Alrighty then... I know its been a couple weeks (maybe a little more) since i did the last chapter, but I haven't given up. I'm just working on another project, A Sly Cooper Fic. In any case, I know the first chapter may have caused some confusion as to what it was so here's some stuff as to why I consider this to be a 'fan fiction'.
1. Sacred Tears is actually a 'Season 0' to a long running fiction i've dubbed 'The Guardians Saga' (Season 1, Season 2, and almost all of Season 3). I started this about 2 or so years ago and haven't had a chance to finish. This is the story that starts it all. BTW, take these stories with a grain of salt, there could be some mistakes in there still that i haven't ironed out yet.
2. Alot of this story comes from the 'recent' release of the Grand Athenaeum explaining how the White Mage became the Black Mage in the first place, and from a short story that came from the Maplestory website a few years ago. Some of you may remember it; It was a short story created that explained that the Black Mage was originally from Magatia (Margata in this story). Unfortunately I no longer have access to the old website to show you what it was, but it was there.
3. This story also pays tribute to an old Maplestory forumer that wrote a fan fiction based solely on the Black Mage and his growing up in Magatia. It was a pretty mind bending story and in some parts pretty dark. I never did get to finish it which I'm really bummed about. I could very well be mistaken, but I THINK the forumer was called DophinFly. I could be VERY wrong about this, but it sounds right in my head. If anyone knows what and who I'm talking about, let this person know!
4. The majority of this particular story was inspired by a picture called Why? done by the Deviant Koyo-Adorkabowl. I did a One Shot, also called Why
to pair with the picture. The italicized portions of this story are from that One Shot.
Here's the first part to wet you pallet. Enjoy.Chapter 2: Searching“Mother? What’s wrong?” Rhinne asked, waking from her slumber when she saw the black cloaked figure standing before he mother, gripping her wrist so hard that her hand was turning white.
“LET HER GO!” Rhinne screamed, throwing the covers off and readying an attack spell.
“RHINNE, STOP!” Ariel commanded, instantly making Rhinne stand down.
“Were you honestly going to break your promise to me?” The man asked placidly. Rhinne looked to Ariel with questions burning in her eyes.
“You would use her for such a deed?” Ariel asked in return, making the man smirk as he eased his grip on Ariel’s wrist.
“You and I both know what our contract says. Weren’t you the one that said this would be the best course of action?” he asked, brushing her long, battle tangled red hair from her face with the backs of his fingers. Ariel tried to pull away but he mirrored her perfectly, and his pressing presence made it hard to move.
“Mother? What does he mean? What deal did you make?” Rhinne asked, fear settling into her heart, hearing the sounds of battle raging within the temple. When a particularly strong explosion shook the temple, Rhinne ran to the balcony that over looked it, horrified to see soldiers in black armor warring with the Knights of the Temple.**************
“Increase the power output!” Dr. Long shouted over the roar of machines as the body he had created wriggled on the table.
“There isn’t any more power to give!” called a scientist.
“If we don’t give it more power the synapses will shred themselves under the low power stress.” Dr. Long demanded, tapping into the power grid.
“Generator one is overheating!” another scientist called.
“We’ll draw from the city’s power grid!” Dr. Long called, typing in the commands. Just as he was about to enact the them a scientist slammed his hand down on the emergency shutdown.
“Why did you do that?” Dr. Long shouted, slamming his fist down on the desk.
“Sir, the power circuitry wouldn’t have been able to withstand that kind of amperage. Generators one through seven were overheating, the control circuits for the reaction were beginning to fail, and to top it all off, despite being performed with one of our strongest alchemic circles, it was beginning to bend.” Maxus shouted back, motioning towards the various components mentioned.
“Can you imagine the kind of destruction that would ensue if the circle collapsed and released all that energy?” Maxus further pressed drawing his attention to parts of the circle that were deformed. Dr. Long sighed heavily as he turned back to the safety glass and leaned his head against it in defeat.
“It took me months to create the synapses for its brain.” He said softly. Behind them Dane sat watching everything, writing notes and studying the reactions of all the doctors involved with Dr. Long’s project. He couldn’t help but notice that when Dr. Long leaned against the glass there was a brief wave of Darkness that hung around him. This interested him as his study of this Darkness he had felt as a child was still sluggishly yet steadily growing stronger in the world. And now with the failed experiment, there was a slightly stronger wave of it.
“
What could this mean?” he thought to himself, walking out of the Great Circle’s control arena and back to his room. Pushing open the door, he was greeted with the rustle of papers and the smell of drying ink. Pulling his journal from his pocket he sat down at his desk and began pouring over the notes he had gathered over the previous five years. The Darkness had always been there, granted, but this new development just might be the breakthrough he needed. He reached into a cabinet and pulled from it the first notebook he ever kept, reading through his notes.
As he compared his notes, he began to see a pattern building. There had been times where this Darkness would rise in in strength. It always seemed to happen when something negative would happen in Dr. Long’s project.
