《Eternity's Coda》 Prologue Prologue To those who read this before the 28th of August 2015, I changed the prologue. Sorry, I thought it didn''t fit with the story even though the event did happen. July 26, Year 289 of the Inanis Calendar Lightning struck the broken tower top. The black bolt ripped the roof to shreds, scattering the tiles away like they were fine grains of sand. The stream of dark light did not recede, it sprinted across the ruins, washing over the debris and reducing them to dust. Rie eyed the scene and nodded with disinterest. The outcome had been decided. It was now time for her to move. She threw back her brown cloak and revealed her long sleeved-white blouse. It contrasted with the short-sleeved black shirt she wore over it. These and the ragged dark blue denim pants she donned were definitely not the most fashionable outfit, but it was appropriate. This outfit used to be her casual clothing, it wasn¡¯t too flashy and not too plain. It gave the impression that she could bite if provoked, while retaining a little feminine charm with the blouse. Now, the outfit was a reminder of a life from a distant past. She kicked aside one of the fallen charred trees with the toe of her dark-leather boot, and a metallic rattle broke the silence. It had come from the golden scabbard tied to her waist belt, and the brilliant blade inside it. If it wasn¡¯t for that thing, she wouldn¡¯t be here in the first place. She would never have crossed the Infallible Gate and trod on Alvazar. Alvazar, said to be lush with greenery, spread before her. It was a verdant land earlier this morning, but calling it a wasteland would be an understatement now. Billowing veils of ash stifled the glaring rays of sunlight. Rie would¡¯ve choked too, if she had not set a barrier of clean air around her. The invisible whirling globe enclosing her fended off soot that drew too close. A convenient spell, with the only downside being her long black hair getting into her eyes. The unhealthy particles polluting the air wasn¡¯t the only thing she warded away. A foul stench enveloped the area. Blackened remains of beasts, from tiny to gigantic, littered the freshly formed craters in organized columns and rows. These were the more resistant species, but that defensive trait had prolonged their needless suffering. Rie recalled the scene this morning, a stark comparison to this current graveyard before her. Armies of monsters, from goblins to dragons had been strategically deployed around the castle. They acted as a hammer and a poisoned knife. A hammer to squash the enemy forces, and a poisoned knife to weaken their champion. Proud and brave humanoids lifted hundreds of banners, and pounded thousands of war drums. Millions of cries exploded from the boundless sea of creatures. They were prepared to drown their enemies. The overhanging grey clouds cracked apart like an eggshell, and whirled. From within the vortex, a streak of orange light silently crashed down onto the castle like a meteor and shook its foundations. The thunderous roar rumbled in after a slight delay, lagging behind the shockwaves. Even after the collision, the orange afterglow stretching back burnt the air like an afterimage. The solid iron walls shined red as they curled outwards from the intense heat. A large part of them melted down to form seething pools of orange sludge. The hissing puddles kept any but the most heat-resistant of creatures at bay. The assault was too sudden. The armies of the Demon King could not even react to it. The thick-armoured behemoths in the frontlines were robbed of their duty as immovable vanguards. The wyverns and dragons watching from the roof of the skies above were taken by surprise. The strike had crushed their meticulous preparations. The enemy¡¯s champion had breached the castle. Most of the armies abandoned their defensive posts and marched towards the Infallible Gate, while a small portion remained behind to aid the Demon King. Numbers did not matter anymore once the Hero had plowed so deep into their territory. It was impossible for their whole numbers to fit inside the castle grounds like how it was impossible to contain the sea inside a small vial, so it was the best course of action. The battle continued, both at the frontlines and the innermost sanctum of the Demon King¡¯s army. Rie could not see the state of the Infallible Gate from where she was, but the state of Alvazar was bared before her. The castle ruins grew bigger in her eyes. She glanced behind her, spotting her tracks on the ash. Her footsteps crawled back in a long line and disappeared up a black dune, reappearing on the elevated surface of another mound beyond. She had walked a long way, and took her time at it. She could have covered the distance in the blink of an eye, but she didn¡¯t want to. The large pillar of lightning passed by in front of her at ridiculous speed, carving out deep ditches on the perimeter of the castle. The ground hissed in agony as it was dug into with awesome power. Even