Terra's Fall
When they first appeared on this world, they were at loss. What to call it? The inhabitants of this world had a very original name for it: Earth. If only everyone else they met didn’t call their planet Earth. However, that was solved, when one of the inhabitants proposed the name Terra. He explained it was Earth in one of the ancient languages of the planet, still used to date, more or less. Raelian liked the word, Terra. It was such a nice word. And now this world is about to go up in flames.
"Healer! Healer please!" A desperate voice reached Raelian's ears. He crouched down, getting out of the demons' line of sight.
"Over here! Help!"
Raelian spotted them, a soldier kneeling down, beside his stricken comrade. Raelian sped over to them. Seeing his golden cuirass, the soldier got up.
"He was hit by some of those evil spikes, sir. I got them out but the damage is already done. Can you mend him please?"
With that he shouldered his pulse rifle and hurried over to the battlements. Raelian stooped over the wounded soldier, his sight resting upon the bloodied armor. The green tinges from the wounds were already spreading, time was running short. Raelian sighed and started mentally praying to Tensess, positioning his hands over the damaged area. Holy radiance enveloped his hands and gently fell on the wounds, closing them right before his very eyes. Raelian changed to a different prayer, this time focusing on the fast spreading green tinges around the wounds. The tinges glowed yellow and suddenly vanished without a trace. Raelian sat down, exhausted by the effort. The soldier opened his eyes and took a heavy breath.
"They just keep coming, don’t they?"
"Aye," Raelian said, glancing upwards. "This battle is long from being over."
"Heh, well, I am not complaining," the soldier said getting up, "as long as we win in the end." and with that he took off, running over to help his friend at the wall.
"As long as we win..." Raelian repeated and sighed. ”Fat chance..."
For he knew defeat when he saw it.
‘This world will fall to the Burning Legion, just like countless others.’ the weathered veteran thought. Already this world was upon its deathbed and only two days have passed since the beginning of the invasion. At first the combined might of the Argent Shield and those who serve the Five slaughtered the demons by hundreds, easily routing them. But then they found a way to open a portal and let the Astral come in. How they managed that is a mystery, for the Burning Legion and the Astral demons cannot understand each other, and while the Burning Legion is guided by intelligence, no matter how corrupt, it is sentient. The Astral demons are creatures without minds, only with a destructive hunger. Many who at first saw Astral were more intrigued by rather than fearful of it. Raelian was born on Sarnaut, or what was left of it floating in Astral and he knew its destructive power. So did the Five Guardians of this world. Even now they were just outside this heavily fortified base, channeling all of their power to hold the Astral at bay.
"If only we had some of the Thirteen here, or one of the Five..." Raelian thought. "They would have destroyed the Burning Legion invasion force and forced Astral out of this dimension with ease."
Too bad they were all busy, for the Burning Legion was invading almost all of known worlds in many different dimensions. Raelian's home world was under attack as well, according to the messages coming in. However, in that world the demons are being forced back due to the presence of One of the Five on that world.
"Incomming!" A voice said behind him, followed by a black ball, a soul bolt conjured by a pseudo-valkyrie, that soared over Raelian's head heading over to a swarm of black dots against the torn, orange sky. Raelian shouldered his pulse rifle and joined in with many others, firing at the swarm of flying demons. Many of them fell but more remained and they were getting closer.
Almost everyone left on this world stayed here by choice. Some stay because this is their home, and they would rather die with it then live without it. Some stay out of love for the Guardians and those staying to defend to the end. For others it was because they had nothing to live for anymore, the demons destroyed almost everything on this planet. Even 2 of the 4 Argent Shield bases fell, with the area around them completely annihilated. In one of those bases, Raelian's dear friend fell in uneven combat with the demons. Raelian cursed the moment when Erian decided to migrate over to the new base. He said that the base at Washington was much better than the one in Berlin, and definitely better than the one in Northern Siberia.
They never really discussed the base in Central Australia for some reason. Perhaps it was because neither of them liked heat any more then they liked the cold. Yet, when the Siberian and Washington bases were raised to the ground, even while
the base at Berlin is under heavy siege, the Australian base was never really attacked. There were small skirmishes and even battles along the Australian coast, but nothing even close to what those at Berlin were experiencing now. The commander in charge of the Australian base opened a portal into Berlin and sent all he could spare to the aid. With them he sent 3 groups of Champions of the Five, and most importantly, a group of Chosen of the Five, Raelian's long time friend Liengel amongst them. Liengel was getting power rapidly but was yet far from achieving the status of the Thirteen promised by Tensess to him. Without them the base would have fallen long ago, and the Five Guardians of Terra would be left without protection and their channeling would be interrupted, resulting in obliteration of this world.
"In the name of the Five, slaughter these heathens!"
"By Perai, she who is Death!" The followers of Death chanted, spreading their black wings, letting Darkness cover them.
"By Allerian, he who is Despair!" The followers of Despair whispered, spreading their gray wings, Gray Mist enveloping them.
