1 Chapter 1:Beginnings

The night was dark and cold and even the twin moons were hidden behind dark clouds that swallowed their light. In the distance to the far north, mountains covered the horizon in darkness under the starless night, barely visible in the almost nonexistent light of the moons. A wave of endless bone white monsters descended from the mountains as soon as the last light of the day faded. All around the ground was littered with the corpses of these countless monsters that had been slaughtered.

"Damn these cursed creatures, they don't even die from arrows to the head. "a tired voice could be heard grunting from above tall walls that faced the dark mountains. The words were lost within the thundering approaching of the enemy as they sped at incredible speed towards the city making the very ground shake and chaotic noise of battle. It was pure chaos as the soldiers on the wall tried desperately to kill as many of the hollows as they could.

Any monstrosity that went beyond the shallow river boundary was met with pitfalls and explosive traps that threw the entire hoard in disarray. The air burnt with flames and smoke as pillars of flames rose from the ground turning everything to ash. The baren land between the Acyls-river and the walls of the city was covered in the spilled purple blood of dead hollows. The purple blood smelt like a mix of burned rotten flesh and sulfur dominated the air. The smell carried by cold winds was disgusting and unbearable to any who came across it.

Although many preparations were made it was far from enough to entirely clear the incoming wave of hollows. Hollows were the plague of the realm, mindless creatures that invaded the realm through rifts bringing nothing but death and destruction. Looking at the pale white monstrosities with bone like skin and long sharp claws it was truly a terror most wouldn't want to face. Hollows had no face, rather a blank head with endless rows of sharp teeth and four thin slits that served as nostrils they used to find prey. The ugly creatures had no eyes nor ears but had senses sharper than any awakened. They were mindless monsters that had superior bodies and bestial desire to feed on the essence of living beings.

A line of archers in red and blue armor fired endless arrows into the sea of white death that approached the walls. The arrows tore through the air covered in layers of essence that shined in the cold night's darkness. Each arrow powerful enough to tear through the flesh and bones of the hoards below. At the corners of the high walls a group of men and women dressed in black and blue battle robes could be seen holding enchanted staffs and spell books that lit up in ethereal lights. They could be heard chanting as they cast a volley of destructive spells towards the approaching monsters. From flaming lances to destructive wind blades the elemental spells brought ruin to all that stood in their path. Their efforts would destroy dozens of the hollows as they fell to the ground lifeless. The seemingly endless hoard was quickly obliterated with each barrage of spells and arrows destroying their numbers.

Behind the mighty wall, that had seen better days before, was the northern city of Ashden. It was built up in endless streets and building along roads and strong walls. Most of the people here were traders and merchants that served to buy and sell goods to and from the larger cities that were a distance away. It was considered a small city that was close to the northern edge of the forgotten realm. Everyone who was within the city right now was on edge. The once peaceful city was filled with a sense of dread and fear that gripped them entirely, if the wall fell, the monsters outside would lay waste to every living thing. They could only wait for the battle at the wall to come to an end if they hoped to survive.

Luckily warning of the impending rift had gotten to them quickly allowing for quick preparations earlier in the day. With the next city so distant escape was futile. Davion, the city magistrate summoned all the awakened within the city to the wall. He offered rewards to all that would aid in defending his city during this grave crisis, however even his best efforts only got thirteen people, most of which were still in the first rank of their ascension.

The city guard had about forty-four soldiers that had awakened as incarnations. All of them foot soldiers that had no hope of going beyond the awakened rank. The commander of the guard was the one of the few exceptions, he stood at the top being the only transcendent rank knight in Ashden.

lord Salvor stood at the top of the wall watching the battle unfold. He was dressed in red and blue battle armor that was covered in detailed runes that protected and augmented his entire body. In his hand was a beautiful long blue spear with a crimson red gem that adorned its center. Despite being over sixty years the old man's body radiated vitality and power. Unseen waves of essence danced around him as he drew the amazing energy through his body preparing for battle.

'The walls won't hold any longer.', Salvor quickly thought as he observed the battle field. The wall's defense had held for the arduous four hours of continuous battle. The awakened had given everything they had and the last of their essence was quickly being drained away with each moment. Without the aid of incarnates the city was bound to fall. If they failed it would mean catastrophe.

"Lady Emilia, I hope you are ready." The old commander suddenly shouted at the top of his voice sending waves into the very air drowned in the snarls and roars of the approaching hollows.

"No need to worry lord commander." a swift reply came from one of the tower where a woman stood alone at the corner of the tower walls. Emilia holt, the sole spirit summoner in Ashden was an ascendant rank summoner that lived within the city. She was old but nowhere near as old as the city commander himself, evident by her long white hair and slightly wrinkled face. Her eyes were a bright emerald green that shined in the darkness. In her hand she held a black horn the size of her arm. The air around her seemed to warp where she stood. A pale green aura sprung up around her body as it quickly got pulled into green threads that formed on the horn, she carried in front of her.

A second later the green threads burst in a blinding emerald light around her. As the light disappeared a giant black bull-like creature stood in front of her. It stood over two meters tall standing on two giant hoof like feet and each arm carried a silver black axe. The head had a pair of large silver-grey horns that met in the middle where a pair of scarlet red eyes shone like blood moons.

"Go ." The command was as simple as it was devastating. The beast jumped over the wall landing with a thud that shook the earth. The beast charged into the incoming hoard swinging its axes around tearing the hollows apart. Seeing the beast storm ahead Salvor took his spear in hand. A light blue wave of essences erupted from the armament as it coiled around and danced on the surface.

For a moment the world grew still as the commander launched the deadly spear into the air towards the hollows. The storm of essence broke away from the spear like a giant spiraling blade that tore everything in its path. In less than a second it had covered almost a kilometer and cleared away a third of the hollows that now lay lifeless on the ground.

"Now! advance on the enemy beyond the gate, send these damned monsters back to hell." A loud voice suddenly rang through the air. Suddenly a group of civilian incarnation wielders began to move. At the very front a young man dressed in crimson and gold armor that covered every inch of his body. A high-class armor, sign of his noble birth and wealth, with runes running through each piece giving it an unshakable aura of protection. In his hand was a double-edged golden spear as long as his impressive height, black markings covered the shaft of the spear and tip of both blades that lit up a pale crimson color.

'What is that boy doing now.' Both Salvor and Emilia thought with annoyance when they saw the young man advance to the wall with a party of incarnations. Barok stern, the young man was a noble and student from the capital who had been placed in Ashden for his assessment. At twenty years of age the young man had already achieved peak ascendent rank strength. He held a lot of potential as well, in a week or two he would surpass both of them stepping foot in the transcendent realm. It was no surprise the young man carried a great deal of pride.

"Cease the long-range attacks. All guards pull back and recover your essence " Salvor's loud voice was heard commanding from the wall.

The orders fell on the troops like thunder, each scrambling as they retreated to the back as Barok and his men surged forward going over the wall as they engaged the weakened hollows.

"You overdid it old man," Emilia calmly spoke as she walked over to Salvor. Her voice despite being flat carried an undertone of worry. She knew better than anyone he was in no shape to be acting recklessly at his age.

The strike had cost Salvor over two thirds of his essence. The added effect of the spear's enchantment had left his hand slightly trembling after trying to compress such power into one strike.

"Its fine, I can do this much at the very least." The old man spoke as he struggled to catch his breath.

"We are lucky nothing worse made it passed the rift. Heavens know we would be screwed if we had to face such a thing on our own.

"It's about to end anyways." Emilia declared as she turned away from the battle.

As the two old protectors conversed Barok charged with his men, his golden spear cutting mercilessly through every hollow, a trail of purple blood marking his path. His spear moved at a blistering speed unfolding the battle arts he had learned from the academy. An elegant display of martial prowess that left everyone watching in awe.

Dodging a slash from the ominous black and white left claws of a charging hollow, Barok expertly dodged the attack to his head before sending a kick to it's chest that sent it crashing to the ground as the boy quickly severed its head before it could even rise.

Riding their wave of momentum the small party went forward slaughtering their foe.

As they moved they were suddenly met by an unexpected burst of dark purple energy that came from the mountain top. The force of the energy was like an unstoppable wave pushing everything back. As it moved the entire forest around the mountain was leveled.

"Damn it, what is that energy?" Barok could only scream as he was helplessly pushed back by the void energy towards the city. Emilia and Salvor watched in horror at the approaching wave of void energy as it crashed against the city walls like a flood.

A few seconds later the sudden burst of inexplicable energy disappeared. The result however was dreadfully clear.

"Commander the western wall has fallen" a shout tore through the air followed by sharp screams from within the city.

"Hollows have breached the walls."