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 Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2017 8:46 am
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: The First Elves
Chapter 2: The Lich
Chapter 3: The Battle for Earth
Chapter 4: The Last Crusade
Written within these chapters are the events that shaped the Elves into what they are today.
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Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2017 11:26 am
Chapter One - The First Elves
Before there were men, before there were mortals walking the Earth, there was Elves. When the Ice Age thawed and released the world from it's cold clasp there was but one immortal. Her name was Lady Earth. She was the soul of the planet and the voice from which is spoke. She cared for the world and nurtured it from it's bleak beginnings. And when the Earth was ready she created the Elves, they were beautiful only less than Lady Earth, and they cared for it as much as she did. In the heart of what has become Europe, Axis Mundi was born - the first Kingdom of the Elves.
For a time she lived with them, and for much longer they loved her. After many millennia she left them - returning to the Great Halls from which she came, leaving behind but one gift. The Elven Heart. This precious artefact was like a beating heart - it bestowed upon the Elves an immortal life, a life that could not age but could still be stopped by blade or disease (although they were far more resilient). Axis Mundi grew larger and larger, becoming a golden horizon from which the sun would reflect each morning and each evening.
The Elves were all capable of great things. They could craft better than any man, they could survive better and they could even evoke the mystic powers of magic. This magic was nothing like the kind of Magic Earth to be witnessed in the present - no, this magic was raw, it was beautiful and it was subtle. It was magic given by the world itself.
After a time it was decreed by ancient law once given to them by Lady Earth that they would divide. Four factions would be formed and four new Kingdoms of the Elves would be started in order to protect the earth and nurture it forever more just as Lady Earth had intended. From this, Alfheim in the north, Shangri-La in the east, Eden in the south and Atlantis in the west were born. A small faction of elves most dedicated to Lady Earth remained in Axis Mundi and its ancient, mostly vacant halls to guard the Elven Heart forever more.
Alfeim to the north was a splendour of endless, tall, dark green trees. The light of the sun would beat down upon the kingdom with silver rays between the trees. Shangri-La in the east was built on the mountain side, in a valley of greenery and red leaves. It was the smallest of the five kingdoms, but it was the strongest. To the south, Eden was perhaps the most beautiful. The southern Kingdom of Elves was in a low-lying canopy forest but no other Elven Kingdom had more bridges, more rivers or more gardens. And finally the city of Atlantis in the west was a beautiful rendition of gold, silver, red and blue. Spires ascended to the sky, great walls divided the endless fields and forests, Atlantis was the city of tranquillity... until the events that came to curse it.
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Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2017 2:35 pm
 Chapter Two - The Lich ((See right: Zylvanness - Prince of Atlantis)) Atlantis was a great metropolis of tall towers made of polished stone, of great walls and plains. The forests of Atlantis' region was sparse and dense, depending where you went. Atlantis City was in the centre of the west, next to the Resonate Woods and Lake Tranquil, otherwise known as Nende’rainë. Beyond them, to the south is Autumnset - and endless plains and woods of golden leaves, green grass and pale bark with a beautiful river running through it. The river is known to hold crystals so clear they cannot be seen beneath the water - but when shattered, cause night-like darkness to fall over the region for some time. Farther east is the Sacred Lands, home to Lake Culina and the resting place of all the elves that die in Atlantis. It is also the home of a temple to Lady Earth, and shrines to Silvanus. Farther east are the plains and hills that open to the mainland of Europe. Atlantis was, most of all, a beautiful landscape of both silver, blue, gold and red.
Long, long ago, but long, long after the beginning of the five Elven Kingdoms there was a great and well celebrated morning in Atlantis. It was the beginning of spring and the day of reverence to the great Hunter Deity Silvanas - a subordinate of Lady Earth. To the elves of Atlantis it was important their fields would grow with great yield and that their hunting would be bountiful. By celebrating the skills handed down to them by Silvanus in the times of ancient Axis Mundi they would replenish their spirits for the year to come. It was on this morning that the Prince of Atlantis was born twins. In honour of Silvanus, they were named Zylvanness and Laureness. They were both beautiful, even at birth, with Zylvanness taking after his mother with the beginnings of silver hair, and her sister like her father with the beginnings of honey-brown hair. But Zylvanness was born with one more quality - the resonate blue eyes of a Seer.
Their Grandfather was King of Atlantis, his name was Tyrondil. Their father was Prince and General of the Atlantean Guard, named Malornduil. Their mother, Princess Elor'andra, known as the Lover of Snow for her silver hair, fair complexion and love for all things snowy and beautifully calm. She was not Atlantean, but from Alfheim in the north, the daughter of their great queen.
