To Regain Peace unto the Planet Chapter 1: A New Age
The reader sat quietly on his chair, shadows covering his body. "I have a new book for us to read today," he said. "It's a very special book."
The two siblings cocked their heads to the side, interested in this so-called 'special book.' The female sister stretched her arm back, leaning against it as she sat. "What's so special about it?" she asked.
Though they could not see their reader's face, the two siblings could tell he was smirking. "You'll see, now let me read."
Long ago, before the planet was plunged into despair and chaos, when love and happiness was common, there lived a robot. This robot found himself to be a mere copy of someone much greater, someone who protected peace and the earth around him. Yearning to be more than just a doppelganger, he would continuously fight the hero he was modeled after, only to fail each time.
Even after many defeats, the robot did not give up. He had the determination of the hero. Desperate to defeat the hero, the robot dove deep into a strange realm, acquiring the power of a god. Still, it was not enough.
The robot turned the hero's friends against him, and they too became gods of unspeakable power. That was not enough, however. With his new comrades, he stole the last power the hero could use to stop his evil plans. Using that power, he called upon the god of destruction that gave the robot his power.
"Here's a picture," the reader said, flipping the book over to the children.
A crude image was placed onto the deteriorating pages. It showed a group of four charging against an ocean of soldiers and military weapons. In the center, a tall sapphire robot led the group. At his side, a smaller tan robot glowed with hatred and wrath. With the others, a black shadow of a hedgehog was seen, his crimson eyes gleaming under the moonlight. On the other side of the robot, a purple female charged, red hot flames burning and scorching the earth around her.
Last, behind this group of four, a massive monster of destruction roared with power, his liquid-like form taking up much of the picture.
After the two finished gazing at the image, the reader pulled the book back in front of himself.
The gods quickly destroyed the defenses and conquered the planet called Earth. When one country fell by their power, others quickly came to aid the gods, in fear of being utterly destroyed like the others.
Their goal met, the gods split the world into four separate pieces. One ruled by Wrath, one ruled by Rejection, one ruled by Betrayal, and one ruled by Deception and Destruction.
There have been many attempts to overthrow these gods, but all of these attempts were easily destroyed.
However, one day, the gods will lose their power, and peace will come back to the planet. Somehow, someday, they will fall.
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I slammed the book shut furiously, my metallic claws gleaming under the faint moonlight from the skylight above. "What is this?" I roared to a dirty bald human beneath my throne.
The man trembled from my voice. "I-I don't know where it came from, L-Lord Deception, I didn't wish it to be made!" he said in a pleading voice, obviously sure that I was going to kill him.
Which I was.
"Dirty scum!" I bellowed, shooting the book out of my grip and into the man's face. He crumpled to the ground at the attack, and I could hear his thoughts screaming to be spared.
I was enraged about this book being made in my empire, but I was not stupid. "Take the book and destroy it," I ordered, my ruby eyes gleaming. "Notify that anyone who knows or has this book will be killed. If you do this, I will spare you."
For now at least.
The disgusting man quickly stood to his feet, crying with joy. "Oh, yes, Lord Deception! I will! You're so kind, thank you so much!"
Amusing to think that those were his actual thoughts even.
With the flick of a hand, I dismissed the human, who quickly scurried away like a worker ant. I looked down to my two black knight guards below. I always did enjoy the medieval knights, so I made a special black knight force. "Guards," I started casually, "See to it that the man is publicly executed next week for possession of the book." I won't allow any more resistance to be formed against me. They're a bit of a hassle to take care of.
My knights in ebony armor nodded silently.
That task done, I sat back against my dark throne, placing an elbow on the armrest, and leaning my head against my shoulder. I let out a low laugh.
To think, it's already been twenty years since I conquered the planet. If I had not released the negative emotions of Chaos in my first visit, he would have surely never let this happen. He does not know it, but I control him.
My castle creaked silently, the flames causing shadows to jump across the stone pillars in the throne room. Above my position, I looked up into the skylight to see a crescent moon gazing down upon me and the inhabitants of my empire. If I had skin, it would surely tingle at the very thought of seeing that moon again in the realm of the Master Emerald.
The way my empire was ruled, not many have seen my true form. Very rarely have I ever made a public appearance to my country in my true form. Because of this, there are some that believe I am a myth. I can't help but enjoy hearing things like this.
My body rippling into a metallic liquid, I changed form into my old dead rival, Sonic the Hedgehog and let out a sigh in his voice. "Man, I'm so bored," I stated, leaning back into my throne like the lazy hedgehog would. "Get the carrier ready, will you?" I scratched the back of my ear groggily as I spoke. "I think I'll go for a stroll through the city."
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I put my robotic feat up on the armrest of my throne. Twenty years have gone by since Deception enslaved the planet, and I couldn't be more bored. Unlike him, I don't have Chaos breathing down my neck, which I'm thankful for. Yet, strangely, he seems to enjoy the senseless evil and destruction in his country. I'm getting tired of it.
My country was an advanced country. Unlike my other god 'buddies' I feel that we should be getting somewhere in finding new things. Not all my people are happy, but whatever, I don't exactly care. If a few stupid poor people are hungry, then let them die. If they can't help, then they're of no use to me.
"Lord Wrath…" a timid voice called to me from below.
I looked down hurriedly, knowing that voice all to well. "Princess Cream!" I called out joyfully, jumping down from my seat and onto the silver metal floor with a clang. "You know you don't need to address me like that," I laughed.
The Cream I knew really grew up these past twenty years. She was a tall beautiful princess now. Her rose tinted dress swept delicately across the floor. "Oh, yes, Emerl," she corrected herself, her chocolate eyes gazing to her feet like they always are now. "The poorer people in the city are starving… I was wondering if maybe we could use a little of our money for research and give it to them…"
I clenched my fists together. "No," I replied. "If they're so hungry, they should work harder to get their money. I want to expand our technology just like Professor Gerald would have wanted."
