Categories > Original > Fantasy > The Chronicles of Eternal Darkness
The Chronicles of Eternal Darkness
Prologue
Upon retrieving the axe, Wu Tian stood and watched as the sun touched the western horizon. The celestial body's final act of farewell to the day as it gave way to night with that crowning achievement of gravity's toil known simply as the sunset; the day's last moment of mortal insight into the divine majesty of the universe. Hues of maroon and violet were its last gift to the aevons, while tones of indigo and jade announced Anduval's joyous response upon the counter horizon. Wu Tian spared a moment to admire the magnificence of creation.
"Anduval's Cosmet welcomes the evening to the eastern sky," Wu Tian announced. "I'll go to fetch enough wood to last the night before it's so dark I can't find my way back."
"What a pity that would be," Xu Tuo responded dryly, as he leaned back to relax on a ground carpeted with yellow culmac leaves, and pulled his ripped cloak tighter around him. Wu Tian chuckled at the jibe, and left the camp.
It was late by the time he had cut down an armful of firewood, mostly consisting of dead and dry culmac branches which there seemed to be an unusual amount of around here, and begun the short walk back to camp. The campfire was out of sight, but even in the dark woods he remembered exactly which direction to go. A mist rose around him as he walked. Knowing that this was not the appropriate location and time of year for an evening fog Wu Tian became immediately alarmed. Quickening his pace only brought him deeper into the ever-thickening haze. His worry increased with it.
A violent fury suddenly split the air before him with purple lightning, which stayed there continuing to electrify the air in front of him, rather than disappearing the way that any natural phenomenon should. Wu Tian dropped his bundle, and desperately sought the merger security of his hatchet. The mist swirled around him in a sudden twister, as the energy before him danced and coalesced, growing larger and more intense by the moment.
Being a servant of Arktivilist, one of the world's mightiest wizards, the young warden had seen enough of sorcery to suspect that his life was in grave peril. He knew his axe would prove little guard against magic, so he backed away cautiously. He didn't know how or why this supernatural display had found him, but he did know the wisest course of action was to warn his mentor. Wu Tian turned to flee.
Then as if from across a great divide, he heard his name. "Wu Tian!" The voice was desperate, anxious and afraid. Startled, he looked back. The dark energy had grown and separated, wreathing what looked to Wu Tian' inexpert eye to be a portal to some far off place. Beyond was a murky realm outlined in crumbled buildings and a blood red sky.
He heard his name again, seemingly much closer this time. "Wu Tian!" It was a woman's voice, he was certain, this time the elated relief was overwhelming. A shape took form within the portal, and the energy whipped to a frenzied climax in a brilliant flash of light.
Wu Tian rubbed his eyes to adjust them to the enveloping darkness. The lightning was gone, as was the portal and even the mist. Two words seemed to hang in the darkness, uttered by a voice he had never heard before, "Good luck." There was no other sign left of what had just transpired.
Perplexed, he replaced the axe in the belt holster behind his back, and bent to pick up the firewood. Lying atop the pile he found an unconscious body scarcely covered in anything but rags, blood, dirt and gore.
Prologue
Upon retrieving the axe, Wu Tian stood and watched as the sun touched the western horizon. The celestial body's final act of farewell to the day as it gave way to night with that crowning achievement of gravity's toil known simply as the sunset; the day's last moment of mortal insight into the divine majesty of the universe. Hues of maroon and violet were its last gift to the aevons, while tones of indigo and jade announced Anduval's joyous response upon the counter horizon. Wu Tian spared a moment to admire the magnificence of creation.
"Anduval's Cosmet welcomes the evening to the eastern sky," Wu Tian announced. "I'll go to fetch enough wood to last the night before it's so dark I can't find my way back."
"What a pity that would be," Xu Tuo responded dryly, as he leaned back to relax on a ground carpeted with yellow culmac leaves, and pulled his ripped cloak tighter around him. Wu Tian chuckled at the jibe, and left the camp.
It was late by the time he had cut down an armful of firewood, mostly consisting of dead and dry culmac branches which there seemed to be an unusual amount of around here, and begun the short walk back to camp. The campfire was out of sight, but even in the dark woods he remembered exactly which direction to go. A mist rose around him as he walked. Knowing that this was not the appropriate location and time of year for an evening fog Wu Tian became immediately alarmed. Quickening his pace only brought him deeper into the ever-thickening haze. His worry increased with it.
A violent fury suddenly split the air before him with purple lightning, which stayed there continuing to electrify the air in front of him, rather than disappearing the way that any natural phenomenon should. Wu Tian dropped his bundle, and desperately sought the merger security of his hatchet. The mist swirled around him in a sudden twister, as the energy before him danced and coalesced, growing larger and more intense by the moment.
Being a servant of Arktivilist, one of the world's mightiest wizards, the young warden had seen enough of sorcery to suspect that his life was in grave peril. He knew his axe would prove little guard against magic, so he backed away cautiously. He didn't know how or why this supernatural display had found him, but he did know the wisest course of action was to warn his mentor. Wu Tian turned to flee.
Then as if from across a great divide, he heard his name. "Wu Tian!" The voice was desperate, anxious and afraid. Startled, he looked back. The dark energy had grown and separated, wreathing what looked to Wu Tian' inexpert eye to be a portal to some far off place. Beyond was a murky realm outlined in crumbled buildings and a blood red sky.
He heard his name again, seemingly much closer this time. "Wu Tian!" It was a woman's voice, he was certain, this time the elated relief was overwhelming. A shape took form within the portal, and the energy whipped to a frenzied climax in a brilliant flash of light.
Wu Tian rubbed his eyes to adjust them to the enveloping darkness. The lightning was gone, as was the portal and even the mist. Two words seemed to hang in the darkness, uttered by a voice he had never heard before, "Good luck." There was no other sign left of what had just transpired.
Perplexed, he replaced the axe in the belt holster behind his back, and bent to pick up the firewood. Lying atop the pile he found an unconscious body scarcely covered in anything but rags, blood, dirt and gore.
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