Zylvanness grew to become a young man, an elf with superior Seer qualities, much like his father. Laureness grew to become the fastest and strongest elf in the Atlantean Guard. Soon she became High Ranger, following the fall of her predecessor in a raid in ancient Europe. Zylvanness, though without more than the title of Prince, was well known for his foreseeing abilities, but more so for his powers of psychic speech and vision. In his youth there was rumour that he might posses the qualities of a Lich, but this was quickly squashed by his father, who decreed that all Lich's bring nothing but death and cold with them, of which Zylvanness brought only beauty and warmth to those around him.
Zylvanness was tranquil, he - like his mother - often wore light shades of blue or silver and rarely adorned the colours of red or gold. He would move quietly, without nuisance, and would observe. But he would also lead noble causes, like helping his sister to move the army where it was needed, he was an expert tactician as it were, and he would always listen to the people and do what he could to appease them. He had a way with the people, his father said, it was a very noble thing to have, a quality that his grandfather very much respected. It was decided that Zylvanness would next to ascend to the thrown, if anything would ever happen to his Grandfather, who still looked as young as himself. Tyrondil chose this with Malorduil, who preferred to head the Guard and becomes his sons own guide when it was time that he would become King.
Then come a dark a terrible day for the twins of Atlantis. A dark and mysterious cult arose in the east, and though farther away than they thought any real threat the cult managed to paint the grass red. Malornduil was with a party, clearing caves of beasts unknown when the horn was blown for aide. When Laureness and her rangers got to the caves she found her father and all of his men had been brutally murdered. It was an ambush. This brought days of peril and nights of morning to Atlantis. Malornduil was buried in the Sacred Lands, and Laureness became General of the Guard, commanding it with a new iron fist and a personal hatred for the group that killed Malornduil. Zylvanness lead the hunt for the culprit, eventually finding that there was a new faction named the Scholomance operating from a base of the same name in the centre of Europe. It worshipped the dark powers of the Underworld, and with it's raw energies attempted to replicate the powers of a lich through sacrifice.
For months the Scholomance put pressure on all four Elven Kingdoms, with every attack made against them the Scholomance would fight back with more surprises. Eventually the pressure worsened, and King Tyrondil ordered that Elor'andra return to her people in Alfeim to raise morale and to be better protected. Zylvanness wanted to accompany her, but Tyrdonil refused him the right and ordered him remain in Atlantis. Thus, came the second time of mourning. Mourning because news came from Alfheim that Elor'adra never arrived... but was instead slain by the Scholomance - and her body taken... Zylvanness this time was struck with more grief. Just as Laureness had taken the worst hit from their father dying, it was their mother dying that grasped Zylvanness' heart and ripped it from his chest. The pain of knowing something bad would happen, the agony of not doing something to stop her from dying... it crushed him.
For days Zylvanness kept himself alone in the spires of Atlantis, roaming it's halls quietly. Every night he suffered from night terrors of his mother, it was as if he was watching how it all unfolded each night over and over. With each morning he came to be more angry at himself. Then one night he dreamed something different, something too real and too vivid to ever be just another nightmare. No - this was a vision. He was in the palace, hands covered in blood. As he stepped out he saw nothing but the dead elves of Atlantis scattered arcoss the once pristine land. He followed each body and every drop of blood until finally he saw it. He saw a blade sticking from the body of his sister. It glowed blue, its edges were silver and it's core was black. On it's hilt... a skull of a gryphon... the skull of a much loved and much respected animal in the lands of Atlantis. He stepped closer to Laureness, her face was ice-cold as he touched it with the back of his hand. Her eyes were frozen open and her mouth parted, as if she was trying to scream when she died. That was when he felt it - the presence of someone else. He did not know where... or when. But he heard it. A voice so familiar but different that he could not recognise it. It said "all will fear."
Zylvanness, so disturbed by what he had seen, conferred with the Seers of Atlantis - they too had suffered premonitions of a lich. Soon, they knew that much, but not exactly how soon. A lich was soon to rise, and from what Laureness' scouts can gather it will all reveal itself at Scholomance, where the dark elves seek to replicate the powers of a lich or call a lich forwards to lead them to victory. With knowledge of a lich due to reveal itself, and the concurrent attacks by the Scholomance on the city, pressure on King Tyrondil grew and grew. Soon enough it began to effect Tyrondil negatively, turning him strict, ignorant and to what some people dared to call him; mad. Zylvanness and Laureness were amongst those that sided with the innocent, whilst Tyrondil managed to coup his loyalists into the palace where they made strict new laws that did more harm than good for the people of Atlantis. Zylvanness soon learned that Tyrondil was incompetent and was giving into the demands of the loyalists he sought after for guidance.
