Nebula Gravis

[LagunaX1]

Markus sat on a rock panting heavily. Sticky dried blood coated his left arm as well as his forehead where a recently closed would lay. A day and a half has passed since his encounter with the great spirit and he had never expected things to have turned out this way. He had had the upper hand, the spirit and it's illusions could not break his resolve or will and with his blade coated in diamond he had dealt as much as a death blow an immortal could take. Wrapped in chains the great spirit Phantom had simply laughed and then... Everything vanished.

Markus looked around himself, he had no idea where he was but all he could see was barren land covered in rocks and dying tress, stretching on forever in all directions. But he knew he was no longer in his world from looking at the sky, the entirety of which was a purple haze, a constant aurora of shades of purple. As far as he could tell he was the only human here, all he had come across were grotesque undead beasts that randomly climbed out of the ground and as swiftly descended back under when their surprise attack failed.

He was not dead, or at least he assumed he was not from the wounds on his body. Wounds inflicted by his first encounter with the undead beasts, their quick surprise attack took him off guard and his defense had not been perfect. After a day of walking Markus had decided to simply sit and think, since then he had not been bothered by anything or anyone. He's even risked a few hours of sleep and no harm had come of it.

The last thing he could remember was the world shattering like glass around him, as if forced back by the spirits laugh. He felt his body sucked rapidly downwards through the floor of the temple and into an almost on existent light. He had read of different realms before but had chosen to see them as myth, at least till now. If the myths were true he could very well be in the Realm of Autumn, and as he had fought a Great Spirit of Autumn then perhaps it was not too far fetched to assume the spirit had the ability to access this realm or it's location contained a way to enter it.

Markus got to his feet and decided to put his trust in myths and fairy tales. If they were correct then this barren land wasn't all that was within this realm. There were many land marks listed to be located here, such as the Hall of the Dead or the Temple of Anguish. It was also said that within their respective realms you could find the Gods themselves. Perhaps the only way he'd be able to leave this land was to find and speak with Cinis herself. At the very least he refused to stay motionless any longer, he would keep walking and he would find a way out of this place.

[ClockworkAngel]

[Shuffle]

A shard. Of what? It glittered and reflected. Anceint, powerful, deadly to the creatures of darkness. Yet as much as it reflected, it absorbed. It showed not a view of the world, but of another. Dark, malicious. Designed for good, but destined for darkness. Embedded in one of the of shadows and ice. Sealing what she should know. But one shard contains the power to surpress the memory, emotion, the power of the creature in which it is bestowed. Scattered across the world, guarded by spirits of unknown and unrivalled power. Should they be brought together, the world will ascend to the light... Or plummet into darkness.

[Shuffle]

Memories scattered to the wind. A doll wanders in the dark, lost in her thoughts, unsure of who she is, what to do. Unaware of the future that lies ahead and the choices to be made. The Wastes of Vehemence, the Plateu of Demise, she stood upon it's top watching the world below, waiting to reunite with herself in a far-off world. Sealed within the Realm of Autumn, waiting to pass through the mirror of the worlds to the otherside. She watches and waits silently, aware of a new presence in the domain of the chaotic goddess. A man. Wounded and travelling. She watches him from afar with her all-seeing eyes. Watches as he comes ever closer...

[Lillith and Stiria - North-East of Ciniria City - Map ref: T10]

Lillith and Stira had begun to journey to the city of Itzal. Stiria informed Lillith as they walked that there was a location near to the city named the Torn Gap, a place of great power. That was their destination. They continued in silence for several hours, Lillith occasionally glancing at Stiria. Her memories had returned partially, at least, concerning this man, but she still couldn't help but look at him in awe. He was one of the four great deities of the world, walking the mortal realm next to her. Furthermore, he was her father. It was taking a while for the realizations to sink in fully.

"There is a demon approaching." Stiria said, the tone of his voice indicating he wasn't exactly concerned by it. Lillith looked around and sure enough, there was a black, shadowy demon moving swiftly towards him. Gaunt, dead face, white eyes, cruel teeth, clothed in a loose, mouldy grey cloak, wet, slimy, dead hands reaching out from the dark depths of the material, this creature would seem rather terrifying to most travellers. Lillith shrugged it off and looked at her father.

"Are we going to ignore it?" She asked. Stiria shrugged.
"Kill it if you want. It's no threat to us."
"Well... Maybe if it attacks." Lillith replied.

The demon continued floating towards them, it's tattered cloak billowing behind it as it flew. It didn't seem to realize it's danger and was too intent on it's intended prey. It let out a loud, deathly screech which caused Stiria to turn to it.

"You just got my attention, you annoying piece of crap." He said softly. He looked at the demon which skidded to a halt, if that was possible for a floating demon. It's deathly face suddenly had an expression that could only be fear etched upon it. Lillith laughed. It was an ammusing expression to see on such a fearsome demon's face, but such was the aura that emanated from the God of Destruction, even the demons of this realm fled his terror. Or attempted to, such was this case. The demon turned and feld as fast as it could, but lightning moves faster. Three large bolts rained down on the demon, reducing it to mere particles in the wind. Stiria had not even moved. To conjure up such a swift, powerful attack without even moving a muscle. She wondered how powerful he would be if his powers were not sealed by the Sun Shackles.

"Shall we continue?" He asked. Lillith nodded, smiling somewhat and the two continued on their way.

[MetalRenard]

... No screams were heard ...

- Reynard - The Torn Gap, Ancient Undran Court. -

No sound could escape his throat, because there was no air. He could not see, for there was no light. He could not feel, because there was nothing. A void. Emptiness. A vast body of opposite matter that repelled everything, yet gave off nothing.

He floated in the void for what felt like days... weeks... An eternity stretched out before him and time lost its meaning. He just "was".
Slowly though, even that began to fade. His own mind challenged the idea of his own existence, for, with nothing to compare its reality to, it slowly began to collapse upon itself. A wise man once said "cogito ergo sum", "I think, therefore I am", but what is the meaning of existence without a physical realm in which to explore it?

It didn't matter any more. Reynard was, for lack of a better word, dead.

He gave up his life in that void, and the demon that was the Undran Prince began to feed on his life force. A ritual, it is said, must be undergone to free Prince fear and his servant. That ritual involves the sacrifice of an innocent soul, as the shard had showed Reynard when he had taken it from its hiding place. The ritual is not to be done by he who wants to awaken the Undran, but is just a result of the elements being present to make it possible. The shard had become one with Reynard, marking him as the sacrifice and in turn, saturating him with an ancient power. Now that power was fused with his life energy and was feeding Prince fear... But his servant could feel it too.

Light broke into Itzal's tomb. He opened his eyes, and saw... light. Itzal had awoken.

[Pherione]

[Itzal - Undran Tomb of Nigerautumnus ~ The Torn Gap ~ U-10]

Awake...
The perpetual dream had ended- unless this was a dream of course. He couldn't tell the difference anyway.
His heartbeat sounded through his head, his vision becoming blood red and black with every beat; the agonizing pain of an eternity in chains.
The wounds in his body started bleeding heavily as the curse binding him became weaker and weaker. The Undran Shard was breaking the spells, setting him free. The light clouding his mind was dissolving. The heartbeat became louder. Thum, thum, thum...no...this was something different. Someone was moving through the darkness of the tomb, the maze. The Undran shard had found a victim and now it was almost here.
Suddenly, Itzal felt an alarming presence; it was coming closer at great speed. It was a light, making him nervous. He breathed heavily, the agony got worse.
Itzal tore himself free without knowing it, the anchors chaining him through his flesh, he simply pulled them loose, creating deep gashing wounds. He landed on the cold, dusty floor and felt an excruciating pain, the remainder of that vile magic holding him there. Itzal coughed as he inhaled some dust. Free...

[Zackwell]

Zackwell coughed, expelling some seawater from his throat.
How could he have forgotten that he can't swim?

Water drips from his hair and clothes as he picks himself up.
Coughing, he brings up some more salty seawater.
"Eugh... I hate water." He takes a drink from his flask, and swills it around in his mouth.

Looking up at the sky, the clouds are a malevolent violet colour.
As thick and dark as they were, they were not rainclouds.

"At least I don't have to worry about getting wet again." he says to himself as he glances over his sopping wet clothes.
He closes his eyes and tenses his muscles. A light steam begins to rise from the fabric of his clothes.
Within seconds, he is dry and warm.
"Thank the Gods for my fire." he shakes the salty residue from his sleeves. "I'd've taken hours to dry out otherwise."

He coughs once more to clear his lungs before he begins to trudge towards firm ground.
After a short walk, he finds himself standing before a lonely sign-post.
"Ciniria to the left of me... Scáth to the right..." He ponders for a moment.
"If I remember correctly, Scáth is on the southern coast of Nigerautumnus..."
He pirouettes on his heel to face Ciniria.
"That means Itzal is along this road."

He breaks into a fast walk. He can feel his desire for revenge gnawwing away at his mind like a ravenous creature.
His mind begins to move almost too fast for him to keep up. Thoughts spin around and around as pure hatred begins to bubble in the pit of his stomach.
So fast are his thoughts, that his vision becomes a blur, and before he realises it, he's sprinting down the road; blind with rage.

Suddenly, he stops. Not because he wanted to, but because he had run into something quite solid.
A pain shoots through his nose as his vision unblurs. He is laying on his back.
He tries to focus on that which had hit him. A shock of gold, and a bright green wisp, and the mystery obstacle was gone.

He couldn't move from his resting place on the ground in the middle of the road.
He was so exhausted. He had hardly slept the night before.
Though he couldn't move his body, his mind continued to wander.
What had he run into? And why was he even running?

He sighed. Silly principles; that's all.
How could he let something like that consume him so?
It didn't matter much to him here. He resolved to just lay down in the middle of the road and sleep.

[ClockworkAngel]

[Shuffle]

Such a hunger few creatures had known. Food, water, sexual desire, nothing came close to the hunger one feels when deprived of their own body. Their own existence. The doll remained alone in the realm of Autumn, craving, longing for the day it would be reunited with it's true self, ever searching for an escape from the confines that held it here, in the world that mirrors all. It remained, existing only to meet with it's other self, so it could be whole once more...

[Lillith and Stiria - Itzal - Map ref: U10]

The two travellers had reached the City of Itzal, but it seemed that no more was to be seen here. Whatever strangeness Stiria had sensed, was gone from this place. Lillith stood a little distance from the man, watching him carefully. Her memories of him, returned in their full, were occupying her mind for the time being. She did not know him as a father that well, for they had never spent much time together. Indeed, she was born into the mortal world and had never been to the "other side" herself. She watched the man, deep in thought, when suddenly Stiria's voice broke the silence.

"There is an anceint place near here. A chaotic place of darkness. I think we will find what we seek there." He said. Lillith walked over to him as he continued to speak. "It is known now as the Torn Gap, but once, eons ago, it held another name. There, two powers are coming together. I do not know what they are or what they will bring upon this world, but I am curious. One seems to be a force of benevolence. The other, not so much. I wonder what strange circumstances bring these two forces together in this world... Come."

With that, Stiria began walking to the southern edge of the city, with Lillith in tow. She knew not what it was that intrigued her father so, but the path to unlocking her memory lay with him and so she followed him willingly.

The two journeyed in silence for some time. Lillith was unsure exactly how much time, for much of her mind was occupied with thought as they walked. She had a brief moment when she was aware of some threat nearby, but Stiria's icy aura seemed to ward even the strongest of deathly creatures in this land away from them, so she was free to let her mind wander. She was not even aware of the chaotic surroundings about her as they walked and before she knew it, they had come to a stop. She ceased her thoughts and looked up, staring somewhat at the structure before them.

"That... Is one damn big castle..." She said, looking at the building that stood there.
"It was once a grand castle of a civilization known as the Undran. Until only a short while ago, it was still no more than ruins. I am fairly sure I know of what it is that awaits inside now, for only one thing could have triggered it's ressurection. We must enter and find those within."

The two began their way towards the castle. Lillith was certain she heard the faint sound of screams, but it lasted but a fraction of a second. There was antoher sound however, much clearer, much closer. A hoarse laughter. She turned and saw a man standing nearby.

"More fools daring to enter the castle yonder?" Said the man. "You will perish, as those before you did."
"I care not for your words, old man." Stiria said calmly. "There is no evil in this world that will not succumb to my presence."

The old man looked at Stiria briefly, a strange light in his eyes.
"Indeed, I don't doubt that." Said the man, with yet antoher hoarse chuckle. He turned and melted into the shadows as the two proceeded forth into the castle.

[MetalRenard]

- Reynard - Void of The Torn Gap -
Is that a feeling of something tugging at him? Not physically of course, for there was no matter. But something definitely pulled on him, from the inside. He stirred awake, but he couldn't remember much about himself.
Random images flashed before his eyes - a woman who hugged him tightly (his mother?) - a boy playing with sand (his brother?)...

His brother!

He awoke fully, all senses returning to him despite the nothingness that consumed him. He felt weak, like his energy was being absorbed, yet at the same time he felt stronger than he ever had before. Light penetrated the void, his vision shattered into a thousand images, as if he was looking at what was before him through shattered glass. He saw a bloodied creature with chains ripping through his flesh.
He screamed out to him "Release me from the void, I have something you may want in return!"

[Pherione]

OOC: Seems like everyone has been waiting for me while I thought it wasn't my turn to write yet, sorry bout that ^^' (that and personal issues)


[Itzal - Undran Tomb of Nigerautumnus ~ The Torn Gap ~ U-10]

I have something to offer you...the voice echoed through the barrow...a sacrifice? No, he wasn't bound anymore, he could just reject it and leave the guy to die out there among the demons feeding on him. Though he was the person who had broken the chains. He owed him that. 'I'll just unlock the door for him. Give him a chance to escape, but let him save his own sorry ass.'
Itzal broke the seal holding the stone doors of the tomb. Let's see if he manages, worthy of my help. He created a corridor through the darkness for the stranger to walk to the tomb.
After this he looked around...the tomb was dusty, ancient carvings had withered away a long time ago...who was he...how did he know these things, his powers were natural to him...something was amiss, but what?
He looked up as he noticed some strange creature stumbling through the darkness...he had the shard...but he had never seen such animalistic creatures before...the world no doubt had degenerated since he last threaded upon the earth- where did this cold hate come from? He did not understand his own feelings...he should cut his saviour some slack. 'Though it didn't mean he had to be nice...' he thought to himself.

[Zackwell]

http://bb.ohsk.net/uploads/Belialgerungen.mp3

~ In the frozen fields of Albushiems, there lies a once great wall, made from stone, obsidian, sand and skulls..
Back in its day, it was said to have stood a hundred feet tall, casting a twilight shadow in the moonlight that stretched across the land, blanketing the abandoned ruins in a melancholy light that was neither bright nor warm.
Its outer side was said to be covered with statues of obsidian, depicting thousands of men, women and children in silent, penitent reverie.
The anguish, carved into every individual face of the statues was of transcendent craftsmanship.
The eyes of sapphire, so finely polished that they shone with tearfulness in the broken moonlight.
The statues laid upon each other in their hundreds. Those at the bottom being crushed under the weight of those at the top, all reaching up towards a monstrous face, crafted from obsidian darker than that of the other statues.

The face stood as tall as five of the smaller statues, and looked as if it had been cleaved from stone with very little care.
Its edges were angular, with spikes of obsidian jutting out from its forehead.
Its evil, blood-curdling grin, with jagged teeth of ruby...
Its sharp, penetrating gaze, with eyes of blood-red garnet...
A face that could only be described as a devil.
In the moonlight, the horrific, gargantuan face could be seen from as far as Florenspira.
Its eyes watching everything; its malicious grin never changing.

None are alive who remember the day it fell, nor the very reason that it existed...

All that remains is a pathetic stretch of rubble reaching from one side of the continent to the other.
This great wall was known as Belialgerüngen. ~

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Zackwell is awoken by the sound of hooves on a cobbled road.
His eyes flicker open as he stretches.
It seems that someone was kind enough to lean him up against a crumbling wall.
And if there was a wall, then he was not where he was when he fell asleep.

He yawns before wondering to himself, “Where am I?”
And so, he continues with his strolling, in the direction he thought north.
He takes a deep breath of the stagnant Nigerautumnus air, before once again contemplating his location.

“I guess I need to find out how to get to Itzal from here…”
He wipes the sleep from his eyes and surveys the land around him, sharpening his focus to the level of a hawk.
“What on earth is that…?”
He sees a great tower in the distance, cutting right through the dark clouds in the sky.
“I don’t recall that ever being there…”

Puzzled, Zackwell decides that he would head towards the great tower, in the hopes that it would find him closer to Itzal.

[OOC: Got tired. I'll post more next time.]