253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE4MHZBvDEL
“The Darkness was the greatest253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr7ZlFUyz6m
evil humanity had ever faced. If she is released once again, I fear253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4eMdH74fcI
for us all.”
-Unknown
None remembered the beginning of the world, not253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBnsbo01xgo
even the Deities who formed it. Everything had taken on a form of its own and253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4N75NZllnZ
many believed the Deities to be myths and legends without fully understanding253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvLwLROdpon
how much they still impacted the world around them. The Deities roamed freely253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcGoRyeeY3g
interacting with their creations making sure to keep their memories alive even253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk2NFU5NBcG
if it’s only in their stories.
None of them loved humanity more than Imitae, the Lord253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYZ1vTkX8ba
of the Light, husband to Veyar and the grandfather to humanity. He shunned his253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG4vnLTnOzQ
powers and walked freely among them, helping them with their problems, healing253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMtk9vxUMMU
their ales and listening to their stories about his family. So, he didn’t think253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrLdHtR0RQD
twice about helping someone who needed it. He followed a beggar to their home253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4nbYmPbrha
because his family had fallen ill. Once there he was hit upside the head and253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3VWJaYWN2C
knocked unconscious. He felt himself being dragged on the ground then down a253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTPWrAmTXRD
flight of stairs into the cold, dank darkness.
When he woke up again, he found himself in a dungeon253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSaTOTs1lEa
chained to a wall. Water dripped down from the ceiling onto his pounding head.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7K1OF4RMva
The room was damp and smelled of mildew. Rats skittered in the corner fighting253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZMTujRZwsm
over a bone from the last person who died here. One walked over towards him253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP6KfEwaNss
trying to take a bite, but he lashed out with his foot sending it flying into253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnDuNCy8Kxo
the wall where it lay still. Not willing to leave fresh meat lying around, the253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7vNNlZq4sl
rats tore into their friend leaving Imitae trying not to vomit. His granddaughter’s253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxPZBTxl8CB
creations were disgusting.
He tried to use his powers to free himself, but they were always just out of reach. No253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV43cHQSbsh
matter how much he tried, no matter how much he struggled, the powers he253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnBIf16oJ01
controlled refused to answer him. So, he sat there, his hands held above his253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWEMqna7rWH
head with rope with nothing to eat or drink. He wasn’t sure how long he had253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4lr5KFTJFr
been down there, time had lost all meaning to him eons ago, but it was the253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzhmmxoYtdg
boredom that threatened to make him go insane. Just when he thought he was253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ7X3qNHXHq
about to break, he heard the door on the other side of the room open.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡimujHUpzrK
Two men walked into the room. One of them was dressed in a long black robe with the hood pulled down low covering their face. In his hand was a thick, leather-bound book. The spine was cracked, the words were in a language that had been spoken for thousands of years. He recognized the book as the Darknomicon, the book his daughter had written that explained her cursed powers. This person was an acolyte of hers, he didn’t know how they escaped into the present day, they were supposed to have been hunted to extinction. However, it was the second man that garnered his attention the most.
This man wore a long white vest, but no shirt underneath to show off the muscles he obviously253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAupJayQ74I
spent a lot of time on. He wore loose fitting pants, but no shoes on his feet.253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM7mNg5I6Eb
His head was shaved bald while his light hazel eyes gleamed in the low light. There were no weapons that he could see, but253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeGJzxQumIo
based on his physique and the dangerous aura he exuded likely kept any would-be253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqhT2WzY2Sz
attacks away.
As he walked closer, the pressure surrounding the captured god grew heavy. He could sense his daughter’s vile power coursing253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoe8rCo1QdD
through his veins, but unlike most, it didn’t show on his skin, but covering253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLnsQPx6cmC
the body in black spots thickening their blood until it turned to mud. No, the253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Su3Bp0Feo
only indication was his scent and the darkness swirling under the skin.
“This is him?” The man turned to the acolyte who hastily nodded their head. The man’s253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2JJtFP21LZ
heavy brown eyes studied him for a long time. It was hard to read this human’s253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm9fDd2dXGS
face, but the warning bells in his head kept ringing. This man was dangerous,253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkG255MN7VV
he should be killed before he brings doom upon them all. But he was useless253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB4jSfxmVw9
currently, so there was nothing he could do.
“What is it you want from me?” Imitae found his voice, but it came out in a low253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFrkxXlkhl9
whisper. It was dry and cracked, he hadn’t had any water in ages. Not very253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8lZu4fN5Uy
dignified for a God, but dignity was in short supply these days for him. Anger253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH37G0rfQXy
flashed in the man’s eyes. He strode over, grabbed Imitae’s platinum blonde253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA8KbUAcGwD
hair, so blonde it was almost white, and yanked his head back to stare his253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPOs35hYjZE
captor in the eye.
“You speak when you are spoke too, Imitae.” His voice came out like a hiss. “This is my253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhIqnzcOrOP
domain, not yours.”
“Be careful who you speak too, mortal.” Imitae shot back. “You are nothing in my eyes,253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeN6xEelSg9
just an insect who hasn’t learn their place.” The man reached back and253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRgIZqp244D
punched the god in the face. He was surprised when his head smashed backwards253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0LsoQeDEgs
against the wall he was tied too. He tasted blood which was something he never253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡndyBCrDXRr
thought possible. He spat the golden liquid into his hand and just stared.
“You have no powers here.” The man grinned. “You are completely at my mercy.”
“What is it you want from me then?” Imitae asked. He was roughly shoved back to the ground253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjKdq6dEwpr
before the man stalked away.
“I need to find the Ma’akti, and you’re going to help me.” The man smiled. Imitae looked up253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgixGdYnoAY
at him confused. The Ma’akti were the chosen of the Deities, why would this man253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlAi2vTO7nf
want them?
“Do you wish to be one yourself?” Imitae asked. “If you free me, I will give you, my253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqbgUGYyFme
blessing.”
“What do I need with your power when I already have it?” He laughed. A small ball of light253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHir2BSFT2u
flashed in his open palm as he grinned at Imitae. “No, I need you for253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfCo92lKoYJ
another reason, one you don’t need to know about. You!” He snapped at the253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGyjBMxAnkw
acolyte. “Get what you need from him, but make sure you keep him alive. We253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGSodBhRin6
will need him.”
“Yes Lord Whitesun.” The man bowed his head. “Your wish will be my command.” Imitae253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ51HGkIyKQm
watched with dismay as the man left the room, leaving him at the mercy of his253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTqYg8yiuRu
enemy.
The acolyte placed the book down on the ground. As he stalked closer to the God, he removed253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHfwgZ66ZUa
a wicked looking, curved dagger from the inside of his sleeve. “Those253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv4GWDMc9fJ
chains holding you down are made from part of a meteorite and quenched in the253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgcX1hQSwRg
water of light blessed by Humjir. They seal your power’s making you mortal. But253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdRAdQfNNRK
don’t worry Imitae, this will only hurt a lot.” He placed the dagger on the253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjQT4a055nX
God’s skin. “Tell me where the Ma’akti Unna’tun is.”
“No.” Imitae stuck out his chin in defiance. The acolyte didn’t ask again. With a large253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1G4TPY5Hfw
smile, he started to cut.
For the first time in the God’s long life, he screamed.
ns3.144.100.3da2
