Post by Black Seraphim Zero on Sept 26, 2006 17:50:41 GMT -5
Note to readers: This was worked on before I assumed the role of "Black Seraphim Zero." Please, read THIS before calling me a selfish greedy pig. AND there will be a little Latin in here, please go here to translate.
Chronicles of Seraphia 1: Angel's Heart and Devil's Blood.
(Note! Highlight the text if you use the black skin!)
Chapter 1: Confusion
Kelveros walked through the once lush, but now war-torn plain. His mind raced through the events of the previous day, and Kelveros was forced to remember the pain he had inflicted. He started to ask himself questions. What was going on? How had this happened so fast? He felt like he no longer existed...And neither did the world.
He kicked around a battered helmet, and upon inspection, he recognized the insignia of his enemies hidden among the warped frame. The metal had been twisted by some strange force, but what? The odd swirls were seemingly dancing around. It made him think of his body. His previously human body. Now...it was a heap of metal. Though this "heap of metal" was very useful. It was the firstfruit of the "NS-Hypheros System". It was based on a powerful electromagnetic nuclear system that had neural shifts. It reacted to his mind.
But as he stared at the helmet, it glowed with blue light, and Kelveros was gone...To another dimension.
<----------------------------------->
A majestic Seraphim flew through the landings of Seraphia Temple. At last, the obsidian Seraphim found the landing that he was looking for. It said: Laboratory.
"Finally here, eh, Zero?" asked an ivory-coloured Seraphim.
"I was delayed. Those idiots in the reception lab were convinced that I was an impostor. Remind me to get them fired," replied Zero.
"Ah, well, we'll deal with it later. It seems that we have a problem. Kelveros has increased in power. We can't seem to get ahold of his signature. Should we use Last Resort Plan B?" Asked the white Seraphim.
"Go for it. Computer. Atticus Genesis Thanatos Zero. Last Resort Plan B. Suscipio operation."
A rather large hole popped out of a slot in the keyboard. Zero pulled out a black blade out of a sheath in his belt. The black sword crackled with dark energy and as Zero struck it into the gaping black vortex, dark lightning cracked from the hole. A beam of light shot up from the entrance platform. A figure began to materialize. And as the light faded.....
Kelveros was standing at the entrance of a huge chamber. He saw two six-winged figures, one coloured ebony and one ivory. The black one had a masked face. A crown-shaped object was on his head. It was triangular, with two large obsidian spikes jutting out of its side edges. The mask was most likely made of obsidian. They both had a fit body, and on their backs were gilded golden rings. The rings had seven triangles on seven points. The white one had blue eyes, a white face, and sandy brown hair. He had a smile on his face.
"What the...Who are you?" Asked a dazed Kelveros.
"That you will learn in time," said the white.
"There's no time for such trivialities. Kelveros was transported here to help us with our dilemma. Now, let's go discuss our plans.¡± said the black.
Chapter 2: Enter Seraphim!
Kelveros's head was spinning. This had all happened so fast...And now, two people whom he didn't even know, had a DILEMMA that they wanted his help with! This had been too much, he thought.
"Um...what? What dilemma?" Kelveros asked.
"Don't worry, you won't be needed THIS fast. We need to orient you to this marvelous world of ours, the land of Seraphia!" Answered the white. "And of course, you'll need better technology than THAT. We can upgrade that NS-Hypheros system into Biometal!"
"Why would we use Biometal on HIM? It's far too valuable as it is. And even so, we have a limited quantity," Yawned the black.
"What IS Biometal, anyway?! Who ARE you two?!" asked Kelveros.
"That you will find in due time. For now, to the Chronicles Chamber."
As the obsidian Seraphim arose from the ground, the ivory one did so too. Kelveros activated the jetpack on his body and took off too. Already, in ten seconds, they reached a dizzying height. They flew even higher, until they reached two gates: One marked Per Cella and Chronicles Chamber. (Yes, that's what it is in Latin)
As Kelveros walked through the vaulted doorway, he was amazed at what he was seeing. This room was covered in a black and white carpet, with golden lining. Rows of bookshelves were all he could see for a long stretch back. The White Seraphim and Black Seraphim led him past the bookshelves to a door at the end of the room. This led into a small study with the same black, white, and gold carpet and a desk. It also had a large table at the centre of the room with eight chairs surrounding it. Kelveros spotted a crack in the golden wall that was strangely long. It was also rectangular.
The white Seraphim gestured for him to take a seat. And as soon as all three were seated, the White Seraphim started talking.
"My name is Infinity, and this is my brother Zero. We have used our technology to bring you to our time, which is 1000 years ahead of your own. We believe that your "new" technology will give you great power in this "dilemma" that we are facing.¡± Then Zero started talking. "We have limited Biometal, to increase your power. But we will have to go through extensive operations to prepare it. And as for your NS-Hypheros? It went into mass production 400 years ago. Now it's being used to power mercenary robots." They both paused.
"We won't trouble you right now, because you need orientation. We'll show you to your room, and then you can rest," finished Infinity.
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Zero walked through the empty halls of his private chambers. Dis Manibus might attack at any time. He HAD to be ready. His sword must always be at his side. His spell scrolls must be in the safe. At all times, he MUST be cautious. Even any of the other Seraphim living in the Temple might be spies. He could not let his guard down. Never.
Chapter 3: Dis Manibus Strikes! All Personnel to Battle Stations!
Waking up early made Zero's head spin. And right now, it was 5 A.M. And just as he was getting out of his obsidian four-poster, Infinity burst into the room, his sandy brown hair covering his face and screaming, "Dis Manibus has attacked!"
