The Island With No Parallel

A Battle Awaited for Centuries

Cadri wept uncontrollably as she was forced to watch Nexa drown Manuel after she had already killed Yuanra, his last moments spent mourning the death of the woman he obviously loved. It was all just too much. Her parents, Renen, now Yunara and Manuel. The Dark Ones were cruel. She knew they wouldn't kill her now. It was far worse to be left alive.

After the death of them both, as the setting sun witnessed their lifeless bodies dead on the ground, the earth began to tremble, the glowing swords beside them fading to gray, the three keys glowing to life. The image behind the stone slab cleared, and the Lords of Darkness loosened their bonds. Their eyes shot open, and they emerged from the slate one by one. A huge shadow was cast over the pavillion as the Island shuddered under their great forms.

And they weren't alone.

"Ah, yes," Lord Stretton said. "The Armies. Welcome back to the mortal world."

Legions of Dark ones emerged from the stone, all smaller duplicates of their Lords, the size of men. They took flight into the air, spreading like a swarm of bees into the sky.

Lord Stretton frowned. "Where are they going? I haven't given them their instructions yet."

Rage roared, pounding the ground as he crouched to his level. "You are a fool! Did you really think we would ever allow you control of our footmen, the centuries? Our Dark Ones?"

Stretton, for the first time, looked rocked to his core.

Lord Sherwood stepped forward furiously. "We had a deal! You have no right to–"

"–Haven't you read the ancient texts you love so much? The very ones you use to attempt to control us." Greed interjected. "For centuries, the Dark Ones have been limited to the confines of your putrid summonings, only able to roam freely as you Aracs grant it. Not anymore. We are patient. We have waited all this time for one so insolent as you to whisper the ideas of conquest to. Make you believe you could swear us to your allegiance, that we would somehow lend you our power."

They all cackled together mockingly.

"You were so blinded by the prospect of power," added Fear. "that you'd forgotten your place. All the Aracs have."

Greed roared. "WE were there when the binding rites between the Aracs and our Dark Ones were established. Now that we are free, we can undo them, and with the deaths of these two Chosen, we can get what we really wanted."

Suddenly, in the air all about them, ancient writings appeared glowing and deep blue in color. They shouted in harmony, and the stone where Yunara and Manuel laid fractured, along with it the words in the air. The words shattered, and Stretton and Sherwood looked horrified, the rest of the Aracs along with them as it dawned on them that they had finally summoned a Dark being that was more powerful than they realized.

The Dark crowd erupted in laughter.

A winged Dark One snatched the crown from his Stretton's head.

Another ripped his robe from his back.

"Y-you tricked me!" he shouted.

"Isn't that your way?" Nexa cooed. "You thought you could offer us the freedom to roam the world and that would be enough for us. But we hunger much more than that. We wanted freedom from you accursed Aracs. We are bound by the Aras no more!"

"Bound no more!"

"Bound no more!"

"Bound no more!"

The chants rumbled the earth.

A century of Rage landed in front of Stretton, his hand becoming the shape of a blade. He rose it high above his head. "First the Aracs will fall! Then, the rest of the mortals shall follow after!"