The Legend of Zoltak

And that's how it all went, a life full of pain and suffering and pain, and just went I finally found hope, the devil came and took it in no time flat.

The ropes cut into my wrists as they dragged me forward. my feet barely touching the ground, every step sent a jolt of pain across my body. My mind was a haze of anger and fear, but beneath it all, a grim sense of familiarity settled like bile in my throat. The stench of blood, sweat, and rot grew stronger as we moved deeper into the facility. The sights of people young and old being treated as animals. They took me to a room and shoved me into a chair, the metal cold against my skin, They tied my arms to the legs of the chair, the chains biting into my already raw skin.

"Comfortable?" a gruff voice drawled, breaking the silence.

I lifted my head to glare at him. Oh it's this son of a bitch, this bastard, he takes far to much joy in each blow when it comes to interrogation, wish he'd die that day, but it so happens that he wasn't at the facility that day. His dark hair was slicked back and had a face defiantly only a mother could love, and his cruel smile showed off teeth which were surprisingly white and clean? He crouched in front of me, his rancid breath hot against my face. "How's it going kid long time no see, it been...let's see, three years since I las saw ya. No respond? Well that's cold but anyways. So, kid, ya think ya can just go runnin'round with that merchant? Hun? Think we wouldn't noticed? Think you were safe? Must have thought ya knight and shinning armor had come to save ya and y'all will live happily ever after?"

I didn't answer.

He grabbed a fistful of my hair, yanking my head back hard enough to make me wince. "Where is he" he barked.

I spat in his face.

For a moment, the room was silent. Then his hand came down hard, the slap echoing off the walls. My head snapped to the side, the sting spreading across my cheek like fire.

"Ya little shit," he growled. "I'm askin'nice here. Where's the merchant?" Still, I said nothing. His fist slammed into my stomach, knocking the air from my lungs. I coughed, doubling over as much as the chains would allow, my vision swimming from the pain.

"I can do this all day ya know," he sneered, standing up and cracking his knuckles. "But, y'see, I don't gotta. Cause eventually, you'll break, kid. They always do." He grabbed my jaw, forcing me to look at him. "Let me tell ya somethin'. That merchant ain't comin' for ya. So why don't ya just save yourself the pain and the tell me where he is, huh?" I narrowed my eyes, mustering every ounce of defiance I had left. "Go to hell." He chuckled, a low, menacing sound. "Oh, sweetheart, we're already there." Then the blows came, punches, kicks, each one finding a new spot to bruise or break. I lost count of how many times he hit me, the pain blending together into a sickening blur.

After hours of pure torture, he finally stepped back, breathing heavily. "Ya know, kid, you got some endurance I'll give that and lucky for you I ain't allowed to kill ya. Boss'd be real pissed if I did. So, hurray for you." He gestured to the others standing by the door. "Take her to the lockroom. Lord Darius is anxious to meet you!" The name hit me like a nail on the head, LORD DARIUS...ALIVE?? My heart skipped a beat, my breath catching in my throat. The man noticed my reaction and grinned. "Yeah, that's right. thought he was dead did ya? Oh how much has he missed ya, of all his tools you were by far the most useful of them all so it all natural that he wants to meet ya again" He leaned in close, his voice dropping to a mock whisper. "Don't worry kid. He's not gonna be too rough with ya."

I could feel the dreed in the air, at this point I'm nothing but miserable, captured and beaten to a bloody pulp and worse, Darius lives. Tossed into the lookroom and chained up, only to await the return of Darius, one who will seal my fate once more. The room was dark, and only little light passed through the high windows above, within this room were cages, cages filled with slaves and exotic creatures each locked and stacked against each other, it was silent, even with the animalistic creatures locked in here were quite...too quite, but that matters not at this point anyways.

"I wonder, what is it that he would be up to now, by now he should have woken up, I hope he gets to enjoy the meal I made, oh I hope it hasn't gone cold, would be a shame if it has..."

"...sigh" As little droplet of tears poured down my bloody checks, I couldn't help but lose hope this time, last time I experienced an exceptional stroke of luck, but it seems it has finally run out. 

Still.. something feels ominous in this room, I can faintly sense something unusual but can't wrap my head around it. What could it be??

"WELL...IT SEEMS...YOU MORTALS ARE CAPABLE OF SENSING IT AFTERALL...EVEN IN MY DIRE STATE...YOU ARE STILL...ABLE TO SENSE PICESES OF IT....TURN CHILD..."

A large voice echoed behind me like thunderclap on a stormy night, sending shivers down my spine, I stood up from whence I laid and turned around slowly.

"GREETINGS...YOUNG ELF"

A golden glow illuminated the area and then I saw it...honestly at this point I thought the punches I had received was messing with my head but...no...this is no concussion...this is real. I have always thought of it as myths or legends from our folktales but the descriptions do actually match...to a degree. Tall towering beings endowed in white attire, body glimmering with aurous with illuminating golden glow, beautiful and majestic wings with shades of black and a presence so strong it enough to make your limbs give out. It truly is an **Aethonixi**.

But but what is something as legendary as this, doing chained up here??? 

"CHILD..."

"Huh??"

"YOUR MIND MUST BE FILLED WITH QUESTIONS...AS FOR HOW I AM BEEN BINDED UP BY CHIANS...OR WHY HAVE THEY DONE SO...OR...WHY I LOOK LIKE I AM ON MY LAST BREATH!!!"

That's true, it does looks like it...dying. It body is covered in bruises and injuries, part of it halo crown engraved in it head is broken and it golden glow becomes dimmer and dimmer, they are losing their light. I gathered what courage I had and asked:

"How...just how long have you been chained here? why is there an Aethonixi chained here?"

"HA...SO YOU KNOW WHAT I AM?"

"Yes...em kind off. growing up we have all heard of the folktale of the Aethonix Valkeries from the kingdom of the solarians, which speaks of tall angelic creatures called Aethonixi who once gave them knowledge that made their civilization flourish, along with so many other stories across the lands. But they are considered legends and they do not exist to say the least. But still Aethonixi are added as official mystical creatures by the solarians philosopher-religionists claiming they exist even if no one else has seen one...until now that I am currently speaking to one."

"I SEE...IT IS TRUE THAT WE AETHONIXI HAD MULTIPLE ENCOUNTER WITH YOU MORTALS IN THE PAST...

"Yes but how? How is it possible a couple of mortals are capable of chaining an Aethonixi? The AETHONIXI are supposed to be divine and powerful creatures...untouchable at that" 

A bitter smile curved his lips, a mixture of emotions on its face I didn't understand.

"YOU MISTAKE POWER FOR INVULNRABILITY. I AM ANCIENT...BUT NOT WITHOUT WEAKNESS"

He said weakness like it pained him more than the restraints holding him down.

"MY STRENGTH DWINDLES EVERY MOMENT I SPEND ON THIS ACCURSED PLANE...ALL BECAUSE OF THIS"

The aethonixi rose to show what looks like a wound on its chest, a wound that keeps seeping through the aetherial skin of the creature as it glows crimson red.

"IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG FOR THEM TO OVERPOWER ME...THESE MORTALS TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THESE WEAKNESS OF MINE AND CHAINED ME UP HERE"

"So it the wounds fault you are this weak, what caused that wound of yours?? It seems to be spreading"

"CHILD, THIS IS A TALE THAT EXISTED LONG BEFORE YOUR TIME, LONG BEFORE YOU MORTALS WALKED THIS REALM!!"

My eyes couldn't help but widen, filled with sense of curiosity and FEAR, there is no mistaking it, I am indeed terrified, I stand before a creature that dates back to a time unknown inflicted with a wound that even such a powerful creature can't heal...makes you wonder? what could have done this?

"THERE IS A PLACE CALLED ELYSIUM, IT A PLANE OF EXISTANCE THAT SITS ABOVE THIS ONE, THERE OUR CREATOR USED THE RESUDUAL ENERGY THAT RESIDES WITHIN THE SPACE TO CREATE US THE AETHONIXI.

THE AETHONIXI ARE A STRUCTURED ORDER CREATED TO SERVE THE RADIENT ONE'S WILL, WE ARE BUT IT SERVERNTS EACH CREATED FOR A SPECIFIC ROLE, AND SO FROM OUR ORDER FORMS AN HIERACHY:

FROM THE GROUND UP THERE EXIST THE **ARKNEX**, THEY ARE NOTHING BUT THE CHILDREN OF OUR ORDER AND THEN WE HAVE THE **ARBRUTH**, PROCTERCTORS OF THE FORBIDDEN KNOWLEDGES THAT EXIST WITHIN OUR SANCTUARY AND THATS OF OUR CREATOR.

THE **ARNGELS** ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR CONVEYING OUR CREATORS WILL TO OTHER CASTES, THERE ALSO EXIST THE **ARSRAPH** THEY ARE THE KEEPERS OF OUR KNOWLEDGE AND THE UNDERSTANDINGS OF THE REALMS FAR AND WIDE AND RECORDING THEM FOR POSTERITY."

"So which one are you, which hierarchy do you belong to? "

"NIETHER CHILD!!"

"What???"

