1: The Culling
The year is 1790 of the Idannon calendar. Seven nations lie upon the soil of Idanno: the States of Velosso, the United Federation of Avalus, the Theological States of Kerinya, the Hequizarian Order, the Velestin Republic, the Revisian Order, and the Wythrian Order. These countries cover vast landmasses, having unified their states around 1500-1600 IC. Wythria, Revisia, and Hequizaria form the Northern Order.
The nations of the Northern Order are known for their fascist, imperialistic, colonialistic, and expansionistic tendencies. They are cruel and ruthless, enforcing absolute obedience for benefits and services.
Conversely, Velosso, Avalus, Kerinya, and Velestin are known for making themselves democrative.
They form the World Council. Since the Wythrian Unification, the world has experienced peace, with few major wars.
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Winstet is a small city nestled between hills with dense flora. Snow covers the town, rivers flow through it, and the sounds of people and vehicles fill the air.
Yet, there are problems...
The rivers run red-with blood, not water. The sounds the people make are screams, and they run like headless chickens for their lives. The vehicles are military.
Soldiers clad in menacing black armor, the Black Shackle Operative Armour—a terrifying suit of matte black armor, resembling something one would find in concept art books of the Gothic Era, that seems to absorb light, safe for the silver patterns on its Stygian black surface. It's pauldrons bear an eagle like aerial beast with four red eyes, The Inneusian Blood Hawk; A predatory bird, now extinct, its wings meld into the armour in elaborate designs. The helmet, with its narrow red-glowing visor, adds to it's inhuman appearance. The angular pauldrons and articulated arm guards make them look both powerful and agile.
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The Black Shackles; A special military force within the Wythrian Land Army or, The Wythrian Terran Legion.
They're lead by someone you'd know very, very soon.
Their task is to combat internal enemies, be rebels or external enemy forces which have managed to breach through Wythria's borders.
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The soldiers storm houses slaughtering inhabitants left and right. While armored vehicles execute anyone fleeing. The toxic smell of chemical weaponry hangs heavy, choking everyone except the gas-masked soldiers. The sky is a depressing shade of gray, blackened by smoke from burning buildings.
"This is your penance," a soldier says, grabbing a fleeing man and dragging him towards a large crater formed by artillery bombardment. He pushes the man in and shoots him with a Netheric Handgun.
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In Idanno, there are two types of people-Psions and Apsions. Psions produce Psionic Energy, similar to electricity, which can generate small amounts of energy adulthood, a Psion starts producing Psionic Energy. Psionic Energy can also generate shockwaves.
Psions idly produce Aether and Nether. Aether is the 'good' counterpart of Nether, being less violent, more stable, and predictable. Nether is the opposite and harbors extremity and power. Despite Aether's more favorable nature, Nether is nearly four times as powerful.
Though Psions produce Nether or Aether, they cannot use it directly. They need Krenis Crystals, which attract and store these energies. Psionic Energy can then be used on Krenis Crystals to release their stored energy.
Apsions produce Apsionic Energy, which is attracted by Ganuxan Crystals. These crystals store Apsionic Energy and convert it to Psionic Energy. When sufficient energy is applied, the Ganuxan Crystal releases Psionic Energy, activating nearby Krenis Crystals.
Krenis Crystals change colors depending on the energy they store. Nether turns them red with stygian black lines along their edges.
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A triple burst of bullets, capped with red Krenis crystals, shot out of the gun's barrel. The bullets exploded upon impact, burning and tearing flesh. If a Krenis Crystal breaks, it releases all its energy rapidly and violently.
Rockets rained down from the sky as aircraft cut through the skies at low altitudes, akin to kingfishers diving for prey.
The Listret Lis-29s, with back-swept wings and powerful turbofan engines hugging the fuselage, opened their bomb bays to drop 250 kg bombs. Each hit their targets-the town hall, hospital, school, and factory sector- with deadly accuracy. The ball turrets mounted at the aircraft's nose tore through the flesh of terrified people and decimated vehicles not aligned with the military. Their black paint shimmered, and their golden trimming added a touch of class even in their status as predatory steel birds.
The center stage was occupied by the Lis-32 Dual Rotor Helicopter, hovering over the town like a vulture watching its prey. The Lis-32, painted in deep stygian black with intricate gray patterns and rich red trimmings, featured two massive counter-rotating rotors slicing through the air with a distinct terrific whir. The angular cockpit's broad, red-tinted windshield reinforced its menacing appearance. Underneath, a rotating ball turret with a rapid-fire cannon, along with side-mounted guided missiles and rocket pods, made the Lis-32 a versatile force in combat. It was merely one of the many cogs powering the magnificent machine that is the Wythrian Military.
"Send in the final run of Gray Scorcher-bearing aircraft," A cloaked man sat comfortably in a red velvet seat.
The man's cloak was black with red trim and bore the insignia of House Wyrrex-a ten-pointed star made up of swords with a shield in the middle. An albino snake curled around his armored neck, just below his helmet.
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House Wyrrex was formed from three houses-House Gestis, House Cretcia, and House Jerian-by Archon Urzaes' orders after the Wythrian Unification. Their role is combat; they provide combatants and run military bases or camps. They are the sword and shield of Wythria.
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A beeping sound came from the man's forearm. He removed his cloak to reveal his armor.
The armor was elegant, with a central golden chest piece featuring a gold eye with a red ruby and a sword going down the middle, the sword pommel was integrated into the elegantly designed neck guard of the armour.
The rest of the armour was stygian black with a gray trim, skin-tight to ensure mobility, it highlighted the wearer's lean body which had a narrow waist and wide shoulders, in simple terms, a V-shaped body. The armor pieces overlapped harmoniously, glowing with a bright purple light between the joints, giving it an otherworldly appearance.
The armor at the abdomen was smaller, split into countless pieces akin to scales, with a deep red waistband trimmed in white and framed in black.
The 'buckle' area was adorned with a small ornamental shield. Two tails, akin to coat tails, extended from the back of the armor, deep red with a black frame.
The helmet was black with a red visor and golden trim, it was designed like a blank and featureless mask with golden tendrils on it. The pauldrons extended outward elaborately, with red bands dangling from silver rings and the insignia of House Wyrrex on top.
On the back of the armor, two mechanical arms folded inwards like bat wings. Along with this, there were actual wings or rather, golden appendages mimicking the skeletal structure of a wing also folded.
He tapped twice on the left forearm vambrace panel, causing the beeping to subside.
"Copy that, Lord Alistair," A voice rang out from within the helmet of the man, Lord Alistair Vilsette of House Wyrrex, the Lord Enforcer of Wythria. The fear of rebels, the hammer that strikes down those who oppose Wythria's rule, even while in its shadow.