"By Yeinz'tul, he who is Destruction!" The followers of Destruction shouted, spreading wings of flame, Fire all around them.
"By Eralois, he who is Doom!" The followers of Doom sung, spreading their emerald wings, Green Flames circling them.
"By Tensess, he who is Light!" The followers of Light spoke, spreading wings of light, brilliant Light shining from them.
"Hold this for me, Rael." Liengel offered his pulse rifle to Raelian. Raelian took it and bade his comrade to take care.
Liengel smiled, "Just don’t shoot me by accident.", and a beam of light appeared in his hand, forming a war hammer.
"For Terra!" The leader of the group soared into the wretched sky upon his black wings, leading the charge against the demons, black spear in hand.
Raelian walked over to the battlements and looked at the ruins of what was once a great city. He saw soldiers shooting at the ever advancing demons. He saw a group of felhounds appear, as if out of thin air, and leap towards the ruins where the defenders took cover. He saw a troop of demonic cultists exchange fire with a squad of guards. He saw infernals fall, like a deadly rain upon the skeletal remains of the city and rise up with malicious intent towards the Guardians channeling the Barrier. The Guardians were like a magnet, drawing all demons towards themselves. Above them the barrier cracked and glittered, constantly dissolved by the hungering Astral outside, constantly renewed by the laboring Guardians inside. The guards were doing the best they could but every single one of them that died was an irrecoverable loss. Meanwhile, the demons just kept coming no matter how many fell. They could spare to trade a thousand to one, and still win.
"Hey, you know, I can’t stop thinking about this one guy. You know, the one who laughed as he was leaving this world, saying that he knew the world will end but no one would believe him." Piel'xen, a lieutenant of Raelian's squad, leaned over.
"When I asked him how he knew, he sprouted some random gibberish about this ancient race that lived on this planet and how they said that the world will end on a specific date. He also said they disappeared for some random reason."
"Really? Sounds fascinating...But what is this date?" Raelian pretended to show interest.
‘Probably some stupid cultist theory again’ He thought.
"He said that according to that extinct race, Mala, or something along those lines, I can’t remember quite correctly right now.
But anyway, they prophesized that the world will end on the day of December twenty-first, year: twenty-twelve."
"Yea, so?"Raelian grew annoyed. This sounded so typical."The current date is 527th millennium if you remember right, year 184."
"That’s tomorrow man. According to Their dates, December twenty-first is tomorrow. Their current year is twenty-twelve."
Piel'xen grinned. "Gotcha interested now eh?"
Raelian did admit, that was a rather odd coincidence.
"When did they prophesize this?"
"About...heck, I forgot to ask. I think he said this was a thousand-year-old prophesy."
"Now this IS interesting...However, if it’s true then, look at the bright side! At least we will live past today!"
Both men laughed. The notion was ridiculous; they wouldn’t last past sunset of this day.
Raelian looked up when the sirens began and gaped at the sight. A burning space station was pummeling down, its trajectory landing it right outside the city. He groaned and covered his head with his hands. There is only one space station up there that big; Neilen Prime. It was the pinnacle of their defense, their only protection against the greater demons. There were many good men and women on that station of many races. If the station fell, it only meant that they were all dead or evacuated but what good would that do? They would be unable to help Terra in either case. The barrier would prevent the bigger demons
from coming in but holes will appear in it, through which Astral can pour in and start consuming everything.
Piel'xen laughed. "Yea, that guy is sooo wrong. The world will end before nightfall."
"The gods of this planet loathed to leave it. They would have stayed to either destroy the demons or die with the world. However, the Five managed to persuade them to provide protection to the remaining inhabitants of the planet as they traveled through the inter-dimensional space, on their way to Bier'garz, the home world of Three of the Five. The last one to submit to this notion was a sturdy, fat guy by the name of Buddha. It was kind of funny," Raelian thought, laying down suppressive fire on a group of advancing cultists, "that this god, he who promoted peace and non-retaliation and just living with the world in harmony, was so adamant that they should stay and fight to the bitter end. Albeit," Raelian switched his attention to a demon leading the cultists and focused a prayer at the demon. The demon shrieked as he was consumed by the holy flames. "He promoted peace amongst the inhabitants of this planet. To live in peace with the world and themselves, is one thing, to do nothing to invaders who seek only to slaughter you and destroy the planet is another."
The age-long darkness of the temple fled before those who stood in the center of a great room filled with ancient machinery of Zem and Sparks floating about. Pulsing green light throughout the entire room only emphasized how enormous it was, spanning through the entire center of the temple, from bottomless pits to endless sky above. At the center of center was a giant green crystal that sent periodic waves of green light. Right below it, was a metal platform with 4 bridges leading to it that also served as support for it. At the center of the platform, a crowd gathered around one.
"Raelian, my faithful servant and savior." Tensess addressed the kneeling commissar. "You have allowed me to come back to this world, physically. Although I have never left it, it is much better to be in a physical state rather than spiritual."
He paused and looked over to the group of adventurers who came with Raelian.
"All of you have my gratitude, and I am deeply in your debt. What payment would you like of me?"
