《Steeled Heart》


 Chapter 1- The Last Loyalty (Revised)

    ¡°Some say that death is a creative musician. Interweaving the clashing of steel with the wails on the battlefield. If you wish to leave, then don¡¯t join listen to his deathly lullaby.¡± -General Kleinfres of the 3rd Legionnaire Division


    <hr>


    Somewhere in the Andromeda galaxy, a bloody and gruesome battle was raging amongst the stars. Soldiers fighting soldiers. Commanders on both sides bellowing orders. Large Annihilation class warships, each the size of a small city, battling hundreds of smaller guard ships protecting a Transport ship.


    The sound of steel and gunfire are exploding, soldiers are crying and their morale plummeting. Some lost their eyes, others lost limbs and organs. However, what they do have in common is a fear... a fear for the monsters called Legionnaires. Warriors revered for their battle prowess yet feared for their difference.


    Trained from the age of 5, they have no family, friends nor consider each other comrades. With synthetic blood colored eyes capable of vision outside the visible spectrum and ears capable of hearing a heartbeat from fifty feet away, no one can hide from them. And war was the only thing they truly understood.


    Looking at their handiwork was even more unbelievable. The scene of hundreds of bodies floating adrift in space with faces plastered full of fear would send shivers down any man¡¯s spine. And if one adds their wails and howls then the signature masterstroke of the Legionnaires would be complete.


    War and death, playing their duet of blood, hatred and fear. While best soldiers accompanied them as their choir of shouts and screams.


    At the face of all of this was the young legionnaire Vane Kendryck, a soldier part of the experimental platoon. Clad in a mechanical exoskeleton allowing for a multitude of movements. With Black hair adorned with a few streaks of white and a cold face of indifference many mistook him for a demon in human skin.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    His objective was simple: prevent the enemy from transporting a weapon capable of destroying an entire planet. Yet there was one problem: they had only a dozen minutes until the transport vessel¡¯s engines are repaired and would take half the time to reach null space, where it couldn¡¯t be tracked¡­


    <hr>


    They had royally screwed up.


    Though he had already eliminated the rebel crew, this came at a steep cost. By the time the battle was over, only Vane had remained to disable the bomb. However, time was running out and he had to act quick.


    Running towards the containment field which held the bomb, he heard the ship¡¯s AI announce over the comm system.


    ¡°Warning! Three minutes until detonation. Any remaining crewmen must reach their designated evacuation posts.¡±


    The transport was a ruse. They weren¡¯t aiming to relocate the weapon. They meant to destroy the Empire¡¯s Fleet. Themselves along with it.


    It¡¯s a trap.


    He had far too little time to disarm the device. Any soldier would be hopeless against stopping this. However, Vane wasn¡¯t just a soldier.


    You see, legionnaires always put their lives to serve the empire. Why wouldn¡¯t Vane? After all, he has no friends nor family. The closest thing he has ever had for a home is the base he¡¯s assigned to. So, he did the one thing that could stop the bomb.


    Nearby at the edge of null space there was an irregular blackhole known to reduce anything, even light to the most basic of forms.


    Setting the ship on autopilot towards the event horizon. Quickly entering a Cryo-sleep chamber, he watched from his closing eyes, reflections of his life dancing around him.


    As machines surrounded him, he felt something break at the base of his neck.


    From then on, everything went black as the timer on the bomb went to zero...

 Chapter 2- The Lonely Abyss (Revised)

    ¡°So, you wish to hunt the monsters among men huh? To bring an era of peace you say? Hah! Don¡¯t you know? To hunt monsters, you must become one yourself.¡± - Captain Trofmann Stephan of the Imperial Enforcers


    <hr>


    As the bomb went off, something strange happened. The explosion triggered the rapid creation of a negative mass within the black hole and within that split second, the transport vessel disappeared along with the strange spacial phenomenon. Only later did people learn that this was the creation of a very unstable wormhole and research of this event would soon usher a new age of space exploration, and with it a new age of war.