Zero clamboured out of bed, his black robe disappering and his powerful obsidian armour appearing in place of it. His mask clamped to his face, his CorosCircle on his back. He strapped on his sword and walked out of the room, saying only two words:
"Let's go."
Both he and Infinity took up their wings, and scrambled the troops in the Per Cella. As they watched the legions of Seraphim fly into the deep orange sky, their feelings were hidden. One by a deep obsidian-lined gold mask, and one by an unwavering faithfulness. They knew this had to be the place where they would call up Kelveros. Rise from the ashes, young pheonix, and spread your wings!
Zero nodded to Infinity and then each flew in different directions. Zero to the temple storeroom and Infinity to the west. Infinity landed in front of Kelveros's room and walked straight through it. Kelveros, dazed by what was going on, stared at Infinity with an open jaw. Infinity, still in his usual and casual tone, spoke to Kelveros as if there was nothing to worry about.
"Come, we must get to the storeroom right now. It's time to do or die, Kelveros, and prove yourself worthy of Seraphia's trust."
Zero went to the deepest part of the temple, looking for the gate that said Cipher Porta. It held the mysterious fragments of Biometal, which was part of the essence that he and his brother was made out of. He reached the golden gate, took out a card, and slid it into the slot. The golden gate slowly opened, and Zero stepped through. Inside was a huge computer mainframe, an iron vault, and a large spaceship. He went to the iron vault, and scanned his hand on the green pad. This vault also opened, to reveal a stockpile of random geometrical objects. He picked one up, a black pyramid with red dragon wings. He mumbled to himself, "This is the one.".
Kelveros was strapped to a silver-coloured metal stand. Before him was a floating pyramid with red wings. As two robotic arms opened his SoulCore, the black pyramid was put in...And all was black.
Watching from their vantage point, Zero and Infinity overlooked the mass destruction that Kelveros was wreaking. The Devil's Triangle had really done its job. Kelveros slashed away at all those that stood before them, ripping apart the Bombers, slashing the Hoplites, and slaying the Dimension Wyverns. The Seraphian soldiers were flying in phalanxes toward the enemy leader, Fury Berserker. The gunmen shot their strongest bullets. The swordsmen used their best swords. But Fury Berserker was just too strong for them.
"Rabies Turbo!"
At that, electrifying whirlwinds tore up the already destroyed temple walls. The Seraphim were scattered in all directions. Only by a miraculous counterattack by Kelveros did the storm subside for a moment. And just as Fury Berserker was regaining power, Zero used one of his never-before-seen attacks.
"ATRUM METEOR!"
A dark shroud of flaming material burst from the sky. Nobody really knew what happened except Zero himself. All the Seraphian knights stared in awe at the crater where Berserker and his warriors once were. And just like that, all was quiet once more, but no one was settled.
Chapter Four: Fury of the Elements! Seraphia's Siege!
In a darkened chamber, a dark-robed figure stood facing a wall. His face was hidden, and his black robe sparkled in the synthetic moonlight. He called out,
"Mobius! Thestalos! Arise!"
And so, two elementals, one blazing and one frigid, appeared out of nowhere. The fire elemental had on powerful, streamlined adamantanium armour. The icy creature had a silver knight's armour, with spiked shoulderplates and an oversized sword. The icy one, Mobius, spoke.
"You called, master?"
"Yes. Annihilate the Seraphian temple. This is a task that MUST be completed. If you fail, you can look forward to certain destruction."
"Understood. Come, Thestalos, let's move."
The two elementals disappeared in a flash of meteors and glaciers, and in no time they were on the fiftieth floor of Seraphia Temple. There was a huge explosion and five Seraphim were knocked out. As Kelveros was recovering from the massive blast that had destroyed his chambers, the flaming creature that had just caused the explosion called out a spell.
"Solor Magnus!"
A huge row of meteors rushed toward Kelveros and he was forced to dodge. Feeling confused, but as his insticts kicked in, Kelveros countered. His Devil's Triangle activated and his Proto Cutter glowed with green light. The gears in his body quickly activated. His reflexes came in and started hacking at the firey creature. Every slash he made would've been lethal to a Seraphim or a Bio-Mechanical, though this elemental was regenerating his body every time Kelveros hit it. All of Kelveros's efforts proved to be in vain... Until he came across a quick, easy solution.
"Icicle Telum!"
Five crystalline, transparent javelins flew out from Kelveros's fingertips. This was one of the only spells he knew, along with Blazing Inferno and Bolting Outrage, thanks to Infinity's arcane lessons. Instantly, the fire elemental's adamantine armour began to vanish. Suddenly, an Ice elemental appeared out of the blue. He grabbed a massive broadsword, and brandished it with many centuries of experience. He called out,
"Mobius! Iugum Pessum Ire!"
And the fire elemental screamed,
"Thestalos! Iugum Pessum Ire!"
Incendiary meteors suddenly charged from the sky. Huge, transparent glaciers appeared from the ground. Kelveros was caught in the middle of a meteor and a glacier. He was frozen solid, caught with an expression of horror on his face. This seemed only to be the beginning, as the two elementals rushed to different parts of the sacred temple, plundering and destroying all they came across...
Chaper 5: Insanity
Zero, in his private chambers at the top of the Temple, quickly recieved the news of the elementals destroying his home. He, the strongest single-element Seraphim ever known, would not stand for this madness. His power had almost no extent, but judging from these elementals' power, he couldn't just create pawns to destroy them. He had to use everything he had, in order to completely CRUSH these impudent fools. Of course, there was Last Resort X, a move that was only to be used in dire circumstances. Of course, it would require a sacrifice. But no, he wasn't going to go with that. It was too risky.
