Main Story

***This page contains massive spoilers for Umbral Soul: Dark Rebirth. If you have any interest in playing the game and do not want the story completely ruined for you, do not read this page. I repeat DON'T READ THIS FUCKING PAGE IF YOU DON'T WANT SPOILERS.***

**YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.**

**IF YOU PROCEED TO READ, YOU ACCEPT THAT THERE ARE SPOILERS AHEAD. IF YOU COMPLAIN TO ME ABOUT SPOILING THE STORY, I WILL CALL YOU *A FUCKING MORON* FOR NOT HEEDING THING HUGE, BOLD, LARGELY ITALICIZED WARNING.**

For everyone looking to read the story, but not play cause SNES style JRPGs aren't your thing, please, continue reading. I hope you enjoy it, and make sure to drop by WheelmanZero's game page: https://rpgmaker.net/games/8865/ and tell him what you think of the story.

Be ***honest***, but ***don't be a dick about it***. If you have criticisms, *say them*. ***Don't just say*** "this sucked" and give no reasons why. That's not *criticism*, that's ***being a cockwaffle***.

Also, this story will be based on a "smart" Pandora. One that takes time to train her summons. For what use is an army, if it can be beaten by a slight breeze?

***Anyway***, on to the story.

## Prologue

'200 years ago, the God of Darkness, Ragnarok, had the world in his hand. All hope was lost. Eternal Darkness crept closer every passing moment....

Until a hero, the Shining Champion of Light stepped forth. His name, was Jeremy.

He and his allies, Rallen, Lyra, Wystelle, and Derrek stood alone against the Dark God. One by one, each fell in battle as Ragnarok mocked them, arrogant in his supremacy. Still, they fought on, spurred on by Jeremy's faith and Lyra's healing Light Magic, they managed to fell the Dark God.

Or so they thought...

"**Foolish Mortals, gaze upon my true form... and despair**." he bellowed as the Dark God shed his limited, lesser form and adopted his true power, that of a twisted visage, horrendous to gaze upon. The very light around him twisting into a perversion of itself in the mere presence of the God of Darkness, Evil incarnate.

**"Your meager Light is *nothing*, a mere speck in an *ocean of Darkness.* Had you merely resigned yourselves to your fate, your end would have been relatively painless",**Ragnarok mused, his fury barely contained **"But now you will taste levels of suffering no living creature has ever experienced. Your souls with writhe in anguish as I tear them from your shattered frames and slowly devour them piece by piece. *This* is the fate you have chosen."**

The Heroes quaked in fear as their enemy not only showed no signs of slowing down, but actually became bigger, stronger, faster, and a helluva lot more pissed off than when the battle began.

"How are we supposed to fight something like that?!" Derek cried, nearly dropping his hammer

"My...My legs won't stop shaking" Lyra muttered, on the verge of tears as she tried to keep from falling

Rallen bowed his head, accepting his fate as he intoned "For us to have been matched against a power this great... we were doomed from the start", his voice heavy with sorrow and resignation.

"No!" Wystelle insisted, "The Goddess is with us. We *must* fight!"

"We've come *too far* to give up now, the entire *world* is counting on us!" the Paladin Jeremy bellowed, spurring his allies into the fight once more. "No matter how strong he is, I'll fight to my last breath!"

"That's right, little worms," Ragnarok taunted them, assured of his guaranteed victory against these worthless humans. "Hold fast to your defiance. I want you to struggle and squirm as I wring the life out of your pitiful bodies."

The battlefield changed into a twisted, savage, corrupted Realm of Darkness where Ragnarok's power was supreme. Enraged by the puny mortals' refusal to die, Ragnarok unleashed his full power on the Heroes. Mighty was his wrath, and soon, each Hero fell to his Darkness, their might attacks bouncing off of his Dark hide like toothpick chucked at a Dragon:

Lyra-consumed by the fire of Hades's Maw.

Wystelle-crushed in a Black Hole.

Derek-smote by an Oblivion Sigil

Rallen-Silenced by Ragnarok's Ethereal Elegy, her spells could no be called on, and she was cut down by the Demon King's claws

Jeremy, Champion of Light-finally fell to the God of Darkness, his Malevolent Aura too strong to stand against alone.

