Strife Of The Eclipse

Interference

10 minutes earlier, looking behind him, from where the presenter's voice had come from, Aiden recognized the lodges of the Houses. These were more spacious, with real leather seats that looked comfortable. Massive braziers half encompassing each of the fourteen alabaster columns light up the lower levels of the circular throne and coat everything in an orange glimmer. The intricately carved woodwork hanging from the domed ceiling dances in the flickering light while carved images and statuettes look down upon the granite floor of this elegant hall.

A lilac rug runs in a circle around the room, with two paths at the throne and the main entrance while matching banners with gilded ridges swing gently from the walls. Between each banner hangs a small luster, they've all been lit and in turn illuminate the depictions of late heroes below them.

They were also sheltered from bad weather by a carved granite roof. The largest imperial lodge in the middle was occupied by several thrones aligned, A radiant throne of molten steel sits amidst two large statues and is adjoined by six large, but far less ornate seats for those closest to the royal highness.

The throne is covered in complicated patterns and fixed on each of the wide armrests is a carved petal. The modest pillows are a light lilac and these too have been adorned with adorned sigils.

The High Prince occupied the central seat, and although this was the first time Aiden had ever met him, his reputation really precedes him in many stories about conquer and repel. Next to him he recognized Agamben, one of the high priests of the Temple of Gods. Other high ranking personalities are also present.

While Aiden watched them, he was watched in turn, and one of the imperial guards in charge of the prince's security did not like what he saw. Some of these Makhetes made him uncomfortable, something that only happened to him in the presence of a high ranking soldier, usually above Colonel ranks.

He was in charge of protecting the prince, but felt like a lion in a cage with hyenas. Agamben was closely protected by two elderly Makhetes Protectors, and if on the surface they were only there to protect the old priest, he didn't trust these fanatical brutes.

Returned to the battlefield once again…

To the great surprise of Aiden, he was not the only one to use the technique. Dimitri, who was on the back line not far from him, adopted the same profile stance as Aiden when his rifle shot sounded. A yellow aura bullet focused on the vertelixes blew away several heads left and right.

The former colonel Dimitri was perfectly calm and already well trained before the battle even began. He probably knew everything there was to know about the technomagic rifle, and yet he was there with them instead of elsewhere with the rest of the Makhetes army.

As the savages run forward ignoring their dead compatriots, battle cries are sounded left and right, igniting the bloodlust of the vertelixes… 

Blood soon drips once again on the coliseum ground, as magic and swords collide here and there, a group of the biggest vertelixes runs with shields on their hand and rammed hard on the ranks of combatants and thus made them scattered around the coliseum from the impact.

Aiden watched closely as he was sent flying to another far edge of the coliseum. “For home, For Vexira!” He shouted as he brandished Phantom Dream and started to backstab and kill everything around him, ignoring his wounds here and there. 

Some combatants tried to regroup again and  as they gained their footing once again,  Aiden jumped high among the vertelixes and used the Atelerix Slash imbued with Windsong Fury. 

Atelerix slash, A seven combo consist of downward slash chained with counter upward slash continued with half swing circular slash and chained with cross slash, side step jump slash and finished with a piercing stab-dash forward or often called heart shot as the others perceived from the aim to the heart. These moves are ideal with the use of dual-dagger but Aiden only uses a single dagger here to complete the cross slash.

The Vertelix that became the target of Aiden, block the first slash with a wooden shield, but it get destroyed, next his hand is decapitated by the upward slash, as many vertelixes saw that, they swarmed him which is bad as they receive the half circular swing slash as he sidestepped and do a jump slash.  Aiden turned his head and saw a strong muscular Vertelix came strong on him and then he targeted him for the final heart shot which precisely aimed at the heart and killed the muscular vertelix on the spot.

Windsong Fury is a skill to raise the dexterity and agility of the user to 300% for 3 minutes, as the effect is ended, it will heal the user for 10% of the damage dealt, but it will lower the Strength and Intelligence of the user for 10 minutes.

