War of the Races

Chapter 01- The Artifact

In the near future-

The world is no longer the simple human world we once had. Of course, in reality the world was never simple, but now, it is infinitely more complicated. How is it more complicated? Well to explain the future I have to tell you about the past...

Have you ever heard of the 'Flood'?

You know the biblical catastrophe...

Yeah, that happened, but there is so much more to that story, which coincidentally was mostly wiped out except for one source. So, how is this relevant?

Just this, all the races of mankind share a common ancestor, but anyone that has gone to Sunday School knows this. What most people don't know is that there used to be so much more diversity to humankind than there is now. For instance the Alfari, known by most as elves. The Dvergr, the surly Dwarves of fantasy. The Jotunn, the enigmatic giants, and even the Asgardians and Vanir, they all really existed and many more.

In that first Age of Mankind they were known as the Patriarchs, but after the Fallen's arrival they began separating their families by tribe. Once segregated they established small kingdoms, and to organize their efforts and to try and prevent skirmishes a Council of the Races was created. However, the Fallen from heaven quickly corrupted the Council with promises of forbidden magics, knowledge of science, and in the span of two-hundred years humanity lept from the Stone Age to a Golden Age.

Some rejected the Fallen and the temptation of their magic and science, but not enough.

It was truly an Age of Wonders, but also, it became an Age of Violence.

By the time the Fallen began openly manipulating the Races, they were too blinded by their own greed to see that they were being manipulated against each other into waging wars on a scale never before seen. Those who weren't killed by the wars soon succumbed to the rampant lawlessness while millions more died by famine or pestilence. Amid the turmoil, the Fallen began bio-engineering new hybrid-Races able to reproduce at astonishing rates, based on human and animal mixtures combined with their own supernatural genetics, and forced together by magic and science with one goal in mind. Fight their way into the Garden and seize the fruit from the Tree of Life. In the end, war consumed everything and everyone, until a Great Cataclysm was prophesied to come and wipe away everything.

The Council of the Races then switched gears and threw all of their newly acquired knowledge of science and magic into creating a way to escape. No one knew if they ever achieved their goal. Then a little over a hundred years ago a discovery was made under the Sphinx in Egypt. A hidden room, and very soon after the authorities were called. An investigation was done, and coincidentally the archaeology team was assassinated soon after. The room was once again hidden, and ever since only one government agency has ever seen or had access to the room and the 'Artifact' inside. That is, until someone somehow leaked the 'Artifact's' blueprints to several newspapers, science magazines, and conspiracy newsletters.

The blueprints of a science-fiction 'Gateway' combined with a D&D fantasy 'Portal' possibly built by aliens with many panels covered in complex hieroglyphics, while others seemed to be runes, and then there was a strange sanskrit that matched no known language on earth, and yet, seemed eerily familiar. Pandora's box was open, and the Agency disappeared into the ether while subtly insinuating that the 'Artifact' was nothing but a hoax, urban myth, and conspiracy. However, to some scientists the 'Artifact' became an intriguing topic of what if, and brought together mathematicians, physicists, astronomers, linguists, archeologists, and even other scientists of less repute. When no one could figure out how to make it work, it quickly lost its popularity and became a topic of scorn as an impossible puzzle and a waste of time.

It wasn't until years later when a D&D game master researching for a campaign for his club came across his fathers notes and schematics of the 'Artifact' that he decided to create a new computer based D&D RPG centered around the 'Artifact' as the portal to another realm, and then something for the first time in more than four thousand years...happened!

The game was called 'Dimension', or so it was when I was alpha testing it...

——(!)——

More than 30 years previous -

December 12, 1989-

I still remember that fateful day so many years ago, waiting for my IBM 80/486 to load and the DOS prompt to appear. I sat there in eager anticipation and soon was typing 'Dimension.exe' in the command line. While the game was loading I went and poured myself some coffee and ordered a pizza from Pizza Hut. When I returned to my computer, there it was, the login screen!

A magical rune inscribed gateway to another world on a simple black background...

Mousing over, I double clicked the 'Gate' and was presented with my first major decisions. My new character creation...

With great diligence I made my selections...

