Nikia
New member
This is the semi prequel to my story Death Dealer. It takes place about twenty some years before that and it focuses on Princess Peony (who is referenced often in my Death Dealer series). This is a little different because every few chapters in this story I will interject some of the myths about the lands where all these stories take place.
Also to give credit where credit is due: The character Peony was a creation of my friend and a member of this site (Kitanna). Though the character name and bits of the personality are hers I have done all else on my own. So I hope you enjoy my second crack at a a story on here.
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When our time has passed what will they say of us? Were we heroes? Or were we cowards? Were all our efforts in vain, or have they lasted through the years? Perhaps we can expect to be immortalized in the halls of our fathers. Or perhaps we will turn to dust and be forgotten. For in our lives we shaped a generation, but it seems that only the mountains and the trees will remember us. It should be our deeds that echo through memories of man, not just earth. Give not your praise to false heroes who fight petty wars, instead look to the legends of men who truly fought for good. Should you forget so valiant men, then you are doomed…
~Peony Anir of Otanna
* * * *
The Creation~
It began many ages ago. Long before man or beast roamed the lands, it was long before there was a land to speak of. It was out of the darkness that Father Sky and Mother Earth formed in union. The world was created from their love, but still it was dry and barren.
But there was hope when from the union of Earth and Sky that Water and Fire were born. They were twins who took on the form they would one day give to man. York was first, the high king of water, he would long be held by the people as the highest immortal to walk on earth. Following him was his sister, Lothen, high queen of fire. She was equally as powerful and revered as her brother.
Together they created seas and mountains, but nothing would grow on their land. For a tree cannot bloom properly on a high mountain or under a deep sea. So the twins begged for help from their parents. They asked for others to help make a place for man to live.
One day as Lothen sat alone on one of her mountains a strange wisp of cloud floated toward her. She watched in wonder as the cloud took a shape. It was the shape of a woman. She floated to Lothen’s side and took final shape as a living and breathing being. She declared her name was Sonya, high queen of air.
With Sonya’s help grasses sprang up in what was once desert. And the soil was fertile in those areas. Still something was lacking in their land. There was no cover for animals or for man to hide from unfriendly eyes.
York, Lothen, and Sonya sat together in a grassy plain thinking how to make cover for man. As they sat and talked from the ground sprang a young man. He declared Pim was his name and the high king of the earth he would be. He created trees and made large forests were man could hide as could animals. So from then on they were the four mightiest of immortals, the elements.
The four set to work on animals and men, but they failed. First they tried to make them from stone, heavy and slow they were. Next from grass, but they were easily swayed and destroyed. Finally they tried clay, but soft man was. Disappointed though they were the four continued to try, it was their duty to bring forth men.
Finally York fell to his knees and prayed to his parents to help. It seemed Earth and Sky did not hear, but they had and they formed a plan. One day the Lady Artemis appeared before the four. No queen was she, but a pleasant immortal none the less.
She made a man and a woman figure from clay and then took up a dagger. She drew the blade across her hand and let one drop of blood fall onto each of the figures. Thus man was born and time began. She did the same for all the animals. It was said ever after that Artemis was the Mother of all living things and rightly so.
Many men were spawned and the immortals walked among them. And man in his gratitude made a great hall for them to dwell in. It was built deep in the northern most forest of the country that would come to be known as Otanna. The area became known as the Realm and all immortals dwelled there.
With the beginning of time and the appearance of man so too did the Angels and Fairies begin to appear. Fair immortal beings they were, though of a much lesser kind then the first five. The Angels were charged with the care of man and the Angel Faith was their leader. The Fairies cared little for man and concerned themselves with nature and animals. All dwelled in the Realm.
Four kingdoms were formed around the Realm. Mutar, a land in the east, warriors dwelled there. They were just people, but deadly when provoked. Sera was north of Mutar and surrounded by mountains and rivers. The people were caring and helpful to their neighboring countries. Archon was west of Mutar. It was a place of peace where farmers and pleasant kings dwelled. And Otanna, the beast masters, who are in the north-west of Mutar. Intelligent and brave are the people who dwell there. Together the four kingdoms shared a common border by the White River and in times of peace they traded with one another.
It was now that York wedded Sonya and Pim married a mortal woman who bore him the twins Ciro and Kamaria, the sun and the moon. Lothen remained unmarried and the virgin queen. And Artemis left the Realm to live among her animals in the forest of Hazqu on the border of Mutar and the White River.
So happy was man at all that had been given him he forged for the immortals weapons. For York a mighty sword, for Pim a great axe, for Lothen a golden bow and quiver, and for Sonya a brilliant dagger. York placed upon the weapons great enchantments so that none could ever been broken. Artemis, though honored, turned down man’s weapons and made her own silver bow from her favorite tree.
But peace could not last. Man was not wholly good at heart. He was made to be less then the immortals so hearts could be turned black. Lesser Angels saw this and strayed from their duty to protect man. Heset the first fallen Angel became the leader of the Demons and from him six other great and terrible Demons were spawned. They became vicious demons and filled men with greed and jealously.
Heset became the demon Envy and he started the first war. He was jealous of Pim’s lovely, mortal wife, so while she bathed he killed her. Pim led a host against the demons, but not all were captured. The lesser demons escaped the immortals, but their leaders were locked away for centuries.
With the death of his wife, Pim decided to leave earth and join Mother Earth and Father Sky. Shortly after the others followed, all save for Artemis; she would not leave her forest. Before departing for the heavens York thrust his great sword into a great stone just before the gates of the Realm. On the blade he inscribed “Purity and Courage” and declared anyone who could pull the sword from the stone would be able to call the immortals to their aid. And with that he departed.