As the situation in the city worsened over the weeks or even months, Zylvanness used his psychic abilities to watch the Scholomance. It was not long until he had fully memorised the layout of the forsaken bastion and had come to witness what it was they did there. He even began to wonder if the Scholomance would ever be possible to defeat. But he had to... for his sister. He could not bare to see Laureness dead by the blade of the lich. Sure enough, all of his spying began to take a toll on him, making him obsessively quiet and secretive. This was because he began to notice changes in his own mind, monstrosities and complexities that once confused him, enchantments and curses that the Scholomance uses began to become decipherable and understandable. Like words before him, he could see it. For weeks he questioned himself, went into a panic, feared he was succombing to darkness until then.... he realised. He realised that the only way was to fight fire with fire. He began to steal the Scholomance's secrets, and he invaded the minds of the cultists most loyal to the cause. Zylvaness became a hero amongst Atlantis for knowing when and where the next attacks were going to be. The elves began to sing songs for him... there were even rumours that he should become King sooner rather than later. Tyrondil began taking prisoners of those most loyal to Zylvanness, seeing that his cause was treason and that Zylvaness would only learn by seeing the innocent suffer on his behalf.
His hatred for Tyrondil and the loyalists only grew, and it sank daggers into his heart. The pain of seeing his people suffer for him became too much and he decided to act upon it. In secret he and the Seers planned an attack on the palace. It worked better than anyone expected too, those loyal to Zylvanness and Laureness battled at the front whilst Zylvanness took a secret route through the palace to take those within by surprise. The surprise - undead. With him were dozens of ghouls, wretched beings pulled together with bone and sinew, barely holding themselves together but remaining ever loyal to their master. He murdered each and every loyalist in the palace until finally it came to his grandfather atop the tallest spire. It overlooked the city and Tyrondil could see the war he had started. He blamed Zylvanness for the bloodshed, but Zylvanness was tired of excuses and lies. "No, grandfather" he said, "I'm ending it." That night, beneath the black clouds, snow began to fall for the first time in Atlantis. That night, Zylvanness thrust his sword through the chest of Tyrondil and threw his body off the spire.
When he returned to the ground he saw nothing but mourning. Seers, Elves, Guards... they were all mourning their loved ones lost. Zylvanness' heart hurt more to see his people suffer even after a success. But it wasn't until he saw the body of Laureness that his heart shattered. Her body lay still-warm on the ground, but her heart ceased to beat. "It was Tyrondil" a guard said, kneeling beside her. Tyrondil, so great in his aim had killed her from the spire - just to spite Zylvanness. But Zylvanness rejected it all. Instead he closed his eyes and used all his power to bring Laureness back from the dead, not as a mindless abomination, but as herself, neither dead nor alive. Her eyes opened and they glowed blue, just like his, but her skin remained cold. He told the survivors of Atlantis that this was the way forwards, that this was how they would defeat the Scholomance. And thus he began to resurrect those most deserving to join his new army of Cold-Hearted.
In the coming days he marched upon Scholomance with Elves and Cold-Hearted, blazing through the bastion like a scourge never known before. The Cultists had never expected to be attacked by their own forces. The battle was quickly over, and Zylvanness was crowned the new King of Atlantis.
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Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2017 2:36 pm
 Chapter 3 - The Battle for Earth ((See right: Zylvanness - King of Zylthrend))
For a time the people of Atlantis new a strange kind of peace. Without the Scholomance there were no more attacks on the city that caused the suffering of dozens each night. Of coarse, there had been a great time of mourning for those that were not or could not be brought back to life as a Cold-Hearted. But many were happy to let their loved ones rest. Cold-Hearted now made one quarter of the population of Atlantis, all of which were a part of his army. He did not want to bring back those that did not still serve a purpose, it was them that should rest.
Laureness, now the Cold-Hearted General of the Atlantean Army was also Zylvanness' second in command. And she watched him for a long time as he slowly went over his own thoughts in the palace. They had become closer now, having suffered through so much. Zylvanness was analysing the vision he had so long ago, the sword in his sister's chest, the voice. He realised it was a vision of himself. But he did not want all to fear him... he just wanted what was right for his people. He had offered his Cold-Hearted eternal rest, but they wished to serve him ever more. There were songs about him, scripts that survive even to this day that the Elves of the present dare not read or utter.
"Long live the King
May his sight be endless
May his might be righteous
And may his reign last forever"
News of Scholomance's demise spread through out the other three Elven Kingdoms quickly, and soon after rumours of Atlantis' new King. There was a blind time in communication between Atlantis and the other kingdoms when Zylvanness took the throne. It was all he could do to slow the eventual knowledge of him becoming a lich from spreading and turning him into a target. When Eden, Shangri-La and Alfheim found out they condemned Zylvanness as a traitor, a murderer, and an evil to all Elves. Thus, began the Elven War, or later known as the War for Earth. Such perilous times caused for drastic change in the glorious kingdom of Atlantis. But Zylvanness' people remained strong and proud - for it was not them that had done wrong... it was the rest of the Elven population that had betrayed them. As Atlantis readied itself for war the region was heavily reinforced. Zylvanness did the last thing he believed he could do to save his people, he travelled east under cloak to find the long forgotten city of Axis Mundi.