in the Airshield, the emanating heat from the vapourised earth singed her. She leapt over the trench and passed through the remnant of the fallen gateway. There were other entry points that she could have went in through, but she felt that it was appropriate to enter through that half-buried archway. It was human nature to enter or exit buildings through doors, and she was no exception. The 107th Hero had been brutal and efficient in his assault. A swift and confident strike at the heart of the Demon King¡¯s castle, it was akin to skipping the early levels and going straight to the final boss. He wasn¡¯t a low-levelled character though. In fact, the 107th Hero was supposed to be the second strongest Hero in history. Many claimed that he lacked strategy, but Rie thought going on full offense to prevent a prolonged battle was a good move. The outcome of the battle should have been predictable, and most of humanity was confident with their victory. Most, because Rie thought otherwise. The pendant resting on her modest cleavage made her feel uneasy. It was strangely noticeable today, even though it was resting on the outside of her two-layered shirt. People had often mistaken the design as a poorly crafted inverted cross¡ª but it was actually an amateur-made replica of a short curved sword. A katana. If she mentioned the name here, she''d only get shoulder shrugs and head tilts. The person who made this for her had forged a life-sized version of it later on, and it was currently being used by Armitage¡¯s Knight Commander. Yes, she wasn''t from this world. The tale to explain her standing here was a very extensive one that would take days to tell in detail. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, she didn¡¯t have the time to reminisce. Because she had arrived at her destination. The 107th Hero was leaning back against a thick crumbled pillar. No, it was wrong to say that. He was pinned to it with a jet-black blade that ran through his heart. Dark beads of blood dripped down his chin. His head hung low in peaceful slumber. He was never going to wake again. His tough Dragonscale armour had multiple holes with numerous cracks spidering from the forced openings. His body bore signs of a difficult and bloody battle all over, just like the ruins around them. It was a tragic defeat, and any human would have cried in despair at the sight. However, Rie did not come to aid the Hero. It was not her desire or task to influence the outcome of the 107th Cycle. ¡°Have you come to pick me off, little carrion?¡± A soft translucent voice came from behind her. She already knew that he was there, but she did not face him until he spoke. Seated on his throne was the 107th Demon King. It was amazing to see the audience chamber so untouched compared to the rest of Alvazar. The dark green carpet climbing its way up the throne was spotless. The golden leaves depicted in the tapestries brimmed with life in their veins. The scene was identical to the starting point of most old Japanese Role Playing Games, with her as the chosen one. In the rectangular area of the audience chamber, nothing had been touched except for the torn-out roof. Nothing else was harmed. Not even the Demon King. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. With the still-moving column of black lightning serving as a distant background, the Demon King displayed majesty that was unrivalled by any human sovereigns. His crackling black wings spread out behind his back, and extended on each side of the throne until they almost touched the walls. His straight jet-black hair framed his delicate and handsome features while the rest of his pale body was hidden away by the shadowy grey robe wreathed around him. The form hugging shroud hinted at an excellently sculpted body underneath. He was beautiful, if the term was ever meant to be used for a male, the 107th Demon King deserved it. He was the spitting image of what a man would look like in the imagination of a female artist. ¡°I am flattered that you are gawking at me so, but surely you have more important matters to attend to?¡± The Demon King interrupted. Rie blinked and closed her mouth. She was taken by surprise, but certainly not due to the Demon King¡¯s good looks. Her throat was dry, prompting her to swallow her saliva. Breathing was a chore with each inhalation painfully noticeable in her mind. That face¡­ that voice¡­ She recognised it. She wouldn¡¯t have mistaken him for another person. Even if she was blindfolded, she would still be able to pick out that voice amongst thousands of others. Why¡­? No. She clenched her fists until her fingernails dug into her palms. She tightened her jaw and glared at the Demon King. ¡°The outcome had been decided. I shall proceed to carry out my task¡± Rie said in a cold, distant voice. The sound of metal sliding against metal rang across the chamber as she unsheathed her blade. She held the golden sword in a two handed grip, and flowed into a fighting stance. Even a complete novice would have recognised the silent but dangerous aura she radiated, whereas a master would have fallen on their knees. The Demon King, however, only stared at her as if he was amused. ¡°I am not an easy opponent, little carrion. You may still turn back now¡± The Demon King spoke out like a true high and mighty ruler. His tone and facial expression did not match however, as he was smiling like an innocent child. But his offer was met with silence. ¡°Why must you fight me? Do you even understand my motives?