An Off - Topic Story I'm writing.

[Aaron]

This is me shamelessly putting my writing and all that stuffs on a public forum for people to read if they give two shits about it, but I figured hell if I'm writing it, might as well have the balls to let others read it. Never know when someone might like it and become a fan. 

 

Some opening information - This is purely off topic to anything rp related (hence the place it's in) so therefore I don't expect to ever really get any significant replies or attention and really expect it to just be filled with me replying to it repeatedly like im talking to myself (lol). This thread is mainly purely for me to feel like I'm writing for an audience or something like that for when I am bored. Feedback however, should you read this and find something good/bad about it is always appreciated! As long as it isn't too dickish.  But really it's just a "hell if you want to read it why not? Go for it." Type thing. Anyway before I keep looking like a dumbass with my repetition to signify myself that I'm not begging for attention I'll get on with it. (I was hesitant about this for the longest)

 

The story is mainly original to me, with obvious references to mythology and all of that stuff. It's a reality I created from fantasy in my head (some of the names in the story have no literal definition and aren't even real words I like to think?) But it's nothing too superhuman. There's magic, of course. There's violence, (duh) and all that stuff to suit many interests. This story branches off the lore thread I made where I posted the original lore I created as well as other lore I didn't post and from common feedback I've received off other sites and real friends I'm told the concept is really good the further in the story goes. (This is the reboot though so I won't be posting already written chapters but will instead start off fresh.) Without further ado, I'd greatly appreciate the odd one word feedback or so if by some chance you do read it and have any feedback to give me. But other than that, if you read it you don't ever have to notify me you did. Just enjoy or something.

 

Without further ado, here's the first chapter. Also, the characters name is Aaron but he is in no way shape or form reminiscent of me or my final fantasy xiv character "Aaron" outside of maybe sarcasm?

 

 

Time - Morning

 

Location - Continent of Black Fire island chain, City of Roses

 

A soft feminine voice echoes out through the blackness as the light begins to shine over the open horizon of the sea. . .

 

"Cyril 9. . . a planet who's history is shrouded in domination. . . destruction. . . sadness. . . and redemption. . ."

 

A young man of around 19 sits by himself on the thick branch of a tree staring out on the beach side of the island. . . his black and spiky hair swayed softly in the wind, the fringe of his bangs hanging over his butter pecan colored skin and light brown eyes as he stared across the big Ocean towards the horizon. His outfit was simple. . . a black sleeveless vest and baggy pants along with a pair of black bandages wrapping up his entire legs from the calf below under the pants. Black elbow pads covered his elbows and there was a distinct tattoo on top of his left bicep. A soft quiet exhale escaped his thin lips as he looked on deep in thought.

 

"The cycle of rebirth and destruction has always plagued this planet. . . and there was likely no end to the suffering in sight. . ." the soft female disembodied voice spoke as if she wasn't really existing but was a narrative of events to come. The young man looked up at the orange shaded sky to get a glimpse of the several moons up above. . . the red tinted moon was the smallest and called Mercury. . . the blue tinted was the largest and called Chrysalis. . . the white was the middle man and called Chrysanthemum. . .  his eyes having a look of understanding and apathy to them as he sighed.

 

"The cycle will repeat. . . as it always has. . . But this time. . ." the voice died before the sentence could be finished. . . and the man seemingly on que, fell backwards off the tall lonesome tree and free falls to the ground before suddenly becoming enveloped in whitish blue flames and disappearing into the distance towards the large robust city behind him on the island. . . one who's history has brought it to be known as a international hub for elements of all six of the main nations and many of the smaller nations to gather together and live in harmony. . . or so that was the intention. . .

 

 

The young man walks quietly through the crowd with an expressionless face, at a glance one could see he was slightly above average in the typical height of the people around, at 5"11 and weighing around 150lbs the male had a lean and muscular stature. . . not too big, not too small. . . his unkept black hair masked his vision briefly every time the wind blew a bang over his eyes, but he never complained. Brown eyes glancing here and there amongst the stone and granite buildings and people traversing the array of wide and narrow street ways via foot, carriage, or anything in between. 

 

Tap . . . Tap. . . Tap. . .

 

The man's foot went in unison with the hundreds of others crowding the busy streets as he made his way towards what seemed like a large stone building akin to a college in the distance before him. Chatter filled his ears in such a rush he couldn't differentiate or single out conversations. His eyes picked up the unique smell of the local smoked meats coming from a nearby stand, eyes casting a quick glance over as he looked at a man of about middle age dressed in white aprons and clothes show off his Fire manipulation as he roasted the meat while calling for buyers. Ignoring the calls the man made his way quietly until he reached his destination. . . the College, also known as the Red Phoenix. . . a battle college where students from all around the world come to test their mettle in hopes of unlocking the forbidden arts of their races abilities. Pushing past a group of thuggish looking girls and boys hanging on the grand staircase up to the college the man kept walking, paying no mind to his surroundings until a familiar voice called out to him from the area.

 

"Yo! Aaron!" A woman's voice called to him causing Aaron to turn around slightly looking over his shoulder, hands retreating to his pants pockets. A warm breeze washes over the landscape.

 

"Yo, Aleria. . . you here to watch my next match too?" Aaron said in a quiet and non assuring tone as he began to continue walking. The woman known as Aleria, hot on his heels. Her long flowing shoulder length black hair trailing behind with every step as he hazel eyes glowed slightly in the light across her yellow skinned facial features. There was not a flaw at all on her face when you looked at her. . . then again, Infernics females are known for their beauty amongst many races. . . well most of em anyway.

 

"You don't seem to excited. . . come on." She giggled raising her left arm to punch him softly in the right arm. . . her left arm being the only one sleeved due to her unique one sleeved black form fitting shirt it looked as if it were made of cotton. Her right arm however was fully exposed and sleeveless save for the one fingerless gloves she had on. Boots tapping the staircase quietly as she walked along Aaron to and through the doors.

 

"I'm never excited for these kinds of things. . . if anything I seem to be the only one not giving off the vibe their trying to kill someone in these matches this place has going on." Aaron said facepalming gently as the two walked down the corridors to somewhere else. Aleria rolled her eyes and turned away, waving to a few of her female friends over by the corner of the next wide hallway talking to each other.

 

"You really down talk yourself huh? You have so much potential, yet with that attitude you'll never reach your full capacity. Have a little fun this match, Aaron. It'll do you good." Aleria waved to him before breaking off to go talk to her friends. The Infernic sighed again as he kept pushing through the sparse crowds still scattering to get to their destinations.

 

"Have a little fun . . . right. . ." he scoffed before the intercom rung over his head, yet another sign of the world coming along in the technology aspect of reality, taking a clue from the Voltage of Resurreccion.

 

"Aaron Advent, please report to the college stadium. . . your opponent is already here and waiting. . . along with everyone else. . . again. . ." a males voice rung through the school talking to Aaron.

 

"Yeah yeah yeah I'm coming I'm coming." He scoffed exasperated as he suddenly flickered away from the slow walking  pace he was taking and suddenly materialized in the midst of wild cheering and screams from the people seated above, both students and civilians cheered loudly as he looked up to see his face on the massive projector as he made his entrance. His bandaged feet gripping the smooth stone tiles underneath his feet as he looked at the indoor gladiator like arena. However despite all the screams and cheers he looked so damn /bored/ with everything. The aloof aura of his even pumping the crowd up more as the intercom spoke again in a louder voice.

 

"And here he is! Aaron Advent! One of the top students of Black Fires selection of fighters to participate here due to his unique abilities and skills with fire!" the intercom hyped up the crowd more. Aaron sighed, jet black black covering most of his forehead and eyes from view as the tattoo on his left bicep started to pulse blue, and his brown eyes began to take a pale white hue to them before fire began to burst quietly from his body. The crowd awed in amazement.

 

"His aura is so fucking sexy man!" One of Aleria's friends fan girled as she watched the display. Aleria shook her head and sighed, just munching on her bag of potato chips as she watched.

 

"Show me what you can do, Aaron. . ." she thought quietly to herself as the intercom spoke up again. It's robotic male voice echoing throughout the massive underground arena.

 

"What a fantastic display of aura control from Aaron Advent! But is this all just bark and no bite? His opponent comes forth!" the speaker screamed before the door opposite of Aaron creaked open and out stepped a blonde messy haired pale skinned and blue eyed male of about the same age and build as Aaron. However without a second to spare Aaron immediately figured out what element this guy used. . .

 

"Ice. . . just my luck. . . guess the chill on my spine was from you. . ." Aaron said quietly shaking his head, hands still in his pockets. He and the Cryo looked each other over, Aaron's blue white flames softly and quietly emanating off his body in the form of a ghastly cloak. There was no reply.

 

"Please give a welcome to one of the Azuron continents too selection fighters! Niklas Frost! His close combat abilities rival that of seasoned Infernics in battle! You may both begin once the countdown timer hits zero!" the intercom said before the projector switched to a ten second countdown timer. . . the crowd got dead quiet. . . Niklas, Aaron's opponent extended his arms in what seemed like a mix martial arts stance, the Infernic noted a thin film of Ice creeping up over the males body and light blue combat clothes, a brow pursing in intrigue.

 

"Make this fun for me, weakling." Niklas said in a dead serious and annoyed tone, one could guess he had something against Infernics. Aaron narrowed his eyes, visibly off out by the remark.

 

". . . What was that?" Aaron said rhetorically as if he were daring the guy to reply with a smartass remark. The timer hit 0.

 

"I called you a weakling. Got a problem with it? Come do something about it, I'll stomp you into the ground. Weaker elements should know their place." Nik grinned in a taunting manner.

 

Aaron suddenly blitzed forward at the Cryo in a zig zag, blazing blue and white fire from head to toe as he crashed into his opponent. The battle begins. ..

 

"Show me what you can do. . . Aaron. . ." Aleria muttered under her breath as she sat up watching with peaked interest.

