Fifteen years had passed since the fall of the royal family, and the world of Umbraxia had become something twisted beyond recognition. What was once a bustling kingdom filled with the laughter of children, the clamor of markets, and the march of soldiers had turned into a realm where creatures ruled over man and life had been warped into a grotesque reflection of its former self. The Aethryn's dominance was absolute, their power structured in a way that left no room for rebellion. Humans were slaves, resources, and at times, nothing more than livestock.
The power dynamics in Umbraxia were no longer about lineage or noble blood but sheer dominance, strength, and a dark, magical hierarchy controlled by the Aethryn.
Power System: The Hierarchy of Aethryn
The Aethryn, monsters born of ancient magic, were not bound to a single race but a multitude of inhumane species. While dragons were the pinnacle of power, their extinction had left a vacuum that allowed others to rise. Each Aethryn had abilities tied to their lineage, but they also drew power from an intricate system that thrived on fear, blood, and dominance.
At the top of the hierarchy were the Dragons. Below them were the Phantasms, creatures of pure magic, who could manipulate reality itself—bending the fabric of time, space, and thought. The Brutus, large, brutish creatures with immense physical strength, dominated through sheer force. Finally, the Feyloth, beings who could manipulate light and shadow, were the rulers of deception and illusion.
The Aethryn had a governing council, a loose alliance of the most powerful leaders of each breed. Sereth, the dragon who had killed Elric, sat at the head of the council, his body now far more menacing, his eyes glowing with an ancient wisdom and fury. He had not aged in the years that passed; instead, his presence had grown more ominous. Though he wielded considerable power, he was a ruler through fear, not respect. His obsession with the remaining royal bloodline—Sana—was well known, and he had forbidden anyone to harm her. His greed for her blood was held at bay only by the knowledge that killing her would also end his life.
Beneath the ruling council were regional governors, often lesser Aethryn who managed the territories around the fallen capital. Each governor had their own court of human collaborators, a cruel irony where humans betrayed their kind for survival, offering loyalty to their monstrous rulers in exchange for a life of privilege.
The council met in the Tower of Obsidian, a black fortress that jutted into the sky like a needle, an unnatural spire that had risen shortly after the coup. It was both a symbol of power and a magical stronghold, binding the Aethryn's magic to the land and making rebellion nearly impossible.
The magic of the Aethryn wasn't static; it was fueled by Domination Marks, powerful sigils burned into the very flesh of every Aethryn and their slaves. These marks linked their power to the strength of their rule. The more fear they inspired, the more blood they spilled, and the greater their influence, the stronger they became. Power was drawn from the suffering of others, making human misery not only a byproduct of their rule but a necessary element of it.
For humans, the system was more sinister. Power Chains, magical binds engraved into human slaves, made them little more than walking vessels of energy for their masters. These chains prevented rebellion and ensured loyalty, as any sign of disobedience would drain their life force. The chains were distributed by rank; higher-level humans could gain privileges—better food, housing, and even protection from lesser Aethryn—in exchange for betraying their own kind.
Umbraxia had been carved into a dark reflection of its former self. Humans, once the kingdom's rulers, were now divided into two classes: collaborators and slaves. Collaborators were humans who had sided with the Aethryn, trading their loyalty for power. These collaborators lived in relative luxury, often serving as middlemen in the slave trade or running businesses that catered to the monstrous rulers.
Slaves, on the other hand, lived in hellish conditions. Branded with Power Chains, they served as laborers, entertainers, and even food for the Aethryn. The human meat trade had become a horrifying reality. The Aethryn believed that consuming human flesh—particularly that of royal or noble blood—would enhance their power. Though this was only partially true, the belief persisted, and humans were sold by the pound in grotesque markets.
Slave auctions were common in every major city, with the capital market being the most notorious. The Aethryn bid on humans for various purposes—servants, laborers, gladiators, or, in the darkest corners, for consumption. The capital itself had been reshaped, its towering palaces now home to monstrous courts where Aethryn gathered to watch human slaves fight to the death for sport.
Gladiatorial arenas were among the most popular forms of entertainment. Humans were forced to fight one another, or worse, pitted against smaller Aethryn beasts in gruesome contests where survival was a luxury few could afford.
But not all humans were resigned to their fate. Some had found ways to manipulate the system. Black-market dealers traded in forbidden items—ancient relics of the kingdom, weapons capable of harming Aethryn, or even illicit potions that could suppress their Power Chains for brief moments. These dealers lived on the fringes of society, hiding in the shadows and feeding off the misery of others.
The Cabinet of Aethryn:
Though the council of Aethryn ruled with absolute power, each territory had its own cabinet, made up of the most powerful Aethryn in the region. The cabinet functioned like a twisted mockery of the former human monarchy, each Aethryn vying for control over their territory while secretly plotting against one another.
In the capital, Sereth ruled with an iron fist, his cabinet made up of creatures like Morrigeth, a Feyloth who could manipulate the dreams of humans, driving them mad with fear; Gorath, a Brutus whose strength was unmatched, and who had once torn a human town apart with his bare hands; and Virella, a Phantasm who had the power to control the minds of both humans and lesser Aethryn, making her Sereth's most feared lieutenant.
These cabinet members ruled over their respective territories like warlords, exploiting the humans under their control and feeding off their despair.
In the twisted world of Umbraxia, humans lived in constant fear. Cities had become prison camps, with towering walls that separated them from the wilderness beyond. Inside the cities, life had become a cruel mockery of its former self. Markets still existed, but instead of trading in grain, cloth, and goods, they traded in flesh, blood, and suffering.
Human merchants who had aligned themselves with the Aethryn ran shops that catered to their monstrous overlords. Tailors crafted garments from the skin of their fellow humans, while butchers sold human meat in carefully packaged portions. Alchemists brewed potions from human blood, creating tonics that extended the lives of Aethryn or amplified their powers for brief periods.
Entertainment had taken on a gruesome form. Theatres once filled with plays and music now hosted gruesome shows where human slaves were forced to perform degrading acts for the amusement of their Aethryn masters. There were even underground races where slaves were pitted against each other in deadly chases, with the victor gaining a few extra days of life before being thrown back into the pit.
But even in this dark world, some humans found ways to survive. Rebel groups, though small and scattered, plotted in secret to bring down the Aethryn. They operated in the shadows, using stolen magic and ancient artifacts to fight back against their oppressors. Their leaders were often former collaborators, humans who had once worked with the Aethryn but had grown disillusioned and sought redemption.
The largest of these rebel groups, The Crimson Hand, operated out of the No-Man's Land—a lawless territory beyond the city walls, where the Aethryn's influence was weaker. This was a place of chaos, where human outcasts, rogue Aethryn, and other creatures gathered, living in uneasy truce. Here, the rules of the city did not apply, and a black market thrived, offering anything from weapons to illicit drugs that could briefly suppress a human's Power Chain.
As the capital thrived in its grotesque new order, two figures remained hidden from the world.
Princess Sana, now fifteen, was held in a heavily guarded tower deep within the capital. Her royal blood kept her alive, but her life was far from one of luxury. The Aethryn, unable to consume her, had grown more desperate. Sereth, in particular, coveted her blood, believing it would elevate him to the status of a true dragon, but the curse that bound the Aethryn to the royal bloodline kept them at bay. She was protected, not by her captors, but by the very magic they sought to exploit.
Sana lived in isolation, her only companions the human slaves who served her, terrified of the Aethryn who guarded the tower's perimeter. She spent her days in silent reflection, dreaming of the day she might escape and reclaim her throne.
Unknown to her, Selen's son, now a young man, wandered the No-Man's Land. Half-human, half-dragon, he had neither the monstrous form of his father nor the fully human visage of his mother. Instead, he was something else entirely—a being caught between worlds, filled with hatred for the Aethryn and a burning desire for revenge. He had no name, no title, but the rebels of the Crimson Hand whispered of a Nameless Monster, a creature of fury and sorrow who would one day bring an end to the reign of the Aethryn.