.

[farewell sweet prince]

It is choice --- not chance --- that determines your destiny. – Jean Nidetch

Everyone is born – regardless of wants and needs – to a purpose, to an ultimate goal that knows of neither good nor evil. It cares not for the simplicity of the everyday monotony and worries over nothing, but the grander scheme of things – weighing importance on a scale far too large to be comprehended by the human mind. It is a purpose that may not lead the traveler down a pleasant journey; it may not even be the most desirable of paths to walk upon, but it is the one decreed and it is the one that should be followed – without questions, without deviations. Such has been the way of life and so the internal balance of nature was maintained, secured with an unconditional obedience. It was the prescribed route meant to be followed for Destiny does not take too kindly to stragglers who insist upon straying. But most importantly those deigned with tasks too large to be fully understood by the masses, should never search for an alternate road. Those with the burdened shoulders should receive their fates without thoughts of rebellion, of mutiny and question naught the will of the Divines.


For should there be dissension, there shall be chaos.


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Welcome to - finally - the In Character thread of [ Fractured Destiny ]. No one is allowed to post within this thread that is not a part of the cast. If you do, I will report you, so have a pleasant day. - smiles -



[ Credits ] ;;

Idea → Discolored Perfection
Design → Discolored Perfection
Images → zeiva
Map → Discolored Perfection

IC _____________________ OOC _____________________ PT

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[farewell sweet prince]

______________ _____________ ________ __________ ________ _____________ ______________

ONCE UPON A TIME... » »



It will begin with the first spill of blood.

But it will not end until the last of it has been drawn.


```
Blood lined the walls, coloring the many tapestries and stones in a fine shade of foreboding crimson. It dripped from the window ledges, dotted the pews and stained the plush carpet which stretched from corner to corner, tinting the entire room in a mesmerizing red. At the center of the vast and spacious chamber sat a leveled platform – a raised podium – that once housed the shrine’s finest treasure, but now – in the wake of such bloodshed – there rested a beaten, bloodied body, desperately struggling to remain on the fraying edges of consciousness. But it was a losing battle, fought mostly out of vanity as the elderly man sought to use his remaining energy in an attempt to rise, to stand and be dignified in the face of death.

However, that wish – that final desire – was not meant to be and as the priest, old and withered, made slow attempts to recover, the looming shadow of the masked attacker fell upon him, blanketing the man in its intimidating cover. Breath choked in his lungs, the battered priest turned fearfully around and deep emerald eyes suddenly went wide with shock, the color quickly being drained from his face. Since the first attack – the initial bombardment of seemingly invisible blows – the residents had not been privy to the identity of the intruder, but now he was granted a full frontal view of this mysterious stranger, a view of illogical reasoning. He saw the boy – a teenager, really – standing before him, silver sword unsheathed and trailing red wherever he had moved. He could – quite visibly – see the familiar insignias of the goddesses inlaid into the hilt, its golden hues twinkling brightly against the darkly gloved hands.

“No…this cannot be…”

And before the man could utter another word, that sword – in all its magnificent design – flew upwards into the sky and like a gray arc of motion, sliced through the man’s broken body, cracking a collar bone and plunging straight into the heart. The sword dug into the man’s flesh, carved a path through broken bones and lodged itself into the once beating mechanism that now slept motionlessly against the fast-cooling metal. The man was dead even before he fell to his knees, before the Heavens could have possibly heard his plea for help.

With a smirk, an arrogant grin, marching pleasantly across the youth’s features, he answered the priest’s last question – the man’s unfinished inquiry. It was the type of question that required no real end for it to be understood, no real completion in order to draw a firm, solidified conclusion from. “Oh, but it is.”

Laughing – a bone chilling sound – the boy withdrew the murder weapon from the corpse and prepared to leave, knowing that from this very moment onwards he was no longer the same person who had woken up his morning, no longer the same person that could greet the townspeople as if all would be well. No, from this point forward, he was no longer the world’s handyman – no longer the world’s precious Hero of Time – but he was now his own person, a person that had managed to do the impossible. He had defied the wishes of Destiny and with it carved a path uniquely his own.



✖ ✖ ✖



Five years later…



Aeonix is in no better shape than it had been when the [ Dark King ] established his reign of terror, but now with the power of stolen rule transferred to the hands of the [ Fallen Hero ], living conditions have hardly improved. In fact, life may have actually been more bearable under the iron-fisted rule of the [ Dark King ]. With a hellish existence awaiting all the inhabitants of Aeonix, there is nothing, but constant fear bubbling beneath the anxious surface of paranoia and plotted mutiny. In this day and age people take quite literally to the age-old saying of every man for himself. With anxieties stretching thin and once glimmering outlooks turned hopelessly dark there is little to live for, so one by one the people fell, surrendered and relinquished their very rights to the natural existence of life.

Without hope, the world is like a dark room without light, a place where nothing can be found and thus nothing can be saved. Each day passes like the one before it, filled with dread and news of horrifying tragedies taking place halfway across the world or right next door. And in this tumultuous cycle of suffering set on a repeated loop, even the sunny horizon of the Aeon Kingdom seems dimmed with despair. In this new world – this new era – there is no happiness, no love and definitely no god to save them. There is nothing left behind in the desecrated land bereft of all the joys it once possessed and flaunted so shamelessly. But what moved the world into such extreme nihilism? What made them lose faith in the world, in humanity?

The answer: The impossible act of defiance, the rebellion against destiny – the trump card that hard turned against them.

The [ Fallen Hero ] was once revered as the Chosen One – the Wielder of Time – that would awaken to save the world, to purge the kingdom of this corruptible evil. It was their safety net and they had placed all their worries on his shoulder, left the burden of the world in a child’s hand with the greatest hope that he would overcome. And the day he arrived a fanfare greeting his name and cheers erupted loud and clear. The glimmer of hope widened ten folds as visions of this suffocating darkness would end overtook the people.

But that never happened – that reality never came to pass. For the [ Fallen Hero ] had not purged the world of evil, he had not ridded its existence inside the lives of the innocence. But he did grant the world one pleasure it sought, he defeated the [ Dark King ] as the people had wanted, thrown the abusive dictator from his velvet covered bench. And that was the extent of his gift to the people, the people that had not only trusted him with their lives, but their very dreams. Instead, the [ Fallen Hero ] seated himself as the supreme ruler of Aeonix before tossing the title of hero into the ashes, letting the enslaving name smoldering away. So the little boy of legends that people had grown up listening to, betrayed their very trust, stole away their hopes in a heartbeat and single handedly crushed them into irrecoverable pieces of shattered glass. Yes, Aeonix was in trouble and without their precious hero there was little to hope for – little to believe in.

And all that was true until Destiny – desperate to resolve the problem – deftly moved to correct the errors made and summoned a new creation, one that will face the ultimate evil in an epic battle of man and the fates. This is not a war fought out of greed, out of humanity’s jealous nature, but a war fought under the euphemism of freedom, of choice and individuality. It is a war determined to break the chains of inescapable servitude, but is the bloodshed truly worth the final prize? And is the Apple of Eden truly worth having?

Only Time can tell, so Destiny has made her move, now it's yours. Are you gamed?

[farewell sweet prince]

THE LAW » »


№ 1 ‹ LITERACY ›

This rule of literacy couldn’t be a more idiotic rule in existence, but despite its ridiculousness, I intend to perpetuate this cycle of seemingly pointless division. This is --- obviously --- an adv lit roleplay in content and not just name. This means, I expect all participants to have consistent mastery over spelling, grammar and, most importantly, style. I want more than just robotic technical perfection, I want to be spellbound by your posts and captivated by it. While details are appreciated an exaggeration of it is not desired. However, with that being said, I still expect a minimum of 4 high quality paragraphs (although it is generally better received if it is more).

№ 2 ‹ DISCRETION ›

I can wholly expect that all future participants be expected to behave with a certain level of maturity and exercise a certain level of tact when conversing/interacting with other individuals and characters alike. This, essentially, means you will bear an open mind to new experiences without prejudice. I encourage the spread of romance, the intrigue of violence, and the subtle hint of swearing. I however, do not condone excess in the three areas. You will not bring the three to a level inappropriate for Gaia or in violation of their terms. I trust that, as self-proclaimed adv lit roleplayers, you will be polite, courteous and welcoming of new opinions --- but most importantly, you will use your best judgment at all times.

