In the vastness of space, a single star shone bright through the cosmic mist.

Around this star was the lonely planet of Dove, glinting in the solar light. Alone it remained, like a shard of leaf passing in winter, silently drifting through the shadows of space. And at it's crown, heaps of twisted metal, man-made relics of the past and unmarked graves floating endlessly, dancing in a giant ring of scattered debris.

Through the wreckage, bulky star ships ambled by, their giant lights flashing through the blackness, searching for something in the floating miasma. A small fleet of salvage vessels, hunting for treasure among the lost pieces of the past.

Inside these squared ships, men and women were busy bodies at work. Some operating machines, control stations or pounding away swiftly on data pads, rambling on about their last day on this mission. They were here to sift through the mess. Indeed, it was their responsibility. All part of the same organization, they were researchers and relics hunters, piecing together artifacts from the past and binding them to museums of the future.

Inside the hull, field research officer Acadia briskly walked forward onto the outside deck of the ship. He was tall with a thin frame to match, accented by fluffy dark hair and eyes, and sporting a grey jumpsuit with many zippers and belts. As he came to a stop at the balcony, a female ship officer approached from behind.

"Is that it?" Acadia asked her without turning.

"That's it. We're here." The officer returned.

With a deep moan of it's engines, the ship came to a slow, steady halt, as some pieces of debris bounced off the stabilizers. In front the ship, lay the massive hulk of an old battle cruiser from a great war five hundred years past. It sat outside the viewing window like the face of a gargantuan whale, staring them in the eyes, as if life had never left it.

Moments later, Acadia and the officer made their way inside a small chamber and began suiting up in preparation for their space walk. Once helmets were safely on, the chamber hissed and buzzed, then the doors flew open, frosting their visors with the frigid breath of endlessness.

Utilizing their solar powered gear, the two figures flew freely across the floating masses, their suits providing snaps of energy to push and pull them along a steady course. A few drones from the ship passed by; small, sharp unmanned vessels that disappeared into the large slabs of steel, their lights blinking rapidly as they disappeared into the depth of debris. Finally, Acadia and his mate reached the hull of the old battleship. As their eyes fell upon it, the vessel seemed to dwarf them like ants, or even mites. A staggering reminder of the former strength it once possessed.

"Wow," the female officer breathed. "This is unbelievable. I never thought I'd get to see one up close. Is this..?"

"Yes," Acadia answered quickly, swerving his head around. "A real Twin Empire Purifier. Pure titanium crystal." He slid his hand over the surface.

"I'm surprised the crystal is still in such good condition after hundreds of years," she remarked.

"Not me," Acadia looked to her. "Our system will most likely never see designers like them again. The Andacons were geniuses of their time, in many respects."

"Most of all, war, I hear." She shot him a slightly fierce, sarcastic glance.

Acadia smiled. "Even so, they were unmatched. And..." his voice trailed as his eyes caught sight of something. There, embedded in the side of the hull just beneath his feet, appeared to be some kind of circular blade. As he drew closer and began to feel it, he realized it was a sword. And not just any sword, a highly crafted master blade. A weapon of legendary build, since forgotten to time. "...And there's something to be said, about fine craftsmanship." He whispered to himself, finishing his thought.

The following day, Acadia had returned to his home planet of Dove, walking briskly on a sunny day through the seaside city of New Ogunquit. Dove was a healthy blue planet, made up of mostly ocean, but on it's land were many mountainous regions, with beautiful lush forests and unique landscapes. No deserts of ice or sand, simply gem blue seas and fertile green land. It's land was also unharmed, as all structures here floated above the ground, even the cities. Most of the buildings in the main city reached only a hundred feet, so construction was never difficult or demanding, especially since this kind of technology and design had been implemented for hundreds of years.

New Ogunquit was, of course, by the sea and it consisted of many different buildings for all kinds of operations: Offices, transportation, cargo, factories, fishing, along with small villages, town squares and markets. All of which had very plain designs that were mostly square and rectangular with very little ornamentation, as if boxes of different colors and size hung in the air, with connecting bridges and spires between them. Seagulls weaved around the structures. Huge cargo haulers hovered above the coastline. Passing clouds cut through the crisp air. It was a melody of activity, as various groups of people moved along through the bright walkways and shorelines. But perhaps the most important building of all in this town, was the research center.

