Gentle tapping sounds of shoes clicking against the floor could be heard. The source of the sound was a woman, a striking woman at that.
It was not just her pale blonde hair or vibrant golden eyes that could take the breath away from anyone. There was something else about her, something unattainable, something divine.
The woman walked with unearthly grace down through an ornate hallway. All around her everything seemed to have a touch of gold, only she seemed rather odd in the sparkling environment.
Her armour, made out of a pure black lustreless material stuck out like a sore thumb making her like speck of dirty marring the gold.
She clicked her tongue.
She soon arrived in front of a large door that appeared so heavy that ten strong men would struggle to push it even by a centimetre.
In front of this door were two young women each with an air of grace around them. They were delicate like flowers in a garden full of beauties.
Anyone who saw them would be beguiled by their appearance, unbeknownst to them they were far more terrifying than they looked.
Noticing her arrival, one of the ladies bowed slightly, her pristine white wings trembled lightly and she levitated above the floor hovering closer to the large door.
And then she gently pushed it open with a single hand.
The woman returned their greeting with a curt nod before entering the unnaturally bright room.
Seated in this room were some of the most revered people in the universe each with a frightening degree of power.
Seated on an elaborate throne was the Archon of Constructs, Theo. It is said that he could never leave his seat lest a world be overturned.
Not too far from him was Lifae, the Archon of life. A woman of immense strength and will. She could craft living things as though they were nothing but implements and discard them when she no longer had need of them.
A boy with stark red hair that looked no older than ten was swinging his legs while seated on Theo's laps. She recognized him as the Archon of Flames, Antares who is said to command both the fire and the darkness.
A terrifying entity wrapped up in an adorable package.
But she was not intimidated by their presence. After all, there were six of such powerful beings here with her making it the seventh.
She was one of them, one of the archons.
She promptly took her seat amongst the fold and shortly after a voice came from above them, brimming with authority.
"Welcome, Aurelia."
"We may now begin." It was the voice of the one she knew as the overseer.
The meeting began shortly after.
"So…" One of the archons spoke out. "We have heard their crimes, as appalling as it is, we are not here to deliberate on that."
His voice took a more sinister tone, it was almost as if he was excited by the very words he was about to utter.
"How shall we punish them for their sins?"
It was a unanimous decision.
"We shall plunge their world into the apocalypse."
From an external perspective the meeting might have lasted for a few minutes but in reality it was one that transcended time itself. And by the end of it… not everyone was pleased.
***
"Goal!!! Andreas Calito has scored his first heart kick in the—"
Crash!
A half empty bottle of beer was swung forcefully at the old television shattering on its screen and spewing the pungent drink all over the carpet.
"You damned sissies can't score if your life was on the line! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!"
The tv had shut off from the impact leaving the room quiet save for the sound of trickling rain. The man reached to his side hoping to grab another bottle but all that met him were already empty containers.
At that unfortunate time a young boy happened to walk into the room alarmed by the crash. Ark stared around the room only to notice the broken glass and his fuming father.
The man's eyes locked on him.
"Boy, go get me a beer." He got to his feet and walked over to the television.
Bam!
"15 minutes left before half time can they…"
All it took was one kick to bring the device back to life.
The boy quietly took the little money he had and exited the room heading for the nearest beer shop.
He had no umbrella with him so he braved the unfriendly weather until he arrived at the shop, quickly purchasing the drink before heading back.
He knew how impatient the man could be.
On getting back home he took a deep breath at the door, calming himself before walking back into the room.
"Here is your drink."
He knew his father hated warm drinks so he made sure to grab the chilliest one in order to not incur his wrath. He was about to head back outside when a stern voice made him freeze.
"The f*ck is this f*cking cheap shit?"
Before Ark could react the bottle soared through the air, shattering right across his forehead.
He resisted the urge to grab onto his head, instead he quickly exited the room hearing a string of curses on his way out.
He sighed.
The rain was turbulent at this point. The little crystalline drops of water descended upon the earth like a celestial shower but Ark did not move.
Instead he stood underneath the downpour for a few moments, he hated the smell of alcohol, right now the rain was washing away that stench.
After a short while he decided to take a walk around the city. All around him people gave him strange looks from underneath their umbrellas.
In Lorsine it always rained, so much so that a regular umbrella would not cut it. Instead a reinforced umbrella had been invented to weather the everyday storm.
It was actually rather strange to not have a reinforced umbrella on his person but it was a luxury he could not afford.
He continued his walk deeper and deeper into the city when he slowly stopped.
'Something feels off…'
He had felt it before he saw it.
All around him the rain drops froze as though time had stopped in its tracks, Ark would have thought that was the case if everyone else was not moving.
But soon they noticed it as well. A panicked scream came from so where in the crowd.
And then that was when it happened, an intense golden light shone from the skies above bathing the clouds in an ethereal light.
Everyone saw it, or rather everyone saw her.
A figure so divine that staring at her felt like sacrilege. Even as high as she was, Ark could see her clearly and when she spoke it was as though she was standing right next to him.
But why did her words feel like they were filled with intense grief?
"People of earth, you have been found wanting and as such have been judged."
From the sky above multiple golden chains began to descend. They plunged into the earth sinking deep into the soil as though to root the earth in place, to shackle them…
Everyone was engulfed in a miasma of fear, all around the people scattered, trying to get as far away from the beautiful being as possible.
Only Ark remained standing, because he knew that they could not escape their fate.
"Apocalypse shall now descend upon humanity."
Just before she disappeared, before the rain returned to their normal routine and before the strange light disappeared.
The ethereal figure tilted her head ever so slightly and locked her gaze on him.
It was that day that the first generation of the 'marked' were born.