Aetherian Rhapsodies
Stanza III-Twisted Fate
Recorded Stanza-(Past Chapters)
“My ignorant brethren! Your efforts are humor upon my eyes. You adhere to the foolish ways, and judge me according to thoughts not of your own! The Chosen are not a gift, nor are they any more special than the ground they tread. I will show you the truth that lies hidden from your hearts, or perhaps, the truth does not hide. You close your hearts and cast me into the pits of the deepest darkness. So for a time I will allow you to fornicate with the false light, and I will show you the truth from within my apparent darkness. The false doctrine you follow will be destroyed. Every line, every verse, will amount to nothing compared with the torch of truth that dwells in my bosom. Death awaits us! I shall receive it, and until my last breath I vow you will see that I am alive!”
Zane had half of his body outside of the carriage when they entered the gates of the noble district. Occasionally he would wave to the wealthy nobles who returned his gestures by turning away, or laughing amongst themselves. As usual, this behavior did not sit well Molina; however, her own interest in the fabled noble district allowed her to ignore Zane’s antics while she peeked outside. Dyne seemed to show little to no interest in the scenery. One could even say he exhibited outward dislike for the area.
“Just a bunch of privileged tyrants.” Dyne said with a snort.
“Tyrants who happen to live in pretty houses.” Zane replied while looking outside the window. “Do you think I could ever get one of those houses?”
“Do you really want us to answer that Zane?” Molina said this with a sarcastic chuckle. She was back to her usual, condescending self; however, she still seemed to be in better spirits.
“Oh, right.” Zane laughed as he decided to sit down in the carriage. Although he was usually of good nature; he seemed to be forcing himself to stay that way. It was only a couple of days ago that he was leeching off of his parents, and now he was being carried to the kingdom of St. Rose. Many people who lived in the city would give their life to see some of the things Zane saw that day; coincidently, Zane knew that his life could very well end today. It was not death that made his heart race; rather, it was that he realized he hadn’t lived.
“Hey Zane, I thought you might be a little uptight, so I bought you something. I remember you saying you wanted one of these.”
Dyne handed Zane a, not so neatly rapped item. “I asked for this,” Zane asked this as he quickly tore through the gift only to achieve great disappointment. His face twitched a little as he tried his best to look satisfied, or else he would have to face the wrath of Dyne. The gift Zane received happened to be one of the dolls that Molina had been so fond of. Molina gasped, but then quickly covered her mouth to hide her excitement.
“I-I don’t have that one,” Molina thought to herself. Even though Zane already discovered her love affair with the popular KNIGHT dolls, she still did not want to openly display her affection for them; however, it was too late. Her excitement and envy were written all over her face. Zane turned to her as a displayed a most wicked look. The opportunity seemed to be given straight from the god themselves. How could Zane pass this up?
“Ohhhh Molina, do you see what Dyne bought me. Pretty awesome, wouldn’t you say?”
“N-no….not at all”
“Oh, I thought you would be able to appreciate such a fine work of craftsmanship. Hmm oh well what should I do…I guess I shall name it first. I will call him…Larry, Larry the egg eater.”
“HIS NAME IS SIR FAUST!” Molina covered her mouth once more, and looked down as if it had betrayed her. This only gave Zane the urge to continue mocking her.
“Hmmm, so you know his name? I thought you didn’t care. Anyway, Larry Egg Eater and I are going to go on a little trip to the Puddle District.”
Molina bit her lip as she turned red out of rage and embarrassment. “T-Those are collector’s items! They aren’t meant for that,” Molina thought to herself once more. That is when a very harsh fact settled into her mind. “Oh yeah Zane…could I, maybe, have that doll after you’re dead. I don’t have that one. Well, I guess I could just take it from you. It would be easier if you left it for me in your last will and testament-”
“Th-That’s nothing to joke about! I’m leaving you out of my will!”
“Do you even have a will?”
“Um, not exactly, but that doesn’t matter. You’re not in it either way, and I’m taking this doll to the grave!”
“Then I’ll just dig it out. It’s not like you’ll be mad about it.”
Zane turned to Dyne as if to say “your daughter is a demon spawn.” Before he could reply to her antics, they had already arrived at the castle. Although he seemed fairly relaxed, deep down Zane had hoped his arrival took a while longer. “So, this is the castle. It never even crossed my mind that I could end up here.”