Whilst the war was but border squabbles and attacks by small groups, most likely scouts, Zylvanness knew that by leaving Laureness in charge the city was in safe hands until he returned. Finding Axis Mundi was not too difficult, but it was getting in that made it difficult. It was a small city in comparison to the others, but that was only from above. Once he finally made it within he realised it stretched far, far further beneath the ground in endless halls, underground meadows and great chasms. For a time he though himself lost forever, but then he found it - the resting place of Lady Earth. Her hall was golden and vibrant even still, and by the archway were five guard - ancient elves of Axis Mundi that still lived to this day. He requested to speak with her - the Lady that started it all. They were apprehensive at first, but Lady Earth spoke out and from golden light she appeared before them. The five elves knelt, swiftly followed by Zylvanness. He pleaded with her, begged for her to help his people. They deserved more than the life they had been given thanks to the Scholomance, they deserved for their curse to be lifted, for his curse of the lich to be gone. But she shook her head - she could not do that. For what had happened to Atlantis was his and their own doing... she could not help them because the Atlanteans no longer stood for what she had created them for. But Zylvanness disagreed, "We stand for ourselves!" he demanded. The five elves held him down as Lady Earth, in all her glory, denounced Zylvanness and ordered him to be contained... whilst Atlantis was purged for the good of the Earth. She began to conjure up enough energy to decimate the land, Axis Mundi began to shake as her power surged through the Earth. But Zylvanness stopped her, breaking free from the elves and sending a blast of energy to intercept with Lady Earth's incatation. "If you won't help me then so be it" Zylvanness denounced. He then went on to kill each of the ancient elves one by one, "If I must kill every last one of your children so that Atlantis may know justice, then I so be it. And make no mistake, Lady Earth. You know I will."
Lady Earth lay exhausted beneath Zylvanness after her attempt at destroying the entirety of Atlantis in one fell-swoop drained much of her power, and he was ready to kill her. He raised his elven forged blade high up into the air above him and by expelling all breath in his lungs he plunged it down into Lady Earth's gut. Her immortal and godly body writhed in pain as she shakily brought up her arms and brought her hands around his blade. Zylvanness' eyes scowled in awe and disbelief as her magic began to work once more. Holden flecks of light caressed his sword and crept up his arms, surrounding his body and in a moment he had realised - she won. By the time he took in his breath he was magically thrown across the world, his body appearing some way outside of Axis Mundi's borders. It was after a small amount of time Zylvanness learned his homeland was still alive. Lady Earth's power had reached the region but it did not destroy it. No, instead it forced the whole country into the sea, splitting it from the mainland and sundering the earth, throwing up new mountain ranges and collapsing once sacred lands. Lady Earth managed to get away, but Zylvanness swore to bring vengeance for his people. He decided that there would be only one way for Atlantis to prevail - and all will fear him. He would have to act soon, too, and he could not just march back into Axis Mundi to assassinate her once more - he knew her plan. She would re-awaken all the hibernating Ancient Elves of Axis Mundi, though few in number they were enough to be formidable, and soon word would break out to the other Elven Kingdoms and she would most likely join their forces.
Zylvanness returned to Atlantis via portal summoned by the Seers, and it had been changed forever. Much of the city had fallen to ruin, mountains raised in the east and the Sacred Lands had fallen in on itself. Much of the western shores of Autumnset were also destroyed. Zylvanness rallied his people and told them of the news from Lady Earth, once again, they were left alone but not without hope. For they had their king and their king would fail them never. Zylvanness ordered the immediate reconstruction of their land, and together they would begin a new age for their kind. No longer would they be Elves, now they were Sin'thorei; Children of the Betrayed, and the Quel'moreth; the Cold Hearted and their undead army. Zylvanness was finally officially crowned the new King, and from that moment on Atlantis would be renamed Zylthrend. Where the palace once stood, and where the tallest spire still remains, a citadel was built against the freshly risen mountain, from this courtyards were built, great halls and gardens for the Sin'thorei to live. The Sacred Lands to the east were converted into the land of all Zylvanness' beasts. Gryphons, great falcons, even ancient dragons, which were rare, came to him. Great walls were built to protect the Sacred Lands, later called Winterdeep. Lrath Dracorux was appointed Wrym Keeper, stationed here. To the south west a new land was constructed entirely from stone, known as the Unlighted Plateau, where the Quel'moreth operated from. Lord Vrimar Srith was placed here as leader of the Undead army, he too was Quel'moreth just like Laureness, but whilst she governed the Sin'thorei army (the living) he governed those that could spawn the undead. The Unlighted Plateau was created in order to contain the undead hordes. By this time the ways of the Seers had been forgotten, and magic was being taught to all kinds of Sin'thorei, everyone was equal under Zylvanness' rule. The final construction was that of a portal to be used to invade the Elven Kingdoms, when it was completed the portal opened over the ruins of Scholomance.
