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kors -> Chronomancer (4/13/2013 1:06:43)

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Chronomancer


Table of Contents
Prologue: Epoch
Chapter 1: Back Then




kors -> RE: Chronomancer (4/16/2013 20:39:24)

Prologue: Epoch
He did it. Kor had won the war. The massive command ship began it’s unexpected descent into Loreon’s atmosphere. With a sigh of relief the pilot slumped in his chair and gave control over to the autopilot. In a few more hours hopefully this ordeal would be over in full.

Stray pieces of metal followed his ship on reentry, turning a bright orange as they began to burn. The ship was not too far behind. “Autopilot, land somewhere where I can see the Shadowscythe ship crash safely,” he commanded.

Other Shadowscythe ships and mechs fell from the skies along with their commander’s ship. The tide of the battle had turned away from the massive fleet that had decided to invade. It seemed so long ago that the first scouts of these strange alien beings first arrived in Loreon space. After that, things steadily moved on to war and more war.

The moment a large cliffside perfect for watching the end of the Shadowscythe mothership came into view Kor got up and began heading to the front entrance. He wanted to see it end without any obstructions to the destruction only moments away. It was not even too far from Soluna either, allowing what few people still inside the city to get a decent view of their victory.

Fire and metal filled the skies as the freshman student watched the beginning of the end of the war. The large mothership crashed into the ground with a resounding thud and ensuing explosion. It was over.

Kor shifted his chair to a more comfortable position and closed his eyes, hoping to get a moment’s rest in the chaos of the last few hours. Or was it days at this point? Either way it felt great for him to finally rest after all this.

A sudden roar filled the air, anger and pure unbridled hate dripped from every word, “You have already lost!” Faintly in the background of the roar several other words echoed across much of the universe, “Urgent Notice: Doomsday device activated. Countdown to destruction... 10.” The imposing figure of the injured Valoth rose up the cliff face, bearing the scars of their recent battle.

The young man’s eyes widened in shock. He leapt from the command console of his starship and made his way to the front exit. His laser blade activated as soon as he grabbed the hilt of the finely crafted weapon. His mechs all were in a state that would be virtually useless in a fight after the damage the entire ship suffered, not once but twice now, leaving him with only on-foot weapons at the moment.

***


Somewhere inside the cargo bay of the large starship a lone egg shifted ever so slightly. The creature growing inside had waited to leave that ancient cave for ages. It knew something important was happening around it. Strange vibrations woke it up at odd intervals, the steady warmth of the cave had been replaced with fluctuating heat, and the calming familiarity of it's invisible companion was gone.

More vibrations rocked the egg. "What is going on? Is it almost time to hatch?" the egg's occupant asked the shell around it impatiently. It began to wiggle and squirm in it's protector's embrace, thinking the had come.

A sudden chill stopped the early hatching quicker than it had begun, something had it's eye on the egg and it's occupant could feel the gaze. Whatever it was that had turned its gaze to the egg in the black box also evoked a feeling of familiarity. Perhaps this being would tell the unhatched creature what was going on, and more importantly when the time has come.

The egg could feel itself, and the box it was trapped in, move. It was the second time in the last day that something had moved the box, telling yet again to the egg's impatient occupant that these events were important to it. Like with the first disturbance, the being inside protested. Only after a faintly familiar pulse of magic came did it stop to think of what had decided to manhandle it's box. The one who had brought the boxes to the cave an unknowable time ago.

***


Doom. That was all the dark-cloaked figure could use to describe the events and their inevitable results put in motion. A satisfying end to a universe that, in the end, was more trouble than it was worth. Little time remained yet, leaving even less time for the entire reason for this campaign to come to him.

Many times have they come across the fruitless universes where the items they searched for had either vanished entirely from history or never existed there at all. And each time the end came, and the champion had been killed for their failure. But this one bore fruit, two of them had been left behind and slowly are making their way to the Stranger.