"Yes... Scrape and struggle, tremble and despair! Learn the true folly of what it means to oppose a ***god***!" Ragnarok howled, fueled by his easy victory. "As promised, I will show you agony beyond all imagining. Not even a single shred of your souls shall remain."

"Everyone!" Jeremy shouted, attempting to rouse his fallen comrades, "No...no! Please, you have to get up!"

Ragnarok noticed that Jeremy was still conscious, and decided to revel in his victory, taunting the young man "It seems you are more resilient than the others. I would expect nothing less from the Goddess's favored Hero." The God of Darkness chuckled to himself "Such a fortuitous turn of events. Now, you can watch your friends die... one by one. Perhaps I will even consider letting you live long enough to let you see your world and everything you love consumed by Darkness!" Ragnarok laughed, all anger driven away by the joy of victory. At last, the world was his! His to remake in his image. To mold into beautiful and hideous Darkness. Nothing stood in his way.

Jeremy kneels, bemoaning he and his allies' fates. "This can't be happening. We've come so far, we've been through so much. Was it all for nothing? Were we never able to make a difference from the start? I.... I'm sorry everyone. Dad...Mom...Ohlra... I'm...I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you!"

Suddenly, another voice struggles through the Darkness

"...on't...ive....up..."

"What?" Jeremy looks around, confused

"Please....you can't give up..."

"That voice..." Ragnarok growls, about to smite the upstart heroes for good "Lumielle!"

"The Goddess?" Jeremy asks, still looking around, confused as ever

"Jeremy, you cannot lose hope. You are the world's last chance for survival." The Goddess of Light pleads her Paladin "Countless innocent souls are depending on you. You cannot waiver in the face of Darkness" Lumielle reminds her Champion. "Can you hear them? The voices of those who believe in you? Let their light become your strength."

"Jeremy, don't give up! Hurry, and come home safe, ok?"

"Ohlra?" Jeremy blinks, not having heard her voice in weeks

"Hey, Jeremy, what are you doin' lyin' around for, huh? Hurry up and beat that ugly mug so we can have a drink together! You'll be paying of course" Jack laughs as his voice fades away

"That Jack, he has a one track mind" Jeremy laughs as well, feeling strength flow back into his body

"Jeremy, you told me you'd avenge my father, and I believed in that promise... so don't let me down!"

"Charlotte..." Jeremy whispers, "I remember my promise"

"Jeremy, I can't even begin to express how proud of you I am... You've grown into such and amazing young man. I know you're strong enough to do what I couldn't. You can do this son, I believe that with all my heart. Now it's time you start believing it, too." A familiar voice chides the young Paladin

"Father..."

"Stand up, Jeremy," Lumielle orders "For everyone you care about, *stand up and **fight!"***

"You're right!" Jeremy exclaims, his strength completely back, and rising still. "I can't fall here, there are too many people counting on me!" The Paladin readies his blade "No matter how strong my enemy is, no matter how beaten and broken I am, *I will continue to stand and fight*! For the sake of *everyone on earth! **For the sake of the world!***" Jeremy levels his blade at the God of Darkness, "**Ragnarok, *let's finish this!***" the Paladin, now wreathed in a golden Light, leaps back into battle!

"Even after unveiling my true power, you refuse to learn your place" Ragnarok huffs, annoyed that this roach won't lay down and die like worthless worm his is. "I have had my fill of this drivel. I shall carve despair into your very soul so that you may never cling to the feeble notion of *hope* ever again."

"You can't scare me, Ragnarok! There's more at stake than just *my* life" Jeremy spits his defiance at the Dark God "Losing is not an option for me. For the fate of the world, for everything worth fighting for, I swear on my very soul....

***I WILL DEFEAT YOU!!!"***

The soft golden glow around the young Paladin bursts into a shining Golden Aura of Light as the Goddess's divine essence flows through her Champion.

"What is this... unbelievable power?" Jeremy wonders "It feels so warm... It's as if I can feel the hearts of everyone in the entire world beating inside me" (Austin's Note: Um, *ewwwwww....*)

"Jeremy, the purity of your heart and the strength of your will have allowed you to bond with my power." The Goddess smiles down on her Champion, her Warrior of Light. "Can you feel them? The hearts of your loved ones granting you strength? Come, together you and I will put an end to this Darkness once and for all, with the Light of Hope!"