    However, the one responsible for this was unaware of the consequences of his actions. All he knew was that he was trapped, drifting in space for years to come.


    <hr>


    (Vane POV)


    ¡°Log entry 1253: Emotional containment has been experiencing brief failures recently. I may soon require maintenance should I wish to prolong my mental state. I have begun to run several self-diagnostics. Estimated time to completion, several months. A long time.¡±


    Time...


    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    How many years has it been...


    10 years? A decade? Maybe even a century?


    Wait...


    ¡°What am I thinking? Sensors indicate that only several years have passed. Emotional containment must be prolonged unless I become irrational and disobey protocol. I must return to stasis.¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°Log 135457: What am I even doing? WHY AM I STILL RECORDING THESE ENTRIES! ¡°


    Calm down Vane.


    Calm down¡­


    Shouting won¡¯t do anything¡­


    CONTROL YOUR EMOTIONS.


    Its all you can do¡­


    <hr>


    It was Dark.


    So... so dark.


    So... dark and...


    Lonely.


    Why am I lonely? I¡¯m a Legionnaire, why am I feeling... feeling something?!


    ¡°THIS ISN¡¯T ME!¡± The young Legionnaire roared.


    Nothing felt real anymore. His protocols were breaking down. His Subconscious was taking its first steps towards humanity.


    He was confused. He didn¡¯t even know that what emotions he was experiencing. It all came flooding out, his hatred, despair, sadness. The emotions held back by the now broken implant were now his captors. All his life he had no emotions, no conscience, no warmth¡­


    No heart.


    However, this void that contained the stricken Legionnaire wasn¡¯t as it seemed.


    As the Legionnaire¡¯s now beating heart was about to enter cryo-sleep once more, within the uncharted space, a miracle was happening in that lonesome abyss.


    Within, was a forming world. And his prison was unintentionally heading towards it, mistaking it for an old rebel base.


    And all this began at the time of Vane¡¯s next cryo-sleep.

 Chapter 3- Unwelcome Visitor

    ¡°In life you can never complete much, only pass it along to the next generation.¡±- Unknown Author


    <hr>


    (Vane POV) 18 years later


    I¡¯ve lived my whole life in blur of flashes. Over and over.


    I remember machines caring for me and hundreds of others while scientists of the empire probed tampered with our biology. The few lucky hundred died within a few years. Then the surgeries happened. Again, and again.Cut after cut. Implant after implant. I was being made into an avatar of war.


    I remember the crimson moons, the frozen planets and the dead cities. The vessels of my empire raining down fire onto an already burning from the rage of our weapons.


    I remember Death.


    I remember Hell.


    And I remember suffering


    The only true warmth I felt came from warm blood. In my abysmal cold, only the heat of war could comfort me. I knew of no other way. They had what had been taken from me. However, it is only now that I realized what that. Here in this cold, lonely, and empty void where I am cursed to watch the endless stars. Where I am cursed to descend into madness.


    They took everything¡­


    ¡­ and I want it back.


    ¡°¡­I-I w-will become human¡­¡±


    In the endless void I found much hope in this new rage but attained no comfort. For years I had been in a ruthless cycle of rage and sleep. For a decade, the loneliness had been destroying something within me. I could feel it. The machines within me beginning to break down and malfunction¡­


    ¡­ Slowly, I¡¯m becoming human once more.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    But it feels wrong. Something was warring within me. My own newly confounded human side told me it was beneficial but the subroutines within screamed otherwise.


    However, little did I know that rage and humanity was soon to be put to the test¡­


    ¡­ whether I was ready or not


    <hr>


    (Logus)


    The village of Lato, it has always been a quiet, peaceful, and remote place. Far from the frontlines of the east, they were part of the fortunate to have been spared from the flames of war.


    This quaint little area is found near the edge of a valley in the west surrounded by lush green forests and calm streams from the springs of the mountains. Where there were no trees there were rich golden farmlands and rustic homes made from stone, timber, and steel.


    Here live a small population of some hundred farmers, craftsmen, and hunters. All had relatively comfortable lives¡­


    Until now.


