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My name is Kishar, child of Ni and Tauthe. I am the nine hundred and thirty-first bearer of Zhe-La. I was bound to Zhe-La on my home planet of Empyrea, in the city of Lumos within the Temple of Light. It is my sacred duty to act as Champion not only for the united people of Empyrea but for the entire galaxy at large. To be the embodiment of The Light of Grayskull, to be exemplification pure empathy—
* * *
It was on the planet of Phantos that we finally tracked down the last remnant of the terror that once consumed the galaxy, now known as The Dark Times by scholars. I, Kishar, bearer of Zhe-La,along with my mentor Jihan, bearer of Sher-Va, did this deed.
I had just been released from my training at Castle Grayskull when the League of Kalosyni decided it would be best if I were paired with a more experienced Champion—just for the time being. This was uncommon for a novice but not unheard of, and I tried not to take offense or feel slighted by their decision, accepting their decision with good grace.
When they announced that the champion I was to be paired with was the Elysian champion Sher-Va, I was overjoyed by this news. Everyone knows of the great love between the Nephraeh and the Madgēcots, and any unease I had felt vanished.
I first met the bearer of Sher-Va in my home city of Lumos when he landed his starship in the crystal garden outside of the Temple of Light. The garden tenders were furious when it was discovered that the ship’s landing struts had destroyed a bed of Fire Tails; it had taken more than a century to grow them to their current height, and I thought they would pull the ship apart using their bare hands.
A wild-looking Madgēcot disembarked from the craft wearing one of those fantastic outfits they call Jaadoo suits; he was very charming and able to calm the irascible garden tenders. He introduced himself as just Jihan, forgoing the ‘Sar’ title that many Champions chose to use. He told me how excited he was to be my mentor and promised that I would learn much from him. Not long after that, Jihan and I boarded his ship, Star Claw, and took off for the stars.
Our first missions were mostly uneventful—attending ceremonies and resolving minor disputes between different worlds. There was one fairly humorous incident where the Prince of Vitrian proposed a bonding between himself and Jihan. It caused quite a stir when Jihan refused to accept, and we had to leave rather abruptly when the Prince accused Jihan of leading him on.
It was about this time that I began to suspect that the League’s decision to pair me with Jihan was not for my benefit but his. Jihan was prone to going on whims, and I must admit he was a bit of a rogue, but even after realizing this, I was still glad of the League’s decision. I thought that Jihan and I made the perfect team.
Even though he may be a bit of an unconventional Champion, Jihan is very kind and generous. No matter how far we have to travel, there has not been a call for aid that he refused to answer. Jihan is also very funny, telling jokes and playing the occasional prank on me. They are usually lighthearted pranks, meant to make me relax when I get too serious about what it means to be a Champion.
Jihan may have a flamboyant and wild exterior, but once you get past his walls you will find a very sensitive and tender soul. As a Nephraeh I have an advantage in that no amount of bluff can hide your quintessence from my gaze. There was no need for me to get behind Jihan’s boundaries, I already could see who he was, deep inside, and I liked what I saw.
The fact that he is a very handsome Madgēcot is a bonus, and I often find myself looking in his direction when it was not warranted. It probably isn’t appropriate for a novice to have these thoughts, and I plan only to admit them here in my personal log.
Time passed quickly while I was in Jihan’s company, and we soon began to take on more challenging tasks. We stopped the blood games on the planet Rintor by breaking up the illegal trafficking of Trollans. We stopped the suppression of the Glitter Miners by the royal family on the planet Zal-Cron. On the beautiful and lush world of Thenlor, we helped defend the workers from the vicious predators as they attempted to raise the first building on that planet.
It was when we were hunting for the criminal Drauc in the Illeos system that Jihan and I had heard rumors of a Dark Mage. Since anyone using corrupted magic was of more importance than a counterfeiter, we decided to focus on hunting down the Dark Mage. Ten thousand years have passed since the Dark Times, and Dark Magic was still a curse on our galaxy; it is the prime duty of every Champion to stamp it out.
Following the coordinates given to us, we took Jihan’s ship, Star Claw, and came upon the planet Phantos. We knew very little of this planet since it is in Wild Space, outside the borders of our intergalactic society. Even from space, we could tell that something terrible was happening with the planet; massive fires could be seen blazing in places, and the murky gray of ash clouds was between them. It looked like the whole planet of Phantos was at war.
We landed near the ruins of a city, not ancient ruins, for the city showed recent signs of struggle and still burned in places. Upon entering the city, Jihan and I were attacked by bands of marauders who fought so savagely that we both had to transcend into our magical states. As Sher-Va and Zhe-La, we were able to subdue the marauders with little harm on their part.
We were surprised to discover that the marauders who had attacked us were the city's citizens; they were confused and incoherent after defeating them, seeming like they were under the influence of intoxicants. They rambled about a terrible wizard with a staff of burning blood which made them destroy their city, saying that he wandered the planet, sowing ruin and destruction wherever he went.
Jihan and I spent a month moving from city to city searching for any rumor of this Dark Mage. In every city we reached, the horror was different, but the tale was the same; rage and hatred forced the people to turn on each other and no sign of the perpetrator. It seemed like he was always one step ahead of us, and we knew he was aware of us by now; it was hard for two Champions of the Light to hide their presence from a worshipper of evil.
It was in the Northern Wastes that we tracked down this wizard, facing him in a dark fortress he made for himself on the top of a secluded mountain. It was a wretched thing to behold; constructed of the bones and skulls of his victims—the people of Phantos he forced into a murderous rage using his dark power. By this time, the planet was practically depopulated, and both Jihan and I had our suspicions of who this Dark Mage actually was.
Our suspicions were verified when we entered the fortress and found none other than the last bearer of one of the Abominable Powers. The bearer’s name is unknown, for he attacked without mercy while wielding the Eye of Hate—trying to fill us with so much rage that we attacked each other.
It is a horrible feeling, especially for one of my kind, to be filled with an emotion we don’t know. Nephraeh may dislike another living being, but never hate them, and the feeling had almost overcome me with not only its power but the pure alienness of it. It was as if I was looking at Jihan through a red haze that burned me, and the only thing that would make the pain go away was to smash my mentor to pieces. The fact that I could see the same thing in Jihan’s eyes, the urge to harm me, acted like a spur to goad me on.
But I felt the pure Light of Grayskull then, dampening down the red hate—it was fueled by the love and empathy that comes so naturally to the Nephraeh. There was love directed toward Jihan; it was not the love I usually felt, but a different kind—sweeter and more urgent. That was the ultimate key that broke the spell of the Eye of Hate, freeing me from its power.
Unfortunately, Jihan was still under the influence of the dread power, and he attacked me. He is a mighty warrior, and with the might of Sher-Va, plus the Eye of Hate driving him, it took every ounce of my skill just to hold him off. Even if I wanted to, I could not hurt Jihan; he was my mentor and was dear to me. I was able to subdue him momentarily when I destroyed two pillars supporting a section of the ceiling, causing the structure to fall upon Jihan and pin him.
As Jihan fought to disentangle himself, I turned my attention to the sorcerer. I could see the panic in his sunken eyes as he realized his powers would not work on me, and in desperation, he summoned burning fire made from pure hate, hurling it at me. The flames engulfed me, but instead of burning me, they dissipated into harmless smoke.
I must admit that I felt a thrill at this moment; I had heard tales all my life about the Abominable Powers and imagined that they would be terrible to face. But when I found myself in the presence of one, it was almost powerless against me, and it made me cocky. I laughed in the sorcerer’s face, demanding that he give himself up, and when he refused, I tried to take him by force.