"What trickery is this? The frail shell of a human cannot withstand the power of a god!" (Austin's Note: He's right, you know) Ragnarok bellows "This cannot be possible!"

"Looks like you don't know as much about humans as you thought. When we come together," Jeremy intones, dropping into a combat stance "When we work toward a single goal, with all of our hearts and souls, miracles can happen."

"Enough of this nonsense!" the Dark God roared, his anger screaming to the surface once more "Even with the Goddess's power, you are nothing but an insect to be trampled. *Perish in Darkness, and **begone***!"

Jeremy and Ragnarok trade blow after blow, the Dark God bellowing in pain and confusion "**WHAT?!** My attacks do not consume you? How?!" Jeremy simply replies with an overhead slash, focused on taking down the being who would destroy everything the Paladin holds dear.

As Jeremy and Ragnarok trade slash for slash, parry for parry, dodge for dodge, Darkness spell for Light Magic, Lyra slowly comes to.

"Wha...ugh...what happened?" she asks, mumbling drunkenly "Wait, is that....Jeremy?!" She cries weakly, shocked at the Divine appearance of her comrade.

"No way..." Derek coughs through the blood in his throat "He's goin toe...toe to toe with Ragnarok all by himself!"

"We have to help him!" Lyra shouts, attempting to stand, only to fall back on her ass as Rallen reminds her,

"No, at this point, we would only get in his way. If he has to split his focus between fighting Ragnarok and protecting us, it could cost him his life. All we can do now is believe in him. And pray."

"That... That glow!" Wystelle gasped, barely able to breathe with a collapsed lung, "It can only be the Goddess's Light. He really...... *is* her chosen Champion...... Go forth, Jeremy" she coughs, forcing the words out, "only you have the power to save us all now!" She cries before collapsing back on the floor of the arena.

"Take him down fearless leader!" Derek cheers, having coughed up the blood from his fractured jaw for the moment "When this is over, drinks are on me!" (Austin's Note: Well, as long as Jack doesn't have to pay...)

"The hopes of everyone in the world are riding on you, now" Rallen forces out, holding a gash in his side. "Vanquish this evil so we may return home!"

"Jeremy, don't you dare die!" Lyra pouts from where she fell, "If you do, I'll never forgive you! I... I have something to tell you once this is over, so you'd better win, or else!"

"Guys... I won't let you down, *I swear it*!" Jeremy spares a second to reply to his friends before focusing back on Ragnarok. They trade blows again, the Goddess's Light empowering Jeremy's strikes, Ragnarok's unadulterated hatred for the Light empowering his. Blow for blow, the Paladin matches the Dark God, steadily beating him back across the battlefield. Strike for parry, cut for block, dodge for thrust, Jeremy steadily pushes Ragnarok back, never faltering, never breaking. Eventually, after pouring his most powerful spells into the Paladin, Ragnarok is defeated, broken and shattered, howling in rage and confusion.

"Impossible...this is *impossible*...! I cannot lose to a human... a mere transient *worm*..."

How? How could these puny insects, these worthless worms, these *pathetic* humans defeat Ragnarok God of Darkness..?

"You weren't defeated by a *single* mortal, Ragnarok" Jeremy explains "You were defeated by all of us, all of humanity, working together."

"W-What?" The fallen God of Darkness asks, not comprehending this.

"It was the hearts of everyone; the entire human race, they defeated you" Lyra explains, her and the rest of the heroes healed by the Goddess's graceful Light.

"You say the Darkness is part of us," Derek continues. "And you know what? You're absolutely right, but so is the Light."

Rallen chimes in with "Love and Hatred are two sides of the same coin, but which one we let rule us is something all of us choose for ourselves"

"That's why we need people we care about," Wystelle finishes "people to trust, to love, to keep us on the right path. As long as we have them, our hearts will never be overcome by evil."

Jeremy continues with one final point "Ragnarok, you think the Darkness is what makes us who we are, but the truth is, the decisions we make every day are what truly define us."

