Echoing voices sounded through the endless black; a mind lost adrift in a sea of darkness called back only the echoes. The mind felt lost, almost as though it was being pulled out of a dream that it could no longer remember.

“Brother?” one of the echoing voices called out. “Brother, are you awake?” the voice repeated, the thick voice of a man.

Strange scents filled the nose and the echoing of sounds and voices bouncing off of stone came to the ears. One could sense where each voice was coming from; the whispers of at least twenty voices lost in discussions. A strange shock ran through the body as the eyes opened, showing a stone room with an ornate round table in the middle. At the table sat several other people, all robed in dark grey with unique and ornate masks covering their faces.

And yet one could see more. The colours of their souls laid bare, the flames of their lives emanating from their bodies, each with their own unique colour and sound. One of the masked beings was nearby, watching intently.

“Brother Zjornfernheim, you fell asleep again,” the being said in an echoing voice.

“Do not worry, Olniskas,” a low and smooth voice sounded from Zjornfernheim’s throat as he reached out for a glass on the table. “I was simply meditating on the matter and came to some interesting conclusions.”

“I fear I must worry; appearing asleep at a Covenant meeting does little to inspire the members with confidence,” Olniskas voiced while taking a seat nearby.

“Then let them be afraid; they already were when they came here,” the Elder Titan returned while lifting the glass to his mouth. Upon drinking the tonic, he felt a cooling sensation run through his body.

“You said you were meditating. Have you come to an answer?” Olniskas asked with concern heavy in his voice.

“Indeed I have,” Zjornfernheim, or rather Arylos, returned in a growl as he stood up from the table. “I have some ideas on how to approach this problem, yet I require some time alone for my research. Once I know more, I shall report my findings.”

At that moment, a tall being adorned in white and gold robes with long silver hair draping from under its hooded face came into view. “So you will be leaving us, younger brother?” the being called out in a gentle yet deep voice.

The Titanic Arylos set his glass back on the table as he turned his gaze towards the creature in white. “Not for long. I do not think my services are needed for the time being and so I want to focus on my work.”

“That will leave us with twenty-four of our number,” another voice called out, this time from a being in jet black robes with four arms and spikes protruding from its back.

“Vulonheim, If my vote is needed, I will provide it,” Arylos returned in an assuring growl. “Until then, I would rather not waste my time in pointless meetings.”

The council members present went silent as they watched the Elder Titan intently from behind their masked faces. Arylos returned his gaze to them, able to tell them apart from their spectral colours yet their masks always hid their eyes. Arylos sighed as he moved away from the table, lifting his six black wings and walking along the stone floor with a rumble of thunder in his step. As he walked, he tucked his hands into his black and red robe with chains dragging along behind him.

He had no further words to the Covenant members; he simply wanted to go home and focus on his research. As the other Titans watched him with gaped mouths, he would only return their stares with his face hidden behind the shadows of his cowl leaving only his piercing red eyes. He would not give them the satisfaction of knowing what’s really on his mind.

Arylos walked towards the chamber doors and growled as his vision peered through the door, snaking through the spiraling halls of the temple until he could envision a small yet familiar cave. He locked onto his target and faded into a mist of shadow and embers as he walked as a spectre through the halls, moving through the air like an ominous wind until he reappeared outside the temple in a gathering of shadows, right where he intended; at the entry of a cave carved into a mountain side facing the purple ocean.

The Titan looked up to the burning and haunting sky, the eclipsed red sun overhead bathing him in a strange white light. He took a deep breath, taking in the smell of the land and the sounds of waves crashing against the stone. He let out his breath as he lowered the cowl of his robe, letting his long black hair run loose like an obsidian curtain and his red eyes shone out like lit rubies in the cave.

The Titan made his way into the cave, holding a ball of flame in his hand. The cave inside was hand-carved and adorned with various books, shelves, and paintings on the stone walls. In the centre rested a large comfortable chair in front of a fire pit with a table to the side.

Arylos threw the flames from his hand and they raced towards the fire pit, igniting the logs. Other flames went to different candles and lanterns on the wall, lighting up the cavern with a soft orange glow. He made his way towards the chair and sat in it, resting his back on it and letting out a sigh of comfort as he closed his eyes. He enjoyed the quiet, the sound of the ocean outside echoing through the cave with a steady and constant roar.

Until that roar was interrupted. His eyes shot open as his hearing picked up a strange sound that he could barely make out. It sounded like footsteps and something else. He turned towards the cave entrance but saw nothing there. Yet he couldn’t shake the feeling that he wasn’t alone.

He lifted his foot and slammed it into the stone floor, feeling the vibration reverberate through the stone as he examined the cave’s interior using the vibrations. He concluded that nothing was moving in the cave, implying that he was the only one inside. He rose from the chair and took stock of his surroundings, trying to get a solid grip on the footsteps.

Arylos slowly made his way towards the cave entrance, looking around for the source of the footsteps. Once outside, he saw a shape off to the right duck out of view, on the path heading up the mountain. The Titan growled, fighting back against anger as he stepped out and followed where he saw the shape, popping the knuckles in his hand as he marched along.

After several minutes of climbing up, he saw another Titan farther up on the path setting down a bag and a long pole. He examined the Titan in its orange and blue cloak and long red hair. He slowly made his way closer, trying his best to avoid the other Titan’s view. He examined the Titan’s smooth and pale skin, noticing soft and more humanoid features he had seen a few times before.

“If you’re here for a fight, I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed,” he heard a stern woman’s voice call out as the other Titan looked straight at him where he was hiding.

“What makes you say that?” Arylos returned, trying to find a way to approach the Titan.

“Because I’m not here to fight you,” the other Titan returned.

Arylos snarled and came out from behind one of the rocks he was hiding behind. “Then why are you here?” he asked while gritting his teeth.

The other Titan looked out across the purple ocean as it reached the sky at the horizon. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it? I can see why you spend your time here.”

“There are also several wyverns crawling this mountainside so no one climbs this high,” Arylos snarled, disappointed in his creations.

The Titan laughed as she turned to face Arylos. “You mean those pets of yours? With a little encouragement and the right meat, they are like dogs. They make nice company.”

Arylos growled, pulling his taloned hand from behind his back. “And why would you go through that effort?”

The Titan looked back out across the ocean and reached down for the pole she brought. “It’s a nice place to fish, don’t you think?”

“Fish?” Arylos asked in confusion.

The Titan reached down for her bag and took out a spool of twine and began attaching it to a strange mechanism on the rod. “Ever had roasted Hexaros? They’re big things and really fatty, but they taste remarkable.”

Arylos growled as he approached the other Titan. “That ocean is not a place to fish. It is–”

“Shouldn’t you be in a council meeting right now?” The other Titan asked with a sigh as she turned to face Arylos.

“What do you mean?” Arylos asked with heavy confusion.

“You already have a spotty attendance record with the Covenant, why is that?” the Titan asked in a mocking tone. “As an Elder Titan, shouldn’t you be there? Lord Zjornfernheim?”

Arylos felt taken aback as he growled, coming closer to the Titan.

“Before you ask how I know, you really should consider how bad you are at hiding,” the other Titan continued while laughing. “Even if you were to change your face, you still act like Zjornfernheim, all the way down to your awkwardness around people.”

“You seem to know a lot about me, but I know nothing about you,” Arylos returned while unclenching his fist.

The Titanic woman laughed as she ran the twine through the loops on the rod. “My name is Autarkeim, but I prefer Aralym.”

“Aralym? Why a different name?” Arylos asked in confusion.

Aralym laughed as she finished preparing her rod and approached Arylos. “Don’t you get tired of your name, Zjornfernheim? I mean sure, it defines who you are, but doesn’t it get exhausting? To be constantly reminded that you are the ‘Elder Titan of the First Flame’?”

Arylos felt confusion rock him to his core as he considered what Aralym was suggesting. “What are you getting at?” he asked while rubbing his head.

“Don’t you want to get away from it all?” Aralym asked in a happy tone. “To get away from the Covenant and the life of being an Elder? Isn’t that why you picked this nice and isolated mountain?”

“I live here because it’s the only place I can live,” Arylos returned while clenching his fists.

Aralym laughed at the idea. “Don’t tell me that an Elder Titan doesn’t prefer to live in the temple like the rest? How is this the only place you can live and not where you want to live?”

“Because it’s quiet,” Arylos whispered while turning away. “And now that quiet is ruined. So finish your fishing and leave here promptly.”

Aralym felt a little sad before an idea came to her. “How about you join me?” she asked in a cheery voice.

“No, I will not,” Arylos returned while walking away.

“Come on!” Aralym protested while running towards Arylos with rod in hand. “Trust me, it’s quiet and peaceful. You’ll like it and I’ll teach you what I know.”

“Why?” Arylos asked in an accusing voice.

“Because no one should be alone,” Aralym responded with a soft yet sad voice.

Arylos thought about Aralym’s insistence for a time before he turned towards Aralym and gave her a gentle nod, deciding to try something new for a change.