Graaaaaagh!! Woooooh!! Yaaaaaaah!!! House of Atelerix cheered loudly when they saw the flawless execution of their famed slash. They started shouting in unison Aiden’s name… “Aiden… Aiden… Aiden… Aiden… Aiden…”, The other House watches them in envy but keeps their focus on the battlefield especially on their combatants.

More and More vertelixes comes out from the gate behind their back as the combatants are reduced to 38 members. twelve of them are disfigured and dead in the ground of coliseum amidst the chaos.

A vertelix shouted “ ane'ini khaivah vue'iik , vue'i irah tsourikhe'i “ which means “ the enemies are weakening, we are courageous “ which burns the spirit of other vertelix once again.

—------------------------------------------

Meanwhile at Sylgarth’s Haventhrone.

“Why are you doing this to me… it was not my fault…” Vexira lamented. Ivhir ignoring her daughter's plea, just stripped her from her position and banished her to the Underworld and imprisoned her. Ivhir then took out Vexira’s eyes and turned one into a small marble and put it in a dungeon. She then gives the other one to her other daughter as a mark of command, to command Vexira’s followers.

“It was my father who seduced me…”  Vexira cried blood from her sockets. As her power slowly washed out of her body, replacing it with a new power. birthed from hatred, anger, envy, and discontentment as the Gods, her so called father, mother, and siblings turned their backs on her.

Ivhir ordered Vexira banished from the continent. Eztess, the father turned his back on the situation, and Vexira was left to deal with her fate alone.

While pregnant, Vexira fled to the North. Deep in the middle of a dark icy forest, Vexira gave birth to the seven form of destruction, Tiamat the first Overturner, Behemoth the second Ender, Leviathan the third Diminisher, Garuda the fourth Severer, Jormungand the fifth Feaster, Djinn the six Eroder, and the last Fenrir the seventh Digester, after telling her kids about her condition and pleas, she asked them to take revenge on her behalf after they grow stronger, the kids then run and hide among the continents, inheriting the darkness and destruction power.

Vexira was left weak after the birth and unable to move, she used her power to conceal her child presence from the gods and fell asleep in exhaustion.

Later on she was caught and tortured by Ivhir’s handmaiden, Hestia -- cursing Ivhir and Eztess with each excruciating stabbing pain. “I curse you Eztess, for you will be dead feeling this pain a thousand times as my creation kills you, I curse you Ivhir, for not listening to my plea. Let darkness clouded your mind everyday till the day you fall.

Eztess was a free and uninhibited god. However, he made a very great mistake by seducing Vexira, his eldest daughter. They conducted an affair, avoiding the eyes of Ivhir, but not with Allyse until Vexira was caught sleeping in her mother’s bed. When Ivhir found out from Allyse, she became enraged.

Deep in the dark underworld, Vexira was shackled and tortured everyday until she gave up and embrace the power of darkness and death as her original power was being sealed into seven seals by Estezz as Ivhir knows, he must bear the punishment from Vexira if she ever walks back from the underworld and realize the truth of her dissolution of power. 

Ivhir then erased the memories about Vexira among her followers in Sylgarth. The Sylvari then worship Allyse as their patron god.

One day, the seer came to see Ivhir as she got an impending prophecy…

My Patron Queen, the stars speak ill omen towards Sylgarth.

“The day the light fades and turns dark, one loyalty shall return, an unfortunate accident shall mark the beginning of an impending future.

There comes a day when water rises to the sky, a forbidden relationship shall cause an age of failing crops and an age of warlords.

When the day comes that the darkness rises once more, the guilty shall mark the rise of a new evil with the sign at the red moon.

Upon the day the air turns white and gray, the banished one shall bring forth an age of warlords and slayers.

—-------------------------------

As the seer talks with Ivhir, in the underground something is happening…

Six millennia have passed since the imprisonment of Vexira.

“My power… my freedom… my people… Ivhir, Eztess,  you’ve taken everything from me…“ Lament Vexira through the years in tears.

“Oh the darkness, I shall bring you my soul as long as you give me one last loyalty” For thousands of years I'll wait as I promised myself to you” Vexira says giving up after unknown times being left alone, bound, tortured and blinded.

