"Before your civilization even began to crawl out of its infancy, our species..... what you call the Endless, but we call ourselves the Tor, dominated the universe. Our civilization was the very epitome of civilization. We have conquered the stars with our greatest invention and our greatest destroyer, Dust.

 Overtime, from the moment we first touched the stars, we expanded to the universe, subjugating all those with our might. In time after, generations after, our kind no longer call themselves of Tor, but instead we called ourselves 'the Endless' for our civilization shall expand to the very ends of the universe.... or at least we tried.....before we began to fight amongst ourselves.........

It started when we our homeworld no longer could support us. Many died when our wells ran dry and we hauled ourselves in a great exodus to new planet. At this time, Dust was created.

Do you know what Dust is used for?"  Hivemind spoke via a projection of Sakura's grand mother.

"Well, I use it to help protect myself and friends. It is also used to build things really fast and also to heal people." Sakura answered.

"You only gave me half of the answer." Hivemind spoke. It now took the for of her friend Haruka 'Haruppi' Kodama.

"It became.....progression........ We used it for everything, not only for medicine, construction and war but......something  that testifies immortality and perceived intelligence.

We created synthetic beings.....True Artificial Intelligence out of Dust. It became sentient yet still submissive to us.

Eventually we discovered that our creation has a form of conciousness. So the next step, which my kind will forever regret.... is to take conciousness from a Biological Being and put it into something that cannot age, bear illness and  die.

Thus the concept of Virtualization was born. It began the end of death. No longer was death the ultimate foe but instead our ultimate foe was us all along. We tried to achieve immortality but creation made us fight amongst ourselves....."

"You like, uploaded yourselves into computers?"

"Yes, we have. But not all of us did. Others saw what they did and thought it was a ersion of life's mandate. For a century, both sides tried to prove the superiority of their point in their ideal's points. The Virtual Endless, those who uploaded themselves into electronic immortality, and the Concrete, those who did not and kept their natural and physical forms.

At first, we were divided by opinion, then we seceeded from each other untill eventually we brought ourselves into open conflict.

The Virtuals, used lesser ones as their warriors to fight the concrete. One of their first creations was to combine the genes of their warriors with that off the genes of savahe beasts. At first they suceeded in terms of efficiency, but they couldn't control them. When they were unleashed upon a Concrete world, they didn't just stop to kill them. But they began to consume them, desecrate them and vandalise all that they touched.

They dumped them on this planet hoping that they will die out or no longer hear the Calling of Savagery. The descendants you now know them as the Gimaelics. The Virtual who created these rejects, Enogat, was condemned for his actions and his being was imprisoned in Auriga, where he will rot or so we hope he would.

Then the surviving Virtuals proceded to make an improved version of those warriors they used dust transform a select number of warriors into what we now know them as the Broken Lords or at the time....Paladins. They were compared to gods for their prowess in Dust and War.... but the Virtuals and the Concrete Endless finally gave up in their battle as their numbers dwindles across the stars to less than a hundred of them left. The last of the Virtuals, wanting to preserve their final creation, placed the ancestors of the Broken Lords into Auriga in the hopes that one day, they will obtain their inheritance. To take make whole of this shattered world they have given. To undo the mistakes....we have made....."

"Cold Rage? What is that? And I have many questions..."Sakura asked, confused of what the Hivemind is saying.

"Sophia....unintentionally....brought it to them....

The Temple she have found, awoke Enogant. She was fooled to wake him. He promised her to show her the secrets. But unknowingly breathed him new life....and foolishly gave him freedom.

She escaped with one of the relics, and then tried to use it to destroy Enogant, but Galerian tried to stop her. He just simply didn't understand why..... Yet he came....with his armies to take out the Gimaelics.....So, Sophia was forced to take down Galerian and his army but failed....she died alongside Merovech inside the Weapon.....