With the construction of the portal a new base of operations was made in the mainland, and from it Zylvanness' influence spread. Coincidentally, Lady Earth's attempt to destroy Zylthrend caused it to become an easily defensible island nation. It caused for much concern amongst the Elves, whilst also bringing them hope knowing that Lady Earth and her subordinates had returned. The subordinates were Silvanus; Teacher of Harvest and Hunt, Vulcan; Teacher of Metal and Craft, Diana; Teacher of Beasts, and Athena; Teacher of Knowledge. Silvanus, the subordinate most closely related to Atlantis was most upset, but pledged to carry out the will of Lady Earth by forgetting any previous affection. The Subordinates did what they could to protect the Elven Kingdoms, Vulcun went north to Alfheim, Diana moved south to Eden, and Athena took to Shangri-La. Silvanus meanwhile remained in Axis Mundi with many other Ancient Elves left behind to protect the Elven Heart. What Zylvanness did not know was that Lady Earth had a new plan to eradicate Zylvanness from the world. She intended to alter the Heart and tear Zylvanness' immortality from it, as well as the Sin'theorei.
Zylvanness' armies spread further, the Quel'moreth scattered across the mainland with hordes of undead spreading decay and disease to keep the elven armies away from the portal. Zylvanness, from his throne in the newly built citadel, caused mass havoc and fear through the power of his advanced psychic abilities. During this time, as the subordinate Teachers managed to force back Zylvanness' Quel'moreth, he pledged to take a stand and force the battles back towards the Elven Kingdoms. His best and most talented Sin'theorei crafted him the Plate of the Betrayed, which was enchanted and finished by the Quel'moreth with the addition of an enchanted cape. It was woven with thread made from the Eternal Ice growing beneath Zylvanness' Citadel ever since he became a lich. They called it the Cape of a Thousand Glaciers, and it could withstand almost any impact, functioning as a shield when pulled over him.
When Zylvanness moved out for war, he took with him a blade he had not named yet - for weapons were to be named after great deeds. But that was the last tradition he would break after confronting Diana, the Teacher of Beasts at the gates of Eden. She was the maker of dragons, and he desired more from her than any of the other Teachers. But during their battle Zylvanness' foresight caught knowledge of something he had not expected - a slither of information that revealed Lady Earth's intentions. But he realised, just after delivering the killing blow, that she had succeeded. The Sin'thorei were mortal. He felt his heart beat weaker, as though the rest of his life had been taken from him. "So this is your plan" Zylvanness had mocked, looking over the blood-stained and frosted remains of Eden, "if you cannot kill me... you will outlive me..." Zylvanness quickly returned to Zylthrend, but not without the soul of Diana locked in Eternal Ice. He first went into the bowels of the citadel, where the Eternal Ice acted as an anvil. With the souls of his Grandfather, Mother and Father, also collected into Eternal Ice that he had collected much earlier, he forged his sword into the ultimate weapon. He brought the hammer down once, destroying his grandfather's soul and forcing it into subjugation of his blade. Then his father's, hoping that his soul might give him might, and then his mother's in the knowledge that she would always protect him. And finally... he forced his own soul into the blade, creating a Phylactery for himself, and assuring that his soul was forever a blur between his body and his sword. He named this cursed blade Mourneglacius, an extension of his own mind and strength, and forged so much with Eternal Ice that it was an endless vessel for the souls of his slain. Once more, he was immortal. But that was not the end of Zylvanness' retaliation. He ventured to the Unlighted Plateau and constructed a great Necropolis infused with the blood of a thousand Sin'theorei and his own. Inside it was an enchantment so strong that returned the Sin'thorei their longevity. He knew the last place his enemies would look for the key to his people's life would be int he heart of the dead. And finally, his last decision was to show Lady Earth that she will never overpower him. He took to the Sacred Lands, now known as Winterdeep, with the soul of Diana, and where there were the bones of a once great dragon he asked "how much does one really care for her own beasts?" and forced the remains and her soul to become one. But Zylvanness was no fool, as a lich he could do a great many things with souls, and one of those was to restore a mind but not fully. He intricately carved from her memories all allegiance to Lady Earth and bent her mind to become bitter and cold beneath the new name of Selenos the Ice Mother, the Twilight Ruin. In life, the body of Selenos had been known as Anu'dragosa, Zylvanness' most loyal and favourite dragon. And though she fell long ago and her soul was too far adrift for him to capture he knew he could let her live on in some way. With his memories of her he was able to draw out some of Anu'dragosa's thought and personality. Selenos, for the most part is a twisted Diana, but it is by Anu'dragosa's memories that Selenos becomes so loyal to Zylvanness.