What Dimension would you like to visit? There were seven options available, all of which were question marks, and the eighth option was (Random). Since I had no idea what the question marked locations were I chose (Random).

What Sex would you like to be? There were only two options; (Male) or (Female), and I, of course, chose (Male).

Your Race will depend on your Dimension. Would you like to choose your Race? Oddly there were over a thousand question marks for this answer, but only two choices were highlighted that I could choose from, (Human) or (Random), and so, I chose (Random).

From this point on you may choose a Class and Profession. However upon choosing the (Random) option, there is a slight chance that a Class can be upgraded to an elite class or have an added Sub-class. The same is true for Professions. Would you like to choose your Class and Professions. Given the opportunity to possibly be upgraded, I went with (Random).

What would you like to name your Avatar? This one took me a little while to think about, but in the end I chose (Viridian).

Once my character choices were made, it was with great expectation that I hit the (Launch) button. The computer CPU fan revved up, the runes and hieroglyphs began to glow and dance across the surface of the Gate, and when the runes stopped moving a swirling rainbow of color filled the space inside the Gate...then, everything went black... *fn-A1

——(!)——

Bauda bum...

Bauda bum...

It felt like I didn't have eyes to open anymore, but at the same time I was aware that wherever I was, it was completely dark. I felt warm too, not too hot and not too cold. The most uncomfortable thing was even though I couldn't see anyone, I felt pressed in on from all sides.

Bauda bum...

Bauda bum...

I could hear, almost feel a constant low drum beat. It never stopped. It was always present. Sometimes it would race really fast, but most of the time it was steady. It sounded so familiar, and I knew I should know it, but for the life of me I couldn't remember.

Bauda bum..Bauda bum..Bauda bum..., The drum beat was racing so hard! I was starting to feel a little worried that it was going to break.

All of a sudden I was being propelled forward. I didn't know where, everything was still completely pitchblack, but I was definitely moving forward even with the incredible press of other bodies all around me. I was moving at a crazy speed, flying somewhere so fast I was beginning to panic about the impact when I finally arrived wherever I was going. Suddenly, the press of bodies all around me was gone. I was flying free. The black void that all I was able to see lightened to a dark burgundy and then everything was black again.

I flew for what seemed like hours with nothing to see but darkness.

I felt like I was on the plane ride from hell, there was nothing to do, nothing to see, just darkness. I had long ago lost track of time, wherever this was it had no meaning here.

The first change in my surroundings was smell. I didn't notice it at first, but when I did I recognized it immediately. It smelled like fresh snow on a cold winter day, it smelled like freshly baked sugar cookies, licorice and lavender, and it smelled like spring rain.

Instinctively I turned toward the smell.

How long I flew, I had no idea, it could have been forever or seconds, but I had nowhere else to go so I might as well keep going toward whatever smelled so good. At some point the next change was that I started hearing music. A wonderful almost celestial sound that invitgerated and rejuvenated me. In a surge of energy I flew faster than ever. Wherever I was going, whatever smelled and sounded so good, I was headed towards it as fast as I could fly.

The darkness spread out before me in an unending vastness, and then at some point there was a tiny pinprick of light. As time passed the pinprick steadily grew and I sighed in relief. Finally, I was finding my way out!

The pinprick grew into a small glowing ball of light, and as I got closer the smell that I had smelled, and the music I had been hearing for so long were getting stronger and louder. I was in a frenzied panic to have finally arrived at this new...something...and as I got closer it was a giant blue planet!

Excited to have arrived I didn't slow down, I was a hurtling meteor flying at supersonic speeds when I hit the atmosphere!

I was burning up...

I could feel my body burning away...

There was so much resistance, whatever I was in, it was flying apart...

As I broke through the atmosphere I was ejected from the vehicle and continued plummeting...

There was a vast glowing blue sky. I had no idea where I was going, but wherever it was it was very very fast. I was sure this was a planet.

This was a classic 'Gamer summoned to Another World' story, and now here I was hurtling towards my new planet filled with big breasted neko and fantasy elf and dwarf girls, and scantily clad and very horny priestesses. This was where I would start my new harem.

