Chapter I: The Arrival
Darkness.
Looming darkness blanketed the horizon; cloaking any object in the distance as far as the eye could see.
A sheet of metallic clouds stood far above the ground, raining and reigning, and gloating at the mortals who walked on the surface.
Lightning descended from the clouds, splitting the landscape in two, faster than comprehension itself; crashing down and attacking the ground with an unruly aggression.
Roaring thunder followed shortly after the lightning, rolling across the landscape, preaching the power that lightning possessed.
CRASH
Rather than another lightning bolt striking the ground, an elbow heavily struck the surface of a gold armrest.
An emerald sleeve accompanied it, though instead the sleeve gracefully fluttered down and came to rest upon the armrest gently.
A thin wrist became exposed, showing a clenched fist standing upright upon it. A lifeless cheek laid upon the knuckles of the clenched fist, shaping and moulding itself around the grooves of the knuckles ever so slightly until it sat comfortably.
It seemed that the hand and the cheek belonged to a regal figure, for he wore a large gold crown. The crown had empty slots where it seemed four stones shouldâve been set, though they appeared to be absent.
The king sat lifeless on his throne, eyes darting back and forth; locking on to every tangible object inside his chamber. He scanned the two Royal Guards who weâre securing the Bronze chamber doors. They attempted to avoid eye contact with the king, for they knew the fate that could lie before them may become the same fate that the previous Guards tragically met.
The king chuckled to himself, though his mouth didnât appear to bear a smile. He already knew what the guards were thinking, he could read them like a book.
âIs it the fear or loyalty that compels you, my subjects?â The king enquired out of curiosity.
Silence. The guards said nothing. Instead they lowered on to one knee, rested their arm on the raised knee, and bowed their heads in respect.
âLoyalty compelled by fearâŚâ The king started.
An echoing of footsteps ever growing louder and louder, closer and closer, grasped the kings attention. ââŚthat is the best form of loyalty.â The king finished.
The footsteps seemed to end outside the bronze door. The two Guards backed away from the door, still facing it. They tightly clutched their spears and readied themselves.
In an instant the doors burst open, swinging a full 180 degrees until they slammed off the wall, damaging the hinges and denting the tiles behind them.
The king blinked.
A tall, mysterious figure dressed in a dark-grey mantle elegantly sauntered into the room.
Beside it stood two followers: one to its left, another on its right.
The one to the left wore a neon-red robe. It clutched a staff with a flame-engulfed ruby set upon the top, and with the other hand it gripped a golden rod.
The follower on the the right was dressed in a translucent, ice-blue robe. This one also wielded a staff, but unlike the other, a sapphire gemstone was set upon the top: it dripped with a frosty aura.
In his other hand, just like the red-robed follower, it held another golden rod.
âHalt,â The kingâs Guards ordered, spears crossing in front of the intruders. âYou may not enter the Kingâs Chamber!â
The two followers raised their staves off the ground and pointed them at the Guardsâ heads who stood in front of them. A red glow emanated from the ruby; as a blue glow emanated from sapphire stone.
The Guards turned to both face the glowing stones.
Seconds later their bodies were sent tumbling across the platinum tiled floor, both bodies flimsy and lifeless.
The tall being began advancing toward the centre of the room and the followers joined it.
One of the Guards grabbed his spear and propped himself up, choking and spluttering as he did so.
He charged at the follower on the left with his spear, only it to respond in a sigh. Before the Guardâs spear could even reach that follower: it dropped its golden rod, manifested fire from its hand and hurled it in the Guardâs face; scolding and causing him to leap back.
Moments later, the follower on the right also dropped its golden rod. It opened its palm and faced it towards the stumbling Guard. It them clenched its fist, pulling its hand towards its chest. A jagged shard of ice grew from the ground, piercing the Guards chest, raising his feet off the ground.
In a desperate attempt the Guard gripped the ice shard and tried to break it to free himself.
However, as his grip began to slip away; his life began to slip away.
The King did nothing but watch from his throne. His mouth moulded itself into a slight smirk.
He lifted his head, no longer allowing it to rest on his fist.
The mysterious being and itâs followers stopped dead in the centre of the room and proceeded to kneel to the king.