¡± He asked. ¡°A battle without reason is nothing but pure aggression, is it not?¡± ¡°Draw your weapon¡± Rie replied, her face calm like still water. ¡°The 107th Hero had lost, and he was stronger than you are. Surely you understand what would happen if you challenge me?¡± The Demon King knitted his eyebrows. The Demon King didn''t need to say it. She was not the chosen Hero of this Cycle, and she was not talented enough to stand on the same level as him. But, that was irrelevant. She WILL carry out her mission here and now. The Demon King broke eye contact and sighed, sensing the futility of his effort. ¡°One plus one equals two, water is wet, and fire is hot. Those are the truths of the world as you know them, are they not? What if I told you, there are underlying truths that precedes and supersedes what you¡¯ve already known?¡± He began. ¡°Is it so terrible if I unravel and share this ultimate truth?¡± ¡°Draw your weapon¡± Rie repeated, her hands trembling. The Demon King¡¯s expression darkened. He was done with attempting to talk. ¡°Very well, I acknowledge your willpower and strength but know that I would never be defeated. Not by you, and not by your master¡± He raised his right hand, palm facing outwards, and the lightning column outside zipped around the audience chamber once. As soon as it completed its circuit, it shrunk like a drying stream and vanished. Rie raised her guard. She couldn''t attack first. Her accursed heart would not allow her to attack this opponent now. It wasn¡¯t¡­ fair. A bluish white light shined around the castle, bathing the ruins in its radiance. Even the ashen skies were set alight with the mysterious glow. Rie squinted at the glowing ditches dug by the lightning bolt. It had not been moving around without a purpose. It had been drawing a pattern. It had been drawing a magic circle. The shining blue streams coursed towards the centre of the circle like a raging river. The streams of energy climbed up the walls in straight intersecting lines and rushed towards the Demon King, suffusing him with awesome power. His appearance did not change in the slightest, but the air quivered and crackled with his newly infused strength. The image of the Demon King constantly warped in Rie¡¯s eyes. Space itself had distorted as it could not handle the extremely condensed power. ¡°Wrath!¡± He called out as he extended an open hand to his side. His dark wings danced in the light. Like flames being blown by a strong wind, the long tendrils of darkness moved at incredible speed and coalesced within his palm. Leaving behind a third of their original span, the wings had spawned a black sphere on his palm. He crushed it in an iron grip, and the remains oozed through the tiny cracks in his fist. It stretched in a vertical line before solidifying into a long two-sided trident. The weapon was darkness incarnate. It froze the motion of all light within the Demon King''s immediate vicinity. The situation was inconceivable through visual means, but she still kept her eyes open. Ungodly tremors threatened to knock her down, but her impeccable sense of balance rooted her in the same position. The previously untouched tapestries fell and crumpled onto the matted carpet. Thick, long cracks tore the marble floor asunder like it was made of paper. ¡°I will break free from this prison!¡± He roared a declaration. "Tell your master of the futility of his efforts, remind him of who we are!" At that point, all traces of softness had left the Demon King''s voice. What was left behind could hardly be called human. ¡°I see¡­¡± Rie muttered under her breath. The tone of voice was exactly the same, identical in pitch too. But those words¡ª they did not belong. ¡°You really aren¡¯t him¡­¡± She didn''t tell the Demon King to draw his weapon because she was craving for a fight. She wanted to know his current identity so she could have peace of mind. She steadied her grip on the hilt and breathed deeply. The answer to her question had been given. The image of the Demon King was still static in her eyes, but she had many other means to detect movement. She formed an accurate image made of three-dimensional lines in her mind. The sound feedback received through her ears were sufficient to draw the battlefield in detail. Perhaps it was returning the favour for not initiating a surprise attack, but the Demon King was not attacking. If that was how he wanted it to be, so be it. ¡°107th Demon King, you are hereby sentenced to eternal rest as per the laws of the Cycle!