The Rise of Caelum- Draft
Prologue: The Fall
"Give me your hand, Caelum! Your hand, now!" Lucas insisted as he called out to his brother.
"I would rather die than give credence to your petty commiserations! whether it you or anyone else!" Caelum retorted with as much spite as he could muster given this unfortunate turn of events. Caelum had planned that once he had raised the tower of judgement that by those whose blood had been spilled a wish would be formed as legend had dictated. Yet given that he was not its determined victor, that accolade he should have merited belonged instead to Lucas. Of all those who could come to participate, his own brother had arrived on the scene with the intentions of destroying the ritualistic tower. Once more foiling Caelum's confounding attempt to attain that which he desired above all else. What was essential and deserved, rightfully as was ordained by his very bloodline. And now this condescending buffoon of a brother was being more vexing than ever! Not only had he utterly demolished his tower which took a year to construct and then elevate, he had misappropriated the very prize said toil was set to accomplish! All that tedious drudgery and persistent dedication had gone to utter waste, squandered like the remaining remnants of other aspirations gone to depletion. And Caelum could only hate him for it, despise him for always denying him his birthright, for having everything Caelum had coveted and obtaining it without the onerous grind that Caelum perpetually tribulated. Caelum was the older brother, so why did Lucas receive everything? Granted and given, not merely the material things to life nor the ascendancy and reverence, but even the adoration of their long-departed procreators. The demoralizing defeat to that of his younger sibling only fueled his desperation and destructive dogma.
"Just give me your hand please!" Lucas called to him once more. Caelum could see his stained face above him as Lucas reached a fingerless gloved hand towards him, ever hopeful even now that Caelum would concede to his demands. Lucas was lying above on the edge of the cliff which Caelum had managed to somehow grab ahold of. There was a rocky shelf which had fallen away at the seizures of the burning portal beneath them both. It was clear to Caelum as well as Lucas that the portal was going to close soon.
"would you throw your ego away for even a second!?" Lucas shouted searching his features for any signs of comrpomise. "I am trying to save you."
Caelum heard him say as Lucas strained harder to grab hold of Caelum's nearest hand. Caelum looked at the offered limb of his brother with disgust, never in his whole life had he felt so utterly demeaned. And never in his life would he willingly accept said peace treaty from that which he considered his life long rival. It was a frank insult that Lucas would even appraise his forceful proposition as a venture to rescue him. The cold anger which burned like a blue flame in his heart, turned black with frostbite gnawing at Caelum. It always eroded and ate away at his soul even more now that the subject of such indignation was before him.
"I don't require your assistance!"
Caelum gritted out as he clawed at the unstable mound of ruined cliff side, only managing to give way beneath his overpowering strength. There was a loud and heavy sound which could be felt in the very pits of their stomachs. Like a reverberating bass or a frequency on the wind which was penetrated their lungs and vibrated through matter itself. The dark world beneath them shuddered violently, and waves of synergy pulsed from the gate's edges. It could be seen rippling in a rainbow of colors, webbed and like lightning all around them expanding as it collapsed for the final time. If that occurred then they would be trapped in Hiatus unable to return to Nirvana, possibly ever. That frozen and desolate domain. As Caelum was watching the purple abyss below something came to his mind which settled over his thoughts with serene conception.
He didn't belong in Nirvana, it was their mothers world.A realm that rejected him as fervently as he did his own kin. Here he should remain far from any who could stand between him and his plans, far from Lucas. He belonged in this hell; he was of it. Caelum looked to his brother, eyes nearly lit blue with his revelation.
"I know what your thinking!" his brother called down to him. Curse his ability to construe Caelum's thoughts without so much as a glance. How utterly Intrepid...
Lucas coughed, the air was thick with dust and space debris. Rocks shredded with dirt from the remaining cliffside, stretched and crumbling from the gates immense pressure.
"don't even think about letting go! Don't you dare!"
Caelum frowned deeper, this idiot was actually dictating his sovereignty now, ordering him. Lucas didn't know him, though they had been raised together, and though they were outwardly identical in flesh, Lucas didn't understand a single thing about him. Lucas didn't want power, didn't deserve it the way Caelum did. He was unworthy, selfish, underhandedly cruel, and Caelum was resentful of everything because of it.
"You wouldn't, couldn't possibly understand!" Caelum found the energy to say. The ice hissing inside of his soul condensed itself to near stone. "I will rule one way or another! If you won't let me have Nirvana then I will take Hiatus in its stead." That was his bargain, his ultimatum for that sniveling fool. No one would be getting what they truly wanted, it would be self-depreciating to settle for less, but Caelum was not beneath underhanded or essentially agnominal acts himself.
