Past Troubles: Secrets of the Moon
Chapter: Prologue
He sat in the shadows of the throne starring endlessness at the glowing orb mounted upon his staff. The images that the crystal ball projected were those of a battle on a far off planet. Currently, the form of a tall slender woman with long dull blonde hair and blue eyes was displayed upon the red smoke. Her eyes no longer hinted at the happy child she once was. Instead they were now those of a person who had lived in the solitude of a barren planet. She wore a long black dress that fitted her every curve with a laced neckline that extended to her bustline. At present she was engaged in battle against a rival male twice her size and age. Nonetheless, as she brought her sword sweeping across his abdomen, she thought him a worthy opponent.
The shadowed man waved his hand over the crystal and it slowly scanned the battle until it came upon a robust man. He was an estimated foot taller than the woman, with brown hair and eyes. Not taking his eyes – the eyes of a person that was born, raised, and lived on Lilith – from his opponent, he shock the long strain of matted hair from his face. The two men circled each other. Only stopping to stare the other and lunge at the other. From behind came the war cry of a youth charging. Watching from the corner of his eye the man sent his blade sinking into the body of young girl coming to the aid of her father. The corner of the man's lip curled into a half smile. At the sight of his dieing daughter, his true opponent lunged for the last time.
The man seated upon the throne smiled at the scene projected before him. There was no Raven. There were no Children of Raven, either. There was no person or persons that could stop him from taking what once was his. Moreover, when he had what was once his –including this world taken by force- he would turn to his true prize. He waved his hand over the orb again, this time a woman's image flashed across the smoke. It was not the fighting woman from the battlefield. Nor the slain one. No this one's golden hair had not been dulled from the lack of sunlight that reached this barren planet. And her eyes held the laughter and joy of life. And her heart held love for all. The corners of his thin lips curved upward at the thought of his obtaining this woman. The creature that he had been doing all this fighting for. The image within the crystal flashed to that of a burning village where his army was placing survives of the conflict into wagons.
An hour later the doors of the Great Hall open and the woman and man from the glowing red orb entered. The two proceeded past the posted guards and handful of people within the chamber up to the throne where they bowed before the man seated in the shadows. "Glory is ours, my King. There was some resistance, but that was taken care of." Boar boasted.
"Good. "the man on the throne replied. He raised his hand dismissing all present expect the two that had just entered. He gestured for one of the guards posted at the entrance. He did not know as to why he had them. For no being in the right mind or wrong would ever set foot on Lilth, willingly. However, even here he did have his enemies. And how many children of slaughtered men and women have sworn his downfall on their parents' graves.
" Go about the usual with the new prisoners. Tell them this is how their king favors his people. Tell them how I promise to rebuild their homes and have their land returned them and that my enemies shall not destroy their village as long as they are in my favor. Only thing that I require is abundance from them and their sworn loyalty." The guard bowed and left the room. He did not say another word until all present had departed.
"It would seem that our conquests are going according to plan. I have been informed by the Oracle that I should remove you two from the battlefield."
"My Lord, surely you jest!" muuttered Boar. "Have we not won every battle in this war. Why would you remove us now that we are so close to victory over Upamorian? Surely we shall have this planet conquered within the month."
" How dare you question me!" the man bellowed with rage. The light that filtered through the gray clouds and windows into the chamber were blocked out and a rough wind blew throughout the chamber causing for more than half the flames to go out. Than as suddenly as the wind had present itself it ceased. "You are lucky that you are one of my most favored of warriors and that I need you for this mission. For if you were not. You would stand before me as a dead man!"
Boar bowed his head. "I am sorry my Lord, I do not mean to question your decisions. It is just that Blackbird and I have accomplished so much in your name during the course of this war. I was taken by surprise of your decision."
The man did not respond to the apology of his servant, instead he continued on with what he had to state. "I have been to see the Oracle. She says that even with the conquering of Upamorian, I still will not be free from this cursed place. For that I need the Sword of Elements."
"But Sire," Blackbird finally spoke. "We do not know of what happened to sword after the Children of Raven banished you and your forces here. I have heard that the Sword had reverted into five separate weapons." Blackbird patted the hilt of the sword hanging at her side. "They could be most anywhere in the universe."
"Ah, it is true that after the Battle with the Children of Rave the Sword broke into five separate pieces. But we do have one of those swords. Do we not, Blackbird?" The man's eyes gazed upon the sword hanging at the woman's side. "The Oracle was nice enough to tell me of the exact location within the universe were the those pieces can be found." The orb on the end of the staff shimmered into life. An image of small blue planet was projected for the three to see. "The four missing Swords can be found here... on Earth"
"Yes, Master." The two said.
For the next two hours warriors were enlightened about their mission on the recovery of the swords. ****
Deep in the furthermost reaches of the castle, where little light reached and few souls traveled, an elderly woman sat in a corner bound. Her once trimmed hair now hung wild about her shoulders. Her once beautiful white and yellow garments were now soiled from days of setting on a filthy dudgeon floor. Despite the conditions that she was forced to dwell in and the yearning in her heart for freedom, she had not given what he requested.
