A pitch-black comet zooms through the sea of space across countless stars and planets. This asteroid, covered in purple gas, moves in an exact direction as if it were looking for something. On its path is a planet named Marsea, covered in beautiful blue water with multiple islands scattered across the surface. As it falls into the planet's atmosphere, its outer shell cracks and disintegrates, revealing a dark figure with long silver hair, curled up as if the comet was a cocoon. As it crashes, it explodes and kills the surrounding wildlife, leaving barren trees and dead bushes. It wakes up and starts to survey its environment, looking at the patch of dead grass beneath it, and sees the vast mountain range it landed in.

  "..."

  Before it could start to explore, it stopped to the sound of something calling to it.

  "You are here to fulfill your mission, aren't you?"

  The figure looks over, seeing a tall, muscular man that looks exactly like it, but older with darker hair and a stern look on its face. It looks closer and can see that the man also has some scars all over his body, looking like his skin was stretched and fused with something else. The man approaches the figure, its calm and collected pace scaring it, causing it to feel threatened and attacked.

  "!"

  It reaches out for the man's neck, only to be picked up and quickly slammed onto the ground. The man seemed unfazed by its attack, almost as if it was expecting it. The figure tries to squirm its way free from the man's grasp, but it's futile.

  "Just as he said, it's truly like a wild animal."

  The man starts to tighten his grip and reveals a jewel-like symbol on his forehead.

  "Don't worry, your death will not be in vain, for you have already done enough. "

  As the symbol shines, the figure stops twitching, slowly dying in his hands and fading into a purple smoke. His symbol stops shining, and he looks at his hand as it absorbs the creature's essence. A shockwave of power courses through his body, causing him to fall to the floor holding his chest.

  "...Interesting..."

  He picks himself up, walking back stumbling a bit on every step. He glances at where the figure landed and then looks at his scars. He ponders about his situation while making his way back.

  While it seems like no one else witnessed this event, an armored scout named Altan emerged from the cliffside of the mountain. He thinks to himself "How did that man absorb that thing? I must alert Orius immediately." Spreading his wings, soaring to the skies. Unbeknownst to him, a pitch-black cloud starts to circle his leg.

  In the skies, hidden amongst the clouds, there's a small village called Havera. The townspeople are called Acistans, people who are born with wings and are skinnier and taller than the average human. Their houses are built circling the center inside clouds, with landing pads instead of stairs to get to higher places. There's only one place with stairs, and that's the home of the village chief and his two kids, one who is running out to meet with their friend. As he passes all the other houses floating above him, he reaches his friend's house.

  "Hey, Rivia! I'm ready!", he shouts upwards. At first, there's no response, causing Watcher to wonder if she's awake. Before he ponders how he'll get up to the door, her mother opens the door. She wondered who was calling since they weren't at the landing pad in front of her door. As she comes out and looks around, her calm expression turns into a disgusted sneer as she sees who's calling for her daughter.

  "Oh, it's you. She's not here right now, Water. She's with the other kids.", she says, failing at hiding her disinterest. Watcher can't see her face clearly and doesn't pick up her annoyed tone.

  "Well, thank you ma'am. And my name isn't water! It's Watcher!", he exclaims as he waves and leaves to go find her. Her mother just stares as she slams the door. Her dad calls her in from inside and asks, "Who was it honey?" Her annoyance speaks for itself, as the dad sighs and confronts her.

  "Come on, it's been years since he's been here. You have to accept that he's a part of our community now.", he says with his hands on her shoulders. She groans as she whispers, "He never will, him or his weird witch sister." The dad continues to try and calm down his wife, as Watcher eventually finds Rivia. She's with a group of kids playing catch near the giant fountain in the center of town, flying around while passing it to each other.

  "Hi Rivia!! Can I join?", Watcher yells. Her attention is immediately captivated by him, as the ball bumps her in the head.

  "Hi Watcher! Hold on, I'm coming down." she yells back. She happily flies down.

  "So can I join you guys in ca-" he's cut off by Rivia who explodes with questions.

  "SO, WHAT MAGIC DID YOUR SISTER LEARN? WAS IT FIRE? WATER? EXPLOSIONS?? TELL ME TELL ME!!", she exclaims excitedly as they sit on the ring of the fountain. The energy is contagious, as Watcher gets just as energetic while explaining what happened yesterday.

  "And then she said some weird words and woosh! She made wind! Isn't that so cool?!"

  "SHE MADE WIND?! WOWWWW!! Can she fly now? Maybe she can make you fly too!!"

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  "I hope so! She said she's still learning so she can only do it to herself. She did how to heal other people though."

  The kids watch as they energetically continue talking. Annoyed, one of them swipes the ball and throws it at him, causing Watcher to fall over into the fountain. The other kids start laughing, as the one who threw it swipes it back up and floats back in the air.

  "Come on Rivia! You can go back to playing with us and not that wingless weirdo!"

  "Hey! Don't call Watcher that! It doesn't matter if he has wings or not!"

  As he emerges from the fountain, Watcher looks defeated and sad.

  "It's ok Rivia. They're right. I'll go home."

  He flops out and makes the walk back home, drenched. The kids continue to laugh, and go back to playing catch with Rivia, who sadly looks back at Watcher. 'Come on Watcher, I know you don't give up like that', she thought as she went back to playing. As soon as she finishes her thoughts, the ground sprinkles with water as he starts to run back and climb onto the fountain to reach them. The kids stop playing again, as they watch him continuously get up and slip back into the water.

  "You know it would be easier if you could just fly, right?", one of them mockingly recommends.

  "Why don't you call up your weird sister, maybe she'll cast some spell to make you not a klutz!", another says as they all laugh. Ignoring them, Watcher eventually reaches the top of the fountain, trying to keep his balance while out of breath. The kids stop laughing and stare in surprise, before realizing that he leaped for the ball and stole it from the kid's hands, with a big smile on his face. The jump causes a big splash of water to follow him, wetting their wings and making them fall to the ground.

  "Looks like I can play after all!", he says grinning ear to ear, before looking down and starting to fall with them. As they all plummet, the kids start crying for their parents, who are alarmed and swoop in to save their kids. One of these parents, Rivia's mother, saves her child while glaring at Watcher.

  "Wait! Momma! What about Watcher?" Rivia questions as they land safely. She ignores her child's questions while shaking her head.

  "What did I tell you about hanging out with that outsider, young lady? He's nothing but trouble!", she yells while drying her wings.

  "You kids were doing just fine until he came along." another parent said chiming in.

  "I dont know why Atlan keeps him or his weird sister Melody around." a concerned father said while checking the kids for bruises.

  Before anyone else could continue, a gust of wind flew in, with a green-haired girl flying in and grabbing Watcher, who was starting to cry.

  "It's ok Watcher, don't listen to them," she says, comforting him and setting him down.

  "Who he is shouldn't exclude him from your help." she continues, glaring at Rivia's mother.

  "I heard that 'witch' comment too. Remember that I'm learning spells only you acistans can use, so I'd start worrying about your kids who can barely fly when drops of water hit their 'perfect' little wings."

  Her mother gasps in surprise and embarrassment, "Well I never! Learn some manners young woman! That isn't how you speak to adults!"

  "That's enough, Melody. Getting mad at them won't solve the problem.", Altan states as he flies in front of everyone.

  "To prevent this from happening again, I forbid anyone from going near the fountain until further notice," he says.

  "And I forbid your son from going anywhere near my daughter, Altan!" Rivia's mother asserts.

  "I understand. I wish for you to stop bad-mouthing my children. That goes for the rest of you as well. I do not care whether or not they have wings, I am their father and you will respect them as I respect yours."

  All the kids groan as they leave with their parents.

  "Thanks a lot, wingless weirdo." one of them mumbles under their breath.

  As everyone else leaves, Watcher wipes away his tears while waving goodbye to Rivia, and she can only turn around with a slight grin on her face.

  "I'm proud of your persistence son, but it's best if you stay at home with your sister for a while."

  "But Dad! It wasn't even my fault! They were making fun of me and-"

  Melody cuts off his sentence, pointing out Atlan's leg.

  "Dad, is your leg ok? I just mastered that healing spell you wanted."

  Atlan notices, seeing his skin's color turn into a dark purple.

  "Ah, don't worry about it my daughter. Just take Watcher home, I'll be there soon.", he says, trying to hide the pain it's causing him. Melody notices, but doesn't bring it up as walks back with Watcher.

  "Were you watching me the whole time Melody?"

  "I was watching enough to know Rivia is just as excited as said she would."

  "Seee? Maybe one day I can show her that fire spell i learned."

  "No no no, not after the stunt you pulled. Learn how to cook with it before you go burning her hair and her mom says I taught you 'demon magic'", Melody says jokingly while making a scary face.

  "Stoppp, I wouldnt do thatttt!", Watcher whines back.

  In the distance, Atlan thinks to himself "What good kids. If only the villagers could see that side of them". He faces the fountain and pushes a specific stone; a secret passage then opening up. Going down each step, he feels the pain in his leg reach his knee, stinging. Going inside leads to a shrine flowing with water, with a pedestal with an armband on top. A voice echos inside the room.

  "Did you see the Drade spawn?"

  Atlan answered, "Yes, Orius. It was killed and absorbed by a muscular man. He looked a lot like it."

  "What do you mean??", Orius says in confusion.

  "He had big stretch marks on his joints, and a diamond like symbol on his head."

  "There's no way... And after we went through-"

  His voice is cut off from by Atlan crying in pain as he falls to the floor, holding his foot.

  "Orius.... What's happening to me..?"

  "Wait, I can sense it. How were you infected? You said the figure was interrupted by that man."

  "I got there... as early as I could... it exploded when it landed and-"

  Atlan's words were interrupted by the loud echoing of Orius' voice.

  "EXPLODED?! Damn! I forgot! The smoke that came out of it... It's the Drade's spores!"

  "What?.. What do you- AHHHHHHHH!!!!"

  "I didn't expect it to happen this early... I should've had you put the armband on before!.."

  As Orius is pondering the situation, the pain spreads across Atlan's body, reaching his chest.

  "Please Orius! Tell me..... Tell me what I can do! How can I save everyone?!" Atlan cries out.

  "......I'm sorry Atlan. Your body has been corrupted by the Drade. There is nothing I can do to help you in my current state."

  His words leave the room silent. Atlan looks down, trithing in pain. His skin has turned completely dark purple. He starts coughing up blood, seeing it change color too. Although he was losing his body, Altan had only one thought on his mind.

  "My...kids.... Orius.... protect.... my... kids....."

  "Do not worry, they'll continue the plan we had. I'm sorry Atlan, I truly cant save you.."

  ".....Why.....Why did you send me?.... Knowing.... this could- AGHHH! AAAHHH"

  '....I... I thought I had it all figured out. There's no way, unless that bastard-'

  Before Orius could complete his thought, Atlan let out one last painful shriek, the sound bouncing off the walls and leaking outside to the village. He let out his last breath, and fell onto the floor. After a while, his body stumbled back up. Its eyes became pitch black, and slowly stomped out of the shrine.

  "I already failed my plan... I will not make the same mistake with his son."

  End of Prologue I