No one had seemed to care about his presence on this world, making all the easier to slowly corrupt the ones with the potential to be a threat. He had done this to many would be heroes, making them into pawns and allies, that at this point it was more a game than a challenge. Spending day after day doing nothing more than enticing heroes to buy the dark items he could produce gave him all the information he needed, and eventually guaranteed victory.

The sound of footsteps in the now empty city told him victory had truly been guaranteed. The exiled princident of this troublesome world proved easier to turn than his father, and more loyal and skilled. In his blind quest for vengeance he had sought the former friends and allies of his father, and turned away each time. A perfect pawn in the end.

As he drew closer it became obvious that the fallen royal carried only a single box, not the two he promised to bring. "Another failure in this universe too, it would seem," the Stranger thought as he moved towards the prince, "But I can work with this... Oh yes I can..."

***


Emptiness surrounded the servant. Raw unused potential everywhere. A beautiful emptiness, and his master hid in the very center. The Void was to be the final hiding place of the eggs, or so the master had said.

A piece of strange stone drifted by, away from the center at an odd pace. Other things drifted by at a similar pace and even more different ones, something was happening. "Once more, they have won? A shame that this failure is to be,” it said as it drifted closer and closer to the “location” his master still hid in.

***


Pieces of sand dripped from the dragon sitting in front of the almost identical, but noticeably larger, dragon. The Hour glass resting in the center of the smaller dragon was slowly cracking, ending the timeline housed within. Something of immense power was resetting the reality without the full knowledge of the consequences, but not them.

Others streamed in slowly, each showing the signs of temporal decay. “Time to start anew..., I am sorry my children. Once more should be enough to end this endless dance...,” the larger dragon said as it noticed the loyal demon that had served Him for many of these pointless cycles. “Things spiral towards their inevitable fate. Heroes, Villains, Pawns, Kings, all have their place. All fall to irrevocable destruction,” it spoke as the gathered dragons deteriorated beyond recognition.

An item that had been hidden for ages now had returned. Only one returned, and now it was too late for the Hope of time to be complete. Hour glass after Hour glass shattered and turned the bodies of the dragons who housed them into the golden sand. Timelines ended then, waiting to be returned to an Hour glass Heart to begin again.

The last dragon stood over the ash-like sands and sighed, “So much effort, so much time, all wasted...” He turned towards the strange demonic being carrying the black box. “How does the egg fair? What of the white box and its egg?” It questioned the demon.

It blinked its single, massive eye at his master, "The boxes were separated when I found this one, my lord." The demon placed the box at the edges of the large rock the grand, green and gold Dragon had made his roost upon in the near empty expanse he had hid away on. “Time was becoming unstable, enough so that I found it difficult to track either box’s timelines. At this point however, I will never be able to find the last one.” The lone orange-red eye turned towards the pile of golden sand floating in the emptiness.

The sand sparkled ominously, waiting for it all to begin again. It had remained in place for the short conversation, but was now starting to be pulled by the various winds of the Void. Time was of the essence now.

With a whisper and a short huff, the sands shifted to a more distinct shape. It all clumped together in front of the large dragon to await his next actions. A calm filled the infinite emptiness, giving a strange feeling of apprehension to the demon. Not a single noise came from anywhere, this dead silence only added to the calm.

A clawed hand reached up to the sand to determine their fate. Inches from the nearest grains of the golden sands the dragon hesitated. "How many times have I sat through this now? The cloud seems so much thinner than it did at the beginning," he finishes what he had started and touches the cloud of sand. It bursts and separates into several vague shapes. The dragon's eyes looked to the demon, still holding the black box. "Make me several Hourglasses, Oikea Hetki, and be ready for the purification."


***


Kor awoke with a start. The grayish metal roof of the deck of his ship stared back at him, flickering in and out with damaged lighting. When did he find his way back to his ship? Faint echoes of footsteps narrowly beat the buzz of the faulty wiring. “Someone else is here?” the Star Captain muttered to himself as he stood up, “Did Warlic not send me back far enough?”

