《In Our Last Moments》 Prologue Part 1 - Remnants of the Past Inspired by Endless Legends. I just couldn¡¯t stand not using such great idea¡¯s such as the idea of Dust as well as the lore of Auriga XD. (NOTE : THIS IS MERELY USING SOME OF THE MOST BASIC IDEA¡¯S AND TWISTING THEM TO MY TASTE. THERE WILL BE NO ENDLESS, AND THE RESEMBLANCE TO ENDLESS LEGENDS ENDS AT DUST BEING A NANO PARTICLE) This is my third FF, the other two sorta died prematurely¡­(I was lazy tehe) Anyways, constructive feedback on what you guys want would be helpful. I¡¯m trying to go for the rags to riches theme, as well as the dark hero theme as well. Enjoy!! ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Gaia is dying. The very skies tore apart, raining fire and ashes down, the seas boiling as the ground quaked. Strange creatures running away from brimstone and fire as they prolonged the inevitable. Yet, as all things do, Gaia will calm. And give birth to new things. For I am Gaia itself. Mother of all beings who live and die on this world. Many cycles have passed, giving birth to bloodthirsty creatures, who in time were replaced by wise scholars. Yet I see another cataclysm coming, and this will end the cycle. All will perish, even I, myself will dry out and disappear. I look at my children and see nothing but rabbles of sheep, fighting each other as they struggle for survival. Foolish creatures who look at tomorrow as if they would live forever. They steal, plunder and rape as they indulge themselves in a never-ending haze of pleasure and greed. I look at them sadly, as they are nonetheless my children, and I can only look at them as a mother would. I gaze outwards, asking myself, Will they persevere and survive the coming calamity? Or will they perish like all those before them. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª The Year is A.A 3204, August 13th. It has been 3204 years since After the Ascension, or A.A. Humanity left the burning wreckage that was Earth, and landed and colonised a new planet, settling for it after they searched and barely found a habitable world. They named it ¡®Gaia¡¯, after the Greek primordial of earth, and settled down, content with a single planet. Out of the 4 billion that was Earth¡¯s last population count, only 2 million survived, barely a sustainable gene pool. Humanity breathed out in relief, relaxing as they began their new life on a fresh planet. They built a single city, a monument to Earth, naming it ¡®New Earth¡¯, a rather silly name, yet it held value to those who survived. Yet, calamity struck, destroying the brief visage of peace. Not only did newfound diseases with ought cures brought up, they faced new problems. Other sentient races. Dumbfound, humanity suffered great losses as they struggled against beings that looked like creatures from their myths. Human like creatures with long ears, as well as Beasts that walked on two legs. Dragon like creatures with adamantine scales, moving corpses of even their own kind as micro creatures took their shape. Yet humanities greatest enemy was the very air itself. To the shock of mankind, the very air was filled with millions of grains of Dust, a strange nano technology that obeyed the mental brainwaves of other sentient beings, giving them power similar to magic, also giving birth to unnatural phenomenons around the planet. It took mankind a century until they adapted, as Dust had been killing them slowly but surely. The new generation could aptly use Dust, and were bred for war. Fiercely they fought, and over the course of 430 years, humans created a new Nation, bound under a single flag, the flag of the United People of Earth. They established trade with the natives, exchanging gifts, as well as technology. Time passed, and gradually mankind forgot about their roots, leaving only artefacts and legends about a journey amongst the stars. This is where my story comes to fruit. This is where I started. It started¡­.in darkness. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Where¡­¡­am I? I could feel myself floating, lulled by a rocking motion as I ¡°felt¡± myself. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.I¡­How did I end up like this? All I remember was the playing poker with my mercenary friends on a day off¡­ Out of habit, I tried to reach for some cigars, Cuban ones, but to my dismay, I couldn¡¯t move my arms. Panicking, I soon found out that I couldn¡¯t move at all. Calm down¡­LIKE HELL I CAN CALM DOWN!! WHERE THE FUCK AM I????? WHERE ARE MY CIGS AND WHY CANT I MOVE!!!!! AAAARRGHGGHGHGH!!!! Out of nowhere, a low grave female voice spoke. ¡°Peace¡­.My child¡­.