and feel the pride in his core. The first son had appeared by his side, a loving expression on his face as he looked directly at the metal structure that was now hosted by the father's consciousness. “Welcome back, father. We missed you.” Shifting his gaze from the crowd of wretches to the first son, the father replied with a metallic sound: “I didn't expect to become a living being anymore. But your love has brought me back from the dead, in a greater form than when I was killed. My son, I am proud of you; you did a magnificent job at completing my last project.” The first son gave him a respectful bow and said: “I appreciate your words, father, with all my heart. I simply couldn't stand your unjust death. I did what I had to.” “You have my gratitude.” The father then looked at the wretches again. If he could smile, he would be doing it right now while observing the beings he had personally turned into these hideous abominations that were against human nature. So royally he had wrecked their brains that they thought of him as a holy figure, feeling affection rather than resentment. It was just one more thing he had succeeded at. And now, his brilliant mind had returned into this world. Tonight, a new era shall begin, and he, as the deity of the machine, would bring forth a better future and make people believe again.trophyJust A Needle To Your HeadThere was this sickness in Rowan's brain. And it was getting worse. An invisible disease, but far worse than some physical ailments. It made him question the reality itself and turned him weak and was barely even a person anymore. There was suffering Rowan couldn't describe. When walking outside on the streets of this wretched town, he was envious of other people. They knew nothing of the mental anguish. Or maybe some did, but had learned how to live with it, thus making Rowan jealous. To him, even the sun didn't bring warmth and brightness anymore to his miserable soul. But the question was, should he seek help? Could someone like him even be helped? He pondered this many days and nights, but eventually he came to the conclusion that he would at least try. You don't have that option anymore after you die. He visited a doctor, a person who had clearly seen many sad and broken people in his life. What would lead an individual to seek such a profession? Is it merely the noble idea of wanting to help people? Or is there something else? Rowan didn't know and it didn't really even matter. It was hard to be vulnerable in front of a complete stranger. The doctor probably wouldn't call him crazy – or maybe he would – since that would be quite unprofessional. He was a quiet and calm man, asking questions from Rowan, but mostly let Rowan tell his story and listened. Somehow this felt wrong for Rowan. He was a grown independent man, he should be able to handle life better than this, now he was way too fragile. And when life gets too hard, you turn to the bottle. Maybe Rowan should have tried that instead of sitting in the office of a stranger, complaining about his disease-ridden brain. Such a stupid brain he got. And the strange thing was, that's where Rowan's memory blacks out. For a moment he was in the doctor's office talking to him, but then something occurred that just simply erased all his memories after that. Did he ever finish the session with the doctor? Has he ever made it home? Maybe he got into a severe accident while walking back to the place he called home; his safe space, though it was infested with the darkness of his mind and felt like anything else but a sanctuary. And Rowan tried and tried, so hard to grasp the strings of his memories to recall what the hell had happened to him. It seemed they were there barely out of his reach, but anytime he managed to get close to them, they would drift away from him, taunting him in an infuriating way. Perhaps he should just give up on this task and focus on the present. Rowan couldn't help the feeling that he had ended up in a scenario straight from a horror movie. He was a prisoner, lying on a table with numerous straps wrapped around various parts of his body, preventing him from moving. Even his head was confined, so he couldn't really look around. Anxiety was no stranger to him, but the fear that now tiptoed into his heart was on a completely different level. He wiggled like a lowly worm, struggling against his bindings. It was no use. He could only stare at the ceiling and let the terror grow inside. He looked at the tiles above him. They had probably been white at some point in time, but now they were filthy and some even cracked. There was a dome-like lamp on the ceiling, but it wasn't currently lit. Some source of light was clearly giving him illumination, but being tied up like this, he couldn't tell exactly where the glow was coming from. A few times the light flickered ominously. For a moment Rowan was pondering whether the unreliable radiance was a friend to him or an enemy. It didn't take him long to come to the conclusion that it indeed was an ally, because in total absence of light he would be devoured by utter darkness. That didn't sound pleasant at all. He would probably even go insane much faster if there wasn't light; the inner demons love darkness. All Rowan could do was stare at the ceiling and think. He wondered where he was, but maybe he was in a basement of some sort; the air felt a little cold and damp. But where exactly this room was, that was the question. His memory gap didn't really help him at all, it just made it more difficult to figure out what the hell had happened and what kind of situation he was in now. Obviously this wasn't anything good, but he was afraid to let his mind wander together with his inner demons to delve into the worst-case scenarios. It was hard to not do that and Rowan tried his best to think something else, something nicer. Though that was also hard for him since his brain was rotten with disease and thinking about good things wasn't easy. But maybe it was essential now, so the fear wouldn't completely take over his mind. Though, the dread multiplied instantly as he suddenly heard something. So far he had been enclosed in silence, which Rowan had found a little comforting in a strange way, but now his ears were pierced by a sound of a metal door screeching horribly as it was forced to move and grant access to somebody. Then it was closed again. Rowan listened as someone was walking down the stairs and his heart was beating in terror in the rhythm of the descending person's steps. Whoever was coming down didn't sound like a large person, but that was rather meager solace; Rowan was still tied up and utterly vulnerable. He had never been more afraid in his entire life and he dreaded the second when the one descending would come to him – he had a hunch that they would bring nothing but unspeakable nightmares. The steps were getting closer until finally, Rowan could sense that the person had come rather close to the table where he