1. A Starry Sky
Here I lay, future savior of the Black Moon civilization. Thoughts; bizarre and philosophical thoughts cloud my consciousness as I try to leave this existence for my sanctuary; my dreams. What makes a savior any different from a hero, or for that matter... a villain? A trace of doubt strikes my mind, a single blasphamic thought that nevertheless I could not retort. Puzzling turmoil crept over my mind as I ventured forth an answer to the rhetorical question my subconscious presented.
"... an intent to do good?...". Unsure, I awaited an answer. Nothing came. Feeling an alarming discontent, I scratched at the door of my mind, imploring an answer that would not come. I looked up. The usual, calming vortex of hurried air whistled overhead as I sat up, perhaps looking for an answer in the stars. Perhaps, but why? There was an unusual feeling in the air this night; a feeling of remorse, a feeling of death. Or was it so unusual?
The same moonstone beacon, Naslidarc's Lantern, whirring in the background, giving a repentant light and cutting the solemn mood like a blade of contrition. A gift from our temporary allies in this mass warfare: the Silvites. Before their "discovery" of our now glorious civilization, we had nothing. We lived in poverty, with only the darkness and our gravity wells to comfort us. No prior records of anything past the Coming. We as a people call this time the Age of Ignorance. It could be said we owe them our existence. those wise and noble human beings. Those philanthropists. Naslidarc was the first of their people to grace our nation. Said to be an odd man even by his own people, he landed his airship to survey our desolate land, and immediately fell in love with our culture, but more importantly on our widowed queen, Scyra the Blessed. Theirs was the first inter-civilization marriage, and it may have saved our race from almost inevitable destruction.
The years previous to the discovery, our people were engaged in battle with fierce iron demons, with long steel beaks, and wielding wands of power, their hunger only quenched by the sacrifice of our precious Sacred rocks, our moonstones. With the arrival of these Silver Beings came the withdraw of these monsters. We saw these travelers as Gods. This sentiment was put to rest, however, when Queen Scyra was killed in an assassination attempt. Many speculate it was the work of fanatical bigots from either civilization. Others say the assassins were hired by the other civilizations, seeking to cut short the friendly ties between our nations through a death threat directed toward Naslidarc. Our Blessed Queen, instead saw the attempt and leapt to intercept the arrow, at the cost of her own life. At least that is how the textbooks describe the happenings. Not much more is said upon the matter, except that Naslidarc, after the demise of his only love locked himself inside his large mechanical workshop. He was, aside from being a leader of his peoples was also a gifted inventor. He died alone, found with a knife through his heart and the blood on his hands. The castle guards found a strange device in his hands, his last gift to the people of this land, the Naslidarc's Lantern. In lament, the people of the Silver and Black Civilizations constructed a large obelisk, the Pyramid of Scyra, with a compartment at the very top where the Lantern can reach all of the lands under the Black Moon.
Such is the way saviors are. Fleeting creatures, they are. Of course I did not yet know my purpose, however I felt it in my heart. I am Lazara, Princess-in-waiting and descendent of those forsaken people; star struck lovers, painted within the tapestry of this solemn story. Yes, deep within myself, I could feel my purpose burning inside. Waiting to be revealed, yet remaining hidden in a shroud of familiar darkness. Ebonites, as we are called, do not have overbearing emotions. This is a direct effect of living in a place without natural light, since an impenetrable Dark Rift surrounds the entire island continent on all sides. It was not until the Silvites arrived that we realized there was more out there. We had assumed the rift continued on until you left this existence. Starry nights were seen as an Oman of the Lights, a sign of blessing from the heavens, when evil was impaled by God's deep gaze. It is still seen as just that, only now more for a religious purpose than the easing of paranoid thoughts. Alas, we have learned much in those thousands of years since. What brave new world did you unleash upon us, Naslidarc?
My thoughts continued to drift as I panned my room with my eye, a very plain room, considering my social status. It merely contained a bed, a table and a bookshelf. The moonstone lamp jutting from the smooth ceiling gave a pale white glow. The flow of light wavered and the ground shook with the force of colliding islands. I awoke from my ecstatic delirium with an unfamiliar sound, followed shortly by a k-krsshhhh! and the fall of a castle tower. I looked down, helpless as the tower came down on fleeing men, women, children... my people. God why? WHY?! The Flash of Naslidarc's Lantern lashed out onto my face as I turned around to see the creature causing this terrible event. Staring in the sky, I looked on in frustrated horror as a ship launched volley after searing volley of cannon fire. The Lantern blinding me from the shape of the vessel, I waited in anxious patience to identify the ship. The air stirred, the light lifted its stinging tale from my face, and I was finally able to determine the vessel's origin. What... Silvite?! It's not possible. God have mercy on us. I was staring at the Flagship of my friend, of my childhood friend, Admiral Ralinto Cales of the 1st Silvite Naval Fleet. Behind the ship, a clear, starry sky leered apathetically at the helter- skelter below.
Beyond the manifested betrayal attacking my people, the rift opened up as an eye does from a nurturing sleep. A shooting star streaked across the otherwise devoid sky, giving light to the ebon moon. God is aware, and he is doing nothing. Well, they gave an answer to your question. My subconscious answered the now tattered door, however now I wanted to slam the door in its face.
