#Ater Umbra

[realitybitesyouknowit]

Harry had never been able to comprehend a sibling relationship before, but he always thought he'd be great at it. Until, as Master of Death, he's reborn one Turais Rigel Black, older brother to Sirius and Regulus. (Rebirth/time travel and Master of Death Harry)

[rafor]

Chapter 39 - King - The Glitch

She gasped at the sight of my wings. “Oh no! What happened to them?”

I shrugged, trying to act casual. “They’re fine. Just a little different.”

“Different? They’re stunning!” She ran her fingers over the dark feathers, which sparkled with hints of purple and blue. “They look like the night sky. And these spots... are they freckles?”

I chuckled. “I guess so. I don’t know why they appeared. Maybe it’s a side effect of the magic.”

“I don’t care. They’re still soft and beautiful.” She wrapped her arms around me and buried her face in my wings. I felt a surge of warmth in my chest.

We were in the throne room, but it felt more like our own private sanctuary. She had dismissed most of her servants, keeping only a few loyal ones for essential tasks. She rarely received visitors, and when she did, she made sure they didn’t stay long. She wanted to spend as much time with me as possible, and I felt the same way.

She often talked to me about her kingdom, her plans, and her dreams. She taught me how to be a good leader, how to inspire respect and loyalty, and how to make wise decisions. She was preparing me to be her king someday.

We also talked about the prophecy, the one that said I was destined to save the world from a great evil.

“Freya,” I asked her one day, “what if they come for me? What if they find out where I am and try to take me back? I don’t think I can live without you.”

She smiled and kissed my cheek. “Don’t worry, my love. They won’t even recognize you. You’re not the same one they knew. You’re a dragon now. A powerful and magnificent one. And you have a new name, remember?”

She had suggested that I change my name to make it harder for anyone to track me down. She had offered many options, all related to darkness or night, to match my appearance. I had resisted at first, but then I agreed to compromise.

“Thanks, but I think I’ll keep my name.”

She pouted. “Come on, Raphael is such a boring name. What about Ater? It means black in an ancient language.”

I shook my head. “No, thanks.”

She tried again. “What about Nox? It means night or something, as far as I know, like your wings.”

I sighed. “It’s better, but I still like Raphael.”

She didn’t give up. She kept throwing names at me, hoping one would stick. “Tenebris? Nocturnus? Umbra? Erebus?”

I interrupted her before she could go on. “Okay, okay, how about this? Nox Raphael. That sounds good, right?”

She clapped her hands and hugged me. “Yes! That’s perfect! Nox Raphael, the night dragon! I love it!”

I smiled and kissed her forehead. “You’re still calling me Raphael, though.”

She giggled. “It will take some time to get used to it. But come on, let’s finish these papers.”

She had already signed the official documents that declared me her consort and mate to the throne. It was a simple process when you had the queen’s authority and approval. My new name was Nox Raphael, but everyone just called me Nox for short. It was a fitting name for me since I looked like a creature of the night.

I met some of the high-ranking officials and nobles in the city, and they all welcomed me with respect and admiration. They accepted me as their future king, even though I wasn’t a wind dragon like them. They trusted Freya’s judgment and saw the potential in me. The general was especially impressed by my skills and abilities in combat and magic. He offered to train me and teach me more about the dragon's culture and the history of the kingdom, but he didn't know that the queen had already moved on with that.

I felt happy and honored by their acceptance and support. And on the day that we announced our engagement to the public, everyone cheered for us.

I had assumed the mantle of King Nox, but we faced a dilemma. How could we inform our allies of this new second leader when we had no means of reaching the Kingdom of Aura? That was until a visitor arrived from there, one who was not an official messenger but someone I knew well. He had defied the Guardians’ orders and left Aura’s side to come here, as he declared. It was Leo, and I was overjoyed to see him again.