¡± Huh? ¡°Uhh¡­.. Who are you and where the fuck am I?¡± I asked quite rudely. The disembodied voice chuckled, shaking the air? as it did so. ¡°Ah¡­It has been long¡­Since I have heard¡­Human speech¡­All that is left¡­.Now are the howls¡­of wind¡­and the damned..¡± ¡°Excuse me? Can I get some answers here or do I have to solve some sort of bullshit puzzle over here?¡± ¡°Ha¡­Child¡­I am¡­Earth¡­Or the embodiment¡­of it¡­¡± ¡°Wait, what.¡± ¡°You¡­For some reason¡­your soul¡­wouldn¡¯t recycle¡­properly¡­So I brought you here¡­To my plane¡­of Existence.¡± ¡°Waiiiiiiiiiittttttt a second. Let me get this clear. You are the embodiment of Earth?¡± ¡°Yes¡± ¡°My ¡®soul¡¯ wouldn¡¯t recycle?¡± ¡°Yes¡± ¡°Hmmmmm¡­My bullshit senses are tingling.¡± Amused, Earth? laughed, chuckling with mirth as she heard my snide comment. ¡°Humans¡­truly are¡­amusing¡­.¡± Is¡­Is she giggling? I felt something like a vein popping as she didn¡¯t stop. ¡°AHEM!¡± ¡°Ah¡­? Oh¡­Yes¡­.Hmmm¡­Anyways¡­as I was saying¡­you are somewhat of an anomaly.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°For some reason¡­Your very soul is tainted with Dust¡­Which is odd due to the fact that you lived and died on Earth¡­Where there is no Dust¡­also¡­it is your soul¡­which is tainted¡­¡± ¡°Uhhhh¡­¡± ¡°The Dust is stopping you from continuing the cycle that all follows¡­What to do with you¡­¡± ¡°Wait. So I¡¯m dead right? And your saying my soul can¡¯t be blanked out right?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± I¡¯m getting a headache from this woman¡¯s slow voice. ¡°If that¡¯s true then can¡¯t you reincarnate me on Earth? Like send me back?¡± ¡°Child¡­¡± Earth spoke in a sad tone. ¡°It has been nigh 4 millennia since you died¡­I¡­Am no longer inhabitable as well¡­¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Fear not though¡­survivors of the crisis have found a new world¡­They named it Gaia¡­and they are living there¡­If you wish¡­I could send you there¡­but from then on¡­you would be under Gaia¡¯s jurisdiction¡­¡± ¡°(*Sigh)..It¡¯s better than nothing¡­But seriously what happened to you then?¡± ¡°My dear, dear child¡­you children have ruined me, exploited me, and destroyed me, as you always have. Yet I have always loved you, as only a mother can. I am desolate, empty, a mere shell of myself that is a wasteland. I hope you children will treat Gaia better than you have to me.¡± ¡°¡­..Ok. It was nice meeting you. Damn, this is a weird dream. So, wake up me! Let¡¯s get back to my cigs¡± I ¡®turned¡¯ around and shut off all my senses, hoping to escape this joke of a situation. Yet, as soon as I said that, I heard a deadly growl of a feral monster. ¡°Do I look like I am joking, young one? If so, I wonder if I have to be¡­Serious.¡± Earth rumbled as she shook the entirety of the place we were in. I shivered as I ¡®turned¡¯ back towards her, or at least her general direction as I couldn¡¯t see. ¡°You pathetic excuses for children have ruined my life! Polluting, extorting, even driving off your own brothers and sisters to extinction¡­.!!!¡± Two large red eyes suddenly loomed in front of me, glaring at me as I listened to her accusations. Abruptly, the eyes closed, and a large sigh could be heard. ¡°Yet, who am I to blame you. I am your mother, and you are my children. Child, you are the only child I have left, the only one who remembers me. I hope you live a good life, as I am soon to die. Take care my child, and remember me.¡± I lost conscience as Earth swept me away. Prologue Part 2 - Promises for the future A lone planet revolved around a large star, absorbing the light as it traversed through the galaxy. It took humans 230 light years, all their resources, and countless lives to arrive here. The space around the planet went quiet for millennia after their arrival, no newcomers to be found. This planet is Gaia, roughly 4 times larger than Earth, having a stable atmosphere, water, and all the other necessities for life. Yet, it also had Dust, a miracle material capable of doing anything. The planet was inhabited by various races, starting from the natives such as Though there are more races, they are considered to be ¡®not sentient¡¯, and are the subject of subjugation and eradication. Humans have named them ¡®Orcs, Ogres, Giant Arachinia¡­¡¯. Finally the Humans, a immigrant race from far away, this technologically advanced race is considered weak by others ,as they are mere fledglings in their understanding of Dust. Yet, what they make up for their lack of knowledge is numbers, being the most fertile race out of all the races. Gaia is in a period of uneasy peace, as each race prepares themselves for the inevitable. Unbeknownst to these races, a unique existence approached. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Mathewson was always either drunk, or fighting. Sometimes he was doing both at the same time, a canteen full of beer in his mouth as he unloaded his weapons in the Arab war. A mercenary he was, part of a group called, ¡®The Liberators¡¯. An embarrassing name, yet Mathewson always enjoyed himself, drinking with his buddies as they flew around the world on their next contract. On his 35th birthday he left the crew, and settled for one more party with them. He enjoyed himself, drinking, laughing, playing pool in the small bar as he saw his friends for the last time. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª < Mathewson POV > ¡°Wake up child of Earth, we have much to do and little time to spend.¡± I heard a patient voice boom as it woke me. ¡°Ugh¡­.Why do I feel as if I have a massive hangover?¡±, I groaned. ¡°Amusing. To think even a soul can get motion sickness from wormholes.¡± The feminine voice chuckled. Her voice was similar, yet different from Earth¡¯s, it had more depth to it, almost male in tone. ¡°Anyways, we have much to do. I have one simple request.¡± I saw two large green eyes gaze at me from the murky haze. ¡°What do you want?¡± I asked. This was too similar to how my first mercenary contract went, my contractor amused at my green face after a long ship journey. ¡°Watch carefully.¡± she said, as her eyes disappeared, and in it¡¯s place a planet came to view. A beautiful world. That¡¯s all I can truly say. Luscious green jungles and forests sprawled widely, mountains souring up to the milky clouds. Sandy patches of desert spread across continents, and the ocean was a pristine blue. The 13 continents spread wide, and I could see a vast ravine, sprawling across 5 of them. A stark contrast with Earth, as it had been almost black in colour after a horrible accident. Suddenly the world zoomed in, onto the largest of continents. We could see a plain, filled with strange creatures, and men with strange armour. ¡°This,¡± she said in a sad voice, ¡°Is me. This is Gaia, home to many foolish races. My children, I should say.¡± I saw werewolf like creatures dashing across the field, holding large, brutal crimson swords as they met with the fierce resistance of the humans, who held up massive tower shields as they fired bows and slashed with daggers. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°This is a mere battle, yet war rages across every part of me. From the depths of the oceans, to the floating islands above, everywhere war rages. And where it doesn¡¯t it is waiting to happen.¡± Gaia sighed as she rid herself of that image. ¡°My dear child of Earth, you are the lone memory of her legacy, the only one who knows of her existence besides me. Your mother has long since been destroyed, by your brothers and sisters who now wage war here.¡± Gaia opened her green eyes yet again as she examined me. ¡°Truly, I wish Earth had destroyed your race sooner. Your race is like a cancer, spreading from one place to another, leeching and destroying everywhere you go. Yet, I understand Earth¡¯s emotions. You are her children, and though you may have killed her, she loved you all.¡± ¡°I will NOT let this happen here.¡± Her eyes turned a brutal red colour as she glared at me. ¡°If I so wished to I could have destroyed you, Dust tainted soul or not. Yet, I saved you for one reason.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± I simply asked. I could see that she vehemently hated all humans, and she would not tolerate the existence of us. But, I could also see that she would not, no, could not get rid of us. Maybe because of Earth¡¯s last wish, I thought, or maybe because she is unable to intervene. Either way, I would not accept a genocide deal. It¡¯s one thing to kill a man. It¡¯s another to kill a race. ¡°End this war.¡± She replied softly, her eyes turning blue this time, ¡°End the war, and save my children.¡± ¡°Save your children?¡± I asked. ¡°From what? Humans?¡± ¡°No¡­I¡­.I am dying.