However, as I flew through the endless blue sky I hadn't seen the ground yet. Then, a giant purple sphere appeared in front of me. It was a big deal at first but as I got closer I could tell it wasn't a planet. I didn't know what it was but at the speed I was traveling at, when I hit it, I was going to go 'Splat'! If I had a voice I would have been screaming in terror when I hit, but instead of slattering across the surface I punched into it like it was jello...

I had time to laugh that I was alive and then everything exploded...

Nine months later, I was born...again.

I had no idea that what I experienced was conception, but not only do I remember that but I also remember my entire previous life. All twenty-three years of it. My childhood, school, being a nondescript teenager in middle-school, and a D&D nerd in high-school. Actually now that I think about it, I died a virgin.

I died right?

I must have, because now I am here...being born. When my eyes cleared...the first thing I saw was a humongous glowing white breast. I was suckling the softest, the warmest, the tastiest breast ever!

Cutting my eyes to look up, I broke away from suckling to look up in awe at the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. Her skin glowed faintly white like the moon. She had a sharp jaw, a plump bee-stung mouth, a small turned up nose, long pointed ears, and eyes that were black orbs as vast and unending as the universe and filled with tiny filaments of light like stars and galaxies.

"Hello my wonderful little boy," She purred in a soft musical voice, "Welcome to the world my son, you are a child of love and commitment. The son of Summerset Vale, and I am your mother, Glenna Moonlilly, a priestess of the Moon Goddess Seline. And you my beautiful boy, with such beautiful vibrant green eyes, I name you Viridian... Viridian Vale." *fn-A2

I understood every word she said, but when I tried to answer her all that happened was; I turned back to her lovely soft breast and suckled until I fell to sleep... *fn- A3

——(!)——

18 months later-

"Look Mama," Silvain cried out to our mother as I took my first steps. *fn-A4

I was so determined to grow up. I was a child once before. I didn't want to be an infant, or child, or teenager ever again, and yet here I was. It wasn't all bad though, I was constantly being bathed by or bathing with my sister and mother, and oh my god, Mama was so beautiful.

Glenna Moonlilly was tall for an Alf, even among the Nottalfar, standing 5 feet 10 inches. Her skin was as white as the moon and glowed more brilliantly or more dimly according to the phase of the moon. Her hair was night sky black, and poofed out around her head before floating up to move to and fro like a flame. Amid her black hair hovered silver dots of light like the stars that filled the night sky. She had a long elegant neck, and slim shoulders. Her chest was not very thick but her breasts were very large which were always out on display as part of her priestly garb. She was long waisted and her hips, buttocks and thighs seemed too broad, thick, and muscular.

My older sister Silvain Moonlilly, took after our mother. In looks, with moonlight white skin and black orbs for eyes and black hair that hovered above her head. She already reflected our mother's bubbly personality. In spiritual aptitude, although Silvain was only eleven, mother already had plans to send her off to Olympia to become a moon priestess once she was old enough. That was not something I was looking forward to because I loved Silvain so much. In my previous life I was an only child, and I had always wondered what it would be like to have siblings. However, what I really had wanted was sisters.

In my previous life, I was an avid manga reader, and not only manga but hentai as well. My particular favorite was monster hentai, but I also loved incest hentai, and now I had a beautiful mother and sister. If I was going to start my harem in this new world, I was going to start right here with them...just as soon as I grow up all over again!

"Oh goodness," Glenna purred as she trotted over and stooped over, holding her hands out to me as I waddled from Silvain to her, "My goodness my little man is already trying to walk!"

She picked me up as soon as I made it to her and as my reward, though I doubt she saw it as such, was that she crushed me into her impeccable breasts as she hugged me. When she set me back down, she pointed me toward Silvain as she purred, "Okay, now walk back to Silvy!" and I waddled off, happy and giggling, back to my beautiful sister.

"Oh your father will be so sad that he missed your first steps," Glenna sighed as she straightened back up and brushed off the simple white silk and silver ribbed corset that girded her waist from just under her breasts all the way to her lower belly. Below the corset she wore a long frontal loincloth edged with silver that fell to her knees. She wore no socks or boots, for an Apostle of Seline was supposed to always remain connected to the earth while reaching for the heavens.

