The Dimmed Spark
#1 of The Keepers of Reality
"Oh. Greetings. I was just about to read a small story. Would you like to join me? Yes? Good. Now, this story begins far in the past, when six kingdoms governed reality. Let's dive right in."
A lone figure limps through the shadows of an uncharted forest. The figure briefly enters a small patch of light to reveal a prince with soulless-white hair, cruel-scarlet eyes, and eerily-pale skin. This is Pyron Solaris, the former prince of the Kingdom of Flame. The Kingdom of Pyral, which was destroyed when the Ancient Volcano erupted and the tremors leveled the entire kingdom. Anyway, Pyron keeps wandering the darkness, his once-pristine fire-red suit now covered in bloodstains, scorch marks, and ragged holes. In his left hand, he clutches his scythe, Tamash?nohi, the Fire of Souls, the blade dragging along the ground behind him. After a few hours of walking, he discovers what looks to be a portal. Without thinking, he steps through, the portal sealing itself behind him.
200 years later....
Pyron sighs in boredom as he stands behind the counter of a small, unnamed gun and knife store, Tamash?nohi leaning on his side. A couple minutes later, a young woman enters the store, her white, ankle-length dress bringing attention to the two scimitars strapped to her hips, her silver-blonde hair and storm-grey eyes sending a wave of recognition down Pyron's spine, the male immediately hiding all nearby electronics. "Ariana? How the hell did you get here?" The now-named Ariana just smirks and leans on the counter with her arms acting as a pillow. "Well, well, well. If it isn't the Fire Prince himself. Lemme guess. Lost a bet? Get tangled up in a gang war?" "Look. I'm in neither situation. I'm only doing this as a way to live." "Liar. I can see fear in your muscles. Have you actually gone soft? I thought 'The Mighty Fire Prince' was fearless." Pyron sighs in frustration as he grabs his scythe and pushes Ariana into a fully-vertical position. "Just.....just leave. If you see Terence or Hydrolus, tell them that I'm just waiting for the right opportunity to rebuild Pyral." Ariana shrugs in dismissal as she turns to leave, stopping in the doorway to give a parting sentence. "May the Elementals guide you, Pyron." The Storm Princess then shuts the door behind her, Pyron slumping back onto the glass counter. "Dammit. I REALLY need to take a day off soon."
That evening, Pyron closes the store before heading toward his home on the outskirts of the city, Tamash?nohi dangling from one of his jeans' beltloops disguised as a small lantern, the 'accessory' giving off a noticeable light as Pyron ignores the leering eyes of rapists hiding in the nearby alleys, his white T-shirt covered by a red leather jacket with a bonfire emblazoned in the center of the back. When he reaches his small, one-story house, he shuts the door and secures it with five different locks before heading straight to bed.
"That's the first part. If you want to hear more of the story, come back sometime. The next part should be quite interesting. Goodbye, now."