An image filled her mind. It was a picture of a family. Three adult figures, two teenagers, and six children between the ages of six and twelve- years stood in front of a Torii (the entrance gates to a shrine). All of them smiling. Within seconds that image was consumed by fire. The Torii and temple transformed into ruins and the eldest of the adults became a headstone. The smiles of the family slightly fade. A car drives over the embankment of a road rolling into a tree. In the bush, a baby cries for its mother. The remaining adults metamorphose into memorials. In the image a young girl and boy stood holding hands. The boy let's go and fades from the picture. The female teenager ages. The male teenager grows into a handsome young warrior. The girl transforms into an elderly woman. The five remaining children grow older. One of them becomes a headstone. Another is encased in a glass coffin. A girl is consumed by shadows. All that is left of a once blissful and advantageous family where children slowly changing into teenagers. Their hearts full of sadness and faces with deepened frowns.
A slit at the top of the door is opened. "Sheë© having another one." the guard announces. "Go get the Master at once." In the corridor outside the cell, footsteps could be heard hurry along a passage leading up into the castle. The guard left on duty slides a tray of food into the chamber. The woman in the corner does not move an inch. She is too deep into the trance to notice her surroundings.
The youngest girl steps from the family portrait. Her frown lights into a smile as ten people appear around her - nine women and one man. The first to appear is the boy that had faded from the other image. Although he is barely as shadow in the first image, he appears solid in this one and much older. The rest are girls of varying ages. The first four girls are all the same age as the one they are surrounding the only difference is the color of their eyes and hair and height. The remaining four girls are of different ages. The youngest is no more than eight and the oldest appearing to be twenty. All the girls in this image are wearing outfits made of miniskirts and large bows. The man is dressed in a black outfit with a cape and cane.
Then the image of the remaining boy moves into the picture, standing a few feet from the group. The girl takes a step from those that surround her towards him. Soon three more people appear around the young man. Around the necks of these young men and women hung jade pendants of different colors - green, yellow, red, blue, and white. The girl moved midway between the two groups. Her smile slightly wavered.
A man seated upon a throne appeared behind the girl. The two groups of people engage in battle. Both are defeated and the girl rises to the throne seated next to the man. The new group of women and men stood knelt before the two. Upon the man's head sat four crowns. The old woman groaned and blinked her eyes. She was back in her cell.
"What did you see?" A deep voice questioned.
He sat in the shadows of the throne starring endlessness at the glowing orb mounted upon his staff. The images that the crystal ball projected were those of a battle on a far off planet. Currently, the form of a tall slender woman with long dull blonde hair and blue eyes was displayed upon the red smoke. Her eyes no longer hinted at the happy child she once was. Instead they were now those of a person who had lived in the solitude of a barren planet. She wore a long black dress that fitted her every curve with a laced neckline that extended to her bustline. At present she was engaged in battle against a rival male twice her size and age. Nonetheless, as she brought her sword sweeping across his abdomen, she thought him a worthy opponent.
The shadowed man waved his hand over the crystal and it slowly scanned the battle until it came upon a robust man. He was an estimated foot taller than the woman, with brown hair and eyes. Not taking his eyes – the eyes of a person that was born, raised, and lived on Lilith – from his opponent, he shock the long strain of matted hair from his face. The two men circled each other. Only stopping to stare the other and lunge at the other. From behind came the war cry of a youth charging. Watching from the corner of his eye the man sent his blade sinking into the body of young girl coming to the aid of her father. The corner of the man's lip curled into a half smile. At the sight of his dieing daughter, his true opponent lunged for the last time.
The man seated upon the throne smiled at the scene projected before him. There was no Raven. There were no Children of Raven, either. There was no person or persons that could stop him from taking what once was his. Moreover, when he had what was once his –including this world taken by force- he would turn to his true prize. He waved his hand over the orb again, this time a woman's image flashed across the smoke. It was not the fighting woman from the battlefield. Nor the slain one. No this one's golden hair had not been dulled from the lack of sunlight that reached this barren planet. And her eyes held the laughter and joy of life. And her heart held love for all. The corners of his thin lips curved upward at the thought of his obtaining this woman. The creature that he had been doing all this fighting for. The image within the crystal flashed to that of a burning village where his army was placing survives of the conflict into wagons.
An hour later the doors of the Great Hall open and the woman and man from the glowing red orb entered. The two proceeded past the posted guards and handful of people within the chamber up to the throne where they bowed before the man seated in the shadows. "Glory is ours, my King. There was some resistance, but that was taken care of." Boar boasted.
"Good. "the man on the throne replied. He raised his hand dismissing all present expect the two that had just entered. He gestured for one of the guards posted at the entrance. He did not know as to why he had them. For no being in the right mind or wrong would ever set foot on Lilth, willingly. However, even here he did have his enemies. And how many children of slaughtered men and women have sworn his downfall on their parents' graves.
