Kings and Queens Chapter 7: Comet from the Heavens
A/N: Welcome again- ... Why are you asleep? Oh yeah, I'm aware my writing is terrible but..
A starry night grazed Hamel's skies. Cloudless and clear, the violet of the underlying atmosphere glittered with silvery stars, shimmering with glory and splendor. For ages, the people of the planet had looked up in wonder and awe at the distant pinpoints, brighter than the diamonds of the earth and the artificial lights of mankind. The void of the space beyond is peaceful and undisturbed, soundless as always. Soon, however, that ends. Streaking through the vast ocean of the universe beyond was a comet, pure, blinding white. The form was dotted with stars, trailing with majestic streams of volatile starfire. It was headed to a certain planet, the stage for the greatest wars mankind would ever know. It had already been witness to one conflict, and soon there would be another.
This stage had vast stretches of emerald land and deep reaches of sapphire waters. Land and water would clash as desolate land and primordial sea, as two kingdoms forever locked in their rivalry. Hamel and Velder, who had already once fought years in the past.
But the curtain would rise on an even more destructive war than the last. This time, even beings from beyond the fabric of reality would serve audience to this conflict, which would tear the world itself asunder. A house that was divided against itself would not stand, and it was the same for planets. The world would not survive while it faced itself.
In a splendorous burst of pyroclastic blue emerged a swirling vertex in the sky, shimmering with jewel-like fragments that were actually the embers of a mythical flame known as starfire. Flecks of fine stardust formed into ethereal clouds that reflected the sepulcher of light that had shown itself seconds ago, like the birth of a newborn star releasing bursts of ghostly waves into the surrounding space.
Plasmatic power eventually descended in the form of an ever-swirling mass of tremendous, indescribable power. Dreamily sparking with starlight and nebulae, the cosmic body eventually landed in the ocean, causing a small but noticeable shockwave to spread from the impacted point. Waves surged upwards, but none crashed against the shore.
That day, astronomers all looked upwards in awe-filled wonder at the mysterious phenomenon. Many perceived it as an omen or sign of the coming war. Except it was simply a masquerade for a being of much greater power.
Standing on a huge mechanized frame was a lone, standing figure whose stark shadow stood out from the reflected moonlight. Silver hair blew in the sea breeze as they watched with eyes that had seen the rise and fall of entire civilizations. At her foot was a chessboard.
The base was carved ironwood, inlaid with ivory and a repeating pattern of sapphire and ruby. Set at each of the corners was a small tower of lustrous pearl, with inserted pieces of faceted amethyst. The checkerboard pattern was of polished obsidian and marble, carefully carved and arranged to high standards. Sitting upon the cold stone slates were chess pieces. White pieces of moonstone served as the opening side, the ghostly sheen of the feldspar gemstone broken up by small beads of deep, royal lapis among the edges and bits of aquamarine and more sapphire. The other side was onyx, an inky substance adorned by spinels and garnets, a peculiar choice of jewel compared to the rest of the set, which clearly belonged to a wealthy man considering the sheer value of the substances used.
There was another strange feature about the board. The white king was clear crystal rather than glossy moonstone, glowing with an inner light cast by magic rather than like the rest of the pieces, which reflected light instead of shining with their own. The queen piece was missing, for it was clutched in the hand of the maiden who stood nearby.
"In war, there are usually two factions. Black and White, locked in everlasting rivalry. But this is not always the case. Sometimes there comes a third or a fourth side. However, none of those factions can ever match the final."
"The faction that stands transparent, without true identification, an untainted blank. The final group with the power to crush the entire conflict. The power that forges stars from nothingness, the strategy that dominates even the impossible, the loyalty that would make emperors envious, the leadership that would put entire galaxies under one banner..."
"It seems that he intends to reveal himself again. Who knows. He was never a predictable being, even as a human. I wonder what he's up to now, perhaps the passing millennia have finally driven him insane. No matter the means or intention, however..."
"Basileus has moved his first piece. The final side has emerged, and so early."
