CREWSADERS - THE NOVELIZATION OF A GAME THAT DOESN'T EXIST

Prologue

https://youtu.be/52QULnTG-aQ?si=Tr34PgCH3nuZHatL

Across worlds -- across universes, even -- it's said that every being's Essence is never really gone. Supposedly, it contains all their memories, as well as all their power, even after death. Unable to be touched, unable to be held..

So, what would happen if one were to get their hands on someone else's Essence?

That was the question that Aero Rugale was trying to answer. If things went according to plan, his team of researchers would find some way, somewhere, to access and harness peoples' Essences after they perished.

///////////// Lord of Darkness: AERO /////////////

He had never been patient. As the ruler of Umbras, he had to be assertive to get anything done. For days, he had hovered above the floors of the labs that contained dozens of scientists as he barked orders left and right, quickly losing his temper for as much as he had tried to be fair and just. Still, results took months to materialize in any considerable way, and even then they seemed rather unimpressive.

He scratched his dark chin as he observed the blurry, colorless image displayed upon the bleeding-edge monitor: A singular island, surrounded by a seemingly endless sea of saltwater and overlooked by nothing more than a singular natural satellite. Despite the island's size, the dimension expanded no further than the horizon and the seas, surrounded by an invisible dome of aura that made Aero's team's sensors skyrocket. Somehow, a presence in that island made it so that death was never truly final, as the Essences of those who pass away within it wander the lands aimlessly until they're absorbed by someone else. Still, nobody within Aero's realm was able to travel across dimensions, so it seemed simply impossible to reach to begin with..

But it's not like that has ever stopped the Lord of Corruption before.

He was smarter than that. Only one being within his comprehension -- and yet out of his realm -- was rumored to be able to travel in such ways. A being of myth, whispered amongst troops and scholars alike, going by the name of The Host. It was claimed to be a universal wanderer capable of walking through worlds with the singular goal of facing off against their strongest Essences before vanishing in a heartbeat. It didn't take long to track him down and it took even less to uncover a critical detail he could exploit -- The Host always targets the strongest people via the weakest spots between dimensions.

That would be something it'd grow to regret.

All it took was to create not a universal rift, but a shallow cut. The moment the portal opened, a massive, dramatic voice burst from inside of it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHOQ_WJ0RVg

"Well, well, well.. looks like someone's finally summoned me!" it boasted. "With whom do I have the honor of dueling in this fine evening of.. now, in what time period are we in, again?"
"Show yourself," Aero demanded.
"Now, now, David. No need to get hostile." Its voice echoed through the now-empty room, confident and snarky like one of a showman.

The Host floated out from the portal as a cloud of dark purple smoke filled the room. From it, all that was visible were the shining hollow core in its chest and the two glowing eyes that made it seem like it was constantly hiding a grin under the metallic helmet that Aero could just barely make out amongst the smoke that seemed to blend in with its body.

///////////// Omnidimensional Gladiator: THE HOST /////////////

"And here I am! The magnificent Host! I must say, I did not expect this place to be as.." it looked around with displeasure, "dusty.. But alas, it's not like mortal allergies are something I have to worry about."
"It seems you really are omniscient," Aero examined, flying higher to study the creature from above, his black cape hanging from his crimson coat just high enough to avoid the floor.
"Ooh, somebody did their research, but omniscience would be far too much of a headache, dear adversary. I only know about the strongest Essences from each realm.." It's tone changed from one of boasting to one of displeasure and disappointment, "that's why I know you didn't invite me for a friendly duel... Go, now, state your case before my interest is lost. Shall it be interesting enough, I may decide to aid in your case."
"All I need you to do is to be my way in and out of The Isle Of Souls. I must learn how to master the power of others' Essences."
"Is that so? Why exactly? Ah, let me guess.." It floated lazily around the room and Aero spotted metallic plating around it's hollow core. "Is it power? They all want power, but then when they get it they never actually do anything interesting with-"
"Silence!" Aero demanded, raising his hand and making a pair of unbreakable darkness tentacles emerge from the floor, wrapping around the host's 'chest' and dragging it to the ground.
"Well, that's to be expected," it sighed, blasting a wave of every from its body, only to turn pitch black and shoot itself against The Host.
Aero smirked, getting closer to The Host as the tentacles clenched harder and he spun a small ball of darkness around his fingers. "You serve me now."
"Oh woe is me, I suppose I am captured! However, good luck being on my good side now." Aero had pointed his palm at The Host's face, but nothing happened. "Oh, is your little hypnosis not working on a deity such as myself? Who would've thought!"

