I have returned! Shoot the confetti and break out the pie! Let me just say that the hiatus was just what I needed. I back, and I think I'm better than ever. Maybe? Well, we'll see. Anyways, I'm starting off with my new fic, as you can see. Technically, I'm not officially back yet. My posting schedule starts back up on Monday, so be ready for that. We were just talking earlier and Bragi was just like, "You should go ahead and post the prologue." So, I did. Did you all miss me? I know I got a few PMs before a week had even passed, telling me such. I was also pleased to see the activity of story postings up while I was away.
That brings me to my next topic, promotions. Everyone should go check out Love's Overrated by Kibble93, Discovery of Something More by aid6745, and An Unexpected Love by Charlie-the-Spider. Expect that to be in my other A/Ns next week. I enjoyed the stories, so you should all go take a look at their stuff. I do know that some of you listen when I say go check stories out, because I keep a loot at the reviews. Mwhaha. It's fun. I promote and authors get love.
A few things before we begin. It's inspiration came from a mix of Dragon Age and Final Fantasy 12. If you played either, you will probably note things throughout the story. Also, a huge thanks to Bragi, helping me fill in holes in the world building I did for this fic. He also generated an actual map for me to use. So, if anyone wants to look at that, I will probably put it up on my deviantArt. But yes, for the majority of my hiatus, this is what I was working on. I created a continent, religion, culture, religious figureheads, politicians, trade, government, countries, and probably more I'm forgetting. After that, I worked in characters, which was probably the more enjoyable part. Well, the culture and religion was actually rather fun. And on a final note, my A/Ns will be going through a small change that some of you may note next week. For one, I'm going to try and make them smaller. Anyways, let's get on with it.
Warning: Slash(guy/guy), alcohol, sex, language, gore, violence. I'm probably forgetting stuff. Well, let me move on to religion. I just want to state beforehand that I am not bashing anyone's religion in this fic. I'm just warning that similarities may be seen. I did not actually base the religions off anything, but I did use Dragon Age base models. So, just keep in mind if you see anything negative, don't take offense to it. This is not one of those pieces on the corruption of some organization. It's just for your enjoyment.
Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians or Heroes of Olympus. I do not own the characters within those series, they belong to Rick Riordan. I also do not own Dragon Age, that belongs to Bioware. They just make super amazing games and lore.
Prologue
And so Mages were cast out of the realm of the Fae, bringing the Architect's wrath down upon the world of men. Henceforth and forevermore, Mages would only practice magic deemed appropriate by the Covenant. All those who practiced foreign magic would be branded heretics. They would be given one chance to turn from their sins and turn themselves over to the church. Those who resisted were to be put to death.
The Darkening 20:10-14
Destiny and fate. They were the shapers of the people and the world around them. It was how a tiny ripple could, in time, topple empires. They brought about the rise and fall of nations, the fortunes and deaths of kings, and shaped the lives of many individuals. The young and the old, the rich and the poor, the mightiest of kings and the lowly soldier, none could escape the threads of fate.
For every action, a consequence. For every path, a choice. People could never know the ramifications of their actions. They would do only what they believe needed to be done. Those who were to shape the world would never know if their actions would better or worsen the world.
Gaea had lived a very long time, and she knew all too well the workings of destiny and fate. She had learned to see patterns. She knew how to judge between people. She knew children destined for greatness when she spotted them. That was what brought her to the city of Clotho. She had tried to stay out of the Atropian Empire as much as possible, but this child could not be overlooked.
Gaea sat on a bench in the wealthier part of the city. She watched as a girl of three stumbled around in a nearby garden. The girl had short black hair, with a small braid on the right side of her face. Her blue eyes mimicked the color of the sky. The girl's mother sat on a bench by the door to their house. She hummed to herself as she watched the girl run around chasing butterflies.
There were those that were hesitant towards their destiny, and Gaea knew that this child would fall into that category. She would be resistant. Yet, she would have her part to play. She was necessary for what was to come. She was safe, though. There were many destined people that were less fortunate than her, people who had to constantly live in fear. She would not be one of those, at least, not yet.
She would be safe within the very empire that would see her executed for being a child of the Prophecy. It would come to pass soon, and she would have to ensure that all the pieces of the puzzle were taken care of. The girl's eyes finally landed on Gaea and she stopped chasing the butterflies. The mother's eyes followed her daughter's gaze to an empty bench. She frowned and walked over to her daughter. "Thalia, what is it, sweetie?"
