The Luna Legacy

The Imperial city of Aranei sat almost silent as the cold white sky hung low over the city, the Imperial Palace was empty aside from a small token force. Victoria stepped into the throne room, the throne sat empty.

Victoria approached the stairs leading to the throne and went to take her first step.

"Stop!" A male voice rang out, Victoria spun around to see who had shouted across the cavernous room.

Andre was stood leaning against a pillar.

"Who are you supposed to be then?" Victoria asked.

"I'm the other side of Lumina, the sane side" Andre smiled, he flipped a coin in his hand.

"Other side? I don't follow?" Victoria asked, keeping her guard up.

"Long story. Look, I'm here to stop her" Andre began, Victoria raised her sword at Andre, Andre put his hands up mockingly and approached her.

"Do you really want to see this world end?" Andre asked.

"What do you mean?" Victoria stepped back onto the first step on the throne.

"She never told you? What do you think you've been doing all this time? With what you did in Ishtall?" Andre growled angrily.

"I was there to conquer the city for the glory of the Luminous Empire!" Victoria rebutted.

"Lumina wants the whole world to fall to light, that means everything apart from myself and her will become foul abominations; crazed light filled beasts. Just look out of the windows of this room at that cold white sky... that's what she wants to bring to the whole world." Andre explained.

Victoria gazed out of the window.

"Saying that, I guess you never really saw what happened to Terrana, since the former Empress had you here..." He continued.

"How... did you know that?" Victoria asked.

"I have eyes and ears everywhere, a lot of people are still loyal to the First Emperor of Aranei" Andre shrugged.

"Now I know you're lying, the Empire of Aranei has existed for over 100 years" Victoria smirked.

"I have existed for thousands" Andre approached the steps of the throne, and began to ascend.

Victoria shook her head.

"What are you?" She looked at Andre as he reached the top of the stairs and sat in the throne.

"Half of the Celestial Harbinger, the half that grants you all power to use those weapons of yours" Andre smiled. He closed his eyes and concentrated, Victoria backed away slowly as dark Aether began to seep out of him. Andre's hair began to grow long and turn black, his body slowly changed around him to, into a female form. His pale skin turned to a dark shade of blue and small horns grew from the top of his head. "I am Abyssia, the Dark Harbinger" The female who Andre had transformed into smiled.

The darkness that seeped from Abyssia's body slowly raised to the sky, the sky began to darken. Citizens from across the city stepped out into the streets to see the night sky return, cheers erupted from across the whole city, machines whirred back to life and the cold air began to warm.

"Believe me now, child?" Abyssia questioned Victoria, who had a terrified look across her face.

Victoria knelt at the bottom of the stairs to Abyssia.

"Swear to me" Abyssia pointed at Victoria, her orange eyes glowing.

"I swear to serve you from now until the end of days" Victoria said, her voice shaking.

"Good" Abyssia smiled, she stood up and approached Victoria, her hand held out.

Victoria stood up and took Abyssia's hand.

"Do not fear me, child, I wish to save this world from Lumina. It may be true that once I served to blacken men's hearts, but now I stand with you all, I do not seek the end of days" Abyssia said as she helped Victoria to her feet, Victoria nodded.

The throne room door swung open, the Dark Knight walked through the doors and toward Victoria and Abyssia.

"What is she?!" Victoria backed away, terrified by the sight of the pitch black Knight.

"This is my loyal friend, Araneia, she has been with me from the dawn of this age..." Abyssia smiled at Araneia.

"You mean....?" Victoria looked at Araneia.

Abyssia nodded.

"She is the one who convinced me... or 'us', me and Lumina, that mankind was worth saving, and for that, she was granted the power to defend this world until the end of time" Abyssia explained.

Victoria looked toward Araneia and bowed her head respectfully, Araneia nodded her head slightly.

"Do not betray us to Lumina" Araneia grunted. Victoria nodded.

"I was so stupid, trusting her..." Victoria sighed.

"She rescued you, of course you were grateful to her and felt you owed her. Though, maybe you should be a bit less trusting from now on" Abyssia patted Victoria on the back, before ascending to the throne once more.

Abyssia sat on the throne and relaxed her posture, she looked at Araneia.

"What is the news of the Luna girl and her Uncle?" Abyssia asked.

"The one we sent to retrieve them never returned, scouts say the girl is on a ship travelling to the western continent, but there is no sign of her Uncle" Araneia reported.

"Understood, for now, keep an eye on the girl, we should strike when the time is right, hopefully we can make her see that our side is the correct path..." Abyssia said as she closed her eyes and sat back on the throne.