The king slammed his fist into the armrest of his throne. An eerie silence fell throughout the palace.
âI have anticipated this very day a lifetime, Parshian-â The being began.
â-WHO?â The king demanded.
âThey call me TwilightâŚTwilight, the Eternal Archmage.â It continued. Itâs voice was ominous and raspy, yet familiar and smooth.
The king replied with nothing more than a grunt.
âMy king-â
â-Your offerings?â
âI bring you nothing to your expectations,â Twilight replied.
At this moment a group of the Kingâs Guards ran into the chamber; their spears pointing at Twilight and the followers, advancing toward them with disconcert.
Parshian, the King, lifted his hand, opened it to show his palm in a gesture to halt them.
Thus, they halted.
Parshian ordered Twilight to continue.
âThese offerings will far exceed the worth of anything you have been offered so far.â Twilight began to explain.
Parshian gripped the golden seams of his vesture, looked down and inhaled convulsively. He then looked up and exhaled controllingly.
Twilight continued explaining, âFor I bring to you ancient gems.â
Twilight opened his palm, revealing two small crystals. One was a yellow citrine gem: it emitted a strange, blazing glow; and the other was green emerald gem.
The two followers who stood beside Twilight vigorously tore the Ruby and Sapphire gemstones out of the end of their staffs and placed them both into Twilightâs palm.
âWhat good to me are worthless pebbles?â The king enquired mockingly.
âThe âpebblesâ are far more significant than you could even comprehend!â Twilight replied out of irritation âYou would blatantly disregard things as mythological as these!?â
âI blatantly disregard many unimportant things, however I refuse to disregard the manner in which you choose to blather to me!â Parshian exclaimed.
âNo, I apologise, your royal highness. But you must listen to me, my king. These âpebblesâ are more important to you, and you do not even realise it.â
Suddenly the crystals began discharging a blue-white electricity between each other and rose from Twilightâs hand.
The king rose to his feet out of intrigue and observed the behaviour of the crystals. This was the first time anything had interested the king to the extent that he even flinched.
Four slots on each side of his crown began to glow the respective colours of the crystals.
âIâŚI canâŚfeel itâŚâ The king stuttered.
He began to approach Twilight, seeming to allow the amazing power of the four crystals to entice him in.
âWhat can you feel?â Twilight questioned insincerely. It had a certain sinister tone to its voice.
âThe stones, they are showing me a glimpse of their powerâŚthey are whispering to me!â
The kings Guards watched in awe. Had the king finally gone insane?
Twilight quietly cackled.
The king halted, no longer approaching Twilight. He stood 12 paces away from it.
âBring meâŚâ The king, Parshian, said.
Twilight started to come closer to the king, chuckling to itself as it got closer to him.
The king looked at the Guards with a cunning expression on his face ââŚBring me the Sentient Staff!â
Twilight froze in horror.
Two Guards rushed out of the chamber and returned within a matter of seconds, empty handed.
Twilight exhaled, relieved.
In less than a minute two Royal Priests walked in.
Each had a green cushion, lined with golden threads resting on top of their palms. On top of that rested a grey rod. The rod itself gave off a ghastly aura, and where it sat on the cushions gradually became blacker and blacker, as if it was leaking some sort of malicious fluid. A ghastly, pale, lime-green aura shone from gem at its tip.
Twilight was fixated on the staff, itâs head turning ever so slowly as the Royal Priests brought it nearer to the king.
âM-my kingâŚâ Said Twilight.
âHm?â Parshian responded.
ââŚPlease, your HighnessâŚshow me mercyâŚI plead!â Twilight desperately begged.
The Priests arrived at Parshianâs side.
âKNEEL!â He ordered.
The Priests took to their knees and raised the now fully blackened cushions holding the Sentient Staff on top with both of their hands.
Twilight misunderstood and proceeded to kneel too, but instead of raising a staff; it raised its voice and begged even more.
In response, king Parshian held the staff up in the air and gradually turned it until it pointed directly at Twilightâs hooded head. The gem at the tip began to glow an even stronger, more saturated lime green.
The beseeching grew louder, until Twilight burst into a final cry, saying:
âNOOOOOâ
ThenâŚSilence.