-Hamel, Hall of Warfare, the next day.-
Waves crashed against a perilous seaside cliff as the morning sun rose, solid golden light formed into a near-perfect sphere lazily emerging from the skyline. The horizon was still a pale lavender, for the bright light of dawn had not yet spread over the land. Gentle tides flowed in and out of a nearby golden coastline peacefully. The docked ships were still, and most of the crew members were still enjoying a late awakening.
This particular dawn, however, was the opposite of normal. Drifting through the cerulean waves was a unique thing, to say the least. What appeared to be glittering constellations covered a relatively humanoid form, barely clinging to a piece of loose driftwood.
Steiner and Auberste, more commonly known as Naga, were doing a morning scan throughout the camp. Most were still asleep, like the sailors who manned Hamel's (in)famous navy. The other two commanders, Grimm and Sol, were quite peculiar in that their whereabouts weren't always known. Though interestingly enough, Lex, the head of the magical research department tended to know wherever the latter was at all times, but not so much for the former.
"Um... Steiner?" Naga abruptly stopped in mid-stride as he pointed to the beach below, tapping his friend on the shoulder.
"What?" The officer turned his head. "Just sand... What is that?"
"Not sand," the arctic commander said in a dull tone. "Unless you want to think that's sand, though I surely think it isn't. It is glittery though... Maybe we can take it to the creepy scientist dude who runs the magical sect."
Leaping outward and landing soundly on a dry rock, the naval leader skipped down the short path to the sandy area. It wasn't a large cove and was usually used as an emergency harbor for small ships rather than an actual beach. Most of the time, driftwood and kelp washed up and covered the golden sand, making it a rather undesirable location to rest.
Picking up a nearby stick, Naga gave the curious object a prod. It was a decent size... And looked like it was covering something. The material outside appeared to be a piece torn from the night sky, still mottled with shimmering stars that had been pulled down to the earth along with the vast, voided space.
No response. Was it dead?
"Give me that." Steiner sighed, jerking the stick from his superior's hand. Without flinching, he used the stick to partially flick away the cloth-like mantle that covered whatever was under it. "This is heavier than I thought." He commented, attempting to flip away more only for the decently-sized twig to snap in two from the force applied.
"Um..." By the time Steiner stopped speaking, Naga was already staring at what was unveiled. Someone was underneath the spacial cloak, appearing to be asleep, or perhaps knocked unconscious. Water-soaked locks the color of exotic, royal tanzanite dotted with small points of light laid motionlessly on the sand as barely-noticeable breathing slowly continued. A golden crown that appeared to be fashioned from some mythical gem laid on the forehead, cuffed around the head before fanning out into horn-like extensions at the side.
"Why are you staring?" The Hamel officer rolled his eyes. "Are they still alive?"
"Uh.. Yeah." The commander responded shakily, reaching down to pick up the being that appeared human enough, along with the glittering substance that surrounded them. "They're kind of heavy... Though I'd blame the cloth."
"Shut up and get back already..."
-A few hours later-
"So you dragged me all the way out here to examine something you've found?" Lex stood with crossed arms in front of the Hall of Warfare, Sol standing behind him with the same blank expression. "What can it be that you've called me here instead of some random person?"
"We don't know if it's dangerous." Naga shrugged. "Found it washed up on a beach and well..."
"And you guys just brought it back?" Hamel's land commander objected. "You didn't even check if it was dangerous or anything, you just brought it in and..."
"Well, it was alive!" The naval admiral protested. "Besides, it was unconscious anyways..."
Steiner was besides the group with an unamused look on his features. "We've already decided that it was a male, and you're still talking about them like they're an object?"
"Yeah, I am. I mean, it's not like they've clarified who or what they are... Think they're related to that cool swirly hurricane from last night?" Naga mentioned absentmindedly. "I mean, that cloak... It looks like it came from a comet or meteorite or something..."
"Comets and meteorites are ice or rocks. They don't come with pieces of space," Sol retorted. "Don't you know that?"
"Well, I do but... Whatever." Throwing his arms up, Naga returned indoors. "You guys can come in."