 

Embers of blue white fire and slivers of crystal clear ice dotted the arena as the noises of blows being dealt and received filled the quiet air with an intensity more powerful than the heat of a volcano as the audience watch he two combatants go blow for blow. Aaron leaps backwards right before a bone shattering icy kick met with his slim jawline, Aaron looked confused as he burst back towards Niklas in an aggressive display of kicks and punches aimed from all angles and directions.

 

"Somethings not right. . . Ice users aren't supposed to be able to move this fast. . they're tanks like earth users. . ." Aaron thought to himself as all of his attacks were parried or blocked and then noticed his left leg being seized in both arms by Niklas, who was slightly shorter than him. Aaron's whitish pale blue eyes looked briefly amazed before he crossed his arms over his face and neck right before a icy fist slammed into them, steam sizzled from the heat of his flames meeting the chill of Ice as the recoil sent Aaron flying backwards onto the ground in a roll a meter or two away. The crowd gasped but didn't do anything else.

 

"Tch. . . not bad. . " Aaron stood back on his feet, seemingly unfazed by the heavy blow he just received. Niklas glared with high disappointment.

 

"Top selection from Black Fire my ass. Is that all you go-" Nik was interrupted as Aaron suddenly appeared to his right swinging a powerful flame enthralled kick at his flank that connected and sent the Cryo cringing in agony before Aaron then tapped the guys chest unleashing a flamethrower like wave of fire at point blank range. The raid change in air temperature at such a fast pace caused steam to billow like mad from he two as Aaron flickered back to his original position. Aleria smiled from her seat up above while everyone waited for the smoke to clear.

 

". . . How was that for pathetic?" Aaron goaded, his native Infernic traits starting to show despite him generally not being one to taunt and goad his enemies. Nik stepped out from the steamy fog, also seemingly unhurt but smiling as well.

 

"Not bad. . . you might actually be worth killing after all. . ." the Cryo laughed quietly and then beckoned Aaron to come at him again.

 

"If you don't get serious, I will kill you. . . I'm sure you're aware those from Azuron show no mercy to people they beat." Niklas said as his aura pumped up causing frost to emanate off his body similar to Aaron's fire cloak. Aaron shrugged quietly, retreating his hands to his pockets once again.

 

"I never cared for history or learning about other races. . . but I can guarantee as much as I hate this places code of conduct and all that. . ." Aaron paused bringing his arms up to his face crossed over each other again. ". . . You won't be killing anything today." He finished lunging at Nik like a wolf again. The Cryo smiled, only this time it seemed more bloodlusted.

 

"Let's dance." He sneered fortifying his guard to tank whatever happened next.

 

"Aaron's really getting into this. . . just when you think you know a guy huh Aleria?" The female friend of Aleria sighed wiping her sandy brown hair away from her pale yellow eyes. Aleria crunched down quietly another chip still watching the two boys duel below.

 

". . . Yeah. . . I never could understand Aaron's mood myself either, Isra." She said quietly. ". . . I've seen that Cryo around before also. . . he was always hanging with this Puri. . . yet I never knew he was like this in personality. . ." she said in a more hushed tone as her eyes caught sight of Aaron barely dodging a icy fist coming at his jaw.

 

"Be careful, Aaron. . ." Her voice sounded almost abstract amongst the sudden uproar that followed next. Everyone jumped out their seats cheering madly and blocking Aleria and Isra from view. Aleria jumped up out her seat frantically confused.

 

"What just happened!? What is going on!?" She said drowned out by the screaming and applauding going on from one half of the audience against the disappointment and disdain of the other half. Her question was soon answered by the words spoken on the intercom.

 

"And Aaron goes down!" the robotic voice speaks in a static tone. Aleria's pupils damn near dilated at the the shock. . . Aaron went down? Isra suddenly got up too as if she'd just had a revelation.

 

"Wait. . . Nik is a Cryo right? If Nik won than if we're to assume that he's a native Cryo in attitude then Aaron is. . ."

 

"Don't you dare finish that sentence!" Aleria growled before pushing her way from the mass of people out into the stairwells separating the bleachers from one another to get a better view of the scene below. Once her eyes set sight on the outcome her heart skipped a beat. . . Aaron was on the ground, patches of Ice and snow covering his body and paling his skin from the blood retreating away from the cold to his core. His flames dying slowly. . .

 

"Weak. . . as I said. . ." Niklas spit to the side as his icy brown boot raised up to stomp down on Aaron's neck effectively breaking it and killing him. Aleria started to run towards the balcony to jump off and defend Aaron. . . but suddenly was seized by a random hand, spinning around visually to look at who touched her only to meet a figure wrapped up in cloak to the point only his callous hands were seen if one was looking for skin.

 

"Relax. . . your friend isn't dead. . ." He chuckled dryly pointing a finger over the balcony. Aleria's gaze soon followed. "If you pay attention. . . that Infernic is lowering his body heat on purpose." He snickered. Aleria looked stunned again and then turned right as Nik dropped his boot down to kill Aaron. Before it could connect however there was a violent sudden small fiery explosion that sounded like a stick of dynamite had went off in the arena. Everyone froze and or jumped at the noise as Nik was seen careening off into the dirt covered in burns and steam from head to toe. . . Aaron quietly stood up, dusting his black outfit off as his pale blue white eyes returned back to their natural brown color.

 

"I can't believe what I saw! Aaron feigned defeat in order to catch Niklas off guard with a well done a kamikaze style explosion! An unorthodox but efficient tactic!" the intercom exclaimed pumping the crowd up more. Niklas staggered to his feet, the burns barely apparent on his skin due to the frost layering his body in a sort of veil. Steam billowed from all over him as Aaron gave a sigh. Aleria exhaled relieved from where she stood as well and returned to her seat by Isra.

 

"I can't beat you with hand to hand. . . judging by your skill I'd never gain much if any ground over you through it. . " Aaron tossed his arms up in a lazy gesture. "And knowing my stamina is atrocious . . you'd eventually outlast and over power. . . but judging by how you still seem dazed by that out the blue explosion." Aaron suddenly flickered right behind Niklas, not even looking behind his shoulder to the Cryo he was back to back with. Nik gritted his teeth, seemingly embarrassed.

 

"I take it you're embarrassed? To be caught off guard but such a stupid ass move yeah? Ha, dumbass." Aaron snickered goading. Niklas suddenly swung his left elbow around at Aaron who casually flickered out of the way and appeared behind Niklas again. "You got slower. . . your muscles relaxed from all that heat and steam huh? And I thought Cryo had an elemental advantage over Infernics." Aaron continued to tease Niklas.

 

"I'll say this once and once only." Nik said in a serious tone, when Aaron suddenly felt his feet get frozen stuck to the stone floor unable to move. "Tricks like that are for those too weak to fight like a true warrior. . . " 

 

"Doesn't that make you even more of a dumbass for falling for it?" Aaron asked curiously as he barely managed to block a powerful knee to the gut with his hands. Nik stared him dead in the eyes.

 

"You're trash. . . trash deserves to be thrown away. . ." and with that Niklas unleashed a frigid blast of icy air at Aaron point blank launching the Infernic backwards in a icy veil that coated his body and caused him to shiver briefly as his body temperature tried to warm up again. The two stared at each other for a long moment. . . 

 

"Heh. . . bring it on snowflake." Aaron said getting excited. Suddenly there was a deep earth shaking rumble that seemed to come from outside the college. Everyone staggered and stumbled looking around. Aaron looked up confused.

 

"What the hell was that?" Aleria asked shocked looking to Isra. The sandy brown haired girl shrugged confused as well as the noise happened again, this time sounding a lot closer.

 

And then. . . 

 

BANG!

 

The roof started to crumble and tear apart in a violent explosion as a large amount of water flooded the area inside washing everything into the arena below. Screams and yells echoed over the roaring waters as the liquid continued to pour through the giant hole in the ceiling. Aaron was swept away in the waves, getting soaked as quick as the water touched him before a roar that sounded like scraping metal pierced the air. Aleria, hanging on to the broken railing of the balcony above looked around confused for Isra. . . nowhere to be seen. . . Aaron was gone too. . . 

 

"WHAT THE FUCK!?" She screamed getting soaked as a wave of water overtook her and she fell down into the arena below in a pool of water, people, and blood from the injuries that everyone received from hitting their bodies against the stone and rocks of the building like rag dolls as the water swallowed them up.

 

"RA'Z VAK TUU NEIT RA!!!!!!! " A angry almost bellowing deep voice that sounded as if it came from the maw of something colossal screamed out into the air. Aaron barely keeping his head above the raging typhoon of water managed to somehow concentrate enough to flicker out of the watery grave to become below onto the top of the college and the sight he saw off into the distance on the sunset horizons edge made his heart skip a beat. . . a colossal serpent was sticking it's massive emerald scaled head out of the oceans watery surface, jagged conical teeth larger than life lined its reptilian gum line as it looked /dead/ at Aaron. . . for the briefest of moments. . . 

 

"That's. . . " Aaron said astonished and confused. A clear sense of primordial fear and awe in his quiet tone. . . 

 

"That's. . . the fucking god of Tsunami. . . " Aaron said wide eyed as he couldn't wrap his head around what was going on. With one more metal scraping screech the emerald beast of massive proportions shot a gigantic beam of water into the sky, so powerful it pierced the skyline and turned the clouds a dark grey. . heavy rain soon began to fall. . . this God had just started a category 5 hurricane storm with a mere scream. . .

 

"Razanthic. . ." the words barely escaped Aaron's lips. . . 

 

To be continued. . .

 

[Aaron]

Time - Sunset 

 

Location - City of Roses, Black Fire

 

 

The wind was fierce, the rain was unending, the air was even soaked to the brim with so much water it was hard to breathe harder than maybe a shallow breathe or two. Aaron felt as if he was almost drowning despite no longer being submerged in water as he stood atop the broken college looking out towards the now blackened and stormy sky while being pummeled with rain so thick it was hard to see more than a few feet in front of him now.

