Starless World - 500 Years Ago
Eternity
In a realm that paid no notions to the idea of 'space', two beings stared each other down.
It was a ridiculous sight- The two beings that faced each other could not be further apart in scope and power. It was as if before the brightest of stars, a single pebble was all that stood in its way. Their difference in status...
...Yes, it could only be said to be the disparity between Man and God.
"You will not listen to reason, I trust?" The man spoke, standing firm despite lacking any sort of ground below him. The cosmic winds that battered at his body should've scattered his atoms to the far winds, and yet there was no shaking the gaze of that human as he stared down God. "It doesn't have to end this way. If you would just..."
"..." The God did not answer the man. In the first place, the existence of the man was not something it should've acknowledged- However, there was no denying that the God, lord and master of the reality they stood on, reverberated apprehension towards the being before him.
The Man slowly stepped forwards, withdrawing a weapon from his side. Immediately, the source of his protection became evident. For the tool in his hands was not one meant for a mere mortal.
Divine in presence, the jewelled blade in his hands shone with seven distinct lights, each of whom ushered their own light comparable to the stars.
It was then that the God reacted.
"Why...?" The God seethed, looking not at the man- But at the blade in his hands. "Why would you fight for him... Why them, after they betrayed us!? We could have had it all! We could have remade this world into a utopia!"
The blade echoed across the infinite vastness. The splendor it released, while harrowing, seemed almost mournful.
"...The world isn't ready for that. Perhaps it will never be." The man spoke simply, looking up at the majestic God with plain eyes that belied the will held within. "Perhaps one day, your power will truly save this world. But until then..."
He lifted the divine blade and held it up with two hands, showing not the slightest modicum of skill despite the great weapon in his hands.
"The End of Existence must be stopped."
Roaring in outrage at the man's hubris, the God summoned all of his strength to smite the puny human where he stood. However, though his blow may have shattered time itself...
...It could not snuff out the will of a single human man, and the Starlight of Gods that guided his hand.
Within that eternal moment...
God's law was felled by man, and the skies would never be the same.
---
Merisphelia - 500 Years Later
Somewhere in the Ferrum Imperium
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Lightning crackled in the background, amidst the dark and stormy night. As the world flashed white, he appeared from within pitch black shadows. "It's mine! The power is all MINE!"
The monstrous being was clearly the meaning of evil itself. Atop his dark tower, the nefarious Black Knight roared in maddened joy as he absorbed the very forces of nature into himself. The black clouds and the warped lightning were siphoned into his body, which was clad in a dark aura that defied the laws of reality.
"Finally, the ultimate magic is in my hands! And it is all thanks to YOU, Priestess!" The dastardly villain turned towards his captive, twin lights of crimson glowing from under his helmet. "Truly, the bloodline of the Goddess is as almighty as your priests preach!"
"K-kuh...! Y-you monster..." The Priestess squirmed against her binds, glaring at the evil man with beautiful blue eyes that gleamed like jewels. Her (barely covered for the sake of our ratings) gleaming body writhed against the dark tendrils that binded her to the massive cross that was her prison, and she had to repress a groan as one of them squeezed strongly against her rather voluminous and wildly swaying chest.
"Hmm, I suppose that having achieved the Ultimate Magic, I don't need your blood anymore." The Black Knight said with inhuman disdain, as he walked over to the Priestess and yanked at one the tentacles that was plugged to her stomach, leeching her vitality. "Kuhuhu, it doesn't seem like it wants to let go..."
The hatred and malice in his voice could be tasted like fine wine.
"Shall I feed you to it!?" He gripped the tentacle tightly, and the girl screamed in pain and fear.
"Someone, please-!" The Priestess closed her eyes, shedding crystalline tears as she prayed for help. "Alex...!"
At that moment-
"STOP, VILLAIN!"
The moon's rays broke through the dark clouds, as from the darkness light emerged.
"What the-" The Black Knight managed to utter out, before he was suddenly tackled by several tons' worth of adamantium! The platinum blur would have surely thrown him off to his well-deserved demise, but the villain resorted to the cowardly magic powers he had obtained and blasted at the sudden hero with foul beams of concentrated malice.
With a whine, the gray hunk of steel fell against the floor of the tower.