"Doesn't hurt to check it out..." Lex rolled his eyes before following. "This better not be a waste of time. Every minute I spend here is a minute Anastasis Aiseiri isn't being developed. We're so close to the final phase and a potential breakthrough. And the first thing that happens when I wake up is that I practically get dragged out of bed to here."
The arctic officer along with his fellow commander led the magical sect's head researcher to a small, barred off room aside from the rest of the buildings. It had been used few times in the past, as a secure holding cell for certain prisoners that had important information. The room was devoid of anything other than a door. Laying in the corner was the pile of mysterious material that seemed to encompass the night sky.
"Right there." Naga gestured to the unmoving object.
Approaching with a careful step, Lex headed closer before pulling away the cosmic material. Whoever was underneath, they were still asleep. "So you called me here to look at a random person you found on the beach? I'll analyze this weird cloth, but I don't know about them..."
Lex was about to pull away the unique mantle, but a sudden jerk in the other direction caused him to let go and stumble backwards. "Gah!" He grumbled in surprise, glancing up again to see that whoever (or whatever) had been soundly asleep was now awake and rather defensive. They were clutching at the cloak tightly, unwilling to let go of it. Azure eyes that brimmed with an uncanny, otherworldly light stared outwards at the surrounding people.
"Oh, they're finally up." Steiner noted, staring at the recently-awakened being. The beach's sand had been washed away from the previously tangled locks that resembled ghostly jewels. The white needle-points seemed to flare with additional light with their alarm. Naga had previously attempted to pry the golden diadem from their head, but had found out that it would simply not budge. It was as if the metallic material had been welded there magically, making it impossible to remove, at least by normal means.
"Who are you, and why are you here?" The supposed human demanded with an authoritative and powerful voice, still clinging onto the velvet wrapped around their body.
"Shouldn't that be our line?" Naga grumbled. "To the first one, we're the Kingdom of Hamel's military commanders and magical researcher. Lex here is the one that isn't like the others and doesn't belong." He gestured at the scientist beside him, who responded with a simple irritated glare. "I'm Naga. As for where this is, we're actually in Hamel's Hall of Warfare, even though it doesn't seem like it here. We're kind of here to wake you up. Now that I've given you my answer, you can try giving us yours..."
"I... Um..." Their once strong and confidence-filled tone diminished to a weaker one. "I actually... Don't know... All I remember is some flash and crashing down somewhere, and waking up here."
"You've got to be kidding," Steiner grumbled. "Not in the mood for a joke. Come on, the truth." Placing one hand against his hip, the officer glared at the one who apparently had no idea what they were doing. "I've had enough people pretend to have amnesia and actually have no memory loss at all."
"But I really..." The being completely fell quiet. "...Don't know."
"You're up, Naga." The naval officer groaned, shoving his friend in front of him. "I give up."
"H-Hey!" The head commander protested, flailing his arms as he was forcibly made to take a few steps forward. "If you're not having much success, I'm not going to either!"
"You two sound like an old married couple," Sol noted from the sidelines, which was met with two shocked stares. "Figures that'd get you to stop," he added afterwards.
"Enough," Lex sighed, placing one hand on his forehead. "We're not getting anywhere at this rate. Anyway, it seems like it'd be useless to ask about what they do know, considering that they claim that they only remember what they've previously stated, which isn't very helpful at all unless we feel like being dumb conspiracy theorists. I'm not a fan of those so don't suggest it."
"Anyway, can I get that cloak?" The researcher added on the end, expecting a response.
"Uh..." The silent figure continued to hold onto the object in question tightly, indicating that the response was a no.
"Oh, come on," Lex reached outward, grabbing the edge and giving it a strong pull, but he was countered by an equally strong force. And not being extremely athletic or physically capable, he was naturally incapable of winning the miniature tug-of-war. But he continued trying, not wanting to leave without the curious substance.
A sudden burst of shimmering flame was flung outwards, imbued with the strength of the unending vastness beyond the atmosphere. It was small, and relatively weak, but it did cause the scientist to release his end of the velvety fabric in order to evade the fireball. But the fire was no ordinary fire. It glimmered with the strength of a star, albeit heavily contained as to not annihilate everything within a several-mile radius. The embers licked at the very air, absorbing the dust and forming a cascading, twirling tail that could be mistaken for a fancy ribbon adorned on the dresses of nobility.