№ 3 ‹ COMMITMENT ›

This, unfortunately, happens to be the singularly most violated rule in nearly all roleplays --- regardless of literacy level. Allow me to make it clear, so that there is no confusion later on, that after you have been selected as a participant, you will not vanish from the living world only to return and find the roleplay deserted due to your negligence. I understand that we all have lives outside of this virtual community, but by joining --- by creating a profile --- you are promising me that you will stick around and make sure to see this story to its end. If your absence extends beyond a two week period without any provided reasons, I will not hesitate in kicking you from the roleplay. This, my friend, is no idle threat. I expect you to, at the least, post in the OoC at least 3 times a week to show me that you are alive.

№ 4 ‹ ABSENCES ›

Prolonged absences (meaning two weeks and more) do not make me a very happy person, but sometimes, it is inevitable and therefore allowances must be made. In the case that you will be leaving for an extended period please --- please, for my sanity --- either write your character temporarily out of the roleplay so that the rest of us may move on or you may chose to have your character silently follow with whatever antics the rest of the group has decided upon. Either way, just make sure that you don’t make someone else wait an ungodly period of time for you.

№ 5 ‹ APPLYING ›

So, we’ve finally reached the most anticipated part of the regulatory section. How do you apply for a spot? Simple, you will PM your application with the title reading, “No way I be shady or frontin' ” to me. To find the form, scroll to the application section.

№ 6 ‹ FORMATTING ›

As trivial as this may be, I do expect that every post consist of a posting format --- make it glamorous, sophisticated and beautiful. Please keep the font size 10 or 11 and without blinding colors. Also, as a small --- nit picky reminder --- do try to keep pictures on a decent scale when working on a posting format.* However, outside of the IC, you are free to write/style your posts however you want.

*Don't worry too much over image size. I won't kick you for this or scream at you. It's just in case some people make ridiculously large images, most people (as far as I'm concerned) don't fall into this category, so chill. : 3

№ 7 ‹ RESERVATIONS ›

On the small matter of reserving a spot, I’m rather strict when asked about this situation. I do not reserve for strangers. I do not reserve for all friends. I reserve only for those select few I believe would adequately carry out the role as it was intended to be. That means, reserved spots have been reserved on merit alone and not because you happened to know me. This also means that you should not, under any circumstances, ask me can I reserve a spot for you. Now, for those who I intend to reserve spots for --- you will know who you are --- if the spot you have selected is already collecting competition, I’m afraid I can’t reserve that particular character for you, but I reserve the right to judge this matter. Now for those who are just unbelievably talented writers who wow me and think they should get a spot reserved, then wow me by winning it. I’m sure your talent will carry you through.

№ 8 ‹ SO HERE BE ALEX, YO ›

Okay, so we’re finally done with all the rules and if they seemed mean, unfair and/or somehow totally jacked up, tell me. I’m a reasonable person and as long as you can prove to me why I should lift/modify a rule I will! I’m --- in all honesty --- a decent person whose pretty lax with things and even though some rules make me out as a jail warden, I’m not. However, if you do happen to do something wrong, I’ll just prod you and remind you. I’m a good person --- not as friendly as the next --- but kind enough to not be a b***h.

[farewell sweet prince]

______________ _____________ ________ __________ ________ _____________ ______________

THE FOUR » »



The Fallen Hero || Male || 20-25

You never really knew your parents partly because both of them left you at a young age, leaving you to be brought up by complete strangers. Raised within the northern forests, you were taught none of the world’s hardships and held no conscious thoughts to ever explore the world beyond. Ignorance kept you happy, kept you safe and hidden from Destiny’s prying eyes.

Yet, there was something different about you. For one, you had no fairy companion and could not cast any healing spells. You had, all in all, no real identity until you crossed paths with a seer. The seer told you of your destiny, of your burdens. It spoke of grave evils that only you could apprehend. You could have gone with the flow, allowed the story to unfold as it should and all would have been well. But no, you were sick and tired of having to be used, of making sacrifices to save a world you just don’t give a damn about. So what’d you do? You went ahead, stole the Sun Scriptures and killed the priest. You don’t care what happens to Aeonix. You just want to be your own person and damn the Triads if they stand in your way.


Status || Taken;; Mako


The Dark King || Female || 24-28

It’s interesting how you can conquer half the world at the mere age of 18 and still manage to keep your gender a complete secret. Well, it’s not really considered a secret since you always introduce yourself as a ‘boy’ and with all the magical manipulations nobody has ever thought to doubt those words. As a child --- before you decidedly chose to cover your identity --- you were thought to be the most talented of children, magic surpassing that of many and skills with no parallel. Everybody knew you would go far in life, become great. And, ironically, in a way, you did. You just interpreted it a little differently.

Nobody is quite sure why you pledged yourself to evil or when you had strayed from protecting those you loved. Somehow something convinced you and with the wealth of power you had, conquering the world seemed like a small, afternoon task. And it should have gone well, but you hadn’t anticipated the legendary hero to go rogue. So now, you’re not the Legion’s leader anymore, you’re simply in the backseat, too busying being the hero’s subservient servant to know your left from your right. But that’s okay because you have something planned, something grand. Oh yes, after all, you are a genius and nothing --- absolutely nothing --- will stand in your way of achieving ultimate power.


Status || Taken;; Pandu


The Unlikely Hero || Male || 20-25

Appearances are often times deceiving and when it concerns you, it couldn’t be truer in concept. On the superficial front you look like any other young, thriving male in their early to mid twenties with that dash of arrogance coloring their smiles and words. You’re handy to have around --- good with your hands and fast on your feet --- but there is something eerily out of place with you, something not quite right. It may be your indifference to all things concerning the past and future, your apathy towards ambitious dreams and hopeful goals. It’s unnerving to see that sort of detachedness. But it’s not really a surprise seeing as you were only created to take down the [ Fallen Hero ].

Created --- yes, you were created, not birthed --- by the hands of the [ Dark King ]. You were to prevent the Chosen One from killing your master. You may look like you are in your twenties, but you didn’t exist until about twelve years ago a dark potion’s room. Yet, there is something more to you than being an unnatural creation through the vices of alchemy. You see, you --- the new Chosen One --- are the copy of the original hero, an imitation to match the hero in all aspects. And it is because of your similarities, of the odd symmetry, Destiny chose you to take on the discarded burden of the world, to fight Her creation. But the real question is, can the mirror of something overcome the original --- the first?


Status || Taken;; Maya


The Elusive Guide || Male || 24-28

You are a man of mysteries through and through --- everything from your intentions to your name is an unknown. Instead, of being straight-forward and honest, you tend to talk in circles, giving out riddles for answers and leaving a series of incomprehensible nonsense for the [ Unlikely Hero ] to mule over in annoyance. Nobody is quite sure where you first came from, other than the fact that you were raised as a Shadow Servant --- a unique status given to a single individual that binds them to the task of guidance --- which meant, basically, being raised in the desert as a child. You were told and trained to guide the Hero of Legends when he or she awakens from their slumber, guide them to glory.

For years, you were told of this hero’s righteousness and how they were beyond good and evil. To you, as a descendant of the Sanshiru tribe, you care naught for the morals and ethics of everyday life; rather you immerse yourself into the singular idea of: duty before light, before love, before life. You have been raised with one purpose --- to serve and for that you will die in the shadows without a word of praise from the world for your sacrifices, for your losses and most of all, for your accomplishments.


Status || Taken;; Alex



THE LEGION | THE GUARDIANS » »



The Traitor || Female || 22-26 || The Water Guardian

You were the daughter of a king’s advisor --- the only daughter and child. Unfortunately, you were never treated as if you were that special child; rather you were discarded disinterestedly to the side, cast away because you weren’t a boy. But born into nobility, you did not argue with the words of your elder and, as a member of the respectable Tzukoki Kingdom, did not cause havoc throughout the palace. And you would have gone on living in silent hatred had the [ Dark King ] not persuaded you to join him on his quest with promises of acceptance, of what you cannot have. So now, five years since those promises were made, your people lay beneath an unbreakable sheet of ice --- killed by your hands --- and you still feel as lonely as ever. But after what you have done you cannot return to anywhere, so you stick around waiting until someone saves you.


Status || Taken;; *****]


The Twin || Male || 17-20 || The Forest Guardian

An illegitimate child, a shameful mark on respectable people --- that is what you are. You were unexpected and yet, not quite unwanted. You were loved, cherished and taught to be kind and caring. Your parents loved you very much and up until they died, they always told you that it is better to forgive --- no matter what. But how could you ignore the stares, the taunts and the whispered comments of ill-intentions? How can you live from day to day knowing that people are talking of your mixed heritage, of the forbidden relationship your parents had? It wasn’t your fault that your father was a member of the Desert Thieves and that your mother was a Healer from the Northern Forests. But somehow, you managed to keep on smiling, keep on laughing until one day you just disappeared. And even when you offered to join up with the [ Dark King ] you’re still the same loud-mouth brat that left home.