 

"Damn. . . I can't see a damn thing. . ." Aaron suddenly cursed frantically looking from here and there, Razanthic, the God of the Puri, the native race of the continent of Tsunami. . . was no longer in view due to the torrential downpour pounding the ground. Another roar shakes the ground causing Aaron to stumble and stagger losing his footing on the drenched rooftop and causing him to fall on his back and slide backwards towards the large hole in the rooftop. 

 

"Shit!" Aaron cursed again loudly, gloved hands scrambling to find something to grab as leverage to stop himself from falling, fingers only to meet smooth grip less stone roofing. His brown eyes grew wide with worry as his black messy hair stuck wet to his butter colored skin and he plummeted through the hole into the whirlpool of dead bodies and water below him. The fall felt like it took a century. . .

 

"So this is it huh? I'm. . ." Aaron's voice spoke in a melancholy tone inside his brain as he fell to what would be his death, drowning never seemed like a pleasant way to go. . . neither did being slammed into stone and rock from the force of the crashing waters below.

 

"I'm going to die. . . Tch. . . oh well. . ." he said accepting his incoming death as he fell, closing his eyes and waiting.

 

Suddenly. . . a hand grabbed his mid fall. . .

 

"AARON!" Aleria called out to the young man who opened his eyes again. His eyes would look upon her hazel ones, he could tell she was terrified inside, her left hand. . . the one that grabbed his. . . was shaking under the sleeve of the one shouldered black and drenched shirt she was wearing, and clenching his so tight it could damn near break his wrist. Her bare right arm save for a gloved hand gripped the broken steel railing above as they dangled completely perpendicular to the certain death below. Bodies kept piling up in the water as more screams and cries fell quiet as the deep embrace of death by drowning dragged them to the other side. Aaron himself could barely hear Aleria over the screams and the sound of the rain.

 

"Aaron! You're heavy! I can't hold on to you much longer! Figure something out!" Aleria screamed to him as she felt the grip in both her arms slipping. Aaron was about to reply to her.

 

Too late. . .

 

Aleria's grip slipped prematurely and the two fell what felt like several stories. Aleria tried to cry out but her voice wouldn't make a sound as her screams were deaf. She extended a fleeting arm out towards Aaron as they tried to grab each other. . . fingers barely touching each others. . .

 

"No. . . I won't let her die. . . not in front of me. . ." Aaron thought quietly to himself in the depths of his psyche, and his brown eyes turned a pale bluish white once again. . .

 

"I'll burn this entire place down before I let you die. . ." he thought to himself, he was already exhausted from fighting Niklas earlier. . . and he knew he couldn't do anything else after this because his aura pool would hit empty. . but whatever, he didn't give a damn. Using the last of his energy he flickered over towards Aleria and grabbed her in his arms before their bodies became enveloped in blue white before vanishing into thin air.

 

The rain doesn't seem to end. . . the sounds of Razanthic rampaging off the coast of the island was ever imminent from the rapid explosions of water that went off like bombs around the entire landscape as the God of the Sea destroyed everything in his fury. . .

 

A small fiery white inferno pulses into exist as Aaron and Aleria hit the stone rooftop of the college with a this, water splashed everywhere. Aleria hit her head and fell unconscious. Aaron. . . now completely drained looked on through the blanket rain just barely managing to make out the silhouette of Razanthic off in the distance over the water logged ruins of a once great city. Before he collapsed himself on the rooftop.

 

"I. . ." he said laboured and breathing hard, it was dangerous to use so much energy. . . Aura is the life force of all being on Cyril 9. . . once it hits zero, you die. Simple as that. Aaron held out a soaked glove to Aleria who laid a few feet from him onto the roof. . . when another loud bomb like explosion went off not a mile from the college. Aaron raised his weak head and looked up to see what looked like a drill of water, spinning violently into the ground like a nail before violently bursting a hole into the pavement launching pressurized water everywhere. Aaron cursed under his breath as he could only watch as the torrent of residual water splashed onto him and Aleria, and the once again started to slide towards the gaping hole in the rooftop back into the abyss below.

 

"Useless. . . again. . . damn Aaron. . . maybe that Cryo was right about you. . ." Aaron scoffed to himself as they fell again, this time nothing he could do to stop their deaths. 

 

"I'm sorry. . . Aleria. . ." were the last words Aaron managed to think before he blacked out with her. . . and everything went quiet. No more rain was felt. . . no more screams were heard. . . no more fear was apparent. . . just silence. . . however, before he fully went flat line he heard a voice. . .

 

[small]"Aaron! Aleria! Stay with me!"[/small]

 

"Who could. . . that be?" Aaron mumbled under his breath inside his mind before fully passing out.

 

"And after this day. . . history begins anew. . ." the original disembodied soft spoken female voice said from the blackness. . .

 

Time - Morning, roughly 12 hours later

 

Location - ???

 

 

"Aaron. . . Aaron wake up. . ." a soft voice called out to the man from the depths of the blackness that was his mind. Did he die? He wondered to himself as the voice called his name again. . . Aaron. . . it said again. . . suddenly a wet sensation drenched him causing him to sit up now wide eyed and alert looking frantically around. Brown eyes barraged with a view of glowing luminescence given off by the large underground cave of crystals he was now in.

 

"Thank God you're awake!" Aleria gasped relieved as she embraced him tightly startling him even more. Her warm body pressed against his as she pushed him back onto the ground and laid on top him still in a bear hug. Aaron couldn't figure out what to say, or even what was going on. . . so many questions flooded his mind. Why wasn't he dead? What was this place? Where is this place? How did he get here? What happened to the City of Roses? The air inside the cave was surprisingly fresh to breathe in however. . . nice and cool. . streams of water could be heard running off to the side somewhere inside the cave leading Aaron to assume the place was an underground wellspring.

 

"Aleria, I know that he saved your life and all that before you both passed out. . . but don't you think you're overdoing it? Let the man breathe." Isra sighed walking over and squatting down on her bare tanned colored feet. Her dark blue colored pants had obvious water damage to them, and her sandy colored hair looked dried out a little bit, but other than that the girl had a big cheesy smile on her face. Aleria released Aaron and fell back into a sitting position, legs to each side as her palms touched the rocky ground. Black hair hanging profusely over her face as she nodded.

 

"Right, sorry. . . are you ok, Aaron?" She asked concerned as she tilted her head to look upon the Infernic. Aaron raised back into a sitting position and rubbed his face.

 

"I'm fine. . ." he said tiredly, his body still hadn't recovered from the incident. "But never mind me. . . where are we and how did we get here?" He then asked while looking at his gloved right palm.

 

"We were teleported here using these crystals." Aleria replied pointing around the the variety of bright blue white crystals illuminating the seemingly endless cavern. "This cave is filled with aura crystals with energy signatures aligned to teleportation. However it apparently took a while to prepare everything and get everyone off the island. .  so everyone that died before the teleportation happened didn't make it here." Her voice got more solemn as she sighed, this surprised her about as much as everyone else.

 

"And the city of Roses?" Aaron asked.

 

"Destroyed, the entire island is probably destroyed and flooded now. . . Razanthic razed everything out of the blue. No pun intended." Isra said trying to lighten up the mood to no avail. Aaron just sighed and looked off into the distance. He noticed he saw no one else around. 

 

"We couldn't have been the only survivors. . . where is everyone else?"  He curiously asked now holding his head, he had a mad headache. 

 

"They're somewhere down here. This cave is supposed to span the entire underground of the southern Black Fire mainland. Or run into one of the relief soldiers, I hear they traverse the waterways when stuff like this happens to guide people to the surface." Isra gestured around her briefly before pointing towards the direction the sound of running water came from. "When you're rested and back to strength if we follow the water in the opposite direction of where its flowing we should reach the surface." She said getting up and stretching before wringing out her still dampened white t shirt.

 

"We should hurry though, who knows what lives in these caves. ." Isra spoke once more before walking off into the crystals somewhere. Aaron brushed a hand through his black messy hair and then sighed. A part of him couldn't believe he barely managed to survive long enough for the emergency teleportation. . . if he hadn't have used the last of his energy in that moment. . . he and Aleria would have died minutes before they were saved. . . a frightening thought.

 

"Why did all of that happen. . ." Aaron pondered the reason a God could possibly want to attack unprovoked. No one had seen Razanthic in over 50 years if his memory of the lessons he took back at the college were correct. So why now? He fell back onto his backside again staring at the caverns ceiling.

 

"Ten more minutes and we're moving Aaron, try to gain your strength." Aleria said quietly as she got up. Aaron stared at her as she walked away. Her black form fitting pants showed obvious water damage too.

 

"Yeah. . ." Aaron said quietly still resting. All of this was too much for him. So many unanswered questions in such a short time frame. . . he closed his eyes and just sat there suspended in thought as he tried to rest up as fast as he could. Briefly would the question of whether Niklas survived would run through his mind before Aaron quickly scoffed and trashed the thought away. The cool misty underground air felt nice going into his lungs. Arms reaching behind his head making a makeshift pillow in his palms. He stayed like this until it was time to get moving.

 

About twenty minutes later. . . 

 

"How do you feel, Aaron?" Isra asked walking ahead of him and Aleria as they followed the small underground river upstream to what they hoped was the entrance. There was a long silence.

 

"I'll live." Was the only reply she got. The young man's palms hidden in the pockets of his still damp pants. Aleria sighed quietly, walking between the two in a line fashion as they trekked along the edge of the river. The luminescence of the crystals giving all of their skins a blue white tint to it.

 

"First time I ever see a God and I nearly get killed by it. . . the world we live in." Aleria shook her head mumbling loud enough for the other two to hear. Aaron didn't speak, he just looked at his passing reflection in the clear cool water.

 

"The real surprise is it was Razanthic who attacked. . . I thought he'd be one of the more passive of the Gods." Isra retorted shrugging and hopping over a large rock as she made her way. "Guess not. . . I wonder what pissed him off though." She said again curiously to herself.

