(Notes at end of chapter, please read, they're important.)

Chapter 1:

An amethyst once thought to belong to a god was composed of three factors. These factors are known as life, death, and time. With the combination of these three universal factors we've come to know in society, the amethyst became known as the most powerful artifact known to man-kind. To this day the location of the amethyst remains unknown, and the truth over whether it once existed or not has turned to myth and rumor more so than factual information.

I set the book aside, sighing. I open another to whatever page I'd bookmarked, and set it flat against the sturdy table top in the place where the previous book had sat.

It's held to legend that a god created an amethyst known to be the most powerful artifact in all of the world. So where did it go? In truth, no one can confirm that the amethyst ever truly existed; in fact, over 95% of the world's most brilliant revolutionists and innovators have exclaimed that the amethyst never existed at all, as there isn't any proof of it anywhere other than folklore and fairy tale.

I close this second book and place it on top of a stack of books, pulling another from the middle of the stack. The book I'd pulled had no cover image nor was anything published within the century. In fact, it wasn't even nonfiction.

Once there was an army so powerful that nothing could seemingly stop it.

There's a picture of a large army, a man leading them with a glowing blade in hand.

This army had fought against the fiercest of enemies, and though hope seemed far and long forgotten the army never gave up. This army inspired a hope within the dying land of a country in ruins. This army was all that stood between purity, and corruption.

Another picture lay printed, faded within the pages. It's a picture of a large white mass colliding with a large black mass. The two armies told to seemingly fight.

The army had yet to face their most challenging of enemies, a corrupted collection of evil spirits known to be the Dark Knights battling against all purity in the land.

At least it holds some truth…

The army of purity was no match against their two greatest enemies teamed against them. The leaders of the army, however, would not accept defeat.

The children's book goes on to talk about the amethyst, and how its power still wasn't enough to defeat the darkened, corrupt army. The army was weakened, and retreated to hide in wait of another chance to strike. Before that could happen though, the commander of the joined armies sacrificed his own life to protect the land, and in the peace his soul provided, life was rebuilt and went on. The other commanders never looked back and simply separated in hopes to regain the life they once had. The fucking end.

I close the book, and slide it aside, focusing my attention on these notes. In honest truth, no one knows what really happened. If either of those armies ever existed, there isn't any viable data or information over them, meaning that most likely the amethyst doesn't exist and never existed. This current army I know has been around for a while. A thousand years or longer is a stretch, though. What country would put up with this corrupt system for longer than the time they already have?

I can hear the bells of the tower begin to chime, once, twice, three, four… I don't bother to listen to the other chimes, knowing it's late and that it's our dedicated "dinner time". Commander Venom insists that everyone eat at exactly the same time. Why? I could care less. Besides, it isn't like I know many Certians anyways. I stand, leaving my research with a gentle graze of my fingers against the leather bindings of the books, and I sigh as well, the library lights dim.

In the hallways though, the lights are brighter, lamps still burning brightly and sunroofs letting in the colors of twilight. It's quiet, as everyone is moving in one direction, and that direction is towards the center of the compound. I don't mind being the last one there, though I probably should mind in some sense. The sooner I eat, the faster I can leave. We aren't usually allowed to leave the compound; Commander Venom doesn't like it. He wants tabs on us at all times, and considering he can't do that while we're all over town, he prefers us being here. So he made it a rule. Anyone who leaves the compound outside of the designated meal times without permission will be, as he puts it, terminated from the army. No one knows if he'd literally terminate the person. No one wants to find out.

I take a deep breath as I enter the cafeteria. It isn't hard to find the commander and his generals, considering they always sit in the middle of the cafeteria. The room is huge, loud chatter rushing to my ears as I pull out a pair of ear plugs, stuffing them into my ears to block out the deafening noises as I step into line. I grab a plate and just try to move quickly, grabbing greens and creating a makeshift salad of sorts. I don't usually eat the food here, just the greens. The greens are the only thing I can positively say is healthy for your body to be exposed too. Everything else, well…

I'm out of line as quick as I was in it, wandering slowly. I don't know why I bother. I don't know anyone and it's already hard enough for me to understand their language, much less when I can barely here them. Why did I come here?

To be honest our languages aren't that different, in fact they're basically the same. The only struggle is the accent. These Certians have such a… how to say, weird slur when it comes to speaking. They speak so quickly that all of their words jumble together into one, and how they understand each other I can't understand. I know the language, in fact considering it is basically my native language, I'm fluent in it. But their accents are absurd.