Ragnarok goes silent for a moment, contemplating this information, before giggling to himself, "ehehehehe....such tender sentiments. For you to speak with such arrogance, do you actually believe you've won? *Fools*, there is no winning against the Darkness. It is immortal, everlasting, so long as the hearts of Man exist, so too shall I. You know it as well as I, Lumielle; our battle is one without end. No force in existence can extinguish the essence of a *god*." Ragnarok growls, his anger building once more at the impudence of these insects. Lumielle starts to respond, but Jeremy cuts her off saying

"It doesn't matter if you rise up a hundred more times, or even if humanity as to battle you for all eternity, as long as people like us exist...as long as Light exists...you'll be sent home packin' every time."

"Only time will tell, little mortal. Only time...."

Lumielle, having had enough of Ragnarok for several lifetimes, banishes Ragnarok back into the depths of the Abyss "Ragnarok, God of Darkness, return to the Abyss from whence you came!"'

Lianna's mother, Monika, closes the storybook and looks across the table at her young daughter, the little one's eyes wide with rapt attention. "And that is how the five heroes saved the world from the God of Darkness, Ragnarok."

Lianna, eyes still wide in wonder, replies, "Woooow, they saved the whole entire world? No wonder everyone loves them so much!"

"That's right, but the struggle against Ragnarok had left behind terrible consequences. The five Heroes (Austin's Note: Furious Five, anyone?) were originally six (Austin's Note: Tai Lung?), but the sixth Hero; a dark mage named Reinhart (Austin's Note: Not Tai Lung. Overwatch. Gotcha), betrayed the others. Tricking the Heroes into helping him, he opened a portal into the Abyss; the dark world of monsters. By the time the Heroes had been able to close it, countless monsters had flooded in from the other side. Even now, more than 200 years later, monsters continue to plague mankind. No matter how many of them are killed, they just keep multiplying."

"Monsters are scary!" Little Lianna pipes up "It's all that bad guy's fault!" Her cheeks puffed out in adorable outrage.

Proud of her little girl, Monika smiles, "You're right. If Reinhart had been stopped before he opened the portal, the world would be a much safer place today. That's why people have been terrified of anyone who can use Dark Magic. They're afraid history will repeat itself and someone will try to summon Ragnarok again. Anyone who is seen using it is viewed as a threat to society, which is why you must keep your powers a secret!" She scolds her daughter, more scared for her safety than angry.

"But I have been keeping the a secret!" Lianna protests, her little foot stomping down on the floor with all the authority of a 5 year old.

"Lianna, you summoned a hatchling, a baby dragon, in the middle of town!" her father angrily retorts, slamming his fist down on the table.

"But Draco is my friend!" Lianna pouts, not understanding why it was a bad thing to call her draconic friend to come play.

"By the Goddess, she even named it..." Her father, Charles, mutters in a mix of dismay and shame.

"You're *not* helping, dear..."Monika's eyes flashing with a spark of Dark Magic backed anger.

"S-Sorry, just turn off the scary eyes, please. You know I hate that." Charles stutters, clearly put off by how quickly Monika's magic rose to the surface.

Turning back to Lianna, Monika says, "It's alright honey, just..... don't do it again. You can't let anyone know you can use Dark Magic, OK?". Monika's voice softens as she can relate to the prejudices of those who cannot use Dark Magic.

"So that's why everyone hates me..." Lianna says, her face falling as this hits home.

Monika's voice full of sympathy, she quickly corrects her daughter "Oh, sweetie... They don't hate you, they just don't know you is all. They're too afraid of Dark Magic to see what a wonderful person you are. They can't see that having this gift doesn't make you evil by default."

"B-But I use Dark Magic. Does that mean..... I'm a bad guy?" Liana asks, on the verge of tears.

"Of course not!" Charles nearly shouts, vehement at the thought of anyone claiming his precious child to be evil. "I knew your mother could use Dark Magic when I married her, and she's the kindest, sweetest, most thoughtful person I've ever met."

"Oh, stop it you. You always knew just how to make me blush...."

"I can't help it. When I look into your eyes, words of praise overflow from my soul, my dearest Monika" Charles waxes poetically, gazing at his wife with unrestrained passion.

"Oh, Charles..." Monika blushes, her heart skipping as it always has when hearing Charles's devotion and love for her.

