Desert No More

Verity's vision was abruptly cut off. Her soul awakening in that of body, not mind.

The double moons were up now, illuminating the sky with that of the evening sun. Their light shone through the darkest of tenebrosity, providing a glimmer of hope for those scuttling upon the soil.

A mixture of curiosity and fear scoured her thoughts. Verity felt shaken, despite only witnessing seconds of Eiden's wrongful path to doom.

Not knowing what to do, she blinked open her eyes to the visage of a lone wraith glancing at her with a ponderous face.

The shadow-like body and ghastly appearance seemed to darken the night. It moved its hand towards Verity with unclear intentions.

Feeling her primal instincts kicking in, Verity snapped at the inquiring wraith; her teeth missing it by just a lonesome inch.

Seemingly uncaring, the wraith looked on. It's glowing red flames only staring, never looking away.

"I was sent here to aid the demigod named Eiden. But you're not Eiden... are you?" Questioned the wraith.

Verity could only look on in confusion.

"As it appears... nor are you demigod; I wonder,  what are you truly? A wyrm? Or... something else entirely?" 

The wraith's eyes peered on, "Have you too the weak metal stability of Eiden?"

It seemed to analyze her for a time, before saying, "...Oh, then, 'tis a shame; it seems you're but an empty husk of only the worst traits as inheritance."

Verity felt her lips tug into an ugly scowl, she knew better than to get angry; but she couldn't help herself, "You bastard! I'll show you stupid! After I tear off that smug face of yours!" 

Verity snapped at the leering wraith with all her might. A smile of satisfaction appeared on her lips as she neared the wraith's confident visage.

But to Verity's horror, an invisible force held her down, short of a centimeter from the chuckling wraith. The wraith looked on in amusement, the first emotion it had shown since appearing before Verity minutes ago.

"Oh... such ignorance; that of yours, dear little wyrm." It spoke.

"A weak mind does not relate to intelligence, it shows your avarice." The wraith corrected.

"It shows that you have attempted to advance before your time; to which, Eiden, did quite often." 

"But then again, Eiden was very intelligent... And you're her empty shell. What do you think that means? Little wyrm." The wraith showed no emotion; but one could tell. There was an interesting sort of care deep in its heart.

Verity looked on in anger, ready to retaliate, but bit her tongue and held it; sticking with a simple question, "What do you want!?" 

The wraith tilted its head in an inquiring manner, "I want a lot of things... but what I want right now, is to be assured that the world rests in good hands; to which, I'm still not assured."

The words that left its mouth weren't clearly directed at Verity, but Verity knew enough to understand that they very much were. She started to shake in anger; her mind was still in absolute chaos. 

"Oh, do not feel insulted, you can't change the fact that you're incompetent... some people are simply failures."

Before Verity could retort, the shade speedily grasped onto Verity and lifted her up. A comedic sight to see as Verity was, at the least, ten times bigger than him.

One would think his intentions would be to take Verity away from this barren desert of death. To bring her to a city of luxury and train her to be a true hero.

Sadly, contrary to common expectations. The shade instead tore open her stomach with the viciousness of a rabid wolf and pulled out her most vital mana stone.

Dropping Verity upon the hard desert floor, the wraith tossed the mana stone up into the air and caught it as it fell back down. A devilish and bone-chilling smile shone on its face as it crushed the stone into dust; sprinkling the remains on Verity's petrified visage.

"The contract." The wraith rambled, "A detailed doctrine dictating my every move, written for two years under the watchful eyes of the world's finest professors-." The wraith stopped for a moment to add a bit more emphasis on what came next.

"-Never said I couldn't maim Eiden's successor and leave them to die in a heartless desert as food for the crows." 

"While they did say I couldn't kill anyone affiliated with Eiden, their minds were mostly focused on the safety of their precious beacon of hope and they oh so conveniently forgot to mention that tiny, tiny detail." The wraith's face was that of pure ecstasy, the red flames dancing upon the black canvass of night.

"Did you know? Those too trusting feel the cold, clammy metal of the hidden blade." The shade gloated.

Verity coughed up a miniature pool of blood, "I do know, I know it all too well."

"I wonder... Can creatures of darkness get scars?" Smirked Verity, a serrated spike launching out of the sand and piercing through the wraith's left eye.

"You fool!" Hissed the wraith. "I'll be taking your eye now!" It cried as it reached out for Verity's left eye.

A bad play on the wraith's part as contact with the eye began to melt its hand off. Hastily jerking back its burning right arm; shadow dripping off into the sand, the wraith snarls,

"Well played, wyrm, well played. Too bad you won't make it out of this desert alive; you might've made an admirable opponent." 

Snapping its fingers, the wraith vanishes into the darkness. Each breath cursing Verity's existence.

As the wraith departs, a dim light shines throughout the desolate waste. The morning sun finally rising into the sky, signaling the night's end...

Though, blood leaks from Verity's crippled body; a constant stream, feeding the parched desert sands. With no mana to close the wound, Verity begins to feel very lightheaded.