June 5th, power core tested today, connection failed. Darkness felt stronger slightly around Dr. Long.
June 13th, actuators for limbs tested, Test failed, Darkness feels slightly stronger Around Dr. Long. Other scientist also have a pull of Darkness.
June 14th, 2nd actuator test, test failed, Darkness has increased, but only by minuscule amount around Dr. Long.
July 10th…All of his neat and careful notes pointed to the fact that there was a swell of Darkness concentrated around Dr. Long when something had failed. As more and more of the test failed, he also began to see that the other scientists began exuding the same swell in Darkness. In the years that preceded however, the imbalance and Darkness felt as if it had grown far more than the amount he felt in Margata alone. Perhaps the answer lay beyond the lab? His train of thoughts were broken when a soft knock came on the door.
And here's the rest
Y.K.
Comments
It was part of the old website in the Articles section called 'Maple Stories'. Looking over it now, it was really a foreshadowing for the Big Bang update, But it was still a major form of inspiration for me. Here it is in all it's long gone glory.
From the oldest scrolls crumbling into dust, in the most hidden libraries of Maple World, the ancients tell of the secret prophecy of the Black Mage. The Black Mage is not vanquished, he is not gone, they say. He merely awaits his opportunity to return and conquer.
The Black Mage defies reason, sustained by his rage. For too long the Black Mage has lain dormant, seething in his own hatred and delighting in his vision for the ruin of Maple World. The ancient prophecy warned that this day would come.
It was not heeded.
From the histories
The First Rise and Fall
“The Black Mage was born as other men, child of a mother and father who loved him, citizen of a
peaceful town filled with friendly prosperous citizens. Few remembered the preternaturally bright
child who would grow into a brilliant young man, eager to delve into the secrets of magic. Some
saw the arrogant temperament, impatience, and a ready anger that he unleashed with little
provocation, but the black hole at the center of his soul that might have foreshadowed what he
would become was hidden from their sight.
The first reign of the Black Mage began as many tyrannies did – with a call for change. The Black
Mage saw the chaos in Maple World and believed that the people could not be trusted to make
their own decisions. He felt that they needed a benevolent king to control every aspect of their
lives and he rose to power using noble ideals such as peace and freedom. The people believed
his words and embraced his voice. Soon, they found the only peace offered by the Black Mage
was the peace of the grave and the only freedom was freedom from responsibility that marks a
slave. The reign of the Black Mage was unprecedented in its cruelty, all done in the name of the
greater good.
In time, Maple World fought back. Heroes great and small struggled against the Black Mage. The
Black Mage battled against them mightily, screaming all the while that these ungrateful children
did not understand his genius and rejected his wisdom. In time, he descended into madness,
deciding if the world would not accord him the obedience and worship that is his due, it would have
to be destroyed. The last battles against the Black Mage exacted a terrible price from Maple
World but he was at last defeated, though heroes such as the Polearm-wielder and the Dragon
King sacrificed mightily for the safety of the world.”
The Sufferings of Maple World
In the years that followed, many of the Black Mage’s minions worked in ways both gross and subtle to bring about his return. Dedicated to the evil man they believed would one day return to help them rule, scourges such as Pink Bean, Horntail, and the Dragon Riders plagued the countryside, presaging the coming of their dark master.
Fortunately for the good people of Maple World, those of good will responded. Explorers and Cygnus Knights beyond number battled against all manner of evil monsters. Great heroes from the past returned and a new Dragon-friend rose to lead the fight.
The Heart of Darkness
Alas, it is said that those who struggle for right shall fail. In time, the Black Mage will return. Yet the villains who work for such an end are the greater fools. They believe that the Black Mage returns to place them as the new ruling class that will dominate Maple World but the “Black Mage” that they long for will be gone. What they bring back will be a darkness beyond anything they can imagine.
The Black Mage has spent the long years after his defeat in a place beyond light, beyond time, beyond mercy. He has planned his vengeance not just on the people of Maple World, but on all of existence. When he returns, all of creation will feel the lash of his wrath.
The Big Bang
From the Prophecy:
Know ye this if you would recognize the time of the Black Mage’s return. In a small town otherwise
hidden from the world, a secret cabal will raise the thing that used to be the Black Mage and bring
it back into the world. The day of his coming shall never be forgotten. At his arrival, all of
existence shall wink out, and when it returns, nothing will be the same.
This event shall be forever called the “Big Bang.”
Maple World will be changed. Some changes will be subtle. Monsters that were once weak will
grow strong. Others that were strong shall grow weaker. The powers of magic shall change. Spells
that are commonplace will no longer work and the heroes of Maple World will display abilities
never before seen. The world and its cities and towns will move, familiar landmarks will disappear
or be altered beyond recognition, and new lands will arise to be explored. It will be the Maple
World we love – but everything will be different.
Again, this is from the website itself, not me or anyone else for that matter.
Y.K.
I was really busy this week and didn't have a chance to get to the next chapter this week, but I will defiantly have a chapter for you on the 12th or 13th for Chapter 3.
Y.K.