Story: Twilight of the Gods series
First Arc: Morgendämmerung des Chaos
Plot: HubrisP and Freyr
Text: Freyr
Introduction:
This Story is a joint project between HubrisP and me. He has given me the major inspiration and corrected my grammar and spelling. A big thanks for the great help and the amazing work you did on the corresponding fanwiki page!
The story is set years before Rubedo and his brothers are born but will eventually mix with the original Xenosaga plot. Creating an entire new universe is new for me and I hope you'll enjoy the read. P.S. OCC is intended. Rated M for safety. All rights concerning Xenosaga aren't mine.
Prologue
Again it was just another dreary day in the institute for him. His eyes hurt and his brain cried out for sleep, that would not come to him easily, never did. It was because of that celestial burning light, that was giving him the full view on the fact, that he was living in a sick and rotten environment. Leaving no soothing shadows anywhere to give him hope, that something else would lie beyond the merciless brightness.
He could not escape the truth, that the light pierced into him: People were doomed to age, to get sick and finally had to die. Slowly maybe, but eventually. Life was just a painful circle of fighting against death over and over again. He didn't want to think of it, it made his head spin.
Still the intensity of that light would not let him rest, nor would it allow him to concentrate on anything else but the pulsing of his racing heart.
The cursed red light that his father had explained to him and named the enemy, that was on his mind ever since. One day, he was sure about it, he would get his chance to annihilate his arch foe. At least his father had told him so. He grinned to himself. What a preeminent day that will be. The day on which he will finally kill U-DO.
Morgendämmerung des Chaos
First Season
Two boys ran through the aisle, laughing and shouting heartily. Some construction workers and scientist leapt out of the way in surprise but simply smiled when they recognized the two stormy youngsters. The one slightly ahead was of lean built and had long legs that carried him ahead while the other was having hints of defined muscles that made him look a bit sturdier.
"I'm faster than you!" shouted the blond-haired boy at his companion, who was breathing loudly from the exhaustion after the long run.
"*Huff* wait, ok ok, I give up!" Came the cheerful reply. The grey hallway was absolutely bare. Yuriev never cared for additional colors when he constructed his institute. He loved beauty but ornaments held no value for him. Finally the boy further ahead stopped and with his arms akimbo the victor waited for the brunette to catch up.
"Ha! See, I told ya! We agreed that the looser had to do whatever the winner asked of him!" The boy looked at the slightly smaller wheezing youngster, beaming with pride. His clear-blue eyes held a challenging sparkle as if he expected some kind of resistance from the looser.
"I didn't forget!" The brunette had finally caught his breath.
"I'll keep my word. What do you want me to do?" Taken aback, that the other boy would really stand up to the agreement, the blond-haired boy, who wore his long strands in a ponytail at the moment, scratched his chin. How should he come up with something good in just a few seconds?
"Err, well, right now I can't think of something good. Give me some time and when I know something I'll tell you, alright?" That would give him some time to think it over. The taller boy looked quite satisfied with his good idea.
The other simply smiled knowingly, his exceptional red eyes gleaming amused, and started to walk ahead through the automatic door, which lead to the dorm. Full of fondness the blond-haired winner looked after him.
"Truly amazing!" Yuriev bend over the examination table to get a closer look of the relic, which he studied for some years now.
"Even though I collected so much data with my researches, it still surprises me over and over again."
When he had gotten hold of that unordinary remnant, he had created two beings with its help. One of his creations, he had formed only with the relics help, was very hard to control, the other one, who had proven himself to be very strong, was an entirely different matter.
The demonic child, birthed during one of his most magnificent projects. Molded by the hands of a genius, simply brought to life from scintillating shards, which he had extracted from the relic, was also infused with a mighty soul. That child was Yuriev's pride and his shame all the same. Sometimes he wondered if he shouldn't have touched something so dangerous. Then again, he had fought with all his strength against the shackles of mortality and using U-DO's own power to defeat itself somehow, had indeed been too tempting. All of Yuriev's later work had been a poor copy of the peculiar duo. The first numbers of the URTVS, Zero and Omega.