A quick look around proved that statement was wrong. The ship had a beating quite different from what was there only hours earlier. Faint evening light leaked through the broken windows, giving much of the gray and silvery metal an orange glow. “Is someone there?” a voice shouted from further in the back of the ship.

He instinctively reached for the ornate laser blade he had bought only a little while before the final invasion, only to find air. A quick look revealed why.

His attire had been replaced with the surprisingly anachronistic robes he wore when he met with the others in their new universe. Back in that Lore the robes had radiate a strange magical energy that helped him fight on an even playing field with that monster, but here their power seemed weak.

More footsteps came from the hallway his "visitor" sounded like he was in earlier. Whoever was in the ship did not seem used to being stealthy. Silence washed over the ship as the stranger came close to the entrance of the deck. "Show yourself!" Kor said as he approached the hallway.

The stranger hesitated for a few seconds before finally letting out a sigh and walked into the room. Neither seemed to know how to react to the other, preferring a confused silence to asking each other the questions bubbling in their minds.

Standing before Kor was a strange man. His skin was a dark shade of gray, with white hair that only contrasted his inhuman features. A pair of pale green butterfly wings fluttered nervously behind him. They both studied the other, trying to figure out why the other one was here.

The stranger was the first to make a move after overcoming the initial shock. "Is this your ship, human?" he asks looking over the large vine-like weeds that ran along the walls from the windows, "Impressive, even if it is a hunk of junk at this point.”

“It...,” Kor hesitated to answer, after all shouldn’t he be the one asking the questions? "It was. Who are you? What are you?” He pointed at the wings on the man’s back to emphasize his last question.

A curious look appeared in the stranger’s eye, “You’ve never seen a Wind Elf, human? Hmph, guess you’re one of the ones who never left their world?” He relaxed slightly as he spoke. "Well, I guess that can't always be helped. As for the first question... my name is Alearon. And you?"

Alearon watched Kor expectantly as he waited for his answer. "Kor," the Star Captain said, "My name is Kor. I've been all over the solar system, so I have no idea what you are talking about. Never once have I heard of a Wind Elf.”

Realization dawned on the Elf. “So... You’re one of them as well. Heh,” Alearon whispered in disbelief as he closed his eyes and shook his head. A faint smile, almost bitter looking, and turned towards the way he came, “I do not fully understand it myself, but you are not the only one who have appeared under such odd circumstances. Come with me and I’ll see about where you’ll end up staying and your rations. I admit not everyone has liked the surge of people in the last few days but what can we do?”

He looked around one last time and then moved towards the exit. A disappointed look told Kor he did not quite find what he was hoping for in the wreckage. The lights gave one last dying flicker and ceased to function. “I thought I had a few years more on the power cells here...,” the Star captain commented as he followed the strange Elf. The natural hum of electricity that filled the ship quieted. It was disquieting to Kor to even be near this newly dead ship, the one which had carried him so far in the last few months.

As they walked into the cargo bay, Kor noticed one thing missing that should not have moved. The black box was gone. The one thing that doomed Lore and it’s allies was now gone. Whether by it’s hatching or someone taking, it had vanished. That unnerved Kor greatly as he looked at the spot he had placed the ancient box not that long ago. He looked at the elf and asked, “Did... Did anyone else come here? I just noticed something of mine has, well, vanished.”

Alearon looked back at Kor with a puzzled frown on his face. “Hm... I don’t recall anyone going to search this place earlier today. And your ship only showed up... lets see was it two days ago? Or was it three? Either way it has not been around long enough for most people to even try to search it yet,” Alearon replied, “Or perhaps what ever brought everyone here did not bring your missing stuff with? Reality is not very stable around here anymore after all.”

Kor gave the empty spot one last glance as he headed out into the unstable world he had been thrust into.

***


Before the Dragon of Time now floated three Hourglasses filled with the golden sands of time. Their glow gave an eerie light to the emptiness. Despite the number of times he has seen, and created, such objects they always put him on edge.