 

"I have no idea, but did you see the power that creature wielded? He destroyed an entire island in under ten minutes and killed thousands. . . Gods are terrifying." Aleria spoke to herself. 

 

"Isn't the God of Infernics still sealed up in a volcano or something? Deraga was the things name?" Isra replied as they continued to walk.

 

"Yeah. . . to my knowledge of all the five gods, Deraga and Aeritotle are sealed, Gidoran is rampaging in Cragsland somewhere, Senilian is roaming the skies around Resurreccion and Razanthic has the entire Ocean at his disposal." Aleria replied knowledgeably. Aaron suddenly seemed interested in the conversation, as he spoke next.

 

"What about the Cryo?" He asked quietly and absently. He didn't think Aleria heard him at first as there was a long pause, and then she spoke.

 

"The Cryo don't have a deity, they're a mutation from the people of Tsunami that evolved after the initial landmass Shivering Rain broke apart." Aleria explained to the man.

 

"Poor guys, if it wasn't for their hostile and basically useless landscape they'd have been wiped out by now. . .  to my knowledge they're the only ones not getting in on the technological advancements of society because they're so isolated from everyone. And Cryo outside of Azuron are rarely seen." Isra relayed her knowledge too towards the conversation. Aaron looked away from his reflection and to the two girls in front of him with that said.

 

"So is that why everyone was so excited a Cryo was fighting against me before everything went to shit?" Aaron rolled his eyes before pulling his left hand out of his pocket, holding it to his face and snapping his fingers. A small white blue flame flickered into existence over his index and thumb. His aura was slowly building back up.

 

"Yeah, also explains why everyone jumped up when they thought he beat you. And then you blew yourself up." Isra teased glancing back at him as the all started to walk up a inclined bit of the ground following the stream.

 

Aaron gave no comment. . . however sooner than later, the three friends heard voices coming from further ahead. Isra's eyes lit up light Christmas tree lights and she pointed ahead.

 

"Guys we're close! I hear voices! Come on!" She said before breaking into a run, her air manipulation enhanced body reaching speeds faster than most other races.

 

"Isra wai--- goddammit." Aleria sucked her teeth and broke into a run after her. Aaron, slowly but surely began to walk faster before he broke into a run as well after them. His bandaged feet pounding the smooth rocky ground as he picked up speed, jumping over small clusters of crystals every so often as he kept the two girls in his sight. Soon enough, he saw Aleria stop along with Isra and eventually caught up.

 

"Didn't need to run so fast. . . not like they were going anywhere." Aaron rolled his eyes as he came to a stop. He'd turn to look at Isra before looking anywhere else expecting a reply, but the expression on her face showed oddly. . . it showed fear. . . but not just any fear. . . fear born of natural instinct. . like a rabbits fear of a hawk. . . Aaron then looked to Aleria briefly before turning to see what the voices were. His eyes soon became dilated with shock at what view came into his vision. . . in front of him and the girls. . . about a meter or so away. . . was a man and a woman, the woman. . had skin as pale as milk save for the blood splattered across her face. . . chin length jet black hair that looked smoother than silk. . . deep violet eyes and a fine featured face that gave the impression she was a beautiful corpse that was alive. . . she was wrapped up in a loose hooded cloak blacker than the darkest depths of night. . . in her right hand was a large and bloodied jagged red and black scythe with sharp edges lining the entire blade both inside and out. . it was coated with the fresh blood of a ripped open body laying at her feet, too mutilated to even make out the gender. . . but the attire was known all too well. . . it was a relief soldier from the Black Fire army. Slain, like cattle.

 

"What the. . . hell. . ." Aaron muttered to himself as he, Aleria and Isra slowly backed up away from the duo. His eyes switched to the man, he too was wrapped in a loose hooded cloak akin to a grim reaper, however his face was hidden beneath his cowl. He had no weapon, unlike the girl. And the only skin that could be seen on him was his callous pale fingers. A low gutteral cackle escaped his lips as he saw us, particularly Isra.

 

"What did I tell you, Rin? Prey eventually always is caught by the predator, whether the predator is the stalker, or the baiter. . ." he croaked out in a voice that made Aaron's skin crawl. Aleria looked to Isra, who still looked paralyzed in fear, and then to Aaron. He and her traded hesitant glances and immediately looked back towards the man and woman, the latter who just flicked a large amount of blood off her scythe painting the nearby clusters of crystals dark red. The man then turned the direction of his hood towards Aaron and Aleria, perhaps now looking at them too.

 

"Ah. . . if it isn't the two people from the college. I must commend you for your efforts in the battle, Aaron. . . Advent was it?" He pointed to Aaron, the young man tensed up at the way he said his name, full of disdain despite the apparent compliment he gave. "And you, friends with the God of Sealing over there." He then looked at Aleria while gesturing towards Isra at the end of his remark. Aleria blinked confused. What was he talking about?

 

"Since you're such good friends with her, I can only guess she has chosen you for whatever particular reason. . . the Gods can be such a hassle sometimes." He cocked his head back towards Aaron, suddenly staring daggers at him as if he was looking into his soul. Aaron froze up. "Oh. . . now this is interesting. . . your aura signature feels very similar too. . . my my. . . you've been marked too? Why this is delightful." He broke into laughter. Aaron looked beyond confused.

 

"Marked!? What the hell are you rambling about?" Aaron suddenly asked impatient at all the cryptic talk. The mysterious man waved a hand dismissively at the young Infernic.

 

"It matters not, you won't be alive long enough to process it anyway." He spoke casually before pointing at the group again. "Kill them, Rin." He ordered, and the pale skinned female beside him suddenly faded away into a purplish black mist vanishing from sight. Aaron, Aleria, and Isra were dead silent. . . did they really just hear him right?

 

"Kill them!?!?" Aleria said shocked. Isra suddenly screamed at the top of her lungs. Her voice piercing the quiet of the large cavern.

 

"RUN!!!" 

 

To be continued. . . .

 

[Aaron]

Time - Morning

 

Location - Underground Crystal Cave

 

"Kill them. . . what!?" Aaron pondered those words in his mind as he saw the attack dog like woman vanish in a purplish black void of energy that felt so unnatural it almost made Aaron want to hurl. Isra soon screaming for him and Aleria to run didn't seem to help his anxiety at all. . . the man stayed in front of them, as if he wasn't even bothering to attack with the woman. Before he could blink however, or even process what was going on. . . he noticed the tip of a scythe just inches away from his throat all of a sudden, as if everything was moving in slow motion now. . . and time seemed to freeze.

 

"How did she move so fast. . . ?" Aaron thought silently to himself. . . he couldn't dodge. . . he wasn't fast enough nor did he recover enough to even attempt to block it. . .

 

"AARON!" Aleria screamed out but was too slow to close the distance, even she knew that herself. . . all she could do was watch in slow motion the scythe nearly touching the skin of Aaron's neck as that bastard known as adrenaline made everything look slow enough for her to process clearly. Aaron was going to die. . . and there was nothing she could do about it. . . oh how fate had a sick way of repeating the past. . .

 

There's a splatter of blood that hits the ground in a crescent shape as the scythe left a clean thin cut right across the young Infernics throat. Aaron's light brown eyes went dead, his pupils dilated, his irises living glow disappeared. . . and he fell backwards in a pool of blood as Rin stood over him flicking the blood off her scythe. Aleria went silent, her voice disappears. . . her mind seemed to go blank as she clearly witness the event that just happened in front of her. Her pupils widened from the shock and stress that surged through her as she looked at Aaron on the ground in a pool of his own blood. The males eyes were slightly opened to where you could see the blank deceased look in his eyes barely as he laid there without a shred of movement.

 

Aaron was dead. . . . his murderer stood over him like the Grim Reaper itself as her blank pale expressionless face showed not even the slightest remorse for the taking of his life. This woman was a stone cold heartless killer.

 

"ALERIA RUN! GET OUT OF HERE!" Isra cried out in tears to Aleria, but her words fell on deaf ears. Aleria dropped to her knees. . . black long hair covering the hopeless expression in her eyes as she stared at her now deceased friends corpse. She couldn't believe it. . . no way she could believe it. . . tears streamed down her cheeks as she sat there traumatized at the murder of her friend. Isra began to run over to Aleria but was stopped as Rin manifested in front of her and swung her scythe at the woman's throat.

 

"You're my next victim. . ." Rin mumbled under her voice quietly, her violet glowing eyes almost shining brighter from the glow of the crystals surrounding the cave. The scythe slices through the air but hits nothing as Isra managed to dodge barely losing only a chunk of the hair on the right side of her face along with a shallow cut across her ear. Isra seizes her right ear with the same hand, feeling the warm blood running down her fingers. Aleria still sat there traumatized, if her body didn't breathe on its own she'd probably have forgot how to breathe and died too with the shock running through her mind.

 

"Does it hurt? My dear child?" The mysterious man walked over to Aleria, his feet not making a sound no matter how they touched the ground underneath the heavy cloak covering him. He seemed to ignore Rin and Isra some ways behind them. Rin attacking relentlessly while Isra was barely dodging and weaving. For every dodge, a wound was inflicted on Isra, it was only a matter of time before those shallow barely contacted wounds would accumulate and slow the girl down enough for the final blow to be dealt. Aleria didn't reply to the man's question.

 

"This is reality, my sweet sweet young one. . ." the man hissed happily as he walked around her and over to Aaron's corpse. "Your friend is dead, see?" He reached down and placed a scarred palm on the drenched in blood black sleeveless vest that covered the bodies chest. "His breathing is no more. . . and look at his eyes. . ." he continued his autopsy and pointed to the half open dilated and lifeless eyes of the young man. "The eyes have lost their life force. Reality is cruel my dear, death happens more than you think. . ." he smirked under his hood as he walked back over to Aleria, who still could not speak. The sounds of blood and air being cut whipped in the background as Rin was ever more gaining ground over Isra.

