The Dark Era

A bunch of protestants crowded the city entrance, with slogans like- 'Welcome to the dying city traveler.' 'This was the site of Humanity's beginning and this shall be their end too.' 'The Emperor is worse than Dohhrams.'

This was quite a common sight for Zoffri who frequently visited the capital, but he felt they were just wasting time, as protests like these won't make a change. They had to do something different.

His train of thought was broken by a beggar, "Kind young man, please spare me some change."

Zoffri ignored his pleading and moved on, the beggar looked quite dejected. But he couldn't help him now. The small act of kindness would not be liked by others. Either they would want money for themselves or the richer ones would have him shaken up for providing money to the lower class.

He noted the place where the beggar was and hastened towards the Emperor's Castle.

The Castle was situated on a hilltop at the edge of the Capital.

He stopped by a Doji-seller,

"Is this pure Eisen or artificial?"

The seller smiled, people rarely came out to buy in early winter mornings. And a customer was always welcome.

"This is pure, my lord."

The seller handed him the flask made of Moonlight because only it could store pure Eisen.

Eisen was the Iron Doji, and it turned anything it touched into iron.

But, only a Dryyker could store the Dojis inside their body, even the Pure ones. And use them.

"It will be a two-hundred Copper-Rings."

He handed Copper to the seller and resumed towards the Castle.

The path in front of him was blocked by Lord Thenel's carriage.

He ran towards the carriage, the guards behind the carriage stopped him when a familiar voice said,

"Let him come, he is my friend."

The guards apologized and let Zoffri go.

Zoffri nodded and ran towards his friend Joff. The only son of Lord Thenel, Joff was a Crime-Hunter but unlike others, he was the one who judged the criminals and not the Old-Senile Emperor.

"When are you going to finalize your marriage with Xenia?"

Zoffri turned red, and the Moonlight engagement ring on his right hand started to feel warm.

Joff laughed, "I ain't forcing you to hurry, but make your decision quickly."

"Once, I have got all the money ready, I will finalize it."

Joff was well aware of how Zoffri was getting the money, in the end, he was the one who had caught him. But, he didn't disapprove of his ways.

"Do you know why the Emperor has called us?"

"No Idea."

Xenia grew impatient, 'why hadn't they come yet?' she wondered, as her servant approached,

"Madam, why don't you rest for a little bit? They must be on their way."

But Xenia couldn't help but feel restless. 'Why would the Emperor call for every Drykker in the Country?'

The door opened with a bang as Joff greeted her with a grin, Lord Thenel followed him.

The servants welcomed them and offered some Sheng to them.

"How was your day sis?" Joff asked as he sipped some Sheng. Feeling rejuvenated after the long journey.

"It was fine Joff, so what happened in the Council of Dryykers?"

"No idea, I slept through all of it."

Joff bend towards her and whispered, "Must be some serious stuff. Father hasn't spoken once since the Council."

Xenia looked at her father, but he ignored her.

A servant approached them, "My lord it feels like a storm is coming, should we seal all the gates and windows?"

Lord Thenel didn't reply to her question, so the servant's head turned towards Xenia,

"Yes, close all the windows except the one in my room facing the Nier tree."

The Servant nodded and did as ordered.

Joff said, "The Storm of Winter has begun, people are saying it will be worse than ever before."

"It's early isn't it?"

Joff nodded.

Xenia asked,

"Father, why don't you rest? You look tired."

"I have rested enough daughter, it is time that I get ready for what is to come."

Xenia didn't know what her father was talking about, but she knew whatever it was, it was bad.

The wind had begun roaring, it seemed like the house wouldn't stand the angry winds. Xenia muttered a silent prayer to the last god Sivanand.

The beggar cowered under the shack beneath the tree. His shack wouldn't stand for long, today might be his last day. The sky thundered, he heard a commotion from the street behind, and the noise was moving towards him. He heard a thud from a rooftop, he looked at the rooftop to see a silhouette, it was the silhouette of the famed Black Burglar.

Gold coins were shot in front of him, he hurriedly grabbed them and checked if they were real gold. They were. He gave blessed the young man.

The same happened with other beggars and poor living in the areas nearby.

Zoffri chuckled, as he jumped from rooftop to rooftop.

People thought Gumi was a useless Doji. It gave the Dryyker's body properties of rubber for a said amount of time.

The thrill he got from the chase was unmatchable. Using Gumi was fun.

He used Kun mid-air, creating a blast of wind, giving him a perfect landing.

He ran in the direction of Lord Thenel's mansion, using a combination of Gumi and Sheng he jumped higher and swung from the clock tower like a slingshot.

It was true freedom.

He landed inside Thenel Mansion with a splash. He approached the Nier tree and started climbing it. The climb was quite difficult because of the rain. His bruised fingers ached, yet he climbed. He finally reached the branch overlooking Xenia's room. He leaped straight from the branch to the silk carpet of her room.

