• Book The First: Sorrow

    The rhythmic beating of the heart… A steady drum that is a counter till’ one’s death. Like rain beating upon the dry desert, with a particular pattern that never ends until the earth gets weary. A steady, never-ending metronome. Until one finishes the song of life. Blackness... Just dark space with no matter, just empty space. And the steady beat of the heart. I breathed hard, as if submerged by water. And yet I breathed. And my heart beat... Standing in the darkness, the shadow’s embrace was so comforting… I never wanted to leave. I counted each life-giving beat of my heart. And stood in the blackness, staring ahead, I closed my eyes and listed to the sweet silence. My long white hair hung over my bright blue eyes and my long white robes bleached the black surroundings. My robes hung onto my sixteen-year-old figure.
    The darkness was the only place of security, and bliss welled up inside of me, that was uncontrollable. I could spend eternity in this moment, and not miss a thing. For all I knew, I had been here for eternity. But it was probable that I had only been there for a millennium. It was like a warm blanket, but the cold that gripped me made it all the more joyful. Just as I thought all of these thoughts, I opened my eyes and looked forward. I had heard a voice… Sweeter than anything that had ever reached my lonely ears. I listened and heard the soft sound again, and began to jog towards it. Soon I broke into a sprint and concentrated on reaching my goal. Desperately I tried to run towards the haven of light. The realization of the illusion crushed upon me. And the darkness began to rage. It chased me as I ran towards the light.
    The voice sounded again. A whisper… then I saw her, her beautiful face. Those Subtle lips, Beautiful purple, and raven black hair. I had known her so long, loved her. And the darkness took her away! But not again, I ran all the faster, as if I could do something, I cast aside all fear, and ran, my love swelled beyond the point of capacity, and my hatred of the darkness grew. You will not succeed Vaelen; your death is inevitable, give in to the shadow. Hearing this I only increased my haste, and hurried towards the light. Then I saw them, the harbingers of darkness, and the demons that ruled the earth, the destroyers of light. They seemed to dissipate out of the darkness from which they spawned; they’re long arms swaying as long as they’re bodies. They’re bright white eyes pierced the shadows from which I ran. In most ways they resembled humans… But had a much more demonic reel about them as they’re foot-long claws dragged upon the ground from they’re abnormal arms. They’re slim bodies twisted as they ran like the wind. And they’re face… The face of horror, death seemed to emit from this entity. The face was human, except there was nothing there but those pure white eyes, and a demonic grin with jagged teeth, that surely could rip to shreds anything upon the earth. As they disappeared and appeared to confuse me, it became very clear of how big these demons were.
    They were at least three times the size of a human, and they’re bodies rippled with muscle. Yes apart from they’re elongated limbs; they resembled humans, but were so horrifying, that no human could possibly BE one of these creatures. I tried to keep track of the light, I kept trying to run, and dodge the swiping claws, but it was apparent that the light was no closer, and her beautiful velvet voice as fading… “NO!!!” I yelled, fighting once more to reach her. I must save her! There she stood, so close, and yet, I couldn’t touch her. Her narrow face was the source of all beauty, surely. Her violet eyes spoke innocence to me and her pale lips moved in a motion that anyone could read. “I love you Vaelen, Don’t forget. Memento” She smiled at me and pulled back her blond hair. Then the image started to go distant. And the cold darkness began to embrace me once again. The bass of the silence rumbled in my ears, but before long behind me were screeches of horror, and satanic sounds that could torture anyone to death. As the light faded they came nearer, and I could feel the darkness forcing itself upon me. The empty feeling inside forced its way up into a scream that let out quite feebly. And I looked on at the spot where she had stood, tears staining my pale skin. The stench of death reached me at the same time as one of the creatures. It grabbed my leg and dragged me back into the dark. I screamed for her, and clawed at the empty space before me. Suddenly there were a thousand creatures upon me, uttering vicious laughs, you could hear the joy in they’re grotesque, harsh voices.
    They dragged me into the darkness, and clawed me apart. The crimson flew everywhere, and the taste of flesh reached my mouth. I was being dragged and ravaged. I screamed in pain, and in loss. I needed her. The rage welled up in me, and I let out one last scream before I died. But I didn’t die. I frantically looked around with my one remaining eye. My limbs were completely severed, and my body was ripped open, my organs spilling out. My white robes were tainted with my filthy blood. All too soon the realization crashed upon me that the dark was inescapable, even by death. For death brought you to the darkness. As I thought this I cried in horror. Although I didn’t utter a sound, my vocal chords had been ripped out and devoured.

