“In the heat of any battle, victory does not come from simply defeating your opponent or following a set of orders and regulations. Victory comes from upholding what you believe in, facing any odds to make your stand known to all sides. Balance between the heart and thought makes the difference between unchallengeable freedom and complete defeat.”

~The Dancing Queen, 20xx

“War. Anarchy. Rebellion. Destruction. And as of now, no salvation.”

“That… is the state of things, of the world that we know. Ever since the Vulfax Valley Incident, attentions have again been set outward, seeking a conflict, seeking something to blame. The chaos in the air started by that minor rebellion has paved the way for much more to render out. The VVI, an incident that would see the return of old evils from a struggle that spans back eons.

A hundred and sixty thousand years ago, in their time, their war began. Two races of people upon the world of Sillith- the Lightonians and the Dharkanians, each with the power to control the energies of Light and Dark respectively, each with the ability to command and control their world. Light was good for enhancing the minerals of the land, yielding better crops and abundant food. Darkness would be able to expedite and purify materials in the grounds for rich mining of resources. From these two abilities came different cultures, different values, different views on… enlightenment; and from that came the conflict as two sides clashed.

A war fought for eons of their time, one to never be forgotten by those who learned to halt their aging by this use of energy. Grudges were never forgotten with the reaper not taking them from time. And as time went on, things only grew more dire. With the development of new magics, new curses, it was inevitable that at some point space-time would be breached, and controlled. With the breach the war spread to other realms and quickly influenced others.

Those that aligned with the ideologies of the Lightonians joined their side, while others joined with the Dharkanians. Earth in particular saw the enslaved humans of early Earth join with the Light, seeking freedom from the Vampiric forces that had taken root. While the war did come to an end at some point with a Dharkanian defeat trapping them on Sillith, things did not end there. More civilizations began to learn the ways of the Celestial River and draw energy from it, and from that energy new magics and weapons were developed.

Disaster struck easily, with kingdoms essentially nuking each other. The despair that could be felt from that impact, the loss of tens of hundreds of thousands… perhaps even millions. From the desire to prevent further loss, the Aether Confederacy was founded by the Lightonians as a means to bring new kingdoms and realms together as allies, backing each other, protecting, assisting.

The Aether Confederacy spread like wildfire for some time, despite its flaws becoming quickly visible. Corruption, pride, greed, something to be expected from all long-lasting politics. And now following the attacks of the Dharkanians after all these years, and the rise of other threats such as the Vampire Rebellion under the Vampire Lord Arkaza, the long-standing Confederacy has fallen into trouble. Nations breaking away, attacks on allies and neutrals alike, and yet the Parliament of the Confederacy only debates and argues about the actions to take.

The last ten months have been nothing but unrest. The Lightonians on the hunt for the returned Dharkanians, the Vampire attacks, the politicians freaking out about their hired mercenaries letting these enemies slip through the cracks and make the order as a whole appear weak. Chaos is now the order of the day for most… though there are certainly those with voices who refuse to let this continue. One voice in particular is determined to do what they can to stop this anarchy from spreading, refusing to let the suffering they endured from the Vulfax Incident to spread.

That one voice may be destined for greatness, or perhaps they are destined to fail. All that can be said though is that they have peaked my interest. Months ago they broke from the norm, leaving the Lightonians and the Confederacy behind to find a brand new calling- determined to make a difference, determined to be so much more than what they were in the life they lived before that incident… where she will go, no one knows.

This… is the story of-”

Written by:

Alexander Stormsong

Art By

Sonmie

Aureolinflax

Clyxryn

Benny B

Sponsored by:

Frost Storm Productions

“Tell me, have you ever heard tale of what happened to Etoan of Dengar? Perhaps if you had, you’d have seen this coming.”

Crackle crackle.

The bitter drowning whiff of smoke digging deep into the skin, a drifting scent of metallic slapped right into the nostrils, an utterance of a most foul stench just beyond familiar yet so distant. Like a poison on the tongue, flavoring so blatantly. A blinding inferno of warm hot color and darkening clouds drifting to the backdrop of a crimson sky. Tremendous heat flooding an area with a vacuum of cold ever present mingled within. Howls filling the night, howls of beasts, howls of battle, howls of anguish.

“Kkk- krrrerk!!”

