NOVEL NEXT Chapter 1: A New Beginning
Somewhere in a Land Far, Far Away
"Is it done?" A tall man in regal clothing asked, his voice tinged with anxiety.
"It's done," replied a wise old man, seated on a golden throne, his face solemn.
"Was it the only way? Will it even work?" The tall man's worry was evident, his tone betraying the weight of their decision.
"It's our only hope, Ares," the old man sighed deeply, the lines on his face etched with the burden of foreknowledge. "We will not survive this battle. Mount Olympus will fall, and Atlantis will soon follow. Our time here has come to an end. This land is doomed for destruction. The magic of this earth, our very essence, is dying."
"Can nothing be done? Surely, there must be another way out of this," Ares pleaded, desperation creeping into his voice.
"Are you fearing death?" Zeus's voice boomed, crackling with raw power. Lightning danced across his skin, his very presence vibrating with energy. "The God of War, afraid? Afraid of death?" His menacing laughter reverberated through the room, causing the ground to tremble underfoot.
"Tonight, you will either live as a coward or die as a god!" Zeus thundered, his eyes blazing with unyielding resolve. "Assemble everyone!" he commanded. Ares left swiftly, his hands trembling as the weight of the impending battle bore down on him.
Soon, all the gods gathered in the throne room, their faces a mix of dread and determination.
Zeus surveyed them, his expression grave. "Gods of Olympus, gather and listen, for this is the hour of reckoning!
Our world is being drained of its life force and magic, swallowed by an enemy that seeks to plunge all existence into eternal darkness. They consume the very essence of creation, threatening to erase everything we have built.
But we will not surrender. We are the gods who forged the cosmos and nurtured life. Our power and unity are the last bastion against this encroaching void.
Stand with me, my divine kin, as we unleash our wrath upon these wretched Ice Demons. Let our might roar like thunder, and our fury blaze like the sun. Let us remind them who we are!
Tonight, we fight not just for our survival but for the very earth that gave us life, for the essence of magic, and for life itself."
Raising his hand, a thunderbolt materialized in Zeus's grip, crackling with electric power. "Raise your heads high and let this battle be our testament to the eternal strength of Olympus. For life! For magic! For the gods of Olympus—let us emerge victorious and restore the light!"
"For the lives breathing now!" Zeus roared, his voice reverberating through the throne room as thunder crackled around him.
"For the lives in the ages to come!" The gods echoed, their voices a unified thunder as they marched toward their destiny, faces marked not with fear but with determination and an unshakable belief in the coming dawn.
Somewhere in an Unplottable Land near England
January 24th, 1945
The Rusty Manor
WYAAAH OWHOOYAAAH OWAAYAAhh
A little boy cried out, his voice filled with childish frustration.
"Stop making those weird sounds. You are not a baby anymore," a woman's voice called out, firm yet gentle, as she approached the child's bedroom.
The door creaked open to reveal a stunningly beautiful woman with flowing golden hair that shimmered like sunlight. She moved with an ethereal grace, her every step light and purposeful. Her violet eyes sparkled with warmth, framed by porcelain skin that seemed almost too perfect. She sat down on the edge of the bed, her serene smile radiating pure, maternal love.
"Are you excited?" she asked, her voice soft and melodic. "Today, you shall receive all the magical gifts from both families. Your father even said that tonight, they might name you heir to both houses."
The boy, his face alight with curiosity, looked up at her. "Who will be here today, Mother?"
"Everyone!" she replied with a twinkle in her eye. "In all of history, this has never happened. All members of both houses will be here, even all the vassal houses and their members."
"It's going to be such a hassle to manage all that," she sighed, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Thankfully, the house-elves and maids are here to help."
"Will Grandpa Corny be there?" the boy asked, his excitement bubbling over.
"Yes, he's coming. And don't call him that!" she scolded, though her tone held no real anger.
The boy giggled at his mother's reaction, his violet eyes sparkling with a maturity and understanding far beyond his years.
"Joanna, Joanna," called a deep voice from the doorway.
"There you are," said a tall, muscular man as he stepped into the room, his presence commanding yet comforting.
"What are you two up to now? Planning another prank to play on me, huh?" he grumbled, though the corners of his mouth twitched with amusement.
His remark was met with laughter from both his wife and son.
In a more serious tone, the man asked, "Heard you were calling for me. What's the matter?"
"I have news for both of you. Sit down, Markus," Joanna said with a mischievous smile, her eyes dancing with secret delight.
With a long, suspenseful pause that felt like an eternity, she finally revealed, "Aryan is going to become a big brother!"
For a moment, the room was silent. Then, suddenly, Markus's face lit up with joy. He stood up, grabbed Joanna, and lifted her into the air, twirling her around in excitement.
Laughter filled the room as Joanna cried out for him to put her down.
After a few dizzying spins, Markus reluctantly set her back on her feet, still grinning from ear to ear. He turned to his almost Five-year-old son, his eyes softening with love.
"Joe, he's giving me that look again," Markus said, glancing at his wife.
"What look?" she asked, a smile playing on her lips.
"'The look'—like I've hurt his precious mother or something," Markus replied, chuckling.
Joanna laughed as she sat beside Aryan on the bed. "Are you not happy? You'll have a little brother or sister to play with."
"But I don't want to share my mother," Aryan replied with a mock-hurt expression, his eyes gleaming with playful defiance.
"You won't have to share me. I'll spend time with you equally, love you equally, and even play with you equally," Joanna promised, her voice filled with earnest sincerity. She launched into a passionate rant about how she would divide her time and love between her children, her words flowing in a torrent of maternal devotion.
Somewhere in the middle of her tirade, both Markus and Aryan burst out laughing, their amusement bubbling over at her worried tone.
Realizing she had been caught up in their prank, Joanna's cheeks puffed up in mock anger. "You will be punished for this!" she declared, chasing after the father-son duo as they scrambled to escape her wrath.
"We're sorry!" came the desperate replies from the two escapees as they darted around the room, their laughter echoing through the halls.
After a while, all three were back on the bed, sitting side by side, exhausted but with wide smiles on their faces.
A little later, Markus received a message from a house-elf that it was time.
He stood up proudly, looking down at his son. "Are you ready, Aryan? To be named Aryan Markus Stark, the heir to the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Stark and the only heir to the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Lannister?"
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hello there!
my very first creation, feel free to give out advice in the comments.
english in not my native language so cut some slack here, otherwise i am open to criticism.