    “Vaelen, this is your last chance… Bend To Shadow.”
    “Memento…”

    “Wha-?” I awoke startled. Was I… Alive? My hands shot up to my face to check if I was still intact. My skin felt smoother than normal, and my robes were perfectly unstained. Joy welled within me as I realized that I was living, perhaps it had just been a dream. No, it was too real. But right now it didn’t matter, after dismissing the subject I took the liberty of taking in my surroundings. What I saw diminished the possibility of life, although it was absolutely beautiful. The horizon was ablaze with colors, colors that were brighter than any back home, and everything was so pure… The sky seemed to be a swirling aura of bliss. The colors resembled the northern lights, but to a much greater level. Everything was vibrant, and ever so alive. Before me was a great sea of crystal clear water, not the kind I was used to. This water was more pure than any. The stars above were much more heavenly than those of Elementa, some were very bright, and others were various colors, like planets, but on a more beautiful scale. Back home in twilight the desert was a grand sight, and the sky was amazing. But this… Nothing compared to this transcendent beauty. Below me lay a grassy plain that stretched far behind me. There was a short beach area between the heavenly sea and the grass. I picked up a handful of sand and marveled at how fine it was. It was almost liquid. And the softest thing I had ever felt. The color of the sand was also a perfect light tan, and I was sure that I could sleep on this beach more comfortably than any person on earth could in a bed fit for a king.
    And when I thought it couldn’t get better I dropped the sand and ran to the grass and rolled across its surface. It was much softer than the sand, if that was even possible. The grass was a perfect emerald green, and maintained a perfect length. It was better than any fairytale I’d ever heard of. I was in heaven, of that I was sure. I ran across the field, with fleeting speed. And I didn’t tire a bit. The aura was now a soft pinkish color, twisting in the sky like a thousand headed hydras, against a black blanket of gorgeous stars. As I ran a tree came into my view upon a perfect hill. Not just any tree... It was a tree that had to be thirty stories high. And the trunk was thicker than any of the redwoods in Dawn. It was a sight that sent tingling waves down your spine.
    It was beyond any fantasy and there were all kinds of fruits growing off of its twisting branches. By the looks of the knotted trunk, it was very ancient. I ran up and laughed, as I picked a single apple from the tree. It was the most delicious thing I had ever tasted! I kicked off my black boots, and took off my robes, so I was in a simple pair of pants; I rolled them up so that I would have more leg mobility. As I finished the apple, I gazed from atop the hill. Below the other side was an awesome sight against the colorful horizon. Below were plains as far as the eye could see, but to the left about three miles was a shady grove with a tree similar to the one that dominated above me now. And to the right about five miles the plain transitioned into a beautiful field of flowers that was small yet, big enough to be content with. But other than these locations, the plains were endless. I noticed a slight warm breeze that swept across the grass, and caressed each soft blade as it passed.
    I swept my long white hair out of my face, and ran down to the shady grove. Upon reaching it, I saw that even with the star-speckled black sky, there was a comfortable shade beneath the un-moving giants. I reached the tree that resembled the massive entity on the hill, and although it wasn’t quite as grand, it was every bit as awing as the first. It bent over a small pond that also had a ring of the heavenly sand. It was like a pool of colors gently rippling in the shade. I walked over to the pond and dipped my hand in the strange solution. It felt like a consistency that was neither gas nor liquid, but beyond both. When it came in contact with my skin, a warm tingly feeling jolted through my body. I smiled, and stripped off my pants. Jumping in I submerged myself in the odd consistency. It felt like nothing I’d ever felt before! It was perfectly warm and seemed to be pure joy. As I surfaced I thought that this was it, this was my eternity… In heaven. But then I felt like there was something missing. Puzzled, I waded out of the pond to the tree and leaned up against it, after picking a single pear. I sat down and crinkled my nose as the soft smell of flowers reached me. This place was perfect, but it was as if I had left something behind. Almost like a piece of me, a puzzle that is missing a single piece. If it has all the pieces it is perfect, if not it is as useless as it was before you started making it. After a few minutes of puzzled theories, I dismissed the subject for later. After I soaked the happiness of the world around me in, I began to drift into sleep under the massive tree, in the shady grove. I could have sworn that that I heard a beautiful voice of a girl as I transitioned into my mind. The most comforting sound I had heard yet. And for the silent moment, I felt whole again.
    ~Atrum~
    I awoke the next morn’ and to my great delight, I was still in the haven of security. I was leaning against the giant tree and I felt absolutely wonderful. I had the best sleep of my life, filled with a dream of…. I couldn’t remember. All I knew was that it consisted of a blonde-haired girl, and it had been the most amazing experience I’d ever felt. I yearned for more, but this heaven suddenly caught my attention. It was all the more beautiful during the day, although it was impossible. The sun was magnificent; it lit the whole sky with a pure white light, and seemed to make everything radiant and beautiful. The sky was perfectly blue, and there were fluffy white clouds, in the most delightful shapes in the ocean above. There was a glare from the sun that brought out the colors of the beautiful field of flowers. There was a perfect warm breeze flowing across the field and the grass seemed to flow with the gust. It caressed my skin, and created a tingly sensation. It was hard to keep a subtle expression as I gazed across the paradise. It was just then when I noticed the life that was all around me. Gazing at the endless field I noticed a magnificent herd of deer grazing on the perfect pasture. And I heard the sounds of many birds singing their song of happiness. Squirrels raced across the shady grove and had a contest to see who could find the most acorns while four white rabbits wrestled playfully under a nearby berry bush. I ran back to the beach and stripped down. I jumped into the cool water and swam around for a bit.