 

"ALERIA! RUN GODDAMMIT!" Isra screamed out pleadingly as she was hit by the butt of Rin's scythe sending her crashing into the cave ground and into the stream of flowing water with a blood splash. Rin briefly paused, then vanished again.

 

"Your other friend will die too. . . you should blame her honestly for your friend here's death. . . for if she had not became your friend you wouldn't have been dragged into this." The mysterious man said in a false sense of assurance. Aleria suddenly snapped to her senses with that. What did he mean Aaron is dead because of Isra? No way that was true. . . Aleria looked slowly but surely towards the black cloaked man looming above her distraught face, tears still streaming down her yellowish skin from her watery hazel eyes.

 

"You look confused. . . Rin, bring Isra here." The man then ordered waving a hand through the air. A few seconds later Rin and Isra appeared before Aleria, between her and Aaron's lifeless corpse. Isra was on her knees, pants cuts up showing skin here and there with her hands bound behind her back by what looked to be violet aura tethers from magic. Rin held the inside of her scythe edge to the young girls neck in a reverse guillotine fashion. The pole part of the weapon held with one hand as Rin stood behind the subdued woman. Aleria gasped quietly, she wanted to scream. . . she wanted to scream for help. . . normally she could stay calm in any situation bit this. . . this was too much for her. The once cool clean air of the underground cave system now smelled of death and sadness. The blue crystal cluster nearby now painted over with blood altering the color of their glows.

 

"This is no ordinary woman, my dear child." The man spoke to Aleria, he pointed a finger to Isra right after his sentence. Aleria's eyes followed closely the movement of his hand towards her friend. "This girl is the Goddess of Fate and Sealing." He said calmly with a smirk as he let those words swirl around in Aleria's head for a moment. Aleria looked confused, her tear ridden face turning to look at Isra only for Isra to avoid looking her back in the eyes.

 

"Now, you're probably wondering why a God is my friend? Or how did Rin manage to subdue a God. . . a all powerful being without so much as a scratch on her own self, correct?" The man asked rhetorically. Aleria didn't reply. "Well, the answer is simple . . . she sealed herself up long ago to avoid being destroyed. . . as well as a couple of other gods. You know them as Deraga and Aeritotle. However recently. . . she's managed to weaken the seal she placed on herself slowly and surely. . . this explains why the other gods haven't noticed it yet." He tapped a finger across the inside of his hood. One could assume he was tapping his actual face.

 

"DON'T TELL HER DU--" Before Isra could finish her sentence the scythe edge right under chin began to cut into skin. Blood trickled from the small superficial cut in her neck that Rin did simply by pulling on the hilt of her weapon while behind Isra.

 

"If you want to live a few seconds longer. . . I'd suggest you keep quiet." Rin said in a soft ominous tone. Her expression was blank as was her tone. Almost as if she weren't human. "However. . master, why are you telling that girl all of this?" Rin then asked looking towards the man. The male chuckled darkly and then tossed his arms up quietly and dismissive.

 

"Since we're going to kill them all anyway, I'd figure I'd break this girls mind and spirit as much as I can. You killed her friend in cold blood, so let me have my fun my dear." He ordered in a more serious tone. Rin nodded quietly, chin length black hair hugging the sides of her face and eyes with each movement as she acknowledges the request and fell silent. Aleria still didn't speak.

 

"Now as I was saying. . . this Goddess here has been looking to break her seal more by finding a human to inhabit in spirit and share life force with. Because as of now, she's still weak and powerless as long as over 20℅ of that seal still stands. I'd say she's still got around 90% of that seal still binding her to Chrysalis. A pity, the butterfly doesn't even escape its cocoon yet before the hornet takes them as prey to fuel their ambitions." He finished laughing more. Aleria gasped quietly to herself.

 

"Chrysalis? Is he talking about the moon?" she thought to herself. Before she could speak however the man suddenly cringed over in agony and began to writhe as if he was in pain. Rin also began to grab her head with her free hand as if something inside her skull suddenly caught on fire, the bindings on Isra vanished. Isra took this chance and with a quick movement pushed away the weapon at her throat and wrapped a powerful gust of pressurized air around her leg as she jumped to her feet and spun around aiming a kick to Rin's head. The shinigami like woman disappeared before the blow connected and reappeared by the male she'd arrived with. Both of them seemed to be in agony all of a sudden.

 

"I can kill him!!!" the thought streaked across Aleria's mind and with a second to spare she forced all her agony and anger of seeing Aaron killed before her eyes and her body blazed over in white hot blue fire. The flames so intense they began to char the on shoulder sleeved black shirt and pants she was wearing. Even scorching some of her skin as she attacked. Her right arm extended and gripped the hooded part of the males cloak as her left palm was stuffed into his face preparing to unleash a point blank flamethrower of energy into his face.

 

"I'LL BURN YOU OUT OF EXISTENCE!" Aleria screamed in rage. Rin suddenly mad a move to kill Aleria but Isra interfered and managed to deal a punch to the woman's skull causing her to fly back and get impaled on a stray crystal sticking out the ground. The gem pierced through Rin's torso from behind and she laid there limp and motionless. Meanwhile Aleria had finished charging up and let loose all her energy into that one blow.

 

"Burn. . . forever. . ." she said quietly before the entire vicinity near them blazed bright white from the massive inferno unleashed at point blank into the man's face. Scorching even the air as skin melted bones popped and tendons were cooked to a crisp. The heat was so intense the air started to distort before a few seconds later the flames died down leaving behind a smolder skeleton bare of all clothing in front of Aleria. Her left hand scorched and melted from the power of her attack to the point the bones of her fingers were nearly visible. Her shirt was burned to a crisp, only tatters still wrapped around her. Her pants were smoldered revealing third degree burns on her thighs and shins. Isra ran over to Aleria to catch her as she fell out nearly unconscious. Returning her body over to a deceased Aaron's. As she was placed on the ground beside him, Aleria would turn to look at a dead Aaron. Her scorched left arm reached out to touch his lifeless face. Tears streaming down her face once again.

 

"Aaron. . . I'm so sorry. . ." she cried like a little girl. Isra had a solemn expression. She could tell Aleria was really traumatized at the death of what she assumed was one of her best friends.  Isra's now green eyes turned to look at Aaron's half open lifeless ones. And she began to break down crying too.

 

"My my. . . that was a great combo. .   take advantage of your enemies brief weakness." A familiar male voice cackled in laughter behind them. Isra froze solid, Aleria noticed as well but was too injured to do anything but lay there still touching Aaron's face.

 

"Rin. . . we are retreating for now. . . our condition is in critical states. We'll let them live. . . for now. . ." the male said. Isra didn't dare turn around, but she heard what sounded like a void open up and vanish. When she finally gathered the resolve to look behind her. . . the bodies of the man and woman were gone. Isra swallowed hard, and then looked at the heavily injured Aleria and dead Aaron.

 

"I'm so sorry, Aleria. . ." Isra cried hunching over onto of Aleria. Her head buried in the burned girls stomach. "I didn't mean to get you involved in this. . . I didn't know he was still alive I'm sorry I'm sorry!" She cried profusely. Aleria just watched the girl cry onto her. . . she felt genuinely sorry and distraught over what she had brought her into. A burn palm patted Isra on her sandy brown hair. The Goddess in human form froze up and looked to Aleria with bright green eyes of sorrow.

 

"It wasn't your fault. . . " Aleria said quietly with a weak smile. Isra stared in utter amazement. . . Aleria didn't seem to hate her in the least. . .

 

"You didn't run. . . even when me and Aaron wouldn't listen. . . you were willing to die with us for your mistake. . . and not run away. .  and for that, I forgive you. . Isra. ." Aleria said dryly. You could tell she was heavily injured herself. Isra was silent for the longest. The sound of the flowing stream a few feet away took control of the air. Finally. . . after what seemed like deep thought. . . Isra raised her head and placed her hands on Aleria's body. A soft white light began to emit from them. Aleria looked from under her scorched hair at the woman's light.

 

"What are. . . you doing. .?" She asked weakly. . . soon she started to notice her burns were healing at an alarming rate. . . and her strength was returning. . .

 

"Don't talk. . . I'm healing you. . . and then. . ." she said quietly. . . a long pause followed once again before she spoke. . .

 

"Just. . . don't die on me. . . I want us to still be friends. . ." she sighed quietly as slowly but surely the heavily burned Aleria was recovering. The damn near melted off left hand that unleashed that fiery inferno slowly was reformed back into its original state as the white light shone on it. The burns lining her entire body began to fade away completely into brand new skin and flesh.

 

"How are you doing this?" Aleria asked quietly. . . she was able to talk again without feeling like she'd been stabbed through the throat with how badly she was burned. Isra didn't look up. Still focused on the wounds at hand and healing them.

 

"I'm the goddess of fate. . . I can reject what fate has placed on anything if I deem it necessary. . . however it hurts me in return as well. . ." she said quietly. "I'm rejecting from your fate that you received these burns a few minutes ago. . . you'll be good as new." She continued. Aleria stared, her face feeling better as the burns were vanishing.

 

"Reject fate. . . so you can bring Aaron back?" She asked as if that wasn't on her mind the minute it was spoken to her. Isra didn't answer initially. Finally her lips parted and she spoke.

 

"Once a person dies. . . their fate is no longer under my control. . . that part of deal belongs to Nevram. . . the God of the afterlife." She said solemnly. Aleria fell quiet, and then looked over to Aaron. His lifeless body still in a pool of blood, a clean deep cut across the jugular was the cause of death.

 

"So he's gone then. . . for good. . ." Aleria began to cry again as she was being healed. Isra just listened to her for the longest, the regret building up inside of her. Aaron died because of her. . . the goddess of fate meddling in the affairs of humans. . . it was her fault.