Cold Rage, or the Calling of Savagery was an invention to activate the gene inside the Gimaelics. It turns them into mutants of men and beast. Savage and Vile they are and with enchance Dust Powers, they will sweep across the land and destroy all that they touch. And be also warned....Gimaelic Broken Lords are also effected and are twice as powerful as the men....even your beloved....Rainoric....

Sakura....you need to find Sophia's remains....perform the Rite of Reliving, find the Temple, and stop the curse once and for all.

Save them from themselves...and save Auriga from the impending darkness....."

"Hai, but who are you? Why are you both well...Samhane, Grimaldus...Jurina and Rena?"

"I was once one. I commanded both Life and Death....I slept with Enongant in the temple to keep him in check. But he tricked Sophia in to shattering me into two. Now I was Grimaldus and Samhane....But I am really known nothing more as Cebrail....the Hivemind of Life and Death which is a cycle that must be maintained. I judge the living if they are worthy of life and count the time untill they depart.

You may, for your convenience sake can call me Rena as I now posses her body as my physical avatar. With Jurina with Grimaldus and Samhane together in her. I have regained my former glory.

But now, Sakura....as one of the last of the White Dust Mages, you must wake up from your slumber and get out....for the Dark Season has arrived and has consumed most of your friends....

I will meet you there...." Cebrail, the Hivemind of the Cycle of Life and Death said.

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Sakur smelled smoke when she regained conciousness. She saw on her head was the roof of a tent. The smoke had the scent of firewood burning but then she soon saw that flames have began to envelope the tent around her.

She quickly got up from the flat bed she slept on and ran outside.

She ran out to see that to her whole shock.... she was in Aksyar but the sand was now being covered by falling snow. Snow falling on sand is something that scientifically never happens in Earth but what does she knows about how weather and season work in the planet of Auriga.

"L-L-Look.....fresh meat....TO EAT!" a Gimaelic said to his friend beside him.

They were drastically different from what she usually would see in a Gimaelic. Their skin was paler than the whitest of snow and and like straight from some horror movie. One of the soldiers had his bladed somewhat naturally attached to his arms.

(credits to Warhammer online)

Sakura blasted the mutated Gimaelics with her White Dust powers pushing them back. She then turned her tail and run. The ground now as soft and mushy thanks to the snow impeded her escape. To left and write she saw tents burning around her. People who weren't Gimaelics ran away in fright but most died before they could find safety away from them.

"Where are....You....going...."Osgar's voice said.

Sakura felt like someone punched in front of her. The scary thing was, there wasn't anything infron of her that could knock her back. Then suddenly a horrifying revelation appeared, Osgar appeared infront of by converging himself. His skin was as dark as night just as his Sebharii heritage as they often paint themselves black. He had punched Sakura while he was invisible and to his sick pleasure, she was now in her mercy.

"Osgar! This isn't you."Sakura said.

"THIS has always been me! Now die!"Osgar sticked his tongue out and tried to impale Sakura with his spear.

Sakura turned to her left narrowly dodging the attack. She quickly ran away from the blood crazed Osgar, she noticed that the Cold Rage severely hampers there intelligence, a weakness she quickly exploited. After a few cunning turns she has lost Osgar. Sakura breathed a sigh of relief as she peeked over from her hiding place. The entire camp was in utter chaos and the snow has now blanketed the all of the sand around her completely masking the ground that this was once a scorching desert.

"I found you!" the voice of Wulfgar said coming from behind her. He quickly grabbed her from the neck slowly straggling her. Sakura struggled to break frre from his grasps but 'the Tower's' grip was too strong. Her body went limp as it ran out of oxygen.

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Sakura woke up again with her limbs bound by steel coils making it impossible to break free. She was surrounded by 10 Broken Lord Gimaelics, all of which are from Rainoric's inner circle of retainers and bodyguards including Wulfgar being among them.

"She is awake! Now we can sacrifice her to Godan so we may enact our final revenge!"One of them said.

"Let me go!"Sakura yelled at them

This didn't faze them one bit as they stared at her with the empty voids of their eyes. Then one of them grabbed a Nonorite dagger from his sheathe and impaled it on Sakura's left hand.