It was then that Jihan finally freed himself from his prison and hurled himself at us. He was an avatar at rage at this point, where the Eye of Hate’s powers could not find purchase in my heart; it found a home in Jihan. Madgēcots are a gift to the galaxy; every Nephraeh feels this way. Their empathy matches that of the Nephraeh, sometimes exceeding ours, but where we can’t feel hate, the Madgēcots are less fortunate. We all know the saying, ‘a Madgēcot’s purr comes as quickly as their claws; beware the fury of the Madgēcot.’
Jihan bounded on all fours towards us, not bothering with his sword, and tossed me aside as if I weighed nothing. He pounced on the sorcerer, and using only his bare claws, tore the man to pieces. I felt great pity for the man as he screamed, for as evil as he was, he did not deserve to die like that.
With the sorcerer dead, Jihan suddenly reverted into his natural form, seeming in the same delirious state as the city dwellers we encountered upon first landing on this planet. I think that was fortunate for him, I did not want Jihan to see what he had done to the bearer of the Eye of Hate, and I planned on never telling him what he had done.
It was then that aid arrived at this beleaguered planet, summoned by us a month previously. With our help, they tracked down the remaining survivors and transported them off-world; the planet of Phantos was deemed no longer habitable. The survivors were poor and staved, haunted by the horrors they had seen. I suggested that they should be taken to my planet of Empyrea and placed under the care of my people. We Nephraeh are good at reminding others of the joy of being alive.
Jihan and I transported the Abominable Power to Eternia and presented it to the sorcerer of Castle Grayskull to be interred with the other captured Prime Evils. I was pleased to rid myself of the Eye of Hate; it is such an ugly thing, appearing as a lump of red rock. Upon closer (and careful) inspection, the stone is actually translucent, and if you look closely enough, you can see—
* * *
After the incident with the Eye of Hate, Jihan and I continued to be paired as Novice and Mentor. We did not get involved with anything as serious as an Abominable Power again, but something big did happen to us. Something perhaps a little more frightening than Dread Magic—we fell in love with each other.
Anyone who knew Jihan would have thought it would be him that initiated courtship—not so—it was all me. As I mentioned before, I found Jihan’s outward appearance to be very attractive—if that were the extent of his appeal to me, I would have never made the first move. It was what I saw inside him that indeed drew me.
Jihan’s quintessence matched his outward nature, and it burned bright to my Nephraeh’s eye. It is lovely to look upon, always steady and true, and I can’t help but notice how his soul pattern is in harmony with mine—almost flawlessly. Initially, the implications were frightening when I thought too hard about them, and I concluded that it was The Light’s way of telling me I was on the correct path.
It took me a while to realize the truth, for I never encountered someone who is my soul-match. When I did discover the truth, it took me some time as to how I would make this fact known to Jihan; Madgēcots may be able to see much with their lovely eyes, but they can never see such as Nephraeh sees.
Initially, Jihan politely rebuffed my advances; as I said before, he may seem like a rogue, but Jihan has a very solid form of honor. He saw it as inappropriate for him to be with me in that way since he was supposed to be my Mentor.
I thought this was touching but silly; Jihan maybe my Mentor, but he was not much older than me. I backed off anyway, I did not want to drive him away, but I could see I was having an effect on him. A Madgēcot may be able to put up an air of indifference, but their tail tells a different story.
Every time he was near me, I would find his tail brushing up against me, sometimes even wrapping around me in a gentle caress. He tried to ignore what a part of his own body was doing, but after a particular incident in the maintenance shaft of his ship, he could no longer ignore how he felt.
Jihan had ask for my assistance with some repairs and we were in a very tight space together. As Jihan focused on repairing a Xeloite Capacitor, his tail had decided to wrap around a particular part of my body—I could not help my gasp. When he turned, he saw the smile on my face and what his tail was doing. That was when he finally gave in to me—right there in that maintenance shaft. He was mine, and I was his.
We decided it would be prudent to keep this a secret at first, primarily out of fear of what the League of Kalosyni would say if they knew a Novice was romantically involved with their Mentor. We did not want to be split up, for we were more than just lovers—we were soul mates, and we even spoke of becoming bonded on Elysia in front of the Great Chaliendra Tree. But we decided it was time to tell League of Kalosyni of our relationship after my induction ceremony from Novice to Full Champion .
As it turns out, our fears were completely unfounded; not only did they accept this news, but they were actually overjoyed by it!
The League of Kalosyni told us that love between two Champions is a sacred thing and rarely seen. It is a powerful union, a force for good and the Light, and it was the love between two Champions that had been instrumental in ending the Dark Times millennia ago. The League of Kalosyni gave us their blessing and promised that we would be Champions paired for life if that is what we wished.
I started to have a sneaking suspicion that they may have known this was going to happen, especially since they paired a Nephraeh and Madgēcot together—our two races had always had an attraction towards one another. If that were true, then I owe a great debt to their wisdom.
I could not believe I could ever be this happy!
* * *
Not long after revealing our relationship to the council, Jihan and I were bonded before The Great Chaliendra Tree—just as we planned! It was a fantastic ceremony, and all the Champions were in attendance there. It had been centuries since all of us occupied the same planet, let alone be so near to each other. The grand space around The Great Chaliendra Tree seemed small with all seven Champions gathered there.
Our collected presence so enhanced the power of The Great Chaliendra Tree that the sorcerers of Trolla could see the refraction of its magical essence through the interdimensional veil—something never before beheld! The sight of it made the usually steadfast Trollans panic; they thought a Universal Multidimensional Collapse was upon them and almost convened a Council of Eschaton! Thank all the stars that we had Trollan guests, and they were able to communicate with their brethren in the Timeless Dimension and forestall such a disaster.
It was good to see all the Champions in one place; Astra, bearer of She-Ra, gifted us with a song she had written herself. She sang to us in her enhanced form, managing to be entirely in harmony with The Great Chaliendra Tree. It was one of the most beautiful things I have ever heard, and both Jihan and I wept to hear it.
Zeika, bearer of Thon-Ra, brought gems from Geolon—it was a fine gift, but Jihan and I do not need such things. We decided that they would be better suited as a donation to one of the many poorer planets on the outskirts of the galaxy, the ones who have not joined our society yet.
Herheif, the bearer of He-Man, was also at our reception. I would not go as far as to say he is my least favorite Champion—for I do not rank my friends in this way—but his presence is not as easy to bear as some of the others. The fact that he is constantly trying to court me is another gripe I have with the man; I am continually having to turn him down. Herheif is so far beyond what I would seek in a partner; he is too overbearing in his extreme masculinity and crude. But he behaved himself at our ceremony, which was a small blessing.
The ceremony was held at dusk to be in keeping with the Celestial Harmonies that TheGreat Chaliendra Tree is in tune with—
* * *
01.2376.99
Something horrible has happened.
Something completely unexpected and unforeseen has befallen the love of my existence, Jihan.
Because of our unforeseen popularity as the ‘Galactic Power Couple,’ Jihan and I were asked to attend the coronation of the new Psychopomp of Zal-Cron IV. We were both in the reception hall, doing our part to mingle with the guests and regal them with tales of our adventures while in our enhanced forms. Jihan was just telling the Prime Minister of Omiros about the time he saved me from the half-living Xex on Denebria when he suddenly reverted out of his enhanced form and collapsed to the floor.