Taking his Death Sabre, Zero walked out of the vaulted room with dire savageness in his crimson eyes. His mask materialized on his pale white face and he flew off the 500th landing.
On the 129th landing, Zero found the Ice elemental clutching at a Seraphim's throat. Zero cast a bolt of fire energy at the Ice elemental. He dropped the Seraphim and started fading away. Zero placed a powerful sealing spell on him, so that whoever summoned him could not do so again. Infinity, appearing from nowhere, glanced at what Zero had done, and then suddenly stared in dread.
"You...used the Spear...Did....you not...?"
"I did. Don't worry; we have plenty more uses left. We'll seal up the other one eith the same amount of extracted power so that it'll only take up a small portion of the spear's power."
"Oh...I see...All right, fine. Do what you will."
The Seraphim twins flew down through the central vent. On every landing, every floor, every passageway, was remainders of the carnage that the elementals had wreaked. Lifeless bodies lay pinned to the walls, swords were scattered everywhere, icicles were poking out of the once beautiful marble-tiled landings. Now they were bare splinters, completely eroded by a flash fire.
They found Thestalos on the 3rd landing, killing everything in sight. Thestalos appeared to have gotten stronger from the last little skirmish with Kelveros, which proved to be bad for the Seraphim twins.
Really bad.
He sent a pillar of fire at the Seraphim, which knocked them into the crumbling wall of the wide hallway. Then Thestalos charged into them, leaving a trail of fire. Infinity found a chance to counter and struck the elemental with an ice sword. The elemental's adamantine armour started dissolving slowly. Zero regained conciousness at this time and used the Spear seal again. Infinity, though he still knew that his brother was about to use the seal, still seemed quite shocked. Then they went on to find Kelveros.
Kelveros was lying on the fiftieth floor, black sparks emanating ominously from his cracked SoulCore. Infinity rushed to his side and used the healing spell, Niveus Cascade. Kelveros quickly regained consiousness and was dazed at the amount of destruction before him. The elementals who had destroyed this marvellous piece of architecture were stronger than he thought, but in his heart, Kelveros knew that Seraphia Temple would rise again, like a pheonix from the ashes, but it was going to take a lot of work.
Chapter 6: Resurrection
Rebuilding the temple took shorter than everyone thought, three days to be exact. The casualties were in great number- 102 soldiers dead and 124 wounded, and 50 civilians wounded. The Temple was now more glorious than ever- its half black and half white gloss, its decorations of silver and gold, its flags bearing the Seraphian emblem (an orb with six wings, a hammer, a sword, a star, and the Seraphia motto, Justicia est veritas)
and the large vaulted windows. Anyone could believe that the temple had never been destroyed. Zero lay in his chambers, recovering from the strain of the past four days. His head suddenly started spinning, and he had a vision...
Zero's Vision
Zero and a woman were standing on a balcony, gazing at the dusk sky. Two teenagers were behind they, a boy and a girl. The boy had wild black hair, silver goggles and a black robe with gold trim. The girl had on a tall cylindrical hat, a short skirt, and a gold -trimmed black shirt. Zero actually had his mask off, his pale face white as snow and streaming black hair blowing in the gentle breeze.
And just like that, the vision was gone as fast as it began. Zero was puzzled- who was the woman? Who were the kids, so similar to himself? All he could do was wonder... He would have to ask Infinity after he got back from the patrol in the forest... And fell into a troubled sleep.
In Emerald Forest, Infinity was patrolling for any remainders of Dis Manibus' army. One general, a Pyromancer 1st Class, saw a black shadow darting in and out among the trees. The general, called Magellan Neos (This will be important in the storyline later!) said,
"Lord Infinity, sir! There is a black shadow among the bushes at 294 degrees."
Infinity scanned around him. True, there was a darting shadow circling them. Infinity willed up his power and summoned an electric spell, Paralysis Telum.
The shadow stopped in its tracks and fell, causing a small thud. Infinity levitated it up to find that it was a girl of no more than seventeen. The girl was by all means a rogue, with a tight black shirt, tight black cargo pants, and black leather boots. Her hair was pink, and she would have passed for royalty, if she was not human.
Infinity, usually not so cold-blooded, acted as anyone should have in a war. He ordered a Legionary to pick her up and head back to the Temple for questioning. When Infinity's party arrived, Infinity went to Zero's chamber and found Zero sleeping on the obsidian four-poster. Zero, almost as if detecting someone there, woke up instantly.
"Infinity! When did you get back?"
"Zero, we have a prisoner. She's being held in the Per Cella."
"She? What in the name of Celestius is going on?"
So they headed to the Per Cella, and there he saw the girl chained to a wall. It was the woman he saw in his vision, it had to be. So he took a deep breath and adressed the girl.
"Wake, daughter of the earth. Humans are not very common here. So, who are you? What is your business here?"
The girl's head moved, and spoke with a clear and confident tone (Her Seraphian was very good),
"I'm Miranda Blackrose. My family was killed and I've been wandering ever since. I was in the forest when Whitewings and a group of you winged people found me. Whitewings did something-"
"Arcane arts, human," Infinity interrupted.
"-that involved a lightning bolt and I was knocked out. Then somebody brought me here and chained me. Happy?"
"Ah. So what exactly killed your family?" Zero pried.
"Some guy in a gold mask with a gray cape. Why do you want to know?" Retorted Miranda.