¡± Se replied tearfully. ¡°I have, until now, always repeated the cycle of destruction and rebirth¡­yet now¡­.this is about to end¡­the end¡­is nigh..¡± ¡°You are my only hope. You are the only one who can hear me, who can do something about this.¡± ¡°Please¡­save my children¡­I beg of you as Earth begged me¡­¡± I stared at her, or rather her eyes. I saw despair, terror and hopelessness welling up as she begged me. That violent storm of emotions reminded me of something. Something I used to see everyday as a mercenary in the slums. Mothers clutching their children as they begged for me and my crew to take them, anywhere better than there. My mother was the same. Not Earth, but my real mother. A German woman who lost her husband, and begged for jobs as she desperately searched for ways to raise me. My mother, who toiled from dawn to dusk as she earned less than the minimum wage, and was finally forced to abandon me. My mother, who died, hit by a motorcycle when she finally returned with money in her hands. I calmly looked back. Normally, my personality is all play with not the slightest bit of rationality. But now¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll do.¡± I replied. Gaia¡¯s eyes returned to a calm green as she quietly replied. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°So how am I supposed to stop a war? I mean, it looks like you¡¯re even bigger than Earth, and I¡¯m a single man.¡± ¡°That¡­is something¡­you will have to figure out¡­¡± ¡°¡­You don¡¯t have a single clue now do you¡­¡± ¡°It does not matter¡­I simply wish for you to take as many of my children as possible¡­and flee this world¡­¡± ¡°Ha¡­..so how am I gonna go down there?¡± I asked, ¡°Are you gonna shove me in a body or something?¡± ¡°No¡­Each world has their own pool souls they use¡­they follow a cycle, a reincarnation system¡­some souls come back faster than others, and sometimes they have slight memories of their past¡­If Earth had vessels to contain souls, or bodies, you would have reincarnated with all of your memories¡­due to your soul being tainted with Dust¡­I am going to have to put you in my pool of souls in order to reincarnate you¡­I will not be able to control your race either¡­¡± ¡°Just one thing. What is this Dust thing you keep on talking about. Earth said she didn¡¯t even have any and that it tainted? my soul.¡± ¡°Simply put¡­Dust is similar in nature to your fantasy mana¡­it is a nano particle I designed to help my children¡­It obeys the orders of sentient beings, their brainwaves¡­and creates magical phenomenons¡­As for why your soul is tainted with it¡­I truly have no clue.¡± ¡°Great¡­ So do you have any clue as to when the Apocalypse is gonna come?¡± ¡°Only 300 years are left¡­¡± ¡°Only? You mean there is that much time left?¡± ¡°The thing is¡­ you are to end all wars and create a suitable spaceship to carry every race into outer space¡­not only just the sentient beings¡­but the feral ones as well.¡± ¡°¡­so a goddamn Noah¡¯s Ark is what you want me to make.¡± ¡°Yes¡­.¡± I mentally face palmed myself. This situation is unbelievable. Something out of a fantasy. ¡°Well, I guess I can say that time is ticking. So beam me down, Scotty.¡± ¡°My name is Gaia¡­not Scotty.¡± Gaia grumbled as she swept me away. Chapter 1 - Birth Dark¡­¡­¡­. Why is it so dark¡­¡­..? Sleepy¡­. I hate it¡­..I hate the dark¡­¡­ Even as I child I hated the dark¡­¡­.. Sleepy¡­. Gloomy¡­Musky¡­.it reminds me of the attic I had to live in¡­.. Where the fuck am I¡­¡­..? ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª< Time Passes >¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª I feel¡­constricted¡­..tight¡­.. Fucking¡­.hell¡­¡­ Sleepy¡­. Why is it so dark¡­¡­. Fuck¡­.. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª< Time Passes >¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª My heart¡­why is it burning¡­.pain¡­ I feel¡­pain¡­.what is wrong with me¡­. I hear a voice whisper softly, ¡°Dust¡­to Dust¡­.¡± Dark¡­.why is it so dark? ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª< Time Passes >¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Please¡­somebody¡­..anybody¡­..end this misery¡­. Gaia¡­.why is there so much pain¡­.. This nightmare¡­..why does it not end??? ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª< Time Passes >¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Ah¡­.The pain¡­.it stopped¡­. But it is still dark¡­.. I still feel constricted¡­.. My mind is clearer¡­.now that there is no pain¡­.. But this darkness¡­.it gnaws at me¡­.. I feel¡­..tired¡­..end this¡­. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª< Time Passes >¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Is this¡­.real? Or is this another dream¡­.. I dream of blood¡­and my last memories¡­. Blood¡­.so much blood¡­. Why do I feel so¡­.trapped¡­. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª< Time Passes >¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª I¡¯m trapped¡­..encaged¡­in something¡­.but by who¡­and why? I feel less pain now¡­.I can think properly¡­. Fuck¡­.I hate feeling so claustrophobic¡­. I can¡¯t even breath¡­wait¡­. I really can¡¯t breath¡­.what is this¡­.. What am I? ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª< Time Passes >¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª I finally figured it out¡­ Gaia¡­I hate you¡­. I¡¯m in a fucking egg¡­.no wonder it feels so uncomfortable¡­. Fuck¡­¡­ ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª< Time Passes >¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Each time I wake up I feel better¡­ My train of thought no longer just crashes¡­. It is still dark, and it is still just as stuffy¡­ Yet, I feel something different this time¡­I feel strange. Huh? What¡¯s happening? I can¡¯t breath! No, I¡¯m actually suffocating! I thrash around desperately, smashing my head against the top-sides of my cage. I feel it give away, slowly cracking and letting in much desired light. ¡®LIGHT¡¯ I thought, ¡®LET ME OUT¡¯ I let out a small croak as I finally break out of my prison, the pit that trapped me for what seemed like eternity. The light blinds my tender eyes, and a large shadow blocked it as I squealed in pain. I made out large reptilian legs and claws, and a large snout that nudged me softly as I tumbled out of my shell. I fell to the ground, tired from my struggle¡­and slept. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª< Time Passes >¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª *THUD A large red haunch of bloody meat woke me from my sleep. A set of large claws were gripping on it, tearing it apart as I slowly stood up. I tried to stand on my hind legs, as I would have done if I were human, yet my new body was sluggish, and not designed to stand on two legs. I fell backwards after my clumsy attempt at standing. Pain arced through my body as something sensitive was hurt. After closer inspection, I realised that I had wings, large translucent bat wings with small claws on every spine, all in a beautiful shade of iridescent crimson. It was darker than what I would have imagined it to be, yet the colour somehow entranced me, dragging me into its depths. While I was imagining myself, my now noticeable tail was flailing behind me as I felt a multitude of emotions. I guess I¡¯m a dragon. My inspect myself closer, realizing that I have rather soft claws that are black at the spine, and crimson at the edge. It feels like I have 4 rather large horns on my head, while smaller spikes adorn my spine all the way down to my tail. As I lost myself in self admiration, I heard a large grunt. I gazed up at the source of the sound and saw a massive redder and bigger version of me gazing back at me with amusement in it¡¯s eyes. It nudged the haunch of meat towards me as it noticed me looking at it, and gestured at the meat, as if expecting me to eat it. I soon realised my hunger as the meat glistened with blood, oozing out the crimson liquid as my stomach rumbled. However, I was reluctant. I used to be the type of guy who enjoyed his meat rare with hot pepper sauce as well as a beer to go with it. ¡®Meh,¡¯ I thought, ¡®it¡¯s better than nothing.¡¯ I tore into my first meal in this new world. Ah...What is this taste? It''s soooo good! It''s even better than what we had on Earth! I ravaged the entire thing, stuffing it into my stomach, savouring each drop of blood as I licked my scaly lips as well as my claws. I sat down, content and full, and simply drowsed as I thought about my future in this world. But as I rested....something felt missing¡­..my lower body seems¡­.empty¡­. I looked down and saw nothing¡­... Wait. Nothing? ........ Ah....hahhahhhhahahhaha! HAHHHAHAHAHA! no. No. NO! AW, HELL NO!!! DAFUQ! WHY THE HELL AM I A FEMALE??? I squealed loudly in indignation as the larger dragon let out a rolling rumble, as if laughing. Crying hot tears I stumbled back to my shell and huddled against it, denying what was reality. I¡¯m gonna have a niiiiiiice chat with Scotty (Gaia) about this.