The hallway is quiet, and I make my way to an isolated corner before sitting down. My food doesn't smell like much, though I don't mind, and I take my plastic fork and jab at the salad before stuffing my face. The greens don't taste too terrible, but they aren't very fresh. They'll restock within the week. I chew, and swallow, and repeat the process over and over, chewing slowly, thoroughly, and swallowing just the same.

The amethyst doesn't exist, I tell myself. Stop researching it and do what Venom wants. I inhale through my nose before heavily sighing, and I shake my head. He'll send you home within the week.

The food isn't much, but it doesn't have to be, and I don't return to the cafeteria to throw away my plate and fork, both of which are plastic. I toss them into the trash just before the compound door, and leave the building.

Outside the air is cold and comforting. I used to live close to the border of Secrathüm, and the cold doesn't bother me because of it. I know one of the generals is natively from Secrathüm, but I can't remember his name. I walk along the paved road until the forest begins to build at my left side, and once a dirt path leads off into it I follow it instead of the actual road. The trees are dense and thick, tall and willowy as they all cause the air to become colder than it was before, casting shadows and darkness as the wind echoes. The sound of the river echoes, too.

Before long the slightly moonlit river is in front of me, the waters dark but park lamps lighting it up dimly, if at all. Ty isn't far off, sitting on a bench as he tosses a stone towards the water. He smiles as it skips, creating ripples in the water before sinking just before the other side of the river.

"You got so close." I state, and Ty looks to me with a smile.

"I'm getting better, that's for sure!" Ty chuckles, his Andian accent thick. "Anyways," Ty leans back against the bench and reveals a brown paper bag to me, handing it over. "I brought you a sandwich."

"Thanks…" I mumble, unwrapping the edible substance and beginning to devour it. God, I'm hungry.

"That Venom-what's-his-face needs to start feeding you people edible stuff, he'll kill you with his cheap ass glop." I nod, unable to respond as this sandwich is large, and Ty picks up another rock. "But enough about him; how's the research going?"

"Ghough." I mutter, not stopping to respond as I chew and look to him. Ty laughs. "Whgah?"

"Chew and swallow before you suddenly start to choke Jason." Ty tosses another rock and it skips as I watch it. The water rippling and creating its little designs, distorting the waters, it's always been one of Ty's favorite things to see. Such a pure substance and he's ruining it, a downside but nonetheless a fun, time consuming activity. I swallow the remains of the sandwich and wipe at my lips, crumbs dancing down my shirt and into my lap.

"The research is, um… okay, I guess." Ty looks to me, his humor gone now.

"Don't you have a meeting about it in a few days?" I nod.

"He wants me to research things that I don't feel comfortable researching, so I've been putting it off. I started my research earlier though, and I've got nothing." I sigh, and stand, Ty following. We begin to walk through the dense woodland, following the river.

"What does he want?" Ty calmly asks.

"He wants me to find a way to make him more powerful than he already is, but…" I inhale deeply, the scent of fresh water comforting. "I don't know; it doesn't seem right. I can here to invent, to create, and I'm being prevented from doing that, Ty."

"That's what I told you in the letters." Ty chuckles, though it's dry and humorless. "I told you not to come." Before I ever met Ty in person, we were pen pals. At a young age our teachers decided that during our unit of writing we'd have to write a letter, and who it went to we didn't choose. All we knew was that it'd be going to Lacertus, one country we share a border with, and a Certian kid would get it. Mine was sent to Ty, but I didn't receive Ty's letter, someone else's. I wrote the person back, and they never responded. Ty sent me back, though, and ever since we've been talking. I'd never seen him in person until a month ago.

"I know you did- I should've listened!" I nearly sink to my knees I suddenly feel so weak. I want to cry.

"Hey, c'mon, it'll be fine!"

"Ty I have no money!" I argue. "How the hell will I get home if he sends me off?"

"He'll pay for it, I'm sure." Ty assures, holding me to his side as he continues to walk. I know Ty is strong but the fact he can just drag my dead weight around with ease is surprising. "He paid for your trip over, didn't he?"

"Yeah, I suppose…" I sigh.

"You want to walk now?" I blush and take back my weight, standing up straight as Ty laughs loudly, and his hand grazes against mine. "Anyways," Ty takes a few deep breaths to calm himself down. "Don't worry about it. Just focus on the research."

