I felt like writing something about Cradle's origins , just because. I want it to sort of tie into other stories I may or may not write, but dont think about that right now.
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He blinked, and as his eyes opened he observed the world. As he held his trembling hands before him he created the trees and mountains of the world. As he breathed out he gave the world pure energy, glowing a crystalline blue, and cool to the touch. He took the ground beneath his feet and created life -- we, the gremlins. We inhabited this world, prospering under the guidance of the architect for many years, as generations went by, however, Animus became restless.

He never aged a day beyond the creation of our world, stuck within his youth. He began to grow bored with the life below him, the same events all day, and so he dug deep within the earth, to the darkened depths containing the crystals that glowed with unearthly power, and he created new life. empty statues, weapons in hand, that marched upon the land sewing chaos. He sat and watched as his creations fought, finally finding the amusement he so longed for in these dark games.

These Trojans as you knights call them continued their rampage, our former God watching from afar, never helping his own children to defend themselves. Stories were told of these statues power, how many souls of the fallen existed within their own. We grew to fear them, and fled beneath the earth, serpentine passageways hiding us from their wrath.

The gremlins toiled in the darkness, building a machine of great power and thought, that could guide them in these dark times. They named it their King, and the eldest of the tribes watched over it so that it could learn the ways of it's own people. This machine took its first breath, exhaling the beautiful crystalline energy just as Animus had. In its whirring chambers this energy was compressed, and life was formed. The machine told the Gremlins to construct a final device within the darkest depths of the planet, a tomb so strong that none could escape it. The Gremlins built this within the core of the world, and the machine bid them to lead the dark forces down into the depths of the world.

All the Trojans followed the voices of their prey, and along with them came Animus, laughing at the show he believed was heralded by the gremlin's foolishness. The Trojans were led by these pipers down to the core, where the machine watched. The life the machine had breathed out of itself attacked the Trojans with claws that wracked their stone, with teeth that bit and blades that stung.

Those dark invaders fled into tunnels and still exist there, and yet animus remained. He looked onto the power with rage, so pure and strong that all creatures in it's presence quaked in fear. The machine was not living, and did not fear. Restraints opened from the device in the core, binding The former Architect inside. He roared with fury, reaching his hand out towards his betrayers while the door began to close. He reached out even as the door closed upon his arm, slicing it off of him. He vowed revenge on those who attacked their God, vowing to return and destroy all they would ever create.

His arm, lying limp below the closed hatches of this vault, melted into the same darkness that resided within Animus' heart, before it scattered and hid in the shadows, alone and without a master.

The Gremlins continued building their God's tomb under the watch of their machine king, collecting fragments from dead worlds to add to the mausoleum encasing their God. The machine moved with them, creating life to guard the levels of the crypt, while Animus sat chained and alone below, his power growing over time.

Beware little knight, for the time will come when Animus will break free, and the swarm shall once again join the right arm of it's father, and his darkness shall spread once more. Yes, beware little knight, beware the name Animus Tectum.
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I think that went well. as always I'd love feedback on it, it helps me write better in the future.