<+Prologue+>
5 centuries ago....
Wynn stepped out onto the clearing of the mountain side, a few trees pricked along the rocks, their roots tangled into the stones, anchoring themselves down.
The clearing's view of the forest below was breath-taking. The sun's rays painted along the many green hues of the leaves, and the melody of the wildlife sung their song to the beautiful blue sky above. The sky was clear, not a single cloud in sight, as if they knew better than to cover up the stunning light of the sun.
Her mind was brought back down to the dirt after movement caught in her peripheral.
"You came." A deep, echoey, voice sounded from the shadows of the few scattered trees on the clearing.
A tall, slender, 7-foot tall form emerged from the darkness. He looked straight out of some horror story.
Two horns, one on either side of his head, spiraled up. His hands were bony, and they ended in long, sharp claws. His skin was jet black, an unnatural color. Not one you would see on any mortal creature. He stood on two feet, both bent at the ankle then extended down into a claw, like he was walking around on the tips of his toes.
A horrifying smile was etched on his face, white teeth contrasting against his skin.
Though his eyes were what always sent chills down Wynn's spine, they were completely white, and though they housed no pupil, she always knew when he was looking at her.
His head was not attached to his neck, instead it floated about three inches above.
He wore a dark red tailcoat, adorned with golden clasps in the middle and on his shoulders; and even darker red pants that reached down to his ankles. The back of the tailcoat reached down to the ground, rimmed with the same gold color as the clasps.
"I was starting to believe you forgot about me.." Lucon taunted.
Whenever Lucon spoke, his smile never moved, never fell, never shifted. His mouth never moved to form the words he spoke. So you would never even be able to tell he was the one speaking unless you knew his voice, and Wynn knew it all too well.
"Of course I came, you're my Common." Wynn huffed, her tail swishing from side to side as she flicked a hand to the side nonchalantly, trying to shake the eeriness of Lucon's presence.
Lucon hummed with agreement as he stepped forwards, about five paces away from her.
Wynn and Lucon were something called Commons. Beings that share a unique bond with each other, though they are polar opposites. Like fire and water, sun and moon; one cannot exist without the other.
"Though I have no idea why you would call me here. You're not one to sit and watch the forest, especially with me." Wynn scoffed softly, stepping past Lucon as she made her way to the cliffside, glancing down at the emerald green forest below.
Her brown, furred coat brushing the ground as she walked.
"Looks like spring has finally lost the battle to summer." She hummed, her tail swishing before curling by her feet.
"As I can see." Lucon's voice sounded behind her, his form soon appearing beside her,"Though you are right, I did not call you here to look at this," he waved a claw towards the woods,"It doesn't interest me, life, you know. That's more of your territory than mine"
Lucon's unblinking eyes were pointed towards the foliage below, but Wynn knew he was looking at her,
watching her,
observing her.
"Maybe that's why every animal, every being, every creature, in all of Aeolia prefers your presence to mine." Lucon took a step back, his voice laced with soft jealousy and bitterness.
Wynn turned to follow his movements, not letting him out of her sight. He may be her Common, but Wynn always felt an unusual aura around Lucon.
Wynn knows it is ridiculous, to be afraid of a being that was made to be her equal, her opposite, her Common.
But his sinister voice alone can send her senses into overdrive.
That echoey voice that sounded like multiple people speaking at once, some high, some deep. At times it was hard to even understand him if he was speaking quickly.
"Then why Lucon?" Wynn tried her best to keep the annoyance out of her voice, but she was sure that it leaked out after Lucon's stance stiffened at her words.
"You know how busy I am with the kingdom. I do not have time to play these games with you. Since summer has taken its course, the eclipse is closer than I have believed. I need time to begin to prepare." She hissed, her tail twitching with anger, leaves crunching below her paws as she shifted her weight.
Though it was impossible, Wynn was sure Lucon rolled his eyes at her.
"Blah Blah Blah.. Eclipse.. Dark magic returning.." Lucon mocked,
"I know the story Wynn. The Eclipse comes once every decade during the fifth day of the summer season."
Lucon held up a claw, wiggling five of his bony fingers.
"And when the moon fully blocks the sun, it allows Dark Magic to leak from the prison you sealed it away in and travel freely throughout Aeolia."
Lucon droned on, but his words were true.
Many centuries ago, Dark Magic was the prevalent form of magic in Aeolia, and it was dangerously powerful.