Even though both had been created by using different "ingredients", they still had a very strong bond to each other. Number 000 and Omega were truly unique. All the other URTVS never developed such individual characters. Yuriev tried very hard, but he was far away from reproducing their making. Maybe it was the lack of soul in his latest creations, but souls didn't grow on trees.
The "shadows" of his two shining favorites of course held some value too, but more than convenient bio weapons they would never be. Against U-DO the mindless URTVS would never succeed.
But the two boys were not the oldest of Yuriev's experiments. Before he tempered with the power of creating weapons against U-DO, he had already made a beautiful maiden. She was letting her shining long black hair fall openly over her straight and slim shoulders. Her pale skin was nicely highlighting her purple eyes.
There was not a man around who would not gape at the beauty, when she walked past him. Some women in the institute thought badly about her, being jealous of the way, that the forever young-looking woman had with men.
Yuriev named her Helina and he remained the only one, who would stand a chance against the magic she was emitting. Helina was kind and gentle and Yuriev, after seeing how well she turned out, even used some of the genetic material that he had used on Helina, in the creation of Lok. Making them siblings in that way. She cared highly for her younger brother and was able to turn very protective towards him. Sometimes even bickering with Nidhogg, when she thought him to spend too much time with her beloved.
Yuriev knew of her over caring nature and kept her occupied with missions most of the time. Else Lok would not be able to be around Nidhogg most of the time. Because there was a secret about the two boys' relationship, that Yuriev harbored.
Due to the everlasting darkness of the space the institute had its own day and night shift. Currently the lights dimmed, indicating the approaching night. The boys all gathered in the huge dorm and prepared to go to sleep. Under them were the two special boys, who had their beds close to each other.
Finally the rustling and swishing of the many blankets ceased and the URTVS, bound together as one, fell asleep simultaneously. All but the duo.
"Hey Nigg!" A soft whisper in the perfect darkness.
"Hm? What is it Lok?"
"I have thought of something that I would like you to do." Silence spread when nothing was added.
"Come on, spill it!" Nidhogg wasn't known to be the impatient type but surely the other boy was just aggrandizing himself. Lok usually wasn't shy about asking what he wanted. He had an authority about him and was straight forward. Nidhogg thought that he would become a perfect leader. Sure he himself wasn't unfit either. Being strong and intelligent had its advantages, but there was something about his friend, that made him stick out of the crowd.
"Do you intend to ignore me now? I'm tired, so if you can't make up your mind let me sleep!"
"No sorry, I just, well you promised, did you not?" Nidhogg sighed. Sometimes Lok really was a little weird. Eventually he spoke up again.
"Come to me...erm, please?" Oh, so he had finally decided upon something! Nidhogg smiled to himself.
He got up and tip-toed towards the bed of the other boy. He wasn't able to see his hand in front of his face, but he tried his best to not stir anyone else from their sleep. Nidhogg heard a rustle and then a hand gently closed around his, to guide him down on the bed, where Lok unceremoniously threw his blanket over them. Lok snuggled close and put a slim arm around Nidhogg. Then he lay still and his breath calmly evened out. Before drifting to sleep as well, Nidhogg wondered why, on Miltia, Lok had had such a hard time to ask for something so trivial.
When the lights turned on again the two boys still embraced each other, blinking annoyingly to the harsh, white artificial light.
"Get up No. 0 and Omega! You have to be ready for your mission in about an hour!"
Lok eyed the Realian that brought their fresh clothes and watched her as she collected the laundry. She was pretty, so much he could see. Bright eyes, soft and smooth skin, a red and well-formed mouth, neat brown hair and a slender figure. Without really thinking about it his eyes ghosted to Nidhogg, who already had thrown his T-Shirt on the pile of used cloth and stood with his exposed back towards him.
Lok suppressed a smile and started to get dressed for the day too.