The room was well lit by Molnia lamps(the technology was more magical than Doji itself. Molnia is the electricity Doji, while Pure Molnia is Lightning. The technology utilized the heating property of Molnia, Where Eisen or any other metal gets heated until it starts glowing. It was very cheap too.)

He groaned as he landed face first. Xenia stood over him,

"Why can't you enter through the gate?"

"Because you expected me to enter like this. Why else will you leave the window open, despite the storm. Also, it is more fun and dramatic."

Zoffri stood up, while Xenia drew him closer and kissed him. Zoffri kissed her back.

"So how have ya been?"

"I have been fine, but what about the council? What happened there?"

Zoffri's face turned stern,

"You would not like to know."

Xenia smiled, "But, you won't be able to hold it away from me. Will You?"

Zoffri shook his head, "I can't."

He asked her to sit on the mattress, while he seated himself.

"I am going outside the walls with ninety-nine other men, including your father and brother, and twenty-seven other Dryykers. Our objective is to protect the Prince at any cost and help him perform the task emperor gave him."

Xenia stared at him in disbelief, not only the Emperor was breaking the law of gods but was also risking the lives of hundred men, including Zoffri, father and Joff.

Xenia held back her tears, Zoffri hugged and assured her,

"Don't worry it will all be fine. No harm will come upon me, and if it does, your father and brother are always there to save me.

I promise that I will return alive."

Xenia gave him a weak smile,

"But can't you say no?"

"If I could, I would already have."

***

The crowd at the walls was somber. People were trying to stop their loved ones from going but it was of no use. Zoffri's mother was a wreck.

An old lady tried to calm her down.

"Don't worry, our children will come back alive." But her assurance wouldn't secure anyone's life.

The gates shuddered as, for the first time in the history of humanity, more than ten men marched outside the walls.

Xenia was just standing there amidst the crowd. She could do nothing but pray for everyone's safety.

The land outside the walls was barren and empty with no signs of life except for mosses, which grew on the red soil. The land gave a foul odor of rotting corpses. While the sky was a dark hue of violet, which seemed to cast a glow.

The army moved at an astounding speed, it was being led by the prince. But the tactical in charge were John and Lord Thenel.

Lord Thenel was a changed man, from a fallen Lord he had now become a commanding military general.

Hours passed yet they encountered nothing, The rapid pace seemed to have slowed down, they were supposed to return by the next dawn. The soldier felt bored, and all the thrill and excitement had vanished.

The army came to a halt when they encountered the bones of dead gods. It was a wondrous yet creepy sight. Lord Thenel ordered the army to keep moving as they were nearing the destination.

In front of them was a colossal creature, the ground vibrated around it as if it was snoring. When the army came closer, they realized how disturbing it looked. It didn't have any facial features, instead of that, there were circular rings in ripple formation. And in place of skin, there was iron.

The prince approached it with silence. But before he even could blink, the Dohhram grabbed and swallowed him.

Panic ensued. The soldiers went in different directions. Horses went astray, some got crushed under the stampede. Many tried to make their escape, but suddenly a beam of fire turned them into ashes.

The army froze, they were unsure for what to do next which ensured their survival.

Out of nowhere, a raspy cry of pain echoed throughout the land. Few courageous ones turned back to face the source of noise, just to witness Lord Thenel shooting Molnia Bolts at the Dohhram, and as each bolt hit cries of pain followed them.

Lord Thenel shouted on top of his lungs,

"Surround the Dohhram, charge from all sides with Molnia Bolts."

The Ancient Texts had said that Molnia was fatal to Dohhrams.

The Dohhram rose, its lower half was missing. Yet it still towered them. It was taller than every single building in the Empire.

The Dohhram slammed its hand, crushing men beneath it. And then grabbed Commander John, the ripples folded inward, creating space for it to swallow.

Zoffri prepared for frontal assault, but not with Molnia bolts. The way he had thought was more raw.

He took out his daggers and made a cut above his wrist. Blood wrapped his left hand. He drank a flask of Gumi, and then used pure Eisen stored inside his body.

He jumped from the galloping horse and bounced towards the Dohhram.

The Dohhram slammed him back on the ground, but Zoffri used it to his advantage. His body absorbed most of the shock and used the force to get on the same level as the Dohhram.

He used Eisen on his left hand which was covered in blood, which made it as hard as iron and then used Molnia on it. Shock ran throughout his body, but he endured it. He elongated his left arm and punched the Dohhram right in the center. A dent was formed at the point of impact, and a scream of agony was heard.

Zoffri fell on the ground head-on, and a few Molnia Bolts hit him at light speed on the way down.

His vision had started to blur, and his head ached. Breathing became a pain. His left hand had been ruined. His consciousness was slipping away.

'So this is how I die. Without killing it, without fulfilling my promise, without saving anyone, without doing anything.

NO, I will choose my own death, I will die for something. I WON'T die like this.'

'Others are putting everything they have on the line to fight, while I am playing safe.