He asked to see the queen right away, unaware of my presence. I did not reveal myself, and he did not recognize me in my new form. I could continue to play my role as King Nox without fear of exposure. I stood beside the queen as he spoke, his voice anxious and urgent. He asked us if we had any news of Sol and Cyrus, two of the Guardians. We shook our heads sadly, telling him we had not seen them. He looked crestfallen and defeated. Then he said, “What about a guy who is not a dragon but goes by the name of Raphael? Your messenger told us about a creature that resembled him.” He was referring to me. Freya caught my eye and gave me a subtle warning not to disclose myself. I felt a pang of sorrow seeing Leo so distraught and fearful. I said, “We are sorry, but the creature we notified you about has long departed. We tried to stop him, but we failed.” Leo could barely contain his emotions. He was on the verge of breaking down in tears, but before he did, I asked him, “How are things at the city? Why did you mention the Guardians Sol and Cyrus?” He took a deep breath and said, “They were sent here. They were supposed to arrive, but they vanished.” I whispered softly, so that only the queen could hear me, “And so did our messenger.” I asked again, “What about the city, then?” He hesitated, afraid to tell us the truth. But then he said, “It’s fine, but all the Guardians have left. Akira and the pawns too. Only Aura remains there. And she is about to leave as well, in search of Raphael.” He had just divulged a crucial piece of information to another king he barely knew. What if I were a shadow dragon who had deceived the queen and become king? Of course I was not, but Leo’s words betrayed his desperation and fear.

I retorted, “That seems unlike the actions of someone as sagacious as Aura.” He gazed at me, then inquired, “Your majesty, how are you acquainted with Aura?” I remained silent, so Freya spoke on my behalf: “I divulged her existence to him. He owes his knowledge to me.” He expressed his gratitude, saying, “Thank you for your disclosure, Queen Freya.” He lapsed into quietude, then I turned to Freya and asked, “Should we interrogate him further?” She shook her head and said, “I have no queries for him.” I pondered for a moment before broaching another topic. I asked Freya, “What about the anomaly of the messages not being delivered directly as before?”

At the mention of that, she swiftly addressed Leo: “Prince Leo, do you possess any intelligence regarding the messages from Aura Aetherius being intercepted by someone else?” He hastily rummaged through his little bag and produced a letter. He handed it to us, saying, “This is for you. It is from Aura. I regret to say that I am unable to answer your question, your majesty.” He attempted to utter my name but hesitated, so I said, “You may call me Nox, Leo.” He responded, “It is an honor to meet you, Nox.” He looked more dejected than ever. We were about to dismiss him when he uttered, “One last thing, may I implore your protection?” Me and Freya exchanged glances, then she said, “Are you seeking political asylum?” He affirmed, “Yes, please.” I challenged, “Why should we grant you that? From whom are you fleeing?” He was terrified and explained, “Aura advised me to do so. I do not know her reasons. Please peruse the letter.”

The letter was now in Freya’s possession. She examined it and passed it to me, saying, “I think you should peruse it first.” I opened it cautiously and began reading. It was a letter from Aura, written on a distinctive piece of paper and bearing her signature, that I recognized. It contained information about the changes in the city. It reported the disappearance of the guardians, hypothesizing that they departed in pursuit of the others who vanished and also this Raphael. I felt a surge of importance. It mentioned welcoming Leo into the city and reuniting him with others of his kind. There was also a second request in it, urging us to assist in the investigation by dispatching our patrols in search of the missing guardians and the man who claimed to be a human. After reading it, I handed it to Freya, telling her that she had to peruse it too. During all this time, Leo was still waiting anxiously for an answer to his plea for asylum. I was truly selfish. I was creating more problems than solutions for whatever they feared, and I still wasn’t certain about who they were since I only encountered him, the dark lord, once in a nightmare.

Freya read the message and nodded. “We accept your request to join the city. Ferox will instruct you about our rules.” She turned to one of her servants and ordered him to fetch Ferox. Leo bowed his head and said, “Thank you, Queen Freya and Nox.” He looked exhausted and tearful. Nothing like a wyvern. His head hung low, and his wings drooped to the ground in a gesture of respect. He followed every rule obediently.