“Zane, stop acting like you’re on a vacation. You weren’t invited here to gawk at the castle!” Molina tried to be intimidating, and earnest, however, this sentence came out weird due to her trying to hold back a smile. Even Molina was amazed at the noble district and the majestic castle that still stood apart from it all. The stones illuminated like pearls in the sunlight. It was strange for an inanimate object to have such presence, but Zane and the others felt as if they needed permission from the castle itself in order to enter. Even under this circumstance Zane felt as if it were a guardian watching over entire St.Rose. “St.Rose will never fall…” Zane said with a smile. Everyone else looked at him with agreeable shock. Zane, as surprised as the others, placed his hand over his mouth as he tried to comprehend why he said that.
After their brief daze, they noticed similar carriages had arrived at the castle as well. “Um Dyne, I have a question.”
“Ask away!”
“(Why is he so excited?) So it should be getting around that King Loris is a jerk right?”
“Right.”
“Then why are there so many people here?”
Dyne looked around as if to verify the validity of Zane’s statement. “There are many things that a man will put over his well-being. Some have become desperate due to their circumstances, some are just greedy, and others may be looking to overcome this challenge and seek glory. It is for those main reasons that King Loris’ trap has not lost its effectiveness. However, you bring up a good point. This many people is abnormal…”
“Don’t forget, this is St.Rose. They are probably just as ignorant as Zane.”
“Attention, to all of the citizens of St.Rose,” the nobleman shouted before Zane could snap back at Molina. “The King of Rohanis presiding.”
The large castle doors opened and revealed the short, arrogant King. As this happened five knights wearing black armor passed the crowd of peasants and joined King Loris at the gate; however, they did not bear the symbol of St.Rose. These knights wore black armor, and bore the symbol of a dragon on their shields.
“The Black Knights of Rohanis…when did they get here?” Dyne said to himself and while Molina did not hear him, her thoughts were in line with his. For an unknown reason, they made her uneasy all of a sudden.
Overall, Rohanis could not compare to St.Rose. The living conditions were better, it possessed one of the most important Celestial Objects, had a strong military, and the city was well organized and respected; however, Rohanis has garnered a certain amount of fame in its own right. Rohanis possesses an elite military, and they possessed some of the most skilled and brutal fighters in the world. The Black Knights were not a special elite unit; rather, they were ordinary soldiers in the Rohanian army. It was even said that these ordinary members could even rival the Black Rose elite unit of St.Rose. Since it is difficult to send news across the world, several legends of a “black knight” can be directly traced back to Rohanian knights acting under the authority of Xelania.
“Will we also be cooking for King Wyvern,” asked one of the cooks bound by the contact; however, he would soon learn this was ill advised. With a look of disinterest, King Loris raised his hand at which point one of the knights started to line up his crossbow. In the blink of an eye an arrow was sent straight through the skull of the man who dared to mention King Wyvern before the jealousy of King Loris. This single act changed the entire atmosphere; even the arrogant cooks looking for fame would begin to doubt their decision.
“This day, you are no longer citizens of St. Rose. For the remainder of the day you need not worry about King Wyvern. You are to serve me…if you can even manage that.” These would be the only words he spared for the lowly citizens of St. Rose as he walked back into the castle. He would be followed by the black knights, and then followed by his new citizens.
“Can he do that?”
“Shut up Zane…do you want to be an arrow head too?”
“Will both of you shut up.”
“Dad?! You’re supposed to be on my side!”
“I’m on the side of life. Right now, life wants us to be friends with silence, so can you two just act like adults for once?”
“I just asked an innocent question though…”
One of the black knights averted his gaze in their direction resulting in immediate silence from the circus trio. At this point most of the noblemen were left outside the castle aside from King Loris’ chief advisor. He led them to a room that diverged from the path that King Loris and the Black Knights were on. Zane was expecting a kitchen; however, it was dining room with food already laid out for them. St. Rose's knights were standing guard by the door, and in response Zane released a sigh of relief. Although the St. Rose knights could cause trouble in their own right, after seeing the brutish Black Knights of Rohanis the St. Rose knights appeared to be cherubs.
