All manner of horrors lie in the dark. At times, it seems that we can only watch as they ruin our lives. But we must not lose hope, for even the most nightmarish of creatures can be felled. We need only look to our history for proof of such.

This is my second entry for this week's ThursdayPrompt , using the word "history" as my prompt. When I think of history, the thing I think of first is the history between a group of friends. Of course, the story took on a life of its own from there, but that's just how the writing crumbles, right? I hope you all enjoy!

Glossary:


zwilleger: A monster that can change its shape to appear like a normal person. They use all of the tools of deceit and espionage to get their victim alone, in order to drain them of their ether.

spells: Every spell in Alka requires ingredients of some kind, and many of these spells come in the form of potions. The art of spellcraft involves careful measurements, specific techniques and also a touch of etherial manipulation. Without a mage's inborn talent, not even a person following a spell's recipe to the letter can hope to create one for themselves.

alk: The anthropomorphic residents of the world of Alka call themselves alks to differentiate themselves from the animals that they resemble.

ether: Sometimes called lifeforce or mana, this is a mysterious energy that suffuses the world, allowing mages to cast spells and giving rise to many strange, magical plants and animals.

Zzix: The secretive god of corruption, death, and all the chittering things in the walls. They rule over the land of the dead, far away from any of the other gods.

Belbatoria: The proud goddess of order, light, and knowledge. Of all of the gods and their followers, hers are the most numerous, with devotees across the entire world.

parer: It's easy to forget...