The spells were complex and near impossible to cast. Though the ones who were able to complete the spells were the most feared creatures of all.
As Dark Magic doesn't stem from the terrestrial elements as other magic does; It forms from the most powerful of sources, the sun and moon themselves.
Wynn started to notice the effect of the magic, seeing how it corrupted each and every one of its users, turning them into power-hungry monsters. No creature who came across Dark Magic was able to handle the sheer power of the sun and moon's energy, losing themselves to it.
Wynn soon found a way to seal it, to contain it away so it would never be in the reach of another creature again.
And her chance was soon arriving.
A solar eclipse was approaching, a time where the power of Dark Magic increased tenfold. And as the moon and sun came into line, not only did the power increase, but it was more pipeable,
more controllable.
Wynn knew what she had to do to save her kingdom.
So during the peak of the eclipse, while the magic was at its highest, she cast a spell, trapping the magic and sealing it away down into the depths of the earth where no one could reach it ever again.
But no spell can hold something that powerful forever.
So every fifth day of the summer season, once every decade, the eclipse returns, the sun and moon forming their temporary bond once more. And on that one day, Dark Magic, assisted by its creators, has the power to break free from Wynn's spell, returning to Aeolia as long as the moon blocked the sun's light.
Wynn and Lucon have protected the kingdom every decade, performing the same spell to cast it back into its prison. Protecting the land for epochs.
"What if we used a different spell. One that would assure that Dark Magic would never be able to return?" His grin seemed to grow wider at the look of astonishment on his Common's face.
He held a hand up, a deep, carnelian aura swirling around his fingers. And with a flash of the same hue of red, a book appeared in his palm.
The cover looked to be made out of leather, though very discolored and torn. The only thing holding it onto its pages were the two gold clasps at the top and bottom corners. The pages were yellowed with age, and on the spine was written a word with symbols and characters Wynn had never read before.
The aura around Lucon's fingers faded as he flipped open the book, flicking through the pages before he stopped on a very torn page, the same unusual language as the spine written on the aged paper.
"What is that-" Wynn's ears pinned back, her muscles tauten with suspicion. Something wasn't right. Something was very, very wrong. Whatever spells those pages held, she was sure that it wasn't any typical magic.
"Lucon, what spell could possibly completely seal away Dark Magic. Where did you even get spellbook with mentions of spells that powerful."
Even though adrenaline sent blood roaring through her ears, she kept her voice steady.
"That language, I'm not familiar with it. Is there something you're not telling me Lucon?" her eyes flicking to the spine of the book that laid in his palm.
"What are you planning Lucon. Answer me, what is this!" Wynn growled, stepping closer to her Common.
"You're so distrusting." Lucon spat, making Wynn flinch at the sudden aggressive tone.
"This book, this is the solution to all of our problems Wynn!" He laughed, his shoulders rising and falling with his laughter.
Lucon raised the claw that the book laid in, as he did so, the book levitated out of his palm and into the air just a few inches above.
"I'll show you how powerful we could be with this."
Lucon began to speak in a language Wynn hadn't heard in many, many years. A language made her feel like someone had dropped boulders into her stomach. She now realized why she couldn't read those symbols.
Lucon's echoey voice distorted the words, eyes trained on the book page he had turned to. As he continued to speak, the carnelian aura returned, this time covering both of his hands as well as the book itself.
Wynn's chest constricted with fear as dark, looming gray storm clouds began to make their way into the once clear blue sky.
Lucon continued to speak.
The clouds covered the sun's rays, casting their angry shadow over the forest below, if you were to go outside you would have never guessed it was such a beautiful day a few moments ago.
Storm clouds swirled in the sky as rain began to fall and wind started to howl, ripping through the woodlands. Thunder sounded and lightning struck, sending sparks of embers scattering through the air.
Lucon had created a storm using magic.
But normal magic did not have this sheer power. Normal magic wasn't cast in that horrible language.
This wasn't normal magic.
It was Dark Magic.
"Look at it, Wynn." His language switched back to their native tongue, the aura around his hands fading, but the aura that enveloped the book stayed strong.
Lucon's tall, slender form shaking with soft laughter. The golden clasps of his tailcoat shimmering in the light of the book's glow.
One of his bony, clawed, hands resting against the book that was floating beside him, a dull glow emitting from the tattered and yellowed pages.
"The wind, the rain, the clouds, the sky, now obey the command of my magic."
