Chapter 1
They came in the middle of the night.
The day was turning out to be wonderful. Cool breeze, warm sun shining down upon the Tenebrae mountains in the distance. The flowers were in bloom and the new grass shone vibrant green full of life. Tenebrae was beautiful this time of year during the seasonal change from cold winter to a thawing spring.
The people bustled around the city, no worries to be found. The war on Niflheim was soon to end. A treaty of the highest caliber was to be formed and consummated between the two warring nations, Niflheim and Lucis. In all honesty Lucian government had made the rift with the other nation and Tenebrae was caught in the middle. As such it was neutral ground for both warring nations. An area of peace and sanctuary. It was a place where both reigning governments could meet and discuss future plans without resulting to a race of arms.
It was a typical day in that both nations were to come together in the following days. Between both nations it had been decided the Prince of Lucis was to marry the Prince of Niflheim. Granted this had come to a shock to both nations when it was suggested, how would two men hope to join two nations together? How would there be any heirs between them? That however was the solution to their problem. The bloodline of the Lucian royals would end with their current Prince Noctis and as such the magical line would end with him. In this way Niflheim could no longer use the excuse of kingly magic as a threat to their nation and a reason for their excessive military operation. It would promote peace in ending the magical bloodline of the Lucians, while at the same time end the reign of terror felt by the Niflheim citizens.
The final details were to be written out and reported within the following days. The treaty was to be signed and both men were to be married within the week to speed up the process. It was a good plan, flawed and archaic but a good plan. Unfortunately, they came in the middle of the night.
While this archaic treaty was to be performed in Tenebrae it did leave out one important factor. If the goal was to end magic from all bloodlines, then why was the Oracle of Tenebrae left out of the treaty? While the oracle could not wield an Argimur of weapons at the snap of her fingers she still contained powers equal if not greater than the Lucian bloodline. It was a misstep in the Niflheim negotiation or perhaps it was overlooked simply because Oracle magic was nothing more than having the ability to heal.
Of course, eons ago the Oracles carried a vastly different role. They could commune with the old gods, bring forth their wrath against the nations that wronged them. They were the right hand of the gods most of the time and as such were worshiped as demigods. They had power more powerful than the oldest magical bloodline. However, as time went on the oracles faded. The gifts passed from the elders diminished with time, weakened as the times changed and a new threat emerged in the coming ages. The day of daemons, cast offs, the scourge infected. The daemons could be explained easily enough. They were as old as the old gods perhaps even older. They had been alive once and suffered an ill fate and lingered on in the living world. Their forms and temper changed by the way their life had ended. For example, the flan daemons are thought to have been creatures that were drowned or suffocated in some form, coming back as a gelatinous form that could not be killed so easily.
However, the scourge infection was a recent change. About fifty years ago was the first sighting of a scourge infected. The first infected was a grotesque cat morphed into a no longer recognizable shape. Its fur matted with thick gooey substance eyes yellow to dark orange and flesh like skin pulled tight around it’s curved framed. It looked more like a skeletal starved mangled lion than a simple house cat. There was no way to study the creature at the time. It was roaming late in the evening and seen by a family of farmers. It was dismissed quickly as a one-time occurrence due to the fact the farmer said it dissolved into ash once the sun shone on it. It was dismissed until it began to happen more frequently until eventually the first human scourge infected was found.
Once the first human was infected the scourge became a concern for humans in the area. No single type of magic seemed to cure the scourge just prolong the process of its acceleration. However, as it was found out soon enough, the oracle could not only decrease the scourge process but also extract the scourge from the vessel and have it destroyed in the light. Light was its only weakness; however because it stored itself in creatures, daemons, and humans it could easily walk in the sun. Thus, the oracle became of use once more and has been used to extract the scourge from infected individuals. However, this process came with a price. Each time scourge was forced from a human there was a risk that the human would die under the stress of the removal, or the oracle would be weakened for days after removing the scourge. Thus, it was impractical to depend on the oracle for the healing of the scourge. More had to be done to control this scourge. However, this chaos and scourge infestation only made the divide between Lucis and Niflheim more pronounced. Instead of working together for a cure they had spent the last fifty years fighting over who had made the scourge appear first.
There was much debate on how the scourge came into being. The theory from the Lucian point of view was it was formed from their constant military and scientific pursuits. They had created the scourge and, attempted to get rid of it and failed. Meanwhile the Niflheim accused the Lucians magic drawing out the scourge from the preexisting daemons. Their magic and the oracles powers were the only two things that could kill the scourge and prevent its spread.
It did not matter who created the scourge or even if the scourge was already something here on Eos before magic existed. All that mattered is that they came in the middle of the night.