What rebellion! This is one human indeed..., Zero thought.
"Give her a room. She might be of some use in the future," Zero commanded a Legionary Centurion.
"Sir, so you commanded, so shall it be," replied the Centurion. And so he went away, performing the act.
Chapter 7: Night of the Ancients
Zero retired to his chambers early that night. He thought about the present events going on. He had a gut feeling that something would happen tonight...and then he drifted into sleep.
"Zero, my son. Arise."
Zero was standing in a vast, empty space. To his amazement, the Lord Seraphim Celestius was standing right in front of him. How could this be? Zero thought. He was half of Celestius, and therefore should not exist in the same dimension as he...
"Yes, Lord?" replied Zero.
"I am here now from a different dimension-"
I knew it! thought Zero.
"-to discuss with you of the coming danger that will soon come to Seraphia. You see, there is an ancient prophecy that is long forgotten." spoke Celestius in his clear, melodius tone that was a combination of Zero's and Infinity's voices.
"I may know of this. Is it not 'When Light and Shadow meet as one, incant thus, and let the fight be won:
Res of Corios , exsisto existo ex umbra. An socius ex a recedentia flung universitas dico vos. Veneficus quod Technology opportunus ut unus vis : suffragium nos.'?" inquired Zero.
"Yes. There is a human whom you must meet from the world called Earth. He is the Heir, and now Lord, of Chaos, of Allandria. I exist there as the previous Lord of Chaos, Xenos. Pass the prophecy along to him, for you, Kelveros, and Infinity must soon fight alongside he and his comrades against the Lord of Order and Dis Manibus, who are, in essence, one and the same."
"I understand, Lord. I will do as you have instructed," replied Zero.
So Celestius vanished from sight. Zero was then transported to another empty void, this time without a floor. He saw a human teenager floating in front of him. His armour was white and gold with a staff with entwined snakes. Zero chuckled lightly. The human suddenly spun round, and spoke.
"Who are you? Where am I?"
"Lord of Chaos... Do not be concerned with my identity yet. You will not meet me for several moons in either of our worlds."
Zero floated closer to the human, and then spoke.
"My name, if you must know, is Zero. And as for where you are... I do not know."
The Lord of Chaos blinked. Zero continued with a small grin.
"Don't worry. You are not going insane. This phenomenon has been caused by the barrier between our worlds wearing thin. I come from another dimension to you."
"So I will meet you in reality at some time in the future?"
"Yes. And possibly some others of my race."
Chaos smiled and held out his hand. After a moment, Zero took it.
"Until we meet again."
"You should know one more thing before I leave you to your thoughts. My whole being has seen the world you reside in currently as one that...you are familiar with. There is a prophecy you should know of which none now remember."
"Please, go on."
"It is this:
When Light and Shadow meet as one, Incant thus, and let the battle be won:
Res of Corios , exsisto existo ex umbra. An socius ex a recedentia flung universitas dico vos. Veneficus quod Technology opportunus ut unus vis : suffragium nos!"
Zero shone, and so did the human. They flew back to their worlds, and Zero woke to find the bright light of morning shining in his bright scarlet eyes. Was it all a dream? Zero thought. It seemed so real...And yet he felt that it really was all true.
Chapter 8: Dis Manibus's Theory
"Zero! Wake up!"
Zero groggily clamboured out of bed, still wondering about last night's premonition. Who really was the boy? How could one so young be a Lord of Chaos?
"Hmph, Infinity? What time is it?" asked Zero.
"It's 7: 32 AM. I've just recieved a message from Dis Manibus, asking Kelveros, yourself, and I to meet. We're to arrive at the Altar of Meeting on Border Helios at 8 AM," replied Infinity.
"If we leave now, we can reach the Border by eight. Let's leave."
Zero's gold-trimmed black bathrobes disappeared, and in their place appeared Zero's sleek obsidian armour. Zero and Infinity then went to Kelveros' chambers, which by an odd reason were right beside Miranda's.
Zero rapped on the door once, but Kelveros was already up. He said,
"What now? Can't I have some peace?"
"No. You must come right now, and it's very urgent. It concerns Dis Manibus and Celestius," Infinity replied.
Did Dis Manibus and my brother both have the same dream? And what of Kelveros? thought Zero.
So they took the back way out through Kelveros' window. They flew at an amazing pace, around thirteen hundred kilometres an hour (which is also 1300 K's on Earth, the speed of a fighter plane) and reached the border ten minutes earlier than expected. Dis Manibus was already there, in a golden mask and his signature twilight grey robe. His voice was quiet and calm, almost as if having a casual conversation. He said to Zero and Infinity,
"Ah, Atticus, Sonorus. How nice that you could make it. I see you brought Kelveros.
"As you two probably have experienced the very same premonition about either the Lord of Chaos or the Lord of Order, so have I. I will not stop at anything to destroy you. The prophecy shall not be fulfilled; I will kill you both. But as of now, I am not sure we can trust these other-dimensional beings. Are they really us? I'm sure you feel the same."
Zero replied in a harsh tone, "I will not die. I am sure of that. But I am also sure that I can trust Xenos. Who would not trust themself? It is not a puzzle, or even a minor question. I can trust myself."
Kelveros replied, "I've also seen another Seraphim in my dream, except he had golden armour and twelve wings. He told me about the prophecy, and I will do all I can to stop you."
Infinity kept silence through this whole conversation. He wasn't sure who not to trust. But Zero had a point- Celestius, or Xenos, was Infinity and Zero's whole. And as Infinity was pondering, Dis Manibus spoke once more.
