The Struggle of the Exiles
"My brothers…my sisters…my brethren, they are but a simple fragment of the dark corners of my mind, forever haunting me with the nightmares that linger. Was it all meaningless? Who will remember us, our cause, and our purpose? Are we simply another log in the raging fire that burns ever so brightly in our enemies' hearts? Do you see our people, locked in an eternal struggle with the very things we had called friends, allies, and family? Do you see our fertile land ravaged by war? Do you hear our very planet screaming out in agony and writhing in torment? Do you see its scarred remains littered across the barren wastelands, forever tarnishing our once proud past? Perhaps this is our divine retribution; who am I to question fate and destiny? I lie here, etching my last words so that our history becomes known. I am Bryyonian, I am the last Lord of Science."
Chapter 1: Queen's Gambit
We stand firm; our gaze is perpetually locked at the beautiful night sky. Stars, Milky Ways, nebulae, galaxies, moons, and a whole manner of other celestial items adorn the heavens; they are an artist's masterful brushstrokes that come together to create his artwork and the skies are his canvas. None of this matters, however, as what we have just witnessed on this very day is too much for words.
A pillar of thick, black smoke drifted across the sky, pushed by a strong gale of wind. I was seemingly caught off guard by this sudden change in weather, as were many other people surrounding me too. Feeling some splashes of water against my face, I fixated my stare to what had just previously hosted the stunning spectacle. A large bolt of lightning shot down in the distance, followed by a piercing clap of thunder that reverberated across the lands. Several onlookers darted towards the Royal City, and everyone else followed suit. It soon became an all out foot race as we pushed and shoved our way to the front of the stampede.
The heaviness of my breathing began to take over every one of my thoughts as fatigue began to set in, and I soon found myself stumbling off the main stone path and into a nearby Kashh Plant. I sat upright and listened to the dissipating cacophony of noise that was their footsteps in the distance. Pushing myself up off the ground, I brushed some dirt off my body and proceeded to the main path that I had just been on. Only but a simple silhouette at the edge of my view, I could make out the iconic entrance to the Royal City as it began to materialize. The abrupt change in the storm's severity had become the greatest form of persuasion, and I found myself quickening up my leisurely pace.
In front of me was a large tunnel, stretching out almost endlessly to the very limits of my vision. Ornately decorated fangs jutted out in every which way, creating an ominous presence that filled me with an unimaginable amount of dread. Torches lined the hallowed hall, their flames flickering in the wind as I began to feel somewhat beckoned to continue forward. Busts of ancient Bryyonian Emperors followed the left side of the wall, while busts of our sacred gods followed the right. The Antecedent, propagator of the genesis, Ordyyn, Chronicler of Ages, Korphyygis, Instiller of Venom, Arkithun, The Lord Artisan; it truly was a sight to behold as I passed each one of these legendary figures.
The hall soon gave way to the Grand Court, a room used exclusively for the Emperor's speeches, thus bringing me to the realization that this is where everyone had run off to when it began storming. The yellow nectar outlined the edges of the room, flowing through grooves carved into the ground to form the symbol of Bryyo itself. My thoughts drifted to the yellow nectar and I remembered how it all began.
Ancient Bryyonian religion states that when the waters receded from the primordial island, and land spread outwards, Vyyth poured a vitalizing yellow liquid upon the barren land and prosperity thus ensued. Aside from this information, the yellow nectar was simply a legend that was passed down from generation to generation for thousands of cycles. However, all of this changed when I stumbled upon a secret shrine hidden in the mountains way above the Royal City. Here, the sacred nectar flowed like rivers and waterfalls, eventually culminating at single spots to form lakes. It was also here that the eternal flames burned brightly; I had found the Garden of Light.
I then presented my findings to the Emperor and it was soon regarded as one of the greatest achievements in the history of our proud people. We quickly learned that the yellow nectar had the power to heal those stricken with disease, which prompted us to bathe our newborns in the substance as a ritual of sorts. We also learned that it was extremely flammable and could ignite under certain circumstances, leading some people to begin questioning its use. It became apparent that small roaming insects known as Gelbugs, adult forms of Shelbugs, actually released the nectar as a form of waste. With this knowledge, I created controlled environments where the Gelbugs could live and produce the yellow nectar. Working with dozens of other eager Bryyonians, I created devices that would harness the power of the yellow nectar to hopefully revolutionize daily life. These devices started as simple things, but they soon became complex machines that baffled the populace with their intricacy. However, no invention was as momentous and as grand as our current one: a makeshift spacecraft.
I snapped out of my unforgettable memories to the noise of a blaring horn, blown by a Royal Guard high up on the balconies surrounding the court. The crowd began conversing amongst themselves, filling the area with a powerful onslaught of noise as more and more people arrived at the entrance. The sheer size of the audience coincided with the significance of the event that was at hand, the coming of our Emperor, Bryyus the First.
Situated several hundred feet above the ground was the Royal Balcony; it was here that history was made multiple times by monumental speeches given by the Emperors of yesterday. He entered, and the crowd fell completely silent.
"When I was a small boy, I would gaze up at the stars in absolute wonder. I was completely enthralled with the idea of a vast world that continued outside of our own, brimming with life. However, this was but a dream crying out to be fully realized, one that was ultimately victim to the harsh truth of reality. If we never push those borders, those boundaries, and those mental barriers, we will never be able to overcome the limits of our consciousness. Hear me out, brethren! We have achieved the impossible, we have overcome those limits, and we have launched our first ship to the stars! This day marks the rise of Science, of an aeon of prosperity; this is the Golden Age, this…is a new Bryyo."
The time of peace was at hand; we are a paradise unrivaled. Despite this, the songs of joy that filled the Royal City couldn't be more unsuitable, as this was the beginning of our downfall.