Pillars of the Angels: Sword of Blood

Prologue: A Simple Goal

10 Years Ago

    “Mettria,” Xyan said, walking into the room. “What did you do?!” mettria looked up from the Ancient Oracle’s writing. It was a normal message scroll, sealed with a Simple octagonal Astren. What was worrying was that the astren was colored red. The color of war. That was not a formal invitation.

“What do you mean,” Mettria asked, standing up from her white marble desk. “Could that possibly be...” Xyan walked up to the desk and slammed her fist on it, almost crushing the scroll. Mettria blinked in shock. Such show of emotion from Xyan was rare.

“Yes it is, Mettria.” She was almost yelling in fury. Normally, such treatment of another guild leader would be unacceptable, but Xyan was an exception. They  had been friends before either of them got involved in the Circle's politics, and growing in power hasn’t changed that.”This is a declaration of war! Jhaspex has accused you of breaking the Oath, and threatening the entirety of the Circle!”

Mettria turned to the wall behind behind her, and waved her hand. The white marble changed into glass, letting sunlight into the room. She looked down, watching those walking around, unaware that their lives were about to be changed. The city of Alyist, a crown jewel in the history of Belizen, surviving an entire Guildclash. She only had a simple goal: to purify the Circle, and remove the corruption. Return the Circle to it’s former glory. Did it truly merit this?

The corruption and alliances run deeper than I ever thought, Mettria shook her head, and turned back towards Xyan. He risks a lot by doing this. There is more going on here than I think anyone realizes. She walked over to the desk, and moved the stacks of paper that cluttered its surface.

“Read me the letter,” she said. “I must know why he is doing this thing.” Xyan stepped back in slight shock, but began to unfurl the letter. The words glowed red of the page, another proof that this was about war. Xyan’s voice echoed as she read.

“To the Circle and Mettria Ovest, leader of Apersive ,

It has come to my attention, and the to the attention of the Jhaspex, that Mettria has broken a vital aspect of the Oath, which bind all of the Circle. Upon further investigating, I have found such Oathbreaking throughout the entirety of the Apersive. Yet, despite this she has accused our guild of being corrupted. But she didn’t stop there. She went and said that the entire Circle was corrupted through alliances and bribery!

    “Normally, I would ignore such allegations, and brush it off as her being paranoid, but Mettria has made a fatal allegation. She has accused the Jhaspex of being the source of the corruption! This is an attack on my, and every member of my guild’s, honor! I will not let these allegations go unfounded. By saying such things, Mettria has declared war on my guild. I will not let that though. I invoke the Third Article of the Circle Manifesto. I declare the Second  Guildclash! All of Belizen will hear the shouts of war. Mettria, I put this on your head!”

    Xyan threw the scroll, and slammed her fist down. For a Guildclash to be declared...it was madness! If the stories were true, enough magical energy was released during the original Guildclash  to turn the laws of nature on its head. Mages were still discovering “cracks” within the laws that governed the world. For a second one to happen...it could rip reality and destroy all of Belizen.

It was obvious what his goal was. If he could kill Mettria, even destroy the Apersive, than there would be no threat to his power. Corruption would reign through out the Circle. Belizen was about to head into an era of darkness, one that would continue past the Guildclash. Nor would this Guildclash be like the one before.

Unbeknownst to Mettria and everyone else in Belizen, and ancient prophecy was about to be fulfilled. The Circle torn, and order lost...A hopeless night unto the day of reckoning. It was now that night would begin, and Belizen will suffer greatly.

The end has come.