Alta chronicles
Prologue
Alta is both a region and a title, given both to a planet and the name of this universe. These stories circulate around a war, whose start was millennia ago, but only began recently.
In this universe there live individuals who posses rather interesting skills, or powers, if you would. The common title given is Advanced Evolutionary, or A.E. for short. Common belief is these individuals are just humans who have evolved further than the rest of us. Whatever it may be, these individuals posses powers that range from the manipulation of certain elements to transformations to alchemy to invulnerability.
Nevertheless, some history is needed. Alta is a planet near the assumed center of the universe, the closest planet to an energy source that emits in all directions. Altarians, the inhabitants of Alta showed a unique pattern, they had the first recorded AE's. These AE's rose to power over varying regions of the planet. After some time, greed reached these princes and the first Altarian war began.
With every clash between the princes, more and more AE's appeared, and this caused the princes to become more powerful. Eventually one prince rose to a level of dominance and developed a multi-ruler government with a centralized ruler, a king, governing the lower tiers. It was peaceful for a time, but everyone knew this peace could collapse at the slightest touch.
Eventually contact was made with another planet and technology exploded. Soon several civilizations were interconnected and more were being developed. Not long after the integration occurred, reports of AE's began appearing on other planets.
Hearing word of this, the king worried that more wars would occur. He pleaded to the other worlds to begin screening and eliminating their AE's before it was too late. Majority of the worlds assumed the king a madman, or believed he was planning on wiping out their military assets. After their refusal, the king began a counsel with his princes, arguing that if the other planets did not heed his warning as a sign of benevolence then he would keep peace by force. He offered a planet to each of the princes for their assistance and anyone against him would be trampled by the feet of the righteous and true rulers of the universe.
The Altarian armies amassed ready for war, but the universe was ready for them. Before the assault began, the other planets had prepared for an invasion. Using their own AE's and technologies they began a year-long assault on Alta, lead by none other than three of the Altarian princes. The three princes disagreed with the king and believed that people would be able to control themselves or that a higher power would at least keep them in check. After hearing the king's plan, they spread the word to the other planets, preparing for a war against their own.
For several long months the Altarians held their own against the other planets' forces, but after the three princes joined the fray it began to sway in favor of the other worlds. These princes were three of the more powerful ones.
There was Gilgamesh The Undying, an Altarians known for his rapid and powerful regeneration. It was believed he could respawn after total obliteration.
There was also Malin Paradigm The Pacifier, known for his wide ranging ability to place individuals into a comatose state.
Lastly there was Sireph The Splitter, known for his control over blood. He was able to turn it into a shield or weapon, so being on a battle field made him near a god.
These three dove head-first into battles, wiping out their own kind to protect those weaker than them. Eventually the king sent out his loyal princes but it wasn't long before he realized it was a losing battle. He then placed a seal, a reality bending spell, on all the remaining princes. Eventually the planetary alliance was at his door step.
From the steps heading towards the palace the king's voice could be heard like thunder from the sky.
"I bring salvation to us all, I offered eternal peace, and you damn us all by defying my will."
Gilgamesh, Malin, and Sireph stood side by side at the first step. Each contemplating how the next several hours would go. They had ravaged their lands, killed their own, and suffered to get here, all to stop a tyrannical lunatic from wiping out majority of known life. Gilgamesh spoke.
"Peace could have been obtained naturally. We were powerful enough to squelch any uprising in the known universe, and we could have been protectors instead of destroyers."
"Come then! If your beliefs are so solid, let me see if you are really strong enough to prevent the annihilation of worlds."
The three princes flew forward to the throne room, and the king stood waiting.
"Your intentions are not true. At least, not for all of you," the king whispered
Gilgamesh bellowed, "How can you say that after all we have done to get here?"
The king smirked. "The brother bathed in blood would have done this by himself anyways, I can see it… what truly defines him. He started our war long ago. With every death he became stronger, with every drop his craving increased, his real intention was to become king and wash all resistance with the blood of their brothers."