 

"No. . ." she finally said. "He can be brought back to life. . . but it has to be agreed upon by me and Nevram. . ." she paused. "Something that has only happened once before. . ."

 

Aleria looked back to Isra. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Aaron could be brought back!? 

 

"And. . . Aaron has to find his way back to the mortal realm from the afterlife if his soul made it across to Nevram and his realm. . ." she finished her explanation. Aleria sat up, nearly healed to full strength as she gazed upon Isra.

 

"Then do it. . . let's bring him back. . ." Aleria said with newfound determination and hope. Isra and her looked each other in the eyes for a brief moment before the goddess stood up and walked over to Aaron's corpse. Aleria watched quietly as the woman bent down into the pool of blood spilling from the bodies throat and placed a hand over his severed jugular before the wound was healed over and rejected as if it never happened. But Aaron still didn't move.

 

"I thought you couldn't bring him back!?" Aleria said confused.

 

"He's still dead. . . I just fixed the wound on his neck. . . his soul has already left the body." She said motioning for Aleria to come help. "Help me pick his body up. . . we'll get out of here or find help or something. .   and I'll explain how we can bring your friend back. . ." she said in a calm and solemn voice. Yet there was hope deep in her words as well. Aleria hurried over with new found strength and helped pick up Aaron.

 

"I'll phase us out of this cave to the surface using my power. . . hang on. . ." she said before a sudden bright light enveloped the three and they vanished from the cave.

 

"And the pieces fall on to the board. . ." a disembodied female voice speaks.

 

To be continued. . .

 

[Aaron]

Time - Late Morning

 

Location - Black Fire Mainland, Southern Coast

 

Aleria looked off into the distance from the shoreline of the main Continent. Her hazel eyes unable to see the island from the horizon that Razanthic laid waste to in such a brief amount of time. She wondered deep down if the God had the power to sink the landmass under the depths of the ocean. She suddenly shook her head with a dark chuckle. Of course a God was able to annihilate an island on a whim. . she noticed the storm the deity had summoned was no more as well, not a single storm cloud as far as the eye could see. And judging by the area around her the storm never reached the mainland. A breeze blows through her soft black hair, the ripped one sleeved shirt she wore was all but gone, she managed to tie the tatters of it around her chest as best she could to stay modest. She looked down at her water damaged and charred pants as well, they didn't look too much better. Her shoes that she was wearing were completely incinerated away leaving her now healed yellow feet bare against the sand bank she stood upon. Deep down, she kept replaying what the mysterious man said in the cave. About how Aaron died because she was involved with Isra. . . the young woman brought her bare yellowish palm up to her face to stare at it in deep thought.

 

"Did Aaron. . ." she paused her train of thought as she looked over her right shoulder at Isra a few feet away. The goddess taking the form of a human was hovered over Aaron's corpse, examining his body for anymore injuries that might have been inflicted. Aleria looked down at Aaron next. . . his eyes were closed, black messy hair covering most of the sides and top of his face from the suns light. With the wound healed over on his neck the deceased man looked to be only sleeping. He looked so peaceful when he was dead. Aleria felt a deep sense of regret hit her gut again as she looked upon her dead friend.

 

"Did Aaron. . . really die because I had Isra as a friend. . .?" she wondered to herself, eyes beginning to water up again as she fought back tears. Isra happened to turn to see Aleria and her eyes watering, Aleria quickly snapped her face back towards the sea hoping Isra didn't see her about to cry. Isra rubbed a hand through her own hair before speaking.

 

"Aleria! Come help me." She called out catching the woman's attention. The black haired and hazel eyes girl turned to look at the green eyed goddess once again. Isra beckoning a hand over to her. "You want me to resurrect Aaron right? You should come help me prepare."  She finished with a quiet sigh as she looked down at the deceased young man. Her free hand reached down to move the hair away from his closed eyes. He was really dead. . . Aleria walked over and sat in the sand without a word next to the body. Her eyes avoiding the corpse.

 

"So. . ." Aleria said quietly, as if she were becoming a victim of depression. "How does this work. . . retrieving the soul of a dead person? You told me it had to be agreed upon by you and Nevram, the deity of death?" She asked curiously as she turned to gaze upon Isra. The goddess nodded as a breeze whipped across the coastline blowing sand up gently into the wind.

 

"That's right. . . in order to bring back a person from the dead it requires approval from the God of death. . . the goddess of Fate. . . or the sole approval from the King of Gods. . ." she answered in a soft tone as she continued examining Aaron. She began to place her hands on his blood soaked clothes, a white light appearing again as the blood stains faded away. . . she was rejecting Fate again. Aleria couldn't help but be amazed at this power she possessed.

 

"King of Gods? You mean Desara?" She muttered to herself. "The one that nearly brought the end of the world?" She continued. Isra nodded.

 

"Yes, Desara is the only one who can bring back a dead person without approval from the death god. . . because he's so powerful the laws of death and life are beneath him." Isra said, looking up to the woman next to her. Aleria fell quiet, and then nodded as if she understood. Her eyes finally gazed upon Aaron's face.

 

"So I understand all that now. . . but the real question is, what exactly do we have to do to bring Aaron back?" She asked the inevitable question. The air was still and quiet for a long moment as Isra looked between her and Aaron.

 

"There are two ways. . ." she said quietly. "The first is called two for one. The second is called an eye for an eye. There are other ways but these two for a fact I know are the ones Nevram accepts without an argument. The other ways have never been successful." She said looking at Aleria again. Aleria tilted her head. . . she looked a little surprised the names were mortal sayings.

 

"An eye for an eye is just what the title says. . . if you want Aaron back alive you'd have to offer your own soul to the afterlife as compensation. Meaning you die in exchange for his souls return." Isra stopped speaking after that and awaited Aleria's response. Aleria didn't speak. . . she didn't know what to do.

 

"I die in return for Aaron's life? I. . . I don't want to die. . .I. . ." she looked upon her dead friend once again. His sleeping face gave her a warm feeling inside. Isra looked curiously and quietly between the two.

 

"Aaron. . . would you do the same. . . for me. . ?" Aleria asked Aaron in her head as she looked at him. She seemed to be seriously pondering it over. . . she was about to speak before Isra interrupted.

 

"Aleria." Isra said, the black haired young female returned her line of sight to the goddess of fate and replied.

 

"Yes?" She said in a soft voice.

 

"Your relationship with Aaron. . . I know it isn't my business to ask but. . ." Isra said looking down at Aaron again. "Would you really give your own life in exchange for his. . . why go so far for someone who's not related by blood to you?" She asked looking back to Aleria. Aleria fell silent,and stared at the ground in front of her. Bringing her legs up to her face and wrapping her arms around them as she rested her chin between her knees.

 

"That's a stupid question." Aleria said in a serious tone, startling Isra. "You're the God of Fate. . . you should know why I pondered giving my own life for Aaron's. As if you even needed to ask. . " Aleria scoffed now showing a deep annoyance that a Goddess of Fate. . . of all Gods would ask her such a trivial question. As if she were being mocked. Isra stuttered before shaking her head in disagreement.

 

"No I didn't mean it like that. . . I just wanted to hear your response. . . just because I'm the Goddess of Fate doesn't mean I can read your feelings for others. . . I'm sorry if the question mislead you." Isra said solemnly looking back at Aaron. "I'll shut up n--  . ." 

 

"He's been my best friend since we were kids." Aleria interrupted an apologetic Isra. The words were soft spoken and remorseful. "Even though I was perfectly capable of handling myself. . . he'd always fight for me and protect me when I was in trouble. . ." she spoke raising her right hand in the air and crossing her index and middle finger. "Me and him are like this. . . we're closer to each other than we probably are to our own families. . . and now thinking about it. . . I hate myself for doubting if Aaron would have done the same thing for me." She sounded sad as she buried her hand into her face and went silent. Isra stared at the girl for the longest moment.

 

"Aleria. . ." she started to speak, but was interrupted again. .

 

"What's the other option? It helps to know both before I decide. . ." she said suddenly, she was caught between agreeing to the initial option versus worrying about her own life. A stray breeze ruffles Aaron's hair as his now pale skin showed no signs of life. Aleria deep down couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if that damn god didn't attack the island yesterday. . . Aaron wouldn't be dead and she wouldn't be feeling so much pain and guilt.

 

"The other requires a sacrifice of two powerful living souls in exchange for a dead one. . . one soul to compensate the initial exchange, another as a sort of bonus for not giving your own life. . ." Isra said quietly. "I didn't think you'd like this one." She remarked after the words were spoken. The silence that followed felt like an eternity wrapped in a few seconds of reality before Aleria broke the silence.

 

"Those are the only two options?" She said quietly under her breath. Isra nodded regrettably as the two sat around the corpse. Another eternity of silence followed. . . no birds chirped. . . no  wind blew. . . not even the waves of the sea swaying made much if any sound.

 

"I'll give my life for Aaron's." Aleria said suddenly in a hushed voice. Isra looked surprised.

 

"Aleria you can't be serious? You don't have to give your life for his there's the second option."

 

"I'm not scared of dying if it means I bring my best friend back!" Aleria suddenly said in a louder and serious tone shocking Isra. "And I'm not coward enough to kill other people to fuel my own selfish desires. . . nor to save my own life when there's a better way." She jerked her head up, eyes filled with determination as she stared Isra in the eyes with her own hazel orbs. "I'll give my life in exchange for Aaron's resurrection. Prepare it all." She ordered in a softer voice now. Isra was silent for a few minutes. . . looking at the sincerity in her eyes, and then to Aaron's body.

 

". . . I'm so sorry I got you involved in this Aleria. . " Isra said fighting back tears all of a sudden. "If I'd never became friends with you. . . you'd not have to die to bring a friend back from the afterlife. . ." she started crying over Aaron. Tears hitting his peaceful face. Suddenly the goddess of fate felt a body pressed against hers. Eyes opened to see Aleria hugging her tightly. Isra couldn't make out what was happening.