    <hr>


    (Lato) Later at night


    ¡°Hey Korther! Let¡¯s go, we¡¯re about to miss the Starfall!¡± a small high-pitched voice yelled out. It belonged to a young girl of about 5 years of age.


    Near the streams, there were two children skipping across them. A boy and his little sister.


    This spot was famous among the villagers for its reflection of the moonlight and the stars. It was nicknamed ¡°The Mirror¡± by the hunter that discovered it some few decades ago. This place was also a favorite among the children for stargazing.


    Every other year, when stars become less and less visible, hundreds of meteor showers would crisscross above in the dark azure sky above the small village.


    However, this was going to be different because of a certain someone new in their home world.


    <hr>


    ¡°The time has come hasn¡¯t it?¡¯ bellowed a deep, ancient, and powerful voice.


    Above the world of Logus, in the beautiful azure, there was a small, unnatural blue orb of light blanketed by the white clouds.


    Suddenly, the orb fell at a terminal velocity towards a continent far into the west of this world, into a city.


    At first glance, this mist-covered city seemed amazing beyond belief. The structures of this city came in many forms and shapes. Some were elongated towers reaching for the sky while others were large gardens with beautifully paved roads. With superb quality and architecture, one would expect a hundred people a few decades to make one of the hundreds of towers that dot the city. However, one close look at this city would inspire terror in even the most fearless of warriors.


    The entirety of the city was almost ethereal, fading in and out of existence. The majestic white buildings were not made of white brick but of millions of bone fragments from strange looking creatures. Even the huge gardens were nothing but the petrified existence of their former selves, roots, flowers, and all. This place was home to the Etherians, a race of ghastly creatures serving the old gods of Logus. They resembled old wrinkled corpses and primarily served as the warriors and servants of their creators.


    At the very center of the chilling but amazing scenery, the orb of light landed in front of a giant temple of pitch black stone. Looking as if millions of skilled workers had poured their lives into creating it, it was engraved with such detail to the point of it being almost microscopic. This was the pride of the Etherians, a temple for their masters.


    Immediately after landing, the orb took a different form, the figure of an old man and entered the temple. Easily opening the giant doors.


    ¡°Inform the Old Gods and the Bound Council. An invader has arrived.¡±

 Chapter 4- A Distorted World

    ¡°In times of pain and sorrow, when the light scorches your eyes, it is only natural to aspire for the darkness of the shadow and relish its embrace.¡± -Vareth, last knight of Lotheria.


    <hr>


    The Valley of a Thousand Streams. It¡¯s a calm and serene place found in the west. Following its name, hundreds, if not thousands of streams flowed from the icy heights from hidden springs deep within the heart of the mountains. A flowing life-giving substance that blooms into lush forests, green pastures, and colorful flowers hidden among tall grasses.


    Before the times of war, hundreds of people ranging from kings to farmers would visit this exhibit of nature to see it¡¯s wonders with their own eyes. Another reason for their visit would be for the Starfall that occurs every other year. During this event, a great darkness spreads over the stars for a short period of time. Right after, hundreds of meteors would crisscross and shower above the already majestic valley.


    Here there was a large town called Havan, a town filled with merchants, taverns, inns, and other luxurious businesses trying to attract these many tourists. They had an irrigation system often found only in large cities along with many well paved stone streets and stone buildings. Not having any easily accessible farmland nearby, they mainly relied on travelling traders and merchants for their supplies, and often made contracts with skilled hunters from nearby towns and cities for their game.


    However, that was before¡­


    Now these lands were barren of almost any life. As war erupted and destroyed the eastern kingdom of Lotheria, merchants were scarce and men from all over the continent were conscripted by their kings and lords to prepare for the much-anticipated bloodshed. As such, this formerly flourishing town crashed down like a bird shot by an arrow.


    After its inhabitants joined the newly created village of Lato to find a new way of life, the city was soon quickly overgrown by mosses, vines, and grasses as if it was supplemented by some unknown force. Soon this came to be known as the Ruins of Havan, a fallen glory.


