Chapter 1: Awakening
The year is 2500 AC (After Collapse). 2500 years ago all of civilization collapsed and the people of Mobius were scared. However when the man responsible was killed only a small group knew who did it and that person is unknown to all and is said to have vanished. Many call whoever it was an angel sent from the heavens to save them in their darkest hours. Others say just a lucky guy who was lucky. The truth is lost with only but a single scroll said to be written by this person. They wrote a riddle as to where he or she could be found should they ever be needed again. To this day no one can figure it out.
In more recent years Mobius has rebuilt and society has returned to a kingdom based government for the time being. Since this collapse magic has become a common thing once again throughout Mobius. Many mages exist. One such being the now nick named Dark King Andrew. Andrew was a great mage who was an expert in summoning creatures. But his mind like many became corrupt and he uses his endless army of demons to enslave the lands. So far he has conquered little but his armies are growing and the fate of the world seems dark for all efforts to stop him were in vain. Now with the darkness closing many are turning to myths and legends hoping to find hope. Others have appealed to greater forces in hope for them to send salvation. No hope has come for the lands…
But in the small kingdom and Altes in the small farming village of Marsh. Lives two people who could change the world forever…
"Come on Ike!" a young male cat. He was green and clothed by simple cloth clothing of white and grey color. On his back was a crude leather bag. He calls from atop a slope. "We finally have permission to go into the mountains!"
"Slow down Liam!" another boy says. He was a silver wolf with clothing of similar nature. They were Ike and Liam two young men of the town. Both born close to each other around 13 years ago. Close being a few hours apart. Many call them twins seeing as they are best friends almost like brothers.
"Well who knows maybe we could find something cool!" Liam cheers as Ike finally makes it up the slope.
"I wouldn't be too sure. Remember we don't have a torch." Ike informs.
"Not a problem anymore!" Liam smiles pulling a torch out of his bag. "My dad made me one."
"You did remember your knife?" Ike asks "In case of emergency?"
"Oh yeah I got that too." Liam assures. The two continue on until the reach a cave. "Here we are. The Altes Caves." He says using a flint rock and some stone to light the torch. The torch sprung alive with fire and nearly singed some of Ike's hair. It was tradition of their village for all children who turn 13 to spend half a day alone in the caverns or together should their birthdays fall the same day.
"Hay watch it!" he shouts "You almost burnt me!"
"Sorry." Liam says "Come on!" he hollers running inside.
"Wait up!" Ike says running after him. "I don't see why you wanted to come here so badly…"
"I want to search for something really cool. Who knows maybe we could even find the legendary Chaos Shrine where the Hero of Chaos is said to be resting."
"Come on that's a myth! You spend too much time in your father's books…" Ike scoffs "We'd be lucky to find a rock that has crystal inside it. Besides there are a lot of mountain ranges on this planet. Besides that was before the collapse for all we know that place could be buried under the ocean by now!"
"Well I remember part of the riddle being….'from caverns winding in the dark, a shrine of light endures. Within its sealed door a hero surpassing the ages to stop the dark." Liam replies.
"You also seem to have forgotten there is a riddle locking the door." Ike says "Within all things and outside all things two forces always clash. Both can never win, for without one force the other cannot exist. One knowing the other as itself and the other knowing that one as itself. Two great forces are the key to he who defies time."
"So?" Liam asks
"Come one who could possibly figure that out! Even the greatest mages of Altes can't figure it out!" Ike yells.
"Shh…" Liam says "You hear that…?"
"Hear what?" Ike asks then he hears it too, "it sounded like chanting." He says
"come on." Liam whispers. The two slowly go in deep and the chanting got louder. They peer their heads around a corner and to their shock there was a group of demons sitting inside. "It wasn't chanting it was demons." Lima whispers.
"I see that." Ike says "Can you make out hat they are saying?"
"No." Liam answers before moving his foot and a rock rolls making a loud echo. The monsters look in their direction red eyes beaming and lock on to the two. One roars their incomprehensible language. "What did he say?" Liam asks
"Either Children come join us. Or Kill the childs." Ike says
"I am going with the ladder half RUN!" Liam yells. The two quickly dart back through the caverns turning without thought the demons behind them. Soon they were lucky enough to get some distance.