When the two walked towards the command center Lok told Nidhogg to walk ahead, saying that he had forgotten something. Nidhogg didn't know about it but Lok had found something interesting on his strolls through the institute. Usually they would do everything together but both needed some time for themselves once in a while, which Nidhogg would spend gazing at the stars, while Lok entertained himself with exploring every corner of their limited home.
With a steady step Lok approached the almost hidden door in a vacant, isolated corridor and opened it with the security code, which he had secretly copied from a Realian-employee. It was dark inside and only weak light sources from machines gave away distinct shapes in the room.
"Hey, how have you been?" Lok stepped closer to a hospital bed which stood a bit away from the entrance, lining up to about twenty rows of similar ones. A little girl laid on it. She slowly opened her eyes and focused on Lok.
"Very well, thank you. How nice of you to visit me again! That's the fifth time, isn't it? You are too kind to me." Lok sat down next to the frail girl, absentmindedly watching the screen, which was connected to the girl's bed, showing weird diagrams. They made no sense to him but he didn't give them much thought.
"I told you that you don't have to thank me for coming! I like to talk with you, so it's fine!" She smiled weakly but her eyes bore that sad expression again, that Lok had seen so often on her before.
"You are really so kind to say that, but surely there must be someone else, who is more important to you than I?! I feel bad for being so selfish to ask you to visit me over and over again. I am just so lonely here..." Lok thought about Nidhogg, who would probably be curious what would take him so long, but he pushed the thought away. Instead he gingerly took her small hand into his and petted it reassuringly.
"Don't feel bad! You're not well right now, so it's ok of you to be a little selfish. Anyway, I know my father is a great scientist, he will find a way to help you! Soon you will be able to leave this bed on your own!" His voice held so much strength and warmth that the girl smiled at him once more. She nodded and looked to the door, indicating, that it was time for him to leave. Lok got up and walked to the door, turned around and waved goodbye.
After the door closed the girl shut her eyes and a crystalline tear rolled down her cheek.
-I shall never leave this place, I am so sorry-
"Gosh Lok, what on Miltia took you so long?" Out of breath Lok had finally reached Nidhogg, who stood next to Yuriev. Both didn't look too pleased by his delay.
"Had to fetch my weapon. I'm ready to go now!"
"Punctuality is vital Lok, if that happens again, you'll have to face the consequences, understood?!" Disapprovingly Yuriev's eyes lay upon the boy. Lok whined and stuttered a weak: "Yes, father!" Before he got in position next to Nidhogg.
The next days were full of work for the two strong URTVS. Yuriev assigned them to do more and more work. Still Lok managed to slip away for a few minutes to talk to "her". He was surprised, that he never encountered some medicals or anyone else in the room. Whenever he looked after her, he was alone in the dim lighted chamber. Maybe he just evaded them by chance, he wondered. Then again: it made things for him easier this way.
The mission appeared to be rather simple: destroy every last bit of any wavelength associated with U-DO.
Diving was easy for the trained boys and soon they found themselves in an entire different surrounding.
Lok and Nidhogg ran through the orchard until it opened to a giant flower field, shooting and punching enemies to the ground as they went. Together they were pretty invincible even if they were still very young. Yuriev had high expectations of them, more so when they would finally mature.
"Watch out! A berserk mech!" Lok yelled at his comrade, who evaded a direct hit just by inches. The wire attached to the metal arm though still graced his side and send him flying a few meters away.
"Ouch, cursed scrap of metal! You'll pay for that!" Nidhogg launched an energy blast against the A.I.-creature and the explosion took away the sight of the boys for a few seconds, until the dust and pieces of iron had set down.
Lok ran towards his friend and helped him to stand up.
"That was incredible, Nigg! You are really strong!" The brunette turned slightly pink, pushing him away embarrassed.
"Come on, you're as strong as me, don't exaggerate." He dusted himself off and inspected a cut on his left arm, which bleed a bit.