    However, the one thing that has never changed was the majesty.


    The green meadows were still ever so serene. The streams continued flowing down the mountain. Trees were littered along the meadow as if to form an endless maze. Hundreds of small animals, from the hare sleeping in its burrow to the nocturnal birds singing their birdsong, brought a colorful life into the beautiful scenery. It was almost perfect¡­


    ¡­if not for the strange ripples in the nighttime sky.


    The sound of an object ripping past the skies at frightening speeds radiated all over the valley. Like a knife through softened butter, a roaring flame ripped the clouds to shreds while falling towards the old ruins. About the size of a large house, this gargantuan structure was on a collision course with the overgrown town.


    Suddenly before it crashed, a flame surrounded the vessel which soon turned into ice, stopping it. Even as the ship was stopped, as if with a will of its own, the ice continued creeping into the cracks of the hull and eventually freezing most of it¡­The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡­Most of it, but not everything.


    <hr>


    It¡¯s quiet.


    Too quiet¡­


    During half of the time I spent asleep, I had been dreaming of the past that could have been mine. I remember dreaming of azure skies and soft clouds. I dreamt of dancing in the middle of the aurora, described by the data of rebel databases. I could have had a lover, a family, maybe some close friends, but we all know that the truth is dark and grim.


    The other half was of this truth. Unbreakable chains were tearing me limb from limb as I tried to wake from these despicable nightmares. Families, children, innocents, I watched as I culled the life from them, unable to do anything about it. I remember crimson rivers and bleak graveyards. I remember the empire tearing my brethren, limb from limb to teach us a lesson.


    We weren¡¯t free men. We were manufactured. With serial code, color coding, batch number, and everything. I was worth little more than an android servant. I was the byproduct of an experiment, a puppet made only to enforce the ruthless will of the Imperial Family. Nothing more¡­


    ¡­¡¯Nothing more¡¯ my ass!


    I will rise and get what¡¯s rightfully mine. For now, however¡­


    Why aren¡¯t I dreaming?


    ¡­Nothing but the echoes of my voice. I was in the void, no doubt about it, but I noticed that something was off. I was on an old road, wearing my 2<sup>nd</sup> generation combat exoskeleton and armed with what¡¯s left in my sidearm along with several knives. I was surrounded by faint lights and broken islands, floating and giving color to the bleak void. All these little islands made up what looked like the remains of a once beautiful ancient city.


    Walking around I noticed that some parts of the city were lively with lush green vegetation and well-maintained pavement and brick. On the other hand, other segments looked like they were raided by savages and beasts, judging by the burnt buildings and numerous claw marks that dotted the city ruins. At the center was a castle that was reduced to rubble.


    The one thing in common between all of them were the faint images of people, from toddlers to knights and merchants. They all looked to be conducting their day-to-day business whether it be patrolling the streets or promoting their businesses and stalls. Once one would cross the border of their island, they seemed to vanish while others appeared.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    There was a strange blood trail across the islands. How was it strange? From the blood emerged dark wolves as if they were coming out of a lake. They came out of the sinister looking trail seeming as if they were starving. Their fur was pitch black, coated with patches of dried blood. Wearing deep yellow eyes adorned with slits rather than pupils, they roamed around the strange place. They looked at many of the specters of people, judging them like wolves normally do their prey. As soon as they spotted me, they began to howl which caused the specters around us to drop everything they were doing and flee in terror. Dozens more arrived and began to surround me until there were around 40 of them.


    ¡°No matter where I go, I guess trouble always follows closely behind. I almost feel sorry for them.¡±


    I unlock the safety on my pistol, a modified magnum I got from a rebel corpse from the early days of my deployments. With my other hand I unsheathed a large bowie knife the size of a man¡¯s forearm. Within the oversized knife was a neurotoxin powerful enough to kill an elephant but was ineffective against me. However, as if realizing my intension, these wolves began charging at me. As they charged me, they opened their mouths revealing a dark mist which they launched at me.