Zylthrend had become more than a home for the Sin'thorei, it had become a beacon of hope for them, a last stand in the darkness that was the world trying to purge them from it. The last days of the war were approaching, and Zylvanness was becoming more and more determined to assure the survival of his people. With his might came a fearsome determination that began to worry his sister. Laureness and some of those most loyal to her began to see the changes in Zylvanness' heart, and whilst they could not bare to oppose or believe his intentions were bad, they could not stand by it either. By Laureness' decision, she and a small faction separated from Zylthrend, vanishing into the wilderness, contacting neither side of the war. When Zylvanness realised his sister's abandonment he felt remorse for just a small time, but he understood her decision. If she did not want to stand by the new way of their people, then that is her choice, but it will not stop him. He blamed the injustice pressed against his people for swaying Laureness and forcing her to leave. High Deathscout Avinna Duskbringer was chosen to replace Laureness as General of the Sin'thorei, but she pledged allegiance by sacrificing her life to become Quel'moreth, resurrected by Mourneglacius. Then as a measure of security, if anything should happen to Zylvanness, Elryldor Dawnbreaker was chosen as Zylvanness' High Magister. He would replace Zylvanness and take up role of King to continue Zylvanness' legacy.
With their new immortality and Zylvanness' newly forged blade, the Sin'thorei and Quel'moreth swept across the mainland. His armies reached Alfheim and killed even Vulcan, Teacher of Metal and Craft. Avinna made sure to preserve his body so that Zylvanness may add him to the ranks of the Quel'moreth. If she possessed the power to do so without making him mindless, she would have done. But Zylvanness had far better intentions. He sought to take control of all the Teachers. With Selenos at his side Zylvanness invaded Axis Mundi and swept through it's halls faster than anyone had expected. But he was surprised to find that the army of Shangri-La was waiting for him at Lady Earth's side, as was Silvanus and Athena. But more importantly it was what was missing that most shocked Zylvanness. The Elven Heart, Zylvanness believed it was being marched east to Shangri-La. There was little time to cripple all Elves, and so he sent Selenos after it in the hopes of destroying it once and for all. Avinna's army marched through Axis Mundi as Zylvanness came face-to-face with Lady Earth, he cast Silvanus and Athena into Eternal Ice and turned his attention to their goddess. All seemed lost until Lady Earth revealed the Elven Heart, hidden by her magic. Zylvanness was shocked to realise it had been here all this time. She used much of it's power to stop Zylvanness just as he came down with Mourneglacius in the hopes of killing her. Once more there was a stalemate between the two of them. Zylvanness felt his soul being rend from his body, Lady Earth commanded the supreme powers of the Elven Heart to re-claim his soul and in the process throw it away once and for all into the Great Nothingness, a place that no soul may ever escape. When Zylvanness realised that there was nothing he could do to stop it he lashed out with a final blow to Lady Earth, one that would mortally wound her for long enough so that he might return and finish off the deed, and if not - Elryldor must survive to continue his war and assure the survival of his people. In his final moments he sent out a telepathic message to his army. He ordered the immediate withdrawal of all forces back to Zylthrend via portal. It was thanks to Elryldor and his best magi that the portal in Scholomance was temporarily moved to Axis Mundi, saving as much of his army as they could, including Avinna, before being closed forever as the magi turned their efforts in another direction. Zylvanness went on to warn Zylthrend of the coming destruction it would face. "Use the Eternal Ice" his voice said, echoing out amongst the whole of Zylthrend. "Freeze our fallen and the living! No power in the cosmos may ever penetrate the Eternal Ice. This... is not the end of us." Lady Earth, with her last breath, forced Zylthrend beneath the Atlantic ocean in the hopes of destroying it once and for all. The Sin'thorei watched the tides come in and stretch high, blotting out the sun. Children screamed, instructors evacuated the innocent to the Courtyards of the citadel where the sky was enchanted to forever be summer. Those that could not reach the citadel ran to the Quel'moreth nearby and awaited the grasp of the Eternal Ice. Just as the water came crashing down on their sky it began to freeze, like thunder the transformation roared out across the sky as the tidal-waves began to freeze, some crashed into the land before cascading into destructing ice formations. Then the Eternal Ice kissed the land of Zylthrend and it's people, clutching at their souls and freezing them forever. The land become silent and empty, the air became stale and devoid of life. Everything and everyone fell into eternal sleep.