We waited until the servant returned with Ferox, then we relayed the order to them. They escorted Leo out of the room, leaving us alone. Freya looked at me curiously. “Did you know him? You spoke to him as if you did.” I nodded. “Yes, I know him. He was the one who taught me about this world when I first arrived. He even showed me a map. That’s why I asked you for one a long time ago.” She raised her scaly eyebrows. “Oh, I see. It’s fortunate that he didn’t recognize you.” I sighed. “Yeah, he didn’t. But I feel so sorry for him now. And did you read the message? The city has changed a lot since I left.” She nodded again. “I see, this city has changed too.”

I tilted my head. “What has changed?” She paused and said, “You came and solved our problem with the health crystals. Do you remember why we had that problem?” She waited for my answer, but I shook my head. “Sorry, I don’t know.” She explained, “We are at war with a group of wind dragons who left the city days before you arrived. They were unhappy with my decision to let the wyverns move freely in the whole city, and now they are trying to carve out their own territory in our lands.” I frowned. “So you are fighting them.” She shrugged. “Sort of. We are capturing and imprisoning them. We have to maintain order and authority here.” I wondered if I should praise or criticize her actions, but then I said, “You did well. If they can’t respect someone’s freedom, then they don’t deserve it.” She smiled and said, “Thank you. It seems we share the same ideals.” I agreed. “Of course, and that’s wonderful, isn’t it?” She leaned closer and said, “It is. And I love it.” I replied, “I know, little sweetie.”

That’s why Solara was always guarding us when we were outside. She was protecting the queen from the rebels and probably hunting them down too.

We encountered her again that night. Under the starry sky, we soared together in a romantic flight, and I marveled at the sight of my wings. They glowed with a soft light from the glittery dots that had appeared after my encounter with the dark crystal. It was a stunning spectacle, and the weather was perfect. Summer was approaching, and the chill in the air had faded. We could fly and linger outside without worrying about freezing and losing our mobility. Well, she could, at least. I couldn’t. I had wondered why she had fallen asleep so easily that day when she confessed her feelings to me, but then I learned that one of the factors was the cold. That day, I stayed awake longer until fatigue overtook me because my body functioned differently. Even though I resembled a dragon, I could control my body temperature. I was not cold-blooded. I was unique.

We were not alone on our flight. Solara, the giant fire eagle, accompanied us, and we also befriended a small, silent bird with white feathers. It seemed drawn to Solara, who accepted its presence. The little owl struggled to keep up with our pace, but we did not want to abandon such a friendly creature. Solara helped it by letting it perch on her head like a fluffy hat, and it clung to her without hurting her with its talons.

That day, I asked Solara, “How did you and Freya meet for the first time?” Solara gave me a look that suggested she was unsure whether to answer or leave it to Freya. Freya spoke up and said, “I found her when she was just a hatchling. She was near the kingdom, alone and forsaken. I couldn’t bear to leave her there.” Solara nodded and said, “She’s right. She took care of me until I grew up, and now I’ve returned to my roots.” I asked, “So you prefer living in the wild rather than in the city?” She explained, “I can’t really live in the city. I would attract too much attention, and I’m regarded as a sacred creature rather than a normal being. Besides, no one can really harm me here, so I live here. This is my home.” I said, “That sounds both wonderful and sad. I’m sorry you can’t live a normal life.” She replied, “What do you mean? Isn’t this a normal life? Come on, it’s awesome. I’m free.” She was wild but kind, courteous enough to someone she did not consider an enemy. I no longer feared her. Instead, I felt safe with her and Freya.