Thalia frowned and pointed at the bench. "A woman, she disappeared," Thalia replied.
Thalia's mother looked back at the still unoccupied bench. "I'm sure it was nothing." She scooped her daughter up in her arms and walked back into the house. When the door shut, a raven flew out of the bushes next to the bench Thalia had been looking at.
In another part of the city stood a large cathedral, a large wall running around it, every piece a block of white marble. A large white tower stood in the center of the courtyard. Men in armor marched all across the courtyard and the walls surrounding the structure. Black banners with a white sun embroidered on it, hung all throughout the cathedral.
Three men marched from the courtyard up towards the cathedral itself. The tallest stood in the middle, his armor a glistening silver. His helmet had been forged specifically for him. Horns came from either side of the helmet, and on top sat a sun. His helmet covered his face in its entirety, and even his eyes were cast into shadow by the helmet. A long black cape was strapped to his shoulders, flowing gracefully behind him as he walked. A golden flaming sword was designed on his breastplate.
The man to his right had similar armor, except his had a golden eye on his breastplate. His cape was a deep shade of blue with a gold trimming. On top of his head was his own custom made helmet. Two long spikes hung downwards on either side of the helmet. Two lines of blue ran across his helmet, across the eyes, and down to the bottom, where they met matching blue lines on his armor. His eyes were also hidden behind his helmet.
The man on the left also had similar armor, except his breastplate sported a golden book imposed over a white sun. His cape was dark green with black lines running down it. His helmet, like the others, was custom made. A narrow line across the helmet acted as eye sockets, crafted to form a wide 'V' shape. Crafted metal circled the top of the helmet, giving it a fire-like look. A high metal collar circled around the back of the helmet.
The doors to the cathedral were opened as the three men approached the structure. People bowed to them as they passed, and everyone made sure to be out of their way as the trio made its way through the cathedral. A large set of doors creaked open and they stepped inside. The usually packed room was empty, save for a young girl. There were five chairs at the head of the room, the center having a high back, making it the tallest of the chairs, in which sat a young girl. The young girl had mousy brown hair and red eyes that were only found in their continent of Teleria. She wore a white dress with a red sun embroidered on it.
"Oracle Hestia," the men said in unison, kneeling before the young girl.
"You may rise," Hestia replied, her voice soft and gentle.
"What have you called us here for, Your Grace?" the man in the center asked.
"I have a prophecy to deliver, Ouranos," she told him.
The men nodded. Ouranos turned his head to the man on the left. "Prometheus, fetch one of your Lorekeepers. We must record this."
Prometheus nodded his head once and walked back out of the room. Moments later, he returned with a young man in tow. The young man was dressed in a green robe with white trimming. Over his chest, a golden book was embroidered over a white sun. Prometheus returned to his original place, while the young man stood behind them. Hestia smiled warmly at the Lorekeeper. "You have been called here before myself and the Judges to record the next prophecy," Hestia announced.
The Lorekeeper nodded. He pulled out a quill and paper from a bag tied around his waist. He nodded his head as he waited for Hestia to begin. Hestia bit on her lip for a moment, glancing at the Judges. She took in a breath before speaking.
"From land of rising sun,
From land of setting fire,
A pair of youths shall come.
Those born with power to shape
that which may, that which is,
those who guide threads of fate.
What has risen may yet fall,
What has fallen may yet rise,
When fate these youths shall call."
The Judges eyed each other as the Oracle finished speaking. Ouranos's eyes darkened behind his helmet. The Judge on the right, Hyperion, watched Hestia carefully. The Lorekeeper nodded and scurried off to record it within the Book of Prophecy.
"Hestia, Your Grace, perhaps it is time for a new Exalted March?" suggested Ouranos. Hestia's lips thinned slightly into a frown.
Hyperion took in the Oracle's expression and cleared his throat. "Perhaps we should wait and see how things play out. You are rash to jump to conclusions, Ouranos," Hyperion supplied.
Ouranos turned to glare at Hyperion, which went unnoticed behind the helmet. "You would jump to defend your kind, Hyperion."
"I might be a Mage, but I am a servant of the Covenant, and my duty to the church comes first!"
Ouranos growled and turned back to Hestia. "My Lady, if we sit by and do nothing we run the risk of being unprepared when the time comes for this prophecy. I suggest we take action. We should take control of the prophecy. If we could find these people, perhaps we could ensure our well-being in this."
"And what makes you think we are in any danger?" asked Prometheus.
"I suspect the rise of the Imperium. The Mages there pose a great threat to us all," replied Ouranos. "If they could get their hands on these destined people, we would be in grave danger. Would it not be in the best interest of the Covenant to ensure our survival? They will strike upon the Empire, and who do you think they will seek to destroy along with it?"
"That is enough, Ouranos," Hestia said, waving a hand through the air. She nodded her head. "I can see your concern. So be it. Ouranos, you and Hyperion will take your men and begin another Exalted March. Search all of the Empire, Travell, Archadia, and Jahara."
"What about all countries west of the Elder mountains, Your Grace?" Hyperion asked.
"I'm afraid we lack the resources to extend our March into the west."
"But, Your Grace, one of these people will surely come from out west, it says so in the prophecy," argued Ouranos.
"That is final, Ouranos," ordered Hestia.
Ouranos bowed his head respectfully. "Yes, Your Grace."
The three Judges rose to their feet and turned around to walk out of the room. Once outside, Hyperion turned to Ouranos. "Well, how do you want to handle this?" he asked.
Ouranos removed his helmet from his head. He was pale with short cropped black hair. "I'll split my men up and take the Empire, Jahara and Archadia, you can take Travell," Ouranos replied.
The three judges placed their right hand across their breastplates and marched off in separate directions. Ouranos headed down the left wing, which lead to a building that housed his men, the Justicars. Prometheus and Hyperion walked down the right wing, which led to their buildings. Hyperion led the Arbiters, while Prometheus led the Lorekeepers.
"You seem troubled, Hyperion," Prometheus pointed out. Even though they both wore their helmets, the two were able to read each other fairly well. Both being Mages, they had grown up in the church together. While Hyperion still had his magic, he was bound by Covenant law only to have learned defensive and healing spells, with a few rare offensive spells. Prometheus, on the other hand, was what was called an Amn, a drained Mage.
When Mages were caught, they are given three choices: join the church, become an Amn, or die. Most Mages chose the first and last option. A few Mages chose to become Amn, and they eventually became Lorekeepers. If they chose to join the church, they were placed into a Covenant sanctioned school called the Academy. Once they became older, depending on gender, they joined either the priesthood or became Arbiters. Women had full choice between the two, but men were usually placed directly into the Arbiters.
"Just thinking about this prophecy, that's all," Hyperion replied. "Ouranos is quick to jump to acts of violence."
"What else is new there?" The two chuckled as they continued walking.
Gaea walked through the streets of Soothehold, the capital of the Imperium of Albia. She carried a baby boy, only a year old, in her arms. She stared down into his dark brown eyes as she walked through the marketplace. The baby reached up, trying to squeeze her face. The corners of her eyes crinkled as she watched him.
There were also those who embraced their destiny, and this child would be one of those. He would grow up with the desire to make a change in the world. He would ignite the spark. Gaea walked over a bridge, a river flowing underneath. Large white domed towers stood around the area, circling a lake. Several waterfalls drained into the lake, rainbows constantly being cast amongst the falls. Old statues were placed around the lake, icons of the Old Gods, which the Imperium worshipped.
A large black building towered over the city on the horizon. That was the destination for this child. This was where his journey would begin. He would need some of the best training that could be provided for him. Like the girl, he would need to grow. He was not ready, in terms of powers or maturity. She sensed stubbornness in this one. He also would develop a cold heart, keeping others at a distance.
Gaea touched the baby's forehead and cackled madly. "The other has some work to do on you, little Nico," Gaea mused.
Clouds started to roll in overhead, thunder sounding in the distance. She finally reached her destination, the Black Palace. Inside this building Mages ran the Imperium, would learn how to use their magic, the Council of Mages would meet, and the Magister and many Mages made their homes.
She walked up the front steps, the doors magically opening before her. She turned down the left hall, following the aura of her target. None of the Mages seemed to pay her any mind as Gaea walked down the hall.