"Trust who you will. I will only be disappointed when you die from an alliance with an extradimensional being that has twelve wings."
Exceeded max. size. The continuation is on the next page.
Chronicles of Seraphia 1: Angel's Heart and Devil's Blood.
(Note! Highlight the text if you use the black skin!)
Chapter 1: Confusion
Kelveros walked through the once lush, but now war-torn plain. His mind raced through the events of the previous day, and Kelveros was forced to remember the pain he had inflicted. He started to ask himself questions. What was going on? How had this happened so fast? He felt like he no longer existed...And neither did the world.
He kicked around a battered helmet, and upon inspection, he recognized the insignia of his enemies hidden among the warped frame. The metal had been twisted by some strange force, but what? The odd swirls were seemingly dancing around. It made him think of his body. His previously human body. Now...it was a heap of metal. Though this "heap of metal" was very useful. It was the firstfruit of the "NS-Hypheros System". It was based on a powerful electromagnetic nuclear system that had neural shifts. It reacted to his mind.
But as he stared at the helmet, it glowed with blue light, and Kelveros was gone...To another dimension.
<----------------------------------->
A majestic Seraphim flew through the landings of Seraphia Temple. At last, the obsidian Seraphim found the landing that he was looking for. It said: Laboratory.
"Finally here, eh, Zero?" asked an ivory-coloured Seraphim.
"I was delayed. Those idiots in the reception lab were convinced that I was an impostor. Remind me to get them fired," replied Zero.
"Ah, well, we'll deal with it later. It seems that we have a problem. Kelveros has increased in power. We can't seem to get ahold of his signature. Should we use Last Resort Plan B?" Asked the white Seraphim.
"Go for it. Computer. Atticus Genesis Thanatos Zero. Last Resort Plan B. Suscipio operation."
A rather large hole popped out of a slot in the keyboard. Zero pulled out a black blade out of a sheath in his belt. The black sword crackled with dark energy and as Zero struck it into the gaping black vortex, dark lightning cracked from the hole. A beam of light shot up from the entrance platform. A figure began to materialize. And as the light faded.....
Kelveros was standing at the entrance of a huge chamber. He saw two six-winged figures, one coloured ebony and one ivory. The black one had a masked face. A crown-shaped object was on his head. It was triangular, with two large obsidian spikes jutting out of its side edges. The mask was most likely made of obsidian. They both had a fit body, and on their backs were gilded golden rings. The rings had seven triangles on seven points. The white one had blue eyes, a white face, and sandy brown hair. He had a smile on his face.
"What the...Who are you?" Asked a dazed Kelveros.
"That you will learn in time," said the white.
"There's no time for such trivialities. Kelveros was transported here to help us with our dilemma. Now, let's go discuss our plans.¡± said the black.
Chapter 2: Enter Seraphim!
Kelveros's head was spinning. This had all happened so fast...And now, two people whom he didn't even know, had a DILEMMA that they wanted his help with! This had been too much, he thought.
"Um...what? What dilemma?" Kelveros asked.
"Don't worry, you won't be needed THIS fast. We need to orient you to this marvelous world of ours, the land of Seraphia!" Answered the white. "And of course, you'll need better technology than THAT. We can upgrade that NS-Hypheros system into Biometal!"
"Why would we use Biometal on HIM? It's far too valuable as it is. And even so, we have a limited quantity," Yawned the black.
"What IS Biometal, anyway?! Who ARE you two?!" asked Kelveros.
"That you will find in due time. For now, to the Chronicles Chamber."
As the obsidian Seraphim arose from the ground, the ivory one did so too. Kelveros activated the jetpack on his body and took off too. Already, in ten seconds, they reached a dizzying height. They flew even higher, until they reached two gates: One marked Per Cella and Chronicles Chamber. (Yes, that's what it is in Latin)
As Kelveros walked through the vaulted doorway, he was amazed at what he was seeing. This room was covered in a black and white carpet, with golden lining. Rows of bookshelves were all he could see for a long stretch back. The White Seraphim and Black Seraphim led him past the bookshelves to a door at the end of the room. This led into a small study with the same black, white, and gold carpet and a desk. It also had a large table at the centre of the room with eight chairs surrounding it. Kelveros spotted a crack in the golden wall that was strangely long. It was also rectangular.
The white Seraphim gestured for him to take a seat. And as soon as all three were seated, the White Seraphim started talking.
"My name is Infinity, and this is my brother Zero. We have used our technology to bring you to our time, which is 1000 years ahead of your own. We believe that your "new" technology will give you great power in this "dilemma" that we are facing.¡± Then Zero started talking. "We have limited Biometal, to increase your power. But we will have to go through extensive operations to prepare it. And as for your NS-Hypheros? It went into mass production 400 years ago. Now it's being used to power mercenary robots." They both paused.
"We won't trouble you right now, because you need orientation. We'll show you to your room, and then you can rest," finished Infinity.
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Zero walked through the empty halls of his private chambers. Dis Manibus might attack at any time. He HAD to be ready. His sword must always be at his side. His spell scrolls must be in the safe. At all times, he MUST be cautious. Even any of the other Seraphim living in the Temple might be spies. He could not let his guard down. Never.
Chapter 3: Dis Manibus Strikes! All Personnel to Battle Stations!
Waking up early made Zero's head spin. And right now, it was 5 A.M. And just as he was getting out of his obsidian four-poster, Infinity burst into the room, his sandy brown hair covering his face and screaming, "Dis Manibus has attacked!"
