Chapter 1: Myriad of Lights[]
Silence fills the air of the Cathedral as Volt wanders through its barren fields. He isn't really sure of anything - how he ended up here, how he got this scarf, why he's still wandering instead of running back home - but right now, he was especially unsure of how the massive underground structures of Chargio could experience night. He has only his own light him on his way through this strange, unfamiliar land.
Unfortunately, Volt's light is too dim and too short-ranged to make the journey any easier. He struggles with the strange rock formations in his path, entirely unsure of where he's heading. No structures stood out in the night, nothing to guide the Sparkling on his way. Tired of bumping into rocks every two seconds, Volt sits down and sighs. He didn't want to be here.
- Volt: Just great. Wonderful! Thanks, world, for putting me on this big wonderful adventure of slamming my face into rocks!
Volt produces electricity from his fingertips, causing him to recoil in fear. The electricity grows and shoots towards the ground, chipping the rock and stirring up dust.
- Volt: ...and thanks for making me some kind of monster!
Volt tugs on his scarf, which refuses to come off. He sighs again and slumps down, defeated.
Suddenly, as if the world could hear Volt's complaints, a myriad of light forms in the sky - a stream of strange lines, moving their way through the sky. Lighting the path gold and green, the lights continued on through the sky, a massive cloud of color. Volt got back up with newfound optimism, set on reaching the source of the lights, regardless of what it was. He had a path to follow, and that was enough in that moment.
- Today is gonna be the day
- That they're gonna throw it back to you
As Volt continues, he finds the deactivated husks of several Grunts.
- By now you should've somehow
- Realized what you gotta do
Through a crack in the rocks, Volt sees a massive orb of light - the source of the stream. He continues on, in awe of the lights.
- I don't believe that anybody
- Feels the way I do about you now
- Back beat, the word is on the street
- That the fire in your heart is out
- I'm sure you've heard it all before
- But you never really had a doubt
The runes on Volt's scarf begin glowing brightly as he continues on his path.
- I don't believe that anybody feels
- The way I do about you now
Suddenly, the path becomes far more defined - as if already built.
- And all the roads we have to walk are winding
- And all the lights that lead us there are blinding
Volt sees the orb of light on the horizon and sees a silhouette within it.
- There are many things that I would
- Like to say to you
- But I don't know how
Volt begins rushing towards the orb, using electricity to blast through anything in his path.
- Because maybe
- You're gonna be the one that saves me
- And after all
- You're my wonderwall
The silhouette in the orb turns to look at Volt and lifts a hand, increasing the size of the orb and the intensity of the light. Volt continues on anyways.
- Today was gonna be the day
- But they'll never throw it back to you
Volt reaches the edge of the orb. The silhouette raises its other hand, pushing Volt back.
- By now you should've somehow
- Realized what you're not to do
- I don't believe that anybody
- Feels the way I do
- About you now
Volt pushes back, entering the orb.
- And all the roads that lead you there were winding
- And all the lights that light the way are blinding
Volt sees the being in the orb - another Sparkling, with holes covering her body. She looks back in fear.
- There are many things that I would like to say to you
- But I don't know how
- I said maybe
- You're gonna be the one that saves me
- And after all
- You're my wonderwall
Volt manages to struggle his way to the woman, who curls up on the ground.
- I said maybe
- You're gonna be the one that saves me
- And after all
- You're my wonderwall
Volt looks down at the woman. He tries to speak to her, but the white noise of the orb blocks him out.
- I said maybe
The woman gets back up and tries to speak back, but is also drowned out by the white noise.
- You're gonna be the one that saves me
Volt hugs the woman tightly and tries to speak to her again.
- You're gonna be the one that saves me
The woman cries and the orb begins shrinking.
- You're gonna be the one that saves me
Volt and the woman both breathe heavily and look at each other. Both are silent for what feels like hours.
- Volt: ...it's okay.
- ???: No, it's not, this is... this isn't how I wanted this.
- Volt: So you knew I was coming?
- ???: No... well, yes, but... look, I just want to be alone right now.
- Volt: Alright. Thanks for lighting the path, I guess...?
Volt continues on his way, climbing out of the crater the orb of light left. He wonders what occured back there, but isn't really sure if it's any weirder than the rest of the day's events. He decides to rest for the night and sits down against a rock, already half-asleep already.
