In an ancient land many kingdoms via for dominance over one another, battling for any edge that can be gained. They do so under the banner of a chosen god. For while the inhabitants of this world believe in all beings recognised to hold dominion over a piece of reality, they do not worship each god equally. Which unbeknownst to the gods followers leads them to become little more that pawns in a grand game of chess by all of the gods in Eldor, the kingdom of the gods.
One such oblivious person was a young soldier by the name of Cassian. Barely a man yet a veteran of the most recent war between his own kingdom that serves 'The Mother' Pytha the goddess of the past and its neighbour that worships Sol, God of the sun. An arduous campaign that had lasted two years, showed itself on the skin of young boy.
Sitting in the back of a ragged wagon Cassian caressed is forearms, running his fingers across the countless scars he had attained fighting for his people, before slowly trapsing down towards his personal short sword that sat poorly balanced between his legs. He glanced down his eyes drawn to the scuffed bronze guard shaped in the iconography of the kingdoms chosen God. Three links bound together representing the mother and her familial bonds.
The thought of which cause Cassian to think back on his own family. He reminisced on the last time he had saw them, the time in which the entire homestead had held a send off party following the boys enlistment. Recollecting on this precious memory had unintentionally caused smirk to cross Cassian's face. The sight of which cause an outburst from a man sitting at the other end of the wagon.
"Excited are you boy" a gruff voice bellowed, the colliding of which caused Cassian to suddenly jolt. Looking up the young soldier caught eyes with the man that had been his captain throughout the war, Morray. Not answering quickly enough for his impatient senior Morray continued.
"I bet they'll treat you like hero, parade you around all the local villages."
Hearing this Cassian quickly collected himself before responding back.
"Well yes sir, but after having spent so long away…" an apprehensive tone surrounding his statement.
"Look boy, I know how you left that place, but take it from me, returning alive quickly quells any anger your loved ones have about you leaving" Morray huffed, the old soldier satisfied with his own words of wisdom.
"Understood sir, I'll take your word for it" Cassian replied nodding his head towards his respected superior.
The rest of the soldiers began to chime in a different intervals stating their own advice for the young soldier that they had grown so fond off. The result of which spiralled into a lengthy yet light-hearted conversation in which each soldier expressed his own hopes and dreams for the future. The conversation continued on so long that throughout its run time the group had been whittled down from various members being unloaded at their respective homes.
Until finally the carriage abruptly stopped signalled by a border stone at the end of a lengthy dirt path. At last, the wagon had reached the entranced to Cassian's family homestead. Relived he quickly piled up his few belongings before leaping off the wagon onto the path below.
Yet in spite of his swiftness in exiting the wagon Cassian stopped begore stepping towards his homestead path. planting his feat transfixed at the sight of the familiar sculpted stones in front of him. The young soldier reached out wiping the moss from the crevasses that signify the symbols of his family, the sight of the poorly shaped jackal causes a well of tension to pool within his chest.
CLACK, CLOP, CLACK
Cassian releases an audible sigh the tension breaking as the sound the departing wagon trails off down the road. Suddenly as he prepares to turn towards the homestead, he hears a bellowing shout from the distance
"Enjoy your life boy, you've done the hard part"
That anxious grin returns to Cassian's mouth, and with a final nudge of encouragement he began trudging down the path towards the homestead. Narrower than he remembers Cassian stares at seemingly endless sea of long tall pale trees, littered with orangish brown leaves in spite of relative darkness he feels a strange sense of warmth. With sun setting the autumn sky cast the forest in a rich red hew that deeply resonated with Cassian the nostalgia of harvest festivals further enhancing his haste towards his home.
However, as he drew closer to what was his families homestead streaks of smoke sliced their way above the birch leaves. The sight of which filled the recently dismissed solider with dread. Having spent the past two years of his life in broiled in war he new how to differentiate common hearth smoke with the sight of buildings being razed. Upon this horrid realisation Cassian began sprint toward the homestead his head filled with
prayers.
"Great Mother, protect what is most dear in this world" he repeated to himself the mantra of goddess to which he needed most and yet as he broke through the final tree line and set his eyes upon a collage of horrors. Charred bodies stripped of there skin littered the ground as if they had tossed like undesired toys. Those that were not discarded were pinned to variety of object displayed in varying abstract poses.
Cassian takes slight shuffling steps forward, his brain unable to comprehend what was before him. A cacophony of blood and smoke lay thick in the air, Cassian begins to retch. His mouth filling up with bile as he drops to his knees and unloads the reminder of his stomachs content.
Scrambling Cassian claws his towards the discarded corpses trying to identify their features. Desperately clinging to any hope of his parents survival, only for it to be immediately lost. Glancing down Cassian spots a familiar birth mark on the arm of the body in front of him. instantly sent back to his childhood he recalls tracing the crescent shape on his mothers arms as she would embrace him. Cassian begins cradle the corpse of what was the person that he held most dear the smouldering flames warmth disguising the horror of the situation transporting him to the memories of his childhood.
In before a flake of the ash drifts gently onto his cheek tearing him back to his grim reality. However, after becoming aware of his situation Cassian also begins to become conscious of the growing wailing coming from his families barn. His mind forcibly dragged from grieving, mysteriously pulled towards the source. His eyes blurred from a mixed of tears and smoke the little that can be deciphered appears to be mans figure. Cassian hands scrape across his face, causing the vague picture to gain clarity. Yet while his sight had cleared his understanding was opposing shattered.
Stood but a few meters in front him in the gleaming shell of a humanoid was something entirely different. Draped in a thin expensive looking robe his exposed skin glistened like silver, yet appeared weathered and thin, like ancient jewellery the beauty distracting from the obvious unusual flaws. Cassian realised that while attempting to look like one, the being Infront of him was not a human but something different, more powerful and far older a god.
Cassian raised his body relinquishing the firm grip that held his mother. Regaining his nerve and erupting in a quite rage the young soldier drew his weapon and prepared to fight the being in front of him.