Here I lay, future savior of the Black Moon civilization. Thoughts; bizarre and philosophical thoughts cloud my consciousness as I try to leave this existence for my sanctuary; my dreams. What makes a savior any different from a hero, or for that matter... a villain? A trace of doubt strikes my mind, a single blasphamic thought that nevertheless I could not retort. Puzzling turmoil crept over my mind as I ventured forth an answer to the rhetorical question my subconscious presented.
"... an intent to do good?...". Unsure, I awaited an answer. Nothing came. Feeling an alarming discontent, I scratched at the door of my mind, imploring an answer that would not come. I looked up. The usual, calming vortex of hurried air whistled overhead as I sat up, perhaps looking for an answer in the stars. Perhaps, but why? There was an unusual feeling in the air this night; a feeling of remorse, a feeling of death. Or was it so unusual?
The same moonstone beacon, Naslidarc's Lantern, whirring in the background, giving a repentant light and cutting the solemn mood like a blade of contrition. A gift from our temporary allies in this mass warfare: the Silvites. Before their "discovery" of our now glorious civilization, we had nothing. We lived in poverty, with only the darkness and our gravity wells to comfort us. No prior records of anything past the Coming. We as a people call this time the Age of Ignorance. It could be said we owe them our existence. those wise and noble human beings. Those philanthropists. Naslidarc was the first of their people to grace our nation. Said to be an odd man even by his own people, he landed his airship to survey our desolate land, and immediately fell in love with our culture, but more importantly on our widowed queen, Scyra the Blessed. Theirs was the first inter-civilization marriage, and it may have saved our race from almost inevitable destruction.
The years previous to the discovery, our people were engaged in battle with fierce iron demons, with long steel beaks, and wielding wands of power, their hunger only quenched by the sacrifice of our precious Sacred rocks, our moonstones. With the arrival of these Silver Beings came the withdraw of these monsters. We saw these travelers as Gods. This sentiment was put to rest, however, when Queen Scyra was killed in an assassination attempt. Many speculate it was the work of fanatical bigots from either civilization. Others say the assassins were hired by the other civilizations, seeking to cut short the friendly ties between our nations through a death threat directed toward Naslidarc. Our Blessed Queen, instead saw the attempt and leapt to intercept the arrow, at the cost of her own life. At least that is how the textbooks describe the happenings. Not much more is said upon the matter, except that Naslidarc, after the demise of his only love locked himself inside his large mechanical workshop. He was, aside from being a leader of his peoples was also a gifted inventor. He died alone, found with a knife through his heart and the blood on his hands. The castle guards found a strange device in his hands, his last gift to the people of this land, the Naslidarc's Lantern. In lament, the people of the Silver and Black Civilizations constructed a large obelisk, the Pyramid of Scyra, with a compartment at the very top where the Lantern can reach all of the lands under the Black Moon.
Such is the way saviors are. Fleeting creatures, they are. Of course I did not yet know my purpose, however I felt it in my heart. I am Lazara, Princess-in-waiting and descendent of those forsaken people; star struck lovers, painted within the tapestry of this solemn story. Yes, deep within myself, I could feel my purpose burning inside. Waiting to be revealed, yet remaining hidden in a shroud of familiar darkness. Ebonites, as we are called, do not have overbearing emotions. This is a direct effect of living in a place without natural light, since an impenetrable Dark Rift surrounds the entire island continent on all sides. It was not until the Silvites arrived that we realized there was more out there. We had assumed the rift continued on until you left this existence. Starry nights were seen as an Oman of the Lights, a sign of blessing from the heavens, when evil was impaled by God's deep gaze. It is still seen as just that, only now more for a religious purpose than the easing of paranoid thoughts. Alas, we have learned much in those thousands of years since. What brave new world did you unleash upon us, Naslidarc?
My thoughts continued to drift as I panned my room with my eye, a very plain room, considering my social status. It merely contained a bed, a table and a bookshelf. The moonstone lamp jutting from the smooth ceiling gave a pale white glow. The flow of light wavered and the ground shook with the force of colliding islands. I awoke from my ecstatic delirium with an unfamiliar sound, followed shortly by a k-krsshhhh! and the fall of a castle tower. I looked down, helpless as the tower came down on fleeing men, women, children... my people. God why? WHY?! The Flash of Naslidarc's Lantern lashed out onto my face as I turned around to see the creature causing this terrible event. Staring in the sky, I looked on in frustrated horror as a ship launched volley after searing volley of cannon fire. The Lantern blinding me from the shape of the vessel, I waited in anxious patience to identify the ship. The air stirred, the light lifted its stinging tale from my face, and I was finally able to determine the vessel's origin. What... Silvite?! It's not possible. God have mercy on us. I was staring at the Flagship of my friend, of my childhood friend, Admiral Ralinto Cales of the 1st Silvite Naval Fleet. Behind the ship, a clear, starry sky leered apathetically at the helter- skelter below.
Beyond the manifested betrayal attacking my people, the rift opened up as an eye does from a nurturing sleep. A shooting star streaked across the otherwise devoid sky, giving light to the ebon moon. God is aware, and he is doing nothing. Well, they gave an answer to your question. My subconscious answered the now tattered door, however now I wanted to slam the door in its face.