" Go about the usual with the new prisoners. Tell them this is how their king favors his people. Tell them how I promise to rebuild their homes and have their land returned them and that my enemies shall not destroy their village as long as they are in my favor. Only thing that I require is abundance from them and their sworn loyalty." The guard bowed and left the room. He did not say another word until all present had departed.
"It would seem that our conquests are going according to plan. I have been informed by the Oracle that I should remove you two from the battlefield."
"My Lord, surely you jest!" muuttered Boar. "Have we not won every battle in this war. Why would you remove us now that we are so close to victory over Upamorian? Surely we shall have this planet conquered within the month."
" How dare you question me!" the man bellowed with rage. The light that filtered through the gray clouds and windows into the chamber were blocked out and a rough wind blew throughout the chamber causing for more than half the flames to go out. Than as suddenly as the wind had present itself it ceased. "You are lucky that you are one of my most favored of warriors and that I need you for this mission. For if you were not. You would stand before me as a dead man!"
Boar bowed his head. "I am sorry my Lord, I do not mean to question your decisions. It is just that Blackbird and I have accomplished so much in your name during the course of this war. I was taken by surprise of your decision."
The man did not respond to the apology of his servant, instead he continued on with what he had to state. "I have been to see the Oracle. She says that even with the conquering of Upamorian, I still will not be free from this cursed place. For that I need the Sword of Elements."
"But Sire," Blackbird finally spoke. "We do not know of what happened to sword after the Children of Raven banished you and your forces here. I have heard that the Sword had reverted into five separate weapons." Blackbird patted the hilt of the sword hanging at her side. "They could be most anywhere in the universe."
"Ah, it is true that after the Battle with the Children of Rave the Sword broke into five separate pieces. But we do have one of those swords. Do we not, Blackbird?" The man's eyes gazed upon the sword hanging at the woman's side. "The Oracle was nice enough to tell me of the exact location within the universe were the those pieces can be found." The orb on the end of the staff shimmered into life. An image of small blue planet was projected for the three to see. "The four missing Swords can be found here... on Earth"
"Yes, Master." The two said.
For the next two hours warriors were enlightened about their mission on the recovery of the swords. ****
Deep in the furthermost reaches of the castle, where little light reached and few souls traveled, an elderly woman sat in a corner bound. Her once trimmed hair now hung wild about her shoulders. Her once beautiful white and yellow garments were now soiled from days of setting on a filthy dudgeon floor. Despite the conditions that she was forced to dwell in and the yearning in her heart for freedom, she had not given what he requested.
An image filled her mind. It was a picture of a family. Three adult figures, two teenagers, and six children between the ages of six and twelve- years stood in front of a Torii (the entrance gates to a shrine). All of them smiling. Within seconds that image was consumed by fire. The Torii and temple transformed into ruins and the eldest of the adults became a headstone. The smiles of the family slightly fade. A car drives over the embankment of a road rolling into a tree. In the bush, a baby cries for its mother. The remaining adults metamorphose into memorials. In the image a young girl and boy stood holding hands. The boy let's go and fades from the picture. The female teenager ages. The male teenager grows into a handsome young warrior. The girl transforms into an elderly woman. The five remaining children grow older. One of them becomes a headstone. Another is encased in a glass coffin. A girl is consumed by shadows. All that is left of a once blissful and advantageous family where children slowly changing into teenagers. Their hearts full of sadness and faces with deepened frowns.
A slit at the top of the door is opened. "Sheë© having another one." the guard announces. "Go get the Master at once." In the corridor outside the cell, footsteps could be heard hurry along a passage leading up into the castle. The guard left on duty slides a tray of food into the chamber. The woman in the corner does not move an inch. She is too deep into the trance to notice her surroundings.
The youngest girl steps from the family portrait. Her frown lights into a smile as ten people appear around her - nine women and one man. The first to appear is the boy that had faded from the other image. Although he is barely as shadow in the first image, he appears solid in this one and much older. The rest are girls of varying ages. The first four girls are all the same age as the one they are surrounding the only difference is the color of their eyes and hair and height. The remaining four girls are of different ages. The youngest is no more than eight and the oldest appearing to be twenty. All the girls in this image are wearing outfits made of miniskirts and large bows. The man is dressed in a black outfit with a cape and cane.
Then the image of the remaining boy moves into the picture, standing a few feet from the group. The girl takes a step from those that surround her towards him. Soon three more people appear around the young man. Around the necks of these young men and women hung jade pendants of different colors - green, yellow, red, blue, and white. The girl moved midway between the two groups. Her smile slightly wavered.
A man seated upon a throne appeared behind the girl. The two groups of people engage in battle. Both are defeated and the girl rises to the throne seated next to the man. The new group of women and men stood knelt before the two. Upon the man's head sat four crowns. The old woman groaned and blinked her eyes. She was back in her cell.
"What did you see?" A deep voice questioned.