Life, fading from her eyes, she harbors only one regret; not being able to repay for her mistakes.

~~~

Planets are obliterated as two gods vie for dominance. As one god lands a blow on another, millions of helpless mortals are needlessly slaughtered.

Turf wars between gods are becoming increasingly common without any sign of the prophesized godking. The gods are restless and many agelong wounds are being reopened.

They're desperate to elect a new ruler... too desperate. The hopeful are easy to manipulate, easy to bend to one's will without them even knowing.

They're in just the position that The Acclaimed Pretender had intended. The perfect way to ascend to the throne.

Stepping in to resolve the fight, The Pretender walks up to the weaker of the two gods and snaps his neck while he's distracted. Using his stolen power to show strength, the most important trait of a godking.

He displays his golden light to all the onlookers. A preserved finger that Eiden had discarded during her prime in that of another life.

As an added show of power. He rips off the head of the other god as well, dying instantly, for he couldn't resist The Pretender's sheer power.

The spectating gods cheer out. Such brutality is rarely seen among gods nowadays, it shows strength.

The gods, are infatuated with him. Should he keep this dangerous charade up, it'll only be a few years before he's crowned godking.

The Pretender cracks a smile, announcing, "No god can match my strength! For I am the divine known as Eiden, the one destined for the throne!" 

The gods go silent. They shuffle around and whisper amongst themselves, as if contemplating the veracity of his words. 

The silence is broken when one god finally cheers out his stolen name. This sparks on the rest, and soon, every god within a few years travel is chanting his name.

He stands glorious before the crowd of gods, rasing his fist up high. As if to scream, "I signal change, I signal peace!"

The gods are desperate to elect a new ruler, too desperate. So very easy to be manipulated.

Soon, The Pretender shall become that of The Pretended. Soon, shall all life be annihilated by the avarice of one god.

~~~

Fighting for her life, Clara tried to push back the snickering monsters. Their faces showed only humor.

Though it didn't turn out as planned, her allies had already abandoned her. Having fled for their petty lives.

The monsters advanced on Clara and she was forced back into the Great Desert. If this continued, it would certainly mean her end.

Her sword dulled with every strike landed and her prized shield was in tatters. Clara refused to relent though, her father needed her, her brother needed her; they would starve without her.

With renewed vigor, she stabs one of the monsters in the heart; killing it instantly. Sadly, such an attack had left her open to the other five.

They slice through her arm with their sharp claws, causing her to let go of her sword. Now, all she has is a broken shield that won't last another hit.

Clara fell to the ground and cowered behind her shield. Closing her eyes, she prepares for death; her family would have to survive without her.

But the fatal blow never comes. She opens her eyes to see the creatures fleeing, already disappearing into the near forest.

Wondering what has changed the course of history, Clara pushes herself up from the desert floor and looks around.

She turns to see a giant wyrm, towering over her and salivating from the mouth. It's eyes shone with that of a feral hunger.

The wyrm let out a terrible and ear piercing screech. Its mouth hovering over Clara, the wyrm snaps its jaws shut.

~~~

Awakening in the dream world as her body bleeds out on the desert floor. Verity lets out a long sigh.

This life was never meant for her... Why did she think it would last? Why did she think that the gods were giving her a chance to repent?

It was foolish of her, and now, all she can do is watch as her new life fades away into an ocean of death.

But a hand extends through the abyss, glowing in false radiance. It's grasp, offering a second chance.

Full of desperation, Verity reaches out and grabs the hand; sealing the pact.

Verity hears laughing all around her, the hand she grabbed is now shadowy flesh.

"What?..." Verity says, confused.

The laughing continues even louder now, pulling her further and further into despair.

A fragmented voice rings throughout her head, "I thought you were smart! Hahaha! Now drown your own despair so that your soul is extra tasty!"

Creatures of Stygian darkness rose from the depths of Verity's mind, reaching for her untapped soul.

So many hands. Attacking. Soul cracking. The darkness leaks in.

Falling. Crawling. Desperate to get away. Nails digging into shunning shadow.

Pulled back. Pure white. Tarnished grey. They feed.

The white, nearly gone. Only despair remains.

The remaining embers. Dying. No wood to spark fire.

A fleeting light. Off to the distance. Shining through the darkest of darkness.

Pain throughout, death about. The devoured, reaches out.

Absorbed. The darkness is held at bay. Verity prepares to fight.

A spear of yellow light. Slicing apart the dark. Flying. Piercing. One. Two. Dead.

The white. All gone. Only yellow remains. The black. All gone. Only yellow remains.

"Ahh! Why you-!" Roared the darkness as it was pushed out by the yellow light, seldom a spark left.

Eiden stood besides Verity and seemed to smile. Her form was no more than yellow light.

She turned to Verity and spoke, "I leave it all to you, my legacy." 

Verity looked back, shocked. But before she could reply, Eiden was gone.

In her place, a wisp, flying straight into her essence. Such marking her soul forever yellow.