    I suppose that even in heaven there is time, and that time passed quickly as I swam in the perfect water. I never ran out of breath, and I could identify every single pebble under the surface. I was having so much fun, that by the time I decided to visit the grove for a fruit or two, it was the afternoon. I ran across the slightly windy plain to the tree and grabbed an absolutely delectable peach. The sweet nourishment made gave me a sense of security. After that I decided to run farther to the west, away from the flower field, and shady grove, and explore some more. As I ran I noticed more animals along the way. I spotted horses galloping across the endless plain; it reminded me of back home where I had herded horses for my father as a child, I used to wake up early and feed them carrots, and then ride one over to the sparring fields, where every day, I would practice swordplay, and improve my fighting technique. Back then everything was simple. And I had no fear of the darkness… But everything changed one particularly quiet night. I had been in my bed in my family’s stone cottage in twilight. Our small town was completely black, except for our cottage, where mother had been making new garments, and father was reading a scroll by the fireplace in his favorite chair. They were conversing of our financial problems while my younger sister Estivial, played with my mother’s yarn.
    I had simply been staring at my wall wanting something… I can’t remember what it was now. But I have the feeling that it is related to my dream. Anyway, it was almost midnight when someone frantically knocked on our door. Disturbed from my meditation I went to answer it. But as I turned the corner, I had the automated response to stay hidden, when I saw who it was. Danix, the town’s security. I carefully listened in, and I heard something along the lines of “We are all going to die, now do as I say and flee from Falin as soon as possible!” I scarcely heard my father, for his voice was quiet, but it sounded like “Where will we go? Twilight is a-“. “I don’t know but they’re coming, and we have little time! Look, I’m just warning everyone, and now I’m leaving, I’m not sticking around to die!” Soon afterward I fled to my room, and began packing things, clothes, food, weapons, and anything else of use. After my room was clean I sat on my bed for the last time. I knew what was happening… I knew WHAT was coming. But I knew that we would probably die anyway.
    I went into our family’s basement quickly to retrieve some food that was being kept in there. It took much longer than expected, seeing as there was not light, and the food had been moved. After I stuffed it in a bag, it had been ten minutes. “Damn!” I cursed myself for my arrogance. “We must make haste.” As I began to climb out of my basement, I stopped dead in my tracks… My body suddenly turned to ice and a sinking feeling so great fell through me that I might as well have fallen to hell. My lips trembled and tears began streaming down my face. Because it was too late. Not for me, but for my family.”VAELEN!!!” I heard the satanic roars above, and the screaming… The horrible screaming. Then the final blow struck me, and if I had had a knife right then, I would have killed myself, so I wouldn’t have had to hear Estivial’s scream of pain. It was absolutely bloodcurdling, and it hollowed me inside, to hear the death of a three-year old girl. A sweet, innocent, beautiful little girl. Just then the fire above had been extinguished, and the crack of light coming into the cellar disappeared, making everything calm and solemn. I fell to my knees in the dark basement, and began to sob, I wept for hours without stopping, and the realization of my family’s death crushed me to even more tears.
    For days I could hear the shrieking of death and the cries of hell above. Until finally I decided to reap revenge upon the demons. I found two old scimitars my father used to own and sharpened their blades. After two days of attempting to enchant them, all I had managed to do with my feeble magic skills was to keep the blade sharp, and make them much more lightweight. I meditated for a long time before I emerged from that cellar. I took in every moment, for it was very likely that I would die. I soon gathered enough courage to walk up the cellar stairs and take one deep breath. Then I opened the doors, and emerged into the darkness above. At first sight I saw nothing… Then my eyes adjusted, and I wished that I had been killed, for this moment was full of so much sorrow… And so much pain. The house was ravaged and dark, the tables were broken, and glass shattered. When I could see even better, I almost screamed in pain when I saw the blood on the walls.
    A.H.T.D.V.
    I feared what I might see, but I looked to the left anyway. To my horror I was correct. My mother and father were torn open, and their intestines devoured. I could hardly recognize their faces. But on my mother’s I could see the terror in her face. Upon further crying I found myself staring into my parents faces. “I’m so sorry! I never wanted this to happen…” My voice choked from crying. My hands flew to my face and wiped the tears away. I couldn’t be this weak, I had to take a stand against them and avenge my family. I walked into the living room and quickly turned back around. Staggering to the sink I keeled over and threw up. I leaned over that sink for a long time. Then I found myself in the living room staring blankly at my dead sister… Or half of her… Her head had been severed and mounted upon the fireplace. And her body had been hung on the stair rail, as if she died from a hanging. My world was turned up-side-down and I felt hatred well up deep within me towards them… How could they possibly do this? Are they really that heartless? A surge of confidence flew through me, and I made my decision. I picked up my scimitars and walked calmly to the door of the cottage. I kicked the door down and walked into the rough dirt road that went through the small town. As I expected it was a cold night is the desert. The sky above was full of stars and the sand dunes beyond the town were dry and deteriorating as the wind swept by. Then I noticed the silence that filled the air around me. I glanced across the road and saw every other cottage and trading post was just as ravaged as this one was. Were they gone? I stepped quietly into the night, careful not to make nose. There was absolutely no sign of life. The night was quiet… The only sound was perhaps the wind, and the sound of my breath. It was a terrible silence, filled with grief, and suspense. I took a trembling step forward, just as I did so the silence shattered into a million pieces. The terrible gurgles reached me ears and the screams of hell filled my head. I attempted to run from sheer impulse. I had only run a few lengths when the earth cracked and shadow poured from underneath. I tripped over the broken earth in my hurry. I tried to get up hurriedly, I was beginning to panic when I discovered my white robe had a black stain on it, one had grabbed it.