The stinging and weakening powers of the Nonorite burned in her skin as she felt her Dust powers being slowly sapped like a mosquito performing its vampiric actions of blood.

"Yes...she fights....make Godan happy she will."The one who stabbed her said.

"I have returned."the voice of Rainoric said.

The 10 made way for him as he approached the bounded Sakura.

"Rain! Snap out of it! This isn't the Prince Charming in his own way I know!"Sakura cried, tears forming in his eyes.

"I do not know you. I am the World Razer! And now, with the heart of a White Dust Mage as a source of power! I will be....INVINCIBLE!"Rainoric said. He raised his Seax on top of Sakura aiming for her chest.

With all of her remaining might she tried to communicate with Rainoric, hoping to stop him from what is he doing.

"Rainier...please stop.....don't you remember my 'Sakura Laurel leaf tiara' I made for your birthday? I painted it pink myself. And remember the time you tried to sing 'Heavy Rotation' but can't come say some of the words? I laughed and you laughed as if we were meant to be together." Sakura telepathically said.

(Warning: Graphic!)

Rainoric felt hesitated for a moment as heard those words which made Sakura's hopes of survival spring. But those dimmed as Rainoric raised his Seax higher and plunged it deep within her heart.  Blood splattered on Sakura's heart as he repeatedly knifed Sakura to create an opening on her chest cavity. Sakura felt the greatest pain she has ever felt in her entire life as she grinned her bloodied teeth as more of Rainoric stabbed her chest. When it seemed like forever, Rainoric stopped stabbing, his Seax and his hands dripping with blood. A large opening of ruined organs welcomed him in the inner systems of Sakura's body. With his already bloodied hands he grabbed Sakura's heart and yanked it out of her chest. The blood began to flood the chest cavity drowning the other of Sakura's organs.

With her heart still beating, Rainoric raised the heart like a trophy in the cold air and stared as if proudly at the slowly dying Sakura.

"And now....my retribution..shall begin....." He said.

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"Sakura! Are you still with us?"Takaminas voice woke her up.

Sakura raised herself from the ground to realise she was still alive. Was it all a dream?

"What happened? I dreamt Rain....ripped my hear---"Sakura said.

"He did....unfortunately. And now his power rival's that off the Virtuals himself." Rena spoke.

"No...this isn't true...how did you...why am I alive?"Sakura asked.

"Right after he ripped your heart out. I was able to carry you out of there while fighting my way out. You are now in a caravan with the rest of the survivors and we are going to Vanoran."Rena said,

"But my heart..."

"I used Red Dust Magic to make you a temporary heart...but it needs to be recharged every now and then by me. Everyone is here, even Gizzur."Rena said.

"If your gonna ask why since I and my lads are not trying to rip your guts out andd eating them raw. We made a special jewel that we wear at all times to prevent us from turning insane."Gizzur waved hello to Sakura.

Sakura was glad that her friends survive but suspiciously....she didn't see Paruru anywhere....only a wounded Hayato.

"Paru...where is she?" She asked.

"She became one of them! Its the lungs, they were from a Gimaelic, the gene entered into her and now she is one of them. I tried to fight her off to protect Kiku and Yuki but I got these scars and bruises after. She is not the sister I know...."Hayato said.

Sakura felt as if her entire world went upside down and went inside out as she absorbed all of the information around her. How her friends barely got out of the camp with their lives. Sakura turned pale as she hugged rena who caringly oblige while brushing her hair.

"Dear Godan.....protect us from the Dark Season..."Cebrail spoke through Rena.

To be continued in my next book: The Dark Season.

I need time to brainstorm so it may take until or before the beginning of July.

AN:Thanks for the wild ride....I honestly didn't know how I will drive this story to its intended direction but after much feedback from you and a few unexpectedly welcome inspirations from the most unusual of places....I came up with a great story.

Please continue to support me! THNX!