Chapter 1: Skyborne Paradise
8453 AD
The City of San-Helios is a city that floats perpetually above the surface of the world below. Within it's walls, people live without worry, living in a city built and powered by human technology. They live in subtle fear of the world below, and the monsters that haunt the world beneath...
'Shoo! Shoo!'
Every day Dr James Arvoy had to deal with chickens on his doorstep. Judging by the grains of food mixed with bird crap, he had a sneaking suspicion his neighbour, Mr Casey was behind this... Himself and the old man had a long standing feud...
So long standing infact that James wondered if anyone remembered what it had started over. Myabe he should start dumping bird feed on his doorstep and see how Casey liked it! No, no. James would likely stick another post-it note through his letterbox and hoped it stuck to Casey's expensive carpet.
The trains were on time, as usual, everything within the city ran like clockwork. He stood amidst the crowd, staring out of a window at the drop to the earth far, far below, and a serene blue ocean that the city currently floated over. His journey took a rough ten minutes, but he finally manged to reach his office in city hall. He strode into the foyer, his watch suddenly beeping a shrill chord.
'Oops.'
He switched it off before withdrawing a small plastic pot from within a pocket, filled with small triangular pills. He swallowed one, shuddering at the vile taste and shaking his head to clear his thoughts before hurrying on to his office.
Through the large window he had an excellent view of the ocean and clear blue skies, just another day in San-Helios. He placed a pen and notepad on the glass topped table before him. From here was not the most peaceful place; he was right next door to the Temple, he could hear people praying to Anatoa, the Golden Goddess. James himself, he held no faith in Her, but he did enjoy old tales, ancient tales, tales that had somehow drifted up from the world beneath... Tales of a six-armed "Mighty Destroyer" who, in a time of darkness, had held the world safe in the palm of one hand, the others used to tear asunder darkness and light alike. He sounded badass.
'Dr Arvoy?' A female voice trembled from the intercom.
'Yes, Fiona?'
'Y-your patient is here... He's early.'
'Send him in- and stop cowering behind your desk, girl.' James retrieved a file and laid it on the table next to the notepad, it was thick, but only the first two pages were psychological and medical analysis, the rest were bills for broken furniture, equipment, and damage to property.
It was- all things considered, rather bizzare that the patient could do all this...
His brown eyes closed in amusement before he decided to just get it over with.
'Hey, Doc...'
Allen Ashcroft was a bizzare patient, a tall, slim man, platinum blond hair tied in a ponytail and black glasses framing sapphire eyes. He was too timid at most times to even hurt a fly.
'Take a seat. Have you been keeping well?' James greeted him with a small smile, both of them were neither any older than their mid 20's.
'Yeah. I-I just feel that I'm doing better, the drugs help a lot.'
Allen's only fault was that he sometimes suffered from terrible bouts of rage, luckily only furniture got broken and no-one had yet to be hurt. James had perscribed drugs to stop them, and they seemed to work.
'Sometimes... I get terrible anxiety attacks...'
'Oh?' The doctor continued to make notes.
'It's usually at work.'
'Stressful?'
Allen bowed his head, staring at the floor.
'I remind you it's all confidential.'
'Yes... It's stressful.' He brought his knees up and hugged them. 'I've been having strange dreams too. Ancient times and reality bending powers, old Gods... Then there's this sense...'
Even as he spoke his attitude changed, hands shifting to grip the arms of the chair, posture becoming more confident, ire rising in his voice.
'This sense of fury at those who prey on the weak. It makes me just want to-!'
James decided to stop it before any more of his precious glass ornaments suffered. 'Have you been taking your medication, Mr Ashcroft?'
The anger vanished, Allen hugged himself again. 'Y-yeah. Sorry, Doc... I-I just... Lost control.'
'Fine, fine... Let us continue.'