- ???: Sabel.
Volt wakes up, startled. He looks beside him and sees the woman standing over him.
- Sabel: My name is Sabel. I'm sorry about earlier, I'm just... it's a long story. I don't know how to say this, but I'm... kind of a zombie? And-
- Volt: What do you mean by that?
- Sabel: I should be dead. Like I said, long story.
- Volt: When I woke up, I was up on the surface living a pretty normal life. Look at me now. I'm kind of going numb to weird crap like this.
Sabel and Volt sit down. Sabel briefly opens her mouth to speak, but Volt quickly drifts back to sleep. Sabel stays awake, still startled and confused.
Chapter 2: Take Aim[]
Bang.. A gunshot rings through the air on a cloudy day.
A Sparkling wearing an old dirty cloak lifts the strange goggles off her eyes, mumbling something under her breath. She quickly sits down on the rocky cliffside, reloading her rifle frantically while breathing heavily. Suddenly, her goggles begin filling the air with noise, a low buzzing hum.
- ???: Hailey, why isn't that Goliath down yet? You had clear orders to neutralize it before it reached the canyons.
- Hailey: Miss a couple of shots, suddenly I'm on the chopping block, not those dumb buckets you keep tossing at a giant...
- ???: The Grunts were supposed to be distractions. You were supposed to be the finishing blow.
Hailey finishes reloading and begins climbing up the cliff wall.
- Hailey: Gimme two minutes and it'll be dead.
Hailey pulls herself up and begins taking aim, her hands shaking as she does. Quickly closing in on her location was a massive... thing. A floating beast made of stone and energy, consisting of several rotating tiers and bizzare limbs. It lifts two thin arms and begins swirling the clouds above it, turning them into liquid and creating a sphere of water around its head. It's a clever one - it knows it's being hunted. Luckily, Hailey was clever too.
Creating a bit of frost on her rifle, Hailey starts planning an assault on the Goliath, bit by bit. Her powers were still odd to her - something about artifacts tapping into ancestral power, she thought...? - but she was happy she had them right now. Lining up the shot, she fires off some ice from the rifle...
Bang.. A gunshot rings through the air on a cloudy day.
Panic runs through Grand Mal City as a mysterious create made of stone busts through the surface of Chargio. A lanky humanoid with a strange magnetic field, the creature has been identified as a Goliath by the citizens. Thought to be eradicated by the Guild Galvanus long ago, these creatures were remnants of a strange and dangerous past for the people.
Hailey ran through the streets, just as terrified as everyone else in the city. No one was prepared to handle another Goliath - the only artifacts capable of defeating them disappeared with the Guild, and conventional weaponry was useless. The new Goliath tore apart all structures in its way as it marched, blocking off major evacuation routes and killing hundreds in its rampage. Weaving and dodging through the debris, Hailey found herself lost in the back alleys of the city.
Reaching a dead end on her path, hope of escape was growing slimmer by the moment. Most paths were gone and if the Goliath didn't kill Hailey, the aftermath of its rampage would. This was it. The end.
Hailey slumps down in fear, hyperventilating. A metal beam glowing white hot lands next to her, followed by several more.
- Hailey: Oh Cytos, oh Cytos, I don't wanna die, I don't wanna die, i don't-
A massive steel beam is flung towards Hailey. She clenches her head in fear, but looks up to see a cloaked Sparkling holding the beam back.
- Hailey: How can you...?
The cloaked Sparkling throws the beam away and turns around. He dusts off a strange spiked half-mask on his face and helps Hailey up.
- ???: That's not really important, is it?
- Hailey: You're one of them. The mask, the power... you have to a member of that guild!
- ???: ...former member, yes. Look, there's no time for talk, we have to leave, now.
- Hailey: But this is incredible! Everyone thought you guys disappeared, but now-
Another massive steel beam lands by Hailey, stirring up dust.
- ???: Like I said, now.
The cloaked man manages to push aside some debris and leads Hailey on a path to the spire at the center of the city. Still frightened, Hailey attempts to question the man but can't find the right words to say and continues following him. From a distance, the Goliath spots them and lurches towards them, lifting debris up and aiming for Hailey...
...and it hits. The Goliath's head is quickly incased in ice, allowing Hailey to take a second shot to shatter the beast's cranium. It crashes to the ground, it's energy released to the air as a fine mist. Hailey slides down the cliff wall and sends in Grunts to inspect the creature. Another message comes through her goggles.
- Hailey: Like I said, two minutes.
- ???: Excellent work, Hailey. Return to home base soon.
- Hailey: Got it, Strato.
Chapter 3: The Scroll[]
Volt and Sabel traverse the sandy plains of the Cathedral as the light filtered from the surface dims once more, leaving them without a clue of where they are. Sabel begins to set up a small makeshift camp, putting down some brushwood.
- Sabel: Volt, light us a fire.
- Volt: With what? I don't have a lighter, there's no sticks or twigs left, and-
- Sabel: With your powers. Just zap something and see if that does anything.
- Volt: I'm... not particularly comfortable using those, Sabel.
- Sabel: Fine, let's just sleep out here. In the dark. On rocks. In the wilderness.
Volt sighs and reluctantly begins sending pulses of electricity at the brushwood, managing to start a small fire for the two. Sabel sits down and warms her hands while Volt looks around, finding a small scroll Sabel has dropped. He opens the scroll and finds only some runes, faintly glowing. Sabel looks to him and panics, rushing over to take the scroll.
- Sabel: Oh crap, did you read it? Oh no, this isn't how I wanted you to find out, I'm so sorry.
- Volt: Sabel, I have no idea what any of these runes mean.
- Sabel: ...thank Cytos. Hand it over, then.
Volt clutches the scroll tighter.
- Volt: Why would it be a problem if I could read runes?
- Sabel: It's important stuff. Secret important stuff.
- Volt: All you've done so far is keep secrets from me! Why are you so intent on me knowing nothing about you, Sabel?
Volt rushes past Sabel and holds the scroll over the fire, making Sabel panic even more. Suddenly, the winds pick up, blowing the fire out. Sabel and Volt fight over the scroll in the dark, attempting to wrestle it from one another until Sabel pushes Volt into a rock, taking the scroll back. Volt gets up, looks at Sabel, and begins walking away while she tucks the scroll in a compartment of her collar.
Attempting to move towards the massive spire on the horizon, Volt walks against the harsh winds, tumbling over and clinging to the ground as it picks up even more. A massive piece of rock hurdles towards Volt, but a small figure catches it and crushes it to dust. The winds slow as the stout thing picks Volt back up.
- Volt: Thanks... you...?
Volt looks at the figure more closely. Its body is composed of hard metal and its one eye glows a vivid purple.
- ???: Let's just say I'm a friend of a friend, Volt.
- Volt: Oh, so you know Sabel? Well, go tell her that until she can get over her weird trust crap, I'm leaving here on my own.
- ???: That path is not right for you, child. There are many truths you do not know - about the artifacts, about the Cathedral, about Sabel - but leaving this place isn't going to give you answers, and it won't return your life to normal.
- Volt: So what does fix everything?
- ???: You are at the brink of a very important decision. You may choose to go with me and become a part of something much bigger - something that transcends the many things you do not know. Or you may stay with Sabel, and learn such petty mortal truths at the cost of never becoming a god.
Volt ponders a bit. The figure holds out its hand to Volt.
- Volt: ...I'm not sure I want that god stuff, honestly. What I want is to go home, and if Sabel is my best bet at going home, I can trust her long enough to do just that. Thanks for helping me realize that.
Volt begins finding his way back to the camp, seeing dim light in the distance. The metal figure growls and begins moving towards the spire, joined by several similar metal bodies. As night turns to day, he reaches the massive metal obelisk and enters, a lift taking him up to a strange lair full of artifacts, glowing with white runes. The metal figure's body loosens and collapses as a purple Sparkling emerges from the husk and moves out to the balcony, overlooking the entire Cathedral.
- Strato: And so, the plan begins. The culmination of all my years - in motion like clockwork.
Chapter 4[]
Chapter 5[]
Chapter 6[]
Chapter 7[]
Chapter 8[]
Chapter 9[]
Chapter 10[]
Chapter 11[]
Chapter 12[]
Chapter 13[]
Chapter 14[]
Chapter 15[]
Chapter 16[]
Chapter 17[]
Chapter 18[]
Chapter 19[]
Chapter 20[]
Gallery[]