And so they all asked for this or that, and he gave them what they asked for and his blessing with it. At last, only Raelian and Liengel were left.
"To you, my most devout servants, a commissar - warrior of Light, and a priest - bringer of the Light to those in need; I offer the greatest gift I can offer. To follow me, to become the first of the great order; Order of Light. Now that I have become One of the Five, I have the power to share my power to all my followers. And I would like for you to become a part of my Thirteen." Raelian's head spinned. To become a pseudo-valkyrie, just like Tensess himself? To have ever growing power, to be immortal, immune to all sicknesses, diseases and old age. To be able to travel across worlds and dimensions themselves. To become a beacon of Light to all who follow. All of that, and the only trade off is to lose humanity, to become a pseudo-valkyrie, a different race altogether.
"I will be most honored, my Lord! My dream of serving you, of helping all who need it, to become a great healer, may finally become a reality. To become one of the great servants of Tensess himself!" Liengel stood up, joy radiating from his face.
"And you, Commissar Raelian, faithful paladin?" Asked Tensess with a smile.
It was very tempting, to become one of the Thirteen, the right hand of the one they serve, One of the Five. Raelian wavered.
Then, with his eyes unable to look up into those of his Lord he answered.
"This honor is too great for me, my Lord."He answered hesitantly. "I am just a common Hadaganian who believes in you, our Savior. I am not worthy of this. I will remain your most faithful servant, a human."
"Surely you jest!" Liengel stuttered in amazement. "Rael, if not for you we would have never been able to help Tensess! It is only because of you, our beacon of light and hope in this forsaken Temple full of darkness and creatures born of it, that we have even got this far! Surely you, of all servants of the Church of Tensess deserve this! More than me even!"
"Alas, no, Lien, I do not jest this time." Raelian looked up at Liengel who stood stupefied. "I cannot do this. I know enough about what pseudo-valkyries power to realize that I cannot be trusted with it."
"Well, it is, after all, your choice Realian. I cannot force you to become one, not only is it impossible but I have no use of slaves."Tensess looked at Raelian with sorrow. "I cannot predict the future like He who is Doom, but I have a feeling that before the end, you will sincerely regret not accepting this offer."
"My decision is solid on this matter, my lord." Raelian stood up, defiantly looking at Tensess. "I cannot follow you on this path."
"And yet, I cannot allow my savior and most devout servant to walk away without any reward." Tensess reached into his inner pocket of his robe and pulled out a pendant with a golden stone set in it. "I may just beginning to be One of the Five but their powers I have and some I have already learned how to use. I looked into your soul and guessed that you will not accept. And so I have prepared this for you." He held out the pendant, for Raelian to take.
"This is a version of what the other Four call a Soul Stone," Tensess explained as Raelian took the pendant with an inquisitive expression. "A typical Soul Stone stores the wielder's soul inside it and can prevent the user from dying. This one however, is a bit different. No matter where you are, what world or dimension you are in, you will always be linked to me." He opened the neck of his robes to reveal an identical pendant hanging from his neck. "This allows you to call upon my powers no matter where you are. As well, when you die, no matter how you died, from old age or from being torn to shreds in battle, this amulet will capture your spark and teleport itself to me. This will allow me to resurrect you, effectively making you immortal."
Raelian bowed low, "I am most grateful for this gift, my Lord."
"Do not forget to use it, for its power is my power and thus is endless." Tensess paused for a moment. "May it remind you, constantly, that you are never alone, that I and my followers are always with you, in combat and in hard times, we are there."
As Raelian watched Neilian Prime plummet to the ground, an explosion drew his attention. The base split into two major pieces, the bigger one continuing its course, while the second, much smaller piece changed course towards the base.
"Ah…great… it’s going to hit us!" Pielxen ran to the central artillery cannon that was currently shelling the parts of the city controlled by the demons. Raelian knew that they will never be able to destroy it before it hits the base. "Smaller", compared to Neilian Prime, it was only a small piece of a base that measured roughly 9 kilometers in diameter. This piece was more than 5 times greater than the base. Raelian sighed and reached into his collar, pulling out the pendant of Light. As the artillery cannon whirled to face the burning piece, Raelian started to pray to Tensess, asking for his protection, pointing the pendant at the piece. A beam of Light emerged from the pendant striking the burning piece, creating a slant for a glancing blow. The force of the collision forced Raelian to fall on his knees, the metal screeching beneath him, forming a concave circle, blood gushing out of his nose and ears. Then, the force lifted suddenly. Raelian looked up to see the piece, now completely engulfed in blue flames the tell-tale signs of an artillery round, falling down the slant created by the golden shield. He smiled lost consciousness even as the tortured metal of the roof gave way beneath him and a golden light spread from the amulet, made a cocoon around him.
Darkness surrounded him.
"Well met again, Commissar Raelian, my most Devoted Servant..."
Dont worry too much about the pseudo-valkyrie stuff. It is something of my own creation and the lore behind them is too much to write.
If you want I can fill you in on it if you PM me.