Pop pop pop

Snapping wood and the explosive roar of an open flame, a tsunami of fire washing around a vast stone clearing. Building after building giving in with the moan of twisted metal and broken matter. Gunshots heard in the distance drowned by those same howls and more and more screams. Men yowling out, canine type barking and calling to the moon, women screaming, children crying as the flames washed over them.

Figures darted everywhere, four legged and two legged both. Some fours leaped high and plowed into the twos, knocking them to the ground. More gun shots and but a few of the wolfing figures fell while others continued straight in. Guns held out and fired while those darting dark figures continued right into them. Other two legged dashing in like a blurring flag on the wind.

A woman screaming with arms outstretched, pinned by a burning beam, blood coating her face, tears streaming out. Two of the four legged backing away, their heads down as they quickly retreated. A small blanket squirming with life, a high pitched scratchy cry let out as it was drug away. The crunching munch as one four leg chomped right into the blanket, the cry cut short.

All around carnage was at play in this town set to burn. Humans dropping like flies to a zapper from the wolf-like creatures of blazing red and darkened gray, eyes aglow and their front halves bulked out. Bodies lay asunder, a flood of red staining over the brick and cement. Buildings collapsing and taking to the armed men fending off against these rushing creatures.

“Outstanding, isn’t it?”

The soft whisper of a woman to the backdrop of the roaring inferno. A wafting figure stationed at the center of the blaze surrounded by mutilated corpses of men, women, and even children. To the center, the figure of two. One held high, one held by the other.

A hooded figure cloaked in black, a-dance from the flowing winds. Blackness was all that there was, not even a face despite the vast light around. And yet… despite the obstruction, what could be seen were two colors of eye, one a snow white silver and the other a golden amber, yet both stared dead into the soul of the other figure above.

Her arm outstretched- connected to the throat of another held high in the air. Ragged, clothes torn, eyes bulging, face turned blue. A cracked rifle sway by his side attached to his being, his hands up to the very arm & hand held to his throat. The claws dug deeper in with an ever tightening grip. Blooded nose, coated face, hair torn from place and matted.

A sway of the wind and a flicker of light shining on the face of the woman, revealing only a brief glance at an ever growing grin. Those eyes, lit by delight yet ever so cold at the same time, a contradiction to be sure.

“Now had you simply answered my inquiry earlier-” she continued, the sound of crackling bone heard echoing along with a low pitched gag following, her grip tightening, “All of this could have been avoided, worm.”

A distance aback near a section of the town not yet burning, silhouettes began to emerge. Human, fast moving, clumsily. One to the front of the group came into perfect view, slightly on the older side with grayed hair, not a weapon in hand. Dressed in rags he stumbled out.

“HEY!!”

Her head turned with the hood following with a simple flap, grip unchanging.

“Stop this, Sonya!!” the old man called as those around him took position, rifles aimed out at the hooded figure.

Blink

All stationed men fell back, one with a scream, stumbling to take active stance with guns aimed now right before the old man. Standing merely a foot from him now was the hooded figure with the choked man still held up. The old man’s eyes shook as he gazed beyond the scenery around him- a gaze right into those eyes.

“Have you not heard? Sonya is no more, Veljeq. A Shiver of Wrath is all that remains…” her voice spoke, low and calm.

As she did speak the man in her grasp began to thrash once more slamming his fist down upon her arm before gripping hold with both hands once more.

“Release him. Now!”

CRRRRRRACK-

The man dropped. Arms limp and swinging, legs hanging, head rolled. From there the man’s body fell to the ground whilst the woman’s arm retreated back down to her side. The old man stared down, gulping on air as he took a half step back. Eyes returning to her own, which had not once left their position.

“My… look at you, Veljeq. For a Drachen, you’ve aged quite a bit in so short an amount of time, haven’t you?” she murmured, eyes remaining solely on Veljeq.

“Foolish girl- stop this now while you still can, please! It’s not too late to-”

“To? To what? To stop my ways and turn back to the side of righteousness? Please- there is nothing to be gained by allowing things to continue like this, old friend.”

“And what is there to be gained through destruction? Nothing. Any progress that could have been made will simply be dashed!” Veljeq spat back.

“Heh,” she chuckled with eyes shut, face turned away to face down-right with a slight chuckling.

“Think it’s funny do you? After what happened to you you would-”

Her head snapped back into place, her eyes open once more though relatively risen rather than low or narrowed. Veljeq’s eyes shook, a little sweat forming in pools around his face now draining.

“After what happened to me… hmm- such a poor choice of words wouldn’t you say old man?” she pondered aloud, now walking to the right and scoping around slow.

Even as she began to circle to his left and back around, he did not move further. The men armed with him would train their weapons upon her; though take no further action. All the while, he could feel it, her eyes piercing right through his very body. Taking a breath with closed eyes, they again began to open with a quiver.

“Nothing happened to me, not a single thing,” she continued while now moving around to his right.

“You would disregard your history so easily because it pains you. What happened to your family was not right. Your father would-”

“My father abandoned me to this infernal hellhole. Not that I can blame him, he was in as much shit as you are now and likely had no idea I survived,” she chuckled.

“He did not abandon you Sonya, and it was not the fault of this world. Those are Cylux’s words! Do not allow Cylux to twist your soul to his needs, it will only end badly.”

Slowly she stumbled back into his line of sight from his right, continuing her circle until positioned right back in front of him. Only her left side was visible though for she had yet to turn back to look upon him once more.

“You think my actions are out of some deep rooted quest for vengeance. How petty do you believe me to be, Veljeq?” she again questioned.

“Then what are you looking to gain if not revenge?”

“That,” she murmured while turning her body now to face the old man, “Is of no importance to you. What is important though is that you answer my question. Your friend there refused and that is what started this whole disaster.”

“You want to know where Shaluq went… I refuse to answer that.”

“No no- see, I know where he went. He went to get help from afar. What I want to know is who he went to see?”

Slowly she began to approach, her right arm outstretched. The tips of the underside of her fingers softly brushing against Veljeq’s face, her form now no more than an arm’s length away.

“Aether’s Assembly won’t hear the cries of Sarzento. I know that that Republic’s mess won’t hear any cases yet. And above all, I know that the Ruling Council here would not have sanctioned it so you’re acting alone. So where could he have possibly gone without order of the Government?”

His head slowly bobbed up, her fingers having moved from the side of his face to under his chin, holding his head up higher.

“I have no intention of telling you anything, not after what you and your followers have done here!”

“I see… went to get him did he? I find it hard to see what he can do at this point. The fall of Sarzento is set in stone at this point. For your sake, you should just give in Veljeq.”

With those words she leaned in slow, her face passing by his line of sight, her mouth right beside his left ear, “They hurt you too, didn’t they? You can simply sit back and watch it all unfold. Help us, and reap the rewards.”

His hands flew out and she was swiftly shoved off, her expression turning a touch sour. His race reddening and fire flooding his pupils. He stomped ahead, right fist out with a shake.

“No! It’s not right! Why should everyone suffer because of what happened then? I don’t care what you say, this is revenge. You’re just lashing out because you feel that your father abandoned you. That’s no justification for starting a genocide!”

“Suit yourself, I tried.”

“Gah! Killing tens of thousands won’t change a thing Sonya. It won’t change that you’ve become a bitter bitch with a heart throb because you think your daddy left you for dead. Just leave this land in peace!”

“Well you’re half right I suppose.”

CRUNCH

“EUAH, UHAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Veljeq yelled out and stumbled away, a rocket of scarlet rushing from his right where his arm used to be whole. Now it sat in the hand of the girl, limp with a spray of its own flying back at Veljeq.

“Nothing will get in my way Veljeq, not even the Nightstars,” she grumbled.

She launched ahead with her right arm up, hand turned with claws extending half a meter in length. Down they swung, slicing clean through the man’s chest.

“Veljeq!!” one of the armed men yelled as the body fell back and landed with a loud thud.

“You psycho bitch!” another man yelled.

Gun fire, howls of rage. Screaming, the ripping of flesh.

Blood splatter in the air, coming down as a thick rain.

And gradually… the screams came to a halt as the fires continued to crackle.

“Hee hee hee- the sweet sweet smell of burning away your past problems, it’s so very invigorating. And once we’re done here,” she giggled, stepping forward, her arms swung out to her sides, her grin widening, “The whole of Sarzento shall rest in the fires of hell and wither away into dust!”