Lady Lunafreya, the oracle of Tenebrae, sat on the plush couch within her study room. Her small hands held a book detailing the powers an oracle could use. Her blue eyes scanned the ancient pages of the book devouring each knowledgeable morsel. She turns the page and sighs closing the book. She places it to her side as she looks up at the man hanging within the doorframe.
“Brother,” she smiles standing up from the couch letting her white dress fall to her knees. “You have returned earlier than expected,” she states looking up at his frowning face. “Something is wrong.”
Her brother looks out through the hallway before closing the door to her study. His one purple and blue eyes landing on her. He pulls her close to him and sighs hugging her.
“Ravus what is wrong,” she asks hugging him back. “You are scaring me. Has something happened?”
Ravus releases her and sighs, “Tenebrae has fallen. We are being invaded by Niflheim.”
Luna gasps, “how can-”
“It does not matter how. We need to move quickly,” he whispers walking with purpose towards the bookshelf. “Gather what you wish to take. Hurry we have to leave soon.”
Luna gathers what valuables she can from the room. She was not planning on running from Niflheim. This was supposed to be a neutral country. She grabs the leather saddlebag from the desk table as her brother opens the secret entrance to the bookshelf. She stashes the book she was reading some money and wraps the scones she had on a plate from earlier and stuffs them in the bag. She places it over her shoulder and joins her brother by the moving bookshelf.
Metal footsteps can be heard in the hallway behind the door. Ravus looks down at Luna and offers a small smile. “You need to hurry to Lucis. They can offer you protection in Insomnia.”
“Ravus you sound like you are not joining me,” she asks as he pushes her hair back. “Ravus, we leave together.”
“Sorry, Luna. I promise to join you later,” he says pushing her through the hidden wall behind the bookcase before rolling it shut into place once more.
“Ravus,” she shouts. “Ravus come with me this instant,” she shouts once more. When no answer is forth coming, she turns her back on the closed entrance and begins walking down the stone hallway quickly. Mother and father had taught them the secret ways of the castle. When she was younger, Ravus and her would plan with the secret entrance to use them as places to hide from each other or boring lesson and now, now she was forced to use them for their intended purposes. Escaping.
It does not take her long to walk quickly through the stone hallway. She knows the steps and turns like the back of her hand. Still if Ravus had stayed behind he can only offer her so much time before he-
She shakes her head. No, she will not think such thoughts. Ravus will be fine. He will give her time to escape and then escape on his own. He’s resourceful if nothing else, he can survive this. She reaches the iron gate at the back entrance hidden behind bushes around the castle wall. She steps outside the iron gate her heart thudding deep inside her chest. She tries to focus her breathing, tries to control her fear as she walks along the outer edge of the castle hiding in the bushes. She hears a loud screech and popping sound from the right and pushes herself against the wall of the castle.
What on earth could be making that noise? Could it be a daemon?
She waits, holding her breath, hearing the screech once more before mumbled voices join in. This followed by sounds of metal clashing and bullets being fired. She looks out from her hiding spot and sees a battle of MT soldiers attacking her people who can barely defend themselves. She should take this opportunity to flee. Her brother had made his sacrifice so she could escape but how can she leave when her people are suffering? She steps forth from the bushes holding her right hand upwards and out, summoning golden light towards her hands. It begins to form from the bottom towards the top gathering the MT’s attention. She pulls her right foot back holding onto the trident with both hands staring at the MTs. The MTs realize they have a new target and begin to fight the lady in white.
Luna twirls in between the MTs shattering their pieces to the ground. Stabbing and slicing from their abdomens to their shoulders using the trident. She blocks their attack and forces them back, swinging the trident around in smooth fluid motion as she slashes and destroys the daemon possessed robots.
She jumps back blocking a MT with blades for arms that circle and rotate at every angle imaginable. She stabs the MT, getting one of the blades stuck in the trident and twists until the blade shatters giving her an opening to finish off the MT. The MT falls down beginning to disintegrate as she uses the trident to hold herself up.
Her people look around at the slaughtered MTs and offer their silent thanks as they flee. She feels the wind moving around her and looks over at the descending MTs jumping from the military ships. They are attacking her people and further moving them inland. This is a losing battle she can not win. She has to leave.
She dismantles the trident. It turns back into gold like light and disperses as she moves on from the castle, from her home. She stays away from the MTs jumping from their ships and walks quickly towards one of the dirt pathways into the forest. It is not a large forest by any means. Not since the city had been built up in recent years, but it should offer more protection and keep her hidden from the MTs. The white dress she is wearing is very easy to spot and whatever coverage she can get from the flashing lights and sounds of the MTs destroying her country, she will take. She walks deeper into the forest prepared to face the daemons of the forest than those MTs.