At first, I thought this was one of his tricks; Jihan still loves to play his pranks even to this day, but making me afraid for him was not his style. I rushed to his side as Zhe-La and lifted him into my arms; he was still conscious but disorientated and dizzy. He had no idea what had happened to him, and after an examination by the local healer, nothing was determined to be wrong with him.
We passed this off as a fluke; after all, both Jihan and I have been constantly on call throughout the universe, and we were both taxed. We continued our responsibilities as champions, but the collapsing spells continued with increasing frequency.
It was during a mission to the asteroid belt of Dactis that we decided it was time to get help. At a crucial moment, Jihan lost powers and collapsed again, almost killing me plus a group of scientists, causing us to fail the mission. We decided it was time to get to the bottom of this, and we returned to Elysia; perhaps Jihan’s own people, the Madgēcots, would know what was happening to him.
As it turns out, they did.
Jihan was diagnosed with a rare Madgēcot degenerative disease called Kamajor. It was something Madgēcots feared during The Dark Times but was thought to be eradicated millennia ago. It was terrible luck for Jihan and me, for Kamajor is untreatable, and a death sentence—at the most, Jihan was given one Elysian year to live.
My whole world has come crashing down.
01.2395.99
My whole existence has become consumed with finding a way to save Jihan.
We compiled a list of the galaxy’s greatest healers with the plan to visit each one in turn. But after only visiting the first one, we realized this was too much for Jihan; he was becoming too weak for space travel and could no longer leave Elysia.
It was up to me to find the solution.
I have spent the last month traveling from healer to healer, visiting various spiritual fanes of healing, and even visited the technologically advanced planet of Xe-Xi but came up with nothing.
It was such a dreadfully horrible feeling being away from Jihan for that long—what if there was nothing I could do for him and I was wasting what time I had left with him? I feel like I am being pulled in many places at once and that my soul will shear in half—I don’t know what to do! I am in absolute despair!
01.2398.99
Astra recently paid us a visit on Elysia. After hearing of what had befallen Jihan, she had rushed here as quickly as she could, hoping to use her She-Ra healing power on him.
Unfortunately, it did not work; She-Ra may be able to bring someone back from the brink of death, but there is nothing she can do for Jihan. The Kamajor was too insidious, and Astra suspected it was some form of malefic magic left over from the Dark Times—perhaps The Gastrolith of Decay was the original source.
But that Abominable Power is locked up safely in Castle Grayskull—how would it affect Jihan?
There is only one course of action left to me; I must visit Castle Grayskull and speak to the Sorcerer there, Zzar.
I don’t know why I did not think of visiting her initially, for not only is she the Keeper of Secrets at Castle Grayskull, but she is also the bearer of The Life gem!
I feel like I finally have hope again! I am leaving for Eternia as—
01.2406.99
I have returned to Elysia with the Shlihm-bess’a-rune and gave Jihan the good news—I was now able to heal him!
My dear Jihan was excited at first, but then he started to worry. He wanted to know more about this magical device I had brought back from Castle Grayskull, saying that there was something about its name he did not like.
When I told him that the user’s most powerful attribute somehow powered it, he became agitated, saying that his life was not worth me taking such a risk. I told him he had no option in the matter; I could not stand by and let him waste away. Jihan is so sickly and thin now, and there are places on his body where his beautiful fur has fallen out. If I knew the Shlihm-bess’a-rune would kill me by using it, I would use it in an instant to save Jihan. In the end, Jihan gave in to me, like he always did.
Tomorrow is the day! Some of the Jaadoogar want to be there when I use the Shlihm-bess’a-rune; they are very interested in its operation and will watch over me while I use it. We all agree that Jihan’s restoration will take place at dawn—the symbolism is perfect; it is when the light returns to banish the darkness. Soon Jihan will be restored to me.
01.2407.99
Thank all the stars—it worked! The Shlihm-bess’a-runedid exactly what Zzar said it would; it returned Jihan to me whole and complete!
I will admit that the experience of using the Shlihm-bess’a-rune was very odd and indescribable—I could feel it taking something from me. I think I am okay now, just completely exhausted; I don’t think I have ever felt this tired before.
But it doesn’t matter! I have Jihan back! I’m not wasting any more time with this silly journal—all my time is going to be spent with him!
01.2410.99
Something is terribly wrong with me.
At first, I thought I was just tired from using the Shlihm-bess’a-rune three days ago, but instead of feeling refreshed as the days passed, it has only worsened.
I guess tired is not the right word for it; I still have boundless energy just like before—Jihan can attest to that. It’s just that… I don’t know… I feel like I don’t care about things like I used to, and it’s just getting worse.
I have not shared the full extent of how I feel to Jihan; I don’t want him to worry about me. I only stated that some things don’t interest me lately—of course, he was worried and said I might be depressed. Why would I be depressed now? Especially now that I healed Jihan.
Jihan said depression does not have to make sense; it can affect you with seemingly no cause. He said that I had been through a lot lately and that maybe the stress of trying to find a cure for him is finally catching up with me. Who knows, perhaps he is right. I think I will talk to a Madgēcot who specializes in this sort of thing.
01.2413.99
I can no longer see.
Let me rephrase that—I can no longer see as a normal Nephraeh can see. I cannot see another person’s quintessence. All I can see is the person.
I’m not sure how I feel about this; I should be alarmed, for no Nephraeh in the history of our people has lost their ability to see another person’s soul. It’s a big part of who we are; it is one of the reasons we are called the Light—no matter what a person appears on the outside, we can always see their true nature. We can see their inner beauty. We can see the scars and the hurts they have endured during their life, and it is a big part of where our empathy comes from. It enables us to understand others.
But the truth is, I’m not sure if I care about any of that—not anymore. I’m fine with not seeing as a Nephraeh sees anymore; I feel like I don’t need it.
Isn’t that odd?
01.2420.99
I think I have finally figured out what is wrong with me.
It was just the other day, Jihan had come to me in tears; he was an absolute mess. He told me an old friend of his, a Star Hunter named Harihar, was killed while on a mission. He was a childhood friend of Jihan’s, and Harihar’s loss had hit him hard.
The strange thing was, while Jihan was telling me all this with tears in his eyes, all I wanted to do was change the subject and talk about when we would start going on missions again. Thankfully, I stopped myself from doing this and forced myself to act sad. I also had to force myself to console Jihan in my arms—this was a strange sensation—almost as if I was outside myself looking in.
Much later, I realized that this feeling of not caring was not just for Jihan’s friend or his pain—it was everyone’s feelings. It was everyone’s pain. I just did not care about it anymore.
I have lost the ability to feel empathy, and I know the cause—it was the Shlihm-bess’a-rune. That device that Zzar gave me had removed my compassion to power itself. That is what Jihan’s rejuvenation had cost me.
I need to speak to Zzar. I need to find a way to reverse this. I think I should also keep my distance from Jihan for the time being. It will not take him long to figure out that I have lost my most positive attribute—I think that would drive him away.
Right now, I don’t think I would not care about that, and I realize I am no longer in love with him—but I know the reason why. I know that once I have my capacity to care for others back, those feelings for Jihan will return.
I need to come up with some excuse for leaving for Castle Grayskull without Jihan. I must be able to speak to Zzar alone.
01.2431.99
THAT CURSED WOMAN!!!
I just come from my discussion with Zzar—that treacherous fiend! I approached her in absolute misery, telling her of my woes and presenting her with the Shlihm-bess’a-rune. I asked her—no, I PLEADED with her to help me restore my empathy. Do you know what she said to me?