Everyone else in the room stepped back in alarm at the display of sudden power. Even though none of them were magicians, the bolt of searing starfire was alarming. And the definite fact that it wasn't typical fire was instantly set.
"That's..." Lex began speaking, his tone hushed and careful, "That was starfire, an extremely volatile form of fire magic. It hails as a power so advanced that not even the most powerful magicians can handle it. It burns at a temperature hot enough to make the very air catch fire, and with sufficient amounts, it can literally vaporize entire planets."
Fearful silence consumed the room, the area being blanketed by a fog of paranoia.
"You... have got to be kidding," Naga shivered despite the burst of heat. "I really feel like we ought to let the guy go now... I mean, we don't want the entirety of Hamel burnt down. But if Velder gets their hands on him, it doesn't look good for us either..."
"I won't harm anyone though..." The silent figure resumed speaking. "I can control it just fine." Raising one hand upwards, a radiant ballet of dust formed in the air above, condensing into a heated core which soon expanded into a gyre of starfire. Waves of stellar flame pirouetted from the source, warping into a small rift which eventually formed a tiny star, glowing brightly as it hovered peacefully.
Hamel's head researcher appeared to be in thought, contemplating the positives and the negatives. Control over starfire was an extremely powerful ability, and it did open a huge strategical possibility... The question remained on if this mysterious man was willing to cooperate. It would end in total disaster if Velder obtained his allegiance, for not even a great navy would be effective against the sheer, unrelenting strength of the stellar flames.
"Proposition: Why don't we just leave him be in a room?" Lex spoke. "We all know the tactical disadvantage we'd gain from letting him go. So why not just keep the guy around?"
"Seems reasonable, though I'd like to see your face once something bad happens." Sol remarked, one hand on his sheathed blade as always. "You hate it when things go wrong."
"But don't we all?" Lex shot back, his tone gaining an overlaying hint of irritation. "But it's decided.. Unless Steiner and Naga want to say otherwise."
"No objection here." Naga stated, while Steiner remained silent.
"Decided. I'm back to the lab and taking him with me." The researcher announced, opening the door to the room and beckoning for the mysterious being to follow, to which he did after standing. "By the way, I'd like a name... Unless you've forgotten it."
The person in question halted for a moment before speaking. "Aurelion." He silently followed after Lex obediently, not saying another word. Behind the carefully preserved mask, however, was a powerful spirit that could hardly resist the notion of burning the land itself down to the ground. Nobody heard it, but a silent whisper was carried through the now-relaxed air.
"For however intelligent you are, you certainly can't tell what I actually am. I'm no obedient servant of anyone, dear friend."
-POV: First Person-
Humanity is so hilariously easy to deceive. I wonder, would they believe me if I said I was a prophet from the heavens, here to herald the doom of the world? Within my lifetime, I've seen countless civilizations marvel at the shimmering wonders that dot the night skies of their ever-small worlds. The more logical record my appearances as an occasionally-occuring phenomena, while the more superstitious of the bunch decide to use my passing as prophecy fodder, which irritates me beyond mention. Why should they continue to muddle my visage with thoughts and beliefs so far from the truth?
A comet's passing is commonly regarded as an auspice, a telltale sign that some great power was about to crash and fall, and a new era would rise from the ashes of the old. Only if they knew what lied below the comet's blazing radiance, merely a facade to hide a being that brought the very chance of life into the universe's boundless oceans.
Primitive eyes look up in wonder and awe at the diamond-like spectra that ornament the night sky like jewelry on a wealthy noblewoman. Breathless pondering accompanies the reverence that countless individuals hold for the stars of the distant heavens. Interestingly enough, almost all their resulting philosophies are so self-centered, never paying heed to the one behind those ever-unique cosmic snowflakes.
