From the eyes of these two children came the light of the world. For even if they were not born out of love, their souls still lit the day as any bird who plays for the love of fun. They came to see the dancers, these stunning women, as they twirled to the music without effort. Their provocative outfits kept the audience entranced. Even this early in the morning. But to these children, this was everyday life.
They would run down the stairs. Do their chores as they always would. Clean the brothel. Change the sheets. Wash the clothes. Hang them to dry. Then, they would head out to the market to look for more work.
- “Leah! Over here, love. My husband is sick again.”
An old woman waved as the two children passed by the street. The girl faced her brother. He nodded, with a reassuring smile. Those stunning pink eyes, as gorgeous as always.
- “Right away!”
There was a casual grace to this meadow. The stalks moved like the bonny sea, as the wildflowers enjoyed nature’s music. The sun shined bright and together with the soft breeze, it was easy for one to get carried away in the calmness of this place. But, no one dared to disturb them. Not now. Except for this young woman in a bright pink ball gown. She walked across with ease as if the ominous dark energy that loomed here was calling out to her. And she listened. -“Why is it, child, that you are so strong of faith?” -“That you sing of love.” -“That you hold on to hope.” -“Why is it, child, that you chase your dreams?” -“But, you never seem to get any close.” -&nb
Wildfires raged, sending clouds of black smoke into the sky. All those flames made it impossible to picture the five moons that usually enlightened these lands. And by dawn, all that’s left would be charred stumps. A magnetized field formed over the scorched land. There, in mid-air, magical particles curled and merged, forming an unseen barrier in the velvet black. As if someone could tap into the cosmic flow and boot it up to their will. The moment their feet met the ground, disembodied spirits quickly came to greet them. But, they were not a welcome sight. These monsters… The hearts in their chest cavities must have rotted a long time ago. After all, there was nothing there, but some tissue debris and leftover broken bones. Yet, the noises of the creatures that dwelt here quickly dimmed when their blades cut them in half. Heavy slime as thick as tar came pouring out of their severed lungs. -“Where are we?” – N
Merging with the shadows came naturally to Nora. Long time ago, she learned to live rootless, able to transform into the strangest of situations and still appear like everyone else. She has been in the game longer than she can remember, and the ties to her dark self only grew deeper. Her magic allowed her to take any shape she pleased. To command any voice, she deemed necessary. She would walk alone, then select a few others and walk by their side, as if she’d known them for ages. She pinned the tip of her blade in specific points, masking their magical essence with a shadowy cloak. These markings, they saw and heard everything about everyone, like a goldmine of information. The only difference was that her power would only register the voices, images, and thoughts of targets weaker than her. Not a single demon grew wary. But, the fact that most of them were a bunch of mindless brutes, thirsty for blood, made her work a little more taxing than she predicted. She need
The smell of smoke was one thing, the shaking another. But, it wasn’t the million primitive arthropods that left Yakeru panting, but, the thin air that was difficult to breathe. Ever since they set foot on this plane, getting a breath of fresh air felt like a lucid dream. As soon as the army of giant and heavily deformed metameric creatures fell, the adventurer focused his gaze onward, not letting a single moment pass him by.The gate though solid, it was slowly split open. Massive claws dug deep in the bricks, and on the other side, an ominous presence lingered. The stink. It was polluting his lungs. Like some kind of sewage that had filled with centuries and never got cleaned. A place where corpses would get dumped and stay there for all eternity. Stacked one on top of the other. When the gate swung open, demons and mutated insects swarmed by the dozens. As if they couldn’t wait to feed on this man’s essence.Fire came as a golden ball, igniting the
Stars filled the sky, splitting over the black marble. In this vastness of eternal space, a couple of shadows blended into the dark as their flames died down. Frost grew over their limbs. Soon, ice crystals covered their entire bodies, allowing their brain to empty and become one with the flow. Karma felt the wind blow her hair over her eyes like a choreographed cyclone. In this place, days, seconds, months, and hours didn’t matter. Even the seasons moved like a fast clock, turning and changing in an infinite loop. Walking here rendered their souls to the greatest clarity. How the stars moved where he walked felt as though the galaxy could follow his shadow. Merge with his essence. This young man. He was somewhat too thin for his height. His body seemed malnourished. Stretched even. A very large wooden bead necklace hung on his skinny neck. His extremely pale skin peaked through his loosely fitted robe. His long blond hair was now a dusty grey. It changed with his sudden growth. As