We reached the far end of the valley, where we beheld a distant sight of the kingdom. A few torches flickered in the dark, and the night sky was a tapestry of stars. It was a breathtaking and romantic scene, but I couldn’t resist turning it into an opportunity for some honest confessions. I looked at Freya and asked, “What happened to your parents, if you don’t mind me asking?” She shifted uneasily and tried to evade the question. “I’d rather not talk about that.” I didn’t want to spoil the mood, but she had posed the same query to me earlier. “What about yours? Will I ever get to meet them?” I shook my head sadly. “No, we’re worlds apart. I doubt I’ll ever see them again. I hope they’re doing well.” She pressed on, “I hope they’re still alive then.” I sighed, “I hope so too. And that they’ve moved on after losing their son. I can’t imagine how hard it must have been for them.” She nodded sympathetically, then asked, “I never asked you, how did you end up in this world?” I tried to explain, “I’m pretty sure I died. After that, I don’t know how I got here.” She gasped, “Oh, I’m so sorry. But you don’t look dead to me.” She said that because I had stopped and was lost in my thoughts. I felt a pang of grief for my parents, but Freya tried to comfort me. She wasn’t done with her questions, though. “Do you remember how you died?” I replied, “Yes, but I’d rather not talk about it.” She persisted, saying, "Oh, come on, you can tell me. I won’t tell anyone.” I glanced at Solara, who was flying beside us. “If I tell you, you have to keep it a secret too.” Solara promised, “You have my word. I won’t say anything.” I relented, “Fine, sit down and listen. I’ll try to make it brief. I was in the military with a platoon in a city during the war of the federations. We were scouting the area for any remnants of the enemy army until we came across a bridge. There, we saw that they had troops on the other side, so we took cover and reported it via radio. I’ll explain what that is later. Unfortunately for us, they spotted us too and launched an artillery attack. But that didn’t do much damage. We were a small group, and we moved quickly to another location. After that, things got worse. They started surrounding the city to capture it. Using our drones. Another thing I’ll explain later. We realized that we had only one escape route left. We ran for it, but they were already on our heels. I decided to play the hero. What a foolish move. And let my platoon go ahead without me. I had the highest rank among them. If anyone had to be brave, it was me. I thought they would make it out safely, but instead, the enemy started retreating. We didn’t know why until it was too late. They had fired thermobaric artillery over the city and us. There was no way to avoid it. We were obliterated.” She was speechless for a moment, then she said softly, “And here I thought I was the sick one. That’s unbelievable.” I said bitterly, “Unbelievable? No, it’s not. Like all wars.” I tried to steer the conversation back to her parents since I had done my part, but she asked me to explain all those new tools she had heard about, so I attempted to make her understand with examples she could relate to, but it was not easy and it took a lot of time and effort until I forgot about my questions for her, and when we finished talking about me, we returned to the palace while our giant eagle was still frolicking with the small cute owl on our way back. Despite everything else, telling my story lifted a burden from my conscience.

[aziron-universe]

Characters With Developing Stories:

Genesis’ Past:

Dr. Arduino Emmerich Dr. Lillianne Emmerich Apocalypse The Amalgamation 

Eosizan: 

Umbra Vulso Ater Lychnus Aurelius  Animula Aurelius Lusherina Miraphine Azurah Naravarys Novella Miraphine

Aisiremi: 

Killian Keiffer Dr. James Wingfield Seraphine Wingfield Ivy Wingfield - Project Anima Kay

Aharion:

Helena Cooper Mason Cooper Vincent Garrettfield Viola Garrettfield Darren Nightingale Andrew McLoughlin Delilah North/Degrassi Matthew North Alucard Demars (Zero) Jasper Miles (Zen)

[zephia-squad]

The Planes Visual Guide

-7. Ater - plane of shadows -6. Far Realm - plane of monsters -5. Mania - plane of wrongness -4. Umbra - plane of illusions -3. Henna - plane of endless desert -2. Aeri - elemental planes; Aoe, air; Igna, fire; Erra, earth; Qua, water -1. The Feyfell 0. The Material Plane 1. Anima - plane of souls 2. Somna - plane of dreams 3. Canopy - plane of endless forest 4. Aetas - plane of time 5. Euphoria - plane of good things 6. Scintilla - plane of law and magic, land of pure magic where all Spark is drawn from 7. Primordea - plane of light, of gods

[kenkofoto]

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