Malin and Gilgamesh both stared as Sireph closed his eyes and clenched his fists, he began to shake. Sireph looked up at the king and a smile twisted into his flesh.
"You wouldn't die then. I knew why, but I couldn't stop you. But now," Sireph's voice reached a shrill squeal. "I've absorbed enough hate and fear and pain to fight through you. The screaming in my head….IT STOPS YOU FROM BREAKING ME AHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Sireph outstretches his hand and blood begins to ooze from his pores. A marble sized drop accumulates and fires from his hand at high speed, striking the king in the chest.
A normal person would have exploded in a red mist but the king merely shrugged it off. The king's eyes went white and he stared into Sireph's twisted face. Sireph stared back, smiling.
"With every killing I would absorb a bit of that person. I now hear millions of screams every waking moment. No mind game you play will stop me now," Sireph squealed. The king had many powers; some were well known, such as the ability to fire highly pressurized blasts of air, but the one Sireph referred to was the one he used to hold the princes at bay, was a technique that halted someone and made them suffer mentally. But a truly deranged individual, or an extremely resilient one, could be unfazed.
"Sireph, please tell me he's lying," Malin said, turning to Sireph. "Tell me you didn't play us just to be the evil yourself."
"Oh, it's all true," Sireph laughed as he raised his hand. A spear of blood shot forward, striking Gilgamesh in the face, dropping him dead to the floor. Milan stared and calmly stared at his two enemies.
"You will both face the reckoning granted to you both eventua—"a whip of blood struck Milan in the throat and a cannon blast of air blew his chest open.
"Now," the king said regally, "shall we end this pitiful bout?"
-Outside the palace-
"Sir, we are losing vitals on both Gilgamesh and Milan."
"Prepare the orbital bombardment; pull as many of our troops out as possible."
-Palace interior-
With amazing agility and speed, Sireph and the king attacked, evaded, and maneuvered. Continuously countering the other. After about 40 minutes of fighting, both men paused and looked at each other. Both were panting, out of breath. They locked eyes like hungry animals and sprinted at each other. Entering a grapple, they began to argue.
"Why don't you see I was the way to peace?"
"I can't accept a man who isn't willing to let war exist!"
"I could have controlled everything world- wide! Telegraphed my will!"
"It wouldn't have stopped the truly deranged, you need to control with fear tangible fear."
"YOU BOTH NEED TO DIE!" Gilgamesh yelled as he grabbed both by the neck and slammed them into each other repeatedly.
Sireph went limp and Gilgamesh launched him into a nearby pillar, collapsing it, and began to continuously slam and punch the king.
Slowly a dull quaking began, and Gilgamesh stopped his rampage. The king shakily raises his hand towards Gilgamesh.
"It's your job to ensure peace is maintained."
One of the side walls blow open and Gilgamesh sees what's causing the quakes. The other planets ships
were beginning to bombard Alta in its entirety. Gilgamesh, at first in shock, slowly realized and accepted what was now going to happen to his world.
He stared at the king's broken body and leaned in.
"Looks like your dream of powerful AE's being dangerous to the rest of the universe will be recognized."
With that, Gilgamesh stomped on the kings throat and began to walk aimlessly forward, as his planet was being nuked from low orbit. Each explosion made him wish he could die, but his wish never came to pass.
He continued to walk on his planet as it dissolved to nothing. He watched as, after days of nuclear bombardment, his priors allies left the system. He sat and waited, he meditated and walked. In the end he figured it was for the best.
Just as he let go of his hate, hope appeared. In a random bunker, uninhabited by anything, living he found a small ship. It was just space worthy enough to make it to a nearby space port.
He left the planet he grew up on a year after its destruction. After arriving at the space port, he found nothing but debris. After some salvage, he began his long journey to a well established planet to live his life as the only person to recall the history of late and know what the Altarian wars led to.