“Before you set upon your task, we thought it would be beneficial to give you time to relax. Besides, if you were to cook now; the food would not be fresh by the time King Loris was ready, and if it is not fresh, King Loris will be angry. We don’t want to know what happens after that do we?”
By the time the nobleman was done speaking, Zane was already plating his food. This simple act seemed to destroy all the tension, drama, and suspense that the nobleman tried to build which in turn made all of the other cooks pretty much ignore his short monologue. His only option was to walk away from the source of his embarrassment after remembering Zane’s face. This would be the face he would assign to his current frustration.
END
As always feedback, comments, are appreciated
I'm always happy to answer any questions you may have. Thanks for reading!
Theme Song
You must be registered for see images
Stanza III-Twisted Fate
Recorded Stanza-(Past Chapters)
You must be registered for see links
You must be registered for see links
“My ignorant brethren! Your efforts are humor upon my eyes. You adhere to the foolish ways, and judge me according to thoughts not of your own! The Chosen are not a gift, nor are they any more special than the ground they tread. I will show you the truth that lies hidden from your hearts, or perhaps, the truth does not hide. You close your hearts and cast me into the pits of the deepest darkness. So for a time I will allow you to fornicate with the false light, and I will show you the truth from within my apparent darkness. The false doctrine you follow will be destroyed. Every line, every verse, will amount to nothing compared with the torch of truth that dwells in my bosom. Death awaits us! I shall receive it, and until my last breath I vow you will see that I am alive!”
You must be registered for see images
Zane had half of his body outside of the carriage when they entered the gates of the noble district. Occasionally he would wave to the wealthy nobles who returned his gestures by turning away, or laughing amongst themselves. As usual, this behavior did not sit well Molina; however, her own interest in the fabled noble district allowed her to ignore Zane’s antics while she peeked outside. Dyne seemed to show little to no interest in the scenery. One could even say he exhibited outward dislike for the area.
“Just a bunch of privileged tyrants.” Dyne said with a snort.
“Tyrants who happen to live in pretty houses.” Zane replied while looking outside the window. “Do you think I could ever get one of those houses?”
“Do you really want us to answer that Zane?” Molina said this with a sarcastic chuckle. She was back to her usual, condescending self; however, she still seemed to be in better spirits.
“Oh, right.” Zane laughed as he decided to sit down in the carriage. Although he was usually of good nature; he seemed to be forcing himself to stay that way. It was only a couple of days ago that he was leeching off of his parents, and now he was being carried to the kingdom of St. Rose. Many people who lived in the city would give their life to see some of the things Zane saw that day; coincidently, Zane knew that his life could very well end today. It was not death that made his heart race; rather, it was that he realized he hadn’t lived.
“Hey Zane, I thought you might be a little uptight, so I bought you something. I remember you saying you wanted one of these.”
Dyne handed Zane a, not so neatly rapped item. “I asked for this,” Zane asked this as he quickly tore through the gift only to achieve great disappointment. His face twitched a little as he tried his best to look satisfied, or else he would have to face the wrath of Dyne. The gift Zane received happened to be one of the dolls that Molina had been so fond of. Molina gasped, but then quickly covered her mouth to hide her excitement.
“I-I don’t have that one,” Molina thought to herself. Even though Zane already discovered her love affair with the popular KNIGHT dolls, she still did not want to openly display her affection for them; however, it was too late. Her excitement and envy were written all over her face. Zane turned to her as a displayed a most wicked look. The opportunity seemed to be given straight from the god themselves. How could Zane pass this up?
“Ohhhh Molina, do you see what Dyne bought me. Pretty awesome, wouldn’t you say?”
“N-no….not at all”
“Oh, I thought you would be able to appreciate such a fine work of craftsmanship. Hmm oh well what should I do…I guess I shall name it first. I will call him…Larry, Larry the egg eater.”
“HIS NAME IS SIR FAUST!” Molina covered her mouth once more, and looked down as if it had betrayed her. This only gave Zane the urge to continue mocking her.
“Hmmm, so you know his name? I thought you didn’t care. Anyway, Larry Egg Eater and I are going to go on a little trip to the Puddle District.”
Molina bit her lip as she turned red out of rage and embarrassment. “T-Those are collector’s items! They aren’t meant for that,” Molina thought to herself once more. That is when a very harsh fact settled into her mind. “Oh yeah Zane…could I, maybe, have that doll after you’re dead. I don’t have that one. Well, I guess I could just take it from you. It would be easier if you left it for me in your last will and testament-”
“Th-That’s nothing to joke about! I’m leaving you out of my will!”