Why?
She asked me why I wanted my empathy back, and the question enraged me. At the moment, I did not know why I was so angry, but I have since realized it was because I did not have an answer. The only reason I wanted it back was for the IDEA that I SHOULD have it back, not for any need. I also knew I wanted it back for Jihan’s sake, so I could return the love I knew he still had for me—for now, that is.
I told her my reasons were my own and that as one of the Seven Champions of Grayskull, she was commanded to help me. She only shrugged at me and retrieved some dusty old book from one of the dusty bookcases that made up the Sorcerer’s chamber. She told me it was the only one of its kind and the only book left from before the Dark Times.
Zzar began to read aloud the passage regarding the Shlihm-bess’a-rune, like a schoolteacher instructing her student. But the name she read was not Shlihm-bess’a-rune, but something different, the Shlihm-bess’a-rune was actually called the Flux Perennial—a strange name.
The rest of what she read was exactly what she told me before; the Flux Perennial was created as a way to perform miracles with seemingly no consequences.
She turned a page, and a small handwritten note fell from the book, and before she could stop me, I picked it up and read it aloud—No matter what, DO NOT USE THE FLUX PERENNIAL! It is not what we suspected it to be; it is a curse on the universe! It is the Shlihm-bess’a-rune—something that was intended to do good but makes things much worse. It has started a state of CHAOS and HORROR in the universe; our great society is slipping into DARKNESS!!!
Rage filled me after reading that note, rage like I had never felt before. Zzar must have read this note—for how else did she know to call this cursed device the Shlihm-bess’a-rune? She had done this to me on purpose; for what reason, I did not know.
I immediately demanded Zzar undo what the Shlihm-bess’a-rune had done to me, saying that I would expose her treachery to the League of Kalosyni. Zzar only laughed at me—threatening to do the same to me. She said that the League of Kalosyni would strip me of Zhe-La if they ever found out that magical avatar’s champion was bereft of empathy.
This enraged me even more, for I knew she was right; more than anything, I knew I could not lose my connection to Zhe-La. In my new state, having the power that Zhe-La meant more to me than Jihan’s love, and nothing could threaten it.
I then transitioned into Zhe-La and attacked Zzar—I was going to kill her.
I will admit, attacking the Sorcerer of Castle Grayskull while they were INSIDE Castle Grayskull was not a wise decision, but I felt like it was my only recourse. I could not allow her to live with what she knew of me, especially someone as treacherous as Zzar. She would use this knowledge as leverage over me to do her bidding.
I will not go into the details of the battle between myself and Zzar, but it ended with myself defeated and driven from Castle Grayskull. Zzar could have destroyed me if she wished, but she didn’t. I suspect she had reasons for letting me live and that this whole situation was part of some grand scheme of hers. She wanted me alive and out amongst the Universe, for what purpose I have not determined yet. All I know is that I feel as if I have been un-tethered; it is as if I am floating away, like a kite that has been let go by its owner.
I’m not sure… but I think I’m starting to like it…
01.2505.99
The purpose of this journal is no longer to document my childish flights of fancy; I feel like I have finally grown out of that and matured. It’s amazing how so much clearer everything is to me now that I have been separated from my empathy, there are so many aspects of my life I can cut away and leave behind forever. I feel like a Omnilisk which has shed it old skin; new, fresh and clean and ready to face the universe. I am now taking my first steps towards a bold new purpose, which I have yet to fully discover. I will document the process here in my old diary.
Every day it seems like I discover something new about myself, it’s like walking down a path you walked countless times and approaching the same dead end. In the past I would have to turn around and or find a new path, but now it seems there is always a door which I can now open and pass the barrier, allowing me to continue my journey.
But I have to be careful who is watching, it seems there is a universal rule to never to use this door and those who do are ostracized. There are many eyes on me, so I have to be extra careful as to when and where I use this door.
Especially when Jihan is around. It’s not that I care what he thinks, it’s just that I don’t want him to find out my secret and expose me. I am surprised by how he has gone from feeling like my dearest loved one to someone who feels dangerous to me. Almost like… an enemy?
01.2531.99
Something odd started happening to me lately; it seems my new-found freedom comes with a cost after all. I started feeling an unpleasantness, an undefinable desire for something that at first I could not grasp. It was a demand that went beyond hunger, lust or the need for sleep. As time went by without this urge being satiated, the more dreadful my life became. Thankfully when it had become the most intolerable, my body took over and showed me the way.
I was on the planet Khangidar on a solo mission to investigate some old ruins when I made this discovery. The overwhelming need had become too much, and it had become hard to hide what was happening to me, so I found an excuse to go off on my own without Jihan. I don’t think Jihan has begun to suspect my new nature, but he has started to notice subtle changes in me, making him worry. He nags me incessantly about whether something is bothering me or about my health, not knowing that what has happened to me runs much deeper.
I tried to think of excuses to be away from him, but each one was as flimsy as the last and could easily dismissed by Jihan who would find a way to not let me out of his sight. It had started to become unbearable for me for I felt like I could not escape—I started to have darker plans on as to what to do about my predicament but decided wisely not to follow through with them.
My chance came during Madgēcot celebration of XXXX, Jihan always attended this celebration as Sher-Va, it was seen as his ancestral duty to attend when peaceful times allow. It was the day before the ceremony when I told him I received a communiqué from the League of Kalosyni stating that a Champion was needed on the planet of Khangidar which so happen to be in a system nearby Elysia. Jihan was saddened by this news but did not ask any unnecessary questions, for he believe me and did not have a reason to mistrust me.
I was overjoyed to be away from him, feeling as if a heavy weight had finally been lifted form my body and allowing me to be free. I realized then that I had to be absolutely free of him, I just didn’t know how to accomplish this yet.
Khangidar is a bit of a backwards place, they abhor technology and rely on the small amount of magic the planet has. There are no large cities to be found, only small communities which are governed by the resident Mystic. I gravitated towards the closest village, at this point the hunger had become so intense that I was barely thinking straight, only being driven by instinct like an animal.
The community welcomed me of course, for it is seen as a universal blessing to be visited by a Nephraeh. I did not give my true identity to the people, there was no need for them to learn that I was bearer of Zhe-La. For some reason, I did not want them to know that.
I wandered around for a while, watching the locals go about their mundane and boring lives. I was not really sure what I was looking for, I just had this vague feeling that what I needed was close. It was not long before I found it.
Time and time again, my attention was drawn to a single individual; someone who spent their day amongst the citizens of the village healing ills and resolving conflicts. It was the village Mystic, the person with the strongest connection to the magic of the planet who was in charge of the community. He was a young male, someone who was early into his powers and full of positive ideals.
I could not keep my eyes off him, I felt obsessed and my hunger drove me to follow the Mystic, which I spent a tortuous day doing. Finally, as the local sun set, he retired home.
Waiting until the Mystic was asleep may have been more prudent, but at this point I was completely helpless to the need. I entered the Mystic’s home basically on his heels, and he turned with absolute surprise to find that he was alone in his home with a Nephraeh. He was initially very please with the circumstances—and why not? The Nephraeh are the Light and wherever they go, only love and goodwill follow. He was a very humble individual, he asked whether or not I was there to teach him new healing techniques for he was always opening to learning new spells. I did not answer him, I was too overwhelmed with confusion and my desire, which I am sure unnerved him.