"Are you okay, Ludwig!?" Towards the grey titan ran a single man, a gun holstered at his hip and a silver katana (the manliest of weapons) in his hand. His handsome face twisted in concern, as he looked over his struck comrade.
With renewed strength, the titan lifted itself by its paws, and turned one massive yet friendly beastly face to its master. "Ruff!" It yelled.
"YOU!? But how... You were supposed to be dead!" The Black Knight yelled in rage as he saw the man that had appeared. The crimson eyes of his helmet flashed with shock.
"Alex!" The Priestess shouted, a smile blooming in her tear-stricken face.
"Heh... You made a mistake, Alamos the Destroyer." The man known as Alex stood straight, smirking at his opponent. "When you struck me with that fatal blow, I was as good as dead, true... But you failed to consider the vial of nanomachines which Ludwig had kept within him all this time!"
"What!? That's impossible! You should've bled out before that foolish dog got anywhere close!" The Black Knight yelled, cradling his head. "If you, like I, possessed the ultimate magic, then it should've been possible, but a mere nobody like you, without an ounce of magical power!? THAT CANNOT BE! I WON'T ACCEPT IT!"
"Perhaps... But, on that day, there was another power that kept me alive." Alex looked up, a wide smile on his face. "That power was... Love!"
The Priestess gasped, a blush sprouting on her cheeks.
"NOOOOOOOOOOO! You... Even if you survived once, I'll just kill you again!" The Black Knight lifted his sword, and gathered a truly staggering amount of magical power. It was a terrible force that could even destroy the whole world if unleashed properly. "DIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!"
As he swung his weapon down, an apocalyptic force descended upon man.
"Ludwig, let's do it! ANUBIS MODE!" Alex jumped into the air, and Ludwig barked as it followed him. The dog shifted then, scattering into many pieces that shifted in form as they attached themselves to Alex's body, glowing with the power of technology. Power lines pulsed all over the titanic shell as it landed on the ground with a deafening thundering, and as the transformed Alex raised his arms, two gigantic laser cannons were deployed from within and-
-The video feed was suddenly cut off, returning Erich to the real world with his sister's irate screech.
"What are you doing!? Sir Alex was just about to rescue me- I mean, Aika from the hands of that vile man! Turn that screen on RIGHT THIS INSTANT!" Erich jumped back as a blonde bundle of fury emerged from his lap, rushing straight at the woman who still held a phone in her hand with a very cross expression.
"My apologies for the interruption, Princess. I will shortly do as you ask." The beautiful lady bowed, her brown hair gleaming in the well-lit, lavish room which was full to the brim of various toys and entertainment devices. Her sharp, steel-grey eyes however soon turned towards the other occupant of the room, who shivered with terror.
"However, before that I must fetch your brother. You see, there is a very important task he must tend to." The woman said with a cold smile, though the way it twitched seemed to scream 'what are you doing?' at Erich.
The Prince coughed, standing and trying to rescue what dignity he could. "Ah, yeah. I uh, must have totally forgotten. Why don't you watch the ending and tell me later, Cynthia?"
The little girl crossed her arms in disappointment, mulling the thought over... Before her lips pressed into a thin line. "Fine. But you'd better come back with some awesome stories about that place you're going!"
Erich froze. "C-Cynthia, how do you know about tha..."
However, his words died in his throat when he felt a deathly chill come from the hand that gripped his shoulder. "Now, Your Majesty. We can't afford any more delays, can we?"
The suit-clad woman smirked, a dark chuckle escaping her lips.
At that moment, Erich feared death.
"I'm sorrrrrrrrrryyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!"
---
Starless World - Present Time
The scene shifted, and the world changed. The warm sunset which the Prince had observed from his time with his sister could not be seen in this world, where the sky was nothing but a vast expanse of grey littered with the distant, eldritch dots of the strange anomalies that littered the plane.
Erich looked with a heavy heart at the preparations unveiling before him. Builder drones moved with quick efficiency under the watchful eyes of human overseers, expanding the building that had become their base of operations in the Starless World. In the sky, the beginnings of the Ferrum Imperium's aerial presence on the world performed training drills, and in the ground the earth quaked as the Colossi under his command patrolled the base's perimeter.
