《Endless Cycle》 Prologue Prologue ¡°When will it stop¡­¡± A weathered man whispered to himself into the eerie silence surrounding him. His gaze rising to meet the cloud stridden sky above. Their grey tone adding to the ominous atmosphere which enveloped the man. Gory bodies of plate and chainmail lay strewn all around. Their mangles limbs still dripping with blood as vultures feasted upon their organs. The man lowered his gaze taking in the endless field of corpses, enemies and allies alike scattering the battlefield with their deaths. Further lowering his tired gaze, he raised his crimson hands, removing his helm, letting it crash down beside him. His light shaded grey hair fell in drapes around his sweat-streaked face, hiding an old and worn countenance, a sharp contrast to his golden eyes, glowing with unearthly radiance. His arms and mind felt heavy with exhaustion as he knelt upon the battlefield. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­I have failed once more.¡± The man echoed in his mind filling his being with sadness. The elderly man felt pain ravage his body as his life embed free of him. Yet compared to the agony within his heart, the physical pain placed no burden on his mind. ¡°There¡¯s one still alive, over there!¡± amidst the calm, a rough voice yelled. Soon, the sounds of heavy boots thundered over towards where the man knelt. Eyeing the dozen men making quick pace towards him, the kneeling figure inspected the men''s attire. Seeing the dark azure colours they donned upon their equipment, he snarled. With new strength surging forth from his half-dead body, he forced himself to rise. The countless wounds upon his body screaming in protest as they tried to shackle him to the ground...yet he refused their call. With his mind sinking into a primal frenzy, he rose to his full 2-meter height. His body looming among the bodies of fallen enemies. He could feel his muscle bulge and tighten as he hardened his grip on his sword, twitching with anticipation of the upcoming slaughter. Closing his amber eyes, he stilled, his breath coming more shallow as tranquility overcame his mind. The men approaching slowed to a stop upon seeing the armour the man wore, hesitation clear on their faces. This wasn¡¯t the usual attire of their enemies.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. The man before them wore intricately designed armour, etched with gold runes still pulsing with energy. Covering the armour, great battles of beasts and dragons depicted themselves upon its surface. At the centre of his chest plate, lay a throne of skulls encased in fire, upon which a figure, half-human, half-creature sat as if observing the cycle of death surrounding it. As they watched the man before them, they felt their bodies grow heavy as their minds warned them of the danger ahead. ¡°¡­. Phoenix King¡­.¡± one of the men whispered, fear evident in his shaky voice. The group of men gulped upon hearing what their companion uttered. Beads of sweat forming on their foreheads at the thought of facing the entity before them. He was someone they all learned to fear. Growing up they had been regaled by countless tales highlighting this man''s might and heroism, the great kingdom he ruled and single-handedly forged to stand against an onslaught of his enemies. Being able to lay their eyes upon this man was an honour they wished they never received in this life. Instinctively, they could sense that they were no match against an existence such as him, despite his numerous wounds. They could feel his aura as it swept over them dulling their senses and chipping away at their psyche, his carnal bloodlust gushing free of him and sweeping over the battlefield. Despite their fear, they were the elites of the Saranian empire, hand selected out of an army of thousands to track down any survivors and eliminate their threat. Stepping forward with conviction one of the men bravely or foolishly shouted towards the man. ¡°Surrender in the name of the Saranian Empire!¡± The man known as the phoenix king let the sound flow through his ears and mind as he felt the power of the world beat through him. Reaching out with his senses he mentally grasped the air drifting around. With a force of will he wielding the element to his purpose, the last of his remaining power seeping out of him and into the world. Opening his eyes, reptilian slits replace his normal pupils as if to warn prey of their imminent demise. Their amber light flickering, as flames danced within, burning everything which would oppose them. With a snap of his arm, his blade flew upwards towards the gathered men. Mid-swing, air condensed around the blade covering the bottom to the tip of the blade. As the blade reached its arching crescendo, the elemental wind ripped free of the weapon, blasting forward in a display of breath-taking speed, closing the gap between him and the gathered men in an instant. An instant after the man had opened his eyes the wind blade ripped through the gathered men, cutting through metal, flesh and bone alike. Before further sweeping past and escaping back into the world behind. The sheer speed and suddenness of the attack had taken even these hardened veterans by surprise, rendering