Sudden realization appeared on his handsome face as he appeared to see something in me. He told me he could see my wounds, my brokenness and that he could help me if I wished. The Mystic opened his arms wide, asking me to come to him a if I wished to be healed. My confusion intensified as I pondered whether or not this was the reason I was drawn to him, and I walked hesitantly towards the Mystic. As I passed his open arms, another part of me took over; the hunger. I embraced the Mystic in my arms, and as I felt his wrap me in unconditional love, I found out what I was there for.
By some unknown knowledge, I bit his neck.
It was a very strange thing for me to do, and some hidden part of who I was screamed at me to stop. But I couldn’t, I was too hungry and I had finally found my sustenance. I couldn’t stop myself if I had tried. The Mystic tried to fight me, but I was too strong and held him fast as I consumed him.
I felt something pure and good pour into my mouth and into my soul; it was beyond the most delicious meal or the most pleasurable carnal experience. I drank deep of the Mystic’s essence, and when he was emptied, went limp in my arms. I let him fall to the ground, and out of curiosity, felt his neck for a pulse—he was still alive. I was astonished to see the place on his neck where I felt teeth sink in was free of any wound. I was even more astonished when I looked in a nearby mirror to see that I now had upper and lower fangs. They were black as night and looked out of place next to my normal flat white teeth. As I went to feel at my new lower fang with a finger, they suddenly disappeared as if they never existed.
I felt so good at that moment; it was as if I was whole one more, but I could feel whatever I had taken from the Mystic slowly dissipate. I would have to do this again.
Against my better judgement I stayed in the Village a while, I wanted to see what my actions had wrought on this community. The Mystic appeared the very next day seemingly unaffected—but this was not the case. The person who was the Mystic the day before was no longer there; there was a new person in his place. The Mystic still performed his role as healer and resolver of conflicts, but now demanded compensation for these services. When the people of the village refused to provide this, he simply packed his belongings and left.
It was then I realized what I had taken from him to assuage my desire; it was his empathy of course. I had somehow completely removed his compassion to fuel my new state of being. I accepted this fact rather quickly, I was not concerned with how or why it worked, only that when I fed, I no longer felt the dreadful emptiness.
They only thing I was concerned about was when I would feed again.
01.2540.99
Since my self-discovery on Kang-dar, I have adjusted my lifestyle to meet the demands of my new state of being. Now, instead of waiting for the hunger to return and weaken me, I go out to hunt and feed. During the day, I observe others around me, looking for the most compassionate, then choose and mark those I desire.
At night is when I visit them, the darkness hiding my movements well and enabling me to approach prey when they are most vulnerable. One issue vexes me though; I just wish my hair and skin were not white, for this is hard to hide in the dark. If only Nephraeh were darker colors, it would make my nightly forays much easier. For now, I cover myself in a concealing robe.
Sustenance is bountiful.
01.2592.99
For the past month, Jihan and I have been stationed on the planet Ceter 8, living in the city Ecilia. Yesterday, Jihan commented to me that he was worried about the changes he has seen in the people around us. He said that they seemed more ‘callous’ and ‘cruel’ since we arrived. I have since gone out of my way to travel father to feed, but this has become hard to account for, especially when Jihan asks me where I am going or where I have been.
I’ve come across the first hurdle in my new lifestyle. I now need to feed regularly so being in one place for too long is a problem. Jihan will not be the only one to notice the pattern of apathy springing up wherever we are, although he will probably be the first one to figure out it is me doing this. I need a better solution; I need to speak to someone who will understand me.
I need to speak with Zzar.
01.2619.99
My third trip to Castle Grayskull turned out to be the most fortuitous one yet. I have learned much from that devious witch Zzar.
The guardian of Castle Grayskull was very happy to see me stating that she had been expecting my return. I had nothing to say to this, not caring that my presence pleased her; I only wanted answers. But I was polite and reserved, after all, I was on her territory seeking knowledge, it would be unwise to be uncouth and displease her.
After the pleasantries we dispensed, I told Zzar of my new desires and the problems I have been having meeting the demands of my flesh. She was most intrigued by what I had to tell her, it seemed that she had no specific designs for leading me towards using the Shlihm-bess’a-rune . I knew then that I was nothing but an interesting experiment for her, something to do to pass the time.
I would make her pay for that.
Zzar made me wait outside her sanctum as she delved into the secrets of Castle Grayskull, looking for the answers I needed. She was very jealous of the wealth of knowledge she hoarded; I knew then I must find a way to gain access to what she guarded. But that would be later when the opportunity revealed itself.
I waited a day and a night for Zzar. Finally, she came to me with the enlightenment I sought.
Zzar said I could use the prime ability of Zhe-La, the Light, to harvest empathy from others. She said I could do this by using a dark spell she had been studying for the past century. This dark magic would enable me to reverse The Light, to create a Null-Light—it was pure genius, I had to admit. She said that with time, I could learn to drain others around me, without fully emptying them. I could feed on those around me, multiple sources of sustenance at one, and when I left, they would return to normal over time.
It was then I had my grandest idea to date; who in the universe had the largest quantity of empathy to feed on? Second to the Madgēcots, it is the Nephraeh, my people.
The Nephraeh are half-magical as everyone knows, but what people don’t know is the powerful connection between Zhe-La and the Nephraeh. Every champion has some form of connection with their planet and the people of the planet, but Zhe-La’s bond with the Nephraeh is strong. Once I have gained mastery over this spell, I could use this connection, like a siphon upon the collective souls of the Nephraeh. I would then have limitless sustenance for as long as I needed it.
Zzar gave me an abbreviation of this spell, for she was loathed to give me it in its entirety. This was very curious to me and piqued my interest but Zzar became very agitated after I asked about the true nature of this spell. I realized my question had terrified her but seemed eager to share some aspect of what I asked; she seemed desperate to seek someone to help her bear the terrible knowledge she held. Zzar was intractable in the end—the stubborn woman. It was then I turned to a persuasion of the more physical kind.
I would not say I seduced Zzar, more like I allowed her to think she seduced me. Zzar may seem like a cruel and cold person to those who know her, but she was still a living being. She still had some form of desire that needed to be fulfilled and the need to feel the comfort of another living being. I must admit that even though I care not for others, I still care for myself. I too still desire this, although I do not care how I get it. Or who I hurt in doing so.
After our mutual lust was satisfied, Zzar finally relented and shared a small morsel of information with me. She said that she referred to the spell as The Apogean Ritual and that it was her ultimate desire. Zzar said that just as I had ascended to another level, she too sought advancement in the most profound way. She said this spell could achieve this for her, but many aspects of it were occluded. Zzar would not go into any further details on the matter, but I believe I had the answer I sought.
Zzar was right about one thing; I had ascended to another level. But I would not stop there. I wanted more and it was just a matter of time before I got it.
01.2702.99
Much has transpired since my last entry, and I believe I now know my purpose—or at least a path forward in this seemingly meaningless existence. Zzar and I have formulated a plan that will transform this entire galaxy. But first, I should mention how I have made harvesting empathy easier and less fraught with danger for myself.
Using the knowledge gleaned from Zzar’s mysterious spell, I can fully harness my unique nature and the power of Zhe-La to draw small bits of empathy from Nephraeh everywhere at once. The amount of emotion I borrow from my people is barely perceptible, but I believe that will change over time as my thirst increases. I’m sure that the Nephraeh losing their empathy would be cause for alarm and draw unnecessary attention. For now, though, this situation works, and I will face that problem when it arises.
