Crumbled Ideals - World of Atonement

Crow

Howling garnet mercilessly engulfed the stone-carved capital. Dozens of warships had greeted the deep azure in place of a golden dawn. A thousand arrows rained upon the unaware citizens with a downpour of scattered flames. Enemies had invaded the solitary paradise through its white beach. None were spared from the slaughter that immediately followed. Elderly were forced to their knees before getting impaled, and children were forced to watch their parents get slain right in front of their eyes. Women that pleased the eye were violated in front of their lovers, and anguished screams for help were swiftly silenced with a blade.

An earthquake greeted the prince that had responded first. A silver crown covered part of his chestnut hair, and his hazel eyes were fixated in front of him. His noble white steed caused his crimson cape to fly, and a golden chest plate reflected the growing flames. A white kilt covered his legs up to his knees, and golden greaves protected the remainder. With sword in hand, he desperately swung at enemies to save as many of his subjects as possible. His steed flung him off before the second earthquake shook the land. The prince had no choice but to watch with his left arm broken as his companion was swallowed up by the land.

In the distance, the mountain that they had built their capital on had exploded. A sweltering wave devoured all that opposed it as it made its way towards the city. The prince armed himself with his good hand as enemies swarmed him. For each blow he landed, dozens more would scar his body. With each slash getting more desperate than the previous, the prince finally fell to his knees. His livelihood had been destroyed in the span of a few hours. The kingdom that he swore to protect with his life had been invaded by enemies, and the once lively streets were stained with the stench of blood. Robbed of his royal stature, the prince had no choice but to wait for the inevitable.

Lava soon purged the horrific scene. Skeletal hands were raised out of the red ocean in an attempt to free themselves. Houses were reduced to a molten puddle instantly, and bloodstains were scrubbed along the wave. Lamenting his own powerlessness, the prince groaned before getting consumed. Filled to the brim with unfathomable regret, he hoped to die within the sweltering liquid. What was once a prosperous kingdom was now reduced to a volcanic lake as lava greeted the ocean.

The prince opened his eyes to infinite beautiful worlds floating within a solitary void. Ancient texts that he read could barely recreate the picturesque scenery that laid before his eyes. His wounds had healed almost instantly as he floated solitarily. However his proud eyes darkened once he was aware of where he was. In what should have been the final moments of his life, the prince had instead entered a gateway to the Cosmic Multiverse. Instead of dying with honor on the battlefield, he felt that he had abandoned his kingdom in order to prolong his own life. The reminder of his cowardice caused his eyes to grow even darker.

Lost within the void of despair, the prince had unknowingly drifted away from the majestic scenery. Floating inside a trail of darkness, he was led to an isolated world far from the rest. Unlike the other worlds that boasted vibrant colors, the sphere in front of him emitted a dull white glow. Few ethereal connections were able to force themselves out of it, and others had to struggle before allowed inside. A lonely sphere that forced most away, it was perfect for the coward that the prince imagined himself as.

A voice echoed within his mind while in isolation. It whispered knowledge that filled him with hope and resolve as he became engulfed by a brilliant crimson. His traditional battle garments became replaced with deep red armor engraved with gold linings, and his blade transformed into a matching two-handed claymore. Finally, a scarlet blaze gently caressed his forehead as he closed his eyes. The prince had acquired something that he never had in his old world: a connection to the Cosmic Flow.