them unable to mount any form of resistance. As the men collapsed to their death, bodies severed in half... so did the Phoenix King, the last flicker of life fading from his body as the final vestiges of power seeping free, leaving nothing but a lifeless corpse. **** Silence returned to the battlefield once more. Not even the birds of prey dared disrupt the reaper of death as it harvested the souls of the fallen. Yet amongst the endless field of bodies, a slither of light began, before bursting forth into a raging inferno which engulfed a singular body. As suddenly as it had begun, the flame disappeared leaving naught but ash. Chapter 1 - Futile Chapter 1 - Futile A sea of souls drifted higher, gravitating their incorporeal bodies towards the shining gate above them. The gate sat upon an ocean of spotless clouds, it¡¯s open doors radiating a sense of peace, welcoming the tide of new arrivals. As each soul passed through the threshold, their energy dissipated no longer sensed by the entity watching from down below, hovering over a field of death. The being longed to rise and approach the gate as its companions were. yet it could not. Shackles of fire bound it to the earth, the heat these chains exuded incinerating any soul daring to fare too close. Inch by inch the being was further dragged away from the gate above. Usually, the soul would accept its fate and be carried forth to its new destination. However, this time something had changed. The soul grew tired of the constant force of fate, he desperately desired to rise above to the place it had never tread before and bring an end to itseternal suffering. With every fibre of its being the soul flexed its will slowly bearing down its power to resist the flames.Yet with each passing second, the being''s soul was ripped apart from the force of resistance, only to regenerate an instant later. Having one¡¯s soul torn apart was unimaginably painful, giving no indication of such torment the soul pressed onwards. Each ounce of pain fueling it desperate struggle. Memories of its fallen brother in arms, filling the soul with new motivation. As time flowed by both chains and soul pulled harder, seeming to grow in power as they were ripped apart and rejoined. An uncountable amount of time seemed to pass but neither the soul nor the chainsgave notice, each focusing their entirety on their task. Whilst the soul could not entirely break free of its shackles, the resistance did cause the speed of the process to slow down often forcing the course of their destination to alter. Their contest of willpower continued without end, until one day the soul withered under the endless onslaught, the timeless struggle proving too much for it too bare against such inanimate flames. Over the years of struggle, the soul had felt itself change little by little. Its mind seemed more clearcapable of enduring far harsher punishments than when it had begun; towards the end, the pain which had plagued it, to begin with, was hardly felt unless actively focused on to ensure that it could still feel. Yet despite the immense size and power of the soul, it stood no chance to resist the heavenly chain''s will. Looking down upon flames binding it, the soul felt something within wither, crumbling under the weight of fate; despite all its struggles, it grew no closer to its goal. The endless years spent resisting bore it no results not even considered a nuisance to the immortal flames. The soul felt the darkness of helplessness approach, smothering it in its endless abyss. After the years of struggle, it could muster no more will to fend off this tide of despair. Letting the sorrow and powerlessness wash over itself the emotion began to fuse with the souls very essence. knowing that should this continue it would forever be warped into an abomination, the soul reached deeper inside itself as it had so many times before. Mustering the energy it attempted to free itself from the endless sadness which encroached upon it. Giving voice to its struggle, it released its endless abyss of despair for all to hear, the power the soul exploded with seeped through the planes of existence and into the mortal realm. It''s cry, reverberating through the land growing increasingly stronger with each second. The deep sadness etched into the voice echoed throughout the moral world, spreading outwards upon its search for relief. From all around its origination, great forests held their breath as all animals stilled their movement. The agonycontained within the being''s voice scattered across the continent encompassing a large portion of the world, forcing all to tremble in fear not daring to disrupt the display of suffering. High upon the Kaisic mountains, isolated from the rest of the mortal world, a creature woke from its slumber. ****** Pov Change - Ires I opened my eyes upon feeling the energy wash over me. My senses heightening themselves as my mind warned me of the danger afforded to a being able to release such a frightening soul blast. My body filled with power as I rose from my perch, muscles, and scales flexing after long disuse.