At the sight Lok's stomach churned. He absolutely hated it, when Nidhogg got hurt. It was as if a deep running urge to protect the other boy was taking over his mind, whenever Nidhogg showed any signs of weakness or physical distress. The blond-haired boy ripped some fabric from his uniform and started to carefully wrap the cut.
"Lok, don't fuzz over it, it's not even hurting!"
The other boy squirmed, while Lok ignored his protests. Nidhogg continued to call him an overprotecting hen and other things and Lok focused too much on the poor bandage, to pay any attention to their surroundings. Both didn't see the black shadow, which crouched through the high-grown flowers closer to the two.
"You done? We still haven't cleared the area. My arm's fine, so let's go!" Lok, satisfied with his work, stepped back, only to see Nidhogg's eyes wide in horror.
"Lok watch out, behind you!"
That was the last thing the long-haired boy heard before he was hit from behind and his vision turned black...
When he opened his eyes again, not much time could have passed, for he immediately saw Nidhogg struggle against an abomination of nature. The creature had four legs, pitch black fur, cruel eyes and Sharp tusks in its snout. It looked almost like an animal, which once lived on Miltia, but a boar would have never gotten this big!
Right now it was atop the struggling URTV, who was bleeding heavily and tried to keep the monster from crushing his body. Lok jumped to his feet and screamed at the beast in sheer fury, while he shot at the creature's head.
"Get off of him! GET OFF!" A well-aimed shoot hit the eye of the beast, which let out an agonizing cry. It turned its attention towards Lok and started to charge. Lok slumped down on one knee to steady himself, aimed, and pulled the trigger...*boom*
The boar-like thing stumbled, rolled its eyes upside down and crushed to the floor, only two meters away. A last heavy breath escaped the fiend's lungs until it lay motionless. The sound of crickets and birds started anew and one could have thought that nothing had happened.
The blonde was shaking heavily when he got up. He staggered to the place where Nidhogg still lay on the trampled flowers.
"Don't move Nigg! I'll get you out of here. Everything will be fine!" Something dripped in his eyes. Confused he touched his head, only to find his hand smeared with ruby. So the beast had injured him too. Cursing under his breath he grasped his communicator.
"Team 1 to HQ, we need to stop the dive. Number Zero and Omega request an emergency withdrawal."
"HQ to Team 1, understood, dive will be dismantled in 3...2...1...!"
"What are you good for? You saw the creature first, but did not save my brother from getting hurt? Aren't you supposed to be strong?" Helina was standing outraged next to a miserable looking Nidhogg. Every word stung him like hell and she was restless, inquiring if there really had been no way to prevent Lok from getting knocked down. Lok had tried to stop Helina from bickering and accusing Nidhogg, but in her anger she didn't even listen to him.
"That's enough Helina! Let him rest. It is not only your brother that has injuries. Let's talk a bit outside." Yuriev grappled her by the arm and flashed Lok a pensive look. The door closed and the scientist turned to the beautiful woman.
"How often do I need to tell you? Lok is strong and doesn't need your clingy protection. Besides it is his job to save Nidhogg, not the other way around!"
"What do you say? His job? He is worth so much more than this small brat!" Yuriev's expression showed anger and annoyance at her words.
"I dare you Helina! You and your brother owe your life to me, be of use or be disposed. There is no other choice! Lok's chore is to control Nidhogg's power and to take any damage instead of Zero. If he doesn't do that, what value does he have to me?!"
She clenched her teeth together, swallowing any unwise answers. Nidhogg meant nothing to her, while her brother was her world and reason. She hated Yuriev's decisions but all she could do was to oblige.
"None, master. Please forgive me my foolish actions. I will apologize to number Zero." The grey haired scientist leant against the wall and studied her thoroughly.
"Good girl! Now leave, you still have much to do!"
Helina left as fast as she could. The man shook his head: What was it with his creations, that they all had a problem with following orders?!
Inside the room Lok had gotten up from his bed and sat down on the chair next to Nidhogg.
"I am sorry for what Helina said. I'm sure she didn't mean it like that."