In the aftermath Lady Earth fell into a coma, Mourneglacius had proven so powerful that she might not recover. Athena and Silvanus could not be moved and the Eternal Ice slowly encapsulating them crawled, taking more of the underground chambers of Axis Mundi with it. Selenos, who was gravely injured in a trap held for her at Shangri-La barely made it back to Zylthrend in time. She fell into Lake Tranquil, having exhausted herself and suffering great wounds. It would seem that Eden's Lich-purging weapons and magic had spread and been taught to Shangri-La. The lake froze into a glacier upon the spell of Elryldor and the Quel'moreth. Lastly, Zylvanness' court locked themselves away in the citadel, becoming the last to freeze. There, Avinna, Lrath, Vrimar and Elryldor joined Zylthrend in the Eternal Ice. Laureness watched the fall of Zylthrend from far, far away. She heard the call of her brother, but he could not see or sense her. She felt that in the stalemate the Earth was safer, away from the supreme powers of both Elves, Sinthorei and Quel'moreth. The mortals would evolve and adapt to the world to become Humans that we know today, Elves, in their few numbers would multiply again. The Elven Kingdoms would come to be forgotten, Zylvanness would become legend. The drained and now obsolete Elven Heart was then taken to Shangri-La and Axis Mundi was locked away forever from Elf and soon all Men. Along with it, Zylvanness' body and sword were forgotten, consumed by Eternal Ice with Silvanus and Athena. As for Lady Earth, her comatose body was taken to Shangri-La too, with no hope of ever awaking, the Elves of Shangri-La locked themselves away and shrouded their kingdom in mystery, causing it to become lost even to their own kind, just like Axis Mundi.
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Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2017 2:42 pm
Chapter Four - The Last Crusade
Years and years passed and ever silent was Zylvanness' soul, tossing through the endless Great Nothingness. No soul could sense him, not even himself - for all he knew he had never existed. The ruins of Scholomance - once the site of Zylvanness' portal and before that the camp for the Underworld worshippers - become known as the Fray. An unholy land of misfortune to be forever forgotten and hidden by the Elves out of shame. By some unknown force Zylvanness' spirit awoke, but he felt trapped. After some time his mind came back to him and he realised the confines of his prison was Mourneglacius. He was in a cave carved of more ice, but he could not sense it being the ice grown from beneath his citadel, and it was not the Eternal Ice that spread in the ruins of Axis Mundi. He was confronted by an unknown figure, a robed man with broad shoulders and a hood. He had purple eyes and a green glow coming from the layers of his clothes. He was a messenger of the Vardent, he said, and Zylvanness would be their Harbinger of doom. He explained that he brought Zylvanness' sword from Axis Mundi and with powers beyond even himself Zylvanness' soul was transferred here. Yet Zylvanness' power was still weak, he was bound to the sword and could not move. The deal the messenger proposed was this, Zylvanness would lead the Vardent against a great race known as the Aether in this new world known as Magic Earth and with their obliteration he would return Zylvanness to his body - resurrecting Zylvanness once more. The king of the Quel'moreth relished the thought, an entire new world for him to defile so that he may regain his body and finish off Lady Earth once and for all. He agreed, though hating the thought of becoming a prisoner and slave to an unknown force. The messenger bestowed upon Zylvanness the power of the Vardent, an otherworldly race of beasts and plants that could be compared to the likes of demons, parasites, beasts and carnivorous plants.
Just prior to Zylvanness' recruitment, the Vardent were already making a convincing effort of eradicating the Aether. Three of the Aether Archons known as Wu, Ba and Liu had left the continent, searching across the seas for other land. It was a risk for the Aether to take, to lose one third of their army and power, but it was a risk they had to take in the hopes of finding somewhere safe to live - as remaining here... they could not see the end. There was a great war against the Vardent in Quatuors realm, and his cataclysmic efforts to eradicate the Vardent turned the whole region into what is now Albanoch desert, a scorching and arid wasteland of sand dunes and hills. For a time there was almost peace, the Vardent had taken a massive hit and the swarm was divided, becoming weaker. But that was when Zylvanness took the lead.