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. The magic in the air wove and bent to my will, as I conjured forth powerful shields encasing my lair. Runes flickered into existence strengthening my creation of protection, amplifying the power contained within. Sleek black talons arched out of my limbs, their edge penetrating the stone floor beneath me. Preparing for a fight, a guttural rumble rose from deep within my chest, the essence of fire condensing around me ready to release my most fearsome attack. Yet as I stretched my mind outwards, nothing presented itself before me. Void filling the air in wake of such a disturbance. For 200 years I had slept, only to be awakened without anything nearby. For a brief moment, I thought my imagination had got the better of me before I felt the earth tremble as countless of my brethren armed themselves for battle. Never in the history of my kind had such a force bore witness to the world at the same time. My kind slept for long periods of time, often never leaving our lairs. So whilst creatures of this world may fear us, few would ever have the honour of witnessing even one of my kind. Now, however, countless of my kind rose from their sleep ready to breathe fire upon the world. Before another second could pass a deep ancient voice echoed in my mind, halting any intention of leaving. ¡°Remain upon the spire...¡± The power contained within that command made even one such as myself freeze in terror. The implication this voice presented freezing my mind. An elder drake had woken, a being not seen for over 1000 years now walked the mortal plane once more. I knew better than to disobeythe command and so I releasing the shields back into the ether I dissipated my hold upon the Mana. My body languidly returned to its perched position, however, my mind refused to rest as the winds of fate shifted once more upon this realm. ****** In the heart of the Algoran Kingdom, a council was taking place. ****** Pov Change Sebastian Sweat dripped from my brow as I examined the men present throughout the great hall. The talks taking place could very well decide the fate of the kingdom. ¡°Silence!¡± the overbearing man seated upon the seat of Yonder, throne of the Algoran Kingdom, yelled in the cacophony of talks taking place. Legend had it that the seat of Yonder was entirely constructed of Mythril, crafted by the dwarven masters of Hell Forge. As a personal gift to the Mage King, Xander VI, for saving the life of the Dwarven king¡¯s only daughter. Following the shout all present stilled, knowing full well the ruthlessness of the man above. Whilst each person seated was a powerhouse in their own right, wielding wealth and influence few could imagine. They knew that if they failed to heed the command it would mean nothing in front of this man. Gabriel Fornheart XII current king of Algoran was known to have a quick temper which often placed the people around him facing fatal consequences. My lithe, muscled body stretched to stand even straighter in the silence, trying to recreate the appearance of a perfect royal guard. This was the second day of my enlisting as an official royal guard and already it was proving more taxing than the training I had been carrying out for the past 5 years. Nothing I learned prepared me for the sheer pressure contained within the room¡¯s atmosphere. At 19 years of age, I was a genius among my fellows when it came to swordsmanship, allowing my direct access to be recruited into the royal post. The years of blood, sweat, and tears lead me to be able to stand where I was currently stationed, guarding some of the most powerful men on the continent. My eyes drifted towards to the meetings, straining my ears to catch parts of the discussion. ¡°What do we know so far?¡± Gabriel asked the gathered men. A middle-aged man dressed in regal clothing stood up to address the king and other council members. His voice was smooth and calm as it flowed out of the man alleviating some of the tension present. ¡°As we all know deep within the night, a mysterious shockwave scattered the kingdom. Reports from the relay towers suggest that the shockwave traveled far further than Algoran, and even encompassing the entire Helgen Continent. The full extent of the distance could not be measured as it exceeded the limits of the magical scrying formation.¡± He paused a moment allowing the implications of his statement to sink in before continuing. ¡°The source of the shockwave is unclear, however, what is known is that a being capable of creating such an outburst of power would be classified minimum as a rank 7 heavenly creature.¡± The people around took in sharp gasps at such a statement. ¡°Preposterous! An elder dragon not seen since before the creation of the kingdom is only a rank 6 being! Are you trying to propose something equal to a Royal Dragon King is the cause of such a disturbance?!¡± The men began murmuring their agreement with commanders outburst. He was a large figure, with muscles bulging from every inch of his body, scars speckled across parts of his body visible to the meeting. Before long an old man stood slowly, the noise in the hall fading with his ascent. ¡°Whilst I do not know the rank or in-fact what type of creature would be capable of demonstrating such a display of power. I can for certain say that the power possessed by the creature is enough to pose a serious threat to Algoran.¡± After speaking the old man began to return to his seat. He was the Arch-Mage of the kingdom and few knew his real age. Rumors said he was an old man when the previous king was just born 80 years ago. The Arch-mages magic had proven to be an indispensable aid during times of need. Furthermore, the knowledge he possessed was second to none, and the king often called upon his council in times of uncertainty. Shifting my eyes back towards King Gabriel I saw him tense under the words spokeby the Arch-mage; Rarely had the Mage been wrong in his claims. With the necessary decisiveness required by a king, Gabriel gave his order after listening to the council of men gathered. "Gather the Mages and prepare the Knights order. We will send a force to search for the disruption and should it prove a threat to the safety of Algoran, then we shall exterminate it." "My King, with all due respect I believe we should station the troops here and prepare the fortification. We do not know what we face, caution is advised in the face of uncertainty." "My order is final." With tight words, the king glared at the man who dared speak against his order. Whilst he welcomed the advice of his council to make a decision, he would allow none to question it after voicing it. With this declaration, the meeting which had already been going on for 4 hours came to an end. I gulped at the idea of the Order and White tower both moving out together, only in times of war would these organisations be called upon, and in their wake, destruction would follow. Change was upon the kingdom, whether it would prove ill fortune had yet to be seen. Chapter 2 - Wings of Gold Chapter 2 - Wings of Gold Chains of flame hovered the soul over the body of a young woman, resting in a lavishly decorated bedchamber. A large bed sat in the center of the room, wide enough for 8 people to comfortable fit upon, whilst still leaving ample room to spare. A transparent one-sided veil enshrouded the resting place, isolating it from the rest of the world; secluding it from the chaos of ordinary life and prying eyes. The women resting in such an exaggerated setting appeared worn and disheveled, her once bright emerald eyes dim with misery. Gazing up towards the overhanging wood frame, she watched as swirls of dust danced amidst the air above. A small gathering of moisture forming in her eyes as she fought to hold back tears. Oblivious to her defiance, small diamond droplets glistened against her snow-white skin streaming from her eyes. Aside from the tears, no further indication of her dismay was present upon her beautiful face. Her auburn coloured hair lay lightly upon the bed, it''s silky smooth shine spreading out like a ray of light amidst the dark covers below. On the other side of the veil, numerous figures were busily dashing back and forth, attending a man. His large frame and statue, accentuated by his regal countenance marked him as a man of importance. As the servants dressed him in garish clothing embroidered with yellow gemstones, which shimmered in the sunlight piercing the room from up above, his expression remained frozen showing no sign of his inner ponderings. Atop the man¡¯s head, sat a crown of gold, pure in its simplicity and awe striking in its appearance. This crown represented the highest authority in the kingdom of Ultres, one of the major kingdoms upon the Helgen continent. Servants having finished attending the man departed the chamber a moment before he did, leaving noform of acknowledgment or endearment to the occupant¡¯s present. ***** POV Change: Liz Watching Lord Jaric and his servants leave I glanced back towards the bed, trying to pierce the veil obstructing the world from seeing my Lady¡¯s forlorn figure. Hide as she might, my Lady could never conceal her anguish from my eyes. I have been by her side day and night, attending her every need for the past 2 years. There was nothing I did not know concerning her. ¡°I believe the lady is hungry, go and fetch her some refreshments.¡± I commanded staring at the last two remaining assistants, whom I directly supervised, voice laced with underlying meaning. With pity evident on their faces, the two departed, leaving the room empty aside from me and my Lady. Approached the veil, I contemplated ways to ease her pain, before giving voice to words. ¡°Catherine, I¡¯m sure it won¡¯t be long now. Soon you will sire his majesty a son and your position in the castle will be next to his Lord once more. The suffering you are enduring is but a momentary phase, please do not lose hope.¡± I tried to make my voice as gentle and soothing as possible, knowing full well that my words of comfort had no effect on her. I had spoken these words often the past and would continue to do so until they come true or¡­ well, best not to think about the alternative. Soft laughter escaped from behind the veil, as Catherine grabbed me with her arms pulling me onto the bed and into her embrace. ¡°It is okay Liz, I¡¯m feeling like this time it will be so.¡± Despite the smile plastered on her face, I could hear the hollowness in her words. I wrapped my arms around her and cradled her head in my chest. ¡°It¡¯s ok child. You don¡¯t need to be strong for me.