Suddenly a mark of loyalty was drawn in the ground around Vexira. “Do you swear an oath of Loyalty, Vexira -  Fallen god of Sylgarth?” 

“I swear my Loyalty towards the stars for the last time,” replied Vexira.

“So be it! a Loyalty shall be given back thousand of years later”.  The sound of the stars promised. “the one who bears the mark of Atelerix shall be returned to you”

And the light that illuminates the room fades away leaving the bound and blinded Vexira.

“I’ll wait..” says Vexira weakly…

__________________________________________________________

In the coliseum, the atmosphere is very intense. Amidst the chaos and cries, Aiden jumps over a plank and about to enter the mid section of his team for a small recovery time from fatigue in battle but suddenly a big red lightning bolt was struck down on him, and Aiden was thrown hard midair and fell unconscious.

Everyone stopped fighting as they became blinded by the lightning.  When they regained their senses, Everyone was fearful, including the Vertelixes.  They are the first ones to kneel on the ground with their heads on the soil.  Followed by the combatants and the astounded Audience.

WHO DARES TO DISGRACE THE COLISEUM OF TITANS!! 

Above the sky of the coliseum, one by one came the God of Titans. 6 God of Titans descended above the coliseum, and one Big Titan emerged from the soil of the coliseum.

All Seven Gods of Titan are present. The Coliseum is quaking due to the sheer power emitted from their bodies.

Duna, the  god in the coliseum below, speaks first. “Brothers’ this is not a small matters, i suggest we bring the one that has been strike to our realm for inspection, besides, the matter of the gods are not supposed to be known to mere mortals below”

Aestr, the leader of the gods waves his hand and Aiden’s body vanishes from the ground, as the Gods return to their abode.

Duna then speaks to everyone in Titanoire, “Everyone stays kneel till all the gods come back.” He then flies up to God's Abode.

No one moves from their spot at that moment. all of them are kneeling with faint sounds that are heard for breathing. There is no distinction who has the higher ranks in the hierarchy when you are in front of the Gods of Titans. Everyone's the same, either you are a slave or a king. Everyone bows.

—----------------------------------

In the God’s Abode,

Huge braziers half enclosing each of the eight onyx columns light up every part of the throne hall and engulf everything in a flickering radiance. The illustration of battles on the domed ceiling dance in the flickering light while statues look down upon the mosaic floor of this sublime hall.

A carmine rug runs from the throne to the walls and windows and is matched by smaller ones on either side of the hall while swallow tail banners with adorned borders the circular doors. Between each banner sits a small altar full of candles, almost all of them have been lit and in turn illuminate the statuettes of powerful creatures below them.

Humble, washed glass windows are bordered by drapes colored the same carmine as the banners. The curtains have been adorned with fine patterns and jewels.

The thrones is covered in sacred illustrations and fixed on each of the wide armrests is an ornate animal head. The comfortable pillows are a light carmine and these too have been adorned with burnished borders.

Duna is checking the wounds on Aiden with precision, he uses his energy to scan the whole body and find the cause. Aiden’s body is suspended mid-air in the middle of the hall.

“Gentlemen, from my side, I declare he is another outcast. Or should I say, his patron god has been banished…”

Everyone sighed hard on the spot.  After a while, Aestr said.. that lightning is not from anyone then, it was the sign from the stars. Reidi, another god, then speaks. “ In this case, he is just like us, but I can sense the mark of Atelerix is not fading from him. It means he is a true loyalist to his patron god. Froed, can you communicate with the stars to know his destiny? We should help the banished god if there is a chance. shall i remind you all, the first reason we are banished to Titanoire in the first place?”

Traust then speaks, “ don’t try to prick on my wound just to save the unknown god. I've made up my mind to have him just because he bears the mark of loyalty.” Alas, I want to know who is his patron god and why he is banished.”