"Alright, I'll try." I mumble. Our walk continues with small talk, though we mostly enjoy just being around each other. It was always so much simpler to talk through letters, to hear from him once a week, maybe twice if the weather was good. Seeing him in person is entirely different- completely unnerving and… real. I watch the shadows shift and know that he's waiting.

"It's getting late." I determine, and Jason frowns, nodding silently. I pull him against me, embracing him in a hug, something we can't do through mail. "Venom will have a tantrum if you aren't back soon."

"I hate him so much, Ty…" Jason whispers, arms around my midsection and his face buried in my chest.

"Everyone hates him." Jason looks up to me, and I smile crookedly. "Even the generals." Jason weakly smiles in reply, and straightens up. For someone in the army he really doesn't seem like the type for it. He takes a deep breath, calming his twitching nerves only slightly.

"I'll see you tomorrow then. Are we still on for lunch?"

"Wouldn't miss it." I grin, and Jason sighs.

"Alright. Bye, Ty."

"Bye." I reply as we embrace one last time. After our separation, I watch him leave, staring, observing. I turn in the opposite direction, leaving now, and it's easy to make my way through the forest and back to a road. I've lived in this city long enough that the roads have all just become one large spider web, and the spider web isn't hard to navigate. Each little strand of it glistens in the moonlight, goes invisible in the day and I'm ultimately one of many spiders to live on it.

The streets are quiet, empty as it's getting late but not entirely empty. The road lamps have flickered on, and though they aren't anything spectacular they do the job. My apartment isn't anything special, just a low rent small place, but at the very least I get a roof top, and no one else has access to it seeing as it's my apartment. I pull my apartment keys out, the apartment in sight. Luckily for me, I live in a very nice part of Lacertus, the capital city. I'm surrounded by shops and not to mention the market square come the Harvest. We don't celebrate as grandly as Extremis, but we celebrate nonetheless. This area is always bustling with people at every time of the year. During the late period of the Third and all throughout the Fourth, there are community fire pits always blazing with fires, and during the late period of First and all throughout the Second there are stands filled with cold beverages and consumptions straight out of ice directly imported from Secrathüm. During the First there are new flowers planted all throughout the square, and they stay until the Second's blazing heat withers them. During the Third, the park bleeds colorful, dying leaves into the streets and street cleaners, the same people who take care of the flowers and make the pits, clean them up. We refer to the seasons in this order: Rebirth, Growth, Dying, Death, and then it repeats, though the seasons are more commonly referred to as First, Second, Third, Fourth.

I open the heavy door to my apartment and I'm met by a black wall. It's hard to see but I know the layout well, and as I close the door I'm consumed. Around a couch, past a table as I switch on a lamp and cast a warm glow over the room, before I sweep myself upstairs. I pass my bedroom and head straight for the roof, the twilight beginning to fade away, the moon having rose from its depth in this Earth. I push open the metal door, and breathe deeply.

"I'm here." I mumble, his graceful darkness already consuming me.

"How was your day today?" I close the metal door and feel his arms wrap around me from behind, his embrace warm and comforting.

"It was good. I got to see Jason."

"And work?" I sit down on the concrete rooftop, watching the East as the moon rises up. "How was that?"

"The kids are so eager," I begin, chuckling quietly. "They love learning to fight."

"They love their teacher." My cheeks heat up but I continue to smile nonetheless. A hazy glow is emitted from the moon, and his darkened form is beginning to become solid. I can feel his shallow breathing against my scalp, his head in my hair. "You said you saw Jason today?"

"He's still procrastinating with the research." I sadly mumble. "And he's very unhappy here. He wants to go home."

"The Andian wants to feel necessary." He assures me, but says nothing more. He's always been wise, he has. And we're quiet, watching the moon as it inches millimeter by millimeter into the open desolate sky full of stars and other things.

"Why does the moon rise in the East and set in the West?" I calmly ask, beginning to play with his fingers. He chuckles, the sound so warm, and yet as dark as time.

"So curious, Tyler." He mumbles back. "The moon simply wishes to do as we do her sister body."

"Do we revolve around the Sun from East to West?"

"We spin. We spin endlessly on our axis and we'll never stop. Do we revolve around the sister body from East to West? I cannot be sure." And we go quiet again until I gently begin to hum, and soon he's humming along, both of us as quiet as possibly allowed and yet we've no reason to be quiet. It's just habit.

