At the beginning there was no light or darkness, only an endless hunger from a monster that fed from the lands, a land covered in ruin, where only the strongest could survive. The barren land gave no life to those that inhabited the world. No one stood together, only alone, fighting for whatever scraps the monster had left for them.

Most of the life had been lost through the capture of its spirits and sacred animals, guardians of the world. Each being enslaved by those that served the so-called king of the land. Trapped within weapons and items to harness their raw power called talismans, but most perished, forced to use their power and in turn their life force.

The talismans were immensely powerful, only a handful could harness their power and those that could control them could only wield one at a time, as the strain of such raw power was too much on the body.

Amongst all the chaos, there was a sacred place hidden amongst the clouds, where the Avis people lived, a bird people that had the power to transcend to other worlds, very few Animalia had seen them, but those who had seen them called them the guardians of worlds, but they cared very little for the dying world below them.

One of the Avis sheltered many of the spirits she had managed to save from being used and destroyed, unfortunately she was too late to save them all from being sealed within weapon form.

While on the surface in search of any spirits or sacred animals that may have survived during the captures of their kind. She came across an abandoned baby feles, a cat humanoid, who the spirits seemed to collect around, drawn to him for some unknown reason.

“I think I will call you Fang.” She adopted the baby, taking him home with her.

All the other Avis were against her, they saw any creature from the world below as nothing more than savages for the damages they did to the goddess’s land. They treated them both poorly because of their views, ignoring them, even though she had already done so much for her people.

She alone did her best to teach the young Feles right from wrong and about the many worlds that her people had protected for generation, even about the ravaged one below that he had come from.

As Fang grew so did his connection with the spirits, his closest ones were with the wind fairy, sealed within a bracelet, a water mermaid with a split personality, housed within a choker, the white winged lion of fire and the black winged lion of lightning, brothers held within a pair of twin swords. Together the four of them caused all sorts of mischief.

“Do it.”

“But Fang”

“Come on.” Fang hid away from the scholars, begging his best friend, the wind fairy to use her power to help him escape their pointless wrath at him. “It’ll be fun.” He grinned mischievously. Always wanting to do what Fang asked she agreed.

Fang jumped from his hiding place. “Still can’t catch me even with those wings.” Fang laughed lifting his hands as they flew towards him.

“Enough you little brat.”

“Now!” The wind channelled through his body, sending them all flying in the opposite direction. “Yes.”

“How was that fun,” sighed the wind fairy.

“Causing trouble again,” sighed Alessia.

“Oh mum.” Even though she was different, she was still his loving parent.

“What have I told you about doing that, you shouldn’t use their power.” She was only concerned; they were still learning about the forms they had been forced to take.

“Oh, come on, they are fine.” Fang was confident, he’d always been like that, confident and a practical joker. “By channelling their power through me, it doesn’t cause them any harm, see.” Fang held open his hands as all the powers from the talisman’s he carried circled together within them.

“Fang.” All the spirits appeared, happy to stand beside Fang and allow him to use their power.

“He is quite skilled,” nodded the white winged lion. “Blessed by the goddess herself.”

“Blessed by the goddess,” repeated Alessia.

A number of years passed, and the other Avis began to see this blessing from the goddess maturing within him, his natural talent to ask the spirits and sacred animals trapped within the talismans for help, able to use their powers without harming them.

They realised he had been sent to bring peace to this broken world and would have to again walk among the ruined land to bring peace and restore the balance which had been lost for so long.

“You don’t have to leave.”

“Mum I need to.” Fang answered. “The land needs me, and I need to find why I am the only one that can understand the spirits and sacred animals like I can.”

“I feared this day would come.” A tear streamed down her cheek. “Please be careful, the land below is most unforgiving.”

“They have already told me all about it.” Fang stroked the white winged lion’s fur. “Humans have been sealing away sacred animals and spirits; the world is dying.” He smirked, knowing he was the only one who could do something about it. “The chief said I am the only one who can bring peace.”

“You are still a child.”

“No. I am a warrior of the goddess.”

Fang left the safety of the Avis, flying down with the wings of wind fairy, but nothing could have prepared him for the barren land that awaited him, only ruins, nothing but death all around him, dark power seeping from the earth.

Without hesitation Fang began his search for the goddess, fighting back the corruption of the land, saving spirits, and liberating survivors of the torn land; bringing together those who had lost hope.

Eventually Fang found the last of the goddess’s sacred of places. Filled with lush trees and grass untouched by Animalia or humans. She welcomed her blessed hero, telling him of the purpose he was destined to fulfil. To defeat the darkness which had been poisoning the land.

Fang, followed by those who believed in him, fought against all who stood beside the so-called king of the land. One by one they were destroyed, every time one was destroyed the land restored itself, becoming filled with nature and wildlife just like the goddess’s sacred place.

Once the darkness had been weakened, the source of its power cut off, the people stood together, witnessing a fight between gods.

The darkness was torn from the King’s body by the power of the goddess given to Fang, it formed into a foul monster, a fusion of multiple creatures, dragons, phoenix’s, snakes, lions; anything it devoured became a part of it.

The battle was long, neither side giving up. The Animalia standing together with Fang to bring light, tearing apart the darkness’s monstrous form into two. Considerably weakened, the goddess made her first appearance to all of her people.

With her power she sealed away one half of the darkness in this world, and the other was placed in another world, created to send all the humans, of who most stood beside the darkness and brought the destruction to all the spirits and sacred animals.

With peace restored the goddess left the new lands to her chosen one, returning to her seat beyond time itself, saying that the two worlds may be separated but forever connected.

Though the light had now balanced out the darkness, it still rose from time to time, trying to revive their lost master, but Fangs descendants fought off the new incarnation of dark power. A never ending cycle as the clan of Fang defends against the darkness, carrying the will of protection, the only ones capable of having the aid of multiple talisman spirits. And his story continues even now as a new hero’s story begins.

“Again.” I cried.

“No Alex, it is time for bed.”

“Aw!” I whined as my favourite bedtime story had come to an end.

“I’ll read it again tomorrow.” She smiled.

“Really.” I cheered.

“Now go to sleep.”

“Okay.” I curled up in my covers excited to hear the story all over again tomorrow.