Being fed slowly and continuously is a strange sensation and not as thrilling as feeding directly from a victim. Perhaps, from time to time, I will give into this desire—just for fun. But most of my nourishment will be received in this sterile way; it is much safer for me. I am very fortunate to have my connection to Zhe-La, and by proxy, my connection to the Nephraeh. I don’t know what I would do without it, but I’m sure I would figure something out.
Since stabilizing the situation with my need for sustenance, I could turn my attention to my other problem—Jihan. Killing him outright would be a mistake and too messy; instead, I have been slowly sabotaging our relationship. When he needs me, I am distant and withdrawn. When something positive happens, I find a way to paint it in a negative light. I have also started withholding affection and only giving it in a transactional way—which is to say, when Jihan does what I want, he gets to make love to me. This is now easy for me to do since I am currently seeking others to satisfy my physical desires, including that witch Zzar. Believe it or not, she and I have become quite the pair… but I’m getting ahead of myself.
Even after striving to push him away, Jihan will not relent and give up on me. I do not understand it, and it is a cause for much frustration. No matter, I will only need to increase my attempts. Perhaps I will even allow him a peek behind my mask; let him see the new me. That will change his mind, I’m sure.
In the meantime, I have been making a few trips to Castle Grayskull when time allows. This has become much easier with the recent invention of portal technology; instead of having to travel great distances via spacecraft, one simply finds the local interdimensional portal, instantly transporting to another planet. Granted, this would make my feedings easier, but I believe that would be a backward step for me. I am on the best path forward.
I digress…
The time spent with Zzar has become so intoxicating, not because of her wit, charm, beauty, or sexual talents, but what she represents to me.
Power.
Zzar is the key to unlocking the limitless potential found beneath Castle Grayskull; I’m not just talking about the Abominable Powers but other lesser-known secrets. The rare moments Zzar speaks of this Apogean Ritual, the more enticing it sounds to me. She is obsessed with mastering this spell, and I think I know why. Once completed, I believe the Apogean Ritual grants the caster of this spell limitless power and immortality—in effect, becoming a god.
But I am still playing the long game on this, still biding my time and waiting for the right moment to learn this spell. Zzar is very cagy, and I don’t believe she believes my facade of not appearing interested in the Apogean Ritual. Why would she be? Anyone would want to become a god if the opportunity presented itself.
Besides her fear of using this spell, I know one aspect of the Apogean Ritual keeps Zzar from casting it; it’s transcribed onto an ancient crystal data cube via an advanced cryptograph. The other day I had the chance to peak over Zzar’s shoulder as she went through her laborious process of translating the spell. From the glance I got, it appeared the cryptograph is based on a variation of Nephraeh language that was spoken when we first arrived on this dimensional plane—Sera’Phael-im. I have not mentioned this to Zzar and decided to bide my time once again. While I wait for this opportunity, I decided to learn this archaic language and use it when the time was right.
I should now speak of the grand plan Zzar and I have been developing to help transform our Great Intergalactic Society into something more pliable, something that could be more easily influenced by a person with more vision. The way it is now is too chaotic and directionless, too fixated on trivial ideas such as fairness and love. People are allowed to govern their own lives and waste them in their stunted view of what happiness means to them. When they die, only memories are left, nothing of any substance—no great works.
The billions and billions of lives that encompass this Society should be used for more than that. They need to be harnessed and made to do what those with an actual purpose in this reality want—these superior beings of vision I speak of are, of course, Zzzar and I.
Well… for the time being, it’s the two of us. I can’t imagine either of us sharing power for very long.
Zzar and I have a better plan for our universe, but it will take time. We must work slowly and carefully, each of us slowly accumulating influence so that we can manipulate events to mold society to our perfect vision. This grand new society can have only one form, one structure, and one common purpose.
It will be an Empire.
This is a daunting task and may take many years, hundreds, even—
01.2755.99
I believe I have made a huge discovery and just found the key to creating the Empire that Zzar and I envision for the galaxy. That key is non-other than Mazdak Zeno—genius scientist, inventor, and last living member of his race.
I was tasked with visiting Mazdak Zeno on his mausoleum planet of Hourdwold-1 by the League of Kalosyni. It was mostly a formal gesture by the people of the galaxy to check up on the poorest of poor souls, a man who had lost everything and worked tirelessly by himself to better the lives of others. Why they chose me for this task—I could only guess. Perhaps they felt that by seeing the beauty and radiance of the Nephraeh Champion,Mazdak Zeno could be convinced to leave his planet and join the living instead of residing with ghosts. But upon seeing the planet and what Mazdak Zeno had built there, I developed different plans for him.
As I approached Hourdwold-1 from space, I could see the massive, automated shipyard surrounding the word like a silver ring. There, Millions of ships were constructed simultaneously for the different societies of the galaxy. What they would end up using them for, I did not know. Perhaps foolish frivolities such as leisure or something as mundane as mass transport. I think those ideas are redundant and pointless with the mass use of portals, but such is the waste of our glorious intergalactic society.
I saw a different use for those shipyards, to manufacture a different kind of ship; warships that our future Empire could use to dominate those who would not fall into line. Mazdak Zeno could quickly fabricate a fleet for me in secret if only I could convince him.
As I entered the atmosphere of Hourdwold-1 and descended towards the place Mazdak Zeno resided, I saw evidence of a once-great society now repurposed for a new task. Vast roads and avenues had been turned into conveyor systems for fabrication material. Villages had been turned into storage yards, towns into sorting areas, and the cities for where the assembly took place. The whole of the planet had been turned into one big factory. Everything was constantly in motion, but there was no life, only Mazdak Zeno’s white robots standing in for his dead people. What I saw was the perfect representation of what I wanted for the galaxy—forward progression out of the bones of a once useless society. It was beautiful and wonderous.
I no longer deemed this trip a nuisance task and now was eager to meet the mastermind behind this planet of possibilities. I landed my ship outside his residence; it was a massive building built into the side of a mountain far from what had once been civilization. It was new construction, made after the fall of his people, and did not appear to be built with an eye for homey aesthetics or manufacture. It seemed to me like a hospital—or laboratory.
A figure wearing a white smock and pants approached my ship from the building, and I got my first close-up view of Mazdak Zeno.
I was not impressed.
Mazdak Zeno was a diminutive and shy man. He greeted me without having the nerve to look me in the eyes or the boldness to try and touch me in whatever form of greeting he was accustomed to. I played the part of the friendly and compassionate Nephraeh, taking the meek Mazdak Zeno into my arms for a warm hug. After releasing the sputtering man from my embrace, I took a closer look at him, trying to see the greatness I had seen in his work.
His species had not been known for their attractiveness; like the Nephraeh, they had white skin, white hair, and pointed ears. But where the Nephraeh’s white skin and hair were lustrous, Mazdak Zeno’s was dull and pasty. Our ears are long and elegant, whereas his people’s were ragged-edged and appeared like the wings of some fleshy flying creature. I finally got a look at his eyes when he glanced furtively up at me; they were an emerald green color and slitted like a lizard’s. I hid my disgust well and did not allow him to see how much I loathed to look upon him.
Mazdak Zeno brought me into the facility where he resided, and I saw at once my earlier assertion that this was a place of scientific research was correct. But this was not just any laboratory; it was a fane to the practice of genetics. I was taken past rows upon rows of glass cylinders, each housing a member of Mazdak Zeno’s species in varying stages of growth. As he accompanied me, Mazdak Zeno explained that everything I had seen, from the automated shipyard to the planet-wide manufacturing plant, was simply a means to an end. I was now looking at his real endeavor—to revive his dead race through science.
