Chapter 1 Unknown
The Future,3023 The Age of Immortals
Frost covered the land of Valis like a shadow. Zarda Anzal looked into the distance, seeing a village coming into view out of the cold fog. He stopped his horse and dismounted the gentle creature, feeling its coarse fur as he did so. The icy ground brushed against his leather boots as he continued his journey further into town. He came upon a frozen body of water and looked into it, seeing a fair yet worn face with long dark hair complementing it. He wore clothing that seemed worn from a journey that seemed longer than needed. He looked up from the reflection and moved towards the empty, cold homes that once had a life—brushing his gloved fingers across the splintered wood, feeling its age. Then he turned around, grabbed the edge of his cloak as it carved the snow, and moved towards a cracked and frozen well. The cold breeze brushed against his face as he approached the well, sending a shiver through his body. He spoke, seeing a black substance on the back side of the cracked stone. "What is this?" He reached a gloved hand down and touched the substance, feeling it between his thumb and index finger. "Old god blood, why is this here? Why now?" He spoke unsure of his assessment. He stood up, seeing the blood connected to a trail that almost vanished in the frozen land. He felt his heartbeat thinking about having to fight an old god of Aea after all this time. Leading his horse towards the trail, he moved his fingers in an unnatural pattern, performing magic on the blood and casting a tracking spell. A glowing line that flowed in the air appeared from the spell. Getting on his steed, he moved onwards towards the unknown future. He thought back to when the world was engulfed in war and death. All of it was caused by the dreaded Ardin, a forgotten imprisoned god hellbent on ending life itself. The horse started to gallop across the frosted plains, feeling the cold breeze brush off his horse. "I hope the trail has not gone cold." He approached a small town where the trail had stopped. He ties his horse to a wooden rod and enters the tavern. He looked around for something to rejuvenate his search. He saw a very dimly lit room worn with age with few guests. He approached the bar and started talking to the innkeeper. "Hello traveler, you need some rest and mead to warm the belly." "Sure, I'd like that." responding to the innkeeper. "That'll be 20 Vana." He opened his coin pouch, feeling the coin's metallic surface as he pulled his hand out from the pocket.
"I didn't catch your name, lad." He looked up at the innkeeper, saying, "Zarda." The innkeeper had a look of fear on his bushy face from hearing the name and giving him the key. "That name is an ill omen," The innkeeper responded. "Well, so be it," Zarda responded, walking towards the stairs. The wood creaked with each step. At the top of the stairs were three rooms. He looked at the key he was given, which said room "3". He approached the door and turned the knob, hearing the knob struggle from age and pushing into the room that was small but would suffice for his needs. His back ached from the sword and the supplies he was carrying. So he put them on the floor near the bed and looked out the window. He thought about his long journey ahead and an old Ain god on the mortal plane. The old gods were not creatures of peace or order but of nature and change. Uthrok would have the answers he sought.
Chapter 2 An Unwelcome Guest
A flash of light hit a forest shrouded in darkness, and screaming echoed through the trees, scaring any small animal nearby. Out of the pure energy beam came a winged, elegantly armored figure. They reached out their hand towards a small boy with bright green wavy hair wearing a dark blue Viking-age tunic. The boy was shaking and sweating in fear. The figure moved closer, reaching out as if it beckoned the boy to come with them, with light emanating off the figure in a sequence like a heartbeat. The figure's mouth parted. "Come to young Lothnar; the gods of Aea need you." Lothar took steps backward, moving away from the glowing figure. Another figure walked towards the glowing figure and said, "I will not lose this child, god." Then, seeing the apprehension from the other figure, the glowing figure reached out finally and grabbed the child's arm tightly, and they vanished. Leaving the other figure in tears and sorrow. Then, a young man with fair features complemented by bright green hair shaved on one side and long on the other, wearing a dark blue robe with black lines engraved on the fabric, wakes up from a nightmare. That seemed more like a memory shaped by the mind's interpretation of an event from youth. The man spoke, "the same nightmare, the one showing a memory long forgotten from when I was a boy." Lothnar got up from his neatly designed bed covered in silver snakes and thought of old times during the age of the forgotten. He walked towards a door engraved around the rim with inky black demons. He reached for the door handle with a hand with sharp white nails that looked like sword tips. Pushing the door open, he could hear the sound of chatter coming from the main hall of the fortress, echoing off the walls. His robe dragged across the midnight, glowing, neat marble floor as he took each step toward the main hall. The hallway was dark with candles and purple fire, giving the hallway life and purpose. He eventually got to a large, delicately designed room adorned with large purple crystals elegantly carved into symbols of the Darkplanes Gods. In the hall's center, two figures were deep in conversation, looking pleased with one another. "I expect the Darkplanes to come to our aid if this is true, Ithûlna." "I assure you, Anzos, our old agreements since the forgotten age are still intact, and we will uphold them." Ithûlna responded with certainty. Ithûlna was a tall figure with sharp, pointed ears and long, beautiful, black flowing hair wearing a similar garb to Lothnar but black and silver. The other figure, Anzos, was a decently sized humanoid with horns that grew towards the sky and a pale face with a crown of roots and wood adorned on the front of his forehead. He also wore a green robe with pauldrons and armor that looked grown from nature. "Ah, Lothnar, seeing you again after so many years is so nice." Anzos exclaimed. "You too, old friend," he said while shaking his hand elegantly. Looking into his eyes, he saw an unknown intention that lurked beneath the surface. Anzos turned his gaze to the table made of crystalline rock complemented by neatly adorned chairs made from Eternal Wood. It is a rare tree that grows in the Wild Realms and looks like obsidian. "God of magic, let's sit and discuss my proposition." He responded with a sound of urgency. "What do you wish to discuss with me, wild god." Lothnar responded. "I only wish to unite us once again after so long. Wouldn't you or Zarda like that." Speaking as he sat down directly across from Lothnar. The god of magic contemplated what to say as he did not fully trust the god of seasons and his lie-smith ways. "What do you purpose exactly?" Lothnar questioned. "I propose each of the three realms sign a treaty binding our oath together through magic so we can have eternal peace." The God of Magic sat there thinking about what it meant to bind his oath through magic and thought of the possibility of how evil could take control of this oath and rule all realms without fail. Then and there, he decided against the plan. "I will not sell my freedom away, god of seasons," he said sternly. Then Lothnar got up from his seat and led Anzos to the door, and before he left, the god of seasons spoke one last time, "You will rethink your decision, son of Loki." Then he closed the door on Anzos, not wanting to endure his presence anymore, and turned towards the main hall, seeing Ithûlna standing there looking uncomfortable and disturbed. He walked towards the god of desire with a look of concern, seeing his friend in need. "What's wrong, Ithûlna." He asked gracefully. Ithûlna looked into his eyes with tears and difficulty and spoke. "He said Zarda is lost or gone, and I just don't know what to do; you know me, and I wouldn't rest until my friend is found. So please, I, I, I," he seemed to struggle to continue to speak. "Come, let's sit down," Lothnar responded, guiding him to a chair, and they sat beside one another. "We will find him, so don't worry. I know how hard it is to lose everything all at once out of thin air, and I promise we will find out where he might have gone." He put his arm around his friend, soothing his torment as he said this.