Prologue 4: End (and the beginning)

Austin blinked and rubbed his eyes, several times. There was an aurora in the sky of a place far from the poles. Either the world was about to end, or the voices weren't lying.

Austin stood in awe for only a moment more. Austin looked around the forest only to be greeted with an almost translucent green film on everything.

Austin felt as though he was struck by lightning. This was the single greatest thing that had happened in his life and especially given how horrible he's felt for the last 8 years. slowly though his awe and wonder slowly gave way to pure and unbridled rage.

Austin entered his mind room, radiating anger. The three voices began to quiver at the overwhelming emotion.

Austin lowly muttered, "Why?" He inhaled and shouted, "Why the hell did you morons decide to live in my head and make it impossible to think clearly, rest peacefully, or even have a proper conversation for most of my life! Why did you not explain any of this sooner! Why!" Austin was trembling, with rage.

Odexes hesitated before speaking, "... Young Austin. I'm sorry for what we put you through. What we are is a rather complicated question."

Irabell chimed in, "To better understand what we are you need to first understand some of the basics of souls. Souls are not all equal. The stronger the soul the stronger that person is, in most cases. There have been cases of people with strong souls being unable to utilize it for a reason yet unknown, but I digress. As I was saying, a soul even if weak can be made stronger. the most typical way is through training, so that you body can withstand the world's energy, or through study of the flow of the world's energy and things arcane in nature. Once souls reach a certain point of strength something odd happens during the reincarnation cycle. A typical soul is essentially reset for a lack of a better word. They forget about who they were, What they did, who they knew, and lose the strength gathered in life. But if you soul is strong enough some properties, personality, or strength can be retained. In your exceptionally rare case, it was all of the above. We are what you would call soul shards, remnants of powerful individuals with extreme power."

Austin sat and listened absorbing every bit of information. He asked, "Then explain to me why you guys, were more like a barely coherent cacophony, than people last time?"

Odexes explained, "While this may sound like an excuse, when we were first woken up, so to speak, it takes a while for what we are to gather our wits, and since there are three of us it took much longer. In that state things become much more instinct than thought. Sorry."

Austin slumped down off the tree and layed on his back staring at the sky. He realized now, that he felt connected to the earth and sky. It was like there was no distinction between them. As he came to realize that, his mental core began to stir. It felt like a ball spinning in place at incredible speed on his brain.

He was new to whatever you would call this, but he could tell he was taking in an immense amount of world energy.

Suddenly the trees, grass and anything else nearby began to wither, as though the life was being sucked out of them. The earth trembled, and the air began quiver.

"What in the world is going on," Austin screamed at the trio in his head. Odexes replied uncertainty, "I'm not sure but I think, you created something of an energy vacuum. You deprived your body of the world energy it craves for a long time. That along with tapping into the power of your soul has caused you to start absorbing all the energy around you at a frankly astonishing rate!"

The withering plant life soon disappeared like dust on the wind, violently being thrown around by torrent of energy be absorbed.

After fifteen minutes the earth stilled, but what was once a lush forest was no vast desert.

Austin felt like his body was on fire, and if anyone was watching this scene they would agree. His body was covered in a deep red hue, and white smoke was rising off his body.

Austin was awash with searing pain. "Austin listen, you need to picture that all of that aura is inside of you filling your form to just below the skin."

Upon trying to do so, the searing intensified as if concentrated, two fold. More smoke started billowing. "Hold it, Austin you can do it!" all the voices were encouraging, even the third voice who doesn't really know what's going on. The billowing plume of smoke slowly subsided, as Austin fell down on his back.

He didn't look like he did prior. His once dark hair has turned stark white and his plump form now almost emaciated.

Austin laid on his back gasping for air. his body was exhausted, but his mind was racing. It felt as though fuzz had filled his mind before but he wasn't aware of it, his thoughts were far faster.

Austin didn't have long to admire the changes though.

Looking into the sky a small black rift was forming, and slowly expanding. through the rift came a figure donned in a suit of black armor that swayed in the breeze unnaturally. There build was brawny, and masculine, and on there head a hood revealing only a dark void.

The figure practically teleported in front of Austin, but Austin couldn't move even if he wanted to.

The figure now closer, and It was clear why his armor looked odd, it was swords. every inch of this gut was covered in swords, daggers and knives, cramed together to form armor that floated around their body. The dark figure spoke in a language not found on earth, "**** ****** **** ***‽"

The third voice spoke up, "I know that language, but can't recall it. A shame that"

The figure seeing that it wasn't understood huffed, and extended his left hand. As he closed his grasp a great sword appeared in his hand and he swung.