I decided then I was completely wrong about this man; he was not looking boldly towards the future but stagnating in the past. Mazdak Zeno had great potential and could do amazing things; he just needed the right muse.
I think I will be staying here for a while.
01.2793.99
Things are not proceeding with my little project as smoothly as I would have liked.
Mazdak Zeno was delighted when I told him I would be staying with him—the ugly little man is quite smitten with me. I used this opportunity to insert myself into his day-to-day life and take an interest in his research. I will say here that this interest was not feigned; I was fascinated to learn what he knew about genetics. He was a true master in the field, and this was an opportunity for me to absorb something not many in the universe knew anything about.
I learned that Mazdak Zeno’s work had been stymied for a long time. He had no problem creating clones of himself, but to create a brand-new person was beyond his capabilities. He just could not breach that barrier, and it was vexing him to no end. I saw his problem then; he was so focused on the science of his task that he overlooked what was plain. He needed to harness another resource in order to achieve what he wanted—he needed magic.
Mazdak Zeno rejected this out of hand, saying that he would never involve magic in his great work. I got the feeling he had a phobia or hatred of magic that must be connected to what happened to his people. I found this odd; he seemed to have no problem having me around, and I am half magical.
Mazdak Zeno’s hypocrisy aside, I suggested a different course. Why not proceed with making clones of himself and just populate his world with those? From what we know of telepathy, he could create many clones with the telepathic gene woven into their genetics. Then, he could make a master clone body for himself and transfer his consciousness to it, thus being able to control the many clones.
I was rather pleased with my suggestion, but Mazdak Zeno was absolutely horrified. It was then I realized that I had let my ‘mask’ slip a little too far and simply retracted my statement as a joke in bad taste. Mazdak Zeno seemed to accept this and was put at ease.
The little fool simply had no idea who he was keeping company with.
01.2806.99
I have given up on Mazdak Zeno and have just left Hourdwold-1, but what I have left behind may bear wondrous fruit in the future.
After my ill-thought-out suggestion regarding his genetics research, I decided to switch my focus to the other potentials. I often broached the subject of turning his facilities towards more martial means, but I hit the same wall every time. Mazdak Zeno was a pacifist who refused to create anything resembling a weapon. He said he wanted to be responsible for creating life and not death.
What rubbish!
He held his ground on this subject even after I attempted to persuade him by saying he was protecting lives by building weapons. He didn’t want to hear it and said I was twisting the facts. I was surprised to realize that Mazdak Zeno was starting to become annoyed by my presence, and he seemed to want me elsewhere.
I couldn’t believe it!
I decided then and there to play my last card, even though I was absolutely loathed to do so, and I attempted to seduce Mazdak Zeno. But what I failed to conceive of ended up happening, and my entire reality almost came crashing down when Mazdak Zeno rebuffed my advances.
I was utterly dumbfounded.
This little creature, who should be honored to be even in the presence of a Nephraeh, let alone the Nephraeh Champion, turned me down!
His ridiculous reasons for being faithful to his long-dead wife were ludicrous! I was completely offended and enraged by his idiot excuses that my disguise of beneficent Nephraeh fell, and Mazdak Zeno got to see the real Kishar. I’m not sure what happened next, but I think I tried to kill him. This might have been the case if not for the many robots he summoned to his defense.
After smashing what seemed like an endless supply of robots in my Zhe-La form, I finally got close enough to Mazdak Zeno to seize him. He cursed and spat at me, calling me names such as ‘betrayer’ and ‘bearer of False Light.” I ignored these foolish insults and was now calm enough to see a reason not to kill Mazdak Zeno. I had a better idea—which I should have done right from the start. I summoned my fangs and drained Mazdak Zeno of his empathy completely.
Oh my! He tasted so good! His compassion was a rare delicacy that had been allowed to soak in the sweet juices of despair and false hope. I savored it immensely, and I fled when I was done feasting upon him.
As I write these words aboard my ship, I wonder; what have I wrought? Will Mazdak Zeno awaken and simply go back to his pointless works? Or will he have a new goal in mind? Only time will tell, but I think I will look forward to seeing what Mazdak Zeno becomes.
01.2881.99
I do not have much time to spend on this journal, for much is happening now. I feel like we are entering a momentous period in history, and I must be ready to take advantage of opportunities as they arise. My journal entries will only document events of great importance, and I will come back later and fill in the details.
Something occurred recently which makes me feel like we are living at the end of our so-called ‘Golden Age’ and entering an age of more relevance.
It seems my time with Mazdak Zeno has borne fruit and has not been a complete waste. I just received news that he has revealed himself to the universe at the head of a mighty fleet. He has stated that he is the rightful Emperor of the Galaxy, and it is his duty to spread his ‘Light.’ He has also completely reinvented himself with a new cloned body and name; from the images I have, his new body is huge, about as tall as my Zhe-La form, and quite attractive. I wish he were in this new body when I had attempted to seduce him; perhaps I wouldn’t have given up so easily.
As for his new name, he calls himself Horde Prime, and the reason for this is obvious. Mazdak Zeno—or Horde Prime—has abandoned his disdain for making mindless clones of himself and created an entire army of them. He has also stolen my idea for telepathically controlling them—but I will let him have that free of charge—for he has created an opportunity for Zzar and I.
In the meantime, diplomats have been sent to Horde Prime with the hope of finding a peaceful resolution to this dispute. So far, he has not made any moves to threaten star systems neighboring Hourdwold-1, but I doubt that will last.
01.2893.99
Several systems have left our Intergalactic Society and have united under Horde Prime. It seems they have done this not out of fear of his mighty fleet and army of clones but to join with his ‘Light.’ From what I understand, Horde Prime’s ‘Light’ represents total order with no regard for the individual. It is absolute submission to the will of the one who, in this case, is Horde Prime. It seems that after many centuries of living under no direction, the hardline order of Horde Prime’s rule appeals to some people.
It is a simplistic ideal, and I admire its directness, but I see no future in it. You will need more than laws and direct force to keep a population in line.
The systems that did not find immediate appeal in Horde Prime’s Light have been driven to absolute fear of having their freedom taken away. Not since The Dark Times has this much terror coursed through the galaxy, and my lovely Zzar has wasted no time in using it to her advantage. She has been using her influence as Keeper of Secrets to rally everyone—stating that only together can we fight Horde Prime’s tyranny. She has presented plans for forming our disparate societies into one—an Empire.
So far, not one person objects to this idea. Everyone is too afraid of Horde Prime.
01.2930.99
We are now formally an Empire, centered around Eternia as the Capital with the other magical Prime Planets as fiefdoms. Each Champion has also taken on titles of importance on their respective planet; Adam was already royalty, so being called Prince is no change for him. Jihan is now called ‘Mahat,’ and She-Ra is called ‘Princess.’ My people are calling me ‘Archon’ now, and I have become quite taken with the title.
Archon Kishar.
01.2949.99
It has recently been discovered that Horde Prime has been sending agents amongst our Empire to sow discord and undermine the fabric of our society. He has been abducting people of influence and using unknown technology to control their minds and do his bidding.
I’m astounded by the pure genius of the man. Even if his agents had failed in their tasks, he has sown distrust amongst the people of the Empire. No one knows whether their neighbor is an agent of Horde Prime.