¡± With gentle words, I stroked her hair. Feeling her still before her body gave way, unable to contain the wrenching sobs sounding from her. ¡°I¡¯m...n-not..sure how much longer I¡¯ll last.¡± Catherine gripped me fiercely as he vented her worries to me. ¡°There, there.¡± I cooed providing her the necessary time to gather her thoughts and calm her mind once more. Whilst not the most experienced in life, Catherine possessed an unusual strength of character for someone of her tender age. In the beginning, she had adored the king swept away by her own fanciful ideas about marrying a king whom she would provide an endless amount of love and children for. However, things do not always follow in the footsteps of dreams. Silly girl, you should have known things weren¡¯t going to work out that way. I chastised in my mind, knowing there is no need for me to give voice to such thoughts. After two years she had yet to bare a single child, let alone a son. Each week the king would see her and ensure that she had everything she needed to provide him with heirs to the throne. Yet as time passed he grew more distant, spending an increasing amount of his time with his other concubines and less with Catherine. Catherine herself could sense the change and knew that should things not change she would be discarded in favour of more practical women.Stolen story; please report. It wasn¡¯t just her that could see the king¡¯s favour was dwindling, making Catherine an easy target for the other woman who shared Jaric¡¯s bed. Recently things were reaching a breaking point and should Catherine not fall pregnant within the next month I feared for what was to come. Just as we readied ourselves for the assistance¡¯ return, the temperature in the room suddenly increased, the air spiking to such temperatures that it hurt to breathe, sweat forming rapidly on our brows as to cool us. Feeling the ambient mana in the room swell and converge behind me I spun just to see Catherine collapse, her body bursting in a multitude of colours as flames of all types wove themselves around her frail frame. Ethereal greens to azure blues and dark purples before liquid golds contrasted themselves against each other as her body lurched upward from the floor and into the air with the appearance of bright amber wings formed from the heavenly flames. Appeared as if something directly out of ¡®Mystical wonders of the World¡¯ her clothes disintegrated out of existence as the heat purified their essence to fuel itself. Looking at Catherine¡¯s naked flaming body I witnessed the flames converge, getting sucked into a vortex flowing directly into her stomach. A mere moment after the entire event began the surge of mana climaxed before vanishing leaving a dark golden rune the shape of a bird on her belly. Falling to the ground as the mysterious flames disappeared Catherine¡¯s limp body crumbled on the floor beneath, no indication of the chaos which had just taken place apart from the scorching heat still present in the room and golden rune of power. **** POV Change: Soul As the hours passed, the soul remained shackled above the younger of the two women laying on the bed before it. Gently descending the soul flexed its will attempting to contain the unbearable heat which exuded from around it. The moment the bound soul and women came into contact the flames exploded outwards to envelop the women, golden wings from the soul¡¯s previous life forming behind the women elevating her into the air. The shackles condensed themselves spinning in a hypnotic vortex, endless runes and formations sprouting from its storms eye before dragging to soul into the women¡¯s stomach where it attached the soul to a small organism growing within. Having completed its task once more the flames vanished waiting upon the time where their unwanted power was needed once more. **** POV Change: King Jaric Rushing down the corridor I made all haste to the bedchamber I had previously left. Whilst my mind filled with panic, imagination hyperactive as I imagined every possible scenario which could be taking place in the chamber. What¡¯s happening?! Please be okay, I need you to be fine! my mind echoed in impatience as I cursed my legs for not being faster. Subconsciously I was aware of the platoon of guards following close behind me, trying to identify the reason for their king¡¯s wild behavior, however, I knew they were not powerful enough in magic to sense the profound amount of energy radiating from Catherine''s room. Continuing my mad sprint towards my destination a figure appeared in my way. Bolting to a hold, I glared at the women blocking my way ¡°Why the hurry my dear?¡± the women said, her low sultry voice enticing to the ears, as a sickly-sweet smile played across her lips. Gathering my thoughts, I composed myself before replying. ¡°Just having a light morning exercise, my love.¡± ¡°Exercise is good, however, someone of your statue should carry himself with more dignity, do you not agree? Look, even your guards aren¡¯t able to keep up with you. You should really be more careful less misfortune befall you my dear, or someone you are close to.