Full Names

Corvus Leinor

Known Relations

Shiiga Darlok (Soul Twin)

Background

Corvus is a member of the Nosteramean people, a race indistinguishable to humans.
— —

Shortly after sunset, the bells of the Dabarian Magical Institute were ringing in sync. The young apprentices walked out the open stone doors of the school’s entry with staffs and books in-hand, eagerly discussing what would happen tomorrow. “This is one of the most important days of our lives Corv... Do you know which element you're going to pick tomorrow?" a tall white-haired boy of about 16 asked.

"Flora…” Corvus jested “Come on Shiig, what do you take me for, I've been studying alchemy for six years!” Shiiga laughed. "Well, you could be like Meijoh, she spent her whole time at school learning Igne just to switch to Aqua a month before her test.”

"She’s a weird one alright," Corvus looked at him. "and you, you’ve got it figured out? You were studying six elements last I heard."

"I-I... I don't know” Shiiga faltered. “I’d like to choose Projection, but I still don't have control over bows or spears..."

"Hey at least you're the best with the sword right? On top of that, what’s the heavy one - the greatsword!” Corvus rose a fist in the air playfully to make his point. “The most complicated weapon to conjure and control, with that alone the jury will be more than happy to approve your selection."

Corvus felt appreciation radiate from Shiiga into him and knew the remarks had bolstered his confidence.

“Then that’s how it’ll be. I swear by Grotbloom that I'll be the best Projection sorcerer this place has ever seen!" Shiiga said loudly.

They arrived at the square where the magarüm was located. The flask glowed a powerful pink so radiant it hurt to look at. It hummed loudly as it projected a protective field around the school and town. The magic defense system required an upkeep spell each night, but once activated would eliminate anyone who touched it or the forcefield it generated within seconds. In that emblematic place, the two main streets, Maiel and Leiam crossed each other accented only by a raised square in the center with a stacked stone pillar on top of that, which held the glowing flask.

"Well, end of the road! See you tomorrow, it'll be a great day." Shiiga smiled and returned home.

Corvus looked at the ground uncertain, pondering between Igne and Aqua. He remembered that his parents wanted him to study Igne after his father. They could object at any time and he’d be powerless to stop them. They, unlike him, had the power of choice in such things. He’d have to be convincing with his choice.

Corvus took a seat on the stacked stone ledge of the square and began repeating all the lessons of Igne and Aqua so he’d be ready regardless. The cold night came and soon the late evening bells tolled throughout the town. Corvus turned to see the magekeer walking out for his nightly ritual to recharge the magarüm, with a large blanket folded across both his arms. The old man knelt by the glowing flask, whose light had noticeably diminished and was starting to flicker like a candle. He unwrapped beautiful purple petals, a glass bottle of glowing liquid and what looked like a scrap of tree bark. Corvus focused his attention as the man wrapped the petals around the bark and then started pouring the glowing liquid over them into the bowl he’d placed at the flask pillar’s basin. He began to chant as the liquid splashed against the bark.

"Mageo protev oe terr e barash eo log eosto mareo leo. Mageo protev oe terr e barash eo log eosto. Mage..." At that moment, a golden arrow pierced the neck of the magekeer. Corvus’s eyes grew in horror as he turned in the direction of the arrow.

Like hungry crows, an army in golden armor and white robes entered the town at the end of Leiam street where the forcefield was decidedly no longer present. The lead soldiers reached the first house, cast the door open and entered. There was a deafening silence as Corvus leaned forward in suspense. The soldiers exited the house bloodied as a second group silently entered the houses across the street. Corvus panicked and dove behind the pillar. He closed his eyes to focus and tried his hardest to send panic towards Shiiga through his connection. His hearing rippled as he pulsed his focus as powerfully as he could muster. “Come on, work!” desperate for a response that would not come he cried out in frustration.

