Legends of the Stars

Chapter 1: The Last Ark Knight

Part I

Genesis

July 19th, 2017-July 10th, 2019 AE

"This is the way the world ends, not with a bang, but a whimper."

-T.S. Eliot

"To live alone is the fate of all great souls."

-Arthur Schopenhauer

"One day, in retrospect, the years of struggle will strike you as the most beautiful."

-Sigmund Freud

Chapter 1

The Last Ark Knight

July 6th, 2019 AE, 4:21 PM

The Ark Knight approached the shrine with his sword at his back. The mountain towered into the heart of the dark storm. Howling winds and thunderous clouds echoed throughout the eternal skies. After many hours of climbing and braving the tempest, he had reached the altar at the top. Reaching into his night-colored coat, he pulled out his crystal pendant and held it up. It resonated with a cerulean energy that illuminated the face of the shrine. The gray skies in front of him warped and distorted until an enormous, floating island appeared from the haze. This was Arkrelm: the mythical city once inhabited by the Ark Knights.

All his research into the ancient texts brought him here. According to legend, the gods lifted a sliver of land into the sky, where the Knights lived for centuries, hidden from the world in a veil of magic. It was also said they kept and protected an almighty treasure there before they all disappeared. What remains to this day are ruins and the demons dwelling inside.

After putting his pendant around his neck, he activated the grappling arm on his right glove. It fired a cable that latched onto the rock at the top of the cliff. Reeling him towards the island, he launched himself through the air, landing right at the entrance to Arkrelm.

The heavy winds blew against his face as he explored the ruins. Colossal stone towers loomed over him, acting as tombstones for a once mighty paradise. The whole island had been reduced to a graveyard and a testament to his race's existence. In the heart of it all, he found the city's Divine Temple. A tangle of vines and moss covered its weathered, stone facade. Approaching the grand structure, the Ark Knight stared up at its tall, white door before becoming the first person to open it in years.

Taking off his hood and goggles, he looked down the staircase laid out before him. The Ark Knight sensed countless dangers lurking down there in the dark. But he cast aside what little fear he had, knowing the treasure waiting for him inside.

"Here I go." With a deep breath, he pushed forward into the labyrinth.

* * *

The Ark Knight walked down the stairs until he reached the landing. The darkness was all around him, and the ravenous demons were nearby. He used his magic to form an orb of light to pierce through the shadows. He could now see the skeletons of the people who perished in these ruins. The skull and the bones didn't scare him at all. In his years of fighting, he was used to seeing them.

He entered the temple's great hall, which resembled the heart of a cathedral. Tall, glass windows framed by marble columns lined the walls. An enormous hole had been blown through the roof, painting the ceiling with gray, cloudy skies. Bones and cobwebs littered the floor, which was itself covered with reflective stone. A rotten stench filled the air, like he was walking inside a predator's stomach.

While walking down the hall, ancient lamps framing the pathway lit up as they detected his presence. He was surprised to see this technology still working after years of decay. In the middle of the room, he stumbled upon a massive trench cut across the floor. He looked down into the dark abyss, sensing dozens of demons lurking below.