Zero clamboured out of bed, his black robe disappering and his powerful obsidian armour appearing in place of it. His mask clamped to his face, his CorosCircle on his back. He strapped on his sword and walked out of the room, saying only two words:
"Let's go."
Both he and Infinity took up their wings, and scrambled the troops in the Per Cella. As they watched the legions of Seraphim fly into the deep orange sky, their feelings were hidden. One by a deep obsidian-lined gold mask, and one by an unwavering faithfulness. They knew this had to be the place where they would call up Kelveros. Rise from the ashes, young pheonix, and spread your wings!
Zero nodded to Infinity and then each flew in different directions. Zero to the temple storeroom and Infinity to the west. Infinity landed in front of Kelveros's room and walked straight through it. Kelveros, dazed by what was going on, stared at Infinity with an open jaw. Infinity, still in his usual and casual tone, spoke to Kelveros as if there was nothing to worry about.
"Come, we must get to the storeroom right now. It's time to do or die, Kelveros, and prove yourself worthy of Seraphia's trust."
Zero went to the deepest part of the temple, looking for the gate that said Cipher Porta. It held the mysterious fragments of Biometal, which was part of the essence that he and his brother was made out of. He reached the golden gate, took out a card, and slid it into the slot. The golden gate slowly opened, and Zero stepped through. Inside was a huge computer mainframe, an iron vault, and a large spaceship. He went to the iron vault, and scanned his hand on the green pad. This vault also opened, to reveal a stockpile of random geometrical objects. He picked one up, a black pyramid with red dragon wings. He mumbled to himself, "This is the one.".
Kelveros was strapped to a silver-coloured metal stand. Before him was a floating pyramid with red wings. As two robotic arms opened his SoulCore, the black pyramid was put in...And all was black.
Watching from their vantage point, Zero and Infinity overlooked the mass destruction that Kelveros was wreaking. The Devil's Triangle had really done its job. Kelveros slashed away at all those that stood before them, ripping apart the Bombers, slashing the Hoplites, and slaying the Dimension Wyverns. The Seraphian soldiers were flying in phalanxes toward the enemy leader, Fury Berserker. The gunmen shot their strongest bullets. The swordsmen used their best swords. But Fury Berserker was just too strong for them.
"Rabies Turbo!"
At that, electrifying whirlwinds tore up the already destroyed temple walls. The Seraphim were scattered in all directions. Only by a miraculous counterattack by Kelveros did the storm subside for a moment. And just as Fury Berserker was regaining power, Zero used one of his never-before-seen attacks.
"ATRUM METEOR!"
A dark shroud of flaming material burst from the sky. Nobody really knew what happened except Zero himself. All the Seraphian knights stared in awe at the crater where Berserker and his warriors once were. And just like that, all was quiet once more, but no one was settled.
Chapter Four: Fury of the Elements! Seraphia's Siege!
In a darkened chamber, a dark-robed figure stood facing a wall. His face was hidden, and his black robe sparkled in the synthetic moonlight. He called out,
"Mobius! Thestalos! Arise!"
And so, two elementals, one blazing and one frigid, appeared out of nowhere. The fire elemental had on powerful, streamlined adamantanium armour. The icy creature had a silver knight's armour, with spiked shoulderplates and an oversized sword. The icy one, Mobius, spoke.
"You called, master?"
"Yes. Annihilate the Seraphian temple. This is a task that MUST be completed. If you fail, you can look forward to certain destruction."
"Understood. Come, Thestalos, let's move."
The two elementals disappeared in a flash of meteors and glaciers, and in no time they were on the fiftieth floor of Seraphia Temple. There was a huge explosion and five Seraphim were knocked out. As Kelveros was recovering from the massive blast that had destroyed his chambers, the flaming creature that had just caused the explosion called out a spell.
"Solor Magnus!"
A huge row of meteors rushed toward Kelveros and he was forced to dodge. Feeling confused, but as his insticts kicked in, Kelveros countered. His Devil's Triangle activated and his Proto Cutter glowed with green light. The gears in his body quickly activated. His reflexes came in and started hacking at the firey creature. Every slash he made would've been lethal to a Seraphim or a Bio-Mechanical, though this elemental was regenerating his body every time Kelveros hit it. All of Kelveros's efforts proved to be in vain... Until he came across a quick, easy solution.
"Icicle Telum!"
Five crystalline, transparent javelins flew out from Kelveros's fingertips. This was one of the only spells he knew, along with Blazing Inferno and Bolting Outrage, thanks to Infinity's arcane lessons. Instantly, the fire elemental's adamantine armour began to vanish. Suddenly, an Ice elemental appeared out of the blue. He grabbed a massive broadsword, and brandished it with many centuries of experience. He called out,
"Mobius! Iugum Pessum Ire!"
And the fire elemental screamed,
"Thestalos! Iugum Pessum Ire!"
Incendiary meteors suddenly charged from the sky. Huge, transparent glaciers appeared from the ground. Kelveros was caught in the middle of a meteor and a glacier. He was frozen solid, caught with an expression of horror on his face. This seemed only to be the beginning, as the two elementals rushed to different parts of the sacred temple, plundering and destroying all they came across...
Chaper 5: Insanity
Zero, in his private chambers at the top of the Temple, quickly recieved the news of the elementals destroying his home. He, the strongest single-element Seraphim ever known, would not stand for this madness. His power had almost no extent, but judging from these elementals' power, he couldn't just create pawns to destroy them. He had to use everything he had, in order to completely CRUSH these impudent fools. Of course, there was Last Resort X, a move that was only to be used in dire circumstances. Of course, it would require a sacrifice. But no, he wasn't going to go with that. It was too risky.