She was a Nottalfar, a Night Alf or more often referred to as a Moon Alf, and a Moon Priestess. She was of noble birth of the House Moonlilly. However, even if she wasn't, being a priestess was the highest and most notable position in all Prime Race societies.

The Priestly class had six tiers of devotion; Initiate, Disciple, Priestess, Apostle, Grand Priestess, and the High Priestess, and mama was an Apostle. As an Apostle she was commissioned with traveling through the countryside declaring the glory of her Goddess, listening to confessions, redeeming the sinners, and most of all accepting tithes for blessings of the Goddess. The blessing was inside her breasts and womb, and whether it be man or woman, if they wanted a blessing they must pay the tithe then they must lay with her. Only once they partook of her flesh while she accepted their...contributions...would they receive Seline's blessing. *fn-A6

I was ten when my mother explained this to me while sitting beside me on the lawn, her belly big and round with what I hoped would be my sister. If I were an actual ten year old I think I wouldn't have understood the implications of what she was saying. However, I was a twenty-three year old stuck in a child's body, so I asked, "Does that mean Silvy's daddy, and her daddy," I said as I pointed at her belly, "are not the same as my daddy?"

"Oh what a bright boy," She cooed as she tousled my hair, "Yes. I made sure that when I wanted to have you, your father's heir, that only he impregnated me, but I am a priestess and my job is to give blessings, and sometimes that results in pregnancy. That's why Silvain's matriname is Moonlilly, because she is my daughter and I don't know who the father is."

"Mommy, doesn't that hurt daddy's feelings that Silvain and you new baby aren't his," I asked my childish voice full of concern.

"No honey, it doesn't hurt his feelings," She answered with a husky laugh as she shook her head, "We married because I was a Nottalfar noble, and I fell in love with his kindly spirit, but he also knew I was a priestess of Seline. He knew from the very beginning the statutes and covenants I live by, and he is happy when I give him his heirs. Besides he has many other women he has relations with as well."

A couple of months later, she gave birth to my half-sister, Shadolynn Moonlilly.

——(!)——

As a priestess, Glenna is also an educator and historian, and so she, along with our governess Frieda and our tutor Hailyn, began teaching me how to read, write, arithmetic, and history when I was five years old just as she had Silvain. Remembering math was easy since it transcends time, space, and language. However, reading and writing were completely different, I learned how to speak the native language as all babies do. From listening to my sister, mother, and father. However, learning to read and write was truly like learning a second language, and then there was history.

I soaked up the stories. I read every book Mama put in front of me, from 'Sonnets to Freya', 'Adventures of Thor', 'Age of the Patriarchs', 'From Exodus to Paradise', 'War of the Races', 'Love and Devotion to Seline', 'The Black Matriarchs of Svartalfheim', to the 'Founding of the Five Kingdoms', and I learned was that thousands of years ago all the Races of Man came to this new world via doors, or pathways. Some scripts even called them roadways or bridges paved in the colors of dispersed light.

Science was never my strong suit, and I couldn't for the life of me remember what dispersed light was, so I asked and Glenna answered by telling me to wait until the next time it rained. When the day came, she took me out to walk in the rain with her and she pointed up at the sky to a rainbow, "That my son, is dispersed light." She said.

"Oh! A rainbow," I mused out loud.

"A rainbow?" Glenna said, the rolling of her tongue like it was unfamiliar, as if she had never heard it before, then she asked, "Yes that name is very fitting, but where did you hear this word 'rainbow' from, Virdy? I have never heard it before?"

"Oh," I himhawed as I tried to come up with a fitting excuse, and then smiled and shrugged, "I can't remember," I lied.

"Well if you remember, please tell me," She said as we walked back inside.

As I continued my research, I discovered that there were apparently three of these 'Rainbow Bridges' at one time, all created on earth prime. Once the doors closed there was no returning which was fine since the Races were fleeing a great cataclysm. However, they were only able to round up supplies and limited numbers of animal species before they fled.

With a shortage of manpower and resources,

It was decided by the Council of Five that they would once again use magic and science, wielded together to make hybrid races. They would once again splice the genetics of the Races with the animals they brought with them even though they knew that the cataclysm they fled from had been brought upon them in part because of hybridization.