Celeste knew not what had come from the depths of their capital city. For Centuries, a single voice groaned in the grief of a past overshadowed and lost to time. Forgotten there beneath the grand historical Clocktower rested a restless soul. Trapped, left to dwell inside the vessel of a snake. The ancient Imperian garb that once clung skintight had long since withered to rags. Rags withered to shreds. Shreds unraveled to strings and those threads became dust. Nothing remained within the dim darkness of his chamber. Nothing to retain any morsel of warmth within skin that once glowed against the scorching southern sun. How the myth of a man longed to see daylight if not to feel it’s magnetic rays just once more. The only thing that provided heat was the fires of spite and regret that spiraled inside his bare and scarred torso. For he had known that freedom would come so long as he clung to his last breath. His lungs had held silent and still. How many moons had passed since he had lost his life? Even with the vibrations of the ever-ticking hands that moved down and up the tower, It was all too easy to lose count of each second, each minute, and every waking hour, as his eyes had lost their battle to the Gods of night terrors.In the beginning of this seemingly eternal imprisonment, he could count the chimes of each twelfth hour, yet such a thing left him relentlessly hopeless. Though he writhed in agony, shackled by the chains of a magical timepiece and caged by invisible bars that seemed to turn like gears. With all his might and for the longest time he held onto the beliefs of vengeance. Using every ability within his being to break free of this existence. Seeking justice was a vision faded although not ever forgotten. As if it were possible to obtain such a thing after all that had been taken from. Love. Glory. His lineage… Within a blink of an eye, a man as powerful as he once was, was unable to save everything that gave him meaning.
To admit defeat, true defeat, quite possibly for the very first time, his body became numb yet his mind only festered with the immense guilt of being unable to prevent what had become fate. Even if he had not been able to notice the cracks of the barrier, His heart would still never waver. And regardless of this, his orbs never swayed from the faces rotating inside his skull, throbbing from the fluorescent and neon lights of a startling and almost frightening kingdom unlike any other. The face of one of his two captor’s hardly crossed his psyche as the scene swallowed him whole as if he had found himself castaway, at the mercy of a hungered Gasheel as if it were an execution. To which his stomach felt a hollow pit yet a strange feeling washed over for just a moment in time. While his body seemed to have been froze, everything around him seemed to spin beyond the laws of nature. Things he had yet to understand moved before him. Things he had no knowledge or name for. The eyes of passersby beamed in awe at his foreign form, keeping their distance as they ought to mind their own business as this naga would soon discover that imperians were never seen outside their borders. Their stares were only drawing him out of the trance caused by the lights, cars, an array of noise, and bizarre castles that seemed to stretch straight towards the high heavens. Blinking, an omen of green aura glimmered across his irises, a microscopic fog seeming to leak from the outer corners of his lids and his hand was swift to shield them as he often did. A sharp pain he was already well more than acquainted twisted inside his brain like a blade before his vision would regain focus.
I am free…
I am…FREE!
His own voice echoed loud and endlessly into his nearly blank thought, but where in the world was he? Impera’s sense of wonder was swiftly tarnished as he had a sudden instinct to turn, looking right past the hands that circled the damned tower he had somehow escaped. Impera was not clairvoyant yet he could feel more than just the gaze of the sorry people dressed so oddly. The figure looking high up into the distance was something… no… someone he could never not recognize. A black-winged beast with glowing red eyes unlike any other. Blood rushing to a violent boil, he spotted the Reaper through the decoration of gargoyles that lined the intricate rooftop. Impera grit his teeth as those otherworldly eyes pierced down into his cursed soul.
“You.”
The ancient Naga, Emperor of Imperia, hissed and scowled with a malice the sky above them both had not seen in what felt to be an eternity, his body rattled and his breath shallowed in utter fury. After so long in darkness, the moment he had prayed for, finally came into his possession. And yet, in the moment, Impera did not expect that his aim could not yet be reached. Slipping, just barely out of his touch, like sand falling between his fingertips. Unbelievable it was to see him. Perhaps his entire life had merely been a dream. One’s rest just couldn’t replicate the horrors Impera relived over again in wake.
Eyes widening towards the reflective flash of a long thin metallic object in the reaper’s clutch, Impera’s heart jolted whilst he began to slither as the avian gave excellent chase. Darting through the streets, pushing others with his plain strength, Impera hesitated on what to do, already filled with confusion, and for his condition, he cursed himself and the world for he hadn’t had graced his powers for as long as he had been confined, though not a coward in the slightest. Sure enough his hands became engulfed in a golden mist that wrapped tightly to rip a street post straight from the concrete corner. As he turned back to clashing with the blackbird’s blade as he levitated. All the while the city flew into a chaotic panic, though running from such a strife proved fruitless in getting away for many. Physically, Impera knew that Cier was not nearly as strong, but his opposing force was clever and quick of flight. Already had the other evaded his death far too many times, but seeing as though the other key was nowhere to be found, a devilish grin curled his lips as Cier’s body crashed through a large shop window.
“All alone this time?” Impera purred with a sickening sweetness reserved for only the finest of foes, smiling as he chased the winged man (who only spat at his inquiry) as civilians fled, screaming and entirely stricken with fear beyond any they had ever known. The two of them would only continue their brawl as sirens of authority began to sound. Unbeknownst to the key, he questioned it just enough for Cier to land a single slash across his shoulder. Impera snapped away from the distracting noises, practically unphased by the pain.
“I’m going to end you, foul!”
Impera’s voice boomed and bellowed through the city streets… Meanwhile Raine had been missing for some time, Cier had failed to prepare for this moment.. try as he might, and so how was he to defeat this monstrous man once and for all?
To admit defeat, true defeat, quite possibly for the very first time, his body became numb yet his mind only festered with the immense guilt of being unable to prevent what had become fate. Even if he had not been able to notice the cracks of the barrier, His heart would still never waver. And regardless of this, his orbs never swayed from the faces rotating inside his skull, throbbing from the fluorescent and neon lights of a startling and almost frightening kingdom unlike any other. The face of one of his two captor’s hardly crossed his psyche as the scene swallowed him whole as if he had found himself castaway, at the mercy of a hungered Gasheel as if it were an execution. To which his stomach felt a hollow pit yet a strange feeling washed over for just a moment in time. While his body seemed to have been froze, everything around him seemed to spin beyond the laws of nature. Things he had yet to understand moved before him. Things he had no knowledge or name for. The eyes of passersby beamed in awe at his foreign form, keeping their distance as they ought to mind their own business as this naga would soon discover that imperians were never seen outside their borders. Their stares were only drawing him out of the trance caused by the lights, cars, an array of noise, and bizarre castles that seemed to stretch straight towards the high heavens. Blinking, an omen of green aura glimmered across his irises, a microscopic fog seeming to leak from the outer corners of his lids and his hand was swift to shield them as he often did. A sharp pain he was already well more than acquainted twisted inside his brain like a blade before his vision would regain focus.
I am free…
I am…FREE!
His own voice echoed loud and endlessly into his nearly blank thought, but where in the world was he? Impera’s sense of wonder was swiftly tarnished as he had a sudden instinct to turn, looking right past the hands that circled the damned tower he had somehow escaped. Impera was not clairvoyant yet he could feel more than just the gaze of the sorry people dressed so oddly. The figure looking high up into the distance was something… no… someone he could never not recognize. A black-winged beast with glowing red eyes unlike any other. Blood rushing to a violent boil, he spotted the Reaper through the decoration of gargoyles that lined the intricate rooftop. Impera grit his teeth as those otherworldly eyes pierced down into his cursed soul.
“You.”
The ancient Naga, Emperor of Imperia, hissed and scowled with a malice the sky above them both had not seen in what felt to be an eternity, his body rattled and his breath shallowed in utter fury. After so long in darkness, the moment he had prayed for, finally came into his possession. And yet, in the moment, Impera did not expect that his aim could not yet be reached. Slipping, just barely out of his touch, like sand falling between his fingertips. Unbelievable it was to see him. Perhaps his entire life had merely been a dream. One’s rest just couldn’t replicate the horrors Impera relived over again in wake.
Eyes widening towards the reflective flash of a long thin metallic object in the reaper’s clutch, Impera’s heart jolted whilst he began to slither as the avian gave excellent chase. Darting through the streets, pushing others with his plain strength, Impera hesitated on what to do, already filled with confusion, and for his condition, he cursed himself and the world for he hadn’t had graced his powers for as long as he had been confined, though not a coward in the slightest. Sure enough his hands became engulfed in a golden mist that wrapped tightly to rip a street post straight from the concrete corner. As he turned back to clashing with the blackbird’s blade as he levitated. All the while the city flew into a chaotic panic, though running from such a strife proved fruitless in getting away for many. Physically, Impera knew that Cier was not nearly as strong, but his opposing force was clever and quick of flight. Already had the other evaded his death far too many times, but seeing as though the other key was nowhere to be found, a devilish grin curled his lips as Cier’s body crashed through a large shop window.
“All alone this time?” Impera purred with a sickening sweetness reserved for only the finest of foes, smiling as he chased the winged man (who only spat at his inquiry) as civilians fled, screaming and entirely stricken with fear beyond any they had ever known. The two of them would only continue their brawl as sirens of authority began to sound. Unbeknownst to the key, he questioned it just enough for Cier to land a single slash across his shoulder. Impera snapped away from the distracting noises, practically unphased by the pain.
“I’m going to end you, foul!”
Impera’s voice boomed and bellowed through the city streets… Meanwhile Raine had been missing for some time, Cier had failed to prepare for this moment.. try as he might, and so how was he to defeat this monstrous man once and for all?
Last edited:
