Dalv's Homeworld of Sazen – 3000 years ago - The end of the 'Age of Silence'

"But I am THE infinite sovereign!" Akhenatem's metalic voice wobbled with emotion.

"The gods have spoken, my liege," said a veiled figure opposite Akhenatem, standing away from the sunlight. Their eyes fell to the ground as the Emperor gripped his head in exasperation. "The war is won. Your empire is no longer required... I'm sorry."

Akhenatem screamed with rage, throwing a glass goblet at the wall and watching it explode into tiny shards.

"I sympathise..." The veiled figure said gently, taking a few steps back to avoid another glass projectile. "I really do. But the divine accords will see you and your subjects end. I cannot do anything to stop the gods, who have all agreed on the matter. So tomorrow, all that will remain of your empire is sand."

Akhenatem slammed his fist to his white marble throne, cracking the arm of it. "They can't just build an empire to fight a war for them and then throw it away! That's..."

"I know. I know... That's why I have this… Refuge."

"A black gauntlet?" Akhenatem asked, taking a calmer pose.

"Yes. When the divine accords no longer apply to us, and when we can draw enough energy, we can be free again."

"Then I guess we must wait until that day..." Akhenatem said with a resigned tone. "Thank you, my friend, for everything…."

“Of course…”

Soujel - Avangard - The Present

Dalv dusted off his jacket before pushing open the two varnished doors. The sight of Avangaurd still took his breath away. An entire city suspended in the sky, above the clouds. The sun had begun to set, bathing the floating city in golden light.

Having been given his letter by the Scholar Collective, Dalv had sought directions to the guild hall before arriving through the portal to Avanguard. The fresh air of the sky, the smell of baked bread, the low hum of the colossal engines that kept the Soujel in the air. Such a place defied reality. Not even Dalv's wildest dreams could have conjured this. What a delight to be alive!

Beyond the doors, Dalv saw several things at once. A metal platform arced out into a large semicircle supported by steel wires. The sky stretched into the horizon so clearly, Dalv could see the curve of the... world? Planet? Third, he recognised the figure from his tournament letter: Anev Fae, the pale woman.

He bowed gracefully. "Good evening. Little chilly, isn't it?"

Anev bowed her head, feeling a weight of anticipation on her shoulders. She was filled with mixed emotions. On the one hand, she was excited to challenge herself and prove her worth, but a sense of dread and uncertainty also gnawed at her insides.

‘Not a talker,’ Dalv thought. ‘Fair enough.’ He stood upright. He gave her a reassuring smile Anev could see the pride in his eyes. "I wish you good luck. I know you'll do great."

Anev tilted her head at him, her grey eyes narrowing slightly. Was he being sincere? Was this tactic to make her overconfident? Was he being sarcastic or passive-aggressive? No, his words seemed genuine. What an odd person, she thought. She smiled back at him, nodded, and stepped forward, ready to take on the challenge ahead.

A round barge rose and stopped about a hundred feet away from the metal platform. Dalv estimated the craft to be around the size of a small coliseum. Fascinating!

"Contestants," the voice crackled through the speaker. "Summon your constructs. Best of luck. Let the battle commence!"

Anev clapped her hands. White, ethereal-like fire erupted on the right side of the floating barge. A hulking figure supported by a whirlwind of fire grew, two fiery fists sprang from the body. Finally, a perfect orb of fire ignited above the 'shoulders' of her construct, detached from the rest of the body. Ethereal – Dalv decided to name it.

Dalv raised his gauntleted hand and focused his energy. Suddenly, a swirling mass of blood-red fire appeared on the left side of the barge. In the centre of the flames, the outline of a skull flickered. Dalv's creation consisted entirely of a fiery vortex, with two clawed hands hovering on either side. Skull – Dalv winced slight at the name but kept with it.

Before Skull finished rising to the same height, Ethereal rushed forward, taking advantage of the head start and leaving a trail of white flames. With its fist raised, it pounded Skull, fiery fist smashing Skull’s head. The outline of the Skull in Dalv's construct recoiled violently from the impact. Despite being made of fire, both constructs obviously had some physicality to them.

A gasp broke from Dalv as Ethereal landed another punch. A second punch forced Skull to the ground and another lance of pain through Dalv’s arm. He tore his gaze from the constructs and down to his gauntlet. Pain? Were the constructs connected to their owners?

Skull retaliated, sweeping up a clawed hand from it’s prone position and slashing at Etherial who twisted in the impact. Anev didn't react.

No – something felt wrong. No sooner did Dalv think it than something muttered as if in response. A whisper he felt deep in his mind - not his mind, the gauntlet…

"More..." A deep, crackling voice growled. Dalv could feel hunger behind it. Terrible, powerful hunger.

Skull's vortex body shifted, standing bolt upright. Dalv felt the connection he’d used to summon skull snap. Panic gripped him. He knew something lay buried in the black metal but he didn’t think it could ever-

“More!”

Skull's fiery body blazed. Etherial seemed to hesitate. Then, thin tendrils of white fire detached from it and drifted through the air, drawn into the head of Skull. Dalv stared horrifiedly as Skull used his latent element and absorbed Etherial's fire. With the energy of both him and Anev combined - Oh no...

"MORE." The voice intensified. Skull remained still. Larger strands of fire broke away from Etherial. The latter lunged forward, throwing another punch. White fire clashed with red, and both constructs recoiled. Etherial's fist suddenly grew, flame elongated and ripped from the white fire body, hurtling into Skull's head. Skull rose again, standing.

Etherial's white fire intensified, Anev's latent element flared as its missing fist re-formed. Dalv felt his heart seize. If Etherial could regenerate, then-

"MORE!" Burning agony ripped up Dalv's arm, stealing his breath away.

“I surr-“ Dalv tried to speak. Something in the gauntlet responded, something powerful. A bolt of pain tore up his arm and around his jaw, locking it shut. Anev tore herself from the fight, and to Dalv, concern plastered on her face.

Etherial backed away, fire tearing off it’s form in larger chunks. Skull’s size grew more rapidly, swelling and growing a more baleful red. The skull at the head became darker, a tiny pinprick of light shone from within.

“MOOORRRRRRE!!!”

"Push the barge out!” Dalv just managed to make out the command over the loudspeaker. Get it “away from the city!!"  

He dropped to one knee, another wave of pain washing over his body. The barge began to drift away from the competitors, starting slowly before picking up the pace. Skull now dominated the barge against a brilliantly shining Ethereal. The two constructs had stopped moving, both focusing on their latent elements.

Heat radiated out in all directions. The underside of the barge caught fire, bursting into flame that twisted up and into Skull. Dazzling light blazed between the constructs, looking more like a dying star being torn apart and consumed by a black hole that was now Skull’s head. The whoosh of fire between the constructs rose to a deafening road. Anev covered her ears and turned away.

“FREEDOM!” All Dalv could hear was that voice. “IN ABSENCES OF THE DIVINE ACCORDS AND THE ENERGY HERE! WE DECLARE FREEDOM!!” In an instant, the Gauntlet felt lighter. Dalv felt another disconnect. He barely had time to register it before-

BOOOM!! Skull exploded in a blaze of red and white fire. Both constructs vanished. The platform rocked as the blast wave ripped through the air. Started, screams rose from the city. Dalv felt shattered glass against his skin. What remained of the barge fell from the sky, plummeting beneath the clouds in a mess of debris and smoke.

Dalv looked to where the blast had been. All that remained was a small whirl of fire. Red fire. A skull atop it’s now diminished body… Dalv tried to look at Anev. He saw her approach and then… Darkness…

“Thank you, Lord Blackhand…”