 

"Don't cry, Isra. . . you've been a good friend. . ." Aleria pulled her head back to look at the other girls and smiled as best she could. Tears streaming down her own face as well as she cried. "You've also shown me that even Gods can cry and feel remorse. . . if Fate led me to this. . . " she hugged Isra tightly again. "Then I'm glad Fate came and took me away in person." Her voice was soft, sweet, and reassuring. Aleria would then break off the hug and then to face Aaron. She rolled on top him, face hovering dangerously over the dead males. Isra couldn't do anything but watch as the woman spoke to her dead friend afterwards in perhaps the most heart breaking voice she's ever heard in all her existence.

 

"Tears barraged Aaron's peaceful face as his best friend cried over him. Her black hair brushing his cheeks. . .

 

"Aaron. . ." Aleria said smiling while she sobbed. "I'm going away. . . for a long time now. . . when you awaken I want you to behave. . . don't get into fights. . don't eat unhealthy foods like you used to when we were kids. . ." she was now laying atop him sobbing. Her forehead touching his and their lips mere centimeters apart. Isra was watching them. Her eyes so waterlogged to the point her vision got blurry. Aleria continued talking.

 

"Stay out of trouble. .   get along well with everyone you meet. . . make plenty new friends! Don't worry about the small stuff. . . enjoy everything you do. . . and most off all. . . I want you to. . ." she stopped talking as she pressed her lips against his and kissed him. They stayed lip locked for what seemed forever before she pulled her thin lips from his cold ones and smiled again while atop him.

 

"I want you to live. . . Aaron. . . and never forget that you will always be in my mind. . . I hate I never got to tell you this when you were alive, Aaron but. . ." she sat up and rubbed her tears away before now hugging Aaron's body tightly. The sun shone its warm rays atop the two as she finished her goodbye.

 

"I love you. . . Aaron. . . and I hope you never forget the sacrifice I'm doing to prove to you how much I love you. . ." she said sorrowfully as she kissed him one last time. . . and got off him. . . and looked to Isra with a heartfelt smile.

 

"Thank you Isra." She said smiling, eyes closed as hair trickled over her face. Isra gazed upon Aleria with eyes full of sadness. "Thanks for letting me give my friend here a second chance at life. . ." she hugged Isra one last time before letting go.

 

"I'm ready. . . let's bring Aaron back!" She said nodding. Isra seemed hesitant. . . but nodded soon after. . . if it was what Aleria wanted. . . she'd give it to her. .

 

About an hour later. . . everything was ready. . . Aleria laid side by side to Aaron's corpse. White glowing markings covered her body from head to toe. . . as well as Aaron's as a soft glow emanated from the two. Isra had a palm on each of their chests. A soft white light around each heart. Aleria took one last look at Aaron's peaceful face, and extended a hand out to wipe away the hair from his forehead.

 

". . . Isra?" Aleria said in a hushed voice while she still looked at Aaron. Isra looked hesitantly towards Aleria. 

 

"Yes?" She said solemnly. Aleria smiled again and closed her eyes towards Isra.

 

"Please. . . take care of Aaron for me. . . he'll protect you. . . I promise." She spoke assuring. Isra didn't reply. "And don't let him blame himself for my decision. . . promise?" Aleria asked sniffling. Isra looked away and to Aaron. . . a goddess doing all of this for a mortal because of a  grave error she made herself. . . and even now was she really about to promise something to a mortal and be protected by one in the same day?

 

". . . . I promise. . ." Isra finally said after a long moment of thought. Aleria nodded and waved to her a farewell.

 

"I feel my life slipping away. . . looks like this is goodbye Isra. . . thanks again. . ." she nodded as she laid back looking at the orange sky. Isra didn't reply. . . just cried. 

 

"Live, Aaron. . . and protect Isra. . ." she said to the body as she felt weaker and weaker. Her life was slipping away. Out the corner of her eye she caught the faintest twitch of Aaron's eyelid as he was being revived. A small chuckle escaped her lips as her eyes finally closed. Her last sight being Aaron and the orange sky.

 

"Such a pretty view. . . she thought to herself as her eyes closed and she finally fell into deaths embrace. . .

 

A few minutes later. . . light brown eyes opened to see the world reborn. . . and once dead pale skin returned to it's natural yellowish butter color. 

 

Aaron was back from the dead. . .

 

To be continued. . .

 

[SM Nick]

I gotta admit, dude. This story is giving me hard feels. Well done!

[Aaron]

It's a lot better than the initial version of the story I wrote that's for sure.

[Aaron]

Time - Late Morning

 

Location - Black Fire Mainland, Southern Coast

 

Light brown eyes opened up once again to get a taste of that fleeting orange and yellow shaded skyline. . .a once cold dead body now gasping for air as it lurched into a upright position grabbing their own face in shock.

 

Aaron looked over himself rabidly, he looked confused. . . bewildered. . . astonished. . . scared. . . you name it. His fingerless black gloved hands dug into the sand before him as he examined his black outfit before suddenly clamoring to feel at his neck, right around the jugular. . . no wound. . . his mind went haywire as his body started to get back onto it's natural bodily functions. . . he was breathing once again and alert. . . Aaron was alive. .  back from the dead. The black hair bangs hugging the sides of his yellow face swayed briefly in the wind as a breeze picked up. Hair covering the upper half of his eyes and his entire forehead as he continued to examine himself.

 

"I thought I died. . ." he said to himself as he brought his hands to his neck again. "I was sure there was a wound here. . . that girl had put a clean thin cut right across my jugular. . . I should be dead, why am I alive!?" He asked confused before finally looking up away from his body across to Isra, who was silent. Dead silent. She didn't even look at Aaron, her body curled up as her face laid buried in her lap. 

 

"Isra was it? Why am I not dead!? Why are you here? Where's Aleria!?" Aaron began to rapidly ask a montage of questions. But before he could answer he finally noticed the body out the corner of his right eye. He turned to look, the jet black collar of his sleeveless black vest covering his chin and lower lips of his yellow tinted face as he looked down. 

 

And then his eyes. . . slowly widened. . . as Aleria's lifeless body was laid out in tattered clothes in front of his face. . . a small smile atop what could be seen of her face, most of it covered by her long black hair. 

 

". . . . . . ." Aaron just stared, and stared, and stared. His eyes however, unlike his lips or body were watching for the rise and fall of the girls chest to indicate she was breathing. . . maybe she was sleep? Yeah. . . she was sleeping. . when he didn't see her chest rise and fall Aaron would lean over towards her and extend his arm out and feel her neck for a pulse, her body was already losing heat. . . and there was no pulse. Aaron deducted that she died very recently. . . he didn't say a word. He just hovered on his knees over Aleria's body as he kept his hand to her neck searching for a pulse. His eyes covered almost completely by the hair falling from his forehead in the form of thick black bangs. Isra finally raised her head, and turned to look at Aaron looming over Aleria. The  goddesses tear ridden green eyes and red tinted face full of sorrow and sympathy as she watched Aaron just sit there.

 

". . . . Isra. . ." Aaron suddenly said right as another small gust of wind ruffled Aleria's hair pushing some of it away to the point her closed eyes were now visible from under her hair. Isra stared, but didn't reply. . . Aaron, still looking down at Aleria with his index and middle finger looming on her neck for a pulse, continued.

 

". . . . Tell me why. . ." he trailed off for a second, as if he himself were trying to build up the courage to say the next few words and finish the sentence. After some time. . . he continued. 

 

"Tell me why. . . . Aleria is dead. . . " he said in a cold, quiet, serious tone as he didn't look up. There was another moment of silence. Isra buried her head back into her legs as she finally spoke.

 

"I'm sorry Aaron. . . I didn't mean for any of this to ha--"

 

"That's not what I asked you." Aaron interuppted her in a blunt and dead tone. "I asked you, why is Aleria dead?" He restated the question as he looked at her with a menacing glare. His light brown eyes focused so much on Isra that his pupils looked almost cat like in appearance. Isra went quiet.

 

". . . When you died. . ." she said trying to find the will to explain it all to the young man. Aaron stared at her like a demon. . . "We had escaped. . . and brought you here. . . and. . ." she started to trail off, he really didn't want to continue with her explanation.

 

"Fucking answer my question." Aaron ordered her now clenching his left hand into a fist, right still rested on Aleria's neck. His voice sounded malevolent and intense.

 

"She gave her life in exchange for me to bring you back from the dead!" Isra suddenly screamed aloud tearing the air with her distraught voice. Aaron's eyes dilated again as if his mind just broke. . . ten minutes would pass without a word spoken. Aaron would look between Isra and Aleria's corpse during that ten minute silence every so often. His expression broken and shocked. . before that all too familiar sense of anger started to wash over him.

 

"Take it back. . ." he said abruptly in a dead serious voice. Isra looked up at him. "Give her life back to her. . . take this shit back right fucking now. . ." Aaron was so mad he started crying from frustration. His teary eyes looking down at Aleria's peaceful sleeping face. "You fucking idiot. . . why would you. . ." he leaned over and buried his head into her exposed stomach. His hands grabbing her body as he scooped her body up into his arms and sat there hugging the dead woman. "Why would you even do that. . . . WHY!?" He screamed at the end of his sentence. Isra didn't know if he were talking to her or Aleria's body. The young man just sat there huddled over Aleria's body as he broke down. His voice cracking and crackling as he mourned. He and Aleria must've been really close. . .

 

"AAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" He screamed suddenly out at the ocean before burying his head back into Aleria's body crying. "Don't die. . . don't die!" He pleaded over and over again as he hugged her tighter. "Don't leave me here by myself. . . after all the years we've stuck together. . . you FUCKING LEAVE ME!" He screamed again before suddenly releasing her corpse and walking towards Aleria with a menacing look. "WHY DID YOU LET HER DO THIS!?" He jerked a finger at her as he walked to the goddess. Isra stood up, as if she was getting ready to defend herself or possibly run if needed. "WHY DID YOU HAVE TO EVER BE HER FRIEND! YOU GOT US INTO THIS SHIT!" Aaron lashed his left hand out leasing a arc of blue fire that streamed briefly into the air distorting it before dissipating.