Lucon's laughter grew louder as his voice was carried by the wind, sending a chill down Wynn's spine.
His smile still did not falter even with his laughter.
Fear curled its icy tendrils around her heart. Pure, unfiltered horror enveloping her whole body.
Where did Lucon even get the spellbook, he wasn't actually serious right? Wynn always knew he had some type of resentment against her, but this?
Lucon raised his free hand, twirling two of his fingers in a circular motion, the glow of the book brightening in response.
A gust of wind swept around him, howling as it revolved around its new master, thunder sounding in chorus with the wind.
As the breeze died, so did the book's glow, now just a pale red.
Wynn felt like she couldn't breathe.
"Can't you see Wynn?" Lucon whirled around to face his Common, his terrifying smile glowing against his jet black skin.
Lucon's hands raised to gesture to the dark gray storm clouds above them, the book hovering by his side.
"This is what magic can do." Lucon roared, his arms outstretched.
"You can deny it all you want Wynn.. But you need this magic. What better way to fend off Dark Magic than with its own spells?"
Wynn's ears pinned back, her hair swirling in the wind that her Common had created.
Magic that had been forbidden and sealed away for centuries.
Magic that Lucon himself helped her contain.
"Lucon you know why Dark Magic is forbidden. This.. This-" Wynn waved a hand towards the storm clouds,
"This is treacherous.. It's horrible! And how long Lucon? How long until you fall into the hands of Dark Magic too, just like the others!" She screeched, a hand reaching out to snatch the book from the air.
Wynn flinched as the book darted away from her hand, moving to the other side of Lucon. Her tail lashing angrily from side to side.
"Manipulating nature with Dark Magic?" Wynn spat, fury slowly replacing her initial fear and shock.
"Stop this at once Lucon!! Give me the spellbook!"
"Stop? Stop?" Lucon's eyes narrowed, the wind picking up with his anger. The glow of the book pulsed as it grew brighter, seemingly feeding off of Lucon's fury.
"Wynn this power... My power. You only say it is forbidden just so you can stay in control of this kingdom. Only so I must remain in your arrogant shadow. Just a second to your all-knowing greatness. You are beloved by the creatures of Aeolia while I am forgotten, cast into your towering shadow. You have the magic of healing and life at your claws while I am powerless!" Lucon shrieked, the book now blindingly bright.
"Now, I am more powerful than you ever were."
"This is not your power." Wynn argued, struggling to keep herself upright in the force of the wind Lucon had created.
"This power will corrupt you!" She roared.
Lucon ignored her pleadings, an accusatory claw pointed at her. "I'm sick of being your lesser. I'm sick of sitting here idly in your shadow while our achievements are celebrated with cheers of your name."
The clouds above darkened as they swirled in a circle, wind ripping at Wynn's hair. The once bright sun hidden among the terrific storm.
Lightning struck down in front of Wynn, making her stagger back a few paces. Her eyes wide with horror at the scene in front of her, watching as nature was twisted into her Common's will by the force of Dark Magic.
"Lucon! Please, stop this!" Wynn begged, her voice barely audible over the roars and groans of the corrupted wind.
She stumbled to the side, still struggling to keep her balance in the high winds. "Look at what you are doing. Look around you Lucon!" She pleaded, falling to her hands and knees, unable to resist the strength of the storm.
"How pitiful you look.." Lucon's voice was colder than the wind that tore at Wynn's fur.
Her ears flicked at the sound of Lucon stepping closer, leaves crunching and branches snapping under his weight.
Wynn soon realized the severity of her situation, her body stiffening.
"Do you really think you can compare to me like this?" Lucon nodded his head to the book that floated idly by his side.
"Did you think that you could contain me in your shadow forever? Just as you believed you could contain Dark Magic? Your name will be forgotten with time, and the generations to come will cheer my name!"
Lucon raised a hand, the book zipping from his side and into his palm, the pages flipping themselves to another spell Wynn could't read. The characters glowing a deep, ominous red.
The glow illuminating his horrific features:
His twisted horns..
His unmoving, terrifying smile..
His unblinking, solid white eyes..
"And now it's your turn Wynn.." his head tilted slightly to the right.
Wynn could feel the energy draining from her limbs, as if someone was tugging her soul right out from inside her ribcage.
She raised an arm towards Lucon, one last final plea for mercy.
"It's now your turn to live in the shadows."
And everything went black.