¡± Rie shouted. Every syllable vibrated in her throat when she voiced them. ¡°Might and wits bow before the arbiter¡± ¡°Chains of fate shall be shattered¡± ¡°This Cycle will be fettered¡± she finished her oath. Within one breath, she called out a name. And the Cycle was ended. --------------------------------------------- I''m not sure if any of my previous readers would find this.... :sigh: But, if you had read Armus : First Draft and are waiting for the revamped version... I''m still working on it. Screw myself for choosing a five-volume story as my first writing project. Since the path ahead is VERY daunting and time consuming, I intend to be VERY prepared in the planning stage so I don''t get the occasional writer''s block or drill out gaping plot holes. Well, anyway, I''ve changed some things about the story for the better. I''ve got a whole list of em but maybe it''s best that you just find out yourself once I upload the chapters. The only thing noticeable at this moment is I changed Chase from 10 to 13. See ya! Chapter Alpha - 1 : Another Time, Another Place To those who read the prologue before 28th of August, I''ve uhh.... changed it... [th_104_.gif] NOTE: No, I didn''t finish volume 2 yet. Chapter Alpha is a special series of chapters that are quite detached from the main timeline yet significantly related to the story in a way. They''ll probably make little sense at first, but you should be able to understand as the story progresses. Oh, and this upload is just to inform you that I''m not dead. [th_057_.gif] Year 21xx, Earth A white snake-like object crawled over the weathered buildings with surprising speed. If the style of movement was taken as a reference, it would be more appropriate to call it a centipede instead of a slithering snake. Upon careful observation, the body of the strange creature was actually reflecting the white sunlight off its chromed surface. In fact, it was not even a creature. It was a vehicle, a train to be exact. Its name was The Styx. It was built from a highly bendable and durable alloy, granting it a great degree of flexibility to avoid unclimbable terrains. Its multi-purposed design allowed it to forego the need of travelling on rail-tracks. It could switch from traditional wheels to powerful electromagnetic levitation aided by gyro stabilisers or even battery-powered turbines when underwater. To put it simply, the train was a state of the art transportation vehicle created for optimum functionality and comfort. At this moment, it was advancing without any difficulty in the midst of what was once a metropolis. The highways that used to be crammed like sardine cans were now silent and cracked like dry earth. Historical buildings that used to mean something had lost their significance as their younger brethren quickly joined their ranks. A slight breeze could drift through the streets without touching the living, except for the most resilient of vermin. The Styx was on its way back from Shelter no. 49, where it picked the last few passengers for the trip. Despite having over 200 coaches measuring 25 metres each in length, not even a hundredth of its plentiful space was occupied. The total number of passengers this time was barely over three hundred. A particular man was one of the passengers, and he sat within one of the train coaches. The impression he gave off could be compared to a roadside pebble. If he was given a role in a film, he would be one of the extras in the background. If he was placed in a classroom, he would be one of the faces that never came to mind unless called by the teacher. To deliver the final blow, even his name was unsurprisingly common, so common that it could be found topping the charts of popular baby names. But all of that was no longer significant. He had decided to abandon the entirety of his life up until now. His current state was similar to a blank slate. So he sat, and pondered as the train continued on its designated course. Dreams. When was the last time he had one? Few passengers were in the train compartment. The luminescent crystal paint bathed every inch of the room with its soothing glow. It was pure white, whiter than a dove, nothing but white. He felt like he was floating in the midst of nothingness, even though he could feel the hard metal bench pressing against his bottom. The train was silent like a shadow, except for the rhythmic taps of his slipper on the floor. Despite the lack of people around, the sound did not echo across the glittery walls. It was relieving. Otherwise, the picture of a wooden boy swallowed by a whale comes to mind. No hopes of the train sneezing here. There was another sound earlier, a gentle female voice that announced the start of the train¡¯s journey. But were they really moving? There had been no vibrations. It was undeniably comfortable, but also unnerving at the same time. This technology wasn''t a familiar one. It was¡­ different. The Styx was different. He knew what the name referred to. It belonged to the river in Greek Mythology