 

"Maybe you caused that fucking deity to attack the island too! Is that it!?" He then spit another accessing question at Isra. He was so mad he wasn't even thinking logically anymore. . . his body running on pure emotions. Isra didn't initially reply, she'd just watch him scream at her. . .

 

"He cared for her more than she did for him. . . unbelievable. . . could that really be?" Isra thought to herself as she compared Aaron's reaction over Aleria's death to what Aleria did when Aaron was killed. . . she'd note Aleria seemed empty inside after she saw Aaron's throat cut. . . but Aaron just seemed to be accompanied with rage, sadness, frustration, loneliness, and emptiness. . . could Aleria have impacted his childhood that much!? Moreso than he impacted hers? Finally, Isra spoke.

 

"She wanted me to. . . she said she wanted you to live. . ." Isra fell quiet after she replied. Aaron shut up when the words hit his ears, and he just stared upon Isra with a shocked yet blanked out expression. "She even berated herself for questioning if you would have done the same for her. . ." Isra scoffed sadly under her breath. "She was right. . . you would've did the same thing she did. . ." she finished talking, and looked off at the ocean away from Aaron. Aaron's fist clenched tightly as he lowered his head staring at the ground.

 

". . . Bring her back. . . she doesn't need to die because of you. . . wait. . ." his eyes glared at Isra as if he'd just had a revelation. "How did you. . . " he'd fall short on his sentence as he looked back over to Aleria's body briefly, and then feel his neck where there should have been a wound. "How did you bring me back. . . you're not a necromancer. . ." he'd ask quietly as his eyes showed heavy confusion. Isra stared at him for a moment, then laughed a little sadly.

 

"That's right. . ." she'd speak to herself before looking at Aaron again. "You died before everything was said. . ." she'd stop talking allowing the words to sink into Aaron's mind. Truth be told she pondered if she should tell Aaron she was a deity in human form at the moment. . . then she'd look back over to Aleria's body as her thoughts ran wild. Finally. . . she'd decided on what to do next. . . just before Aaron finally collected his thoughts.

 

"After everything was explained? The fuck are you talking about!? Answer my goddamn question HOW AM I ALIVE AND SHE'S NOT!? WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE GAVE HER LIFE FOR MINE I CLEARLY WAS KILLED BEFORE HER!" He yelled angrily as his eyes turned that pale bluish white again, his energy remained calm however. Another eternity of silence washed over the vicinity as the creeping sunrise shone more light upon them. Isra didn't reply, she just walked up to Aaron slowly. . . the man taking a step back as he looked at her walking up to him.

 

"Relax Aaron." Isra said in a soft voice. "I'm the deity of fate and sealing. . . I brought you back by Aleria's request and we gave her soul to Nevram, the deity of the afterlife. . . in exchange for yours. . . " she'd drop the information on Aaron like a bomb, Aaron's eyes widened in shock as she told him that. . . but did he really believe her? Isra used his brief stunned reaction to close the distance and placed her left palm on Aaron's forehead after reaching under the bangs that covered almost his entire forehead. Her skin soft and cool against his as he finally looked her in the eye, she was a few inches shorter than him. . . before he could speak however, a warm day of energy pulsed through his mind. . . and he felt drowsy and calm. Isra whispered in his ear as his legs gave out and he fell into her arms where she gently laid him out across the sand by Aleria's body.

 

"She loved you, Aaron. She wanted to tell you in her lifetime. . . but because of me. . ." a tear fell and hit Aaron's drowsy face as she continued. "And. . . I've finally thought of a way to where we can all stop hurting over the recent incidents. . ." she'd mumble quietly as she rubbed Aaron's forehead. His eyes started to feel heavy as he futilely tried to reach up and removed her hand from his forehead. His arm didn't respond however. . . as if it fell asleep before him. Another quiet breeze washes over the three.

 

"What are you. . ." Aaron barely managed to speak before his mouth no longer felt like moving, as if his lips were too tired to speak. 

 

"I'm going to alter your memories. . ." Isra said in a soft spoken sorrowful tone. Her sandy brown human hair brushing Aaron's groggy face. "You'll forget about the two people in the crystal cave. . . you'll forget you died. . . and also you'll forget about me and Aleria. . ." Isra kept talking. "Her last wish was to watch over you. . . and to make sure you didn't do anything stupid because of you learning she gave her life for you. . ." her words felt heavier and heavier with each sentence. . . "When you awake. . . you'll not even remember I spoke to you, you'll think you just escaped the City of Roses by yourself and took refuge in the city I'm about to leave you in. . . " she explained to Aaron. 

 

"You. . . don't. . ." Aaron said feeling the sleep taking him, his memories slowly began to fade. . . he'd turn his head barely to look at the body of Aleria next to him. His mind going blank at identifying who it was.

 

". . . Aira. . . Aevis. . who is that girl laying beside me. . . is she ok. . . Aaron tried to figure out who the girl next to him was to no avail. . . was he really about to forget about her? Isra noticed him looking at Aleria's corpse in confusion, and then spoke in a sad but assuring tone. . .

 

"Don't worry. . . I'll leave a fragment of her existence in your memories. . . she didn't want you to forget about her. . . but you won't know why she's in your mind or how you know her. . . it'll all feel like a dream. . I'll take care of her body. . . don't worry. . ." Isra still crying said quietly. Aaron looked up at the female deity with heavy eyes.

 

"Who are. . . you. . . ?" He said confused as he finally succumbed to the darkness of his eyes as he fell asleep. Isra waited until he had fallen unconscious that she began to finalize the altering of his memories. Her soft spoken voice uttering out the final words she'd say to him.

 

"I'm just a remnant of your original memories now, along with Aleria. . . take care, Aaron. And I'm sorry. . ." she whispered as she finished her work on his mind. Everything faded away afterwards. As if the world as it was known was erased from reality. . .

 

Two days later. . .

 

Time - Sunrise

 

Location - A studio apartment in the Capital City of Embers, Black Fire.

 

Soft. . . Aaron felt something very soft caressing his skin as the image of a young girl around his age stood in front of him. . . her face shadowed out in his psyche as he tried to remember her name. No matter how much he tried, as if the name was on the tip of his tongue. . . he couldn't remember a face or name to place with the body of the woman he saw. . .

 

And then his eyes opened. . .

 

Aaron stared at the cream white ceiling of the small hotel room he was lying in. The blades of the spinning fan blocking his clear cut view every other second as the metal blades spun between his line of sight and the ceiling. The air inside the small room was still and lacking any specific smell to it. The queen sized bed he laid half buried under the covers in felt so inviting to his muscles and bones. Quiet filled the air around him, nothing made a noise. . . not even the spinning fan made much of a sound save the quiet hum it made as blades sliced air.

 

". . . . . There's that dream again. . . been happening to me the past two days. . ." Aaron sighed quietly under his breath, a bare arm extended upward as if trying to touch the fan as his light brown eyes looked at the outside of his palm in thought. His bare light skinned chest and head would move to a sitting up position as one arm pulled the white and grey colored covers away from his lower half. "The same one with that faceless and voiceless girl. . . it's starting to get annoying. . ." he'd shake his head groggily before turning his body to the side of the large comfy bed and placing his naked feet on the creaky wooden floor covered by fine greyish cream colored carpet and he'd stand up stretching.

 

"What time is it anyway? Ugh." He'd ask himself as he walked away from the bed towards the screen door a meter or two away in the studio apartment. Passing a lone long built dark grey couch and a coffee table with a electronic radio and a bowl with some leftover what looked to be chocolate candy and peanuts in it. His finger flicked on the switch of the small square radio as he passed it on his way to open the curtains covering the screen door and let some light shine into the dark room. The radio whizzed a little before a the gruff voice of a males soon whirred through the speaker.

 

"In recent happens the Black Fire army has finally estimated a number of casualties and survivors of the recent attack on one of the Islands off the southern coast of the continent by the Deity of Tsunami." the man's voice spoke in a formal tone. Aaron pulled apart the curtains as the words reached his ears and the orange skyline poured flooded its warm morning light into the studio room. Black Fires sky was always reminiscent of Dawn or Dusk due to the aura signatures of its inhabitants influencing the color spectrum of the sky above to favor more red and orange shades over the typical blue skies one would see anywhere else. Aaron would stare out at the city from his screen window as the radio continued.

 

"Over 90% of the inhabitants of the the island didn't survive between the initial onslaught to the ten minute preparation period for the mass Emergency Teleportation Evacuation Call, or ETAC plan. . . of the ten percent said to have survived, over 5% were killed by an unknown phenomena inside the crystal caves where the survivors were dropped off as well as all relief soldiers that were stationed underground to help guide the survivors to safety in such a emergency. Both the Black Fire army and the Black Phoenix elite ops are investigating the cause of homicide." the radio continued on catching Aaron's ear as he turned his head to look at the radio, a long black parting that even passed the bottom of his chin was hiding his right ear from view as he listened. His eyes narrowed as he listened.

 

"The supposed less than 5% that survived have scattered to the wind. Police are trying to find them for questioning. We will keep more updates for you coming in the near fut-"

 

Aaron shut the radio off without another word and just stood there alone in his barely furnished apartment room. 

 

". . . . Less than five percent huh?" He scoffed to himself as he knew he was a survivor as well and walked towards and then passed his bed to a tall two doors wooden wardrobe and opened it. "Don't question me. . . I don't even remember how I managed to get this room or a wardrobe full of clothes." He said quietly under his breath as he pulled out a black t shirt, some black and grey camouflage pants and a pair of calf high militia style black boots. He'd dress himself up quietly before grabbing his room key off the small cupboard by his bed and stepping out his room locking the door behind him and out into the streets of the Capital of Black Fire. . . the City of Embers.