Status || Taken;; Lemon

The Lover || Female || 20-24 || The Fire Guardian

You used to be such a gentle person, so loving and trusting. You used to be the girl that everyone came to when feeling unhappy. You used to be such a good girl. And then he came along and everything was destroyed --- uprooted and sent flying into oblivion. You gave him everything, gave up yourself to be with him and in return, he slept with another girl behind your back. Truth is, he never loved you and you hated him for it. So the nice girl died, disappeared and in her place all you had left was this object of immense hatred. You can’t seem to let go, to move on, you’re just so angry. And with no trust in society anymore, you traded in the rest of you allegiance to the [ Dark King ] when he made an offer to give you what you want. At least he would never betray you because he needs you or at least what you are capable of. Never again will you be betrayed like before.


Status || Taken;; Kanon


The Lost || Male || 23-25 || The Desert Guardian

Throughout your life you have found yourself just wandering around aimlessly. You don’t have any real ambitions and you don’t really care either. Your complacency with the status quo is annoying at best and when the [ Dark King ] had come to offer you --- yes, lazy b*****d you --- a chance at glory and all that jazz, you were more than shocked. But even with the most powerful wizard standing before you, you were contemplating whether or not you should decline --- might have been too much responsibility. Now, unlike the rest of the group, you didn’t join because of all that crazy betrayal s**t everyone else seemed to share --- hell no. You joined because you happened to be the son of the late head Priestess of Sand. You don’t really care how things turn out one way or another, but something about destroying half the world does stir something inside…but only a little.


Status || Taken;; Rye


The Avenger || Male || 23-28 || The Shadow Guardian

You were a love struck teenager and in love with the most unattainable person in history --- [ The Princess ]. As a child, you were already being taught the ways of the palace guard, as that was to be your future occupation, and whenever you spotted her, you tried your very best to impress her. Of course, because you were more intent on being impressive than doing it right, you often came off as clumsily and thankfully, she only laughed in good humor with you. You loved her, loved her more than anything in the world and when the mob attacked the palace --- destroying everything in sight --- you were horrified. You tried to find her, to save her and protect her, but when you got there it was already too late and right before your eyes you saw her die. Love turned to sorrow which brewed into hatred for the people and as you turned to beat on the man closest to you, he knocked you out --- leaving you unconscious on the floor. But when you came to, you did not find yourself beside [ The Princess ]’s body, instead, you found yourself lying in a bed somewhere out in the desert being tended to by the [ Elusive Guide ]. You are, the only guardian of five, not to be in ranks with the Legion, but even though the guide persuaded you to trust in Destiny’s efforts, you can’t help, but want revenge --- want some form of pay back on those who took what was more precious from you. And then the question is, can you still be trusted?


Status || Taken;; Saphy




THE RESISTANCE | THE PILLARS » »



The Reflection || Female || 17-20 || The Forest Pillar

You’re the quiet girl who’s obedient to a fault. You don’t like arguments and avoid them whenever possible, forever opting to remain neutral in the face of dissension. A sweet, shy girl, you were never outspoken like your friends and rarely, if ever, the center of attention. As a child growing up within the Fairy Forest, you were one of the few to have actually encountered and interacted with the [ Fallen Hero ] before his unfortunate switch. To you, he was always such a nice boy --- the good kid, even if he was a little different from the rest. But unlike him, you didn’t stray to evil and you pretty much stuck around the forest --- only leaving when the Evil had entered. And even when you left, it was through the powers of someone else --- the [ Elusive Guide ] had, mysteriously, shown up at your doorstep and instructed that you leave with him to a “safer place.” So now you’re camped out in the desert with others --- supposedly just like you --- and you really just want all this to end. It’d be great if things could go back to the way they were, before all this turmoil…


Status || Taken;; Pan-Pan


The Faithful || Male || 23-28 || The Water Pillar

Father always told you that the road to redemption is through self purification, that complete belief in the deities is the only way to enter Heaven. So, as a devout follower and believer of the Triads, you served them as your father did by pledging yourself to the Xinu Shrine, Goddess of Water and Wisdom. All your life, you have spent within the cloister walls, unperturbed by the chaos going on outside because no one --- not even the [ Dark King ] --- would ever dare defile sacred land. So harmony was with you and those who sought shelter came through the temple doors. But you, unlike your father, was not content with simply offering damage-control services and something inside of you called to leave the temple and stop the evil from its tyranny. And then the chance presented itself in the form of a mysterious wanderer --- cloaked from head to toe --- who told you that if you wished to stop the people’s suffering, then join him in the task to rebel against the Legion. You took the offer, snuck out of the temple without a word and followed the wanderer into the desert.


Status || Taken;; Set


The Broken Knight || Male || 22-26 || The Fire Pillar

Once a loyal subject of the kingdom, you traversed throughout Aeonix in order to keep the evils at bay, fighting them when all hope seems lost. You were determined, driven to win because that evil --- that demonic existence --- took something precious from you, something irreplaceable. They took your family and slaughtered them. But despite your most valiant efforts, your forces fell and you were captured by the [ Dark King ]. Locked into the dungeons, you were tortured and experimented on with all sorts of spells. They wanted answers, they wanted a way to defeat the resisting kingdom, but you provided none – held your tongue even when it hurt to. And just as you felt death lingering on your doorstep the [ Elusive Guide ] arrived at your chamber door to release you. He promised you a chance to defeat the evil so you went with him. But even now, as you journey with the strange man, you get that nagging feeling that something is inside of you, something you can’t control --- something almost evil.


Status || Taken;; Snuggles

The Driven || Female || 20-25 || The Desert Pillar

All your life you have been told that the ends justified the means that no matter what happens, as long as the end result is good, the method was permissible. You believed this --- you lived by this and so no matter what measures were taken to fight against the invading evil, you endorsed it. Those who opposed the actions are idiots, morons who don’t know any better. You’re not quiet about things you feel passionately about and your stubbornness to hear another side of the argument is just downright frustrating at times. God knows you annoy the [ Elusive Guide ] and your continual speech on an individual’s destiny always seems to rub people the wrong way --- especially the [ Unlikely Hero ] who, on more than one occasion, has attempted to shut you up…permanently. You’re an advocate for preordained destiny and it was because people don’t follow that route that trouble arises --- look at the [ Fallen Hero ] he’s a perfect example of people who rebel against the prescribed.


Status || Taken;; Buki

The Beloved || Female || 20-24 || The Shadow Pillar

If there was ever an ‘it’ girl you were that girl. Everyone loved you --- everyone adored you and you made sure you used that to your advantage. You’re manipulative and calculative, knowing full well how far your influences extend because you’re more than just the everyday girl --- you’re a thief. You steal, lie and cheat to have your way. The very concept of loyalty is foreign and to you, your allegiance sways to whichever side pays better. Hell, you --- yes, beautiful you --- only deserve the best so why settle for anything else? So it was definitely a surprise when the [ Elusive Guardian ], disguised as a wealthy patron, approached you with the tantalizing offer grandiose treasures. Of course, you hooked onto it almost right away and now, after a week of sitting around in the desert, you’re beginning to rethink why you had ever agreed to join. But maybe --- just maybe --- it’s time to reevaluate your morals, your ethics and your heart.


Status || Taken;; merry


.

[farewell sweet prince]

THE TERMS » »


Now, it's important to read and familiarize yourself with the terminology (history/dictionary) before you proceed to picking a character --- it's also helpful when you're thinking about exactly what this roleplay is suppose to be all about. If you chose to read nothing else, at least read this and the additional information slot. If playing one of the key roles (those listed under the ‘FOUR’ category) definitely need to read this.

‹ Aeonix ›

The home of all the characters – the world that houses this role play by so graciously allowing us to retell its story.

‹ The Guardians ›

The Guardians, as the name implies, are protectors of the five different elements contained on Aeonix. These individuals were bestowed with the responsibility of ensuring that their respective temples remain a safe haven for all those who sought refuge, but as the Guardians --- one by one --- passed away, the temple doors became closed to the outside world and what was once a safe house became nothing more than a guarded vault. And that was precisely the original intentions of these private sanctuaries, to house and guard magical artifacts too dangerous for the outside world. And while the Guardians were instructed to ensure the safety of these relics, they too were charged with an alternative task and that was to bear as one of the five keys in unsealing the ultimate treasure --- the Creator’s Will.

However, that was the original Guardians and as each moved to the afterlife, a new Guardian was assigned to these temples and through the ages the temples fell into neglect and then oblivion, hidden in the deepest parts of the world. Of course, while the rest of the world forgot about these temples, the Guardians did not. It wasn’t to say that they knew of their existence either, rather they felt the presence of their shrines call out to them, a resonating heartbeat against their own. It wasn’t until the Dark King reunited the four of the five did those four realize what and who they were.