From his frozen cave in the northern reaches of Magic Earth Zylvanness commanded and gathered the forces of the Vardent, turning them into a carefully commanded army. No longer mindless, the Vardent devestated through the land and began winning the fight against the Aether Archons once again. And for a time it seemed Zylvanness would succeed by reviving the dead or obliterated Vardent as undead abominations. These creatures would act more precisely, and often small groups of the undead would conduct flanking missions to create surprise attacks on the Aether. For a time Zylvanness was more powerful than any, but still he was locked away and submissive to his controller, this disgusted him. But during this time his mind grew stronger, he became able to pierce the minds of almost anyone, and with it he reached out to Magic Earth, he divulged information he was not pleased to learn. The Vardent messenger had become more and more elusive, and when Zylvanness thought this was to retrieve his corpse, it was really to speak with the supreme powers of the Vardent. He learned that the Vardent are a far, far away race and that these beasts he has been controlling are only their cannon-fodder. They were using Zylvanness to prepare the world for them so that they may some day take it for their own and keep Zylvanness as their puppet, commanding their armies for all eternity. But what he relished in was that they are too far away to ever reach this place in number any time soon. They were fools. Zylvanness quickly turned against the Messenger once he returned. Zylvanness expected his arrival and quickly crushed his mind, divulging any and all information he could before finally killing the wretched creature. Now, Zylvanness' Vardent forces became a force to be reckoned with and the Aether Archons quickly learned that they would not succeed. Zylvanness vowed to destroy anyone that got between him and his ressurection. The Aether, his new enemy, would have to be conquered as to continue his original goal. For a time he continued the battle against the Vardent, but as he began to reach out with his voice the Aether learned there was a mind behind the Vardent's new, tactical, invasion. From then on Zylvanness became dubbed the Vardent King, a faceless, all-powerful being that commanded the Vardent.
The three Archons, Wu, Ba and Liu, who were chosen to leave to a distance land, finally made contact with the other Archons. They revealed there was a whole other continent to live. But it was with great sadness that the Archon's had to explain the presence of the Vardent King. It was then agreed by the Archons collectively that Wu, Ba and Liu would create a prison powerful enough to keep Zylvanness at bay in Otherearth. The other Archons, now rulers of a limited Aether population, sacrificed themselves in a bid to transport Zylvanness and his blade over the ocean and to Otherearth. Their life force became the magical force that blocked his telepathic mind from reaching out of the prison built by Wu, Ba and Liu. They then became the watchers of his prison and began creating new civilizations for the Aether.
Centuries past, during which time the again mindless Vardent of Magic Earth died out, most probably thanks to the few surviving Aether in Magic Earth and after that the Burning Invasion. The Aether Archons had turned into myth and their homes into ruins. There was a time when the Elves of Earth discovered that Zylvanness blade was missing (rumours have it that Laureness had a part to play here), and so began a secret, panicked search. They took their eyes to Magic Earth. No one knows it, but Kuj'anast was really established in order to hunt down and confine Zylvanness once more, not wanting to repeat what had happened to their ancestors and their precious Lady Earth. For such a long time they existed and found nothing, what they did find was the remains of a Vardent seed, a small, tiny amount of power that grew the closer the elves come into contact with it. Unknown to anyone was that this seed was how the Messenger communicated with the leaders of the Vardent, but its spreading taint was held back by the nearby Worldtree, Ovdrassil. But, with the civilisation growing above it, it's corruption grew like an infecton. Over time the Circle grew suspicious and destroyed the city, saving it from it's own doom, or worse the world's. The Elves of Earth soon realised that Magic Earth was cursed and for some time had a rocky relationship with the Circle. The elves continued their search, but began to disregard any notion of the sword being in Magic Earth, instead focusing their efforts in Non-magic Earth.
It was not until more centuries past that any race of elves learned of the location of Zylvanness' blade. It was all thanks to the rise of an Aether known as Nul'zoth, a power-hungry being that had began to hear the whispers of the Vardent King. It was a joint effort between Aether and Elves which brought down the menace and buried his body deep, deep below the ground where it could never be touched. During this time it was revealed that Nul'zoth had betrayed the Vardent King for the powers that the Vardent leaders could give him. From the sky a staff fell in a flurry of green light and purple fire, and this gave Nul'zoth tremendous power to use with the Vardent. The Elves and Aether created an alliance to fight the war against the Vardent once more, and the Aether secretly opened the Vault to the Vardent King. What they found was a devastating power that could now see the entire continent, unobstructed. The power rattled the land and the elves that lived there became alarmed. The Archons strongly opposed the elves from directly helping them, but instead asked them to lend their power in imbueing the wards across the land with their power. The elves hastily agreed and surprisingly their magic was overwhelmingly powerful at locking the vault away once again. Afterwards, the war against Nul'zoth was won.
Mourneglacius, the vessel that now contained Zylvanness' soul was kept hidden and magically sealed, and Zylvanness' corpse was still locked away in Axis Mundi where not a living soul could find him. The elves still continued their search for the missing blade, and the Aether continued to keep their secret. Once more the world was safe, or so it seemed. For the longer Zylvanness lay imprisoned the greater his mind grew... and the greater his wrath became.
Zylthrend, to this day, still awaits the call of it's King.
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