    I pulled my scimitar from my sheath and stroke the dark with as much force as possible. It screeched and momentarily let go of the robe. I scrambled up and began to sprint away from the town. Gazing up I saw the sky painted a pure black. It seemed to mock me as I ran further and further. I heard the shadows gurgle with laughter as the pulled themselves out of the ground with their freakish arms. The mist around them made them appear as if they were fading into the night. As I kept running the giants of darkness turned their heads toward me and grinned their satanic grin. Their white eyes pierced me, and I became entranced in their hollow depths. By the time I noticed this, they had reached me. One grabbed me and pulled at my arm. I screamed over and over again “Let go! Help!!” I kept screaming and I attempted to slash the demon. Just as I swung downward, another arm reached out of the parched desert earth and grabbed the scimitar. It pulled the weapon beneath the surface and continued to pull itself out of hell. I was surrounded. The giants glared at me with an unimaginable hate while grinning with teeth that they would soon devour me with. The shadows pulled me in. But the next thing I knew was… Nothing. I was in complete darkness that was completely blissful… This thought brought me back to the heaven I was in. I looked around in horror, this wasn’t real… I was still in their grasp! I raced away from the grove and the field; I had been in the darkness’ grasp for years, and had no idea! Lies, lies, and more lies! I ran forward, aware of the sudden change I the heaven. The sky began to swirl, the blissful aurora began to fade into a gray sky that trembled, as if mocking my arrogance. Black streaks of shadow flash across the sky like paint splattering on a dark canvas.