"Do you think," He stops humming as I stop. "That Jason will be alright?"

"I cannot be certain." As I begin to think about Jason, I begin to imagine the intense research he's doing. Piles of books and yet no information to be found over what's needed, and the library is dark and the moon has risen and yet all night the library will be in use because of the stupid research that Venom wants.

"Damn it." I mutter, closing the book a pushing it aside. This is so stupid! I tell myself, but I need Venom to be impressed. I pause, and the children's book catches my eye again. I grab it, and flip through it once more, but nothing pops. Should I look at the children's books? From oh so long ago? I take a deep breath, and begin to wander around the rows.

The library isn't just for the army, it's for the public. No one really comes in too often, but it used to be used like mad. The library is now considered a part of the compound, so people stray away. They don't like the army. Children, children, children

"Here we are." I mumble, quickly able to locate this section of the library. Amethyst, amethyst, amethyst… army, army, army of puri-. I pull out another book, but it isn't a children's book. It's coverless, hads no title, and is way too thick to be a children's book. Why is it here?

I flip open to the first page and begin to read, skimming until I begin to realize what this is. It feels like I can't breathe. It isn't real. It isn't real. This isn't…

This book will shine to light what the truth of our horrid country has done.

I'm not walking anymore.

I, myself, have come face to face with the demons it hides.

The room is shrinking.

This is the story of the Sky Army.

Someone clears there throat, and I quickly look up. Venom doesn't look happy, and he's approaching, eyeing the books.

"What is all of this?" He spits, and I quickly rush over, placing the book down over top of the child's book. "All of these history books?"

"I'm, uh…" Stop stuttering Jason. "T-They're for my uh, research, C-commander Venom."

"And what exactly are you trying to research? Something I presume will make this pathetic army more powerful?"

"Y-yes, sir." Venom goes quiet, his eyes trained on observing the books. He doesn't look impressed, not at all. Before I can make any move to stop him he snatches up one of the books and turns away, opening it to the page I'd bookmarked. He stops walking away, and turns back to me. He looks disgusted.

"It's held to legend that a god created an amethyst known to be the most powerful artifact in the entire world. So where did it go?" Venom reads off, and I begin to pale. "In truth, no one can confirm that the amethyst ever truly existed; in fact, over 95% of the world's most brilliant revolutionists and innovators have exclaimed that the amethyst never existed at all, as there isn't any proof of it anywhere other than folklore and fairy tale." Venom slams to the book closed and throws it across the room. I stay frozen in place, only able to hear the pages flutter, desperate to fly until flatly thudding to the ground. "How dare you mock me!" He's screaming now and I begin to back away. "That idiotic artifact- that thing doesn't exist- and if you thought that presenting that in front of brilliant people would be funny then you're dead wrong." My back bumps a wall but Venom keeps getting closer. "If you ever mention that to me again, I swear that it will be the last that you're going to see of this place- of any place in this fucking world!"

I'm grabbed by my throat, the objective being to hold me still but I struggle and kick and ultimately nothing works. A fist connects to my face and there's a sudden ringing in my ears, some loud obnoxious sound- like a bomb going off. I can feel blood rushing down my face and I can barely see from one eye now, but Venom doesn't stop. He stops when I lay on the floor, crumpled. Don't cry Jason.

"Get up, and tell me what you're researching." My throat feels swelled to the point that I can't breathe, but I whimper and stand again. My nose is still spitting out blood, the taste of it metallic.

"I-… I'm r-res-searching s-something to m-make this p-pathetic a-army more p-powerf-ful…" I manage to spit out, and Venom gets up in my face. His breath is hot and sticky and repugnant, the stench of it awful. I want to vomit.

"And if you mention this to anyone, I swear… you and them will lie in a ditch where the wolves will find you." Venom whispers. I nod, hastily though the action makes my head spin. Venom doesn't say another word, and turns, but not before taking out my knees with one harsh jab of his foot and letting me fall to the marble flooring of the library, where blood is gathering and ultimately staining the floor. He leaves, and the library goes silent.

It pains me but I stand again, limping towards the tossed book. Its landing was brutal, pages bent every which way and a page nearly torn in half. I can fix it. There's a growing pain in my left leg and I know that I'll need to see a medic, no doubt about it. Venom won't want me looking bruised up. I set the book back on top of the pile Venom had pulled it from, and sit down with a soft, blubbering cry. I sniffle and return my attention to the coverless book. Who wrote this? With shaky, slightly bloody and bruised hands, I open the cover, but I find nothing. Where's the name? My search for a name continues, and when I find myself looking at the back of the book is where I find the name.

