• A harsh wind cascaded across the outskirts of Barton, carrying an ill scent upon its billowing limbs. The sun anon cowered behind the cover of the clouds and a darkness, unnoticed by all, crept into the day. A figure in the distance stood atop a hill, all but hidden amongst the trees, gazing unto the the old city. Expressionless, aloof, the man is noticed by a guard of the town.

    "Hey, you!" called the soldier. His booming voice echoed through the wood before him, frightening the birds from their roosts in the branches above the mysterious being. And yet, the enigmatic stranger showed no reaction.

    "Sir, what is it?" Inquired one of the guard's subordinates. The guard himself was massive, his armor only concealing a layer of pure muscle and sporting a Commander's badge. The subordinate, however, was somewhat scrawny with a Private's badge at his chest. A mouse when compared to his lion of a commander.

    "Look over there," said the Commander, indicating with his finger. "Does he look familiar?"

    "Not to me sir. I've never seen anyone like that before." replied the subordinate. The stranger looked down to the guards, raising an eyebrow behind a monocle.

    "So who is he?" The figure pulled a dark looking book from his thick, black cloak, opened it and was whispering as he read the text before him. The book itself had an evil aura about it, as if Hell itself was writhing within its pages.

    "I don't know, Commander. A tourist?"

    "Maybe, but then-" The commander was cut off as a random, powerful gust buffeted him and knocked his subordinate to the ground. It was as if a mighty beast had taken flight in front of them, but the sky was empty of such a creature.

    "Urg, Private. You ok?" Inquired the commander.

    "I'm fine sir." replied the young man as he got back on his feet. "What was that?"

    "No clue," The commander turned to see where the wind may have originated. "it could've been a...Huh?" The commander was dumbfounded, the mysterious man had dissappeared. "Where'd he go?"

    "Who?"

    "The man that was standing there." The commander pointed as he said this.

    "He probably left." Answered the private. But the commander wasn't as naive. Suspicion plagued the experienced soldier's mind.

    "Something wasn't right with that guy." He thought, but said nothing more to his subordinate on the subject.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    There were many times in his career where Commander Leon was left with a recent event weighing heavy on his mind. This was no exception, the stranger he saw earlier on his watch didn't seem to be human. But a spectre, one of foul intent.

    "There was something not right about him." Leon thought this over and over in his mind, oblivious to most other things around him. It wasn't long before someone noticed him silently brooding on the bench in Barton near the fountain and seized their chance.

    "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN," cried a young man standing the fountain's ledge. "Feast your eyes on this!" The man, known to Barton as "Nicolae," presented an ornate wrought iron ring. "The Ring of the Demon King!"

    A sudden onselaught of "oohs" and "aahs" rippled through the crowd before him.

    "An ideal ring for anyone out the fight the Animated!" The whispering intensified and a black raven began circling o'erhead.

    "What does it do?" someone asked.

    "Do? Anything is the answer!" Nicolae sneered. He had them in the palm of his hand. The raven perched itself on top of the fountain, eyes transfixed on the ring.

    The ruckus behind him broke Commander Leon's thoughts and brought his attention to Nicolae.

    "Causing trouble as usual." he thought. Focused on getting Nicolae this time, the bird atop the fountain caught his attention. "A raven? Wierd. Ya don't see those often." The bird turned its head revealing its blood-red eyes. Alarmed by this oddity, Leon ran over to get a closer look.

    "Now, today, I'm offering an auction for this amazin - HEY!" Nicolae's potential sale was interrupted as the raven grabbed the Demon King's ring and flew off. "Stupid bird! Give that back!" He chased the bird as best he could with riotous laughter behind him but the feathered bandit was too fast and too high up. Soon, it disappeared into the distance. "Great." Nicolae thought. "Just great."

    Not far from Barton's outer walls, the raven flew to a clearing and perched upon the shoulder of a tall, thin man and dropped the stolen ring into his open hand. The man smiled upon the trinket.

    "Well done Tartarus. Once again, you have served me well." he said to the bird in a deep, ominous tone.

    He stroked the bird's head a few times, whispered five words and then the raven vanished out of existance, as though it were ghost. His gaze fell to the ring once more. Grey, all-knowing eyes examined it carefully. The intricate metal was arranged in a manner replicating rib bones, centered around the engraving of a dragon's skull with the eye sockets containing two, small rubies.

    He then held it up to the light and the sun exposed the man's countenance: pale blue skin, pointed ears, long, black hair. Upon his left eye was a golden monocle and across his right, a ragged scar carved into his flesh by an opponent's blade. He was dressed in black from head to toe: shirt, trousers, boots and cloak - all as black as night. In his other hand, a black book, the same from which he had summoned the being Tartarus, commanded it into the form of a raven and disspelled it. And slung across his back, was a staff of black and blood red. Between the book and the staff, a vile aura permeated the air about this man. But it was one of true darkness, sophistication and intelligence; not of primal savagry and hate. The being himself was an embodiment of shadow, the incarnation of darkness. He was darkness.

    The man then placed the ring in his pocket and turned towards Barton Town, uttering only three words: "It is time."

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    The sun was setting on an eventful day. Nicolae himself was swindled by a bird, Commander Leon was dumbfouned by a strange individual, but the best was yet to come. For walking down the main road, was the very man Leon had seen that morning and upon his shoulder was Tartarus, the very raven who took the Ring of the Demon King. The two guards were frozen as the man walked through the southern gate of Barton, but his procession was halted as Commander Leon stood in his path.

    "Ok, buddy. You're not going any further until you tell me who the hell you are!" Leon explained. But he newcomer only lifted an eyebrow and the raven merely tilted its head.

    "Did you hear me? Who are you?" Still, nothing. Though something behind him caused Tartarus to turn his head. "Ok, your pissing me off. Say something or I'll-"

    "COMMANDER! THE ANIMATED ARE COMING!" yelled a guard.

    "Oh, great. Another headache. Ok, I'll deal with you-HEY? Where are you going?" The man was walking to the gate and stood before the oncoming attackers.

    "What the heck's he doing?"

    "Is he gonna take them on?"

    "He's a goner!"

    The commentary from the townsfolk meant nothing to the man. He gripped his staff and faced the creatures. They were backing down. They were afraid of him. His staff then began to glow with an erie light as he lifted it. Tartarus then vanished and the glow intensified. The creatures cowered, whimpering. Some ran, but no blessing could protect their condemned souls.

    "Athene Dorimar Estor Sefarnac!" he commanded, and trust the base of his staff into the ground. Instantly, a black light shone from the man's staff and began to expand like a bubble. The light became blinding and then, a colossal explosion.

    As the light subsided, it was clear that everything within the town remained, untouched, unharmed. But the Animated had been forsaken by shadow. All that was left of them were little piles of dust and bones. The man then tapped his staff on the ground twice, and then all the remnants were sucked into the blood red jewel atop his sceptar as if the gem were a black hole. When the torrent ended, a sudden flash of the same vile light. Then, silence. The people of Barton were awestruck with fear at the sight of his terrible power.

    "How did he do that?" Leon thought.

    The man slung his weapon over his back.

    "How could he have destroyed them so easily?"

    He turned and walked to Leon.

    "How was that possible?"

    And stopped before the commander.

    "HOW?!" Leon's mind was in a haze of astonishment and terror. He had never seen anything like this in his life.

    "You inquired as to my name, did you not?" the man asked in his deep, forboading voice. Leon was still frozen, lost in frantic, fearful contemplation. But it was as if the man's question broke this stupor. Leon came to.

    "Y-Yeah, I did. So what is it?" Leon responded, still somewhat shaken. There was a slight pause, and yet to all those standing there it felt like an eternity. Then, finally, the man spoke:

    "I have been given many names in my many lifetimes, but to you, as well as all mortals," he extended his hand. "I am Aegir."