The Dark

Jared’s new ship, the venarian swept through space at breakneck speeds, moving from one colony to the next. He was a spare part merchant scavenging for materials on dead planets long abandoned selling parts to whoever would buy. Times were tough, and those brave enough to traverse the dead rocks filled with various native beasts were lucky enough to enjoy the spoils.

Jared stared out the Grand front window of the cockpit, where his son snuck up behind, wondering what was in their view.

“Daddy, what’s that?” His son Michael asked. He was the age of eight, barely four feet tall with hair fire red as Jared’s was. His point led to a massive circle of total darkness, with a bright fire swirling around it’s side, seeping into the middle.

“That’s a black hole, son. It’s sucked a star into it’s pull.” Black holes were eerily beautiful, total black nothingness, crushing all that came within its grasp.

“Why does it do that? It looks like nothing’s even there.” Michael said curiously.

“That’s because it’s centre is so dense, it pulls everything toward it, using it’s gravity. Isn’t that neat?” Jared looked back to see his son confused. “What I mean is, it’s something so heavy that nothing exists around it.” Michael’s head tilted.

The space around it seemed warped, bent and twisted. Relativity rang true near it, time passing years by the minute. He loved gazing into them, it was fascinating, he wished to get slightly closer. He stared into the dark, hypnotized by it’s allure. The bright star swinging round slowly, moving into it’s mighty centre, disappearing. The space bent so wildly that it dragged around it it seemed. Jared couldn’t look away.

Abyss, grand sphere of a single point, a singularity. Bending all to it’s will, time, space, energy, the wills of men. Many have flown into it and disappeared, theorized to have been crushed, or ascended to a higher dimension. Where gravity travels, where time has no meaning, all there is are gods and energies. The essence of gods sat within, Jared knew it. He was set into a trance, unable to move his hands, his limbs, his eyes. All he could see now was the black. Muffled yells and tugging on his shirt came from the periphery, Michael could be heard but not seen, only one thing could be viewed by Jared forever more, as the venarian passed beyond the horizon into the truth beyond.

           The dark.

Unbreakable

Unbreakable

Brayden Jardoa stood strong, viewing the robed man before him. His longblade and kite shield readied, clad in plate armor from head to toe. He had conquered the elements, soothed the violent spirits of the zodiac, coming to his final trial, the 13th spirit whom claimed rule over the astral plane, Serpentarius. The man who laid between the strongest, the eagle, laying between the serpent’s head and tail - the serpent bearer. The view was astounding; He stood upon a translucent platform spilling out from the door of light like angel dust in a circle, the man at the other end staring out to his surroundings. It was impeccable; galaxies, stars, planets Brayden had never dreamed of. The beauty of the sky knew no bounds. However, it was all in jeopardy due to Serpentarius; the robed man.

The man turned toward him. He was olive-skinned, a long, black beard, no hair atop his head. He grew a crooked smile from end to end.

“You are far from home, little man,” the man said plainly in a gruff voice. He closed his eyes, creepling closer as if floating upon the platform. “You have calmed the lion, the twins, the fish and the maiden.” He coughed up a subtle laugh. “Are you ready to die?”

“I will not falter, fiend,” Brayden threatened. He sliced the air with his blade. “Why do you threaten the planes? Why destroy what the spirits have come so far to build?”

Serpentarius laughed loudly. “Those fools rejected me from their ‘team’, their pathetic council of the stars,” He paced back and forth. “They thought they could hold me back, stop me,” He paused, shooting Brayden a sly grin. “Portals open on planets in the material plane across the universe, with the beasts of the zodiac. They obey me now. It’s only a matter of time before your world is destroyed. Why did you even come alone, fool? What power do you have?” Serpentarius cackled again.

“I have the power of the gods!” He yelled. He was blessed by the heavens to carry out their deeds, and he would smite those who sought imbalance. “Gods more powerful than you. I have calmed the wind, earth, fire and water, I have beaten the lion, the twins, the fish and the maiden!” He continued, readying his weapon. “Are you ready, serpent? Are you ready to taste the steeled power of the divine?”

Serpentarius laughed uncontrollably. He was undeniably insane. A spirit which felt conquering was the only thing, the best thing, one could accomplish. Brayden knew this, and would not break. I will not fail, he thought.

Serpentarius raised his staff, waves of all forms of colour swished around him, Forming him into an abomination of man, a man with a serpent’s body with arms, and the head of a cobra. He hissed violently as two massive constrictors emerged from the ground out of nothing, each two feet across and thirty feet long, fangs like blades each with venom deadlier than the most violent poison on his planet. “Tell your gods I rule them now, I will make you scream in pain for their mercy!”

Brayden raised his blade and charged full tilt at the man of serpents. I will not falter, he thought.

I am unbreakable.