Once hollow, the shadows solidified into a person capable of outrunning even the tracker demons. From her fingertips, fog condensed into an apparition quite like the demons that roamed this place. Creating the perfect distraction for her to pass through. There was no joy in Nora’s eyes, nor a suggestion of a smile, just pure seriousness as she ran across the narrow corridors. If luck would have it, she would leave unscathed.Grey shadows formed into platforms which she used to climb to the top of the tower, and reach that single hole she opened when she infiltrated this place – her only exit strategy. The shadows were like patient clocks, waiting for her feet to land and then disappear. But, the further she ran, the more demons came out. Many emerged from the walls, trying to block her at every turn.Nora would let her eyes see how close they would get. And when they were at the right distance, the tip of her blade would exterminate them. Even the shadows that were steps for her to wa
Barefoot, naked soles on grass… once that was a unique kind of bliss. It felt natural for the grassland to tickle her soles. But now, it was different. Every inch of her skin was covered in deep cuts and bruises. Even walking on the gentle grass felt like running over a billion shards of glass. Her stunning braids, adorned with the most beautiful flowers, came undone. Her short dress was all torn apart. Yet, that pain felt like a passing memory. There was something else that consumed her mind.This young child, a forest spirit, who was supposed to emit this bright and joyful energy, had succumbed to darkness. The kind of darkness that would render anyone insane.She looked at her hands.She looked at her chest.She looked at her own reflection in the pond.Blood. So much blood.The girl tried to wash it clean. Wipe it off. But, it didn’t work. Every time the water went over it, the blood would come back. As a reminder of what she did. She knew it didn’t come from her own wounds. She w
The cavern expanded like some natural ballroom. A tiny hole on the roof paved the way for white-gold rays to shine through. Blessed spirits did their nightly dance, channeling their essence into the magical staff ahead. This place would be a sanctuary in any storm. But, when unwelcomed visitors were to enter, the spirits would release an ear-splitting screech. Just as they did right now. Blood ran down their necks from their raptured eardrums as Aiko and Kana battled their way inside.Aiko had finally mastered her skills, supporting Kana with impenetrable shields and quick healing spells. No matter what the spirits would throw at the sorceress, she kept fighting back. Without Aiko’s endless rejuvenation, Kana wouldn’t be able to come this far. But, with Aiko by her side, she couldn’t care less about the injuries she suffered. Like those sharp stones that sliced her skin, tore apart her dress, and broke her bones. After all, everything would regenerate as soon as it got damaged. These
The rain came with a confident wind, rousing the trees and fires into a vortex. Each raindrop – a kaleidoscope, covering the library in a comforting blanket. The phoenix couldn’t help but wonder, as it was lying on the floor exhausted, what it would feel like if it could stop time and just look at it. Observe each watery bubble before it touched the ground. The fires on its wings dimmed, and the phoenix morphed into a small human. Welcoming every drop with his outstretched fingers. Like he always wanted to. Soon, the rain formed puddles, followed by a cool freshness in the breeze.Most of the Library of Pergamon was in ruins. Thankfully, the rain came when it did, or the rest of this grand building would have succumbed to the flames.Paige woke up suddenly, not because her clothes were soaked, but because she remembered what she was up against. An entire demon army. Her eyes tried to adapt to the light and rain. She had no idea how long she slept. The only thing that sent her on edge
With a crack as loud as thunder, the third statue split from its pedestal. The entire thing accelerated down and crushed into this unfamiliar woman. Amplified by the figure’s powerful magics, this statue sent forth an immense shockwave, toppling the walls and limiting their visibility. The woman coughed.- “Really?”- “It was worth a try.” – the figure shrugged.- “There…is…no need to fight.”Aiko retaliated as she tried to release her neck from the woman’s suffocating magic. But, as soon as she said that, the mysterious woman waved a hand, and Aiko found herself glued to the wall and with a fractured skull. Although Aiko was out cold, her godlike powers focused on stopping the bleeding and getting her body back in shape.- “You know you can’t kill us, right?” – the figure added.- “Who said I want to kill you?”- “You are damn sure acting like it.”- “I just want you to know your place. That’s it.”- “I can relate to that.” – the figure chuckled. “Actually, I’ve been meaning to ask.”
[ During the rule of the God of Time - 5,000 BE* ]*BE – Before Elidy*AE – After ElidyA woman strode forward. Her long legs and slender arms exposed beneath her silky, almost transparent dress. Her massive wings carried her across the sky, leaving behind a powerful gust of wind. Her green, transparent hair, decorated with a dozen golden accessories danced with the breeze. When she landed, the elf guards greeted her with respect. This woman was a stunning beauty, with a slim face, full lips, and a distinctive jawline. She resembled an elf, as she was almost as tall as them. But, her eyes were a lot bigger, and her ears pointer. Her leaf-like wings tucked themselves neatly on her back.- “Lady Ayesha Elmcup, welcome. The royal family is expecting you.”- “Can you call your queen? We don’t have much time.”- “Right away.”The elf queen soon came and the two conversed.- “Ayesha, if you are here, it means…”- “War is coming. He took them. Erased them from existence. The creatures are to
The cavern expanded like some natural ballroom. A tiny hole on the roof paved the way for white-gold rays to shine through. Blessed spirits did their nightly dance, channeling their essence into the magical staff ahead. This place would be a sanctuary in any storm. But, when unwelcomed visitors were to enter, the spirits would release an ear-splitting screech. Just as they did right now. Blood ran down their necks from their raptured eardrums as Aiko and Kana battled their way inside.Aiko had finally mastered her skills, supporting Kana with impenetrable shields and quick healing spells. No matter what the spirits would throw at the sorceress, she kept fighting back. Without Aiko’s endless rejuvenation, Kana wouldn’t be able to come this far. But, with Aiko by her side, she couldn’t care less about the injuries she suffered. Like those sharp stones that sliced her skin, tore apart her dress, and broke her bones. After all, everything would regenerate as soon as it got damaged. These
Barefoot, naked soles on grass… once that was a unique kind of bliss. It felt natural for the grassland to tickle her soles. But now, it was different. Every inch of her skin was covered in deep cuts and bruises. Even walking on the gentle grass felt like running over a billion shards of glass. Her stunning braids, adorned with the most beautiful flowers, came undone. Her short dress was all torn apart. Yet, that pain felt like a passing memory. There was something else that consumed her mind.This young child, a forest spirit, who was supposed to emit this bright and joyful energy, had succumbed to darkness. The kind of darkness that would render anyone insane.She looked at her hands.She looked at her chest.She looked at her own reflection in the pond.Blood. So much blood.The girl tried to wash it clean. Wipe it off. But, it didn’t work. Every time the water went over it, the blood would come back. As a reminder of what she did. She knew it didn’t come from her own wounds. She w
Once hollow, the shadows solidified into a person capable of outrunning even the tracker demons. From her fingertips, fog condensed into an apparition quite like the demons that roamed this place. Creating the perfect distraction for her to pass through. There was no joy in Nora’s eyes, nor a suggestion of a smile, just pure seriousness as she ran across the narrow corridors. If luck would have it, she would leave unscathed.Grey shadows formed into platforms which she used to climb to the top of the tower, and reach that single hole she opened when she infiltrated this place – her only exit strategy. The shadows were like patient clocks, waiting for her feet to land and then disappear. But, the further she ran, the more demons came out. Many emerged from the walls, trying to block her at every turn.Nora would let her eyes see how close they would get. And when they were at the right distance, the tip of her blade would exterminate them. Even the shadows that were steps for her to wa
Stars filled the sky, splitting over the black marble. In this vastness of eternal space, a couple of shadows blended into the dark as their flames died down. Frost grew over their limbs. Soon, ice crystals covered their entire bodies, allowing their brain to empty and become one with the flow. Karma felt the wind blow her hair over her eyes like a choreographed cyclone. In this place, days, seconds, months, and hours didn’t matter. Even the seasons moved like a fast clock, turning and changing in an infinite loop. Walking here rendered their souls to the greatest clarity. How the stars moved where he walked felt as though the galaxy could follow his shadow. Merge with his essence. This young man. He was somewhat too thin for his height. His body seemed malnourished. Stretched even. A very large wooden bead necklace hung on his skinny neck. His extremely pale skin peaked through his loosely fitted robe. His long blond hair was now a dusty grey. It changed with his sudden growth. As
The smell of smoke was one thing, the shaking another. But, it wasn’t the million primitive arthropods that left Yakeru panting, but, the thin air that was difficult to breathe. Ever since they set foot on this plane, getting a breath of fresh air felt like a lucid dream. As soon as the army of giant and heavily deformed metameric creatures fell, the adventurer focused his gaze onward, not letting a single moment pass him by.The gate though solid, it was slowly split open. Massive claws dug deep in the bricks, and on the other side, an ominous presence lingered. The stink. It was polluting his lungs. Like some kind of sewage that had filled with centuries and never got cleaned. A place where corpses would get dumped and stay there for all eternity. Stacked one on top of the other. When the gate swung open, demons and mutated insects swarmed by the dozens. As if they couldn’t wait to feed on this man’s essence.Fire came as a golden ball, igniting the
Merging with the shadows came naturally to Nora. Long time ago, she learned to live rootless, able to transform into the strangest of situations and still appear like everyone else. She has been in the game longer than she can remember, and the ties to her dark self only grew deeper. Her magic allowed her to take any shape she pleased. To command any voice, she deemed necessary. She would walk alone, then select a few others and walk by their side, as if she’d known them for ages. She pinned the tip of her blade in specific points, masking their magical essence with a shadowy cloak. These markings, they saw and heard everything about everyone, like a goldmine of information. The only difference was that her power would only register the voices, images, and thoughts of targets weaker than her. Not a single demon grew wary. But, the fact that most of them were a bunch of mindless brutes, thirsty for blood, made her work a little more taxing than she predicted. She need