People are dying around me while I am on the ground, unable to fight.

I won't let them die in vain. I must be ready to sacrifice everything I've got too, or else we all will die.'

Zoffri searched for the Sheng Flask on his belt, just to realize it had been shattered. There was no way now that he will live. Sheng provided speed, strength, and health.

Lord Thenel grabbed Zoffri and seated him on the horse.

"Have you gone mad? Charging at a Dohhram head-on."

Zoffri didn't have the strength to speak. He grabbed Lord Thenel's Sheng flask and gulped it down in a second. Strength resurged, the pain lessened, and minor wounds healed.

He whispered something in Lord Thenel's ear. Lord Thenel was shocked.

Lord Thenel shouted at Zoffri, "No Zoffri No, there must be another way."

But it was too late, Zoffri had already begun the execution of his plan.

Thenel galloped towards the Dohhram,

"Have you forgotten me?" He roared.

The Dohhram let out a guttural roar and grabbed Thenel in a sudden attack.

It chuckled, and said in a raspy voice,

"No I did not forget you, how could I? I was just busy dealing with the fodder."

Thenel smiled, "Or maybe you were afraid to confront me? When three people can cripple you, you fear what a hundred men can do."

The Dohhram crushed Thenel harder, his insides started to crush.

"You think an army of mere humans can kill me? Don't you remember the death of your wife and friend?"

Thenel laughed, it was laughter of insanity.

"A person who can write his own death isn't a mere human. Even the gods weren't capable of that."

The Dohhram chuckled, and said, "So, you have written your own death?"

Thenel didn't respond. The Dohhram flung him across the battlefield.

Zoffri broke the moonlight ring, tears filled his eyes, while Eisen flowed inside his blood.

"I am sorry Xenia." He muttered before jumping using the combined power of Sheng and Pure Gumi stored inside him. It was stronger than artificial Gumi, but in less amount and got used up faster.

Suddenly the Dohhram looked up, and the plan of humans began to settle in.

Beam of fire erupted from the Dohhram's head towards Zoffri.

Zoffri tightened his right fist, as it grew as large as the Dohhram's face.

Pure Eisen made the fist harder, Sheng increased the mass and Molnia created a current around Eisen.

He used his right arm as a shield against the flames. But it wasn't enough to stop the flames from consuming his body.

He started to use his blood, which contained small amounts of Dojis.

He used Ken to create a blast of wind.

And punched the Dohhram with his right fist.

In one fell swoop, only a headless Dohhram remained which too fell on its back. The men had already moved away.

Not far from the corpse of Dohhram, a motionless body lay on the ground too.

Joff hastily went towards Zoffri. Aside from his face and right arm his body had been burned completely.

Joff sat beside Zoffri. Millions of times he tried to wake him up, but if was of no avail.

Lord Thenel approached Joff, his chest was bleeding badly while his left arm and right leg were completely ruined,

"It is fine son, let him rest now."

"You call this fine!" Joff lashed at his father, "Zoffri is dead. Why didn't you do something to stop him?"

Lord Thenel did not reply, just looked down.

Xenia eagerly waited for the soldiers to arrive.

Zoffri's mother was there too, chatting with the old lady she had met last time.

The Iron Gates shuddered, the people crowded the gate to see if the one they were waiting for had returned, the guards held them back but with difficulty.

The injured ones entered first, they were greeted by their loved ones. But instead of having a nice talk with them, the injured were rushed towards the nearest medical centers.

The ones who only had minor injuries entered next, dragging carts which had the bodies of the fallen. Nearly all the living men looked morbid.

Xenia looked for Zoffri, but he couldn't be found. 'He must be hiding to surprise me.'

Her father entered teary-eyed with her brother behind dragging a cart.

She ran towards them, and Zoffri's mother followed her.

"I am sorry Xenia." Her father cried.

Lord Thenel was in a pitiful state, begging her daughter for forgiveness as tears flowed from his eyes.

But Xenia didn't hear, she went to Joff in hopes for answer. But he kept silent.

Zoffri's mother had already burst into a sob.

Xenia hesitated for a moment, but unveiled the cloth.

She gasped.

Zoffri was dead.

The old lady who had supported them was crying too, her son was Commander John.

Everyone here had lost something, even the living ones.

Xenia started crying too. Zoffri's word echoed in the back of her mind.

Zoffri and Xenia both were looking at the starry sky when Zoffri said,

"You know, some people say even the stars die."

"I know that everything dies one day."

Zoffri chuckled,

"You are wrong. You see there are some people who can't be killed. Their bodies can be destroyed, but their memories are like stars shining bright in the darkness. But unlike stars, they are truly immortal. Their names may be forgotten, their faces shall change. But their legacy can't be erased from the history of mankind.

And these people remind us every day, that not all is lost and there is still something to live for."

Zoffri was dead, but in a way, his death had given life to the millions who were yet to come. He had revived hope.