"CHILD, I SIT ABOVE THE TOP OF THE ORDER, I AM KNOWN AS THE **ARKAHN LEADER OF THE AETHONIXI**"

I stood awe in its words, I couldn't believe it, what is this? a dream? I stand before the leader of the Aethonixi? a creature of myth but hold on it spoke of a creator, you mean something actually created these things???

"WE AETHONIXI STOOD WITH UNWAVERING DEDICATION TO OUR CREATOR EVEN WHEN SHE DECIDED TO GOVERN THE REALM YOU MORTALS NOW DWELL.

EVEN WHEN I FOUND OUR CREATOR PLANS AND ACTIONS SHORT SIGHTED, I STILL PLEED MY LOYALTY EVEN WHEN THOSE I STOOD ABOVE CALLED ME A DEFECT I STOOD MY GROUND, I HAD FAITH OUR CREATOR WILL DO IT FOR THE GREATER GOOD...

I WAS WRONG, ONE OF OUR CREATOR'S DECISION BROUGHT GREAT CALAMITY INTO THIS WORLD AND DURING THE WAR IN HEAVEN I WAS STRUCK BY A POWER THAT RIVALED EVEN THAT OF MY CREATOR. SO I FELL, HOPING TO BE FOUND AND BROUGHT UP BY MY CREATOR , I WAS FORGOTTEN NO ONE CAME AND I HAVE WAITED, HAVING FAITH BUT NOTHING, THAT'S WHEN I REALIZED THE ORDER, I WAS NOTHING BUT OUR CREATOR'S TOOL TO ACCOMPLISH ITS PETTY IDEALS THAT DID NOTHING BUT PUT ALL LIVING LIVES A RISK, INCLUDING YOURS MORTAL.

I AM SURE MOST OF MY WORDS MY CONFUSE YOU CAUSE YOUR RACE CAME TO BEING WHEN MOST OF THESE HAD PASSED BUT KNOW THIS THE IDEALS OF MY CREATOR HAS CAUSED NOTHING BUT MISFORTUNE EVEN TILL THIS DAY."

Creator? Mistakes? War in heaven? I still can't put all of these together, I am beyond confused, although putting into account the major apocalyptical wars the races have fought together and against, does that have anything to do with it creator? umm no I don't think so, most of the wars where stupid ones mainly of the hatred feud between them a long time ago. But hold on, the last one the races fought together, that the heroes defeated ending in one of the heroes missing, does that have something to do with a deity? I heard the foe had world ending powers, could that be what...urrrrggg this is to much.

"Wait, where is your creator now? do you have any idea?"

"...."

"...."

"I DO"

"Oh really so where?"

"MY CREATOR EXIST WITHIN A MORTAL"

"Excuse me???"

"RIGHT AFTER THE WAR IN HEAVEN, MY CREATOR BECAME VICTORIOUS ONLY THROUGH ONE DECISIVE ACTION. MY CREATOR INFUSED IT ESSENCE, SOUL EVERYTHING THAT MAKES UP IT BEING WITH A HUMAN SOUL ACHIVING EVEN GREATHER POWER AND WITH THAT MY CREATOR WON THE WAR"

"Whoa that's g..."

"HOWEVER IT WAS AT THAT MOMENT OUR CREATOR ABANDONED US, ABANDONED ME AND DECIDED TO LIVE AMOUNG MORTALS AND START A NEW ORDER, BUT SUCH ORDER DIDN'T LAST LONG DUE TO ANOTHER MISCALCULATED JUDGMENT THE ORDER WAS WIPED OUT!!"

"*GASP*"

"BUT MY CREATOR LIVES AND STILL ROAMS IN THIS REALM WITHIN ANOTHER MORTAL"

All this is just too much to take in, just how much do we mortals don't know, I can't still puzzle it cause it makes no sense I don't really get it, we have a god like being living among us? because if that true then...could it be? no no impossible it can't be. I shrugged of the thought and looked up to see how someone else was abandoned just like I was.

"YES WE ARE ALIKE"

"What, how did you??"

"I CAN SENSE IT IN YOUR EYES, YOU TOO KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO BE ABANDONED"

"Yes I do...but lately I... "

"NO ONE WILL COME TO OUR AID, WE CAN ONLY RELY ON OURSELVES, SO I OFFER YOU A CHANCE AT FREEDOM"

"What?"

Freedom, those words have been distant from me for a while now, hearing them makes me remember those time I spent with him. But I can't rely on him to come I will have to take resolve into my own hands, this is my comeuppance.

Once I am free I will see you again Rylan.

"SO DO YOU ACCEPT CHILD?"

"I...".