‹ The Pillars ›

Now the Pillars are a completely different story. The Pillars, unlike the Guardians, were not created to protect the shrines or ensure the safety of the relics hidden within the temples. In fact, the Pillars weren’t even created by the Triads, but rather by some other individual --- a lesser god perhaps. It’s not too clear when the Pillars first arrive, but in ancient scriptures, it can be gathered that the Pillars act as the force moving against the Guardians --- to prevent the original five from dominating the world with the Creator’s Will. And while they may not be descendants of the Triad’s magic, their abilities and skills rival those of the Guardians, easily able to give them a run for their money. However, written in the Sun Shrine, across the entrance gate are the words: While the Children of Gods walk with terrifying powers, their counterparts brings about the power of Hope. It is clear, at the very least, that the original Pillars were indeed a force created against the Guardians.

In present day though, the Pillars are even less aware of their magical lineage than the Guardians --- kept mostly in the dark due to the Elusive Guide’s disinterest in telling them anymore than “what is necessary.” However, he did --- when introducing the task to the five --- that the Guardians cannot unlock the Creator’s Will without the Sister Stones which can only be summoned by the call of the Pillars. Unfortunately, the exact location of these stones are unknown and it is what makes both side scramble like crazy to find them.

‹ Triads ›

They are the creators of Aeonix. The Triads are the supreme deities within the world and it is a general belief that The Three created Aeonix from nothing. Moreover, each of the goddesses is typically associated with certain traits: Tzu is sagacious and diplomatic (Wisdom), Mae is gentle-hearted and loyal (Serenity), Uru is strong-willed and reliable (Authority).

‹ The Belief ›

Much like how some people believe in a Heaven and Hell, the residents of Aeonix also believe in this two world afterlife. The afterlife is, collectively, known as Beyond and the two dimensions are ruled by twin brothers. Upper Beyond is where most people will move on to and can be equated to our version of Heaven, but less "happy." It is more or less a realm where people are simply "enlightened" and believed to be free of emotions. For others who commit atrocious crimes they are thrown into Lower Beyond which is the mirror of Hell. The one who rules Upper Beyond is Yu and the individual who rules Lower Beyond is Xue.

‹ Temples ›

Although there are hundreds and hundreds of different temples scattered all over Aeonix, we are only concerning ourselves with five main temples – Forest, Fire, Water, Shadow and Desert. It is within these five temples (indestructible since they were built by the Triads) that the Guardian Keys are currently located. But ever since the Time Keeper was removed from its pedestal, these temples have become swarmed with demons and traps.

‹ Minor Temples ›

Temples, in general and not considering the ones established by the goddesses, were built as a show of worship and good faith to the gods and goddesses of Aeonix. They are also considered to be a sanctuary for people because while the leader of the Legion may not approve of the gods and goddesses, it is not the same for everyone else. These buildings, for the most part, remain completely intact and untouched by evil.

‹ Celebrations ›

Aeonix, being a highly religious world, holds dozens and dozens of celebration to honor all of the deities. However, while there are many celebratory events there are only a few that receive maximum global attention (hell, even the Legion celebrates these). Hollow’s Eve (a ceremony to honor the deceased), Waning Sun (a festival held at the end of summer/beginning of autumn), Ju’kou Festival (a celebration of New Years) and finally, the New Dawn Celebration (the largest event as this is the day the Triads ascended to Heaven).

‹ The Creator’s Will ›

Legend has it that the Creator’s Will is an embodiment of the Triad’s powers left upon Aeonix. It is said that the Creator’s Will has the ability to grant its possessor any wish their heart desires, but most of the rumors surrounding this mythical object are simply that --- rumors. Nobody is sure of what the Creator’s Will actually is (seeing as it has never been found) and nobody can actually confirm the relic actually exists. Which poses the biggest problem for all seekers --- what if the object is nothing, but imagined?

‹ The Lost Temple ›

The story behind this particular temple varies from generation to generation and tribe to tribe. There is (and never was) a clear consensus on the temple’s existence and purpose, but within every retelling concerning this building, it is always linked to the Creator’s Will. And much like the deities’ treasure has never been found, no one can pinpoint the exact location of where this particular temple is although there are some clues within historical records that suggest at point or another, this was once referred to as the House of the Triads. Speculations suggest that the Creator’s Will is located within this sacred temple.

‹ Sun & Moon Scriptures ›

These are the earliest writings of Aeonix’s history, recorded by the scribe that resides within the Sun/Moon Shrines. The task of recording the history is said to have been started when Tzu instructed two alternate temples (better known as shrines) to be built to house the world’s past. Nobody is clear what is written within the text (since nobody sees it) but it is has often been said that contained within the Sun Scriptures are writings of treasures and mysterious artifacts while the Moon Scriptures speaks more of ceremonies and such. Nobody would know what is kept within the scrolls save for their current scribe who is never allowed to leave the shrines.

‹ Sun & Moon Shrines ›

Unlike the other temples (which can always be located and found) these two shrines only appear once in an entire day. The Sun Shrine is only revealed at precisely Dawn for no more than five minutes and likewise, the Moon Shrine’s entrance is only visible at Dusk for five minutes as well.

‹ Sister Stones & Guardian Keys ›

While the Guardians Keys – alternately known as the Five Medallions --- are kept securely (now more than ever by demonic hordes from Beyond) within their respective temples. The Sister Stones are of a different matter when it comes to stable locations. There are five different stones (jewel’s really) which also corresponds with the five elements of Aeonix and are believed to be located within the element’s respective region. (i.e. If it was the Forest Emerald it might be located within the forest region of Aeonix).

‹ The Keeper's Palace & Time Keeper ›

Within all of Aeonix (no matter how religious it may be), there is only one place completely purged of evil --- guarded against evil in fact. While other places of worship cannot ‘banish’ those with impure intentions, the Keeper’s Palace is impenetrable by all those who are not the Chosen One. There are no priests, no priestesses or any sort of temple guardians within the building. Instead it houses the special artifact of the Time Keeper --- a sword that has the unique ability to traverse between the dimensions of time. Although the sword is no longer in its pedestal (it is with the Fallen Hero), it is currently rendered useless since the ability to travel through time has been nullified due to the Fallen Hero’s tainted heart. It, however, cannot be broken, destroyed, chipped or in any way damaged. Essentially the sword is now useless, but indestructible.




-

[farewell sweet prince]

______________ _____________ ________ __________ ________ _____________ ______________

THE LAND OF AEONIX » »



The Map

THE FOUR KINGDOM ---

× ]] Aeon Kingdom ;;

If you closed your eyes to the world of the poor, ignored their pleas for help and looked away from the disgusting rot of poverty then you would see – without a doubt – the world that the nobility and the elites have come to call home, a place seen only through rose-colored glasses. They say such a utopian society cannot exist and that a state completely rid of poverty is impossible, but glance towards the central kingdom of Aeon and there is nothing, but extraordinaire wealth lavished onto every wall, every plant and every street. And within all of Aeonix, there is little doubt in the hearts of its people that the Aeon Kingdom possesses an unmatched beauty, a kingdom built solely on the riches of earthly goods. Home to the wealthy, it is safe to say that its residents knew nothing of true hardships and rarely ever saw poverty in its naked, unclothed form. Those who live behind the golden walls of Aeon are like the princes and princesses in fairytales, dallying away from day to day with nothing more on their mind than what to wear for the social gathering intended to be held later on in the evening. But like the beautiful Aurora from Sleeping Beauty those living in Aeonix have no idea the true enchantment placed upon their home – an enchantment extending beyond the weather-locked sunny skies – and so they become lulled to “sleep,” numbed to the pain of the world even as the Legion strives to destroy everything they have ever known. And in this bleak weather, how does tomorrow’s forecast for Aeon Kingdom seem like? Sunny, perpetually sunny.