“Do you even have a will?”
“Um, not exactly, but that doesn’t matter. You’re not in it either way, and I’m taking this doll to the grave!”
“Then I’ll just dig it out. It’s not like you’ll be mad about it.”
Zane turned to Dyne as if to say “your daughter is a demon spawn.” Before he could reply to her antics, they had already arrived at the castle. Although he seemed fairly relaxed, deep down Zane had hoped his arrival took a while longer. “So, this is the castle. It never even crossed my mind that I could end up here.”
“Zane, stop acting like you’re on a vacation. You weren’t invited here to gawk at the castle!” Molina tried to be intimidating, and earnest, however, this sentence came out weird due to her trying to hold back a smile. Even Molina was amazed at the noble district and the majestic castle that still stood apart from it all. The stones illuminated like pearls in the sunlight. It was strange for an inanimate object to have such presence, but Zane and the others felt as if they needed permission from the castle itself in order to enter. Even under this circumstance Zane felt as if it were a guardian watching over entire St.Rose. “St.Rose will never fall…” Zane said with a smile. Everyone else looked at him with agreeable shock. Zane, as surprised as the others, placed his hand over his mouth as he tried to comprehend why he said that.
After their brief daze, they noticed similar carriages had arrived at the castle as well. “Um Dyne, I have a question.”
“Ask away!”
“(Why is he so excited?) So it should be getting around that King Loris is a jerk right?”
“Right.”
“Then why are there so many people here?”
Dyne looked around as if to verify the validity of Zane’s statement. “There are many things that a man will put over his well-being. Some have become desperate due to their circumstances, some are just greedy, and others may be looking to overcome this challenge and seek glory. It is for those main reasons that King Loris’ trap has not lost its effectiveness. However, you bring up a good point. This many people is abnormal…”
“Don’t forget, this is St.Rose. They are probably just as ignorant as Zane.”
“Attention, to all of the citizens of St.Rose,” the nobleman shouted before Zane could snap back at Molina. “The King of Rohanis presiding.”
The large castle doors opened and revealed the short, arrogant King. As this happened five knights wearing black armor passed the crowd of peasants and joined King Loris at the gate; however, they did not bear the symbol of St.Rose. These knights wore black armor, and bore the symbol of a dragon on their shields.
“The Black Knights of Rohanis…when did they get here?” Dyne said to himself and while Molina did not hear him, her thoughts were in line with his. For an unknown reason, they made her uneasy all of a sudden.
Overall, Rohanis could not compare to St.Rose. The living conditions were better, it possessed one of the most important Celestial Objects, had a strong military, and the city was well organized and respected; however, Rohanis has garnered a certain amount of fame in its own right. Rohanis possesses an elite military, and they possessed some of the most skilled and brutal fighters in the world. The Black Knights were not a special elite unit; rather, they were ordinary soldiers in the Rohanian army. It was even said that these ordinary members could even rival the Black Rose elite unit of St.Rose. Since it is difficult to send news across the world, several legends of a “black knight” can be directly traced back to Rohanian knights acting under the authority of Xelania.
“Will we also be cooking for King Wyvern,” asked one of the cooks bound by the contact; however, he would soon learn this was ill advised. With a look of disinterest, King Loris raised his hand at which point one of the knights started to line up his crossbow. In the blink of an eye an arrow was sent straight through the skull of the man who dared to mention King Wyvern before the jealousy of King Loris. This single act changed the entire atmosphere; even the arrogant cooks looking for fame would begin to doubt their decision.
“This day, you are no longer citizens of St. Rose. For the remainder of the day you need not worry about King Wyvern. You are to serve me…if you can even manage that.” These would be the only words he spared for the lowly citizens of St. Rose as he walked back into the castle. He would be followed by the black knights, and then followed by his new citizens.
“Can he do that?”
“Shut up Zane…do you want to be an arrow head too?”
“Will both of you shut up.”
“Dad?! You’re supposed to be on my side!”
“I’m on the side of life. Right now, life wants us to be friends with silence, so can you two just act like adults for once?”