"Well, she was right somehow. I mean, I did see the monster first, yet all I did was shouting." The boy's eyes got a bit watery.
"Nigg, everything happened real fast. You couldn't do a thing. Besides we both haven't been badly injured. The Docs say we will be ready to do missions in a week at the most. So don't feel bad, Nigg!"
"I just hate to see you getting hurt." Surprised Lok looked at his friend. That was exactly what he had thought before about the other boy. It had felt as if something inside him came undone, when he saw the monster bend above the frail and unprotected body of Nidhogg. The crimson staining his friends beautiful, innocent face. Lok had been absolutely scared. Hearing now, that Nidhogg felt similar about him, made his heart jump.
His eyes must have betrayed his thoughts for both boys had looked their eyes, feeling oddly conjoined. Lok leaned closer and Nidhogg shifted towards him. Words seemed to be lost on them. The blond-haired boy cupped Nidhogg's face gently and places his lips on his friend's. Curiously he withdrew, waiting for a reaction. Nidhogg raised his fingers to his lips thoughtfully.
"Again, please." Lok repeated the intimate gesture, only now enjoying the soft and warm lips of his friend a little longer.
The sound of someone approaching ended the kiss. The brunette blushed deep-red and Lok swiftly made his way back to his own bed. His thoughts became a complete mess between joy, warmth and a weird uneasiness, a cold and eerie touch of fear that suddenly clutched his heart...
"You're so quiet today. Are you not feeling well?" The girl asked worryingly.
"Nah, it's nothing." He fell silent and looked down, trying to hide his emotions. After a short silence, she gently whispered to him.
"Please don't push yourself to hard."
"What?" Dumbfounded he looked at the sweet girl.
"You have been working too much. Surely it's hard for you." He raised a brow. Was he that easy to read?
"What makes you think that?"
"You have changed." She simply answered. Gently rubbing his tired eyes, to work away an approaching headache, he sighed exhausted. Lok had to admit that she was right. Since a while now he had been feeling odd and worn out. The incident with Nidhogg really had gotten to him. The blood just wouldn't fade from his inner mind. The red haunted him.
Even drawing, which usually calmed him, had done nothing to make him feel better. His nerves were exposed. He hated to be weak, so he tried to hide it from everyone. Only in front of his new friend he was able to drop the act. Maybe that had been the reason, why he had visited her more and more often. She was special, she was different.
"It's time for you to go. Please rest a little Lok. I'll be waiting for your next visit." She smiled reassuringly at him. Lok finally returned to the dorm, thinking about her and wondered sadly, why she hadn't gotten any better in all this time.
"Focus boys! You can't let yourself be distracted that easily!" Yuriev was almost sounding frustrated. They never had had such bad results in their tests.
"What's gotten into you? Nidhogg you did alright, but your work was a shame on itself, Lok! That's not acceptable!" The scolded boy let his head fall embarrassed. He had tried as best as he could but somehow his mind was skipping from one thing to another. Nidhogg squeezed his arm encouragingly, which Lok answered with a silent "thanks" on his lips. Their father dismissed them to recuperate in the park. "And when you have your next mission, I expect you two to do better!"
As soon as they found an empty bench Lok let himself slump down on it, Nidhogg next to him. The scent of the trees and flowers was pleasing and the sounds of other people walking through the park created a soothing hum, which melded together with the artificial chirping of birds. Neither Nidhogg nor Lok had ever seen real ones, but during their class of ancient animate beings, they had learned all about them. Lok loved the old pictures of the graceful animals. Their wings really enchanted him. A creature with such beauty held a trace of magic within its body.
Suddenly two noises destroyed the peaceful calm of the park.
"Get back here you little-!"
*waff, waaff, waff*
"I said stop! Garm listen, at once!" A female voice shouted.