× ]] Sain Su Kingdom ;;

It was supposed to be impossible to breach – the barriers of Mae – and with this belief firmly held in the people’s heart, they had assumed that the Sain Su Kingdom would be free from occupation, escape the warfare unscathed as it had always done in past wars. It was supposed to be the people’s haven on Aeonix – a safe haven more protected than any fortress, more sacred than any temple erected by man. It was supposed to be untouchable. Or at least that was what everyone had believed, even the kingdom’s own residents believed in their immunity to warfare. But it would seem that such blessings ended with the Fallen Hero as he set foot into the forest – a place he had once called home – and unleashed the evils now firmly in his control. The once beautiful gardens (filled with over 500 different plants, all benign plants, mind you) were trampled upon, burned and scorched by the most terrible of fires. The gardens were the essence of the kingdom, creating everything from homes to herbal remedies for the residents. It was the staple food source for the people and with its destruction, famine was inevitable. Healers fled – gifted with the touch of Fairy Magic – fled the kingdom as fast as they could, escaping through disguises, some moving to Daijin City with hopes of starting new lives, others fled to the Tzukoki Kingdom – believing their King would house them from the traumas of evil. But there is one final thing about the Sain Su Kingdom that should be mentioned, their people – however, they had come about it – are infused with Fairy Magic or White Magic in the common tongue and with this strange essence coursing through their blood, these individuals retain their youthful features far better than any other race. Yet, with the searing touches of evil violating their home, obliterating what innocence rests within the forest, the magic’s ability to maintain the childish glamour faded and for some, revealed and uglier face of anger, of contempt and of greed. It is as if the only thing keeping the people from turning just as horrible as the Legion was the magic; was their belief in it to protect them through all eternity.

× ]] Tzukoki Kingdom ;;

Atlantis was a legendary island that had submerged beneath the ocean, disappearing from sight in the most unusual and inexplicable manners imaginable. And had the famous legend of a sunken island been a tale existing within Aeonix, many might point their fingers at the Tzukoki Kingdom and proclaim that is where Atlantis is, where it sank. Built completely underground, the kingdom is constructed thoroughly in blocks of ice, ice that neither melts nor freezes at the touch. Instead, it acts no different from any common place rock, the only difference being its highly reflective properties and sheer appearance. It’s not clear where such snow first appropriated from, but much of Aeonix is covered with magical mysteries that people can only guess at the answer. Rumors have it that Tzu – the guardian and founder of the Tzukoki Kingdom – was the goddess who created it there, giving her people the element she prized most importantly. The kingdom, much like Sain Su, had believed herself impenetrable by the evils growing in the rest of the world and the false sense of security was largely supported by the archaic spells cast over the entrance. It extends infinitely if the purpose was harmful to the kingdom and no matter how long you walk or how quickly you may walk, you will never get more than a few paces into the corridor. That was their safeguard against evils, but magically the Legion broke through and now the once beautiful kingdom is rendered silent – eerily silent as a new coating of ice covers every inch of the place. It’s become a tomb, the bodies trapped beneath the dark magic and the Legion – perhaps frightened by the silence – never occupies the place, never again goes near it. And even now, that legendary entrance still stands – magic unaltered and the mystery of how the Dark King had entered remains just that, a mystery.

× ]] Ryokoga Kingdom ;;

Surrounded by a sea of sand, this desert nation is, perhaps (although it’s arguable), the most well guarded of the four kingdoms, but along with its natural (and magical) protections, this kingdom remains to be the most eccentric of the four. Unlike the other three kingdoms where the ones who usually wield the power of rule are males, within Ryokoga, only women are instated in positions of leadership, believing strongly in female superiority. And to continue on the track of their lengthy differences, the Ryokoga Palace holds none of the grandeur that the other three emphasize. Instead, their palace – better known as “The Fortress” – is blocky and partially built into the side of a cliff. There is nothing amazing about the structure, other than the fact it is large and mazelike. If one was to travel through the maze they may never get out and so, when ambassadors are sent to Ryokoga (or anyone not employed by the royal family) are to be guided with a guard who is well informed of all the different routes, less the individual’s desire is to die within the dimly lit corridors. And while many other kingdoms boast of wonderful inventions or skills, those from Ryokoga seem to follow a different sort of custom. Many of their children – at an early age – are trained to be warriors (this varies depending on class and stature) and much of their practices can be traced back as a watered-down version of the Sanshiru teachings, but less harsh and severe in consequences. They are also masters of the slight of hand and quite deceitful in their dealings, making them as ideal bandits or spies. And it is because of such traits, others in the world look down upon those from Ryokoga, thinking them as nothing more than uncultured men and women – barbarians in short. But after the world take over, Ryokoga is the one least affected and unoccupied by the Legion, in fact, where killing was the common method to pressure obedience from people, there was nothing of that sort in Ryokoga. All that has happened, thus far, is the disappearance of the Queen which, as the Legions would say, have absolutely no better clue as to where she is than the next person, unless the next person is her personal attendant or something.


MAIN CITIES/VILLAGES/TOWNS ---

× ]] Daijin City ;;

Found at the edge of the Daiju Forests (Northern Forests), the village has attracted some of the forest Healers into its vicinity. The Daijin Village, in the older days, was the last settlement of an ancient nomadic tribe known as the Sanshiru. The village is also the only prescribed route leading to the Uru Mountain Ranges.

× ]] Shuzine Port ;;

It is a major port city that basically screams a market town. This is the trading capital of the world. Shizune Port is the only means of traveling to Xuykai Town.

× ]] Xuykai Town ;;

This is a humble resort area, filled with hot springs and other restorative facilities. People come mainly to relieve tension or as a long overdue vacation. There are no residents within Xuykai Town, but there is a shrine to Tzu here where many come to pray for the ailing.

× ]] Tainyu City ;;

Religion is everything here. In fact, the central road of Tainyu City is a street dedicated to the gods --- all of the gods, including, but not limited to, the Triads. This street --- within all of Aeonix --- is said to be the luckiest and safest road. A relatively prosperous town, this city is, perhaps, the most diverse.

× ]] Pakuna City ;;

Pakuna wasn’t always the “low-class” home of those down on their luck. In fact, about 50 years ago, Pakuna was a rival to Shuzine Port in worth and prosperity, but after the terrible fires, the city fell into this irrecoverable slump. It is a place composed of mainly farmers and the poor.

× ]] Nyako Sosun Village ;;

It is a village of farmers and ranchers – of humble, friendly people who are a tight-knit community. And while they were once quite hospitable, after the new reign, they are less communicative and welcoming. Often times, they are chasing outsiders away in large mobs.

× ]] Qi'Ko City ;;

This is often thought of to be the city that never sleeps. It always seems to be moving and it’s everyone always seems to be too busy to stop and chat. It is the fashion and entertainment capital of the world. This is truly the place to be for any aspiring artists. But most importantly the Sun Shrine is located only a little ways north of the city.

× ]] Zhanming City ;;

The city of law and order. It is relatively strict and no-nonsense sort of city where regulations are followed to every last period. But then again it is no wonder, seeing as how the Zanium Tower is located within the outskirts. It is a tower for convicted criminals of the Aeon Kingdom, but with the new reign, it is mainly used to keep dissenters of low priority. The city, although no ravaged by evils, is even less welcoming than it was before.

× ]] Farina ;;

In fairytales, Farina is often conceptualized as a magical, romantic world, even enchanted. In reality, Farina is a place for black mages, alchemists and the rumored hideout of many illegal operations. In fact, the infamous Black Market is believed to be located here, not that the Aeon guards can ever seem to find it. Where the romantic vision first arose, nobody can be sure. All that they are certain of is Farina is not the place to go on a honeymoon.

× ]] Kaifu Port ;;

This is the only other port city on Aeonix. Although not as lively or robust as Shuzine Port, Kaifu Port makes a relatively humble living. Those who live in Kaifu can find themselves living a moderately happy and uncomplicated lifestyle. The tranquility resting over this village is, while wonderful, a bit stranger considering all the madness happening across the world. It may have something to do with the fact that the Moon Shrine sits comfortably on the Trinis Island – an island only reachable through the city’s ferrying services.

× ]] Okani City ;;

Half the city is covered with lush, grassy plains while the other half can find itself covered in desert sand. In fact, this city is mostly known for its dividing line which is formally known as the Meiyu Dinu, roughly translating into: The Crossing of Death.

[farewell sweet prince]

» And It Begins…

It is a summer like none before it and everyone unprotected from the sun’s scorching glare is suffering from the intense heat waves. It’s still morning – only eight hours into the day – and already it feels like noon and with things the way they are, noon isn’t something to look forward to. The Resistance rests within the heart of the desert, living in makeshift tents that are barely adequate in protecting the Pillars’ bodies from the insufferable heat. But while the Resistance dreads the coming of noon, the Legion – who’s occupying Aeon Kingdom – finds themselves completely unaffected by the heat wave. It would seem that those fancy enchantments the mages placed upon the kingdom eons before had some practical use after all. Not to mention, the place smells of spring and all the wonderful things of Life…

[farewell sweet prince]

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[farewell sweet prince]

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[farewell sweet prince]

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[farewell sweet prince]

And This Is Where It Starts
You can post now. : 3

[P a n d u G o d]

---Your keeping in step ;; in the line


---&Got your chin held high and you feel just fine


---&'Cause you [ do ] what you are told


---&But inside your heart >>> it is black it's hollow and it's cold


---&Just how deep do you believe ?