Froed then chanted something and an hourglass of some sort appeared and suspended in the air in front of his chest.   An irregular, sanguin stream of fragments then flows around Aiden’s body as a mist emerges up above his chest. “Hmmm… his patron god is a woman, surely a beauty indeed, Oooh, her followers worshiped her so dearly… she is a good god indeed, no wonder the crazed fanaticism by this loyalist. She was banished and blinded in the deep underworld of her world by… Her Mother.” Froed voices become angrier now…

She is worthy of our help. Froed ended his words with mentioning, she pleaded to the stars and gave her loyalty to the stars, and a prophecy was given to us by the stars.

“When the day comes that the mark of the one becomes the mark of many, the two faced one shall usher forth an end to hunger and an era of honor.”

Aestr was the one who stood up first and pointed at Aiden. “Is that true Froed? Is the prophecy you spoke of, truly the words of the stars? You really mean that this man is the bearer of our lineage of followers? He is the one destined to choose the people whom we shall be worshiped again by? The one who will bear the Seven Mark to become a True Champion.”

Froed then replied, “I spoke the words of the stars, not the words of hearts”

Duna quickly asked “then why did you sound angry in your voice before?”

“One shall not easily revealed the flaws on other gods without the stars permission” Froed cut short.

Realization dawned on everyone of them, indeed jealousy is the root of the fall of gods. as they ever felt. One word that they kept in their heart, “banished” means their power is stripped and their followers' memories about them are erased.

Aestr then wakes Aiden up. 

Aiden when he saw where he was, started to kneel in fright and horror. As he knows this is a trial for the wicked and cheater of the coliseum. His House ever bears the mark of shame because one of their members ever cheated in the coliseum which later was found by Duna when the mark of Atelerix fades its presence in the coliseum all of a sudden.

“Stand up, bear no ill, you are summoned here” Aestr speaks.

Aiden then stands up and salutes everyone with the signs of Atelerix. Everyone then nodded in approval.

“What is your patron god’s name?” Asked  Hefnd, another god. “My excellency god name is Vexira, Milord.” Aiden replies with a hint of pride in his voice.

“Your patron god has been banished.” Hefnd said flatly. “ That is the reason why you were struck by that lightning before.”

Hearing this, Aiden just slumped on the ground. He knows what that means. 

“You are her last remaining followers, since you were out of your world when the banishment happened, your memories of her are intact, but you can’t access her power since she lost it.” Froed continues, “We want to give you a chance, to save your patron god. but in return, you will spread the will of ours in your world, which means you will spread the religion of us gods of titanoire there. the seven of us. what is your decision then?”

Aiden was stunned and thinking. “Does it mean I can save my excellency god and stay loyal to her without jeopardizing my true heart? '' he asked back with respect .

“You might say like that, we will give you some benefits too,” Traust said.

“Yes, I am willing,” replied Aiden quickly. “Very well, but you have to pass another trial before that, will you still do it? probe Traust.

“All for my excellency patron.” Aiden said brimming with passion. He then checked his own status.

—-----------

Name : Aiden Dawnwhisper

Level : 100

Origin : Sylgarth

Race : Sylvari

Affiliated :  -  House of Atelerix

Patron God : Vexira (Banished)

Job : Equinox Hunter, Memory of the stars

Active skill : Backstab, Slipstream strike, Slice and dice, Atelerix slash,Decoy, Windsong Fury (Equipment set skill)

Passive skill : Signet’s Memory, Shadowhide, Advance Dagger Mastery, Dawn Awakening

Equipment : 

Headband : Windsong of the Endless stars 

Armor : Windsong of Darkness

Gloves : Windsong of Silence

Boots : Windsong of Shadows

Cloak :  Windsong of Night

Rings : Fury of the Dragon, Agony of the exiled.

Necklace : Eternal Life

Earrings : Earings of Loyalty

Weapon : Phantom Dream - Heirloom of Shadow Strikes (Dagger), Moon Sigh - Executioner Of The Lasting Night (Technomagic Rifle)

Constellation : Atelerix - Shield of Loyalty

___________________

Vexira, my god. I will fight for you. I will set everything back for you. For you once protected me.. Aiden clenched his fist and swore on his heart.