Cream let out a defeated sigh. She had asked me this question a countless number of times, and I would always give the same answer. "Of course, Lord Wrath…"
I tilted my head and paused for a moment, letting the steam from giant gears and pipes behind me fade away. "Is there anything else you'd like me to get you? More chao, more candy, more jewels? Anything you like!" I placed a hand on her shoulder. "You're a princess! You can get whatever you want! Don't be so down, come on!"
I could have read her thoughts to find out what she truly wanted, but I made a promise long ago that I would never do that to her. Cream is the one special person to me that I have, I would never violate that.
The princess shook her head. "That's all right, thank you, Lord Wrath. I'll be going back to my room now," she stated, turning around silently and slipping her shoulder out from beneath my hand.
Feeling that stab in my heart like I felt everyday, I gazed to her back. "I love you, Cream," I said with as much emotion as I could possibly muster.
Still, like always, she did not turn around. "I love you, too, Lord Wrath." After those words, she disappeared in a flash of light from the transporter.
The gears echoed in my lonely throne room, and I was left to wonder yet again. Did she really mean that? It killed me to not read her thoughts sometimes…
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Gunshots and explosions rang across the battlefield. Men fell on both sides, and their blood was stained into the scarred dirt beneath. The Never Ending war it was called. It was a war between the many smaller countries of the empire of Betrayal. As the name says, the war began twenty years ago, and has not ended ever since. It was never planning on coming to an end either.
"Lord Betrayal!" a soldier cried out, a large machine gun in his arms.
The raven black hedgehog turned his smirking gaze to the man. "Yes, what is it soldier?"
Not too far ahead, the raging battle could be seen, and the soldier in front of his leader appeared exhausted and in shock. "The enemy somehow knew of our counterattack and has begun to advance towards our main city! What should we do?"
His eyes fixated on the battle, Betrayal replied almost absent-mindedly. "Attack their troops from the west. They're at a disadvantage there."
The soldier's eyes widened and he nodded, seeing the plan work out in his head. "That's genius! How did you know they would be weak there?"
Still, he kept a smirk on his face for some odd reason. "Just a hunch," Betrayal laughed. "Remember, you cannot let the other side ever know of my existence."
"Yes, of course, sir!" The man gave a quick salute and ran off in the opposite direction, shouting his new orders.
Now alone atop the stone rock that he stood on, Betrayal laughed again. With a snap of his fingers, a green light enveloped his body and transported him away.
"Lord Betrayal!" a soldier from the other side of battle yelled.
The god looked through the hazy fog ahead, still watching the humans fight. "Yes, what is it, soldier?"
His face was shocked just like the last man. "The enemy somehow knew about our weakness from the west! They're destroying us and quickly advancing to our city!"
A grin across his face, Betrayal nodded. "Seek a treaty with our neighboring country and ask them to aid us in our fight."
The soldier nearly dropped his weapon. "But, sir! Last time they broke their treaty and attacked us! How do you know they'll accept our offer?"
Betrayal's smile would never fade.
"Just a hunch."
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Rejection sat back in her leaf hammock lazily, looking up to the bright blue sky around her. Unlike the other countries, this goddess preferred to keep the lush green jungles. In fact, that's all the entire country was.
"Don't tell me you're beginning to tire, male scum," Rejection hissed, feeling the breeze from her fan start to diminish.
A dirty, skinny man shook his head fearfully, fanning the goddess with his giant feather in a faster rhythm. "Sorry, Queen Rejection…" he apologized, his bare skin becoming red in the harsh sunlight he was forced to stand under all day.
In the land of Rejection, females and amazons ruled. The creatures known as males were slaves, to be used as their masters saw fit.
"That's better," the goddess said, closing her golden eyes in comfort.
Before she knew it, she had fallen fast asleep. When she next opened her eyelids, she found that the bright blue sky had turned to gold, and was only darkening. The male slave beside her was trembling with aches and pains; his very skin was bubbling and bleeding from the overexposure to the sun.
Still, she paid no heed to him as he was still blowing a cool air across her fur with his fan.
Suddenly, a female warrior holding a spear appeared through the leafy bushes. Her hair was messy and tangled, and she had strange markings across her face. "Queen Rejection, it will soon be time," she said, kneeling down before the goddess.
The queen's eyes opened up with interest and she sat up on her hammock. "Is that so? Thank you for reminding me, I would have forgotten." Rejection's soft gaze soon turned harsh as she looked to the exhausted slave beside her. "Why didn't you inform me of this, male?"
Trembling, the male dropped his feather on accident. "O-oh, I-I'm so sorry, my Queen…" He gulped and sweat became visible around his forehead. "You were sleeping, and I didn't wish to anger you…"
Rejection cocked an eyebrow, surprised that this male actually had the brains to think. "Well, that was very wise of you," she noted. "I'm through with you now; you're free to go, male." At her words, the female warrior approached and loosened the chains and shackles that bound the man to his position.
His eyes lit up with glee, and the boney man bowed in gratitude. "Yes, thank you, Your Highness!" Quickly, he ran through the bushes, overjoyed that he could finally rest.
When the two females were sure that he was out of earshot, they began to speak. "Queen Rejection, would you like an escort today?" the woman asked.
The goddess smirked and looked out through the trees where the man had run. "No, I'll be fine today." She raised her hand up and gazed into it hungrily, extending her claws out.
"I'm fairly hungry, I want him all to myself," she hissed, flying through the bushes in the direction of the freed slave.