Category: Poetry

Among tendrils of light I drift endlessly. They touch my flesh with warmth. The warmth sears through darkness encasing my entire body. A coldness dissipates. Each tendril bursts into a flurry of light blinding me. I hear a voice telling me. Get up. You have much left to do.

I sit up coughing like when someone wakes from a fevered sleep. I rub my eyes clear and stare at a spinning ceiling fan. My side aches so I press my hands against it only to find clean bandages. I attempt moving but my body doesn’t have enough energy. These shallow breaths of mine echo throughout the bedroom. Suddenly someone knocks on the door.

“General Niteblade are you awake yet?” asks a man with a soft tone.

“Yeah. What happened?”

“Well,” the man opens up the door and places a gun to my throat, “We want to know that too. Do you remember anything?”

“Just when we took out our target. We were cleansing the remnants left behind. I gave a prayer to the target so the souls could separate. The soldiers gathered up the corpses based on our prior orders.”

“Your only job was to eradicate the sinful town. The alchemists had the Endarkened under control. I must ask,” he readies a charge into the barrel, “did you let your soldiers know the orders given to you by the High General?”

“Never. They have no reason to know how evil our organization is. Where the fuck are my men?” I yell so loud that my chest starts heaving.

“Among the light above. Your regiment came into Dragacia through the Forbidden Path. The guards were attacked by your men because something chased them through the Forbidden Path. I reached the battle in time to see two Endarkened fighting until the death. Five of your men tried to stop you but you didn’t recognize them. The rest I have no clue. A burst of light swallowed up everything and everyone there except you.” the man tosses his gun on the ground.

My side starts burning with more pain. The stranger takes a pair of scissors out of a cabinet, cuts off my bandages, uses a eyedropper full of water on the area, and dresses the area with new bandages. He writes something down in a book then flips back a page. I start breathing easier after he did that. I stutter a few words and slap the guy.

“You knew the man who taught me medicine. His notes speak extensively about the mark on your chest.” The young man pushes back his glasses. “We owe him a lot. The thing on your left side is a new mark. A mark of light. Your body is caught in a war between the two forces. From what I can tell your dark mark progressed completely turning you into an Endarkened.” He laughs a little then a glare shows from the corner of his glasses. “You still fought against another Endarkened though. After the explosion of light you gained your mark of light. Honestly there is no need for me to monitor your vitals any longer but the High General made you my foremost responsibility.”

“Ah he gave me a babysitter. Wait you said I’m fine? I can’t even move!”

“Oh that is my doing. You see,” he gives me a smile, “I’m a doctor with little battle experience. If you went out of control I’d be a helpless victim. I hypothesize that there are triggers for the marks and wish to prove it. By drugging you with downers and narcotics the variances should be dulled down enough that only strong triggers can create noticeable results. You are my test subject.”

“Bring on the first test then. The sooner we finish this the sooner we can help others. I don’t trust you but I can’t really be picky.”

He picks up the gun and twirls it in his hand. While whistling the doctor shoots a bullet into my right shoulder. I scream out loud but strain to keep my eyes on the sadistic doctor. He smiles at me. My body shivers from the blood loss. The doctor closes the door after he wheels in a table of surgical tools. I stare at him alarmingly.

“Don’t worry I’m a doctor. . .”

“But it was you who shot me!”

First of all I’d like to explain what this is. I wanted to create a universe for my writing. Originally I tried something new but it lost the human essence, the ability and will to survive. So I thought about parallel universes with a significant variable that allows magic (alchemy).

The variables end up getting the names Maji and Ooze which try to maintain balance between many parallel universes. One universe ends up siphoning the Maji and Ooze from another. Universe A lost its alchemical capability to Universe B making Universe B highly alchemical. I picked Universe B for my writing because the imbalance it causes could be catastrophic.

History wise it is hard to assume the absolute effect. I believe the understanding of this type of alchemy would require vast scientific knowledge. People will attempt to understand the phenomena with many beliefs. Most religion we know still ends up being made. The difference is Maji and Ooze give birth to our collective dreams and fears making new realities.

By the time we see the Holy Roman Empire rise there are millions of myths in existence. They begin a Mythicide in an attempt to protect their empire. The popes back then were mostly terrible and when they learn what alchemy could do they betrayed Christianity. Alchemy allowed them to advance their empire.

They reach the Americas way before our history did. Passing themselves off as gods the Senate made the Americas into their holy land. Rough understanding of the alchemy made them mix bones from the Mythicide with human blood in a fountain creating the Fountain of Youth.