was lying. How such light steps were able to deliver so much fright, Rowan couldn't understand. And then, suddenly a person popped into his limited view. It was a woman; that explained how light her steps had seemed. She had a very young face; in Rowan's eyes she probably wasn't even thirty years old. He noted that she was also very beautiful, but that beauty was ruined by the wickedness that stained her face. It could be seen especially in her eyes; they were abnormally light blue and gleamed with madness. Her long hair, tied to a ponytail, had such a pale hue of blonde that it looked almost white. She was wearing a doctor's white coat and this detail just made her much more terrifying; Rowan's mind was getting flooded with the horrific scenarios that he was being used in some cruel experiments. “Oh, good, you're awake”, the woman said and there was a terrifyingly deranged expression on her face. “Or maybe, not so good for you. We'll see.” Then she moved away from the table, Rowan couldn't see where she had gone or what she was doing. Of course he had to vocalize the mandatory questions one would utter in this kind of situation: “Who are you? And where am I?” “Ah, obviously you're confused by all this, that's normal”, the woman replied and she came back to the table and to Rowan's view. She had an unnerving smile on her face. “You can call me Amelia. And right now you are in my own little clinic of sorts. How did you end up here, hmm? I bet that was the next question in your head. You're not my first patient. Let's just say, there are so many broken people that other doctors can't deal with them all. We live in a defective world. That's where I come into picture; I snatch patients from others, taking a little bit of their burden away.” Rowan wasn't sure what Amelia meant by her last bit of information, but it gave him horrific visuals of corrupted doctors that would just pass their patients to lunatics like Amelia. And who knows what she was planning to do since Rowan's situation definitely didn't look good. Once more he opened his mouth: “What's going to happen to me?” “Oh, don't you worry”, Amelia responded, her smile growing even wider and she tenderly caressed Rowan's cheek, obviously in a mocking way. “I'm not going to torture you. I'm just doing a little operation. It's a swift one, I promise.” Rowan didn't like the sound of this and he started to feel even more terrified, if that was even possible. “But I don't need any operations! I'm okay!” “We both know that's not true”, Amelia almost whispered and she grinned in a way that expressed she knew more than seemed. “Your brain is a nest of disease. But I'll be honest: I haven't performed this procedure to anyone before. You're my first one. Be proud of that little fact.” Then she walked away again and Rowan had this horrifying awareness that second by second he was getting closer to something horrible. “What are you doing to me?” Rowan asked, his voice almost trembling from fear. “Ever heard of lobotomy?” Amelia turned the question. Rowan's blood ran cold and it almost felt like his spirit had just left his body. He knew nothing but horrible stories revolving around this surgery. “No, no, no, no, you can't!” “Of course I can. I've been curious about it for some time, but like I said, I haven't done this before. I'm doing this for science”, Amelia explained. “I need to see the effect myself.” Out of utter desperation, Rowan began to struggle against his bindings again. Panic had taken over his mind, demanding him to fight against the forthcoming horror. He squirmed, trying to bring forth strength fueled by terror. But no matter how much he writhed, the straps kept him in his place. All his attempts to get free were futile. “Have a little patience, please”, Amelia said. “You will get out of here. Eventually.” The doctor appeared on Rowan's view once again, and she was ready for surgery. She had put disposable gloves on her hands and she had a surgical mask covering part of her face; at least Rowan wouldn't see her horrifying smile. In one of her hands she was holding a single tool that resembled an ice pick; it was an orbitoclast. The worst part was that she probably wasn't going to use anesthesia of any kind. “Please don't do this”, Rowan whimpered pathetically, still kept his useless fight going against the straps. But Amelia didn't care about his pleas. All this was because of her morbid curiosity, Rowan was just a subject. “Now, hold still so this will be easier for both of us.” Rowan didn't follow her dark advice. He was in a state of utter panic and fear, primordial instincts had kicked in demanding him to fight and escape. He didn't stop struggling, not even when the doctor's sharp tool infiltrated the insides of his head through his eye socket. The orbitoclast went deeper and deeper and into Rowan's frontal lobe. As Amelia surmised that her tool had gone far enough, she started to wiggle it around Rowan's brain. She was humming to herself while performing the illegal surgery, clearly getting some twisted and sick satisfaction with what she was doing. And just like that, she was done. She pulled the orbitoclast out of Rowan's head and left him on the table. He wasn't moving anymore. Amelia decided to give him a couple of hours before studying the effects of the surgery. Still humming, she left the room and Rowan was all alone again. Rowan simply wasn't the same after this cruel experience. He was an empty shell of a person he used to be, almost seeming like nobody was home. When Amelia returned to him a while later, he didn't really react when the woman had freed him from the straps. The man didn't acknowledge her presence, like he was somewhere else entirely. But Amelia examined him with great curiosity, fascinated by the change. She helped Rowan to shift into a sitting position, but from there, he had no desire to move. This was a man who had desperately tried to fight for their freedom just a while ago, but now, he was quiet and didn't mind being in the room. He wasn't Rowan anymore. But now the delusions and anxieties are gone. Or at least, they didn't bother him anymore. In a sense, Amelia had just cured him. She gently stroked Rowan's cheek. “Can you feel it? The mental anguish?” “No.” His voice was monotonous; there was no will behind the single word he had just uttered. “Interesting.” This gave Amelia the crave to learn more. Human brain, what a mysterious thing it was, it would never stop being fascinating to her. And now, after she had done the little experiment with Rowan using the method of the past, she wanted to do it again, to study and observe how different people would respond to it. Rowan was merely the first subject. There were many things Amelia was interested in doing to people – and had actually done already – in the name of science, but she had just got a new fixation. And out there, the world was filled with wretches no one cared about.

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