Phoebus carved brushstrokes of pink, yellow, and orange hues across the clouds that lined the sky.
Interrupting the steady stream of clouds were sharp, rigid mountain peaks that proudly cut through the skyline and stood there, admiring their accumulation.
From above, all was serene. No noise from below penetrated the clear air at the top. Maybe that was why, in a cave hidden between two incredibly tall mountain peaks, laid a still darkness that burst into noticeable life.
Animals, both regular and magically strange, fled from the area as two puffs of flames came from two identical nostrils.
Puff. Puff.
The long breaths accompanying the flaming puffs brushed against the hardened cavern floor. Like a rock gradually smoothened by water, the puffs of flames were enough to harden the stones to unimaginable durability. With enough time and flame, they would become obsidian.
Puff. Puff.
“Hmmm?”
The shut eyes of the colossal beast opened to reveal golden irises and slits for pupils. The air around stirred as the animals outside the cave hurried away even faster.
Slink. Slink. Slink.
The scaled tail unwrapped from around the beast as its claws pierced through the hardened stone like butter. Then, finally, the tail lifted as the colossal beast revealed its appearance beneath the colours of Phoebus’ first light.
Whoosh!
With an explosive opening whip of the beast’s wings, the nearby trees were tipped over as roots ripped from the ground. Yet, despite the beast's magnificence, its words were calm and unhurried.
“…My aura? No, something is off about it.”
The beast peered into the sky as it unleashed its entire presence.
ROAR!!!
The beast was the king of the sky, an emperor of creatures, and ruler of its territory.
The beast was a dragon.
“Investigation time.”
WHOOSH!!
The gale of wind caused a mass avalanche as the snow receded from the joint spire cavern. However, the mischievous dragon which caused the disaster was already spiralling into the sky and disappearing beyond the clouds.
"Hurry, sis. We don't have much time."
"I know! I'm rushing as fast as I can!"
Along the endless grains of sand, two figures, one a small little girl and the other a grown woman, shaded their eyes against the raging desert storm.
"Why do we have to come back? I want to watch over them."
The little girl pouted, obviously unhappy with how events had laid themselves out.
"You know exactly why. We can't have our fates intertwining more than they already have. We've done all we can, and I've even given them gifts from us."
The older woman waved her hand and reinforced the invisible shield keeping the sand from impacting their dirtied forms. However, the gusts of wind still pressed against them.
Sigh.
The older woman let the wind pull back her hood and reveal her glasses and raven-black hair. Lo and behold, the figure was Veronica, and she seemed equally upset with leaving the little island.
"I just hope we've given them enough to survive the challenges ahead."
The little girl also couldn't resist the wind, and it pulled her hood back, revealing herself as the little flower girl that had seen Novus at the church, and many times after that.
"Sis, it's not fair! Why do we have to—"
"Because that is our duty, Cleo. We have to be here for when they make it back to us. They are our only hope."
Veronica gently rebuked the little girl, Cleo, and then watched as the sand storm began to fade around them. Then, with hope in her eyes, Veronica looked far beyond the desert.
"They have to make it here."
| The God of Death has witnessed your nature and wishes to bless you with their power. Do you accept? |
Cain briefly hesitated. The system message wasn’t like the others. Rather, it had a black background with a grey outline. However, the hesitation soon passed as a figure appeared in his mind. A disgusting smile crept on Cain’s face as he pressed the accept button. More power was as welcome as the shining document in his hand that read ‘Avalan Travel Certificate.’
| The God of Death has blessed you, and you have obtained… |
Like Cain’s message, multiple messages appeared across various beginner islands as The Divine infiltrated the system to choose their apostles.
Rolling hills and background meadows stretched on for miles as childish faces danced around a young girl with flowery wreaths on her head. Oddly enough, the young girl was the only one of her kind on the island, at least that she had found. There were serene animals that occasionally sniffed her and the children that danced around her. But no other players to play alongside. However, she didn’t mind that.
It was good to escape from her real life and its frightening people.
The name Graceful Nature floated above the young girl's head and identified her as the lone player on the island.
In her mind, she wished she could stay in the island's peace forever.
| The Goddess of Nature has witnessed your behaviour and wishes to bless you with their power. Do you accept? |
“How interesting!”
The young girl’s charming voice soothed the ears of the dancing children as they shrank with excitement. Their figures glittered with lights like the player’s system as wings popped out from their backs. The small children with wings, called faeries, fluttered around the young girl in glee.
“How rare, Lily! A blessing by her ladyship will help in our restorative quest!”
Behind the young girl, a small child in a red fluffing dress and equally red wavy hair stood among the flowers like a rose.
“Really, Titania!?”
Lily hurriedly pressed the accept button and accepted the patting hand of Titania, who smoothened Lily’s hair with a magic touch.
A dense shroud of monstrous trees formed a rooted island that grew outwards into the torrential ocean.
On the inside, a blanket of shadows swayed as violently as the ocean wind fluttered the tree leaves. On one of many tree branches was a panther that magically slithered from tree canopy to branch without sound. Its taunt muscles were ready to spring at a moment’s notice until it suddenly halted and blended further into the shadows.
A bird, the size of a falcon, stood unaware on a branch a near pounce away. The pure plumpness of this bird was extravagant. Not even the best steroids could match the pure plumage and volume of salivating fat that lined the bird’s muscles.
Snarl!
The panther leapt from above as its claws gleamed towards the bird’s position. But, unnoticed, a pair of eyes hidden away in a nearby tree opened, and an arrow shot forth through the air towards the leaping panther.
A glint shone in the eyes of the panther as the arrow narrowly missed its mark. Then, before the panther could turn around and face the hidden hunter, the second snap of a bowstring sent an arrow through the panther’s eye.
Plop.
The panther’s body fell limply against the branch as a figure emerged from the rustling leaves. The man with dark black skin and dark brown eyes was alertly looking around the tree canopy, even after killing the panther.
The abnormally plump bird flew from the branch, perched itself on the black man’s shoulder, and nudged its beak against his bald head.
A golden grin found its way to the man’s face as his dagger whizzed from beneath his hunting gear and went to deftly skin the panther.
| The Goddess of the Moon has witnessed your nature and wishes to bless you with their power. Do you accept? |
The knife in the man’s hand paused before pressing its tip against the accept button in the air.
“DWARVES AND DWARFETTES! I give you the ONE, the UNDEFEATED, HERCULES!”
In response to the announcer’s thrilling words, the coliseum of small-framed people with abnormally loud cheers deafened the players who had been defeated inside.
Shouts battered against the sound of waves as an island worth of stands and packed cheers rang out against the person sitting in the middle of it all.
Wild, curly blonde hair shrouded his head. The roughly worn clothes burst at the seams from the absurd muscles that lined his body as he ripped a piece of meat from his simple fiery roast.
Sharp canine teeth bit into the roasted meat as juices flowed down his cutting jawline. At this point, it wasn’t hard to distinguish the predator from the beheaded, roasting lion.
The cheering from all around was tuned out as the young man’s dignified eyes flipped through the fascinating multitude of messages.
| The God of the Sun has seen your nature and… |
| The Goddess of the… |
| The God… |
…
…
Hercules had seen the messages flood when he beheaded the roasting lion king. But his eyes merely scanned them before one particular message caught his eye.
| The God of War has witnessed your actions and demands they bless you with their power. |
Roaring laughter burst from deep within the man’s gut as he proclaimed his acknowledgment over the dwarven cheers.
“You may bless me, God of War!”
A smile wriggled into Hercules’ face as his claim raised an enormous roar of cheers.