Taking his Death Sabre, Zero walked out of the vaulted room with dire savageness in his crimson eyes. His mask materialized on his pale white face and he flew off the 500th landing.
On the 129th landing, Zero found the Ice elemental clutching at a Seraphim's throat. Zero cast a bolt of fire energy at the Ice elemental. He dropped the Seraphim and started fading away. Zero placed a powerful sealing spell on him, so that whoever summoned him could not do so again. Infinity, appearing from nowhere, glanced at what Zero had done, and then suddenly stared in dread.
"You...used the Spear...Did....you not...?"
"I did. Don't worry; we have plenty more uses left. We'll seal up the other one eith the same amount of extracted power so that it'll only take up a small portion of the spear's power."
"Oh...I see...All right, fine. Do what you will."
The Seraphim twins flew down through the central vent. On every landing, every floor, every passageway, was remainders of the carnage that the elementals had wreaked. Lifeless bodies lay pinned to the walls, swords were scattered everywhere, icicles were poking out of the once beautiful marble-tiled landings. Now they were bare splinters, completely eroded by a flash fire.
They found Thestalos on the 3rd landing, killing everything in sight. Thestalos appeared to have gotten stronger from the last little skirmish with Kelveros, which proved to be bad for the Seraphim twins.
Really bad.
He sent a pillar of fire at the Seraphim, which knocked them into the crumbling wall of the wide hallway. Then Thestalos charged into them, leaving a trail of fire. Infinity found a chance to counter and struck the elemental with an ice sword. The elemental's adamantine armour started dissolving slowly. Zero regained conciousness at this time and used the Spear seal again. Infinity, though he still knew that his brother was about to use the seal, still seemed quite shocked. Then they went on to find Kelveros.
Kelveros was lying on the fiftieth floor, black sparks emanating ominously from his cracked SoulCore. Infinity rushed to his side and used the healing spell, Niveus Cascade. Kelveros quickly regained consiousness and was dazed at the amount of destruction before him. The elementals who had destroyed this marvellous piece of architecture were stronger than he thought, but in his heart, Kelveros knew that Seraphia Temple would rise again, like a pheonix from the ashes, but it was going to take a lot of work.
Chapter 6: Resurrection
Rebuilding the temple took shorter than everyone thought, three days to be exact. The casualties were in great number- 102 soldiers dead and 124 wounded, and 50 civilians wounded. The Temple was now more glorious than ever- its half black and half white gloss, its decorations of silver and gold, its flags bearing the Seraphian emblem (an orb with six wings, a hammer, a sword, a star, and the Seraphia motto, Justicia est veritas)
and the large vaulted windows. Anyone could believe that the temple had never been destroyed. Zero lay in his chambers, recovering from the strain of the past four days. His head suddenly started spinning, and he had a vision...
Zero's Vision
Zero and a woman were standing on a balcony, gazing at the dusk sky. Two teenagers were behind they, a boy and a girl. The boy had wild black hair, silver goggles and a black robe with gold trim. The girl had on a tall cylindrical hat, a short skirt, and a gold -trimmed black shirt. Zero actually had his mask off, his pale face white as snow and streaming black hair blowing in the gentle breeze.
And just like that, the vision was gone as fast as it began. Zero was puzzled- who was the woman? Who were the kids, so similar to himself? All he could do was wonder... He would have to ask Infinity after he got back from the patrol in the forest... And fell into a troubled sleep.
In Emerald Forest, Infinity was patrolling for any remainders of Dis Manibus' army. One general, a Pyromancer 1st Class, saw a black shadow darting in and out among the trees. The general, called Magellan Neos (This will be important in the storyline later!) said,
"Lord Infinity, sir! There is a black shadow among the bushes at 294 degrees."
Infinity scanned around him. True, there was a darting shadow circling them. Infinity willed up his power and summoned an electric spell, Paralysis Telum.
The shadow stopped in its tracks and fell, causing a small thud. Infinity levitated it up to find that it was a girl of no more than seventeen. The girl was by all means a rogue, with a tight black shirt, tight black cargo pants, and black leather boots. Her hair was pink, and she would have passed for royalty, if she was not human.
Infinity, usually not so cold-blooded, acted as anyone should have in a war. He ordered a Legionary to pick her up and head back to the Temple for questioning. When Infinity's party arrived, Infinity went to Zero's chamber and found Zero sleeping on the obsidian four-poster. Zero, almost as if detecting someone there, woke up instantly.
"Infinity! When did you get back?"
"Zero, we have a prisoner. She's being held in the Per Cella."
"She? What in the name of Celestius is going on?"
So they headed to the Per Cella, and there he saw the girl chained to a wall. It was the woman he saw in his vision, it had to be. So he took a deep breath and adressed the girl.
"Wake, daughter of the earth. Humans are not very common here. So, who are you? What is your business here?"
The girl's head moved, and spoke with a clear and confident tone (Her Seraphian was very good),
"I'm Miranda Blackrose. My family was killed and I've been wandering ever since. I was in the forest when Whitewings and a group of you winged people found me. Whitewings did something-"
"Arcane arts, human," Infinity interrupted.
"-that involved a lightning bolt and I was knocked out. Then somebody brought me here and chained me. Happy?"
"Ah. So what exactly killed your family?" Zero pried.
"Some guy in a gold mask with a gray cape. Why do you want to know?" Retorted Miranda.
What rebellion! This is one human indeed..., Zero thought.
"Give her a room. She might be of some use in the future," Zero commanded a Legionary Centurion.