"Oh no, don't run away!" *Waff, Waff, WAFF* Lok was just able to see a Realian woman run towards their bench, when a little white ball of fur bounced against his chest. A pink, wet tongue tickled his face and when he was able to shove the fluffy thing away a bit, he looked into the loveliest blue Puppy-eyes he couldn't even have imagined. Nidhogg in surprise let out a gasp.
"A dog? A real, actual dog? It is nothing like the pictures!" He wanted to touch the fur in awe, when the dog spun around in an incredible speed and growled.
"What's the matter? Calm down little one! See I haven't touched you yet!" Lok laughed, seeing Nidhogg's astonished expression. The woman had finally reached them very exhausted, looking strangely at Lok. The boy stroked the pup, who leaned into the touch, wiggling its tail.
"I'm sorry, Mam'. Your dog jumped on my lap on his own. What was his name again, Karm?" She tilted her head lightly to the side.
"It's Garm actually...Please forgive me that I am so straight forward, but what is your name young man?"
"Lok, why?" Her eyes widened a little but her expression changed towards a friendly smile in mere seconds.
"Oh it's just that Garm has never shown any sympathy to anyone. He is giving me a hard time since I got assigned to take care of him. He is...well, he is special. No one really wanted to deal with him." The blonde studied the small animal and scratched the dog behind the ear, to which Garm responded with liking his fingers lovingly.
"I can't really believe that. I think he is a kind one." The woman intertwined her arms, still keeping a smile on her lips.
"Lok this might be sudden but would you like to keep Garm, since you two seem to get along so well." At that offer Lok practically beamed at her in delight. Nidhogg seemed to be unable to comprehend what was just going on. A strange woman, who just endowed URTVS with real dogs, how peculiar.
"Really?! Nigg, did you hear that? Awesome!" The dog sensed his joy and barked in elation.
"I'll go to father and ask him if I can keep him!" And thus the blonde rushed towards the laboratory, a white shadow at his heels. A dumbfounded brown-haired URTV looking after him and a Realian woman, who smiled as if a great burden had been lifted from her.
"You can't keep him!" Screens with diagrams and data blinked unremitting and created dark shadows under Yuriev's eyes.
"Why not? Please I promise I'll-."
"Stop this nonsense Lok! I said no, so you will search for the Realian, who gave the dog to you, and return it! Until then I will keep the creature." Yuriev pointed to the door, indicating that the talk was over. All attention back on the screens. Lok had to suppress tears of anger when he stormed out of the lab.
The dog would have been totally fine with him! Even though he had just found out, that the little white being existed, he already cared for Garm. The dog was simply adorable.
Lok ran towards the hidden door and stepped into the dark room. "She" would understand him undoubtedly.
"Lok where are you?" Nidhogg was searching for the other boy since an hour now. After he heard about Yuriev's forbiddance, that Lok could keep the dog, he thought that his friend needed someone to talk to. It was weird really, that Lok would get worked up over something so unimportant. Then again, since a while now, Lok wasn't the most stable person around. Nidhogg was deeply worried about Lok's actions. Actually he was surprised that Lok was on the one hand trying to be close to him and on the other hand distancing himself. It left Nidhogg sad and confused. He had always listened to Lok's thoughts and had happily shared his own with his best friend.
Another empty room. How many did that make? He had checked almost the entire institute by now. All the favorite places and usual hiding spots. Where was the other URTV? Where had he vanished to all this time? Nidhogg gathered his energy and tried his last attempt on finding Lok. The link sprung to life almost immediately. Since Yuriev created more and more URTV's a strong bond had formed between all of them. Sometimes one could even "feel" where other members of the link where located. Nidhogg sat down on the cold floor cross-legged and closed his eyes...
"That sounds horrible!"
"Right! I knew you would understand. I mean I have followed father's orders all the time and now that I ask him for such a little thing, he doesn't even consider it."
"Maybe if you ask him again?"
"Believe me, he won't change his mind when he once made it up. He isn't one to think things over a second time." He sighed frustrated when he heard the sound of the entrance sliding open.
"Lok are you in there?" The voice of a boy sounded in the room.