    Dodging by instinct, I watched as the mist hit several of the wolves. As the mist made contact the wolves began crying out in pain as it started to devour them, leaving nothing but the mist which soon dissipated.


    My instincts soon began to take over me as I sliced one wolf across the jugular and shot another in the head. I began to hear it, after all this time. The ballroom music of battle, I had to tread lightly but also with precision. I was dancing between the borders of life and death, of sanity and insanity, of happiness and madness. And dance I did, for what seemed like an eternity.


    However, I soon notice that most of the wolves were already dead. The last of them were grouped together in a corner, wounded and trembling in fear. They knew I wasn¡¯t going to back down now. Looking at myself, I then notice a large amount of blood staining me a dark crimson color. Around me lay the rest of the wolves, all dead and ripped to shreds by either bullet or knife. How I missed this.


    How long has it been, death, my dear old friend.


    ¡®So, you intend to become a puppet of rage huh? Another mindless avatar of destruction.¡¯ Suddenly I hear a voice say in my head as a burning pain assaults the base of my neck.


    I remember now. The rage, the despair, the emptiness, the coldness, the endless abyss¡­I am different now.


    ¡°¡­no more.¡± I whisper as I sheathe my weapons.


    The wounded wolves, which seemed bewildered at my action took the first chance to escape. With determination, I tell myself:


    ¡°This madness, it shall end now. Now I am a free man, no longer slave to the empire.¡±


    All the sudden, the world around me begins to warp and distort and I soon find myself within the ruins of the castle. Looking in front of me I find the decayed corpse of a knight within a terrifying set of black armor impaled by several black spears. Instead of eyes, it had yellow flames that began to glow. A voice that sounded like rotted instruments, then began to speak in my head.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting a long time for someone like you to come here.¡±


    It¡¯s eyes then took on a blue hue as it began leaning towards me.


    ¡°Mind giving up a part of your flesh?¡±

 Chapter 5- The Burning Knight

    ¡°Death in all its forms is a release. A release from responsibility, from pain and mostly from the fleetingness of life.¡± -Geran, Last Disciple of Arias, the goddess of death


    <hr>


    ¡°Mind giving up a part of your flesh?¡± The figure laughed.


    It was overwhelming. Every word he spoke seeped out power, one I could feel. The air around me felt heavier the longer he laughed. My armor began creaking and my hands shaking. No matter how much I tried to move, I couldn¡¯t. It was like he had hijacked my every muscle. What the hell is this thing doing to me?


    ¡°Oh, that? Hmmm¡­ So, you really are just like him. You¡¯re not an exile like me, you possess raw void energy. No¡­¡± As soon as he spoke, the strange pressure around me started to dissipate.


    ¡°¡­w-what the hell are you talking abou-¡± However before could finish, a stronger, much more powerful aura surrounded me as he began speaking in strange and alien tongues.


    I could feel it; every part of my body was in agony. Blood was filling my mouth, threatening to drown me. My knees trembled and screamed out as every bone in my body started cracking, with my vision becoming blurry. My body wanted to fall to the ground there and then, but then I remembered.


    I¡¯m done kneeling for others. This bastard better clench its teeth.


    Finding the strength to stand up, all around me I saw the pools of crimson blood slowly start swirling and churning. As they did, at the center of each appeared specters just like what I saw in the streets. The only difference in this scenario was that they were all bloody, armed and emitting a violent bloodlust. They were holding all sorts of weapons from daggers to crossbows to rapiers. As the old knight looked at me with a questioning look, his eyes took a violent red flare.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    ¡°Hmm, an unyielding one¡­how does it survive without protection? Maybe I could make use of you after all¡­¡± it mumbled. The knight¡¯s eyes started raging into an inferno, surrounding us and the bloody specters. As it did, he emerged from the hellscape, engulfed in flames and started pacing towards me. Out of the surrounding flames, it pulled out a massive black great sword.


    ¡°¡­. Survive, then maybe we could come to a compromise.¡± It pointed its sword at me, all the sudden the strange pressure was gone. ¡°


    ¡­ This Flaming Piece of Scrap just dug its own grave if he thinks he¡¯ll win.