    The lush grass changed to a sickly yellow, and then a dark blood color seemed to color each individual blade like a plague. The wind roared in a maelstrom of chaos. The animals began to contort and their flesh seemed to boil. They fell apart from the inside, shrieking in excruciating pain. The flesh dripped as their eyeballs rolled in their sockets. Throwing up their insides they buckled and fell to their death. Their blood seemed to blend into the grass. At this horrid sight, I had stopped and stared in disgust and awe. It was only then that I heard it, behind me the great oak was pulling its massive self out of the ground. It ripped its gnarled roots as it pulled out of the hill. My eyes must be deceiving me… I didn’t have time to think. As the tree struggled to free it’s self I ran. I kept running, without direction. My only destination was away from here. My robes flew behind me, and I prayed for Godspeed. My white hair long in the front, fluttered in the passing wind. I was sure my purple eyes were wide in fear, but I still felt nothing. As I ran, I noticed the field of flowers to the east. They were withered and dead. But they seemed to be taking on a new shape; they grew into tangles of thorns and blood. Shadow filled the air around everything at this point, and the crushing truth of reality weighed heavily upon me. Swiftly my feet fled. I stared at the ground in fear of what might be behind me, counting each step as I ran. Then I saw her… That girl. The same one who had eluded my grasp for so long… Then I realized three things. One: The tree had pulled itself completely out of the ground, and could, or could not be potentially dangerous. Two: That the missing part of the bliss had been the black-haired, hazel-eyed girl. Three: That I was going to die. As soon as these points registered in my brain, I rushed to the girl. I knew I loved her; maybe it was a lifetime ago. But I knew I had loved her for years. She was standing in the middle of the blood strewn field, gazing past me like in a completely different world. Her billowing white dress flailed about in the wind. She swayed in rhythm with the thunder. Her long clack hair clung to her shoulders effortlessly. Upon reaching her I first gazed into her eyes, trying to bring back the lost memories. I knew they were there. She was only slightly shorter than me and tilted her head to look up. Her pale skin was infinitely smooth, almost unreal. Looking back into her eyes, I saw emptiness… Could this be her? It seemed… Hollow. As I grimaced in confusion she smiled.

    Her pale lips had a slight purple tinge that gave her am angelic look. She smiled malevolently. She rested her hand upon my chest and the wind stopped. The sky stopped trembling, and it all went black. All of it. It was the same blissful darkness that had overtaken me for so long. She still smiled and gazed. I opened my mouth to ask of what was happening. But she spoke first. In a quiet beautiful voice she whispered “Bend to shadow Vaelen.” Then she changed. Her eyes began to fill with pure white; her skin had dark spreading across it. Her veins pulsed the blackest of blacks. Her grin became even more evil. Then her teeth became razor sharp. Her body contorted, the hair fell, the dress ripped. And soon she was twice my size. The elashta grinned satanically and gurgled its laughter. Before I could run it looked me in the eyes and said one last thing in its hellish voice- “Bend to shadow.” Then it through me on to the ground of shadow. The next thing I saw was its terrible claws raised above its head. The fear and rage welled through me. It was like a feeling I’d never felt before. But even though I knew I’d die… I’d never give into the shadow. They killed everything… No, never.

    ~Atrum~


    The blazing sun cast stinging rays onto my skin. I slowly opened my eyes… The glare itself inflicted pain on my eyes, and I quickly closed them. It was hot, very hot… Thinking about it made it a thousand times more painful. The sun seemed to dig into my flesh, boiling my blood and burning it down. Thirsty… I attempted to open my eyes repeatedly, over time I adjusted and my eyes were able to stand the glare with minimal pain inflicted. I looked around and groaned at the desolate sight… Sand… I sat up and gazed at the landscape, sand dunes for miles and miles. After sitting up, I was able to feel a slight breeze. The breeze softly blew on its way and carried sand with it. Pain. Sudden infliction on my temple. A flash of static. I fell down on the intense sand. It burned through my back causing searing pain. I couldn’t see… My head hurt…So much…

    I jerked up. In a sitting position I looked around wildly and quickly fell back down, putting my hand to my head. The blood that rushed to my head disoriented me even more. I breathed heavily in the humid air for a few minutes and this time, slowly, I raised myself into a sitting position. I was on rock, stone… I got to my feet and brushed off my robes. I was in a small ancient vineyard. As far as I could tell, the vines crawling up the stone looked very old. I was still slightly disorientated, and I staggered a bit. From what I saw the yard was completely closed off by towering, worn stone walls. It was only about 20x20 feet. At each corner there were square stone columns connecting the walls. They were a bit taller than the walls themselves and held a great iron cage dome over the top of the enclosing. Vines and plants crawled over the cage and almost completely blocked it from the outside. Although I could tell it was very overcast outside. The cobble-stone flooring was cracked and broken in several places, grass growing through it.

    “Why is this happening to me?” I spit out the words, for I was out of breath. The forced words bounced off the walls over and over and echoed from the caged walls. The sound of birds reached my ears. “God Damn it all…” I plopped back down onto the stone and sat up. I was fiddling with a blade of grass to keep myself occupied. After I felt that my senses had recollected, I stood back up and examined the walls. The walls were ancient; they held a greenish tint over the stone from years and years of rain. I passed my hand over the old surface, observing if by chance, it was weak enough from age to knock down. No… I walked around a little bit more, circling in the cube.