Ultimately humanity revolts against the Senate. They win by shear luck then rebuild a better society. A World Government (WG) ends up being made to protect the interests of everyone. 2450 is the year the WG arises. Four people get appointed the leaders of the world who all have access to a Mist Well (a pool of Maji and Ooze with mysterious alchemical powers.) The Mist Wells exist in towers called Time Reciprocals (TRs).

– These stations are made after a war nearly obliterated humanity. Great alchemists rule over each one. The Reciprocals operate more like territories. Lady Xycea rules the Southern Reciprocal, Lord Gahl rules the Eastern Reciprocal, Lord Lethean rules the Western Reciprocal, and Lady Elizabeth rules the Northern Reciprocal. They all claim allegiance to the World Government. –

• 2583 – The Northern Time Reciprocal (NTR) started conducting scientific experiments previously outlawed by the World Government.
• 2585 – The Southern Time Reciprocal (STR) took action when the WG refused to investigate. A sleeper cell was left in the NTR to find any evidence for the STR to use.
• Fall of 2586 – The NTR discovered the sleeper cell and publicly executed the members showing the world that the NTR doesn’t fear the WG.
• Summer of 2586 – Heavy tariffs on the NTR was all the WG could do. The STR rioted and Xycea prepared her army.
• Fall of 2586 – Gahl of the ETR met with Xycea to discuss better options. A war would only lead to an imbalance in power. Xycea agreed that they needed to do something else. Gahl proposed that they should infiltrate the high ranks of the NTR’s army and see if they can access the data. Data would help them not fall behind in a new technological era.
• 2593 – A man of ETR’s special ops made it to the position of General. He discovered the wealth of data known as the Army of Light. The NTR prepared an army of genetically humans that can only think with a hive mind. Xycea and Gahl refused to do the same.
• 2600 – The NTR assaulted the WTR with their Army of Light. Lethean banished the creatures to a subterranean prison by using his alchemy. He told the NTR they’d need to try harder. The WTR never retaliated further.
• 2608 – Xycea started research into less scientific things. She believed the Mist would cater those who ascend into it. The NTR called the ascension the Army of Darkness. Science versus faith.
• 2613 – Notes about a new experiment conducted in the NTR found its way to the WG. They asked the ETR, STR, and WTR to eradicate anyone involved with the experiment. The NTR surrendered the scientists behind Project Phoenixheart.
• 2677 – Citizens start rioting over the apparent immortality of the Four Alchemists. Elizabeth hides away at the NTR Mist Well. Xycea admits that the Mist Well tampers with her body more like a curse than a blessing. Gahl admits the truth too. Lethean gives an announcement that he doesn’t know anything except that he hasn’t aged for more than a century.
• 2701 – A scientist named Saker discovers ancient texts about the mists. He begins studying it. There are extremely long mathematical formulas for the creation of a Mist Well. He creates one under a temple in the ancient city of Jerusalem. The Time Reciprocals couldn’t detect it because of seals placed in the temple long ago.
• 2768 – A few dozen people start having dreams about the temple. They form a secret society searching for what they saw. Three find their way to Saker who has been in a coma for months while in the Mist Well. They save Saker who unconsciously explains the Mists over the next week. He wakes up and resumes his duties as the temple’s caretaker.
• 2828 – The three and Saker gain a sort of immortality from the Mist Well. A nearby city bearing the ancient city’s name finds itself with an abundance of crops and rain. Saker begins experiments with the Mists but accidentally attracts the attention of Xycea. The STR sends a special ops group to destroy Saker’s Mist Well and burn the notes. Withdrawal should kill the four who drank from the well. Saker actually saves them with a reservoir he made in case the well is found.
• 2875 – The NTR keeps watch after they heard of the STR involvement in Jerusalem. Elizabeth offers safe haven if they’d help her. Saker agrees for the three other but refuses to go with. They thank Saker for the data he gave them about the Mists then leave to never return.
• 2903 – Every user of alchemy saw a prophecy of a child who is a Mist Well. Newborns are tested for the trace elements of the Mists. Saker calls the elements Maji and Ooze. He separates the two elements creating their pure forms. They all keep researching into the concepts.
• 2927 – Saker creates both a Maji Well and an Ooze Well. Elizabeth visits and offers a few scientists to aid Saker but he refuses. The WG holds a summit regarding the future. Every reciprocal has an equal amount of the Army of Light and the Army of Darkness creating a powder keg situation. Xycea and Elizabeth admit that the armies have gone rogue.