    Lunging at it with the large bowie knife and a retractable steel short sword from my armor, I started kiting it with slashes. The knight skillfully blocking most hits, started swinging the massive sword like a maniac. It was painfully obvious that we were at a stalemate. He would block, parry and dodge my attacks while I dodged every single one of his. An unstoppable force, meeting an immovable object.


    It didn¡¯t help that the specters were there to back him up. Whenever I had an opening, a specter would lunge itself at me to block the hit. On the contrary, the little devils would block me whenever I tried to run or dodge. It was not pleasant.


    We fought for what seemed to be hours, but neither of us were tired. We were all inhuman, machine or magic, so it was to be expected. Whenever I did get a hit in, it would just scratch his armor or cut through the flames that engulfed up his body. He barely even flinched. Whenever he hit me, it hurt like hell. My pain limiters at the base of my spine had worn themselves out in the void. Every hit felt like somebody shoved a grenade into my face...


    ¡­grenade! If blades and bullets weren¡¯t going to cut it, I¡¯ll just blow it up!


    Under normal circumstances, this would¡¯ve been a very stupid idea. However, I doubt a floating city filled to the brim with ghosts and this ugly flaming matchstick would be considered normal. After all, who would ignite a grenade in close-quarters combat, especially one with a 15-meter blast radius.


    Launching several knives and bullets at the specters and the knight, I charged at it with a grenade in my hand and a short sword from my back in the other. It had reached him despite the large gap between us. Deflecting it had made an opening. I sheathed my short sword into a specter as I drew out my pistol and started emptying the magazine at his armor, making a fist-sized hole. He knew that this last attack would dictate the winner. He charged towards me, raising the massive sword high into the air. Pulling the pin, I rolled under his dark blade.


    I didn¡¯t need to look behind me. I had won. Seconds later, the great sword fell along with his armor in the cloud of noise and dust.

 Will be posting in a few days

    HEY PEOPLE AND HELICOPTERS!


    I''m terribly sorry i wasnt able to post in a while, had some IRL problems like exams and fist-fights. I will be posting soon within the week. If you need further explanation, phew...


    Recently we had some exams and research papers than need to be done, for anyone who''s done that well... ya know it''s a pain. Especially since i was chosen by the science director to be the leader.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    Aside from academics, I''ve had some fist fights with some rather "unpleasant" classmates.


    Anyway, love it if you guys would''nt hang me and as always, STAY SAFE!


    Your least favourite author, JuliusSneezer

 Chapter 6- The Butterfly Effect

    ¡°Feast or famine, night or day, heat or cold, my people will never stop hunting you! You people will pay for your crimes!¡± -Last words of Karrian, Barbarian of the Southern Tribes.


    <hr>


    I had won.


    Looking around the bloodied plaza, I watched as the specters just stood still and unmoving. As if on cue with my sight they all started to collapse as their bodies began to disappear into the ground the same way they arrived. It was a sight to behold.


    At the edges of the fight were the debris left from the torrent of flame surrounding us in a perfect circle. Crimson blood, mine with it, decorated the deathly stage like an elaborate embroidery with me and the knight as its centerpiece. A spectacle painted by death itself.


    I couldn¡¯t stand it.


    I promised myself that I would find my humanity yet here I was, fighting like a madman. I was still dancing like a freak on the phantom strings of my former masters. How do I end this cycle?


    ¡°Why do this? Why endorse this hell of mine?¡± I whispered. I guess he heard me because what he said surprised me.


    ¡°Because we¡¯re both beasts of this inferno, boy.¡± Even though his voice was nothing louder than a whisper, the statement resonated within me.


    ¡°I¡¯ve spent years, decades, even centuries in this abyss. Forcibly trapped here by an outsider like you. He made me watch as he killed my people, my Lisandra!¡± the old knight explained.