---&Will you bite the hand that feeds you ?

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He remembered clearly the day after he was shoved off of his velvet-cushioned throne. You would believe it would be the day he was dethroned that would shine brilliantly in his mind, but it wasn’t. That day was but a blur in his mind, only coming out in vibrant colors and fast-forwarded scenes that he could never understand. He would look at the day over and over again, trying to piece things together but it was too fast-paced for him and he would give up. It was the day after his fall that was slow, clear and precise. He wished it wasn’t but it was. He remembered waking up that morning and staring in the mirror. Hair was disheveled and sticking up in odd ends, dark circles graced his eyes from lack of sleep and his skin seemed to be a sickly pale color. What was worse was the fact he couldn’t stop trembling as he realized that now he was a mere footstool. Was it even possible for someone like him to fall so low?! So he was alone nearly the whole day in the bathroom. Him and his thoughts that mocked and abused him, leaving him sobbing in rage at his failure. How could he fail!? He had everything so perfect! He slaved over every single detail until he was literally sick of it! So when the others found him that morning, he was on the ground hugging his knees and mumbling incoherent words into his right kneecap while shaking vigorously in distress. They were sure that the ex-dictator cracked under the realization but oh were they proved wrong. He slowly picked up the pieces and stuck them back in place, a new goal dancing in his mind like a newborn butterfly. Mareck was reborn, or so he believed.

The piercing screech of a bird made him jerk out of his slumber, causing his eyes to stare wildly about, expecting to see that stupid brat looming over him like death. There was no one. The room only held him at the moment. Sighing softly in silent relief, he ran a hand through his dark locks of hair, eyes closed as the last bits of sleep attempted to pull him back into slumber. It was tempting to just fall back onto the pillow and forget everything at the moment. But he – unfortunately for him – had a job now. Mareck was now the submissive servant to the new ruler of Aeonix. Bowing when needed, ending each sentence with ‘sire’ and sprinkling the so-said sentence with ‘of course’, ‘thank you’, ‘what can I do for you’, and ‘please’. He was playing a role that did not suit his personality that thrived off of emotions. And oh did he hate the brat. Vayne has been mutilated and slaughtered in his head so many times that it has become a game to Mareck. He had to come up of a new way how to kill the brat in his head everyday and if he re-used a certain method he lost. So far so good, but there was only so many ways you could kill someone and Mareck wasn’t exactly brimming with creativity 24/7. It didn’t matter though; this was but a method for him to keep his cool in front of Vayne. He had to put a face for the new “master” and try to become closer to the younger male. The only way he could truly destroy Vayne is to have Vayne trust him. And when that time comes he would be ready to pounce on Vayne and…and…stab him in the jugular with a pair of beautiful silver scissors. Yes…scissors…I haven’t used that one yet. Then he would wait until the blood gushing out would slow down before tying a cheery yellow ribbon around the abused neck. Haven’t used ribbon yet, either…good… Finally he would toss the brat’s body into a nearby swamp and watch the alligators fight and pull apart the brat’s body. The only thing left would be the now shredded ribbon.

Ohhhh! That was a good one!

Mareck gave a smile, running a hand through his hair once more before opening his eyes. There. He was truly awake now and ready to go through his miserable day. Kicking the covers off of him, he swung his legs around and got up from the bed. He missed his previous room that was too large to be comprehended and decorated to satisfy a god. Now all he had was this minuscule room that gave him the impression the walls were slowly closing in on him. He was waiting for the day to wake up and find himself pinned between the two walls and listen to his bones crack and crunch.

Ruffling his hair, he made his way to the bathroom with slow and casual steps. Pushing the door open, he shuddered when his bare feet met the cold tile. Goosebumps immediately littered his bare legs and arms, causing his hands to rub his arms vigorously. Stepping further into the sun-lighted room, he stared at himself in the mirror. There a handsome face stared back at him, tilting its head at him before grinning wildly. “You should poison his breakfast!” the mirror reflection enthusiastically suggested, causing Mareck to shake his head.

“I can’t…I already thought of how to kill him and it doesn’t involve poison. And I already thought of that two weeks ago,” Mareck scolded his mirror reflection that pursed it’s lips in thought, a single finger now tapping his own lips in thought. “And I doubt he would eat anything I would give him. He’s not…brain dead….unfortunately,” Mareck murmured mournfully, massaging his neck as his eyes turned to the sink before him. Turning the water on, he got his hands wet and began to splash water on his face.

“Oh! What an idea! Let’s…make him brain dead. Tonight come to his bed and give him a couple good hits on the head…maybe we’ll be lucky and he’ll just die. Saves us the trouble of pushing his brainless body off a cliff or something…” his reflection happily solved the problem, causing Mareck to shake his head knowingly and chuckle. Turning to face his reflection, he found his smirking reflection gone and only his true reflection. Frowning, he splashed water onto his face one more time before turning the water off. Finding a nearby towel, he dried his face. Hallucinations and delusions filled his life and it was all but too normal for the ex-king. Sometimes he would walk into a room and see it filled with floating fireflies. But at this moment, he disagreed with his reflection’s ideas. Killing Vayne at the moment wasn’t an option and he admired his reflection for being enthusiastic and reminding him how handsome he truly was. But that wasn’t the point; the point was that he better hurry getting ready or he would once more be getting a lecture from the new “king” about how he shouldn’t be late and how he now has a “duty”. Ha! Duty? Oh this new king was just loaded with humor. With that in mind, he rolled his eyes and scratched his bare abdomen, making his way to the closet to search for clothes.

It took him a matter of ten minutes to be dressed and ready. And in those ten minutes he has successfully complained about the Legion, especially his once so-called Guardians, to himself. What a load of useless people he has found! He thought for sure that he gathered useful beings but oh no! Oh no, Fate just had to give him a bunch of idiots! Although he felt he was greatest idiot of them all for actually believing they were something. Maybe it was because he placed trust in them that he ended up where he is today. Maybe this was all bad karma taking its toll, who knew. All he did know was that the moment he got out of this wreck he was going to take them all and stick them in an abandoned well. He would close it up…and in a year he would open it up and see if they were still alive. And if someone would be alive, he would gladly forgive the survivor and place the cover back on and wait a few weeks. That would teach them a lesson or two. Nodding diligently at his planning, he left the room and made his way down the hallway.

Mareck was cut off when someone approached him, murmuring something into his ear. Mareck snarled at the news and grumbled out a few curses before walking off. It seemed Sleeping Beauty was already up. Glaring, murky blue eyes stared furiously about, intimidating the other workers. Even if he was demoted to a “servant”, he demanded respect from everyone around him. He would not have these other low-class buffoons treating him as if he was one of them. He was the Dark King! Was…was…was…, his mind chided, making him spew out a few more curses as he made a turn into another hallway. Irritable, he reached large mahogany doors that were crafted with precision and care. Intricate details of vines were carved around the sides, crawling about and bursting with life whenever the light would hit a certain area. Touching the handles, he stared at his feet, trying to regain his composure. Inhaling deeply, he pulled the doors open and stepped forward into the room, cool air lightly hitting his face.

“You are up quite early, sire. Has something been troubling you? I’m saying this because…kings do need their rest. If they don’t get enough rest…they sometimes fail to be prepared for whatever will hit them,” Mareck spoke sincerely in a drawling voice, giving a deep bow as he sneered at the floor before once more putting on a gentle smile. Standing at full height, he clasped his hands behind his back, restraining himself from voicing his thoughts on the younger male. He doubted Vayne would appreciate his comments, they weren’t terribly nice.

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Will// you // chew until it bleeds ?<--

Can you get up off your knees ? ? Are you brave enough to see ? ?<--


Do you want to change it ?<--

So naive, I keep on holding on to what I believe<--

I can see, but I keep on holding on and on and on<--

Will you bite the hand that feeds you ?<--


Will { you } stay down on your knees ?<--

[Korrye]

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Although it was nearly eight o’clock in the morning and the people were beginning to stir Daire had been up since dawn. The moment the sun made its hurried climb over the line of horizon his eyes flashed open showing to the emptiness of his room vibrant hues of browns and gold. After moments of deep sleep and meditation his mood was lightened. The sky was blue and the sun was bright. Almost brighter today or was he making an explanation? Daire never seemed to notice the endless sunny days, instead he was thankful for the weather. His chamber was a small room. In fact, it wasn’t even within the actual castle. It was out by the stables formerly belonging to an elderly groom who had left for some odd reason. The wrinkled eyes of the man were still burned into his mind; sadness plagued them as he resigned. Most people would give their first born for a job at some hope of getting food and shelter away from the disease and poverty outside of the noble grounds. But no, the man left and because Daire had asked for it, he had been given the room without a second thought. It kept him away from the morning mischief of the others and the rants or quarrels of his superiors.