The smoke in the room quickly burnt into green flames as The Host teleported not too far away, outside of the building and just exposed enough for the civilians of Umbras to witness the showdown that was about to go down. It spoke out once more:

"Ladies and gentlemen of the public, I fear your safety might become.. trivial."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbh0mOVlnHs

Aero scoffed.

"Well, let's see if you can put up enough of a show, dear David," The Host called out, increasing in size with a metaphorical grin.

Aero raised his arms and a flurry of shards of darkness dashed at The Host. In moments, they were sucked through a portal. The Host's limbs hardened into a shining green matter, spinning around its torso.

"Is that all you got? Perhaps you should put a little more PUNCH into it." The Host's limbs slammed against, Aero's defense of darkness, giving them enough momentum to warp through the portal it had summoned, materializing within a crouded street of young uniformed adults.

The Host's limbs rocketed at Aero like missiles, moving individually as the man spawnerd portals that warped them away, blasting a beam of darkness in its direction.

It missed, hitting a nearby.. shopping center?

"Where did you take me!?"
"Aw, you don't recognize Real World Location Coimbra?" The Host taunted. "How about the fictional town of Corvus?"

Aero was warped into a dark and gloomy forest, filled with some kind of shadow creatures that pounced him the moment he laid foot on the floor. The Host's grinning eyes flashed in his peripheral vision, causing Aero to summon a massive axe and quickly turn the creatures to dust before dashing at the one he summoned, who just effortlessly floated out of his way.

"Not quite your style, I see.. Shall we go to The United States then?" The Host sent a portal through Aero, hitting him over and over with its massive arms. "How about Seattle? Oregon? Maybe even New York City!?"

Portal after portal after portal, Aero couldn't quite seem to reach The Host, who instead managed to clash a hit against his axe, sending both flying across portals.

"What do we think of Cria? Dreaming Wonder? Speaking of dreams, maybe the Dreamarium is more your style.."

Aero was starting to get impatient, sending all darkness kinds of spells in The Host's direction before dashing back into its attacks. It sidestepped to take a break as Aero was flung into another flurry of portals.

"Oh so now you decide to attack me face to face? Very well," it dashed back at Aero, taking him through countless portals "What do you think of Hell Planet, The Bouldered Backwoods, Cobuln Forest, maybe Cryon? My, you're hard to please.. Perhaps the Under- AUGH!"

An uppercut made of darkness slammed into The Host, making it lose its focus before endless chains of darkness wrapped around it.

"That's enough!"

A dome of dark matter surrounded The Host, with blasts coming from all directions. Aero summoned an orb of darkness and turned it into a spear, piercing the dome and The Host within it.

The creature re-awakened moments later.

"I should let you know that you're only up this early because I needed you to be," Aero grinned, making a spear float around them both. "Usually the effect lasts for centuries, but you're not very useful if you're in a coma.."

From then on, it was unavoidable. The Host would serve only Aero and allow him to visit the island where he could feed on the powers of every living being's Essence. Otherwise, Aero would have just another corpse in his hands.

"Very well, I shall fulfill your request, my new lord," it said, ever dramatic, as the portal opened and the universe trembled, "but be careful what you wish for! You weren't exactly the only one I had my eyes on.."