Zzar seized on this and managed to point this suspicion to the Champions that protect the Empire. Zzar has argued that shackles must be placed on each Champion, binding their Avatar power to the Empire forever. There have been arguments against doing this, mainly from Astra, the Bearer of She-Ra, but most people are listening to Zzar blindly.
This is all according to our plan—of course—for Zzar has shown me how she would join each Champion Avatar to a Power Sword using a mix of magic and archaic technology from before the Dark Times. The Power Sword binding Zhe-La will, of course, be a fake; I have no intention of ever being bound.
01.3050.99
The time has come; Horde Prime declared war against the entire galaxy. He has unleashed his fleet upon the systems closest to his—the ones that have not already joined him—and completely smashed any defense they have attempted. Everyone is utterly numb with terror; there has never been any need for a grand fleet or standing army since the Dark Times, and no one is prepared for this onslaught.
Before he rebelled, Mazdak Zeno had shared designs for a large-scale starship that he has since modified into a warship. The Empire is using these designs to create a warship similar to his and has just begun mass-producing them. But many fear it is too late; Horde Prime’s ships vastly outnumber the Empire’s, and his designs are far superior.
01.3090.99
The war goes very poorly for the Empire. Horde Prime has proven himself to not only be a genius in science but military tactics as well. Systems have been falling one by one, and the forces of the Empire are dwindling. Many Champions of Grayskull have perished, and their Power Swords passed to new, untested bearers.
Zzar has come to me recently. She fears Horde Prime will destroy the Empire we worked and schemed so hard for and blames me for creating him.
I enjoyed seeing the fear in Zzar’s eyes, and I decided to use that to my advantage. I asked her about the Apogean Ritualand whether it could help us. I told her that I suspected her secret spell could grant us the power to destroy Horde Prime out of hand and rule the galaxy as we saw fit.
Instead of denying this, Zzar asked me to help her decipher the last portion of the spell, the part in the ancient language of my people. She said that we could both ascend to godhood together and escape the inevitable doom of the Empire.
I now have a copy of the Apogean Ritual on a data cube and am heading to The Temple of Light on Empyrea to decipher it.
01.3095.99
I gained access to The Temple of Light’s library and found the codex to translate the archaic language of Sera’Phael-im. After that, it did not take long to learn the last portion of the Apogean Ritual.
Although the spells and incantations are complex, it is a straightforward ritual when you think about it. It is basically like starting a fire; you need a source of fuel and an ignition source. The fuel is a sacrifice; one person or many, it does not matter. What does matter is how the sacrifice is achieved—that determines the quality of the fuel. If the sacrifice is someone you don’t know, then the quality is low. If it is someone who trusts you or even loves you, well, that is fine fuel indeed.
The ignition is a source of immense power. What that is could be anything, as long as it is great. The only caveat is this source of power cannot be tied to your person, for it would be disastrous to the caster of the Apogean Ritual.
I am laughing to myself as I write this, for I believe I have found a way to get Zzar back for using me as her plaything. I think I will give her this entire spell with that bit of detail left out, and she will use the Life Gem she is bound to as the ignition source for the spell. Just as she gave me the Shlihm-bess’a-rune to see what it would do to me, I will provide her with this broken version of the Apogean Ritual.
I wonder what will happen to my dear Zzar?
01.3100.99
What I have been dreading has finally happened; Jihan has learned the truth about me. It was my fault, really; I had become complacent and careless by leaving this journal out. Jihan would typically never violate my privacy in this way, but he has been so worried that he could not help but peek behind the curtain of my outer façade. I can imagine that Jihan got way more than he bargained for as he read of my secret desires and plans for galactic domination with Zzar.
Instead of going straight to the League of Kalosyni with my journal, Jihan foolishly decided to confront me. I just don’t understand his thinking. Didn’t he just read about how I no longer have compassion?
Jihan said he wanted to help me, that he could use the power of Sher-Va to reconnect me with my lost empathy. As he spoke these words, I realized that he might be right; the prime ability of Sher-Va could help me regain my empathy. I don’t know what I did not think of that before.
At that moment, I decided that perhaps now was the time to kill Jihan; not only did he know of my secret, but he could also strip me of my freedom. I ascended to my Zhe-La form and attacked Jihan, but before I could strike him down, he took on his Champion form. For the first time ever, Zhe-La and Sher-Va fought as enemies.
Jihan and I were not evenly matched; I found that I now had three advantages over him that he did not have. One, I no longer had any empathy and truly wanted to kill him. I don’t believe he felt the same, having only just learned of what I had become. Second, my Zhe-La power was not shackled to a Power Sword; it was still raw and potent. Third, my new ability to feed by twisting The Light of Zhe-La. He was not prepared for the sudden draining of his empathy and was overcome; it was a simple task to kill him.
I felt the power of Zhe-La betray me then; it attempted to break its bond to me as I tried to sink my sword in my ex-lover’s heart. But I seized the power of Zhe-La with my will alone, making it remain connected to me.
Jihan had seen my struggle, probably mistaking it for inner turmoil, and had used that opportunity to escape. I am sure he has fled directly to the League of Kalosyni and will try to capture me with backup from a member bearing a Staff of Power. There are not many to choose from since two have fallen in this war with Horde Prime. Zzar will, of course, not side with him, and her sister, Razz, has disappeared. There is Mnum’Hra, Bearer of the Kinetic Krystal, Janus, Bearer of the Orb of Entropy, and Dinala Katan, Bearer of the Void Gem. Any one of these members, combined with Sher-Za, could defeat me.
I must flee.
01.3112.99
The Empire is crumbling; everything is in chaos now as Horde Prime closes in on Eternia. I have not heard from Zzar since I transmitted the complete Apogean Ritual to her. I am sure she is busy with her own struggles as Eternia readies itself for a final stand. From my understanding of her situation, she has that fool Adam wrapped around her finger. I’m sure she will connive him to help her perform the ritual; I’m just sorry I won’t be there to see it when it blows up in her face.
01.3117.99
Jihan has made his first attempt to capture me on Omiros, and he indeed has help. Dinala Katan, Bearer of the Void Gem, was with him, and I barely managed to escape. The Void Gem is quite ferocious in combat, and I believe Dinala was trying to kill instead of capture. The only reason I got away was that Jihan turned on her, trying to stop her from destroying me, and I slipped away as they fought.
I think it’s time for me to turn to the Apogean Ritual, and I believe I know the place to perform it. There is a Nephraeh temple nearby, one of many set up as a shrine to The Light—the Light of love and compassion, not ‘The Light’ Horde Prime speaks of. It is a place of weakness and sanctuary for those who are in need.
I believe that I am very much in need.
01.3122.99
Just as I expected, the Nephraeh here at this temple welcomed me with open arms. There are many here, perhaps around twenty, and they have promised to help me defend this place from anyone who attempts to do harm here. I have even told them I am pursued by a Champion and member of the League of Kalosyni who have betrayed the Empire. In this time of turmoil, it was easy for them to accept this lie as truth.
There are others here, refugees from the war, looking to the Nephraeh for sanctuary. They are gathered down below in the chamber dedicated to Zhe-La, and they are overjoyed that Zhe-La themself is there to protect them.
I believe I have found my fuel.
My people, plus the refugees, will make the perfect sacrifice. Hopefully, the betrayal I inflict is enough to grant me ascension. I just have to wait for the spark to arrive; I could not have asked for a more ideal situation. Jihan and Dinala will give me the perfect gift.
They will make me a god.
*End of Entries*