The army had processed half the street going house by house, family by family slaying them all in the dead of night. The outburst caught the attention of several soldiers now close to Corvus. They approached ever-silently with eyes now firmly fixed on the magarüm. A tall blonde soldier stood mere feet from Corvus and outstretched a hand towards the flickering flask. The flask discharged a powerful jolt of pink energy instantly boiling the skin on his hand. The silent assault ended as the soldier’s screams awakened all those in the village who remained alive.

A soldier who appeared to be in charge shot a ball of energy from his hand that struck the still screaming blonde haired soldier square in the head, silencing him instantly as the man’s armor crashed to the ground. “They know we’re here! Torch it all, no survivors!” the commander shouted. Powerful chants now filled the air as the soldiers cast them, destroying entire houses in a blinding flash of golden fire so quickly that their inhabitants had no chance to flee. The golden flames started jumping from house to house incinerating everything they touched.

Shiiga awoke to screams and a dizzying inferno. He coughed sharply as he inhaled thick hot smoke. Instinctively pulling his shirt over his face he peeled his eyes open and squinted upward. He could barely make out the moon through the smoke when he realized his home no longer had a roof. Quickly scraping debris and cinders off his legs he pushed against the smoldering truss of what was left of his house and climbed out of the rubble.

As the truss crashed to the ground and dust flew, a medley of burnt figures caught his attention. It was his parents and sister under the rubble. His heart skipped a beat as he fell to his hands and knees. Their positioning led him to believe they had perished just outside his room. He screamed with an amplification spell so powerful the smoke around him cleared for a moment before regenerating from the charred ashes of his home. His eyes burned with rage just as much as they burned from the ash swirling as he scanned the street. The three houses across from his all had red circles on their doors he noted. There was no one left alive on his street.

"Shiiga!!! Shiiga!" a familiar voice rang snapping him back to reality. He felt Corvus’s relief flood through him and turned to face the grim but illuminated face of his friend.

"Shiiga! Thank Nost you’re alive, we have to get out of here, everyone is gone, EVERYTHING is gone. If we leave now we can make it to a neighboring village. There has to be one nearby.” Corvus held out his hand but Shiiga did not grab for it.

“Let me die.” Shiiga gasped, grief-stricken as he motioned towards the bodies. Corvus followed the gesture and realized what had caused the wave of grief earlier. His heart sank for Shiiga. “I won’t let you die too. Steigenst!” Corvus commanded. Shiiga lifted off the ground as Corvus swooped down, planted him across his shoulders and started running towards the nearest tree line. A golden fireball dashed in front of them from a rooftop as if sentient, cutting off their progress. It advanced on them slowly, growing in size so as to fill the street forcing them back. They retreated towards the square as the fireball advanced until the scene came into view. Survivors of the torching had been lined up near the square and were being executed one at a time by the commander in charge.

"Shiiga, it's the end. We can't get out, the only other way is the underground of the square but-"

Shiiga shushed him by putting his hand over his mouth. "We won't make it. There’s too many, but we can fight, even if its the end, I’m not going down quietly after what they did to my fam-" Corvus felt cool liquid drip on his exposed shoulder. Shiiga sniffed.

Corvus knelt and stood Shiiga up, released the weightless spell from his friend, and scanned the scene at the square. Consciously ignoring the row of bodies Corvus noticed the lightless flask still atop its pillar. "I… I have a plan, I think I know how to conjure the flask. I was there tonight when the magekeer put in all the ingredients together. The ritual is almost complete! If I can just finish it… I need you to make me some time."

Shiiga recited a quick incantation forming a greatsword nearly as tall as he was, and leaned against the handle as the sword materialized to a point against the stone laid road. He turned to Corvus. “You're mad as a Marajor, you know that right?” He gazed at Corvus, feeling the apprehension radiate from his soul twin. “Don’t die out there.”

“You either Shiig.” Corvus confirmed grimly. They entered the square. “Nebela!” Corvus rang. His cloak rippled upward as a thick fog flowed from beneath it obscuring any view of them. The executions stopped as the commander’s attention was ripped towards the mist. Suddenly a greatsword flung from the mist and pierced the soldier nearest the commander. The soldier staggered backward and collapsed near the pillar.