"Nidhogg? How, how did you find me?" Taken aback, Lok jumped down from the girl's hospital bed, walking a few steps closer to his friend.
"Finally I found you! Do you know how long I've been looking for you? What is this place? It's dark and smells almost like a tomb, eww, yep this stench is truly unpleasant!" Lok raised his eyebrows.
"Stench?"
"What are you gawking at me for? Of course this stench, what on Old Miltia did they dump here? Biological waste?" Lok remained puzzled by his friend. Did he not feel well, or something?! This room smelled of disinfectant, but of course it had to. Being a medical lab and all...
"Well anyways, Lok why did you run away? You know that I'm there for you, right?!" Sadness welled up inside the blond-haired boy. Of course he wanted to be cheered up by Nidhogg. Then again he would not want his cherished friend to think that he was weak.
He wanted to impress Nidhogg, wanted to be special and strong for his comrade. It pained him that Nidhogg worried about him at the moment.
"I know Nigg, but I thought that you don't have to be bothered by my problems all the time. I found this nice girl here and she was happy about some company. She didn't even mind my complaining." Lok said with amusement in his voice.
Nidhogg tried to look around Lok while he spoke. Starring intensely into the darkness, he could only make out rough shapes. He turned his eyes back on Lok, deep running worry in his gaze. Slowly he walked towards the blonde, all the way trying to read the emotions of his beloved friend.
"Are you alright, Lok? Please don't give me your usual: Yes, why do you ask?!"
"Huh? I don't think it's such a big deal, that I made another friend."
"No Lok, that's clearly not the problem!"
"Clearly not?!" Lok was getting irritated. "Wouldn't have thought that you would be jealous, Nidhogg!" Nidhogg now stood only an arm's length away, gingerly placing his hand on the angry one's shoulder.
"Please Lok, I only ever wish to help you..." He took a deep breath and then locked his eyes firmly with the confused one's of the blonde-haired URTV.
"...there's no one except for poor Realians, who died halfway through the transformation that U-DO causes."
Slowly, inch by inch, Lok turned around to the bed, he sat on just minutes before. His mind screaming at him, that Nidhogg was just being an idiot but the sincerity in his friend's eyes had planted doubt in his thoughts none the less.
There was the girl, her sad gaze fixed upon him. It seemed as if she led out a wearisome breath. A whisper reached his ears.
-It had to end eventually-
The girl's image changed, growing in a grotesque Doppelgänger of the cute and lithe girl. Her hair became greasy and strands fell onto the pillow. Her limbs stretched and got bulky, forming a gruesome nightmare. Now the stench hit Lok like a punch into his stomach. He felt dizzy. Just why seemed everything to lose its steadiness-
"Why?! No! This, this isn't happening, it's wrong! So, so wrong, she can't, she isn't...I-I..I talked with her!" Shaking he looked over to the other beds. A similar picture unwrapped in front of his very eyes. All the time he had thought that all beds were empty. Now each one was occupied with weird and abnormal creatures. Here and there he could make out the remains of humanly shapes, but all of them were beyond help.
Lok sank to his knees, his shaking had gone out of control.
"Lok! You ok? Lok answer me please!" The voice sounded somewhat distant. Who was crying his name? And why was something inside of him feeling weird?
"She had been dead since five months, you must have imagined her speaking!" Couldn't the voice stop? He knew that he couldn't let himself be distracted now. He had to contain his power that pushed against his ribs and caused his head to throb.
"But it's not a problem, you're not insane Lok. I'm sure father can help you!"
Red, so much red. Raw and strong it was pumping through his veins. He wrapped his arms around his body to stop himself from tearing apart. He couldn't see the room anymore, just the pulsing red light, that felt so familiar and foreign at the same time.
"I don't want this!" He choked out. If he was crying he didn't know.
Then he felt the warmth and presence of someone else around him. Nidhogg held the blonde cradled to his chest, trying to tell him something that he couldn't understand trough the red hazard.
-Please oh please get away! Safe yourself! Don't stay! Oh please, please Nidhogg, I can't control it any longer! Leave me, for you mean so much to me, Nigg. I wanted to tell you, I-
-I lov-
The red force spread in a perfect wave. Crushing material and destroying everything in it's path. The figure of a boy was hovering a meter above the ground, being the core of the destructive energy. The blonde of the boy's hair was devoured by the sinister red, fusing with it and was replaced by a perfect pitch black. Nidhogg tried to fight against the wave but his strength was seeping out of his body. He watched Lok crying in pain while his body was tortured by the force it had to withstand. The red turned slowly into a sinister purple eating away his last reserves. The brown-haired URTV reached out to his friend, in a weak attempt to get hold of him, when his power vanished completely.
Then everything became dark.
A great disturbance shook the universe on all domains. Chaos was forcefully ripped out of his sleep, while Wilhelm clutched his head in pain on the Dämmerung.
- What was that? -
Chaos tried to analyze the immense power, which leaked a bit at the frame of the universe.
- A God has awakened. -
Wilhelm stared at the stars, whose light seemed to be more brilliant than before. As if something fueled them.
- No this can't be true. This power doesn't belong to any God I know of. -
- But surely it reminds you of someone. -
Chaos closed his eyes and let the power wash over him with no resistance.
- There is but one, who could affect the domains in such a way, but he is long gone. U-DO made sure of that! -
- U-DO isn't as strong as you think, Anima. So what entity did you think of, my friend? -
- Loki, U-DO's son. -
"He still isn't awake?" Helina watched the screens anxiously. Nidhogg hadn't awoken from his coma yet and Yuriev tried everything to fix him. The scientist said, that the damage could be permanent and if Nidhogg should ever wake again, he would likely not remember a thing. Worst case was, that he wouldn't even be the same person anymore. Though Yuriev's enhanced medical treatment would more than likely prevent that.
Helina sighed sadly. Not only did Lok vanish after he blew a giant part of the institute away, he also incapacitated Nidhogg, and left him broken. Her father had told her, that the dog had vanished at the same time. How odd. How could something like this happen to her beloved little brother?!
"Did the Messiah rise?" Dark suited people stood in a semicircle, hiding their faces in the shadows of their capes.
"Indeed, it was only a matter of time until the memories of his former life return to him again."
"Loki was an astonishing and unique entity. Unmatched from any living being in wit and strength. Nothing could truly destroy him, even fractured from his "father" and reduced to an artifact, he still continued to exist."
"What drove him?"
"The solemn wish to defeat his "father" and free himself from any bounds of existence. Yuriev was a fool to think that power to be his. He had to fail in containing such a mighty god." The speaker chuckled.
"Gods are not made to be ruled by humankind. They are made to be worshipped and feared and only sometimes to be betrayed. Fallen Angels hold such beauty!" Some of the hooded people began to shift their positions uncomfortably. Their master looked so young but seemed to never age at all. Though the circle was formed by wealthy and powerful humans, their master seemed to be also something else. Still they all would do everything for the charismatic, young man.
"But what do we do master? What happens if Lok gets aware of his true origin?" Another man added with a low voice: "Yes he could gather very strong allies around him. He was destined to do so, was he not?" Mortified whispers filled the room. The master only smiled knowingly.
"Oh yes, his path has already been decided by fate, but do not fret, I know of ways to change fortune's will." The golden compass behind the white-haired man glistened in the light.
"I have formed a plan to get the key from Mary herself and Lok will be nothing but a puppet in my game." He opened his arms invitingly.
"You shall see my greatness and superiority. Be loyal and you will earn your share of the holy fruit that is called creation." The men cheered in delight and reliance, while their master turned towards the stars, only sneering at their foolery.
End of chapter one.
Thanks for reading. Reviews are always welcome. One addition: The figure Nidhogg isn't the same from my first story. But HubrisP and I liked him, so there he got a second story ;) Little translation: Morgendämmerung des Chaos = Dawn of chaos