So, as it has been said, Daire awoke at dawn to begin his training. It was a rigorous routine that he put himself through every morning and night. Habitual habit didn’t even explain it. It was simply routine and had been for a number of years. He was older now than he had been and no longer foolish. His place by the Dark King had been one of the first. Their meetings years ago within his hermitage had been solitary, alone and afterwards they had journeyed to find the others. It was more than Daire had bargained for. After all, he hadn’t expected for it to take a number of years to form the group, let alone convince everyone to even come. The process had been long and painful. Then when the sieges began and the kingdoms were raided he became heartless, fighting when attacked and only then. Against the rules of his leader he spared many. Too many one might say. It was within his nature to be such a way and his kindness on the field rarely gave way to fits of rage or monster like behaviour, like he had been in another place and time. These fits came about on the rare occasion that he was intimidated and provoked. Taunts and teasing remarks got under his skin and then he released his fury. They died and he stood sweating and his heart pounding in his chest all the while his white blonde hair stuck to his neck. His sword would then be cleaned and he would move on.

So, his routine had been started at the crack of dawn. To start he gave way to a long run throughout the castle grounds, safely within the barrier of the rich and noble avoiding the streets of the dead and dying. The slums were a grotesque place to be, he’d seen them upon entering the kingdom and twice afterwards on errands for some absurd reason. After the run came stretches which he performed in the barn most times in the attic where the banisters could support his weight when he did chin-ups. After stretches came grooming and feeding which he did for the horses which were stabled in the barn including his partner Hwin. There were only six of them in this stable for they were the horses accessed most often by the legion. Others were readily available in much larger barns and those he did not care for. After the process he ended up where he was now, cleaning up and performing chores that needed to be done for the week. At the moment he stood before a large well. It’s brick enclosure was about 24 inches in diameter and the rocks surrounding the hole reached his waist. He twisted the pulley system effortlessly and hoisted from down within a pale of water. Gentle was a good way to describe him for he could not act viciously or the water would spill. Once the pale was hoisted it unhooked it from the rope and hooked a stick between it and another that had already been raised. Effortlessly the stick was then hoisted onto his shoulders and he took it where it was needed which in this morning’s case was the kitchen in the castle, a request made by one of the cooks. It was what he did for them, filling up his time instead of stooping around bored. He ran errands for the Dark King which, more often then not were orders from the Unlikely Hero himself. Questions were never asked, the work was simply done. Days went by faster when more was asked of him so he didn’t deny it. Daire would much rather do this then slaughter those of his kingdom, the only one remaining untouched despite it’s missing leader.

Navigation of the grounds was easy, he trodded down a well worn path in his normal attire. His feet were so callused that they just went and never seemed to mind the occasional rock which made his foot shift. The water never once seemed to spill as he maintained what grace he had. The trip took about two minutes and as he arrived the top half of the kitchen door leader outside was already open. Inside he heard the regular clatter as a breakfast feast was prepared and rushed to his majesty, the moment he decided to wake and whore on the food that was extremely hard to find. A woman poked her head out to see the graceful knight standing, waiting in thought and she clucked with happiness.

“Sir Daire, I should have known. How pleasant it is to see you this morning.”

The title attached to his name was not needed but she gave it to him anyways as a sign of respect. The title burned in his mind but he managed to suppress the memory of his knighting for the moment. The cooking maid swung open the door and Daire turned himself gently and tilted the left pail towards the woman. She grabbed the handle tenderly and passed the bucket to another waiting inside. In moments the other was taken away too.

“I would rather do this than see you carrying pails of water back and forth. Call on me should I be around to help, should you need it.”

The woman smiled and nodded bravely while wiping her hands on an apron tied around a ragged looking dress stained with food and oils. Then she turned, closed the bottom half of the door and returned to her work. It seemed that they needed nothing more for the moment so he turned away and instead carried the stick in his hand, twirling it occasionally like a child would a baton. He felt as if he were in his youth, something that seemed terribly vacant from his mind. Deep down inside his heart ached suddenly as he remembered her smile and face. Suddenly he wasn’t a burly knight performing chores, no. He was sixteen and twirling a baton to her gawking face, jaw dropped to the sandy ground.

“I’ll teach you if you like Anyu.”

“O really! D! You’re amazing! But I don’t think I can do it. I can barely walk with a book on my head.”

“Last I checked normal people aren’t able to do that.”

Daire laughed in response. Instead he walked around behind her and placed the broom pole, his baton, in her hands like he had held it. Then as he wrapped his arms around her he moved her wrists with his hands manipulating the stick with ease. Anyu laughed and her breath was caught on his cheek. Her smell….he couldn’t remember it.

Daire’s eyes flickered as he stopped walking and stared ahead pointlessly. His eyes turned down to his hands and looked at them a long gnash running along the palm of one from a battle with the Dark King. They were different, bulky and rough from barn work. A bird’s wicked chirp startled him back to attention and he turned to look around him. Not a soul bothered him or had caught him within his episode which he was thankful for. One step, than another step. Suddenly his legs were moving and he was heading back to the barn. Once inside the opening the aisle of stalls he set the pole in a nook in the wall and turned to greet the long nosed faces that eyeballed them as they feasted on their morning breakfast, dished out nearly an hour ago.

“Hwin, I saw her.”

He spoke aloud, barely audible and yet his gracious beast swung around in his full length stall with a mouth full of hay so that their eyes gained valuable contact.

“I was teaching her to twirl a baton.”

His voice trailed off as he caught himself performing another habit. Talking to his horse, that is. Hwin was his partner, his brother in the form of an animal. Hwin was the only one that Daire could ever confide in whenever a memory surfaced. As his heart panged and jumped into his throat he stopped and Hwin’s ears flickering before he turned back to his meal. It was almost time for breakfast for himself. So Daire removed himself from within the confinement of the superior barn and went to his room where he had a fresh bucket of water. There he washed his face and hands of their morning sweat before leaving once again but this time heading to the small hall where they were permitted to dine. Steps were performed briskly and when he arrived the table still had its benches set on top. Maybe it wasn’t time for breakfast? Daire was puzzled; normally he was never one to arrive on scene first. This morning was different as his stomach called out to him in vain. Its calls went unheard as Daire went about removing the benches from atop the table and righting them on the floor. Maybe they were dining with The Unlikely Hero? This he was not sure of. And so he waited to be wronged by taking a seat on the bench and settling for a wait.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

[farewell sweet prince]

» THE [ ELUSIVE ] GUIDE

“Ah, so it is going to be a hot day. How interesting,” Antal murmured quietly, scarlet eyes looking heavenward.


It had been precisely two weeks since every last member of the Pillars had been gathered together alongside the replacement hero – been two long, grueling weeks of doing nothing, but sitting around and wondering what they were supposed to do. At least before the hero’s untimely arrival, Antal had an excuse not to be on the move or actively seeking out a way to penetrate the Legion’s forces, but now with the entire team assembled, there really wasn’t a reason for being so inactive. Well, no good reason, anyways.

But still Antal was sluggishly piecing together necessary information for his crew. He knew, better than anyone else, what the precious hero – their enemy – was capable of and his ragtag team, no matter how gifted in magic, paled in comparison to the man he had guided previously. They were mere beginners when ranked against both the fallen hero and the dark king. In fact, beginners may be too high of a ranking for some. His mind briefly thought back to their first training session which – to say the least – had gone horribly wrong with things set on fire that shouldn’t be and other things exploding that really shouldn’t have even been close enough to blow up.

Grimacing at the memory, the raven-haired man attempted to console his shot nerves by reminding himself that they had improved – significantly at that too. Not to mention the first session is always the worst considering how the sudden increase of magical signatures in one area tends to destabilize anyone’s powers. “But only people foolish enough to tab into that source,” he muttered irritably. After that initial attempt at an organized formation, Antal had promptly given up for the following week, instead offering one-on-one training instead and, to this very date, still hadn’t attempted another group effort.

He was really fond of their encampment – however messy they had made it – and was not up to running damage control just because some brazen idiot decided to reach for their teammate’s strength. Gently rubbing his temples, the guide got up from where he was sitting and glanced around him, secretly pleased that he was currently too far away to be contacted by any of his party, but not yet close enough to be bothered by the robust city noises. At the very least, he had these wee hours between dawn and daylight to relax. Still, leaving the party for such long periods of time without supervision did tend to unhinge him, but only just a tiny bit.

‘They should be awake by now. I should probably head back before they notice I’m gone.’