“Fire!” The commander roared as the sword magnetically pulled out of the soldier and rushed hilt first back into the fog. A flurry of powerful golden fireballs launched from multiple soldiers towards the fog striking it from all angles, dispelling it instantly. In its place the still bloodied greatsword float motionless. The square was silent.

Footsteps behind the commander caught his attention and he turned just in time to deflect a surprise attack from Shiiga wielding yet another greatsword similar to the first but much wider. The blow staggered him and sent his weapon flying backwards past the pillar where Corvus now knelt whispering quickly - “"W-well, according to the percentage... protev oe terr e barash eo-" He couldn't finish, the soldiers who had dispelled the fog launched a barrage of fire towards him. Corvus barely managed to use a scatter spell, splintering the fireballs into specs of light that arched and exploded behind him.

Shiiga slashed again at the now unarmed commander. His sword deflected sending a ripple of light across the mans face from where the blow had landed on his neck. Corvus noticed and quickly singled out the mage casting the Bubble Shield. He launched a dagger of ice towards the mans heart before being blasted backwards by a new barrage of fireballs which had just hit the magarüm pillar, exploding several of its bricks towards Corvus.

“Shiig run!” he screamed getting to his feet quickly to scatter even more fire, this time aimed at Shiiga. “Please, you’re all I have left. Get out of here!”

The barrage intensified. Shiiga dropped the greatsword with a clang and projected a metal shield the size of his body in its place. “Corv…” He stumbled against the weight of the blasts as they pushed him backwards down a side road. Corvus knew it was only a matter of time before they were overpowered. He looked around, the exhaustion of using multiple spells was about to bring him down. He glanced left towards the few remaining people from his village lined up and blindfolded. Women and children. His teeth clenched. “Heiss reflek!” He billowed in desperation. The barrage of fireballs immediately reflected upon impact with Shiiga’s shield and targeted their casters incinerating them instantly. The barrage ended.

"All right, kid! You win. We won’t kill you after all.” The commander said in a mocking tone as he backed towards the execution line. "But we will know your village’s secret. For Erakos, for Donovan!" He turned quickly and conjured a blaze of luminous golden fire incinerating the few survivors leaving only molten chains where they once stood.

Corvus echoed a long, deep, pain-filled "NO!". A greatsword whizzed through the air severing the commanders hand that had cast the spell and lodged itself in the wall of a building on the opposite side of the square from where Shiiga stood defiantly. A golden wall of flame immediately sprung from the ground and lashed towards Shiiga, as more of the commander’s mages rushed to aid their maimed leader.

“Shiig!” Corvus screamed frantically. No reply. He felt Shiiga’s pain ripple through him. An unfamiliar dark anger pulsed through Corvus, who now stood and advanced on the commander blind in his rage. "You have no mercy..." he glared at the mages. “You destroyed my home, you murdered my family, and for what!” he screamed.

"Look at the child, now he thinks he’s a hero. Come to save the day did you?” The commander laughed through his pain. “That’s not how this story goes boy. These toys…" He motioned towards the magarüm. “They’re too much for you. Do you have any idea what that’s capable of?”

Corvus glanced at the bowl of ingredients. A fireball launched at him from one of the mages but ricocheted at the last moment. He turned to face the commander. "You know nothing. You took everything from me. Everything from us.” A hexagonal shape flared around him at these words. “You showed my people no mercy!" Corvus shouted angrily. Fireballs now ricocheted steadily around him as the hexagonal shape radiated brightly. “And so I will show you none as well.” Corvus blasted his hands forward exploding his own Bubble Shield and sending the commander and his magi flying backwards with immense force. He quickly ran to the center of the square to complete the ritual.

