The Oathbreakers: Chapter 1

Today is the sixth day of the sixth month, the 660th year of the current dispensation.

It is said when this world was formed, the gods fought over the souls of its inhabitants. It sounds like high fantasy until one realizes that it resembles more of an intergalactic conflict than supernatural superstition. It would be easier to deny the existence of superior beings had magic not permeate every part of society. These days, “magi-tech” is nothing more than the hybrid of known physics and unknown powers borrowed from beings people know even less about.

Seven pairs of deities, each representing cardinal sins and virtues. Seven lords of seven elements. It is the seventh dispensation of the penultimate deity pairs. One of supposed goodness and the other extreme malice. They are deities of shadow, of wrath and of patience.

Seven dispensations for each pair. Seven hundred years in each dispensation. As recent historical records suggest, some sort of reckoning is meant to come at the end of the seventh dispensation. Humanity still got centuries before that day.

The man closed his eyes and put down his glass of Scotch, after much contemplation. Suddenly, the door opened.

“Director, a message from the emperor,” said the young officer.

“Understood,” replied the man. They hurried into the briefing room.

At the briefing room, the intelligence officers were brought up to speed. Apparently, a demon was spotted in the capital city. Its objective was unknown. The emperor wanted it captured and interrogated. The committee was also warned of two other unusual presence within the city.

“Friends and colleagues, the war is fought behind the scenes during each Dispensation of Shadows. We must perform our duties without disturbing the peace,” declared the man.

“Yes, Mr. Armstrong!” the group agreed in unison.

Roger D. Armstrong dispatched a unit to capture the demon. In the meantime, there was another interested party.

---

It was a misty day in the city. In one of the city plazas sat a young woman by the fountains. She donned a sundress and shielded herself with an umbrella with Eastern motifs. Some onlookers noted her platinum blonde hair, an appearance unique to those from the Far North. She dipped her right hand into the fountain and started whispering.

“The target is five blocks to the west, in a back alley,” whispered the woman.

A hooded figure started heading towards the demon. The young woman continued to her stance. A group of agents arrived at the same plaza she was at. After scanning the area, the agents noted the young woman at the fountain.

“There’s a strange power reading from her,” said one agent.

“Does it match the readings from headquarters?” asked another.

“There’s no doubt. She’s using some sort of divinity magic.” replied the first.

They approached the young woman by the fountain and asked her to quietly come with them. She lifted her umbrella and revealed her deep blue eyes. A slight smile appeared on her face. Suddenly, flashes of lightning lit up the sky. As soon as they subsided, the agents were on the ground and the woman was nowhere in sight. As she walked off in the distance, the rain started to pick up. No one saw what happened.

---

In another part of the city, the hooded figure caught up to the demon who was disguised as a young man.

“I see you have accidentally revealed yourself,” said the hooded figure.

“I have no business with you, human. Leave me alone!” demanded the demon.

“Oh, but it is my business.” he replied. He took off his hood and there was a noticeable nervous reaction from the demon.

“You! The man from the Eastern Kingdoms the boss warned us about.”

The man took down the demon swiftly. A whisper came to his head.

“Please try not to kill the target, Artyom.”

“It’ll depend on the situation, Elena. If he refuses to talk, I’ll probe instead.” responded Artyom.

The demon refused to cooperate, which led to Artyom taking drastic action. Soon, a group of agents caught up with the confrontation. But, it was too late. Artyom and Elena had already gotten what they needed. The agents watched helplessly as he disappeared on top of the buildings. They were left with the corpse of a once defiant creature of chaos.

---

At the headquarters of Syndicated Intelligence, Armstrong looked out the window in deep thought.

“Director, could they be?” inquired Deputy Aoki.

Armstrong said nothing as he continued to ponder. All signs indicated that the two mysterious figures were divine operatives. He had always wondered why the goddess, Night Dragon, never worked with others. Instead she only used her personal agents for her biddings. Perhaps it was fitting that the Shadow Matriarch only dealt in darkness. Her agents, of course, are known throughout the legends. It is said that they came to be near the beginning of the dispensation.

They were paladins of the light. Something caused them to forsake the light and embraced the darkness. They were known as the Oathbreakers. A young man who immigrated from the East. Who fought countless battles with heroes of the past. A young woman, a lady of nobility, known for her unparalleled divinity magic as well as martial arts. Her kin still holds great powers in the Northern Duchies today.

They have been inactive for decades. Some thought perhaps they finally moved on to the next life. The recent incident proved otherwise. There’s a sense of excitement and worry from Armstrong. Something big is about to take place.

“Night Dragon Uchima, thou art a hard mistress to follow.” muttered Armstrong.

---

At an undisclosed location, where the city lights did not interfere with the skies, the pair sat and enjoyed the spectacle.

“Too bad it always ends in violence.” said Elena as she puts her hand on Artyom’s.

“You are the one who beat up a bunch of people.” he replied.

They both chuckled. The duo knows their goddess’s foe is working on his insidious plan. The Crimson Drake, Irus Titanium. The god of wrath. The god of shadows. The god of infinite malice.