The Angels and Fairies lingered many ages longer, but they too would leave man to his wickedness and only intervene with those who truly deserved it. But one day evil would consume all and those who should have been listened to would be killed, forever sealing man’s fate…
Also to give credit where credit is due: The character Peony was a creation of my friend and a member of this site (Kitanna). Though the character name and bits of the personality are hers I have done all else on my own. So I hope you enjoy my second crack at a a story on here.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When our time has passed what will they say of us? Were we heroes? Or were we cowards? Were all our efforts in vain, or have they lasted through the years? Perhaps we can expect to be immortalized in the halls of our fathers. Or perhaps we will turn to dust and be forgotten. For in our lives we shaped a generation, but it seems that only the mountains and the trees will remember us. It should be our deeds that echo through memories of man, not just earth. Give not your praise to false heroes who fight petty wars, instead look to the legends of men who truly fought for good. Should you forget so valiant men, then you are doomed…
~Peony Anir of Otanna
* * * *
The Creation~
It began many ages ago. Long before man or beast roamed the lands, it was long before there was a land to speak of. It was out of the darkness that Father Sky and Mother Earth formed in union. The world was created from their love, but still it was dry and barren.
But there was hope when from the union of Earth and Sky that Water and Fire were born. They were twins who took on the form they would one day give to man. York was first, the high king of water, he would long be held by the people as the highest immortal to walk on earth. Following him was his sister, Lothen, high queen of fire. She was equally as powerful and revered as her brother.
Together they created seas and mountains, but nothing would grow on their land. For a tree cannot bloom properly on a high mountain or under a deep sea. So the twins begged for help from their parents. They asked for others to help make a place for man to live.
One day as Lothen sat alone on one of her mountains a strange wisp of cloud floated toward her. She watched in wonder as the cloud took a shape. It was the shape of a woman. She floated to Lothen’s side and took final shape as a living and breathing being. She declared her name was Sonya, high queen of air.
With Sonya’s help grasses sprang up in what was once desert. And the soil was fertile in those areas. Still something was lacking in their land. There was no cover for animals or for man to hide from unfriendly eyes.
York, Lothen, and Sonya sat together in a grassy plain thinking how to make cover for man. As they sat and talked from the ground sprang a young man. He declared Pim was his name and the high king of the earth he would be. He created trees and made large forests were man could hide as could animals. So from then on they were the four mightiest of immortals, the elements.
The four set to work on animals and men, but they failed. First they tried to make them from stone, heavy and slow they were. Next from grass, but they were easily swayed and destroyed. Finally they tried clay, but soft man was. Disappointed though they were the four continued to try, it was their duty to bring forth men.
Finally York fell to his knees and prayed to his parents to help. It seemed Earth and Sky did not hear, but they had and they formed a plan. One day the Lady Artemis appeared before the four. No queen was she, but a pleasant immortal none the less.
She made a man and a woman figure from clay and then took up a dagger. She drew the blade across her hand and let one drop of blood fall onto each of the figures. Thus man was born and time began. She did the same for all the animals. It was said ever after that Artemis was the Mother of all living things and rightly so.
Many men were spawned and the immortals walked among them. And man in his gratitude made a great hall for them to dwell in. It was built deep in the northern most forest of the country that would come to be known as Otanna. The area became known as the Realm and all immortals dwelled there.
With the beginning of time and the appearance of man so too did the Angels and Fairies begin to appear. Fair immortal beings they were, though of a much lesser kind then the first five. The Angels were charged with the care of man and the Angel Faith was their leader. The Fairies cared little for man and concerned themselves with nature and animals. All dwelled in the Realm.
Four kingdoms were formed around the Realm. Mutar, a land in the east, warriors dwelled there. They were just people, but deadly when provoked. Sera was north of Mutar and surrounded by mountains and rivers. The people were caring and helpful to their neighboring countries. Archon was west of Mutar. It was a place of peace where farmers and pleasant kings dwelled. And Otanna, the beast masters, who are in the north-west of Mutar. Intelligent and brave are the people who dwell there. Together the four kingdoms shared a common border by the White River and in times of peace they traded with one another.
It was now that York wedded Sonya and Pim married a mortal woman who bore him the twins Ciro and Kamaria, the sun and the moon. Lothen remained unmarried and the virgin queen. And Artemis left the Realm to live among her animals in the forest of Hazqu on the border of Mutar and the White River.
So happy was man at all that had been given him he forged for the immortals weapons. For York a mighty sword, for Pim a great axe, for Lothen a golden bow and quiver, and for Sonya a brilliant dagger. York placed upon the weapons great enchantments so that none could ever been broken. Artemis, though honored, turned down man’s weapons and made her own silver bow from her favorite tree.
But peace could not last. Man was not wholly good at heart. He was made to be less then the immortals so hearts could be turned black. Lesser Angels saw this and strayed from their duty to protect man. Heset the first fallen Angel became the leader of the Demons and from him six other great and terrible Demons were spawned. They became vicious demons and filled men with greed and jealously.
Heset became the demon Envy and he started the first war. He was jealous of Pim’s lovely, mortal wife, so while she bathed he killed her. Pim led a host against the demons, but not all were captured. The lesser demons escaped the immortals, but their leaders were locked away for centuries.
With the death of his wife, Pim decided to leave earth and join Mother Earth and Father Sky. Shortly after the others followed, all save for Artemis; she would not leave her forest. Before departing for the heavens York thrust his great sword into a great stone just before the gates of the Realm. On the blade he inscribed “Purity and Courage” and declared anyone who could pull the sword from the stone would be able to call the immortals to their aid. And with that he departed.
The Angels and Fairies lingered many ages longer, but they too would leave man to his wickedness and only intervene with those who truly deserved it. But one day evil would consume all and those who should have been listened to would be killed, forever sealing man’s fate…
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