"Sir, so you commanded, so shall it be," replied the Centurion. And so he went away, performing the act.
Chapter 7: Night of the Ancients
Zero retired to his chambers early that night. He thought about the present events going on. He had a gut feeling that something would happen tonight...and then he drifted into sleep.
"Zero, my son. Arise."
Zero was standing in a vast, empty space. To his amazement, the Lord Seraphim Celestius was standing right in front of him. How could this be? Zero thought. He was half of Celestius, and therefore should not exist in the same dimension as he...
"Yes, Lord?" replied Zero.
"I am here now from a different dimension-"
I knew it! thought Zero.
"-to discuss with you of the coming danger that will soon come to Seraphia. You see, there is an ancient prophecy that is long forgotten." spoke Celestius in his clear, melodius tone that was a combination of Zero's and Infinity's voices.
"I may know of this. Is it not 'When Light and Shadow meet as one, incant thus, and let the fight be won:
Res of Corios , exsisto existo ex umbra. An socius ex a recedentia flung universitas dico vos. Veneficus quod Technology opportunus ut unus vis : suffragium nos.'?" inquired Zero.
"Yes. There is a human whom you must meet from the world called Earth. He is the Heir, and now Lord, of Chaos, of Allandria. I exist there as the previous Lord of Chaos, Xenos. Pass the prophecy along to him, for you, Kelveros, and Infinity must soon fight alongside he and his comrades against the Lord of Order and Dis Manibus, who are, in essence, one and the same."
"I understand, Lord. I will do as you have instructed," replied Zero.
So Celestius vanished from sight. Zero was then transported to another empty void, this time without a floor. He saw a human teenager floating in front of him. His armour was white and gold with a staff with entwined snakes. Zero chuckled lightly. The human suddenly spun round, and spoke.
"Who are you? Where am I?"
"Lord of Chaos... Do not be concerned with my identity yet. You will not meet me for several moons in either of our worlds."
Zero floated closer to the human, and then spoke.
"My name, if you must know, is Zero. And as for where you are... I do not know."
The Lord of Chaos blinked. Zero continued with a small grin.
"Don't worry. You are not going insane. This phenomenon has been caused by the barrier between our worlds wearing thin. I come from another dimension to you."
"So I will meet you in reality at some time in the future?"
"Yes. And possibly some others of my race."
Chaos smiled and held out his hand. After a moment, Zero took it.
"Until we meet again."
"You should know one more thing before I leave you to your thoughts. My whole being has seen the world you reside in currently as one that...you are familiar with. There is a prophecy you should know of which none now remember."
"Please, go on."
"It is this:
When Light and Shadow meet as one, Incant thus, and let the battle be won:
Res of Corios , exsisto existo ex umbra. An socius ex a recedentia flung universitas dico vos. Veneficus quod Technology opportunus ut unus vis : suffragium nos!"
Zero shone, and so did the human. They flew back to their worlds, and Zero woke to find the bright light of morning shining in his bright scarlet eyes. Was it all a dream? Zero thought. It seemed so real...And yet he felt that it really was all true.
Chapter 8: Dis Manibus's Theory
"Zero! Wake up!"
Zero groggily clamboured out of bed, still wondering about last night's premonition. Who really was the boy? How could one so young be a Lord of Chaos?
"Hmph, Infinity? What time is it?" asked Zero.
"It's 7: 32 AM. I've just recieved a message from Dis Manibus, asking Kelveros, yourself, and I to meet. We're to arrive at the Altar of Meeting on Border Helios at 8 AM," replied Infinity.
"If we leave now, we can reach the Border by eight. Let's leave."
Zero's gold-trimmed black bathrobes disappeared, and in their place appeared Zero's sleek obsidian armour. Zero and Infinity then went to Kelveros' chambers, which by an odd reason were right beside Miranda's.
Zero rapped on the door once, but Kelveros was already up. He said,
"What now? Can't I have some peace?"
"No. You must come right now, and it's very urgent. It concerns Dis Manibus and Celestius," Infinity replied.
Did Dis Manibus and my brother both have the same dream? And what of Kelveros? thought Zero.
So they took the back way out through Kelveros' window. They flew at an amazing pace, around thirteen hundred kilometres an hour (which is also 1300 K's on Earth, the speed of a fighter plane) and reached the border ten minutes earlier than expected. Dis Manibus was already there, in a golden mask and his signature twilight grey robe. His voice was quiet and calm, almost as if having a casual conversation. He said to Zero and Infinity,
"Ah, Atticus, Sonorus. How nice that you could make it. I see you brought Kelveros.
"As you two probably have experienced the very same premonition about either the Lord of Chaos or the Lord of Order, so have I. I will not stop at anything to destroy you. The prophecy shall not be fulfilled; I will kill you both. But as of now, I am not sure we can trust these other-dimensional beings. Are they really us? I'm sure you feel the same."
Zero replied in a harsh tone, "I will not die. I am sure of that. But I am also sure that I can trust Xenos. Who would not trust themself? It is not a puzzle, or even a minor question. I can trust myself."
Kelveros replied, "I've also seen another Seraphim in my dream, except he had golden armour and twelve wings. He told me about the prophecy, and I will do all I can to stop you."
Infinity kept silence through this whole conversation. He wasn't sure who not to trust. But Zero had a point- Celestius, or Xenos, was Infinity and Zero's whole. And as Infinity was pondering, Dis Manibus spoke once more.
"Trust who you will. I will only be disappointed when you die from an alliance with an extradimensional being that has twelve wings."
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