The Dawn of Chaos: Part V
With the technological war between Corroria and Eridaan underway, the three kingdoms fighting for control over the two major continents of Eartheia, and the forces of light and dark fighting a seemingly never-ending war, it would seem that all hope is lost for peace and stability in the world. In the meantime, with Valeron's forces getting desperate in their fight against two fronts, the grim sorcerers began to plot something new... Something that would surely give the forces of darkness the advantage once again.
They heard whispers... Whispers of the past age, whispers of ethereal beings who once fought for Nemorok. All things led to the sealed realm of Ages, a timeless realm that feels both the past and future... A realm as real as today, where both the past and the future are woven into a singularity of time and space. All roads lead to one destination, one realm... The Plane of Ages, where the blight of Nemorok and the aura of Aranel continue to emanate. To commune with such champions and once again possess their will and their power, one side in the Great War will surely be unstoppable.
Through the recent pilgrimage of the lost Eumidia to Euphrascia, word would reach the Avengers of the Dawn of the Legion's plans to commune directly with Nemorok. This, the Avengers could not allow.
The scholars of Euphrascia, with the knowledge they had of the Legion's plot as well as with assistance from Aenoria, managed to open a portal to the Plane of Ages. With the portal open, they connected directly with Frionia and spread the word of the Legion's plans. It was in Frionia that plans were made to protect the Plane of Ages, and to commune with the great paladin Aranel in this time of need.
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"Where are our knights? We cannot delay while the forces of Valeron seek to call Nemorok," inquired a worried arbiter.
"Miss Lightstrider," a templar replied, "We must be sure of our plans, the Plane of Ages must not be desecrated, even for our cause."
"Please call me Vynna, I don't like to be associated with the Lightstrider name, it is false for I know not my ancestry," said the arbiter.
The arbiter then combed her long brown hair with her hand, looking at the ground obviously remembering something that deeply troubled her. Adjusting her armor baring the insignia of Frionia, she put her hand on the great sword on her back and looked forward with an expression of determination.
In a steadfast manner, fixated on the glowing disk to her left, Vynna declared, "Then I won't wait, I will enter the portal and do my duty for all that is good in this world. I refuse to stand by as the warlock returns to Eartheia."
"No, you can't go alone!" the templar exclaimed, incapable of stopping Vynna from progressing to the portal.
Looking back, Vynna called, "I will return when the plane is once again sealed from our realm."
With that, the arbiter took a long step forward, vanishing into the whirling portal.
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Stepping into the Lucid Plane, Vynna stopped in awe of the magnificent realm before her. White light permeated the realm from all directions, images of great structures fade into view and vanish to be replaced by new visions. The ground was a flat plane of glowing energy, no details could be distinguished. Behind Vynna was the portal to Frionia, no longer a swirling vortex of light but a snapshot of what existed on the other side. To the right existed a similar portal to Euphrascia, and ahead existed a brilliant vortex with what appeared to be an array of stars with a black disk in the center. This was the entrance to the Plane of Ages.
Slowly taking steps forward, Vynna approached the vortex. She could sense an aura of death, becoming stronger the closer she approached. Eventually reaching the vortex, the arbiter stopped and considered her options. The Plane beyond was obviously under the influence of the Legion... What option did she have but to take that final step forward?
Taking a deep breath, exhaling slowly to prepare for the battle ahead, Vynna took that final step.
She plunged into a dark void, this was obviously not the Plane of Ages as she believed. She was attacked by those she could not see, held in place, incapable of turning back or progressing forward. A warlock within the Plane of Ages became aware of the new connection to the realm and destabilized the portal before Vynna entered, trapping her in his evil grasp.
Vynna heard a crackling voice inside her head... "You will die, now..."
"Oh no, I don't think so!" she retorted into the vacuum, drawing her sword, "Come and stop me!"
A shadow of a hand progressed toward Vynna's throat, choking her. She raised her sword and chanted a spell with the breath she had, creating a node of light that dissipated the shadow. She grasped her throat and breathed quickly to regain her stamina, hearing a laugh echoing through the realm.
Suddenly the plane started to shift, spiraling toward a center of increasing gravity. Knowing her situation was desperate, she raised her off-hand and conjured a blinding ray of light, focused on the center of the growing vortex.
"You will let me through!" Vynna commanded into the darkness.
The vortex started to ripple, dissipating into the void. Everything became distorted and eventually a new realm became visible to her. A massive complex materialized with the vision of a galaxy hovering overhead. Vynna made it to the Plane of Ages.
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Before her was a group of revenants, specters, and warlocks, looking upon Vynna with a mocking disposition. Her battle seemed to have gotten the attention of those now in control of the Plane. Knowing that she was outnumbered and trapped, the minions of darkness cackled and shouted what were probably insults in an unfamiliar language. Kneeling and disoriented, Vynna looked at the onlookers with a far-off gaze. She made a mistake, the realm was more heavily protected than even the Frionians believed. She had no escape and knew that something terrible was about to befall upon her.
As the minions taunted the arbiter and advanced slowly, Vynna frantically creeped backward toward a statue of Aranel, where she stopped and prepared for a battle that would surely be a lost cause. Just as the group was almost upon her, a portal materialized below Vynna, causing her to fall out of the realm. The minions rushed ahead to catch her, but the portal dissipated before any of them had the chance.
Vynna saw the plane dissolve before her eyes, and then lost consciousness, not knowing where she was going to end up.
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It was not a lost cause, however, for after Vynna left, the templar called for aid. A group of paladins organized and rushed into the portal, not soon enough to catch Vynna, but quickly enough to confront the Legion before all was lost. An uneasy balance between light and dark fell before the Plane of Ages, as a new struggle emerged for influence over the realm. This would become the primary goal of either side, both seeking the power and wisdom of their past leaders.
... And so the world was left to conflicts. Chaos had befallen Eartheia once again, and there was no sign of peace for the confused and suffering world but a slight glimmer of hope from within the shadows. |
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