= Prologue: Dreams of Kingdom Past =
=SUBJECT TO REVISION AT ANY TIME UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE=
_ A shining city, reflecting the sun's light and warmth back onto the world, stood high above him as he stood near the gate. The huge wooden doors began to part for him, and he could hear people starting to cheer on the other side. A bright and blinding light poured out from the now open gate. He could see nothing, as he raised his arms to shield his face. A loud booming sound drew his attention, and the ground shook violently beneath him. The skies around him had turned red, and were choked with black billowing smoke. The city's stone walls bled with the life of it's now dying people. He ran blindly into the chaos.
_ _Rubble from the ruined buildings littered the roads. A heavy rain fell to combat the flaming terror, but to no avail. The streets muddied in seconds, lightning flashed in the clouds, clawing at the highest towers of the city. Panic-stricken, old and young, rich and poor alike ran screaming. In search of loved ones, in fear of death, in utter desperation, they ran.
_ _A woman screamed. He turned around to find himself standing high atop a ruined wall, overlooking the city. Its magical fires still smoldered, despite the constant rain. The silence was deafening, especially compared to the loud roar in his head from only moments ago. He looked down at the city. He was weightless, looking through the clouds as would a god. He saw people, parents and children, cradling the fallen as they cried. He watched as they turned to ash, and were scattered on the wind.
_ _His vision turned black, as a shadow grew from behind the city. Blank, red eyes and clean white fangs appeared from within it. A slow maniacal laughter filled his head, though the creature in the shadow made no movement. The face faded and the shadow split into three pillars, towering above him. A faint chant of a single voice drifted through the air.
_ _As his gaze drifted upwards, the shadows began to resemble robes, worn by three very aristocratic looking old men. Their expressions were spiteful and disgusted as they looked down on him. The center figure cast his finger downward, a declaration of guilt.
_ _"You have destroyed us!" The words were not spoken aloud, but he heard them. A rush of air passed by his face, as he fell to the ground. It was still muddy, and stuck to his fur. He looked back to the figures, tears streaming down his face. They hated him for what he was, and what he wasn't. He looked to them in confusion, but they simply turned their noses up at him. A tidal wave of black water rushed out from the shadows, sweeping him away.
_ _The tide had washed everything away. The city, the shadows, the world. The void was all there was for him, but it was a painful nothing. He had no body. He was but a collection of thoughts floating through an endless nothing. A pinprick of light shone before him, but he knew not how far. The nothingness and pain dripped from him like thick globs of ink, and he became aware of his body once more. The light slowly overtook the darkness, blinding him.
_ _Quickly as it had come, the light vanished. Opening his eyes, he found himself in the clearing of a dense forest. The sun shone down, touching lightly upon a human maiden in a white gown. Softly she cried, her tears glistening in the sunlight. Her eyes met his, and he knew she wept for him. The clouds began to darken and swirl. The maiden stood in front of him, and lightly touched his face.
_ _"My poor son." She said with sorrow, her voice trembling. "My poor son."
_ A gust of wind blew them apart, but as he watched, the maiden had disappeared, and only her gown flew off into the sky. The trees sank away into an open field, the sky still swirling angrily overhead. Once more, the lightning clawed the sky. With a loud boom, a purple hand-shaped bolt flashed down and struck him.
=SUBJECT TO REVISION AT ANY TIME UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE=