Standing atop of the great spire the people of Loka watched in aw as grey clouds circled about in the skies above. The fading glow of the dying Artifact fell to the weakness and was smothered by the wrath of Preksak's World Harvester. The only thing protecting it and the people of Loka was the Artifacts still illuminated core. Among the many under the Artifact were the members of the Vanguard.
A loud crack of thunder was heard coming from the east, causing every soul that depended on the Artifact's light turn to its source. Wind that sounded like screaming banshees echoed though the darkness. The slate grey clouds begun to spin violently, creating a cyclone. From the funnel loud claps of continuous thunder could be heard. Inside the eye a blinding, electric blue light could be seen, even from the great distance away.
Like a blade of a warrior of the gods Preksak's World Harvester beams began to decimate the land around the spire. The lightning-like strikes began with the holy structures around the spire, beginning with the Admin House. One by one massive quantities of land was ripped from its earthly tie and devoured into nothingness as it became blank resource energy, feeding the beams so it could eat more of what came before it.
Soon the harvester's path encircled the spire, trapping those who found refuge there on a island of the Artifact's last breath. Everyone huddled under the faintest glow as deep cracks began to form in the Artifact's fragile center. Taking advantage of this Preksak retracted all of his beams and aimed it at the core.
The concentrated strike was, just barely, enough to shatter the Artifact, killing Loka's last prayer. The beams split and started to consume the spire. The people the Artifact and the Vanir's had sworn to protect were now at the mercy of armageddon.
Individual strikes of harvester beams devoured entire portions of the spire, swallowing it into the voids of pure energy. Realizing that they had nothing to protect them, the fear of permanent death was inedible. Panic spread throughout the souls on the spire; many said their farewells to those they had cherished, some tried to flee, few were devoured themselves.
Briefly Lazuli Avalos managed to slip away down the helix staircase and into the heart of the spire. Heading for the bank she cleared away the rubble to access her enderchest. Opening the black box she removed her greatest treasure: her Gift of Endurance she had received from Cryptite. Slipping it in her satchel she climbed the stairs to join her allies for one last endeavor.
Midst the swarm of fleeing souls the allied members of the Vanguard attempted to collect the shards of the Artifact's core. Running her frigid fingers through the snow Lazuli managed to find a shard using her keen eyes. Handing the fragment to Artagan he and Leasaur attemped to rebuild the core with hopes of saving their world from Preksak's harvester.
"We're missing one shard!" Artagan shouted over the winds.
Lazuli scanned the snow for the final shard, blocking the brunt of the wind with her hand. With the light of a harvester beam the glint of a splinter was seen on the opposite edge of the spire. Rushing to her feet she raced across the crumbling structure, leaping over the collapsing portions of the floor.
Reaching the shard Lazuli turned sharply so she could reunite it with the core, but was forced to stop dead in her tracks. The crevasse she had leaped to reach the shard had doubled in size, isolating her on a peninsula. Leasuar was across the crevasse, trying to build a bridge so she could rescue her friend.
"No Lea, there's no time!" With all her might Lazuli threw the shard to the elf. Just as Leasaur received the shard a harvester funnel was opening above Lazuli with the intention of destroying the peninsula she was stranded on. From the heavens a beam came down, striking the land and removing it from existence.
Barely missing her Lazuli managed to avoid becoming blank energy. Falling down into the void Leasuar watched as her close ally reached out to her, only to fall victim to fate. "Laz!" she shouted as she descended beyond her view.
With no time to morn Leasaur left the cliff's edge to finish the core and hopefully save what was left of their world. Upon reuniting the shard with the core a faint glow illumined the cracks, bringing it back to life. The scarred surface regenerated back into a solid, glassy shine. But to their dismay instead of saving their world from destruction it vanished, leaving them for dead as Preksak descended from his harvester to give the final blow himself.
Falling towards the void Lazuli stared upwards and watched the sky, the last light she would ever see, disappear from her sight. Just as she was about to cross the bedrock border the Artifact was completed, somehow sparring her as she fell endlessly in the fog. Darkness fell heavy on Lazuli's mind, her eyes shutting out the non-existent light.