¡± her sickly smile radiated forth like a viper as the underlying meaning presented itself. This woman was my betrothed. An arranged marriage carried out by our fathers in years long past, to strengthen our allegiance. However, for the past 8 years, we¡¯d been married our relationship has been far from loving. Her plots and schemes grew ever bolder in attempts to take control of my kingdom, as I was powerless to remove her least I offend her father and with him the Tulven Kingdom. So, whilst I took no active moves against her, I tried to avoid her at all cost, letting my spies and informants gather intel on her movements to ensure she doesn¡¯t spread corruption among with kingdom¡¯s higher echelons. I swear if she¡¯s harmed Catherine I¡¯ll rip her head from her shoulders and damn the consequences. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind, Rosan. However, I must be on my way, apologise for my untactful behaviour.¡± Giving a short nod in her direction as a form of respect I attempted to brush past her. As I walked past she latched onto my arm pulling me towards her as she leaned into my ear, whispering. ¡°Do make sure the little mouse isn¡¯t hurt and send my greeting¡­. dear¡± Her last word came out as a snarl as her melodious laughter sounded out as he pranced away, her black hair cascading down behind her. My blood chilled at the venom in her words. I knew that ever since I took Catherine to be my concubine Rosan had hated her, even my spies reported and interfered with many of her ploys to harm the girl. I knew I shouldn¡¯t have brought Catherine into such life, but my lovestruck heart was foolish and unreasonable. Had I been more sensible, I would never have allowed Catherine to come with me to live out her days in misery. Forced to keep my distance in order to not incur Rosan¡¯s wrath, was the only way I knew how to protect Catherine now, if I were to send her away she would be out of my protection and I feared what harm would befall her. Casting these idle thoughts out of my mind, I began my journey towards Catherine once more with utmost haste. Reaching the door a few minutes later, I reached for the handle before flinching away due to the heat. Closing my eyes, I hovered my hand towards to handle, moving the mana deep within my well I called upon the element of water. A pure ball of water springing into creation as my mana left me in equal quantities. The water flowed over the handle according to my will, cooling it as the opposing elements clashed and sizzled. Opening the door, a wave of hot air blasted against my face as my stoic conference took in the sight before me. In front of me, in the middle of the room, lay Catherine¡¯s unclothed body, Liz, her personal maid hovering over here casting a tier 3 elemental light magic wounds not visible to my eyes. Looking closer, I could feel a strange power emanate from Catherine. Seeking the source of this change which wasn¡¯t present a dozen minutes before, I noticed a small golden rune shining on her stomach. Fixing my gaze upon the sight my mind drifted on what could have taken place. Chapter 3 - Immortal flame Chapter 3 ¨C Immortal Flame A gentle warmth rested around, swirling in undetermined paths, its gentle touch caressing a small indistinct creature. Protected from the outside world the creature rested, slowly maturing. Outlines of limbs and features beginning to show themselves alongside the languid passage of time. In addition to its physical development, the mind of the being altered, each idle strand and thought coalescing to eventually form consciousness. **** Darkness receding from my mind, as the fog clouding me scattered to the depths of subconsciousness. Awakening from my stasis, my mind methodically took a moment to orient itself before examining the state of existence I found myself in. Having lived through such a process thousands of times before, I felt neither fear nor unrest, just a hollow acceptance as I set myself to the tasks ahead. With eyes not developed enough to see, I was forced to rely on the power of my soul to sense the internals of my own being. Whilst much more potent after adjustment to my new host, I was still proficient enough in wielding my power to sense my personal being. Vast streams of information flowed into me, outlining my form. Everything from my bones right down to the individual cells of the skin, nothing escaped my vision. Working in robotic fashion, I proceeded through an endless list of tasks and checks identified after countless repetitions. Throughoutthis process, I noticed a major difference from my usual routine. Whilst each rebirth is different, all of them hold one thing in common. I would usually awake a few weeks prior to my birth. However, this time it appeared as though my mind had woken months before. Something which should not be possible, as the state of my brains development wasn''t capable of processing the vast array of knowledge contained within my soul. Whilst souls are wonderful things, capable of containing an infinite amount of knowledge, children are too weak to have such information imparted to them. Resulting in my mind floating in an abyss until my body and mind are strong enough to beckon me. Pondering the implications of this development, I continued my observations. The longer I looked the more anomalies presented themselves. Delving deeper into myself I was amazed at how my body was developing. Every fiber of my cells felt dense, filled to the brim with energy. Gazing into the energy, I watched as a constant stream of mana was sucked into my body, warping and evolving the cells with its excess nutrients. Following the stream of mana, I reached out my senses trying to find the source of this power. Pushing my soul to the limits as it tried to free itself from the constraints of its new imprisoner. Through will alone, I was barely able to touch upon the object encasing me. It appeared that it was the stomach of a young woman, sadly I was unable to push my soul any further and would have to wait until my birth to lay my eyes upon her face. That being said, I was able to identify the source of the Mana. Upon in the epicenter of whom I can only assume is my new mother, lay a golden sigil, its shape distinctly bird-like.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. Invisible to the eye, I could feel the vortex of rune formations revolving around the sigil, each formation layered atop each other in a display of breathtaking complexity. The raw power the sigil gathered formed an endless ocean of mana which saturated my new body. As any remaining excess was directly fed to my soul healing the transparent fractures caused by its long existence. As time passed I could feel myself growing, the individual aspects of my body reaching new limits before exceeding them. With not much else to do but wait, I remained unmoving, sinking myself into my mind. Thoughts and feelings from my previous life encompassing me, I lay floating in space countless instances of regret and loss pressed against my mind, each demanding to be examined and dissected into their core issues, before being stored away for future contemplation. Scenes of his past life unraveling before me. ***** Previous life: The song of blades rang out in the courtyard, amidst the orchestra the figures of two people danced in sync with its tune. Their shirtless bodies covered in a thick sheen of sweat as they pushed their bodies to the limit, each trying to reach the extra bit further necessary to defeat the other. Hidden in the corner a small servant girl watched the two battle enraptured by the boy with the golden eyes. ***** A sad smile plastered upon the face of a girl as she longingly gazed towards the retreating figure of a boy. Watching him walk free of the gates, countless similarly dressed men around him, lined in formation. A tear slipped from her eyes as she wondering if it was the last time she would ever see him. ***** The cry of a new-born infant broke the lull of sound as a man in his mid-twenties stood over the women and a child. Bright green eyes reflecting into his own golden flecked ones as a rarely seen smile blossomed upon his face. ***** A man dressed in dark rugged leathers, knelt over the body of a young child, a crimson puddle of blood slowly spreading out from a wound in her chest. A few meters away the agonizing wail of a women tore free of her as she watched the sight before her. A man dressed in an azure coloured outfit held the women captive as men dressed in matching uniform surrounding him, laughing at the actions of their prince. A cold smile played upon his face as he slowly unsheathed his blade and plunged it deep into the women he held captive. ***** "Please my king, we must stop them! They act without consequence! How long will you halt your hand as theSaranian empire kill your people and burn our homes?!" A figure bowed deeply ashe pleaded towards the only person he knew who could enact his revenge. "I understand your loss my friend but I need to think of more than what they did to you. I have a kingdom whom I am responsible for." "Then protect your kingdom! The people suffer in the absence of your help! If you do not fight back the people will no longer follow you!" "ENOUGH! You are in no place to question my decision. Now leave!" With brooding eyes, the figure departed the hall, plans of retribution and rebellion sprouting in his mind. ***** Burning flames ripped through the hall as a figure walked through the scorching heat unheeded. A man wearing a crown was the only other occupant within the burning hall, sitting upon his throne he released a deep sigh as he looked at the man approaching. Reminiscing of the time he called him a friend, not a speck of resemblance remained upon the scarred worn figure before him, his amber eyes, dim with the abyss which resided within the man¡¯s heart. ***** Thousands of men lined up opposing each other, their contrasting colours of red and blue highlighting their origins. A king resided on either side, dressed in overbearing armour. ¡°You killed my son! It''s time we finally put an end to this. Too long have our kingdoms fought!" The leader of the blue side echoed over the battlefield. The opposing man paused for a second, looking across the field and directly into the eyes of his most hated enemy. ¡°He took everything from me...and now I will take everything from him.¡± His voice was forlorn, no seed of happiness remaining, just a cold anger which fuelled his immortal flame.