Dark Cloud: Five Spirits of the Infinite Dimension
The air above the Limitless Fortress was heavy, thick with the scent of ozone and burning leaves. Outside, a dark cloud hung suspended in the night sky, blotting out the stars like an endless, creeping shadow.
Kyogi Kagimi stood at the edge of the stone balcony, gazing into the vast gloom beyond the realms.
"In the Year of the Dragon, in a world beyond the realms, I—like all the others—awaited the birth of the purple dragon of whom the prophets foretold. But the Dark Master heard the prophecy as well. I should have hidden the eggs long before, but I thought they were safe. I thought we were ready... Oh, how I was wrong."
"What are you doing here, standing all alone?"
The voice drifted out from the shadows of the arched hallway. Prince Phobos stepped into the moonlight, his dark robe trailing silently against the cold stone floor. "Shouldn't you be guiding the Lightning Emperor?"
Kyogi didn't turn around right away. He watched a solitary wind-blown leaf swirl down into the abyss below the fortress. "He decided for himself which path to take."
"Interesting," Phobos murmured, a dry, cruel smile touching his lips. "You usually insist everything depends on fate."
Kyogi finally turned to look at the prince, his expression unreadable. "Fate is only the threshold, Phobos. Destiny is the door we choose to open."
Below them, deep within the hidden roots of the forest cave, five distinct energies began to stir—five spirits bound to the fabric of the infinite dimensions. Kyogi closed his eyes, clasping his hands together in a solemn plea.
"Oh, five spirits that control this world, please hear my prayers... The light that shines in the darkness, the wind that carries us to the heavens, and the fire that blows courage into our hearts..."
Kyogi opened his eyes, looking back at the dark cloud looming on the horizon.
"However, the people have forgotten this," Kyogi whispered into the night. "They ask if destiny is something that has been predetermined. But if that is true... what kind of guide is it?"
He set his jaw, stepping toward the edge of the fortress platform as the wind picked up, carrying the distant roar of a dragon across the skies.
"It is not a script," Kyogi said softly to the dark empty air. "It is the beginning of all action."
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