History of the Ghosts
Chapter I. The rise and fall
Chaos and lethality were not the only vices that the plague brought forth -- survivors also emerged from the wreckage of the dying world. Deep beneath the earth, nestled in the safe haven of a labyrinth lie the Fidelis: a tribe of uninfected creatures bound together for the shared goal of survival. Having found temporary sanctuary from the horrors that stalked the plague-lands above, the Fidelis were brilliant creatures who had ascended past all biological expectations in their quest to adapt.
Having made it this far, the Fidelis had found new hope in their subterranean society; to restore the world to its former glory, to eradicate all traces of the infection, and to eventually walk in the sunlight once more. Within the labyrinth they had fresh water and were beginning to learn how to grow their own plant life with what limited natural light they had, a feat previously thought only attainable by humans. They made up for what they lacked in strength with deadly cunning and unshakable courage.
Despite being at a physical disadvantage most of the time against their opponents the Letalis, they still battled valiantly and plucked off several of their ranks. Let by the benevolent Selksi, the Fidelis stood their ground against the Letalis for countless moons. One day, the Letalis mysteriously disappeared. The only trace left behind was a scene of bloodshed and death. It was then that their new adversaries made themselves known: the Caedis. The Caedis were bloodthirsty lunatics carrying a mutated strand of the virus in their veins, one that seemed to boost them even stronger than the Letalis. They crushed everything that stood in their path with ease, those who were taken prisoner feared their ruthlessness more than they did the infection.
Having made it this far, the Fidelis had found new hope in their subterranean society; to restore the world to its former glory, to eradicate all traces of the infection, and to eventually walk in the sunlight once more. Within the labyrinth they had fresh water and were beginning to learn how to grow their own plant life with what limited natural light they had, a feat previously thought only attainable by humans. They made up for what they lacked in strength with deadly cunning and unshakable courage.
Despite being at a physical disadvantage most of the time against their opponents the Letalis, they still battled valiantly and plucked off several of their ranks. Let by the benevolent Selksi, the Fidelis stood their ground against the Letalis for countless moons. One day, the Letalis mysteriously disappeared. The only trace left behind was a scene of bloodshed and death. It was then that their new adversaries made themselves known: the Caedis. The Caedis were bloodthirsty lunatics carrying a mutated strand of the virus in their veins, one that seemed to boost them even stronger than the Letalis. They crushed everything that stood in their path with ease, those who were taken prisoner feared their ruthlessness more than they did the infection.
Suffering an even bigger disadvantage than before, the Fidelis retreated more than ever. If they refused to emerge, the Caedis sought them out. They would flood into the tunnels and even spit in the water system in attempts to poison and infect the tribe. Giving them nowhere to run, the Fidelis were often forced to fight. Many Fidelis were killed off with little trouble, and their ranks slowly dwindled as well as their sanity. The once inspirited tribe had been reduced to nothing more than cowardly prey endlessly trying to escape the jaws of their hunter.
Try as she might to defend herself and her tribe, Selksi failed many times over. The constant devastation became too much for the poor female to take, and it was not until her one of her children was held hostage by the Caedis did the leader finally loose her mind. In blind rage she lashed out at Erebus, the Caedis's duke at the time who retaliated by biting her leg and transferring the infection to her. Unable to survive past the initial transmission stage, Selksi died. She was survived by her pups Bellarue, Serene, Nyx, and Flint. |
Chapter II. Breaking out of the shadows
Leaderless and despondent, the Fidelis idled about for moons without a clear path to take. Some abandoned the tribe altogether and either became loners or sacrificed themselves to the Caedis. It wasn't until a plucky Atriena took over as leader that the tribe began to resume somewhat normal life. She pulled the tribe out of their paranoid state and back into what they once were, even by force if necessary. During her reign, Caedis royalty Nyoka, Erebus, and Paradox all fell, although not by the Fidelis's hands. Atriena still managed to keep them sturdy through it all. It wasn't until Erebus and Nyoka's son Vantus, took the throne that Atriena was lured away by her own pursuits to abandon the tribe. The Fidelis, again without a leader, temporarily disbanded.
Some became parts of splinter groups while others remained loners, lost without a cause. Though this didn't last long, as Selksi's daughter Serene stepped up to bring back what was left of the tribe. Serene would later come to meet Farryn, another loner who aided in rebuilding the tribe. The Fidelis, though wounded by their troubled past still stands firm in the face of danger, this time with new resolve and a plan to finally strike back at the Caedis.
Some became parts of splinter groups while others remained loners, lost without a cause. Though this didn't last long, as Selksi's daughter Serene stepped up to bring back what was left of the tribe. Serene would later come to meet Farryn, another loner who aided in rebuilding the tribe. The Fidelis, though wounded by their troubled past still stands firm in the face of danger, this time with new resolve and a plan to finally strike back at the Caedis.