    ¡± He trapped me here with what was left of my people, blood and dust. Tell me young man, would that not vex you. You bear the same kind of devilish armor as he. Imagine my surprise when you came tumbling here, enshrouded by void energy as strong as the chains that held me here. If you were me, would you not attack yourself? The same kind as the monster!¡± he said as his flaming eyes burned brighter than the torrent from earlier.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    My kind¡­


    It infuriated me.


    ¡°My kind doesn¡¯t exist, old knight. Those that defied our masters died, but I did not.¡± My voice grew with every limp towards the knight.¡± Do not compare me with those I once considered my siblings. I am no longer a slave!¡±


    ¡°You say that yet here we are! Bloodied and wounded as we dance between life and death. Its always there boy, whispering like a siren.¡± As the knight¡¯s flaming eyes began weakening, the ground beneath us began to shake. Amid this violent earthquake the knight continued.


    ¡°The void energy that covered you is beginning to break this place apart. Finally¡­ I can die.¡± He said with peace behind his voice. He raised a hand,¡± I have one last request, young man. Continue my legacy and remember my name, Gherian, last of the Black Banners!¡±


    Limping closer to the man, the ground beneath us began to tremble stronger and crack. Taking his hand with a firm grip, I accepted.


    ¡°I will.¡±


    The ground beneath us crumbled as I felt something seer my back. Then everything went black as ice seeped into the edges of my vision.


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡± a young servant cried while on a lush red carpet leading towards a throne. The throne was made from glistening gold seemingly carved from the rock that surrounded it. Around the throne were gigantic pillars that supported a roof. Each pillar was sculpted with the stories of past kings slaying dragons, leading armies and their times of greatness.


    On the throne was an elderly man with a long, gray hair and a crystal crown. At first glance someone would think that he could barley walk, but the closer you look the more impressed you would get.


    Under his wrinkled skin was chiseled muscle while his eyes were sparkling with youth, strength and wisdom. Beneath fancy robes were thin layers of light riveted chainmail and padded armor. To the king¡¯s side was an ornate encrusted broadsword and a single edge dagger the size of a bowie knife. Clearly this was a man of both words and action.


    This was King Holm, also known as the Holm the Steel King. Famed for his ruthlessness to those that sided against him.


    ¡°What is it Gerhald? Is this about the northern ruins? If it is, then tell me about it tomorrow. It¡¯s getting late.¡±


    ¡°No, your highness! It¡¯s the Starfall! One of the stars fell at the ruins of Havan!¡± this made the king¡¯s eyes go wide open.


    ¡°Havan? Quickly! Tell Naia to investigate it, but also warn her. The stars are foreign to Logus, we don¡¯t know if it is even safe.¡±


    The king¡¯s warning had good reason behind it. The Starfall was considered by many scholars as the coming of mana from the Abyss, an astral realm beyond their own that protects Logus and its gods. While many consider taking its foreign and radiant mana as a grave taboo, the Starfall is undoubtedly the strongest magical yet natural phenomenon in Logus.


    Pre-Imperial records talk of great weapons capable of mass destructions, Dark and twisted creatures, even outside gods coming out of the fallen stars.


    ¡°Gherald, send some soldiers with her as well. I have a feeling that she would need them.¡± Said the old king.


    ¡°At once your highness!¡± the meek boy said before leaving.


    Holm didn¡¯t know what was going to happen, all he had was a feeling that a storm was coming.


    As Holm stood up and left, a strange eye in the shadows floated out of the room through the seems of the stone brick at it turned to mist. It had much to report to its master.

 Hello darkness my old friend~ (Not a chapter)

    Hello People of the Internet!


    As you could probably tell...I haven¡¯t been the most active writer. Thesis is a pain and so is my dream to be an astrophysicist. As such I finally have some(?) free time and am going to redo the story. As it is it: the world feels small,not much character development and my chapters were kind of sloppy.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    I¡¯ll be taking a few weeks to remake these chapters to fit into my new story map along with fixing up the 3 unpublished chapters that I could recover from my dying laptop.


    Im sorry it took this long and thank whomever read this far.


    Sincerely and More Power,


    JuliusSneezer