In the beginning, there was a stone and with it, a Universe was born into nothingness. Afterward, World gave birth to Time, bringing destiny with it. And so another piece of Creation began its path of endless growth.
However, whether it was an accident or cruel act of fate, but the young Universe was sundered by a new destiny, bringing in endless possibilities. With 2 destinies clashing, new futures infested the world. And although some brought benevolent changes leading to a better world, others were speeding up Universe to its eventual demise.
And stone? As a part of the World, it acquired 2 separate destinies as well. But being the origin of the said World, the stone split its own existence into 2 eternally opposing forces, later recognized as Light and Darkness respectively. Each fighting for dominance. Each supporting its respective destiny.
However, time went by, while the world was slowly progressing. The disaster was left unnoticed by the majority of the Universe's inhabitants as life went on.
As for the fight between Light and Darkness? It was left unnoticed, repeating itself through the ages, because victory was impossible without the destruction of the corresponding stone.
And to destroy the stone, humongous amounts of destiny was required. So much, actually, that one person wouldn't be able to carry it. No. The whole epoch would need to carry the burden of holding that amount of destiny.
In the end, 2 opposing destinies met and made a pact. They each will start their preparation for their respective final fight and prepare the required amount of destiny to carry out opponent's destruction. And the rules were set:
1. No direct involvement.
2. Prophecy is the key.
3. Using stone only in the final battle
4. Each destiny will have its chosen champion
And so, preparations for the final battle began. 2 Destinies started their hidden work to prepare the world and their champions.
By that time world already gave birth to Ul, Father-God, who became a father of 7 others.
And the 7 created a world and filled it with 7 races, one for each God. However, Ul was never part of the process so, all of his sons' creations were marred and imperfect, void of Ul's wisdom and power.
Thus, younger gods sought to unmake those creatures, so that all upon the world might be fair.
But Ul stretched forth his hand and prevented them, saying:
"What you have wrought you may not unmake. You have torn asunder the fabric and peace of the heavens to bring forth this world as a plaything and an entertainment. Know, however, that whatsoever you make, be it ever so monstrous, shall abide as a rebuke for your folly. In the day that one thing which you have made is unmade, all shall be unmade."
The younger Gods were angered. To each monstrous or unseemly thing they had made, they said: "Go thou unto UL and let him be thy God." Then from the races of men, each God chose those people who pleased him. And when there were yet peoples who had no God, the younger Gods drove them forth and said: "Go unto UL, and he shall be your God." And UL did not speak.
During that period, Light in its efforts to prepare schemed to let the eldest of the sons, Aldur, who was God over no people, discover its stone. It subtly affected the world, allowing Aldur to "polish" it into a powerful magical artifact, limiting its full power. Thus the stone now could directly affect the world, avoiding the fourth rule of not using stone.
In turn, Darkness decided on the more violent approach, planting seeds of pride in the most beautiful of Gods, Torak. And so Torak gained unsatiable greed for praise and prayer. So he came to Aldur, scheming to get stone, but Aldur, in all of its wisdom, looked into his brother's soul and rebuked him.
"Why dost thou seek lordship and dominion, Torak? Is not Angarak enough for thee? Do not in thy pride seek to possess the Orb, lest it slay thee."
In shame, Torak raised his hand and smote his brother. Taking the jewel, he fled.
The other Gods besought Torak to return the Orb, but he would not. Then the races of the man rose up and came against the hosts of Angarak and made war on them. The wars of the Gods and of men raged across the land until, near the high places of Korim, Torak raised the Orb and forced its will to join with his to split the earth asunder. The mountains were cast down, and the sea came in. But Belar and Aldur joined their wills to set limits upon the sea. The races of man, however, were separated one from the others, and the Gods also.
Now when Torak raised the living Orb against the earth, Light understood how bad of a mistake it did, so it called upon the Universal will to rebuke Darkness's Apostol. So the Light enforced a new rule upon both himself and its rival.
5. Only chosen champions will serve as holders of respective stones
And so it was set in stone then, so Light Stone awoke in the hands of the Torak and began to glow with holy flame. The face of Torak was seared by the blue fire. In pain he cast down the mountains; in anguish he cracked open the earth; in agony he let in the sea. His left hand flared and burned to ashes, the flesh on the left side of his face melted like wax, and his left eye boiled in its socket. With a great cry, he cast himself into the sea to quench the burning, but his anguish was without end.
When Torak rose from the water, his right side was still fair, but his left was burned and scarred hideously by the fire of the Orb. In endless pain, he led his people away to the east, where they built a great city on the plains of Mallorea, which they called Cthol Mishrak, City of Night, for Torak hid his maiming in darkness. The Angaraks raised an iron tower for their God and placed the Orb in an iron cask in the topmost chamber.
However, Light's champion was able to steal the Orb back and for that he, Riva Iron-grip, and all of his descendants became new bearers of the stone, making them the only ones capable of wielding stone without being burned by its wrath.
Soon after, Torak awoke and went as always into the Chamber of the Orb. But the cask stood open, and the Orb was gone. Horrible was the wrath of Kal-Torak. Taking his great sword, he went down from the iron tower and turned and smote it once, and the tower fell. To the Angaraks he cried out in a voice of thunder. "Because you are become indolent and unwatchful and have let a thief steal that for which I paid so dear, I will break your city and drive you forth. Angarak shall wander the earth until Cthrag Yaska, the burning stone, is returned to me." Then he cast down the City of Night in ruins and drove the hosts of Angarak into the wilderness. Cthol Mishrak was no more.
Knowing, that Torak, a God, a chosen of Darkness, was coming after the chosen of the light in all his might, the decision was made to use the power of the stone against him.
The Orb knew its enemy. Its hatred flamed anew, and the sky became alight with its fury. Torak cried out and turned away. The front ranks of the Angarak hosts were consumed by fire, and the rest fled in terror.
Now the Gods, knowing all that had passed, held council, and Aldur advised them, "If we raise war again upon our brother Torak, our strife will destroy the world. Thus we must absent ourselves from the world so that our brother may not find us. No longer in flesh, but in spirit only may we remain to guide and protect our people. For the world's sake, it must be so. In the day that we war again, the world will be unmade."
The Gods wept that they must depart. But Chaldan, Bull-God of the Arends, asked, "In our absence, shall not Torak have dominion?"
"Not so," Aldur replied. "So long as the Orb remains with the line of Riva Iron-grip, Torak shall not prevail."
"Not so," Aldur replied. "So long as the Orb remains with the line of Riva Iron-grip, Torak shall not prevail."
And from that point onwards fight of Light and Darkness, became a constant cycle of meaningless battles.
Nevertheless, the time of the final showdown was coming close.
The battle between The Greatest Chosen of the Light and Darkness is upon us, but surprisingly a new player just joined the fight. Which side he'll pick and what consequences will it bring?
***
"Let the story begin!"