"I think we lost them…" Ike pants.
"Uh…Ike…" Liam says looking up at a wall.
"What is it?" Ike asks looking and seeing the wall. "a dead end?! We're dead!"
"I think they heard that…" Liam says hearing the rumble of the demons as they close in on them.
"Hay Ike." Liam says holding his friend.
"What is it Liam?" Ike asks.
"Since we are probably going to die can I tell you what I think the answer to that riddle is?" his friend replies.
"Sure…" Ike says "At least it will make some interesting final talk."
"I think it was light and darkness." Liam answers
"Really that is ridic-" Ike is then interrupted by a scream of his own as the two are flung behind the rocks. A hidden door to a chamber had opened and they look around. "No way…" Ike gasps
"We actually found it…" Liam says looking to see an orb. Then a loud rumble is heard.
"We're dead!" Ike says "They're going to break through!"
"They can't the door sealed up!" Liam yells "I can sense the magical energy again."
"Well now what?!" Ike asks looking to Liam who had walked up to the orb. Liam what the hell are you doing?! Don't touch that!"
"What?" Liam asks, it was too late he touched it. The orb glows brightly and blinds the two. Finally when it died down a crimson hedgehog clothed in a dark grey kosode stood before them. He was in his early 20s and his emerald green eyes looked at them.
"Uh…" was all both of them could say. Suddenly the look on the hedgehog's face changed to a glare a knight would give in battle.
"Look out!" he yells leaping in front of the two and firing two blasts of a strange energy at the monsters that had actually broken through the door. With them gone he looks at the two kids. "Are you alright?" he asks. This hedgehog's voice was calm yet enforcing.
"Uh y-yeah..." Liam says "We're fine. I am Liam and that is Ike."
"Good to meet you, Liam and Ike." The hedgehog says with a bow.
"Are you going to tell us your name?" Ike asks.
"My name…" the hedgehog answers "Later. Let's get out of here first."
"Alright." Liam sighs. The three slowly exit the caves and sit on some rocks.
"So who are you?" Ike asks the crimson hedgehog.
"My name is Rage Chaotic. I was sealed there until the world needed me again. In a chamber only one with a pure heart could open granted they answered my riddle." He answers "I can sense this world is once again on the brink of destruction."
"You mean you're the legendary Hero of Chaos?" Ike scoffs.
"Yes I am." Rage answers. "I am surprised that two kids figured out the secret however."
"Actually it was an accident." Liam chuckles
"Accident or not I was awoken because Mobius needs me…what threaten her now?" Rage asks
"Oh you mean the Dark King Andrew?" Ike asks
"Who?" Rage asks. "And what do you mean?"
"When were you imprisoned there, Rage?" Liam asks
"In the year 8500 AD." Rage answers "What year is it now?"
"2500 AC. Soon after you stopped the evil man the whole civilization collapsed. Now we are a rustic society compared to the societies in my dad's old texts. They called it Medieval in those book. We are similar to that age." Liam explains. "Dark King Andrew was a wizard for the Yami Kingdom. But his mind went corrupt upon learning to summon demons from the underworld. Now he slowly conquers the world bit by bit. All attempts to stop him have failed!"
"I see." Rage says "I need to see and elder, take me to your village leader." Rage says standing up."
"S-sure." Ike says as they walk back to the village.
Meanwhile…
In a large throne room with a balcony behind the throne stood a cat dressed in expensive looking robes colored a dark purple. Upon his head a red and golden crown. Then a small fox runs in. "My Lord…" he says kneeling "I bring news from the spies in the Altes Kingdom…" it says.
"Speak." The man says in a deep voice.
"It seems that some of our demons searching the caves encountered some kids and were killed." The fox says.
"Probably killed themselves." The man scoffs "We can make more demons."
"That's not all…the kids opened the Chaos Shrine Chambers." The fox says
"WHAT?!" The cat screams "How the hell could a couple of kids unlock the chamber holding the one key thing that could stop me?!"
"I d-d-don't know sire…" the fox says cowering.
"Bring me my book." The cat says
"Yes, sire…" the fox says scampering away.
"So it seems you have returned…Rage the Hedgehog…alas soon even you will be unable to stop me!" he laughs.
To be continued