The New Ogunquit research center was founded by Matriarch Ellery three hundred years ago, who remains the oldest living member of the Council of Elders. The purpose of the council is to preserve history, utilizing ships, resources and facilities provided by the government to study the relics located in the debris field, left behind by the great war. These findings, artifacts, and research are all complied, saved and studied for the betterment of the future. Matriarch Ellery had always believed history to be the most valuable asset, and no one would know better then her.

Ellery herself was over five hundred years old, and is the only surviving Ascopo; a race of humanoids which lived extremely long lives, resembling humans except for their tiny frames, alabaster skin and black eyes and hair. Since the end of the war, she has remained the Matriarch of the Historical Society of Dove, highly admired and praised for her actual, physical historical knowledge.

On this day, her descendent Acadia was on a personal mission to see her. He was accompanied by the female officer from the ship and two of his siblings, a young girl and boy about ten years old. The children ran ahead and played with each other while Acadia kept an eye on them, carrying a concealed object under a fabric cover. Suddenly, the small group crossed paths with a man who seemed to be lost and wandering, nearly colliding with his spastic movements.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" The man blurted out, finding his footing.

"No problem at all, where are you headed?" Acadia replied keeping his stride, the man began to follow.

"Trying to find the New Ogunquit research facility, I keep getting turned around."

"It's tricky to find. Follow me, that's where I'm headed now." Acadia motioned him to follow.

"Well, what luck! Thank you!" He replied and quickly followed.

"You wouldn't happen to be Myles, would you?" Acadia inquired, arching his head toward him.

"I am!" he answered excitedly. "Do you work at the center?"

"I do. I'm Acadia, a field researcher."

"Wonderful. I thought about doing that myself once, but space is a bit too scary for me. Unfortunately, that means I'm stuck behind a desk otherwise, just signing papers."

"Someone has to handle funding. We wouldn't have ships without you."

"Very true. But I dare say your work is far more valuable."

As they approached a nearby building with a massive, square archway of stone, Acadia stopped and let Myles come beside him. "Be proud of what you're funding, my friend. Ellery's work is the future. She is amazingly gifted in so many ways." He smiled and opened a large, heavy door.

"You're Matriarch is Ellery?" Myles was surprised by this, and very intrigued.

"Of course," Acadia replied. "You must be new."

"I am. And now I am honored! Flattered really--I mean to be working for such a great woman. A historical figure. This is truly a privilege." He pondered this notion as they moved forward through the entryway. "You were certainly lucky to aquire this job."

"Well, I wouldn't call it luck. I am one of her descendants after all," Myles almost gasped. "Not to say I'm not interested in what I do. It's a passion for sure, but it's also a given I guess you could say."

Myles grew more amazed and began to liven his pace. "I should very much like to meet her sometime," he mentioned shyly.

Acadia smiled. "Of course, she always loves new visitors. From time to time."

"Is now one of those times?" Myles dared to ask.

Acadia was quiet for a moment. "You never know." He replied with a wry expression. Myles was not pleased with this response, but he held onto hope none the less.

Now well inside the building, the group walked into a huge vestibule of stained glass and grand, marbled brass architecture. It resembled a small museum, peaceful and beautiful. There were clocks with planets, books, a few pieces of relics, and old parts of space ships could be seen in different corners of the room. Acadia made his way to another set of doors and ushered the man through again, the group followed. Before she left, the female officer handed Acadia a few more objects and then returned to the exit.

As they entered the next room, the vast and complex designs gave way to a more simple setting. A warm and inviting living space, with a fireplace, large bay windows, and a long table and chairs in the middle. Walking to the table, Acadia placed his cloth-covered item on the dark wood, and as soon as the object hit the surface, the figure of an old woman appeared from the door way.

At first, Myles thought it may be Ellery, but soon several more appeared behind her. They came into the room and began to prepare food and drink, each one blending into the next, with outfits that matched in color and fashion. Some pulled out chairs and urged the group to sit down, while others lit and tended to the fire place, or readied hot tea. Quietly and patiently they moved, with the elegance and grace of those who had seen many years of wisdom.

"I really am excited to meet Matriarch Ellery," Myles mentioned, attempting to hide a creeping smile as one of the old women began serving him a piece of white cake. "I can't tell you how long I've admired her. I have so many questions."

"Questions like what?" The women beside him said suddenly as she poured his tea.

"Oh, well, questions about her experiences with so many different races. That's always been my biggest interest," he began speaking to the table proudly. "Among many other things, of course! The designs of ships, the habitats of the old planets. Oh, and obviously I would love to know more about her race, the Ascapo. Why such a long life span? How is it possible..." he was lost in thought, speaking to himself in dramatic rhythms.