My command. I'm not just a figurehead, but someone who will be leading these men to their deaths for the sake of an ideal. Erich clenched his fists, a sickening feeling coming to his chest.
He despised it- The war, the suffering that would be brought by the interest their world possessed for this one. As far as they knew, this land was one that had been engulfed in chaos since living memory- And they would be swooping in, using only a tiny portion of their strength which could easily overrun this little realm without much effort.
"It is far too late to have any doubts, Your Majesty." The beautiful woman who had interrupted him earlier broke him out of his thoughts once more. She looked as crisp and unfettered in her uniform, but her expression was kinder than before. "Make no mistake. You are not making the wrong choice by fighting for what you believe in."
Erich snapped. "I know that, Minerva! I just..." He grit his teeth. "I can't stomach this... It's always the same, no matter what happens. Everyone says they're fighting for peace, but they'll stab and kill anyone that gets in their way... I'm sick and tired of it. I know that some idiots will only listen after you've given them a good beating... But this time's the last."
He raised his head, a burning gaze at the horizon. "This will be Merisphelia's final war... I'll end this cycle of violence, give this world the peace it deserves, and bring forth a world where good people won't have to die in the interest of others."
A fist, raised to the starless sky in defiance. "In the name of the regalia that has chosen me, this I swear! I, Erich Manlius Torqatus, will protect this world!"
And at his call, the bracelet around his hand glowed.
---
And so, the pieces were set.
The game which had started five hundred years ago and stopped, will once again make a violent return.
Each Lord wanders its own path, unwitting pawns to Fate as they search for Peace. But...
...If they ever find Peace, will it be a true one? And furthermore...
...Will it satisfy them?
---
Bloble - Aries
Starless World - Enclave Mariandel: The Challenger's Rest
"Another toast, to another victory for our Hero!" As an armor-clad man raised a mug into the air, the cacophonous sound of a myriad of cheers echoed across your ears like the sweet melody of victory.
It was a good day for you, and everyone in the Hecatia as well. The Challenger's Rest was the most popular place in the city, a truly massive bar which could house as many people as a Runeball stadium from your native planet could support. That it was flooded with people of all kinds that gathered with the sole purpose of celebrating your return was truly an encouraging and heart-warming thought.
You'd been one of the first to arrive in the Starless World, having wandered into it by sheer stroke of fate. At that time, you had thought of this world as a new chance, a place where you could fulfill your lifelong dream- But soon, it started to become a little more.
You were first greeted by this world with what could have only been called a gruesome sight. A city, vast and flourishing, exposed to the whims of some gigantic monster whose existence looked alien unlike you had ever seen before. It had countless mouths attached to writhing coils that looked like tree-trunks, and the gouts of fire that it blasted from within to char the walls and homes of the citizens were hot enough to be felt from miles away.
That, however, did nothing to save it from the white death that your starboard cannons unleashed on the fell beast.
It was that how you came upon the denizens of this Enclave. Not as a conqueror, but as a savior. However, even with that, the hearts of these Starless denizens had been truly difficult to win over. The main fighting force of this city had been none too pleased to return from their expedition to see some man in an otherwordly ship trying to spin the masses with speeches of grandeur after their city was wrecked, and at first they had been hostile.
However, you had devised a brutally cunning plan to win them over for good. As you had done in Merisphelia, you first presented yourself as an ordinary adventurer and mercenary, offering your services to defeat the enemies of the Enclave and uphold the peace enforced by the Mistral Union... For the right price. The Enclave's army had been more willing to accept this than the idea of some selfless hero, and while they kept a tight watch on him, they nonetheless accepted his help...
...And boy, did they need it.
The Mistral Union was the largest organization in the Starless World, and it was a sort of super-organization that oversaw the independent governments of all Enclaves in the Starless World, protecting them from the terrible dangers that potential Space Rifts, or 'Eyes' as you called them, could unleash. They wielded strange and powerful magic the likes of which you had never seen before, and even the 'Subaltern' tasked with overseeing only this Enclave was so powerful you doubted you could beat her in a single-handed fight, dirty tactics or not.
And yet, they faced terrible opposition from the independent forces that swelled out of their Enclaves and seized lands under no-one's domain but their own. Though you did not know all of them by heart, you had locked swords with one such faction before and they had been an enemy you had been sorely prepared to face. The Greylords, as they called themselves, were a group of powerful sorcerers that could summon grey-coloured soul clumps that could reshape themselves into anything and anyone in creation, often summoning legions of unstoppable, immortal soldiers until they were located and put down.
It had only been thanks to Hestia's abilities that you had come out of that encounter unscathed.
However, close call it may have been, that victory was the last one you'd needed to be proclaimed as a Hero in the eyes of Enclave Mariandel, and finally accepted as a benevolent figure by the Mistral Union's reigning Subaltern. While you hadn't exactly conquered the Enclave, you were confident that they would do pretty much anything you asked as long as you justified it properly.
"Heavens, you are such a headache..." You snapped from your glory high to look at the source of the scathing remark, raising your eyebrows while you offered a dashing grin to the speaker.
Subaltern Mitrila rubbed her temples as she sighed, effortlessly swatting a stray mug of fine Elodian (a teal-coloured liquor that could put a horse to sleep) when one of the citizens tried to offer it. "Honestly, I should've gotten rid of you while I could. The last thing we need is another faction coming to wreck the balance apart..."
"What are you talking about, Lady Mitrila!?" One of the Union Soldiers wandered over to his commanding officer with a smile, wrapping an arm around her in a way that her popping a vein from annoyance. "Aries is totally one of our boys! We can just leave everything to him and it'll be fine-"
"THIS IS WHY YOU'RE NOT A COMMANDING OFFICER!" Mitrila yelled, grabbing the soldier and sending him crashing against a table with an impressive throw. The celebrating crowd paused to look at the man, before resuming their cheers in a more quiet tone.
By your side, Hestia looked at the subaltern with obvious concern in her gaze. She was wary that the Union soldier might start a fight due to her abrasive demeanor towards you, but you confidently patted the young girl's head with a smirk.
While she might be thorny, there was no doubt she was totally into you.
"...Just what kind of foul thought are you brewing in that head of yours?" Mitrila glared at you, even as she gave another sigh and closed her eyes. "Whatever... I wanted to let the festivities go on for a little longer, but I just can't shake this feeling off my chest..."
She looked at you again, and for a moment her gaze became intense enough that it made you jump. "Could we talk for a moment... In private?"
Oh? ...Ohh! Was this it!? Was it coming, the moment the cold superior would finally grant you the keys of the city... Along with those of her heart!
Yes! As expected of a man of your caliber...
-Or rather, you should've suspected that something else was going on.
"So, are they the walking steel giants from your world or not?" Mitrila asked with an expression that was like ice.
What...? What was this!?
Mitrila had one gloved hand extended, and the glowing jewel that was at her wrist projected an image that chilled your soul to the bone. Under the starless sky, they marched. Towering over mere men with their gigantic bodies, unleashing raw destruction from their weapons that changed the landscape and followed by a legion of armored soldiers whose weapons flashed with light that seared the eyes, they unleashed their power on monstruous creatures as they also subdued masses of humans.
"This is footage caught by one of our Subalterns, shortly before he stopped responding to any calls about a week ago. These people came wielding a truly astonishing level of technology we have only seen before in ancient ruins and Space Rifts, technology oddly reminiscent of the many tales you have graced us with. If that wasn't enough, we have received of other forces, equally menacing and well-equipped, storming out of the Space Rifts without warning." You suddenly realized what the odd tone that you couldn't recognize in Mitrila had been.
She was afraid.
"Did you know about this...?" Mitrila asked, causing you to freeze. What? "Did you know they would come, and you didn't say anything? Were you some kind of scout, or envoy?" Her eyes were as sharp as ever, but you could see something in them that stung more than usual. Anger, yes, but there was also... Pain? Betrayal? It was something that made you feel uncomfortable.
"Tell me, you...!" However, as she gripped you by your coat and tried to hoist you up-
-The resounding thud of a slap echoed across the balcony of the Challenger's Rest.
Mitrila doubled back, clutching at the cheek where she'd been slapped. Hestia looked on coldly, but lowered her hand when the Subaltern made no move to attack you again.
"Why...?" The girl shook, her eyes misty. "I believed... We thought you were..."
I believed in you.
Well...
It looked like you had a misunderstanding to fix.
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Originally Posted by Kyon
