Seraphic Chronicles: Divinity

Ascension of heavenly reach

The thunder that resounded in the heavens seemed to shake the very earth Maxwell was standing on. With bated breath and cautious steps, he trudged up the magnificent marble steps of the grand castle of Avalonia. Whips of lightning cracked in the distance, illuminating the face of ancient relics and statues that adorned the staircase. Avalonia had once been a flourishing kingdom, famed for its invincibility, but as calamity had befallen the world, even the invincible Avalonia had succumbed to ruin. Not even the castle, heart of the city and legendary its might, was spared.  

He looked down at the once great city and lamented the scenery that greeted him. Rotten debris took the place of once proud monuments and houses. He could not differentiate between the ground, the foliage and the ruins anymore. The corruption really had taken such a wretched toll on Avalonia. Maxwell looked up, cast his gaze on the forgotten wonder of Absalon and let it linger. It was not far away now. That which he sought was closer to him than ever before.

A sudden bolt of lightning flashed as an earth-shattering roar of thunder shook everything in vicinity. He froze as the onslaught of sudden torrents of rain battered the castle and him. It was ominous. Thunder, lightning and rain at the same time. The trio in sequence were a rare phenomenon in Aldria now. In past it had been natural, but as the age of lost found came to be, it portended doom. 

Climbing the thousand fledged footsteps had not been a particularly gruelling task for Maxwell. However, had he not been graced by the Lumia to be heralded as a champion of light, he surely would not have made it. He would have perished, one of the thousands who were crushed by the ancient magic. He would have become a member of the lost legion of Absalon, those who had fallen. It was passed in legend that the thousand steps were enchanted, cloaked with hexes for each step that is ascended.  

Each step is a test for bravery and worth, a measure of intention and the price the voyager would pay to be granted passage into the Inner Sanctum of Avalonia. It was said that great horrors and unfathomable menaces lay in store for the corrupt and the impure. The bonds of ancient magic had protected the reach for countless eons. He had never heard of any being that had ascended the thousand fledged steps since the age of lost found had come to pass. Those foolish enough to disregard the ancient legends became the lost legion of Absalon. Those few who were righteous had not been vigilant enough or lacked the conviction. 

He could not suppress the shivers that wracked his statuesque figure as he faced the last of the thousand fledged steps that would lead him into the Absalon, summit of heavenly reach. He Brushed off his shivers and trepidation and climbed the last footstep and strode into the heavenly reach. He felt as if the water welcomed him in a gentle sweep, as the pouring rain ran in rivulets down the thousand fledged steps. The heavenly reach was overflowing with water, as if drowning in its magnanimity. 

Maxwell halted his steps for a few moments, just to savour the feeling of being in the reach. At once, he felt the surge of Lumia that enveloped the very fibre of his being. He felt solaced and raised his hands to the heavens in thanks to his divinities. Absalon, summit of heavenly reach was inconceivably simple, yet unimaginably beautiful. His heart twisted in sorrow as he thought of the lost legion and the failed braves, but as he focused his gaze on the marvel in front of him, he felt his spirit soar.

The reach was shaped like a grand oval summit, one even the greatest mountains could not hope to rival. As he made his way further into the reach, he could see the wondrous artwork that adorned the holy summit. It was in the style found only in the divine realm. Mosaics of forgotten gods, paintings of ancient races and murals of other elementals decorated the mesmeric white surface of the reach. The water that flowed on it did not hinder his view of the reach and strangely enough, it enhanced his perception. So transparent it was that Maxwell felt himself suppressing a sigh of incredulity.  

He directed his gaze into the overflowing peak covered in water. It was fashioned from ancient rock, the origin of which has been lost to mankind. It was untainted white and radiated the essence of Lumia. As the water filled it to the brim, it overflowed and cascaded onto the steps. Other rivulets fell as waterfalls, plummeting into the steep edge of the cliffs of Avalonia castle. Maxwell found his awe growing as he saw the hallway to the inner sanctum lay in front of him. It was being enveloped by the torrential rain.  

The radiant white marbles that made up the hallway gave it an ethereal look, drawing him in. there were no braces on either side of the passage. The ethereal corridor was bare of any adornments or supports. It was as if a bridge of light joined the heavenly reach and the inner sanctum. The gates beckoned him, shining with an iridescent blaze. He broke out of his stupor and proceeded towards the corridor, towards the inner sanctum. This was the legendary abode of the Noble court of Celestials, the Luvethi. The Seraphic Ascendant was fabled to have his throne in the glorious chamber, holding court for his nobles. 

The king of Terrans himself, Yanzov the Gaean Ascendant, was once said to have wanted this bejewelled paradise to be his throne room, so great was his fascination with the celebrated sanctum. Although the whole of the castle and the country had become fraught with corruption and abandoned by the Luvethi, the Absalon and Inner sanctum were untouched. For they were holy places protected by the mighty divines. Such was the power of the blessings that kept the places divine. He shuddered as the freezing rain seeped through his clothes and chilled him to the bone. He was merely a few footfalls away from his destination. 

He felt the last vestiges of tendrils of unease and hesitation grip his being. He knew that this was the point of no return. He would be ascending to his destiny and he took a moment to settle his mind. He felt Lumia comfort him and rejuvenate him. Memories of his arduous tasks, countless perils and his loved ones raged in his mind. He remembered the interventions of his divinities. His hesitation was short-lived. He knew that he could not turn back no matter the cost. He quickened his pace and the sound of his steps became one with the furious thunder that shook the world, as he made his way to the blazing white gates that stood at the end of the corridor. They were the harbingers of his destiny, his last hope.

¬AUTHORS NOTE¬

This is the first chapter and i hope you all liked reading it. feedback is very much appreciated and i would love to hear what you think of my story.
The picture shows what i imagine the castle of Avalonia to look like. imagine the thousand fledged steps coiled around it. and imagine its really stormy and dark  minus the moons :D

the video plays the stormy sounds. so check it out as well. Hope you watties enjoyed reading my story :D Comments/votes are welcome and appreciated <3