At that moment, all of the women except for the one beside them left the room, almost in the order they had come. As the room settled into silence once more, the white haired woman who had been serving his tea sliced herself a piece of cake, sat beside Myles and shoved a forkful in her mouth. "Well," she began through a cheek of frosting. "I hope you're not going to ask everything today!" Though demanding, her tone was lively and bright.

Myles stared at her for a bewildered moment. The woman stared back. She was small--tiny really--with an amazing, resilient energy. Her face was old and graceful, with snowy, unkempt hair. Hair that was almost as white as her skin, and complimented by two wide black eyes. Myles looked to Acadia and realized he and the children were grinning at him. "...Ellery? Matriarch Ellery?" he staggered. His embarrassment was on full display. Here he was thinking she'd make some grand entrance on a cart driven by servants, yet here she was serving his tea. "I do apologize, it's truly an honor to meet you." He said finally.

"So I'm told!" She beamed.

"Thank you for taking the time..."

"So, you're most interested in races, is that right?" She interrupted.

"Oh yes, of course."

"Like who? Who would you most like to meet?" Frosting stained her lips as she grabbed her small cup of tea.

Though incredibly old, Myles was stunned by her youthful presence. He pondered the question. "Hm. Well, I suppose it would have to be the Nek."

"The Nek?"

"Yes, why is that wrong?" He worried.

"Ha! No, no," she slurped her tea. "I've honestly never heard another person even mention the name in a conversation. They seem doomed to be lost to history unfortunately."

"Yes," Myles agreed. "I wonder why that is."

"Because we need more people like you!" she pointed at him. "People who have their eyes open." Her energy was infectious.

"I'm with you!" Myles was turning into a bundle of nerves and joy.

Acadia sat himself forward and leaned into the conversation. "Would you like to see what we have today?" He asked Ellery, looking to get business underway.

Ellery waved her hand at him dismissively. "Yes, yes, in a minute. Eat your cake first!" She drove another piece into her mouth. The two children on either side of her did the same, cream smearing on their faces.

"I think you'll want to see this now." Acadia narrowed his eyes. She said nothing in return, but he could tell she understood. Placing her plate delicately on the table, she promptly stood as the rest of the group followed, gathering around the piece of cloth that Acadia had brought. A shape that seemed familiar and yet, odd.

"We have done the impossible," he began, an air of mystery in his voice. "I did not think we would ever be able to find something so valuable. At least not this soon." He stood motionless for a moment, hesitant to reveal what was hidden underneath. Ellery could only wonder as he slowly removed the cloth. "The gods are with as, as you used to say."

As Ellery slumped forward to view the object, the breath was taken from her. Her weathered, black eyes shot open as if memories were flooding her mind. Pain and love coursing through her old bones like ripples of time. She returned to a quiet, almost meditative state. "...Where did you find that?" She replied at last, her boney fingers gracefully stroking a coarse, metal blade. The object was an ancient, battered sword, unlike anything any modern person had seen. Rusted and cracked, oblong in shape, yet retaining it's sharp edge and shine.

"Attached to the side of a Twin Empire Purifier." he said. "As if it were a growing tree."

Ellery continued to place her fingers around different parts of the sword, as if she were contouring the shape of an old friend's face. She knew this blade very well. It belonged to him. The last weapon his hands ever touched.

"This was his..." her voice was staggered, the growing sadness within her silencing thought. "This was mine...ours." Her frame slouched, as if someone had stolen the lively force from her.

"Are you alright, Na'na?" One of the children asked.

Acadia draped his arm around her as the children came to her side. "Let's not do this today." Acadia said, giving her a squeeze on the shoulder.

"No!" She exclaimed, her hands softly slamming the table as random drops of tears fell onto the wooden surface. "That blade has lived far too long in the after life. Now, it is here. It's in front of me again. The day has arrived, as I knew it would." Her worried, almost painful expression changed abruptly to a soft smile.

Acadia adopted a concerned look. "What day?" he wondered.

The little girl tugged on his arm. "The story!" She tried to whisper, but it was too loud.

"Great Grandmother," the little boy asked, coming beside her. "Is it true? Will you tell us the story today?"

"Now? In this very moment?" She said spinning toward them.

"This is the perfect time," Acadia replied, gathering the children under his arms. "We leave for months after this on another research mission."