She finally reached the location of her target. She stepped out into the palace garden, where a group of Mages were learning to conjure pillars of fire. After each student practiced, the grass would regrow, making it appear as if it had never been damaged. She spotted her target sitting under a gazebo along the balcony ledge that supported the garden. Chiron, the Magister, sat with three other Mages, drinking a cup of tea.
The Magister was the head Mage of the Black Palace. The Magister sat on the Council of Mages that ran the Imperium of Albia. The Magister was also considered to be the wisest and most powerful Mage in the Imperium, and possibly all of Teleria. The Magister was also the head of the Pantheon, the religion of the Imperium. If anyone was the most suitable for training Nico, it was him.
Chiron glanced around the garden when he heard crying. The students training all stopped their practice as well when they heard the noise. "Magister, over here," a female Mage called. Chiron stood up and walked over to the tree that the woman was standing beside.
A small baby boy lay at the foot of the tree, wrapped in a black cloth. Chiron looked confused, but picked the child up, a piece of parchment falling out of the cloth when he did. The woman bent down and picked the parchment up, handing it to Chiron. He took the parchment and unrolled it. "It just says his name is Nico," Chiron said, rolling the parchment back up and looking at the baby. Nico stared up at him with wide eyes. Chiron's eyes crinkled as he stared down at him. "See to it that he is taken care of, won't you, Melione?"
Melione bowed her head and took the baby from Chiron. "Yes, Magister," she replied.
"See to it that he has a room next to mine. He's my new ward and I'd like to take care of him."
Melione nodded. "Of course, Magister. I'll go have him taken care of right away."
Chiron nodded as Melione walked off. His eyes finally landed on a woman standing in the doorway to the gardens. She had long brown hair. She watched Chiron with intense eyes. Without a doubt, Chiron knew that she was the one who had delivered the baby to him, and she was making it intent that she meant for him to take care of the child. Legends spoke of her, she was a Mage, a dangerous one, but beyond that, no one knew anything of her. What would she want with this child? Chiron did not know, but he knew he could not refuse her request. Lightning flashed across the sky and the woman vanished.
There were also those found themselves mixed up in the events of destiny and fate. They made their own destiny, and their fate was always undetermined. Hurdled into the chaos, they fought, and the world would shake before them. That was the little boy that Gaea currently watched. A young boy of two stumbled around in front of a woman with open arms. She smiled as her baby toppled into her arms, scooping him up and spinning him around.
The mother looked up to find a woman watching her play with her child. "Hello. Can I help you?" she asked.
Gaea approached, smiling down at the baby in the mother's arms. He had short black hair and a pair of sea green eyes. He blinked up at her, unsure. "My, what a handsome young man you have there," Gaea said.
The mother smiled. "Thank you. I'm sorry, I didn't catch you name."
Gaea's eyes flickered up to the mother. The baby waved his hand out, trying to reach Gaea. She smiled and took his outstretched hand. "My name is not important. His however..."
Sally looked down at her baby. "Oh, this is Percy. He's all I have left after his father's passing."
Gaea stared down into Percy's eyes. "Well, Sally, I believe he'll be alright," Gaea said, laughing afterwards. She turned around and started walking off.
Sally watched the strange woman leave, a frown having formed on her face. Her eyes widened suddenly. "Wait, how did you know my name?" she called after the woman, but the woman paid her no mind. Sally held Percy closer to her and walked inside, locking the door behind her.
Later that night, Sally awoke to screaming. She bolted out of bed, running over to the window. Arbiters were in the village. She hurried away from the window to get Percy. Were they here for her? She stared down at Percy. Or was it her son? Both? Someone must have let slip that she was a Mage. She thought she had been so careful, not being open with her magic.
There was a loud knock at the door. "By order of the Oracle, we have been ordered to search the home for any Mages that might be in the area," an Arbiter called through the door.
Sally gasped and made her way over to a corner of the house. She opened up a space in the floor and placed Percy inside after putting him to sleep with a spell. She was about to crawl in after him when the door was kicked in. Two Arbiters entered the house, swords drawn. "Hold it right there!" one of them yelled. Sally raised her hand, sending a fireball at one of them.
They held out their hands and a barrier was erected in front of them. She was defenseless to protect herself and Percy. Her eyes widened as the second Arbiter approached her. Percy. They would find him. They saw her trying to climb down the hole, they would search it.
The Arbiter grabbed a handful of hair and ripped Sally out of the hole. "Mage, in accordance to Covenant law you are given your three choices. What shall it be? Church, Amn, or execution?"
Sally spat in the Arbiter's face. "I'd rather die than serve the Covenant. You call yourselves Mages, yet you hunt your own kind!" Sally yelled
"So be it," the Arbiter said. He plunged his sword into Sally. When he ripped it back out, Sally fell onto her side, blood pouring onto the floor under her.
The other Arbiter walked over to the hole Sally had been trying to hide in and spotted Percy. "Hey, we got a kid over here." There was no reply. The Arbiter rolled his eyes behind his helmet and went to reach for the child. He stopped when he heard a cracking sound. He looked behind him to find his fellow Arbiter frozen solid. He glanced to the woman on the floor before turning back to the hole, grabbing for the child, headless of the threat behind him.
Sally stumbled from the house, clutching Percy in her arms. Her eyes were hidden behind her bangs as she careened through the streets. She looked to the sky as a massive airship descended upon the village. It came to a stop several feet off the ground and a large platform descended from the bottom of it. Two Arbiters marched up to hold Sally in custody as the platform came to a stop on the ground. Judge Hyperion and four Arbiters stepped off of the platform. Hyperion reached up and took his helmet off, handing it to the nearest Arbiter.
He had short golden blond hair that was parted off to the side. His grey eyes raked over the village in front of him, finally coming to rest on Sally being held by two of his Arbiters. He marched forward, his Arbiters in tow behind him. He held up a hand, motioning for them to stop. They bowed respectfully and waited at the platform for the Judge to attend to his business.
The Arbiters holding Sally pounded their free hands onto their breastplate as the Judge approached them. "Judge Hyperion, we found this one, and she has a child," the Arbiter on Sally's left informed his superior.
Hyperion stared at the two Arbiters for a moment. They released Sally, saluted, and took three steps back. Hyperion glanced at Sally, noting her injury. "Mage?" Hyperion asked.
Sally nodded. "Yes," Sally whispered.
Hyperion rubbed his chin. "I see. You are wounded, young lady."
Sally remained silent.
Hyperion glanced down at the still sleeping child. "I'll have to take the child into custody."
Sally nodded, her hands shaking as she handed the baby over to Hyperion. "Please take care of Percy. He was all I had left in this world."
Hyperion nodded. "I'll take him to the Oracle herself."
"Thank you," Sally whispered as she collapsed to the ground, blood pooling around her.
An Arbiter stepped up and removed her gauntlet to check Sally's pulse. "She's dead," she announced.
Hyperion frowned as he stared between the woman and the child. He sighed and spun around, heading back to the platform. "Finish up and we'll head back to Clotho," Hyperion ordered.
"But, Your Excellency, we were ordered to comb all of-"
"That's an order, Arbiter," Hyperion growled. The surrounding Arbiters bowed their head and placed their right hands over their breastplates. Hyperion stared down into baby's eyes as the platform began to ascend back up to the airship. His eyes flickered back to the dead mother, but she was gone. His face contorted into confusion as he scanned the surrounding area.
Sally stood beneath a tree outside of the village. Sally's green eyes changed to brown as her body began to shimmer. Gaea watched as the platform reached the airship, setting the young Percy on his path. The pieces to the puzzle were all in place now. Soon their paths would bring them all together. She would wait, and she would watch, until the time came.
The fates of so many lives would be determined and shaped by the events of the coming years. The wheels of destiny had begun turning once again. There were men who struggle against destiny, only to have it swallow them whole. And there were men who embraced destiny, and did not show their fear. These were the ones that would change the world forever.
So, what did you guys think of the prologue? I will say that it will be very interesting when the kids finally meet, considering their different cultures and religions. I hope there's no confusion on things. If there is, it might be answered within the next two chapters. Well, I don't have much else to say, other than I hope you enjoyed. Remember, I'll be back on Monday. Oh yes, Monday is no longer Sola's posting day. Sola was moved to Sunday, and this fic now has Monday's spot. So, I'll see you Monday. Oh yes, and my upcoming posting week will have very interesting chapters for each of my stories, so be ready for that. Alright, I'll see you guys Monday with the next chapter of this fic. I missed you guys so much and I'm so happy to be back! Bye!