"With the dawn of a dying day comes the arising twilight- and as the moon arises and falls, shall I mimic its nature and do the same. In centuries to come a new threat will dawn upon it's a rising sun, and only then shall I purify this world. Only then shall I return and once more redeem this land of hatred- only then I will be welcomed home. Only then. Now my friends, I bid you farewell in this life and may I once more see you on the other side of this dying departure."

These were the last words of our commander before the Earth consumed him. These were the last words he would speak to his beloved partner, his beloved friends.

This is the history of Sky, and his army.

- The Dark Guild Master

I'm familiar with the name from folklore and fairytale. A name that all too well proves the legends of the land true... If this book is truly signed by the most powerful sorcerer recorded in folklore, then all of these tales and legends of armies rising from the depths of the Earth and the demons society hides… would be true. The legend of the Sky Army, this army's history… and this name would prove it to be a sinister, bloody tale of chaos.

I close the book, unable to think clearly. What has happened since then? I stand, and begin to walk off, too out of focus to think about reading any longer. The book begins to levitate, and replaces itself back onto one of the many shelves in here. The balcony doors swing open with ease, and a blast of cold air hits me like a kiss on the cheek. I breathe deeply, as the mountain air is so pure.

Mount Coup is the tallest peak in the entirety of this large land mass. The air is thin, but it's pure and breathable. The winds are strong and snow frequent. This mountain divides three of the four countries: Creandi, Lacertus, and Secrathüm.

Up here I feel alive. I can breathe.

I take a deep breath, eyes closing as the snowflakes gently land upon my face, quickly but not in any rush, and as soon as they land they stay, my skin cold and as good as dead. I open my eyes again, and watch as the moon's glow covers the land, consuming it in its entirety. The amethyst piece around my neck glows in its vibrant rays, and I can feel his soul radiate through it. It still holds me. I will come soon. I will find you. The bits of magic remaining in this part of the amethyst are fading. The protection that Sky's soul provides will soon be gone, and the chaos will return. My old, old friend, please stay still for just a little longer, please do not awake. I will come.

My only hope is that Tyler remains safe. We have not had contact for centuries. I sigh, and turn away from the peaking moon to return into this desolate tower. A few books trail after me as I descend into the dark transitions the stairway creates, but soon the warm glow of a torch from the room below begins to shine. Its warmth is testing, a reminder, and yet it only hurts now. I hurt you all. I begin to gather little food, little water. The land will provide for me what I provide for her, and I will be alright.

Outside I can hear the wind telling of what will come. The land now has not improved since the dawn of time. It may never improve, but the chaos can be removed, if not entirely then partially, and it's our job to see that it reaches the point of near extinction. In truth, nothing can be removed from this world. The only things that come and go are the souls of those lost to life. They may come and go, disappear only to reappear in a future, distant time. Chaos will always rein over peace.

I finish packing, and grab a second bag purely for a few large bottles of whiskey, older than anything in this life other than myself, and Tyler, and Sky, its old and aged and chilled by the frosty peaks of the tallest mountains. This whiskey has kissed the atmosphere and now will return to the deepest reaches of the Earth, where it will be opened and savored only once, by one old, old man. I continue to descend down the tower, the howling wind groaning as it seeps through the broken, cracking bits in the tower walls. Outside is a blizzard.

The future will repeat a past event; an event so destructive that the Earth must resurrect it's only fighting hope, a man so old that one breath could turn him to ash. My black horse, Mortem, is silent and awaiting me. He's a Clydesdale, a large draft horse. He stands tall and strong. He has never let me down. Mortem snorts, and bends down, allowing me to mount him with ease, and he stays still until I ask him to rise. He has no saddle; nothing would fit him and I hate saddles anyways They're too confining. His gait is beautiful and flows like silken waters, and he can pull his own weight, and then some more. He is completely black until he steps out of his pen, the rope around his neck providing me with something to hold on to and guide him with through this blizzard of frost. But he knows exactly where we're going.

We're going home… to whatever may be left of it, if anything at all.

(Trying out a new POV changing technique; comments on it?)

(If you'd like to be in this book then PM me!)