"Father . . . What was it like during the golden age of the past?" asked a curious looking young girl, adorned in a pure white dress with a golden blue motif. Draped with bright golden hair, flowing in the wind almost obstructing her bright sapphire blue eyes staring back at the old man with a puzzled look. Upon hearing this question the old man stood still; shocked. He turned to look at the young girl, " My dear young Alice . . . Why do you ask about this?" he asked while looking towards the center of the vast ever expanding universe; where a giant temple embellished in flames, adorned with golden accents along the four lit braziers, that sit atop the 6th layer of the massive temple.
After a few moments of silence the old man starts, "We let's see . . . where should I start? Oh I know . . . . . Billions and billions of years ago- back at the start of everything, there was nothing, just infinite darkness. Then suddenly as if from an external force an entity was born. This being was the only thing in the emptiness of the vast infinite darkness. This being had no name, memories or anything. All that was there was an empty shell, with the control of fire.
Moments after he was born there was a build up of the vast energy of the infinite universe. Then came a bright blinding flash of heat and light originating from where the being was standing. After the flash where there was once just incomprehensible darkness… now stood a vast temple. Just like that one," the old man points to the same temple from before.
"Where is it father? I can't see it." Alice questioned with a sad look.
"Don't worry Alice, you'll be able to see it soon, I'm planning to take you there to see it." the old man answered, replying to the question.
"Really father, you really mean it?" Alice asked questioningly with puppy dog eyes.
"Yes Alice, I promise. Now may I continue my story?" the old man questioned with an exasperated sigh. "Like I was saying, after the flash . . . there stood the First Flame Lord, one of the oldest and strongest beings to be alive at the time.
That being said there were many things that he is known for, most notably is the creation of the stars, planets, galaxies and all else that you see. The only problem that he faced was that he was alone with seemingly nothing around but the universe. He vowed that during his lifetime he would create life, and that's what he did - though it took hundreds if not thousands of years. Trial after Trial, failed experiment after failed experiment, until he succeeded he had created life. albeit, not as complex as nowadays but still he had created life. Alright Alice, time to take a break from the story." the old man finished.
"Ah come on dad, I want to hear the rest of the story." Alice replied with.
"Did you forget what I said earlier? I believe that I said that we would be going to the temple today." The old man said wearily.
"Really dad, you really mean it dad? Will we really be going." asked Alice
"Yes Alice, I mean it. Can you go and get changed please? Into something a little more suitable for going out?" Asked the old man looking at the young girl.
An hour later, Alice came out of the palace wearing a white shirt with a golden insignia on it, followed by a light gray sweater, light gray pants and a pair of dark brown hiking boots.
"Are you ready to go Alice? I don't know how long it will take to get there but regardless it will be an interesting trip." The old man asked while looking at the temple with a pale face.
"Yes father, I'm ready to go. What's with the pale face?" Alice asked curiously.
"Oh it's nothing, it's just that I haven't had to deal with anything regarding them in a long time. Wait what's that bright red beam coming from the top of the temple? Oh no . . . . . . . . . . . everyone take cover . . . . . . . shock wave!!!"
Hearing this all of those in the surrounding area proceeded to take cover. Moments later a large shock wave came through blowing out windows and bursting peoples ear drums.
Alice and The old man stood back up facing towards the city . . and all that they see is utter chaos, trees that have been uprooted and thrown, people laying on the ground with bits and pieces of houses on them. They were horrified by the scene in front of them.
"Father, what was that? How did you know that was going to happen?" She questioned.
"Don't worry about that right now, I need to go and get a full report on what happened. You stay here, don't go anywhere." The old man said in a demanding voice. " Why did this have to happen now of all times? I can't believe that he's back. I have to protect Alice at all costs." He continued to mumble under his breath.
He then proceeded to walk away, but stole a glance at the Temple and saw that the space around it was starting to distort and change into a crimson fire color with small strands of bright golden flames escaping from time to time. He thought to himself, "I guess he really is back. Nothing I can do about it now but to let time take its course."