She readjusts the satchel on her shoulder and begins to rush down the dirt path, ears listening to the sound of screams from her people. She can’t block them out or ignore it. She wants to turn back and help but Ravus told her to get to Lucis. To get to Insomnia and seek help from them first. It’s the only choice she has, however, she still regrets leaving her people behind to suffer as she escapes.
Later in the night as she walks in the forest stumbling over roots and rocks. She’s become exhausted. Fleeing one’s country seeking solace elsewhere can be tiring. Still she has to move on. The night is still young, and she can’t have gotten far enough away to feel safe. Besides that, fact the pathway has taken a turn for the worst, changing from a smooth patted dirt road into one filled with weeds and stubborn long grasses. Either the upkeep had been neglected or she had gotten lost in the forest. Neither were not great options. Still she travels on, pulling her dress through the long grass and watching her steps more closely, using the moon as her only light. It’s a difficult task walking blindly in the dark with only the moon to guide her, but she is trying her best to find somewhere safe now that Tenebrae has been taken over.
Luna pauses in her steps feet aching as she looks up at the moon. Tenebrae is gone. Her family is gone. Her brother…he may be gone. She may be the only one left out of her family. Why? Why did Ravus send her away? She could have helped him. She could have done something besides run away like a coward. She wipes the sweat from her brow and walks further on even as her feet ache, feeling like they are throbbing on shards of glass. Her legs feel like pudding as they continue to walk on and on through the night.
Luck might be on her side. She sniffs the air, smelling a change in the wind. It no longer smells like leaves and dirt or grass of the forest. There is the smell of smoke in the distance. Perhaps there is a group of people, a village…or dangerous travelers. She stops walking towards the scent and sighs.
“What should I do? It’s either follow the scent to civilization or continue to be lost in the forest,” she asks, biting the first knuckle on her hand.
She has no choice but to follow the scent. It’s either continue in the dark forest waiting for a demon to attack or take a chance on civilization where the scent of fire is strongest. Even if they are hostile, she has enough strength to take on normal civilians. Besides it’s not as if Tenebrae is completely filled with dangerous travelers or mercenaries like Niffheilm. She may be hyping herself up over nothing.
She shakes her head, clearing her thoughts as she follows the worn path down to the scent of the fire. She quietly continues down the path trying to keep her steps even. It’s not easy walking down a steep pathway following a scent. Luckily, she begins to see a dim orange to yellow light in the distance.
She continues down the steep path carefully making her way over the old rocks and roots of the forest. Unfortunately, she’s not careful enough and trips over a hidden root and tumbles down the rest of the way. She shields her face, rolling down the hill faster, bouncing ever so often before landing at the bottom face down in the dirt.
She groans, raising her face from the ground before her body follows suit, aching. She hisses, feeling the back of her elbow and winces. One of the roots she had tripped over had been jabbed into her arm. It sticks out at an odd angle, pierced right through her flesh. She winces, holding her injured arm to her body forcing herself to get up. Her dress is ripped, blood flowing down her elbow staining it bright red as she limps towards the source of light.
She doesn’t have enough energy to heal herself. She’s spent and just wants to rest for awhile. Just shut her eyes and let it all go. But she can’t. She has to continue on, for her people, for her brother. This is not how the oracle will die.
She stumbles the last few steps, her eyes adjusting to the brighter light. She covers her eyes with her good arm and squints at the three individuals surrounding the fire. Two are men: one is wearing a dark green olive military uniform the other is dressed in all white. Both have decorative plates of metal across their shoulder as they turn to stare at her.
“By the Six what the hell happened to you?” Asks the one in olive, tripping over their feet as they approach Luna.
Luna pulls back and laughs nervously, “I…Tenebrae was attacked,” she states voice shaking.
The one in the white suit gives the olive one a shake of his head. “Uh right, yeah, big mess that,” states the one in the olive suit. “My name is Wedge and that guy over there shaking his head again is Biggs,” he says as the one name Biggs groans, covering his head with his hand.
“Wedge shut your trap,” says Biggs from the side. “We don’t know her-”
“Are you serious right now Biggs,” laughs the woman. Luna turns her gaze onto her and catches sight of the most gorgeous green eyes. “You’re in the presence of royalty,” the woman smirks as Luna flinches at the statement.
Luna feels sweat collecting down on her brow, dripping down the side of her face. If this woman knows her, she may be doomed. She’s doomed already as her elbow throbs with pain. She couldn’t ignore that for long.
Luna licks her lips and stands as straight as she can, “I…I seek,” she slurs out before landing on her knees clutching her bad arm. She sees the world spin and voices blur together as she rolls onto her back shaking. The last thing she sees is a pair of green eyes staring down at her before it all goes black.