“Are all the bombs placed?”

“Yeah, I did it exactly as you said,

And no one saw me come here either Sir Savage,” 

“Good, I’ll go over the plan again…

The moment I warp you away, those bombs will go off and destroy most of the space citadel,

I’ll escape with the phantom flame and crash somewhere in the desert on Gaia, 

I will die, most certainly die but it will look convincing enough that the flame was also destroyed,

All you have to do is find a way to get the team that’s going to track me down, 

When you do find us they’ll think I’m dead, and for obvious reasons leave the bodies,

One of those bodies will be the phantom flame, the god’s corpse,

Absorb a magic stone into it and it will begin to revive,

After that the rest is up to you,”

“I got it,

Don’t worry I won’t make any mistakes,”

“I know you won’t because I’ve seen it,

Goodbye.”

…….

KAAABOOOOOMMM!

An explosion goes off in the permanent night sky of the third ring’s outer regions, an area where the beastmen live,

BOOOOMMM!

BOOOOMM!

“grrrr 

The citadel’s been compromised!”

“The lion emperor is dead!”

The blackmagic dealer, and an accomplice 

Those scummy humans, those thieves 

They’ve gotten away with the flame!”

Voices ring out in a now burning castle floating in the air,

The abode of the animalistic people,

A small jet zips out of the Citadel  during it all heading to the main parts of Gaia,

“After that!.

We must get revenge!

He mustn’t get away!”

…..

…..

As the jet breaks into the airspace of main Gaia the transition from night to day is instantaneous…

“Alright,” breathes the one piloting,

“This is where I become one with you,

You will open you eyes for the first time,”

Bowwwwwwwww–zzzzzzztttttttt–KABBBOOOMMM!

The jet nose dives towards the desert it now flies over, self-destructing as it touches the sand

……...

……..

*******

The sun beams down upon an empty dessert, no speck of life to be found, a desert of death. 

The sand burns, scorching hot, hotter than usual, the normally still sand in a state of motion, 

Each grain slowly slipping down into a crater of purple flames, the flames and sand battle relentlessly for supremacy as three figures lay still in heap of rumble,  

“What was that explosion?” One says struggling its feet  

“Could it be the phantom flame in the throne room!?” 

“Sir the rest of our men got crushed by the rubble,” the second beast-like figure states  

“The only survivors are you, I and… him,” he scowls at third a figure who remains silent  

(Is he onto me?) Thinks the beast

“It must be those thieves we couldn’t catch earlier” the first figure says as he wipes the dust off his face, his lion-like features begin to show  

“We should not have followed them sir” the second one, a lizard like fellow, laments  

“We lost good men, for what?  

Revenge!?” 

The third figure remains silent his empty violet eyes in sullen agreement. 

(Hopefully my acting is top notch, 

I was the one who pushed those men in the line of fire of the jet)

…..

The three make their way through the burnt ruins,  

“Is that a body!?” The Lizard beast-man exclaims as they enter the destroyed throne room- 

“-Or is it a corpse?” He continues, “this must be what’s left of the thieves, serves them right.” 

“Seems like there was a fight here,” the lion beast-man adds,  

“There’re stab wounds over this body and its severely burned!” 

“What the hell could’ve happened here?” 

“A fight among thieves,” the lizard man laughs  

“At least we can leave knowing they got what they deserved” the lion beast-man scoffs 

“Let’s get back home we must report this to the general, what we heard earlier” 

Two of the beast-men leave while the third stays behind,  

(Everything is according to plan)

He looks at corpse, its black colored eyes still open, as it stares blankly, emotionless 

“Huhhhhhh!” the beast-man lets out a huge sigh

(This must be the god)

“You need this more than I do” he says taking out an azure crystal. 

Pressing it on, the corpse begins to absorb it’s magic slowly regenerating a little,

(Ahhh, it’s going to get up soon,

Should I go now and avoid being seen?)

……

……

“Urrrgghhhhhh,” the body groans as it opens it’s eyes for the first time,

They stare around room in a confused daze of thought

……

“Who are you!” they call, noticing the beast trying to sneak away 

“…….” 

(Shit, he noticed me, I was even using my magic too,

I suppose I should off and act mysterious)

…..

“What are you called?” the beastman calls out to the corpse,

They stare at him for while then answers…

“Kage.”

(Ooh, I’m soo honored right now…)

“Your wounds are not healed, if you can fight through the pain, you have enough energy to leave and get treated.” The beastman says out loud,

Kage doesn’t reply and just stares as the beast creeps away 

(Kage,

So that is your name,

I will make sure to remember it,

And hopefully,

We will meet again.)

Epilogue End.

***

To be continued?

Eternal Solitude….