The Oikea Hetki turned towards the god sitting before him, “Are you sure this is the correct path? A single mistake with gamble will mean the end of you, my Lord, can you not be more cautious?" The demon watched closely for the reaction of his master, over stepping his bound like this was quite unusual and it still had yet to fully gauge his master's temperament.

"I am as unsure of my choice as you are, fate and consequences are not my domain," the dragon chuckled. Another laugh brought the pair’s attention to a new arrival, his laughter echoed unnaturally in many different voices.

“I see you have not done your duty very well, my friend,” the entity with many voices said, several of his voices still laughing. “I have not received the all souls you have been promising me for far too long...,” an Hourglass began moving towards the manifestation of the visitor, “Perhaps this will be decent payment for your debt?”

A black, clawed hand grabbed a handle and stopped its movement to the mass of primordial energy the god had chosen to take as his temporary form. The demon drew the Hourglass, the golden sand slowly trickling down the glass. It eyed the god with distrust as it place the Hourglass back in it’s original place, “I am sorry, but this entire timeline just can not drop dead. Especially ones that are to be my master's weapons." The glare it gave to Death was enough to tell the god that the demon did not care for any potential consequences that would come about.

"I would have to agree with Oikea Hetki, Death," the dragon moved a green claw in front of the demon, "They are to serve us both. My debt to you will be repaid in full by their actions, as well as the other two Hourglasses.”

The other god jumped at the poor wording of the Keeper of Time. “Then do I not have a right to teach them to pay back your debt? The ones that came before have all failed to change much, whether that is their own or the one who gave them their knowledge and power matters not. A different teacher may serve them well enough,” once more a Hourglass floated through the nothingness to the god. The dragon frowned but did nothing, and the Oikea Hetki stood there silently looking at his master. “I am glad we came to an agreement at last...” it chuckled as it vanished with it’s prize.

“Are you sure we should have done that my lord?” Oikea Hetki looked at the god apprehensively.

The dragon turned to it’s servant, “Perhaps not, but at this point what other choices are there?” Both of the remaining Hourglasses moved closer to the green Dragon. The golden centerpiece on his chest and vanished.





kors -> RE: Chronomancer (4/16/2013 20:41:53)

Chapter 1: Back Then
Over the last few hours Kor and his strange guide had passed into the ruins of Tibattleonia. The city seemed almost exactly as the former Star Captain remembered. It amazed him at how little of the city had changed, yet everything else had seemed to age by an impossible number of years.

The large ruins of a large shopping mall housed most of those who found their way to the ruined city. Kor remembered coming there once on a family vacation a few years ago. With the chaos and turmoil of the last year, could his friends and family have gotten sent to this weird and broken Lore.

Inside dozens of people were at work fixing the moderately damaged building to the best of their abilities. Humans, Drakel, Elves, and Moglins all were at work. Many of them took no notice of the two as they entered to the ring the automatic doors were programed to play. Those few that did turn to look all seemed to know the Wind Elf.

As they walked Kor counted the various people he passed as they walked through the recovering community. Alearon looked in the crowds too, but he had a more specific goal in mind it seemed to the man walking behind him. “I admit, it is not the nicest place yet,” he said as he turned back to Kor, “But it is a fairly stable roof over your head with some nice weather control. Come winter and this would likely be one of the better places to stay if we can keep it powered.” There was a slight hint of hopelessness in his voice, only barely there to Kor.

The sound of the pounding of hammers and metal echoed through the various former stores that filled the shopping complex, along with the sound of the occasional power tool. Only an occasional voice called out for something other, giving the already somber location and even sadder mood. "Should I have stayed with Warlic and the others? " thought the former Star Captain, "perhaps if I stayed I could have been better off."

They approached the center of the first floor of the building, filled with dozens of those running the forming community. Supplies and potentially useful bits of rubble were gathered around the center of large plaza. The remaining items from the shops had all found their way to this place and were being handed out to a large line of people by another Wind Elf.

She looked very exhausted, even from behind, yet she seemed to focus on helping those lined up before her. Alearon seemingly noticed this too, “Sweetie, you gotta take it a bit easier. You can’t keep this up.”

In an instant, she turned to Alearon in surprise. The long silver locks flowing down her back were swept up in a sudden whirlwind, filling the air with a familiar energy. “Oh!” she said as the brief winds died down, “You’re back! Did you find anything useful in the ship?” A hopeful look came on her face, as well as everyone who was listening to the couple’s conversation. She moved to get a better view of his back, to the backpack he had carried since he left the ship. The hopeful look died when she noticed the human accompanying her love, “You can’t just keep bringing in every lost soul you find. There is a limit to everyone’s patience and how little we can afford to give out.”

“Every new body here means one more person who can help us rebuild too,” as he said this an idea popped into Alearon’s head, “Here, he can even take over for you and let you get some rest. You could really use rest. Isn’t that right, Kor?”

The suggestion came as a surprise, to both of the other parties involved, but Kor managed to hid his surprise well enough that both Wind Elves might not have noticed. He put up the best smile he could, “Yeah, get some rest. I’ll be able to handle this, I think.” He began looking over the large stacks of supplies as Alearon lead the tired Elf away.

***


Green grass and a gentle wind greeted the two covered in black as they entered the fledgling timeline, their very presence rending the timeline in two. “A necessary risk, the time will soon come for the next stage of this dreadful war,” thought the large stopwatch-like demon. The plains it had arrived in was filled with the faint trace of magic perfect for hiding the black dragon box and it’s inhabitant until it was time to hatch.

The keepers would soon find their way to this place and take their charge. They were the Dragon of Time’s ingenious idea, mortals manipulated to guard the two things most precious to their master. The right to protect the eggs was not the only blessing bestowed upon them, the gift of a connection to all dragons was also given to them and their kin. Their role was too important now to give up to the changing of reality, and so they were the only ones in this timeline spared of the cleansing given to the other occupants of these timelines.

Straining it’s one eye Oikea Hetki began to scan the horizon. She had to be here, there was no where else she could be. Despite the lack of any features to reasonable hide a person behind for several miles, the one he was searching for was simply not there.

***


Even from inside the cramped space the feelings of his carrier came to the unborn inhabitant. The world around him had been constantly changing since that first stranger in a long time came. It agitated the egg, it made him want to hatch now!

He could tell that there was something important going on, something he was a part of. Why else would there have been such a drastic change in the environment? It was the only conclusion that the young mind could find, and it liked that idea.

A shiver went up the still forming spine of the dragon. A new presence, both familiar and not. He remember this one’s presence from the days before he could collect his thoughts as he does now. At the same time, the feelings of anxiety and worry began to fade from his carrier, vanishing as the other being drew closer.

Their voices barely penetrated the thick layers of both the box and the egg shell, rendering it all but hopeless for the dragon inside to make out. Both of their voices soothed the agitated dragon, lulling him back to the deep slumber he knew so well.

***


The shop the two Wind Elves had taken as their replacement home had been cleaned up nicely since they had moved in. They shared the decently sized shop with another family, another group of Wind Elf refugees. Alearon and his wife, Bree, walked in only to find that they were alone. Not even their son was back yet. “Still out hunting, huh?” Alearon asked.

“Once again, he changes the subject before he gets called out.” She glared at her husband for even trying it. “We already have too many people here, I made it clear less than a week ago! The mall may have a lot of the necessities, but we are running short on almost everything now,” Bree paused to gauge his reaction, hoping it would be different this time.

A weak smile and a shaking head was all he gave her. “We can’t just let anybody fend for themselves, not with the way things are now,” Alearon said with the smile still glued to his face. The same response as before, the same as back during the first parts of the Shadowscythe’s invasion. Back then they had been able to afford it, but now they have almost nothing.

Bree sighed in defeat. There was no amount of arguing that would change his mind. He did not learn then, and certainly he would not learn anytime soon. But that was part of why she married him. He would go to any lengths to help those in need. If only they still had what they had back then.

Her husband picked up on her change in mood and began insisting that she get some rest. How long had she been working on keeping it peaceful? She had not been keeping track, lost in her work as she tended to be. The plain, salvaged mattress comforted her as she thought of those peaceful days when rampant heroics did not cost them everything.

***


The southern edge of the city was proving to be an excellent hunting spot, teeming with decent sized game. For the last week it has proven to be perfect for what they needed. Stuck with using only the well stoked, and much easier to reproduce ammunition for, bows.

As the one Elf among a group of Drakel and Humans who seemingly had grown up expecting Elves to all be masters of the bow, Sulem seemed to disappoint them if only because he was not able to hit a fast target. But he truly excelled in tracking, detecting shifts in the wind that most non-Wind Elves would miss.

This skill had brought him to his latest target, a lone Frogzard that had managed to stray too close to the indispensable cover the ruins provided. He pulled out an arrow, quickly inspected it, nocked it, and aimed. From the second floor, he had an excellent vantage over the poor beast.

Excitement caused his ruby-colored wings to flutter. It would be his third kill if he played his cards right. He looked over the still fairly unfamiliar beast, remembering where the others had fired on similar creatures. “Dra’sual shot there, Ryas here, or was it that spot?” he debated with himself as he watched the animal wander around in circles through the sight.

After almost two minutes of mental debating, he decided on what was to be his arrow’s destination. He let the arrow fly, watching for the decisive moment with a hand already preparing for the chance of failure. It struck, and the zard released a startled and pained cry then fell. It was dead, or at least not far from that fate.

He rose from his position and began heading for the stairs. Time for him to rejoin with the others. If everyone else had managed to bag a kill, than it was a good hunt. If they kept this up, perhaps they could rebuild their old world in a few years.

Such thoughts made him smile as he glided down the hole in the floor. It would be good to come “home” with the spark of hope burning bright. Letting hopelessness in now would doom even the strongest of those here. He looked up into the evening skies, seeing what looked like a meteor blaze in the orange light of the setting sun.

Sulem blinked. Perhaps it would be a ship, even if the outside was a wreck the crystallized Dragonfire in the engines would be incredible useful. He pulled out the walkie-talkie he and the other hunters had promised to use only in an emergency. “Sulem speaking. Guys, do you see that large fireball in the sky? It looks like it might land close to Tibattelonia. What do you say the odds are that it’s a ship? Over,” he releases the button as the large meteor grew larger and larger.

For almost a minute there was silence as he dragged the carts full of his haul. He was starting to wonder if anyone else had actually turned their radios on. Sulem sighed, if anything did happen to him or the others no one would hear it. It was already dangerous enough that they were wandering around a heavily damaged city, but now they did not listen to each other's words.

***


The Stranger tore at the boundaries between universes, clawing at the very fabric of reality. From the nothing that had been made grew something that he and his kin found interesting. An entirely new universe. Perhaps success would follow him to this one as well.

As the last few barriers to his entry gave way, he felt his power fade. He was emerging into a world polluted by energies hostile to one such as he. “A shame that the emptiness grew such impurities. The ones that came before did not have such impurities,” the Stranger thought as he formed his new body in this impure world.

He drew the egg with him as the gap began to fade. It’s purpose has been fulfilled for the moment, and now it was time to wait. The pieces would all fall in place in time.




kors -> RE: Chronomancer (4/21/2013 21:34:14)

To be replaced in time with rework of story.




kors -> RE: Chronomancer (4/27/2013 15:04:51)

To be replaced in time with rework of story.




kors -> RE: Chronomancer (5/4/2013 2:02:09)

To be replaced in time with rework of story.




kors -> RE: Chronomancer (5/17/2013 18:21:57)

To be replaced in time with rework of story.




kors -> RE: Chronomancer (5/28/2013 17:50:45)

To be replaced in time with rework of story.




kors -> RE: Chronomancer (6/1/2013 15:16:46)

To be replaced in time with rework of story.




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