"You won't be able to come back!"
The hesitation and confused hurt on Lucas's face was enough to melt some of Caelum's rage into satisfied triumph. Like liquid nitrogen.
"you had better hope so." Caelum said with venom.
Caelum turned his face back down and then with one movement pushed abruptly away from the stone that jutted out of the ledge. Lucas in his state of distress and impulsiveness, released his hold on the cliff and slid down its side, among a clouded torrent of stones and dirt, far enough and nearly loosing himself to the fall. He landed where Caelum had once been and stopped his tumble successfully. In his deft movement, he grabbed Caelum's wrist in midair and gripped them both there on the side.
"Release me this instant, Lucas!" Caelum ordered with as much fury as he had previously possessed.
"No!" Lucas replied in a strained voice. "I won't let you!" he promised sincerely and made an attempt to pull Caelum higher. His own grip on the side of the mound was loosening due to their previous battle causing them both to be utterly exhausted.
"This is my choice! How much must you steal from me? Even my own autonomy? This place calls to me, Our Fathers blood demands Vengeance! Release me or I will cut myself loose." Caelum was done with his brother's nonsensical displays of pity, He would throw himself into that abyss and carve any monster in his path until he was met with the sight of the throne to the Under Kingdom. If his father had done so then he too could master the nether lands. But not when Lucas was acting as a nuisance.
"You don't need to prove anything! Who cares what father did or who they say we are! We're stronger together so why does it matter?" Lucas' words only momentarily dissuaded Caelum's prior thoughts before he returned to his proper state of mind. It was enough of a hesitation that Caelum saw the glimmering of such childish hope in the others eyes.
"You've taken everything from me...Even this! Such Foolishness, Lucas, ...you leave me no choice!"
With that said, Caelum drew his silver sword from his side with his free hand, swift and deft in his movement. He completely ignored the pleading and panic on his brother's features. Especially those eyes which could bend anyone to his will, specifically Mother, foolishness indeed. He could see that it was costing Lucas every ounce of his remaining strength to keep them there. Caelum plunged his curved blade into Lucas's shoulder without restraint, remorse, or hesitation. Lucas cried out but held on, his fingers slipping as he lost feeling in his limb.
"What will it take?" Caelum's frustration evident in his voice as he viscously jerked his blade from his brother allowing blood to run free. It landed in large droplets on his pale facebelow as he glared up at Lucas. Who trembled waning his hold, eyes turned to shattered glass. Lucas was no less alarmed when the dark blood pooled through his grip, fingers slipping more quickly.
"Pull yourself up, I can't hold on..." Lucas grunted.
"then let me go..." Caelum hissed. words failed Lucas only able to manage shaking his head in disagreement, ever stubborn, and Caelum ever weary of it. His brother's persistence was impressive but he would undoubtedly succumb to inevitability. Caelum's mind was set. They had mere seconds now as the doorway beneath was shrinking as it spun and convulsed violently. Caelum's glove was tearing and his wet hand sliding out of it. Quickly and with fluidity Caelum sheathed his sword and then used that same hand to jerk at his glove tugging it completely loose. Instantly his hand was free, and he fell, backwards, hearing his brother shout after him.
The mere seconds felt longer as he looked at the light above disappear. A vivid sight he would never relinquish to fantom memory.
The advent of his transformation and rise to greatness, all forging into a proper structure, like the path of Time spiraling into the sunset. Awaiting, anticipating his glorious dawn.
The bright framed edges of the portal closed as he passed them. His last vision in the material realm was of Lucas watching from above. Then Caelum vanished into the shroud of thick toxic clouds.
He who didn't even acknowledge the soul inside of him, who undisputedly ignored it. Caelum knew that the call of his blood must be answered. Admittedly, the twisted fallen tower had crippled Caelum's optimism momentarily. However he could now pursue a new promise.
Lucas had sought to hold Caelum accountable for the atrocities he had committed, that which Caelum considered collateral damage. Sacrifices, not victims. His impeccable design. Lucas was always Mothers favorite, protected adored and loved how could any one who had never lost anything or felt such immeasurable pain understand or be strong enough? Only those who had such frivolities stolen away could hope to attain. That was the very creed that Caelum lived by ever since that evening of the callous murder. Caelum had foolishly thoughtthat by aiding his brother to awaken his soul thathe would come to understand this all under perspective. Alas Lucas was entirely a simpleton.
Falling was the last thing Caelum felt as darkness engulfed his form like submerging oneself in thick tar. His soul was drowning in the shade of his own venom as he plummeted towards the old worlds foundations.