"Please!" The children continued to plead their case.

Ellery slowly sat down in a chair by the stone fireplace. The group gathered in front of her. She sighed heavily but happily, letting the flames calm her nerves. "I feel I am beginning to age just from keeping these tales inside my heart," one of her wrinkled hands climbed to her chest. "Or perhaps, it's just age itself catching up with me." She looked to them.

"Age will never catch up with you." Acadia joked.

"Age has caught me already, and it will catch you too!" She proclaimed with a sudden burst of energy. "But first, it will give you wisdom. Like it did me."

Acadia looked to Myles, who was still sheepishly standing next to the table, unsure of what to do in this moment. "Come," he motioned to him. "You wanted to know everything there is to know, right? This is your chance." Myles said nothing in return. He only smiled thoughtfully, and took a seat beside is new friend.

"Why do you have to be old to be wise, Na'na?" The boy asked leaning forward.

"Because, with age comes understanding. One must travel across the sea to reach the land. Experience comes through living every day. And for me, that meant far longer than anyone else." The children listened intently. "However, I do not curse my old age or long life. I have lived through the greatest story ever told in this system." She turned away and stared into the fire. "And now, it is time for you to be part of it. For the future always depends on history. His story needs to be told."

"Dove?" Acadia asked.

"Yes," she looked to them again. "He is the most vibrant being in the galaxy. We all know him as the hero and the powerful warrior. But above all else, he is my dear friend, and a great spirit."

"You talk about him as though he's still alive." Acadia remarked.

"He is," she replied gazing into his eyes. "He is in the air you breath and the grass we walk on. He is in the plants, the rivers, woods and sea. He is you, and he is me."

The entire group smiled in wonder. "I remember that poem!" the little girl shrieked in excitement. "You used to tell it at our bed time!"

"How did it begin? How?" The eager boy inquired.

As she sat still, time itself seemed to gather in the deep pools within her eyes. It was as if endless oceans of knowledge that lay dormant behind her mind were suddenly set ablaze. Her audience was captivated, unable to escape her grasp, but with no desire to do so. And as she began her tale, they became lost inside her memories. Her voice carried them.

"It began like all things begin. With dust...

The Creators began our original solar system when it was but a sea of cosmic stardust. A wasteland of beautiful particles, fertile and wholesome. They were wise beings, older then time, gardeners and seeders of the galaxy. Seven souls, creating new life as they drifted from system to system, forever imagining new beginnings. Among the massive planets which knew nothing of footprints, they saw blank canvasses awaiting an artist. Ready to form life anew from the ashes of elements. Thus, the Creators gave to us eight types of biological beings to inhabit the twelve planets in this system:

First, as the ambassadors to the gods themselves, they created the people of Monto'Ac; a word meaning "great spirit." Made in the image of one of the creators, they were the crown of the solar system, with seven Royal Families ruling eternally, dictating law from the largest planet.

Next were the Andacons. To act as our shield forever, the creators molded beings of crystal, light and flesh, crafted with elements fused from the planet's massive twin gas giants. The one and only military might of the system. Loyal to the Royal Families and protectors of all.

Then came the Yapam. A race of aquatic people with hair like roots, blue skin and eyes, and special arcane powers unique to the Masardis system.

The Nek. Pure elementals from the Caratunk system. Floating rocks and gems stones spun by invisible forces, each one fully conscious and curious, representing all four elements.

The Animosh. Brute, bear-like humanoids from the Albion system. Rough, sharp and skilled warriors, most standing over seven feet tall, they were proud and true.

The Menatona. Organic creatures from the Corinna system which lived and grew inside stone. Resembling dragons trapped in monoliths, they were highly respected for their powerful, intellectual minds.

The Ascapo. Peaceful beings resembling small humans, from the pine forest planet Oonossa in the Capitol system. Most lived over five hundred years, with white skin, black eyes and harmonious spirits.

And of course, us Humans. As with most of their systems, the Creators also birthed an equal, yet meaningful balance for their very diverse system. Humans were basic, but brave and intelligent, and some even heroic. Yet most lived simple, quiet lives inside the busy Augusta system.

Augusta is where I come from--where we come from. Our original system. Our family's system. The Capitol planet of Eniam, the desert planet Lintu, and my forest home Oonossa. Yet, it is not on my world, nor with any of my friends that our tale begins. As so often happens, the universe has a plan, a destiny, a pathway, leading to all things and to all ends. And where the end begins, is the first step in our journey..."