Very few chosen were able to witness with their own eyes the sight of the creator, the one who brought forth light into the very universe. An immense storm of stars would fill the sky and twist itself into a form that was both phenomenally breathtaking and terrifying. People cowered, marveled, and fell to their knees in worship at the grand, splendorous presence. The wonders of the entire cosmos swirled in an ever-chaotic storm within the creature's form. Stars ignited in cataclysmic breaths and entire constellations rearranged at his whim. An entire world knelt in utmost awe in response at his luminous capabilities. Sadly, only one individual among them still remained alive.
But that one wretched individual was able to steal the power of a celestial being for themselves. Using a cleverly-enacted trick of theater, the rising ruler presented the descended being with a gift, supposedly in tribute of the entity's power. And I fell for it like a mouse lured into a trap. Basileus is not an individual to be trifled with, it seems. Through unbelievable loyalty and charisma that drove people to levels of morale that bordered fanatical madness, that once-common man was able to ascend beyond the very plane of mankind.
And like myself, a slight misstep led to demise. An emperor that once ruled the oceans and earth was currently confined to a place beyond sight, incapable of moving his chess pieces without outside interference. All-powerful, but helpless to exert that authority.
In his lifetime, I served the insufferable sovereign. Though despite that, the man was more interesting than most, holding ambition that would make the other historical figures look bland in comparison. He was the one who first detected something beyond the streaking bolt of fire that is the golden comet. Being a deity to the mortals of the land, I was the one who fought this king's wars, crushed insurgencies, and seared any threat with starfire until not even ashes remained. It was such a waste of the sublime talent I had, and yet rebellion was out of the question. The spell in which he shackled me threatened the most precious thing, the stars of the distant universe.
For every strike I launched, stars were extinguished, vanishing forever from the firmament and never to shine again. Some may wonder how I even remember each of the uncountable stars created by the furnace of wonder that I controlled. Only if they knew the feeling of creating the wonders that dot the sky. Each of those twinkling pinpoints holds a fragment of my own spirit, and that's exactly how I know whenever the heavens are diminished in my vengeance. It's the dreadful feeling that you've lost something precious and beloved, and you know, that in the depths of your own soul, that it's your fault.
It's a feeling that even I despise. There is nobody to blame but yourself, and you simply know that you are the only one at fault. Ever since that knowledge, I never dared again rebel.
When I first turned my power against that man, a brilliant flash of pyroclasm momentarily drowned out neighboring stars as one of the youngest stars burst into a blinding flash, the death throe of a star. This is the brutal retribution dealt for each ensuing act against the grand kingdom that spanned the entire planet in its golden age.
Ah, where was I? Yes, ever since the fall of that empire they call the Eterna, the king retreated into a dimension of his own creation, never again returning to the world. As powerful as he was, with the power to stop the forces of reality and put time itself on pause, he was overly attached to his beloved friend, much like myself with my stars. Ever since the death of that knight, he had never been quite the same.
Ever since his own prayer turned against him for the worst, the emperor has been residing within the golden city that is now concealed, hidden away from humanity with the distorting power of space-time. And I have been sent back to this wretched dustball to enact whatever I am ordered to. Though, from a certain standpoint it could have been worse. I am still free to roam the universe's infinitely expanding horizons when not beckoned to the will of that ruler. There are no restrictions on creating new stars or maintaining the starry depths of space. Far worse was easily possible.
And now, I stand in the broken shadow of the grandiose Eterna, the city of water. No matter what they do, nothing could match the unrivaled, truly vivid radiance of that supposedly infallible reign. Always coruscating with incandescent glister was the civilization of legend, something Hamel could never match, despite their ever-rolling cascades of crystal water and undefeated navy. They had tried, but had never succeeded. I had watched as the conflict between Velder and Hamel tore the world apart, the twisted hurricane led by the individual who now only remains in history.
I will not be returning to the expanse of the universal firmament any time soon. Not that the one who holds my reigns would let me. Perhaps it's a chance to show humanity that the lustrous visage of the heavens is not to be taken lightly. After all... People marvel and praise, people cower and hide behind towers and walls... But the one thing that they do best... Is beg for mercy. It's just adorable.
If they so wish, I will give them a reason to fear.