"Oh, Monika..." Charles pulls his wife into an embrace and kisses her deeply, keeping from taking her on the table only by his daughter being less than 5 feet from them.

"Gross" Lianna remarks, clearly uncomfortable by the display of affection (Austin's Note: Come on, she IS a kid after all)

"\*ahem\*" Monika clears her throat, making a visible effort to restrain herself "What your father and I are trying to say is that your powers don't determine who you are, you do. And I know better than anyone else" (Austin's Note: Except her father, your husband. Jeez. Single parent syndrome, while you're still married! These notes are turning into a script for a GamingSins video, aren't they?) "that you're a good girl, so behave yourself and don't use your powers again." She chides the young girl, her voice firm, but not harsh.

"...OK, Mommy." Lianna responds, clearly remorseful.

"That's my girl" Monica smiles, pride for her little witching swelling in her heart "Now, off to bed, honey. It's already past your bedtime."

"Awwwwww..." Lianna whines, not tired at all, but trudges up the stairs to her room anyway. <That's right. I'm a good girl. If everyone thinks I'm bad, I'll just have to prove them wrong! Mommy, Daddy, I'll get everyone to like me, no matter how long it takes. I promise...> She thinks, wanting something so simple, yet so complicated: to have friends.

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A few hours later, Lianna is woken up by intense heat, precluded by a dark cloud of smoke billowing into her room. Her room, no, her whole house is on fire! She rushes out of her room to find her parents, not thinking of her own safety.

"F-Fire!" she coughs, rubbing the sleep and ash from her eyes. "Mommy! Daddy! I gotta find them. I gotta find Mommy and Daddy!"

She rushes down the hall and bangs on her parents' door, "Mommy! Daddy!"

"Lianna, Lianna, honey, is that you?" her mother replies, her voice muffled by the smoke. "Are you hurt? Did you get burned?"

"No, Mommy, I'm OK."

"Thank the Goddess. Stand away from the door Lianna, I'm going to make an opening with my magic" (Austin's Note: Yeah, blast a hole in a structurally compromised, currently **burning** building, Monika. That's a *brilliant fucking idea)*

"O-ok..." Lianna retreats down the hall a good distance.

"Please, for once in my life, let these powers be good for something..." Monika concentrates, gathering her power and focusing on the door in front of her, when, just as she's about to blast it into atoms her husband yells, "Monika! Monika, the ceiling, look out!" and shoves his wife out of harms way, preventing her from casting her spell. (Austin's Note: Was it Shadow Bolt? I bet it was Shadow Bolt...) The collapsing support beam falls on Charles instead, killing him instantly.

"Ch-Charles..? **CHAAAAARLES!!!"** she cries, heartbroken over her husbands death. Lianna rushes back to their door, concerned.

"Did something happen to Daddy? Is he hurt?!" She asks, completely ignoring the burning building. "Daddy! Please say something, Daddy!"

"Listen carefully, sweetie" Monika calls through the door "You have to get out of here. Run as fast as you can, and don't look back!"

"But... But what about you and Daddy?"

Monika hesitates, then calls "Don't worry about us, we'll be right behind you", her voice cracking as she realizes these will be her last words to her daughter.

"You promise?" Lianna asks, glancing around and making sure the stairs haven't collapsed. Thank the Goddess, they haven't....yet.

"...I promise," her mother says, knowing she's lying through her teeth, knowing she'd rather die than live without Charles, even if that means Lianna grows up an orphan, and hating herself for being so selfish.

"Ok... please don't get hurt, Mommy..." Lianna rushes out of the house, dodging flames and falling pieces of her home.

As she rushes down the stairs, Monika says to herself "Forgive me, Lianna, my precious daughter. I love you...."

Upon making it outside she turn and waits for her mother and father. "Mommy. Daddy. Please hurry up..." Suddenly, the house explodes, flames leaping from new holes in the walls as fresh air invigorates the conflagration. Lianna falls to her knees, staring up at her ruined home, "No... You... You promised... **YOU PROMIIIIISED!** She cries, her heart shattering as she realizes her parents are dead, helpless tears spilling over as she watches her house burn to the ground, the hungry flames consuming the wooden cottage with abandon.

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