Realm of Ash Series: Soul Bond (Book 1)

PROLOGUE

The Eternal War.

Until the Mortal Age began, there were only those of giants hatched from The Void and their clash with The Elder Lords themselves who roamed the skies. Amongst these deities roamed demi-god halflings cursed with the blood of mortals, within this war-torn realm. These halflings were product of divine fabrication.

Ten-thousand years before the dawn of the Mortal Age, before the birth of vessels dense with flesh and blood, rich within the Ethereal Realm, roamed the hallowed spirits and children of the Elder Goddess, Ena. These spirits roamed in the land of light conquered by the skies and oceans. Mother to these sacred spirits, she blessed them with her divine power to roam as Guardians within the Ethereal Realm. Father to their creation, Darthuum, plagued these spirits and sank the realm into the evil shadow dominating the soil below.

Darthuum watched in awe but grew in jealousy of Ena's immense power and capacity to share her gift at no cost to her energy, his love for her became overshadowed by his fuel for chaos and greed for power.

The unwavering force of Darthuum began to plague and tarnish the land sapped of beauty and colour, molten lakes of fire flooded the plains while his wretched half-demon underlings sprawled and tore through the realm, abolishing Ena's Guardians who stood against him. These abolished, loyal spirits believed in the ideals of Ena, and the preservation of the realm and its beauty. Ena was left with no choice but to stand against Darthuum.

Ena, supreme Elder-goddess of the skies and sea waged war against the mighty armies of Darthuum within molten rocky lands and pits of darkness. Striking at the hearts of his campaign of chaos and dominance. However after their initial first wave of conflict, both deities found their combined power to create the Ethereal realm was great enough to obliterate it as well, and so to preserve the realm in the interest of both sides, Ena could not and did not, match Darthuums strength. And so Ena spawned a direct descendent of herself, but her power diminished. The descendent known as Avala, although weaker than Ena, was strong enough to keep Darthuums evil hell spawn at bay, but never able to overcome them. She was to ward, but never win. For as long as Ena drew breath, she would preserve and support Avala's unwavering steadfast defence.

Amused by Ena's creativity and wit, Darthuum played along with her game and crafted something himself; the Soul Keepers Amulet. Whoever worthy of its possession would continue to grow in strength and power. A catalyst of power which syphoned its strength from fallen spirits and absorbed into the Amulet itself to channel the energy to its wearer.

Avala could strike down whoever she wished, but the Amulet would find a new owner, its power transferred and everlasting.

Groll, Darthuums finest creation and most beloved pet, brewed from the molten planes of magma, stood head and shoulders high among the blanketing clouds. An unshakeable giant claimed ownership of this Amulet and forever remain unconquered. Grolls victories against Avalas army grew his power greatly. But by the time he was ready to claim Avala's and ultimately Ena's souls, the Amulet became too unstable for even Groll to harness. Darthuum was proud of what he had crafted and remained in awe of his own creation becoming something even stronger than himself, and so he relished the opportunity to consume these gathered souls and grow stronger without ever needing to step foot into the Ethereal Realm again. But somehow even he could not wear it. Until he or Groll grew strong enough to behold its power, Darthuum tore open The Void. A deeply, dark, empty pit of all-consuming pressure and the unrelenting pain of severe silence. He drained the corroded souls of the amulet into this vacuum so that they remain suspended inside a pressurised pit of shadow with no way out. A perfect place to store forgotten souls and to give the evil deity time to collect more and harness greater strength. Darthuum collected more souls from Avalas fallen , and hailed Groll as gatekeeper to The Void, training the first wave of forgotten souls, subject to the void to act as a replenished unit of souls to become reborn into tarnished, smoke and ash halfling demons from the Void itself. Now for Groll to command and release at the snap of Darthuums fingers.