Upon hearing her dad say stay where she was, she stood there stupefied. Never once in her life has her father looked so shocked and scared before. So what would any child do to try and help their parents?
Alice thought, " I should try and help!" So that's what she did, she left heaven and took off for the temple, what Alice didn't know is that this would change her life forever.
Several hours had passed since Alice had left for the temple . . . The old man had since returned to where he had left her only to find that she was missing. He then dispatched several guards to go out and find her but to no avail she was nowhere to be found. The old man was left wondering where his daughter had gone, as he was heading back to the palace he felt an overbearing ominous feeling coming from the temple. He thought to himself, "she wouldn't go there without me, would she?" But against better judgment he chose to go and see if she was there, so he set out to leave.
An hour later he was floating in front of the massive temple that once looked smaller than it did. The temple stood towering over all else, it seemed to be over a 1000 feet tall. He looked around and didn't see much, all that was there was scorched pieces of clothing. The old man walked up to the massive door that lay before him. He reached his hands out in an attempt to open said door, although he pushed and pushed the door just would not budge from where it lay.
The old man looks at the door, and notices that there is an ancient writing on the door, that he can just barely make out. "To enter into the temple you must offer the blood of the divine. Be true of heart as to not want to kill what lay inside Swear on all that is holy to protect the secrets within this temple - for there is a secret that none can know. For if they do it could spell doom for the lineage." The text on the door reads or at least what he can make out. The old man continues to think about what this means until a small wooden bowl with a small pool of golden blood. "Alice, how could you offer your blood to this thing? I hope I get to you in time before something terrible happens." The old man said aloud. The old man then proceeds to prick his finger with a needle and let about an ounce of blood fall into the wooden bowl.
As the large flame embedded door begins to open, the man thinks to himself
"What lies beyond has been locked away from impurities for eons for no one to touch, who knows what lies beyond. I have to be careful." he finished as the door came to a stop with a loud THUD.
The old man began to enter through the and he heard an automated voice say "Welcome Joseph. Prepare for teleportation." an automated voice sounds overhead.
"Wait what...…." Joseph screams before his vision goes blinding bright white.
"Welcome Alice, prepare for teleportation." An automated voice sounds overhead.
"Well then." Alice thinks to herself while his vision goes blinding bright white and she passes out.
As Alice slowly begins to wake up and her vision begins to refocus on her surroundings, she sees a large vast open room sheathed in flames covering everything except for the door on the wall facing opposite her. Alice begins to slowly stand up while looking towards the door, as she starts walking towards it she glances around the room, trying to make sense of where she is.
As she approaches the door, she notices an engravement on the door that reads "All who walk past this point are at the mercy of the Three flame lords of the past."
"Am I really willing to do all this?" Alice thinks to herself. She thinks, and thinks; and comes to a decision. She goes to push the door open, but as her hand reaches the door, a hand grabs her arm and pulls her hand away. Alice looks over towards where the hand is and notices it's her dad's hand.
Joseph looked down towards his daughter with an empathetic look and asked "Alice what are you doing here? This place is really dangerous."
"What are you talking about dad? This place isn't dangerous, I touched the door and got sent to this room. I will admit some of my outfit got a little scorched but I am perfectly fine and healthy." Alice replied to her dad's question.
"What are you talking about? You didn't go through the endless maze? Didn't have to fight the endless hordes of the undead?" Joseph asked brazenly
"No I didn't, but that doesn't matter. I am going to follow through with this, it's like I am being called here to do it." Alice responded to the questions.
"No you will not, young lady!! You are going to come home with me!" Joseph demanded. After finishing his statement, Joseph began to drag Alice away.
"No. . . . dad, please stop, I have to do this." Alice cried while trying to break free from her dad's grasp.
"No you will not, young lady! Let's go home." Joseph exclaimed aloud
Alice then proceeded to break free from her fathers grasp and grab hold of the bright golden red door handle, and with a loud thundering crash; the seal that was once on the door had been broken. The door that had once looked old and rotting, now looks bright and new. The room behind, that once lay bare now holds a red pillar with a scroll sitting within.