In her satchel the Gift of Endurnce began to glow softly, summoning a Vanir to whisk her away to the new refudge the Artifact had created for her and the people of Loka.
A loud crack of thunder was heard coming from the east, causing every soul that depended on the Artifact's light turn to its source. Wind that sounded like screaming banshees echoed though the darkness. The slate grey clouds begun to spin violently, creating a cyclone. From the funnel loud claps of continuous thunder could be heard. Inside the eye a blinding, electric blue light could be seen, even from the great distance away.
Like a blade of a warrior of the gods Preksak's World Harvester beams began to decimate the land around the spire. The lightning-like strikes began with the holy structures around the spire, beginning with the Admin House. One by one massive quantities of land was ripped from its earthly tie and devoured into nothingness as it became blank resource energy, feeding the beams so it could eat more of what came before it.
Soon the harvester's path encircled the spire, trapping those who found refuge there on a island of the Artifact's last breath. Everyone huddled under the faintest glow as deep cracks began to form in the Artifact's fragile center. Taking advantage of this Preksak retracted all of his beams and aimed it at the core.
The concentrated strike was, just barely, enough to shatter the Artifact, killing Loka's last prayer. The beams split and started to consume the spire. The people the Artifact and the Vanir's had sworn to protect were now at the mercy of armageddon.
Individual strikes of harvester beams devoured entire portions of the spire, swallowing it into the voids of pure energy. Realizing that they had nothing to protect them, the fear of permanent death was inedible. Panic spread throughout the souls on the spire; many said their farewells to those they had cherished, some tried to flee, few were devoured themselves.
Briefly Lazuli Avalos managed to slip away down the helix staircase and into the heart of the spire. Heading for the bank she cleared away the rubble to access her enderchest. Opening the black box she removed her greatest treasure: her Gift of Endurance she had received from Cryptite. Slipping it in her satchel she climbed the stairs to join her allies for one last endeavor.
Midst the swarm of fleeing souls the allied members of the Vanguard attempted to collect the shards of the Artifact's core. Running her frigid fingers through the snow Lazuli managed to find a shard using her keen eyes. Handing the fragment to Artagan he and Leasaur attemped to rebuild the core with hopes of saving their world from Preksak's harvester.
"We're missing one shard!" Artagan shouted over the winds.
Lazuli scanned the snow for the final shard, blocking the brunt of the wind with her hand. With the light of a harvester beam the glint of a splinter was seen on the opposite edge of the spire. Rushing to her feet she raced across the crumbling structure, leaping over the collapsing portions of the floor.
Reaching the shard Lazuli turned sharply so she could reunite it with the core, but was forced to stop dead in her tracks. The crevasse she had leaped to reach the shard had doubled in size, isolating her on a peninsula. Leasuar was across the crevasse, trying to build a bridge so she could rescue her friend.
"No Lea, there's no time!" With all her might Lazuli threw the shard to the elf. Just as Leasaur received the shard a harvester funnel was opening above Lazuli with the intention of destroying the peninsula she was stranded on. From the heavens a beam came down, striking the land and removing it from existence.
Barely missing her Lazuli managed to avoid becoming blank energy. Falling down into the void Leasuar watched as her close ally reached out to her, only to fall victim to fate. "Laz!" she shouted as she descended beyond her view.
With no time to morn Leasaur left the cliff's edge to finish the core and hopefully save what was left of their world. Upon reuniting the shard with the core a faint glow illumined the cracks, bringing it back to life. The scarred surface regenerated back into a solid, glassy shine. But to their dismay instead of saving their world from destruction it vanished, leaving them for dead as Preksak descended from his harvester to give the final blow himself.
Falling towards the void Lazuli stared upwards and watched the sky, the last light she would ever see, disappear from her sight. Just as she was about to cross the bedrock border the Artifact was completed, somehow sparring her as she fell endlessly in the fog. Darkness fell heavy on Lazuli's mind, her eyes shutting out the non-existent light.
In her satchel the Gift of Endurnce began to glow softly, summoning a Vanir to whisk her away to the new refudge the Artifact had created for her and the people of Loka.
