Fan:The Chronicles of Atlas
Prologue
The woman’s head spun with emotion as she slowly carried the small, white bundle in her arms up to an outcropping near a large valley. Within the valley was nestled a small village, teeming with life. The inhabitants all carried on with their everyday lives. The woman bitterly thought of how they would meet their sudden demise.
Reaching the top of the outcropping, she laid down the package in her arms, pulling down the top for a last look. Inside rested an infant- One who laid peacefully asleep, his hair as white as his mother’s. She smiled tearfully at his fragile face. A shadow fell over mother and child. Turning, the women met the cause of her turmoil. The blue, glowing figure towered over the two, his bright eyes serving as windows to his own tormented soul.
“Xagtophnu, how will he survive?” asked the woman, standing up. The child remained on the grass, blissfully sleeping within his cocoon of cloth. The figure, Xagtophnu, laid his hand on the woman’s shoulder. “Destiny will protect him, Marli. If he was to not survive, the universe would be lost.” His voice was calm and gentle, but it did not help Marli’s tormented mind. Why, out of all children, did hers have to be the chosen one?
“It was not my choice,” stated Xagtophnu, reading her mind. ”I am merely Fate’s messenger. I am as grieved as you are, to leave so many of my kindred to such destruction. We will be doing worse to the child by keeping him here.”
He walked towards the infant. The child stirred and opened his eyes, gazing up at his tearful mother and the strange figure looming over him. Marli bent down and scooped him up in her arms. The child cooed happily as his mother looked towards Xagtophnu. The Father of Mythrans walked forward and raised his hand. Bright blue energy gushed from the soil, like water. With delicate movements he worked the stream of Imagination into a large, glowing ring. Within the ring was a blurry image of a green turf – on a different world. The portal completed, Xagtophnu turned to Marli. “He will be safe,” he assured, resting his glowing blue hand on her shoulder. His touch was cold; not bitterly, but in a more pleasant, refreshing way. This was a small relief to the boy’s mother. Marli inhaled a deep breath and walked towards the portal. “He will be safe.” Xagtophnu’s simple words rung in her head. She looked down at her child. After a bitter goodbye and a kiss, she pushed her child into the portal. The moment he was through, the ring disappeared. She sighed despairingly.
“Now, we must protect ourselves,” Xagtophnu said. His eyes were grave. He led the mother away from the outcropping and into a small cranny in a cliff. Here he drew Imagination from thin air, and encircled him and the woman.
Mere moments later, the earth began to quake; faintly at first, and gradually gaining magnitude. A low crack lie thunder resounded in the distance. Then, all at once, a massive fissure violently tore through the soil, billowing violet gas. The valley gained a new addition to its width, swallowing up the village it had been chosen to shelter for generations. As the crack continued to stretch over the horizon, dark purple tendrils reached further into the landscape, and then suddenly the surface exploded. Massive chunks of earth flew skyward, chased further into space by violet flame. Vegetation was blackened, structures toppled like stacks of twigs. The roar of the explosion slowly died, as did everything else.
And then... All was silent.