• 2935 – The WG begins systematically eliminating the two armies. After what takes three decades they’ll achieve relative peace.
• 2967 – A forty year summit is held again. They discuss what the remaining members of the armies are doing. The NTR says the genetic experiments haven’t been found in any city. The STR says the ascended are making villages in mountainous regions between the Reciprocals. At the end the WG decides if the armies aren’t in conflict nothing further can be done although the NTR needs to fix their mess.
• 2997 – A decade before the next summit the NTR reclaims all of the Army of Light. The STR recreates the Army of Darkness and convert the Mist Well into a world tree. Saker’s students find themselves with a choice of staying with the NTR or withdrawal. They try to leave but Elizabeth lock them in the Mist Well until they are all in comas. Saker is blackmailed into helping the NTR revive Project Phoenixheart.
• 3007 – The summit marks the start of an economic war. The NTR and STR argue which makes the WTR and ETR abandon them completely. Gahl receives a letter from Saker asking him to check the Elemental Wells if an impossible eclipse occurs.
• 3025 – Project Phoenixheart creates the Larthans, sentient beings made from alchemy. Saker tries to kill them by drowning them in the ocean and thinks he did. Elizabeth exiles him and turns his students into gems of raw Mist energy that can be used like a nuke. She blows up New Jerusalem to display her strength.
• 3045 – An impossible eclipse occurs over the ruins of New Jerusalem. Gahl and Saker head there to find the Elemental Wells creating something. The cries of a newborn echo through the ruins. Gahl takes the child to a wealthy family in ETR to be raised away from the violence.
• 3047 – The summit is called off due to violence between the NTR and the STR. An Army of Light regiment attacks ETR making the situation for the child Desnei worse. The aristocratic family leaves Desnei in the care of their maid and abandon ETR for WTR. They die before reaching the other Reciprocal. Their maid and Desnei survive the assault with the help of the Army of Darkness, Saker, and Gahl.
• 3055 – STR captures Saker and forces him into doing the Mist Trials. They create four Black Demons by erasing the souls of children. Saker traps one in the facility and the other three said they only answer to the Mistwalkers.
• 3060 – The Time Reciprocals declare the Mist Wars which disbands the WG. No raid on a TR occurs for a while. Saker begins teaching Desnei about the Mists who can use alchemy as easily as anything.
• 3063 – Desnei falls in love with the NTR Diplomat visiting the ETR. They stay together for three years in the NTR then the Army of Light starts searching for members of the Army of Darkness. In an attempt to flea Desnei sacrifices himself. And on that day the Mistwalkers (Larthans) warn the world that they need to stop killing each other.
• 3067 – Desnei awakes at the Elemental Wells where Saker awaits him. Unsure of everything they decide to seek out the Black Demon in the Labyrinth. He warns them that Elizabeth and Xycea are close to becoming Heralds of the Fade. They make a deal to stop fighting if the Black Demons are sealed away within four years.
• 3071 – After they finish their end Xycea had Saker executed atop Al’Aqsa. Elizabeth searches for Desnei but never finds him. Desnei assumes a new identity and begins work under the NTR’s military.
• 3079 – The regiment Desnei is in gets sent to reclaim Saker’s labs in the deserts. When they destroy the Elemental Wells there was a surge that made Desnei lose control. He made a fire nova spreading across the whole desert creating a massive glass rose. Elizabeth decides he must die so she has a massive missile created.
• 3082 – A test of the Mist Seeker self-destructs laying waste to NTR. Elizabeth uses the Mist Well to save everyone. She turns into a lich ruling an undead city underneath a Mist barrier. Her undead citizens see an illusion that makes everyone look alive and unaging.
• 3089 – The Mistwalkers tell Desnei about the Hellgates created by Heralds of the Fade. If all thirteen open the Fade Guardians will seize the Earth. Desnei fails all of them except the last.
• 3094 – Radiation from the Mist Seeker radically changes the environment. Gahl used alchemy to raise the ETR into the air on a spire of rock before the ocean could swallow his city. STR ends up where Antarctica used to be and the Mist Well freezes with Xycea in it. She turns into a lich too and converts her citizens into her slaves. She waits for Elizabeth to break free from the Mist bubble because all she cares about is their eternal grudge.
• 3100 – Gahl seals Desnei in a vault when Desnei requests it. The Mistwalkers say the choice is wise but something must be done about humanity. They reeducate humanity for generations upon generations.
• 5020 – The Larthans disappear entirely allowing civilization to start again in a mysterious new world.