which served as a boundary between Earth and the Underworld, the river Styx. It was a thing found in old myths of powerful deities and wondrous beasts, dusty stories that were rarely told. Perhaps the faith in those ancient Gods had waned, or humans had grown less na?ve. There were no windows on the train. Had the sun risen? Or was the moon still hanging in the sky? He swept his eyes over the fellows sharing the compartment with him. How long had they been in here? There''s no watch or timepiece, but his growling stomach informed him that it was already long past dinner. That much time had passed, and no one spoke a word. It was like they were dead. Stolen story; please report. No, they were dead. Yes, they can no longer be considered alive. They¡¯ve left the Shelter behind, they¡¯ve got no rights to act like the living anymore. The white robes resembling surgical gowns that they wore? It looked like something donned by a ghost that died on the operating table. The reason the windows were absent from the train design was probably due to the unavailability of any transparent materials that could handle extreme pressure and heat. He didn¡¯t explore the entirety of the train, but it looked like the whole thing was built from the same special alloy. That was the more logical theory that he came up with, but he preferred to amuse himself with a less plausible one. Maybe the train was reminding the dead to remain dead, and informing them that there was no need to cast their sights upon the living world. They were now cut-off from their previous life, and they should only move forward without looking back. His lips curved into a sardonic smile, thinking about himself. He rubbed his hands together and cupped them against his eyelids. It was a charm of sorts, one that always calmed him down with the help of relaxing warmth. Most people would scoff at it as mere superstition, but he didn¡¯t care because it bore the results that he wanted. His tense shoulders trembled for a split second. He gave them an offended look, as though the shoulders had misbehaved. He was brave enough to board the train, but that didn¡¯t mean he was devoid of fear. They cornered him like a rat, and the train was his only option. It was the only thread of hope he could cling on. So he grabbed it. He did not even say his goodbyes to the people that mattered to him, and that sank his stomach. ¡°We have arrived at our destination. All passengers, please do not forget to bring along your keycards as you disembark¡± Without any warning, a familiar female voice returned to announce their arrival. It sounded calm and cool, with a faint trace of gentleness as if it was uttered by a machine bestowed with human heart. Like magic words, the female voice unsealed the walls of the compartment. No motions nor hissing puffs of white steam was detected, but the walls faded and vanished into thin air. How curious, he thought. He shook his head and recovered. Whatever the rules behind it, he was sure that he wasn¡¯t qualified to understand. The scene before him was no longer decorated with systematically lined artificial trees that he had become so familiar with. The entire land as far as his eyes could see was flattened and shaded in the same colour as the sleekly chromed train. What he saw could pass for a futuristic vision in the late 20th century. His fellow passengers hopped off The Styx and shuffled towards the glinting horizon. This was not their destination, and neither was it his. It was time to leave. Not to the other side of the boundary where the Underworld was, but to an uncharted spot where one could leisurely dream. He gingerly took the first step out of the compartment and onto the ground. Only after the soles of his slippers made contact with the hard, shining surface did he realise an unavoidable truth. There was no turning back. ---------------------------------------------------- Regarding Chapter Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Epsilon: This is quite hard to explain if you''ve never seen this type of format before... think of it as an alternative to sudden flashbacks in the middle of the main storyline. So basically, there''s going to be a few chapter Alpha spread in the first volume and then Chapter Beta for the second volume, Gamma for third and so on... The events in this special series of chapters might be flashbacks, or they might be happening at the same time as the main storyline, or maybe it hasn''t even happened yet! MORE NOTES: It is regrettable to say that over a hundred hours of my work had gone down the drain thanks to my motherboard breaking down. Hence, I went into a few weeks of depression :perche::perche::perche: before getting back to work on the story. Sadly, my meticulously typed notes are no longer here... but on the bright side I still remember a good portion of them. But as for the already written chapters.... :criesBo: I''ll probably just upload the chapters after I''m done with volume 1 due to this setback... see ya.. [th_111_.gif]