AURORA PREACO by Sierra Nova
Prologue
Balance. Light and Darkness. Death and Rebirth. The cycle has repeated endlessly since the dawn of creation. We have watched this everlasting pattern continue since our own beginning, as We have transversed the stars. Our purpose was to seed worlds and nurture their inhabitants, in hopes that they prove themselves worthy of Our power. Alas, We were pursued by one both apart from us and the same. We were of the Light; It was of the Darkness, a product of the isolated regions of the Eternal Plane which we came. Its purpose was to consume, to destroy, to corrupt who we had created and advanced. We always fought to protect our creations, desperate to push back this enemy. Over those countless centuries, our foe gained a title: The Void. Despite Our efforts, We were forced to flee with the remnants of our creations, hoping to escape this monstrosity that desired to eliminate all unlike Itself. It seemed this hopeless cycle would continue forever, until we discovered a new world, hidden from the rest of the universe, safe from the grasp of the Void. It was a paradise, a near perfect shelter. This would be our stronghold, our throne world, our... Bastion.
This was the beginning of the Golden Age, a time of advancements in technology, medicine, and supernatural arts. The remnants We brought on Our journey grew strong on Bastion. Safe from the Void, they rebuilt and advanced themselves. We felt joy as we watched them grow to be all we dreamed they could be. It seemed all We had worked for would come to pass. However, We had ceased our vigilance against the Void, and in Our absence, It had grown stronger in Its search for Us. When It found Bastion, the rage against Its prey which had escaped Its clutches for so long had no bounds. In the past, It had toyed with Us, seeing Our existance as an a means of amusment. Now, there would be no such restraint. This would be Our final stand. For hundreds of years, Our people fought to protect themselves and their home. We aided them in their stand against the Void and Its twisted machinations.
Still, over time, their strength faltered, and the Void seized Its opportunity, creeping ever closer to victory. It was at the end that We made what would be Our most potent legacy; among the many species we had built, there were two in particular that We held in favor. The first were the Alicorns, an equine species naturally bestowed with supernatural abilities and wisdom. They were dominant among those creatures their genus.
The second group was more unique amongst those we had given life to. They were called Humans, a bipedal race known for their cunning, ingenuity, and when provoked, warlike behavior. It was these two species that We gave them the Herald of Dawn. It was Our most powerful weapon, a taste of the Light We harnessed. The alicorns named their bearer Corona, and she was bestowed with power over the sun and moon, and was charged with guiding the other species in peace and prosperity. The humans named their counterpart Carnifex, the executioner of Our will. Each contrasted the other, both in purpose and in power. The Corona was Our aegis, shielding those who could not face the Void themselves, and the Carnifex was Our blade, penetrating into the darkness and tearing out its wretched heart. It was these two combined that would ultimately force the Void to withdraw from Bastion. Our home was safe. Our people were safe. Alas, the cost for this victory was great; in the final conflict , We gave the last of Our strength to aid Our chosen Heralds. When that task was completed, Our essence had been drained, and We were forced to depart from Bastion, leaving in the care of Our Chosen a shard of Our form. From that piece, the alicorns formed six talismans to channel the power of first Corona. The humans kept the remaining material, and built their capital around its resting place. Both peoples formed their nations around the remnants of Our power.
In the millenia following Our departure, those who We'd guided forgot their lineage, and began to turn against each other. The peace we had forged was falling apart.
The Humans and Alicorns soon became rivals and competed for dominance on Bastion. After centuries of mistrust, the Carnifex and his kind vanished from the face of the planet, and with them went the remaining advanced technology left from the Golden Age. The Corona and the rest of the equine species soon divided into factions, their unity lost as their world and all they had known collapsed around them. The Void had been stalled, but not defeated. In Our absence, that rival of ancient times, was preparing for Its return. This was the world in which the events of the Final Conflict took place. We could only watch these events unfold. We shall recount these events for you, so that you may be inspired to face the darkness in yourselves and this world. We are the Eternal, and this is Our legend.
Unknown location, 10,000 A.D.
*Translated from human dialect*
"*So do you understand what you must do then?"
The arena shaped chamber remained silent as this sentence was uttered. The speaker, a figure whose features were obscured by the shadows in the room, observed the kneeling man before him. He was dressed in onyx tinted armor that curved around his body, with angular sections providing some refrence for its wearer's anatomy. Grooves filled with ethereal golden light covered the entirety of the user. The armored figure raised his head slightly, his face hidden within the helmet he had donned. A pattern resembling a skull was formed on the faceplate . Hs voice betrayed no emotion. "*Perfectly. Bring to you a blood kin of the Corona as proof of my ability.*" He straightened, turning to gaze upon those other individuals present, watching their varying reactions; those of them with more steely nerves returned his gaze, mantaining with what they thought was eye contact. Those less inclined to boldness shuffled uncomfortably in their seats, averting their eyes. They had ample reason to show caution in the presence of this individual; he had proven multiple times just how lethal a warrior he could be, especially against those inexperienced in combat. The head speaker turned his attention to a pedestal that has risen from the ground beside him. Upon it lay a handle like device enclosed in a sort of cross guard. he waved his hand over it, and the trinket rose from its place and toward the armored figure.
"*Prince Saladin, First Born of Carnifex Valerius, the Betrayed, We of the High Council gift to you this holy blade, with which you shall lay destruction upon those enemies who would bring harm to your people. Avenge your bloodline, and claim your birthright! Do you accept this task?*" The weapon reached the Prince. He took grasp of it, and twin prongs of burning white and yellow plamsa ignited before him. He held the sword closer to his helmet, observing the energy crackling with its barrier.
"*I accept this challenge, O wise Councilers, and I will not fail.*"
Well... That was one hell of a wait. All that silence, and this is what I came up with?! Long story short, my old files are still on my broken computer, I've moved to a different state, and school has gotten in the way. Oh, and Hurricane Florence has been causing all sorts of stress lately. This is that new story I've been working on that I referred to last time. Don't worry, I haven't abandoned my other stories; I just wanted to get this idea in my head out of my head and for you two read. I'll try to get more updates soon. For all those who checked up on my page, you have my eternal gratitude and I apologize for my tardiness. See ya'll soon! ;)
Sincerely, Sierra Nova.