Corvus could barely feel Shiiga’s pain. He was dying. The dark anger sparked powerfully within him now. He picked up the bowl of ingredients and poured the last of the luminous liquid over the petal wrapped bark. “Mageo protev oe terr e barash…” His concentration flickered for a moment to Shiiga, his pain barely identifiable now. “barash.. mataros.” The words slipped from his mouth as he angled to pour the potion into the flask. The liquid began to fill.

"No!" The commander’s voice rang behind him. An arrow pierced Corvus’s leg. He buckled, and fell into the flask which tumbled off the pedestal and shattered against the metal armor of the downed soldier Shiiga’s greatsword had pierced earlier. The radiant pink liquid seeped into the armor which immediately began to glow. Corvus turned to face his attacker.

Every crack and crease in the commander’s armor now radiated a brilliant pink. But not just the commander. Each of the magi’s armor were glowing in the same manner. The square illuminated and flickered with pink torn shadows as the soldiers screamed and tore at their armor for release, but it was too late. The light faded to darkness. It was too dark. Corvus looked towards the sky expecting to see the moon but only black and pink filled his vision. The cries of the endlessly tormented soldiers echoed in the air as if the wavelengths of their cry were stretched across a vacuum, able to be played from any angle by simply walking through them. The screams grew louder as the air vibrated threatening to deafen him, yet no such relief came. The sky of darkness cracked, and chaos broke out.

It was the first time Corvus had seen black magic with his own eyes, it was like looking death in the face, a cruel, merciless death, but it was fascinating. The cracks in the darkness flashed an other-worldly violet. Each fracture sent strikes of ultraviolet lightning towards the soldiers who appeared to fuse with and fuel the lightning causing its strikes to grow more chaotic. Corvus grasped the base of the pillar wishing for any protection from the strikes. The lightning grew at a fever pitch, the air above Corvus hummed. Everything seemed to now be targeting this point as more and more bolts intersected where the flask had once sat. The cracks in the darkness seemed to have aligned, a rush of wind like a tornado pierced the recurring thunder. A triangle no bigger than a child’s hand opened in the air where the flask had sat. Corvus cowered and attempted to look upward into it. An unusual and unstable landscape could be seen. Nothing like he had known or witnessed before. The square was now so loud from the lightning and cracks in reality that his ears began to bleed.

A large Rodonic that had somehow escaped the calamity thus far emerged from a loose brick under the pillar and rushed Corvus in its confusion. Startled, Corvus put his hands out to deflect the attack as the rat’s fangs crunched against the bones in his left hand. Corvus cried out in surprise, jolted to his feet and instinctively swung the oversized rat towards the triangular fissure.

The disaster stopped.
— —

“Corv!” Shiiga screamed. Entering the destroyed square as the fire wall subsided. “Corvus!”. He could feel his presence. He knew Corvus must be close. His soul twin’s panic and confusion radiated closer than ever. “Corvus!?” He reached his hand out longing for his friend.

— —

“Corvus opened his eyes to find the rat had disintegrated upon touching the fissure. All that remained was its oversized skull, still clamped firmly on Corvus’s hand. He pried its mouth open and then dropped his as he looked around. His village had turned a distorted purple and the rooftop fires miraged with a black shimmer as they flickered and burned in the night. A black shape approached hastily. Its movements were wispy and hard to read. The figure stopped and outstretched its hand. It was familiar.

“Shiiga!” Corvus cried reaching his hand out, but at the last moment his hand faded into Shiiga’s and wisped through. “What!?” Corvus exclaimed. He tried again and again. Nothing. He could feel Shiiga’s emotions again now. Confusion and grief spread outward from the figure frustrating Corvus. “Why can’t he hear me?” Corvus wondered. He flicked his attention back towards the pillar. The triangle had vanished. The soldier that previously lay against the pillar was nothing but a black mass in the shape of bones with specs of vibrant pink emanating from them.

“I did this.” He confirmed. Looking back at Shiiga who had now turned his back on Corvus and started running towards the east. “I opened this… whatever this is. This… Void.”

— — To be continued in Shiiga Darlok’s story — —