POV: Acheros
Now, now. I'm not the protagonist nor the antagonist. Just a narrator that will tell you of some other's story since mine has already ended.
This story will be told to you: Humans. Frankly, I find it fascinating how you.. so insignificant but given enough motivation you will drag down a god to obtain what you desire. So, along with some persuasion from a friend, why not narrate a story of.. humans?
Gywn Dyeus is, of course, the main guy. But not the only one. This story won't necessarily be happy, but I'd saying these pathetic creatures persevere is enough entertainment.
Let's get started shall we? Oh- I should probably give some explanations about the world, huh?
This world, planet, astral rock, is very similar to Earth, but not entirely. Much larger and with much more diversity and the absence of rain, he decided to name it Gaia. I'm sure you've heard of this name. It suits doesn't it?
Gaia has given birth to countless creatures. The prominent creatures he classifies as 'The Main Five'. Livyatens, serpent and human hybrids. Dragoons, dragon and human hybrids. Beasts, human and terrestrial animals' hybrids. Avians, bird and human hybrids. And lastly, Chimaeras, the ones that are most akin to humans. These species of 'Human', he calls them, lives in Sanctuaries he created.
Hm.. I'd say that's enough preliminary information, let me actually start narrating.Â
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Volthorim. A Sanctuary that hosts the Dragoons' population positioned atop highlands of Gaia's Known World, it births the largest percentage of fire-affiliated mages in this world's history and boasts the strongest mage in their history - Elen Dyeus.
Possessing Sentient Fire Magic, she is respected by not only her own race, but the others. Thanking her for her contributions to the exploration of the Shatterwilds and their advancements in enchanting technology with magic, she is the strongest individual in the world for both strength and influence.
But, as I'd said: You humans will drag down a god just to obtain what you desire. This selfish, ravaging hunger breeds strength and Elen once had this unsatiated desire to crave for more. Unfortunately, she stopped.
Aspirants are entities, creatures born of incomprehensible desire. And magic in this world relies on one's desire, the stronger one's desire, the stronger one's abilities. Now, a creature with such insatiable, unfathomable desire will of course receive magic of such insatiable, unfathomable proportions, no?
"19th October 2012. Volthorim was laid to waste in exactly 13 seconds. Turned from a bustling, radiant Sanctuary into a desolate, unrecognizable tundra." 5 individuals sat around a hexagonal table with one side filled with flowers and offerings. 4 of the 5 individuals wore royal garments while the other one wore a simple suit.
"The Aspirant, I shall name Winter. Appeared in the forefront districts of Volthorim and froze them along with the entire Sanctuary in 13 seconds. I am unable to trace its magic as the ice it produces is deemed to have only 'lived' for a day." The man explained, submerging the room in further worry and despair.
He was a Chimaera that had adapted to look exactly like a human. He took a deep breath, using his blank eyes to cast a heavy veil upon the four remaining rulers. "There was but only one survivor in this incident - Gywn Dyeus, son of Elen Dyeus." Soft gasps echoed in the empty and lightless room as the rulers look on the paper the well-dressed man placed on the table.
He taps it several times before sliding, enchanting the paper with Runes that resembled glass shards until a hologram appeared. "This was the furthest memory I could obtain from Gywn." It was a boy with two little nubs coming out from the sides of his head. He wore casual clothing: T-shirts and the shorts he likes. He was holding a woman's hand.Â
She had scarlet hair and horns that grew as high as possible. "At this moment in time, Elen Dyeus was bring her son to have lunch. The weather was sunny. No clouds nor abnormal observations. It was a perfect summer day for the Dragoons." He slides his finger across the paper, the markings of shards moving with him.
The hologram shifts. It now shows a blinding light while Gywn defends himself from it, raising his eyes to block it out. "Elen Dyeus enters her Paragon Form. The weather is now suddenly cloudy while gusts of cold wind blew past the entire Sanctuary. This was a thirty second difference." The rulers observe the image, witnessing Elen's full transformation in a running stance in the sky with her two wings being supported by the fiery wings formed by her angels' arms.
The man slides his finger again. The image now shows a giant wave of ice towering a speck of blinding light. "10 seconds later, Elen Dyeus had activated her Final Binding. Winter had launched its attack a second earlier. The civilians and structures have already been incased in ice." The image pans around the scene slowly from Gywn's perspective.
Countless Dragoons were running, expanding their wings in a futile effort to survive as they only successfully get caught in the ice, either being fully incased or semi-frozen, they are all forced to panic for eternity. A false hope for those that are still 'alive' as they run aimlessly, crashing and trampling on each other, running over and crashing others with vehicles. A selfish desire for life.
"Elen Dyeus rushed for Gywn, shrinking and condensing her Final Binding as close to her as possible." The man changed the image to now a now near-white Elen stretching out her arms, flying towards a terrified Gywn. "She releases it now. Saving Gywn Dyeus." He changes the image again. An orb of flames with some sort of humanoid creature carved upon it echoes from Elen as the colossal wave of frost impairs the mother along with the entire Sanctuary. Except Gywn Dyeus.
"For now, only Elen Dyeus has successfully managed to destroy or even melt the Permafrost Winter created." The hologram shifts one final time. "Fueled with the desire to preserve Gwyn's life, Elen's life was traded." The mother bore a pained face as her charred wings were flapped. She had her arm stretched as far out as possible, even using her angels to extend her reach to only be part of the wave of incased ice.
"How.. How did Gywn get out there?" Gywn had no expression. He felt nothing. No sadness, no grief. He was just... shocked. His clothes were not burnt, but only had a thin layer frost covering it. Elen had deliberately commanded her flames to not hurt her boy and they obeyed. "She directed her Final Binding towards the sun. And it was why we were able to save him." Elen's Final Binding was named Second Sun for its sheer strength and intensity, resembling that of the actual sun.Â
A selfish desire. Elen's selfish motivation had actually dragged a god down to save her child, even if it was her that prevented Gywn from being frozen, the sunlight that bathed Gywn was a vibrant spotlight for the search and rescue team to see some hope in.
"Currently, Gywn lives in a facility I plan on expanding." The man reassures the rulers upon the safety of the child.
"Alright.. That's good to hear, William. Then, what do we do with Winter?" Another Chimaera whose eyebrows are non-existent questions.
William closes the hologram, folding the paper as he tucks it into his pocket. "Only another Aspirant can take it down or maybe a Catalyst. Even with Elen Dyeus's Final Binding, it did nothing but create a small hole." He shakes his head before striking a haunting gaze.
"It.. seems.. Calamity has already befell us." His eyes gleamed a series of colors before reversing to its initial blank slate, staring at the rulers as they remained silent.
You humans are curious, you see. So weak and pathetic.. but when I exact disasters and calamities.. you are able to fight back.
Fascinating.