For the past two weeks, Antal had woken up at the crack of dawn and, as quietly as he could, slipped out of the crowded hovel to find his hiding spot – a lone rock ten miles away from the aggravating bunch. It wasn’t that the guide didn’t enjoy helping the Pillars hone their skills. It was that – well, to be honest – they, after a while, just grated on his already thin nerves. He didn’t remember the previous hero having been so irritating to handle, but he had only spent a couple of hours every week or however long it took for the man to complete a mission with the young man. Now – now he had to spend every waking moment with these people and, never having been raised in a highly social area, the sudden privacy invasion unsettled him.

Not particularly eager to be making a ten mile trek back to the camp, the guide gave up any pretense of taking the route that helps “build character.” Another glance skyward told him the sun wouldn’t be an amiable companion on the journey either. A defeated sigh parted from slightly chap lips and without further delay, Antal searched for the familiar slits in the environment. It didn’t take long – it never does – before he found the one he was looking far, a small abrasion to the neat desert plains rested just to his left. Quickly, he stepped into it and began to make his way through the colorless realm of Dei, a quiet, but eerie world of shadows. They say that while traveling through this dimension, if one looked close enough they could see others moving about as well, but as far as Antal was concerned, he had never seen another during his use of this realm.

It – in his opinion – hadn’t taken more than a few seconds before he stepped out into a familiar setting, the makeshift camp he had called home prior to the years of the hero’s arrival. On the outside, it still looked exactly the same – shame shade of dull, nondescript brown and a few cracked logs lay around the area, acting as benches and such. But on a closer inspection one could see the multitude of footprints all over the place; they could smell the collision of different odors and, just barely, catch the faintest traces of magical signatures belonging to seven other individuals.

Shaking his head a little, the guide walked briskly over to the camp – slightly cheered to find that everyone was still soundly asleep. If anyone ever asked him after this nightmarish ordeal was over, he’d tell anyone and everyone that the Pillars were the most difficult of people to deal with – each one an annoyance in their own little way. But, of course, Antal would be damned before he ever mentioned this to the actual people. In fact, in their eyes, Antal had been nothing, but coolly indifferent to them – remaining politely distant and taking great pains to keep it that way. He wasn’t about to get close to these people. He wasn’t chosen to befriend them. He was chosen to guide and lead and protect. Everything else – if they came along, that is – were fringe benefits and, honestly, he could do without them. Or so he kept telling himself.

Crimson optics roved smoothly over the many sleeping bodies, taking in their slumbering appearances with hidden delight. Each one – while asleep – was far more agreeable when sleeping than when awake and about, but who wasn’t more agreeable when they couldn’t respond or make snappy remarks? And then his sight landed on one individual – slightly parted from the rest. He was a young man about twenty-four and the first to join Antal on his insane task of collecting the Pillars.

Caspian Altair Zoran – former knight of the Royal Family and the Shadow Guardian. When Antal stumbled across him, he had snatched the boy up faster than humanly conceivable, knowing if the Legion was short one Guardian, he would still be on even footing with the group. He was an interesting character and Antal reminded himself to keep tabs on him – ensure that nothing out of the ordinary happened. There is something to be said about the dangers of harboring one of the enemies, even though – technically, speaking – the boy hadn’t even been approached by the Dark King before Antal’s arrival. Still, better safe than sorry.

Coming out of his reverie, Antal cleared his throat and spoke – in what the group had come to consider his annoying “holier-than-thou” tenor voice, “Come, the day is growing late and to find that the world’s single hope is still sleeping makes the world weep in frustration.”

Ah, back to the obscure form of speech. What a fantastic way to greet the morning.

A [ SHADOW ] SERVANT «

[m i s s __ m e r r y]

[ ♥♥ ] thε вεℓσvε∂ ««

I've never BELIEVED in the red thread.
I thought fate was something to grab.
At an incredible speed it winds around.
I've b e c o m e tired of this WORLD,
even though I've searched for the hand that will save l o v e.







Kenji was dreaming.

It was an odd dream, a dream of darkness, and of light. It was hard to distinguish one from the other, since the once stark line separating them was now blurry and indistinct. Light was mixing with the dark, and a myriad of shades were appearing at each passing second and disappearing just as abruptly, like colourful afterimages caught by the eye after an explosion. It was beautiful, much more beautiful than just the sheer darkness or pure light alone, though it was striking a strange sense of terror into the soul. At the same time, it was a dream about falling, forever. Forever in an empty abyss, devoid of any emotion, any thought. But there is no such thing as forever, because everything ends at a point. Death makes its claim, and the stars explode...

...and a newborn inhales his first breath, and distant galaxies burst forth.

So, maybe, in this dream, this existence, eternity was something real, after all.


It wasn't difficult to rouse Kenji from her sleep. She'd always been a light sleeper, the smallest noise bringing her to alertness in an instant. In her profession, it was a blessing, but outside of work, it was an utter curse.

So the moment Antal stepped back into their little make-shift campsite, Kenji had awakened instantly but she continued to lie on her side within the canvas tent she shared with the other two females of the group, one hand tucked next to her chest, the other curled by her face. Kenji was never comfortable giving anyone her back, so she was facing the sleeping bodies and watching the tent flap through partially lowered lids as she kept her breathing light, but deep.

“Come, the day is growing late and to find that the world’s single hope is still sleeping makes the world weep in frustration.”

Oh shut up, Kenji wanted to say. God the guy was always spewing out poetic euphemisms like it was no one’s business. Why couldn’t he just say ‘Move your a**!’ and be done with it? It would make things a helluva lot more simpler to understand, not to mention, less irritating.

Then again, everything in the past couple of weeks seemed to irritate Kenji. Constantly keeping a sweet and pleasant persona in front of her fellow team mates was getting to be damn near impossible for her to maintain any longer—not only was she surrounded 24/7 by people she did not care for, Kenji was beginning to detest the desert immensely. She missed having air that did not scorch the lungs to breathe, the endless supply of water, and most of all, the cool, dark shadows.

Kenji wouldn’t be surprised if she withered up and dried out and got blown away with the next harsh wind.

Figuring it was as good a time as any to officially wake up, she sat up in her bedroll and crawled over to the tent flap before poking her head out to regard the elusive guide with her most charming smile. Kenji made sure nothing from her neck down was on display for the man to see, since she had gone to sleep in her undergarments. Ryokoga Kingdom was a near waste land of sand and sun. The heat during the day made it difficult to even function properly and sleep was nearly unbearable. At night, the temperatures fell, but the desert was still hot and too uncomfortable to wear regular clothing. The females were left suffering to maintain a woman’s modesty without dying of heat stroke.

“Good morning.” She greeted, still smiling softly. “I’ll be out there shortly—oh my—” Kenji winced at the blazing sun overhead, “It’s quite hot today, isn’t it?” She ducked her head back inside, smile vanishing the second her face was hidden from view and quickly started to dress for the day.

Kenji chose a midnight blue close-fitting top with white trim over a tightly bound body suit of leather and wore a long sarong, slit up the side to about the mid-thigh, also dark blue and white. Her boots were soft leather, incasing almost each leg just above the knee. Beneath her clothes she hid her pair of tessen that—to the untrained eye—looked no more special than your average folding fans. However, in the right hands, they held the capacity to become a deadly weapon. She'd chosen her clothes carefully. Waltzing around looking like a warrior would be like waving a flag of aggression, even if she was just going to be in the company of her companions. Kenji definitely didn’t need that kind of attention. As far as she was concerned, stealth had always been her strongest ally.

Kenji rose to her feet and sighed, running a slender hand through her tousled hair before exiting the tent and slowly making her delicate way through the narrow clearing towards Antal while overstepping the scattered belongings that decorated their messy camp. From the get-go, Kenji had taken great pains in order to appear as demure and weak-willed as possible, even going as far as to hold herself back during Antal’s training sessions; all for the sake of seeming unsuspecting. She had a sinking suspicion that Antal was aware of her deceit, but she couldn’t be sure. She couldn’t be sure of anything with that man—a sentiment that never failed to secretly aggravate her.

“So, what’s on the agenda for today?” She inquired brightly, once she was standing before the shadowy guide. Kenji took a moment to admire the sun rising slowly in the horizon. It was like a giant gold coin suspended in a tapestry of lavender silk. She sighed happily at the idea of such riches as she gazed out at the beautiful scenery with a genuine look of longing—this was how she liked describing the sunrise. It wasn’t long however, when Kenji began to sweat under the unbearable heat. Hesitating for the briefest of moments, Kenji reached into her clothing and pulled out one of her weapons—not under the intention of attacking anyone, but to cool herself off.

Opening the iron fan with practice ease, Kenji began fanning it over her face elegantly. Boy was she glad her weapon of choice was so versatile. It was like a reflection of her own self.