Twilight of the Sun

[Valdar and Astralis]

Prologue.

 

The smell of insence was near overpowering, for Helmut Green, pushing aside the bead strands that made up the door. The tiny caravan wobbled preceptiveley as the large smith sat down on a tiny stool, carefully placing the small bundle of cloth on the table before him. The cabin was still a moment, before the man reached for his purse, and placed two silver pieces on the thick tablecloth.

Behind the curtain that hid the other half ot the table, a bony hand crept forward to claim the coins.

'So, come to name the girl, have we?'

'Our firstborn' the smith confirmed.

'Born on midsummer's eve, I preceive'

The smith was impressed. 'Aye, sir. Pray good seer, what do the spirits say?'

The gnarled fortune teller reached through the bead curtain, to touch the sleeping baby on the forhead.

'Spirits Forest, spirits deep, aid my faithful soul to seek. . . a name. . .' The seer leaned forward, in a trance.

'Akalia, your name shall be. Like the spring waters that flood the land, your generousity shall flow to spread warmth about you. Three children will be your fruit. I do see, however, a shadow against your life. A haze that obscures my vision-it is as if the spirits command me. . . they command me to see.'

The seer trembled.

'Son of shadow and black flame, he comes. I feel him now, struggling against his mother's womb. Frost or flame, the doom of Terra in his hands hold-which will he choose? How can he choose? He is blind.'

The seer stilled, sightless eyes staring intently into the gloom.

'Oune help me, he is here. His heartbeat is thunder. His cry shakes the world! The light of the sun obeys his will! HE BURNS! HE BURNS! WE ALL BURN! IT IS ENDED!!!'

The seer fell heavily back on his chair, dead.

 

 

Edit: No, the child is not 'the one'. Nor her children. Edited to make that clearer.

Edited March 9, 2003 by Valdar and Astralis

[Tamaranis]

Now there's an excellent prologue if there ever was one, but...

 

The other kids are going to make fun of that name.

[Valdar and Astralis]

Duthanir, empire of the sun

The great halls of fire flickered and flared like a living heart. Sol, god of fire and sky ruled his empire of the sun from this bastion, so called Dunthair, around which a storm raged. A terrible earthquake tore the smouldering landscape apart around the fortress, forcing geysers of fire from the core to shoot thousands of miles into the heavens.

 

Inside, a greater storm stirred.

Sol raged, and the tormented ground moaned, and heaved again. Already, the ravages were showing on Terra as crops shriveled in an unnatural summer heat.

'IMPOSTER! THEIF! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?'

Sol's mighty hands closed about a spear of lightning, and hurled it at a massive runecrested bell, which fell in two halves with a crash that shook the heavens. The sun god strode back to his throne, another shaft of lightning coalescating in his fist. Taking his throne, silence reigned in the halls of Dunthair as the sky god waited.

 

And so they came, summoned by the founding god from which they were derived. From shadow or blazing light, the lesser gods assembled for the first time in a thousand years. . .