“I just asked an innocent question though…”
One of the black knights averted his gaze in their direction resulting in immediate silence from the circus trio. At this point most of the noblemen were left outside the castle aside from King Loris’ chief advisor. He led them to a room that diverged from the path that King Loris and the Black Knights were on. Zane was expecting a kitchen; however, it was dining room with food already laid out for them. St. Rose's knights were standing guard by the door, and in response Zane released a sigh of relief. Although the St. Rose knights could cause trouble in their own right, after seeing the brutish Black Knights of Rohanis the St. Rose knights appeared to be cherubs.
“Before you set upon your task, we thought it would be beneficial to give you time to relax. Besides, if you were to cook now; the food would not be fresh by the time King Loris was ready, and if it is not fresh, King Loris will be angry. We don’t want to know what happens after that do we?”
By the time the nobleman was done speaking, Zane was already plating his food. This simple act seemed to destroy all the tension, drama, and suspense that the nobleman tried to build which in turn made all of the other cooks pretty much ignore his short monologue. His only option was to walk away from the source of his embarrassment after remembering Zane’s face. This would be the face he would assign to his current frustration.
You must be registered for see images
King Loris had just arrived into the main audience hall. The silence spoke to him as he gazed at the somber faces of King and Prince Wyvern. Aurora, who usually seemed detached of emotion, seemed to be in a slight state of shock. King Wyvern’s Priest did not seem to display any kind of emotion at all. That is not to say he seemed void of life or expression, but rather he seemed unaffected by the atmosphere, and somewhat out of place from the situation at hand. No one besides the priest seemed to notice King Loris enter the room, and of course, this fueled his complex and angered him mightily.
“Oh, King Loris you have arrive just in time.” The priest said to King Loris. It was mainly to announce Loris’ arrival into the audience hall to the others who, at the time, seemed to be deep in their own thoughts.
“Just in time for what exactly?”
“I have received another vision from the gods, and just recently, I announced who will challenge the sword of destruction. It will be-“
“No! I will not stand for it! There must be another way, or another person! My son, how can you stand idle at a time like this!”
“All matters…must be handled with grace…father.” Prince Wyvern struggled to say these words, as if even he did not believe in them. One might have called him heartless based on his response, but deeper inspection would reveal he was working, perhaps too hard, to hide his true feelings. King Wyvern slammed his fist against his thrown once more, and closed his eyes as he took a deep breath.
“…You are right my son. Will you all forgive me for my outburst?”
“For a moment there I thought the great King Wyvern had lost his mind.” Loris said this with a intentional smile. Any chance he had to get under King Wyvern's skin was met with vigor.
“I’ve entrusted the search for the chosen one to my priest, and I have followed his visions dutifully. But now that this path must be walked by someone I consider my own daughter, my fear roams free within the confines of this room.” King Wyvern said this as he gazed upon Aurora and deliberately ignored the King of Rohanis. “I do hope that you are the chosen one Aurora, for the sake of my people, not even I can postpone the will of the gods.”
“For the sake of my people, I hope so too.” Aurora did not take her eyes off the cold marble floors when she spoke, nor did she exude any fear, despair, or shock. Even King Loris was surprised at her disposition.
“Ahem, so when will the ritual begin?”
“…After dinner.”
“Good, I look forward to seeing this untold prosperity.”
“Remember that prosperity cannot mingle with greed, and ingratitude.”
“….As always King Wyvern, I’ll consider your words of wisdom. Good day.” King Loris left with one of his black knights who began to whisper something about a new St. Rose trend in his ear which prompted King Loris to look back at King Wyvern, and give a sly smile before disappearing behind the gargantuan doors.
As King Loris left to his chambers, King Wyvern merely sighed and looked up at the ceiling. It was as if his eyes pierced the stone walls, and viewed the heavens themselves. “As an acknowledged murderer it is not often that I find myself becoming the hypocrite; however, I would only ask the gods save my daughter if I would be allowed to ask for one thing…”
“Father…”
Prince Wyvern never saw his father pray much to the gods even though he strongly believed in them. During the years of his prime, King Wyvern fought many battles and killed many people directly, and indirectly. He held himself from prayer, out of fear of becoming a hypocrite. In his mind he didn’t deserve mercy, or assistance; however, praying now meant that Aurora’s life meant more than any amount of lost pride, or attained guilt. If Prince Wyvern were to be honest with himself, he would have forsaken the laws to protect those dear to him. As much as they both loved Aurora, the love of their people required them to detach from their own selfish desires. He prayed hoping for the future he wanted, but accepting the reality he was in. His daughter would have to face the sword that had led to the damnation of so many others. He had to prepare for a reality in which she dies. A reality he was not certain he could bare.
“Very well, we will begin the ceremony this evening. A have faith in you my daughter. I have faith that you will live beyond this day to see the next setting sun. You will be the chosen one Aurora.”
NOTE: I’m experimenting on shorting some of chapters. Maybe it will be easier for me to put out chapters, and easier for others to read if I split up my chapters. We’ll see.
“Oh, King Loris you have arrive just in time.” The priest said to King Loris. It was mainly to announce Loris’ arrival into the audience hall to the others who, at the time, seemed to be deep in their own thoughts.
“Just in time for what exactly?”
“I have received another vision from the gods, and just recently, I announced who will challenge the sword of destruction. It will be-“
“No! I will not stand for it! There must be another way, or another person! My son, how can you stand idle at a time like this!”
“All matters…must be handled with grace…father.” Prince Wyvern struggled to say these words, as if even he did not believe in them. One might have called him heartless based on his response, but deeper inspection would reveal he was working, perhaps too hard, to hide his true feelings. King Wyvern slammed his fist against his thrown once more, and closed his eyes as he took a deep breath.
“…You are right my son. Will you all forgive me for my outburst?”
“For a moment there I thought the great King Wyvern had lost his mind.” Loris said this with a intentional smile. Any chance he had to get under King Wyvern's skin was met with vigor.
“I’ve entrusted the search for the chosen one to my priest, and I have followed his visions dutifully. But now that this path must be walked by someone I consider my own daughter, my fear roams free within the confines of this room.” King Wyvern said this as he gazed upon Aurora and deliberately ignored the King of Rohanis. “I do hope that you are the chosen one Aurora, for the sake of my people, not even I can postpone the will of the gods.”
“For the sake of my people, I hope so too.” Aurora did not take her eyes off the cold marble floors when she spoke, nor did she exude any fear, despair, or shock. Even King Loris was surprised at her disposition.
“Ahem, so when will the ritual begin?”
“…After dinner.”
“Good, I look forward to seeing this untold prosperity.”
“Remember that prosperity cannot mingle with greed, and ingratitude.”
“….As always King Wyvern, I’ll consider your words of wisdom. Good day.” King Loris left with one of his black knights who began to whisper something about a new St. Rose trend in his ear which prompted King Loris to look back at King Wyvern, and give a sly smile before disappearing behind the gargantuan doors.
As King Loris left to his chambers, King Wyvern merely sighed and looked up at the ceiling. It was as if his eyes pierced the stone walls, and viewed the heavens themselves. “As an acknowledged murderer it is not often that I find myself becoming the hypocrite; however, I would only ask the gods save my daughter if I would be allowed to ask for one thing…”
“Father…”
Prince Wyvern never saw his father pray much to the gods even though he strongly believed in them. During the years of his prime, King Wyvern fought many battles and killed many people directly, and indirectly. He held himself from prayer, out of fear of becoming a hypocrite. In his mind he didn’t deserve mercy, or assistance; however, praying now meant that Aurora’s life meant more than any amount of lost pride, or attained guilt. If Prince Wyvern were to be honest with himself, he would have forsaken the laws to protect those dear to him. As much as they both loved Aurora, the love of their people required them to detach from their own selfish desires. He prayed hoping for the future he wanted, but accepting the reality he was in. His daughter would have to face the sword that had led to the damnation of so many others. He had to prepare for a reality in which she dies. A reality he was not certain he could bare.
“Very well, we will begin the ceremony this evening. A have faith in you my daughter. I have faith that you will live beyond this day to see the next setting sun. You will be the chosen one Aurora.”
NOTE: I’m experimenting on shorting some of chapters. Maybe it will be easier for me to put out chapters, and easier for others to read if I split up my chapters. We’ll see.
You must be registered for see images
END
As always feedback, comments, are appreciated
I'm always happy to answer any questions you may have. Thanks for reading!
Theme Song
Last edited:
