The next chapter was about the 6 primal gods: Cihdall, Selthar, Enia, Dhirion, Ruton and Illusara.
Cihdall, the eldest of the six, was the first to consume a heart. Known as the "Shadow of the End", he took the heart of the being that embodied decay and darkness. His transformation was the most dramatic: his skin became pale and sickly, his eyes turned black as the void, and he grew in stature until he was almost a giant among men. A scythe of bones and shadows materialized in his hand.
As the god of death, Cihdall's followers revered him with a mix of fear and awe. They built temples in his name, adorned with the skulls of the faithful and the silenced whispers of those who had passed through his embrace. His pathways, the Shinigami, Undertaker, and Assassin, were paths of power that allowed them to manipulate death, to bring peace or deliver swift, silent judgement. His clerics could summon the very essence of shadows to cloak themselves and their allies, or to strike fear into the hearts of their enemies.
„I see... so the other two pathways are the Shinigami and the Undertaker... I wonder how they work in comparison to the Assassin.... They should at least have some similarities, they're probably just different aspects of his power.
„The Assassin specializes in ambushes and hiding. As for the Undertaker or Shinigami, I can only guess, but I suspect the Undertaker's power probably has something to do with necromancy or something similar... And the Shinigami probably has very powerful abilities that specialize in death... Maybe he can even influence souls directly." Aldwyn thought to himself as he read the next text.
Enia, the god of the sun, was different. His heart burned with a fiery passion that seemed to belie the cold, calculated world they had inherited. When he consumed the second heart, the light that flooded the world was said to have been so blinding that all present had to shield their eyes. His transformation was one of rebirth and vitality, his skin aglow with the warmth of a thousand suns. His hair became a fiery mane that danced in the nonexistent breeze, and his eyes gleamed with the intensity of a solar eclipse.
His followers, the clerics of the Order of the Sun, were granted sacred powers. They could heal the sick and give life where there was none, as their spells were imbued with the purifying energy of the sun. The pages of ancient texts spoke of miracles performed in his name, of the undead turned to dust by a mere touch of his holy light. His pathways included the Sacred, the physician and the creator. They were people who dedicated their lives to the protection and redemption of others, using the power of the sun to defeat darkness and restore balance to the world.
„This Enia must have been incredibly powerful... Well, actually they must have all been powerful, but with him... I have the feeling that he was the nemesis of all the evil in the world." Aldwyn thought to himself as he moved on to the next deity.
The next was Selthar, the moon goddess. Her transformation was more subtle than the others, but no less powerful. With the consumption of the heart, which represented purity and the cycle of life and death, Selthar had become a beacon of wisdom and balance. Her skin took on a soft, silvery glow that reflected the moonlight, and her eyes glowed a deep, haunting blue. Her followers were granted the pathways of the prophet, the astronomer and the shapeshifter.
However, due to some incidents related to the shapeshifters, she was stripped of her god status and nowadays she is only known as Selthar the old moon goddess. Her worship is mostly forbidden, only certain places in Nyrmoria allow it.
„This reminds me of Helgarde again... The Lycan cult were believers in this deity. They were also the ones who were ultimately blamed for the chaos in Helgarde. Very tragic, I just wonder if the being from back then had anything to do with Selthar? After all, it had a Conaction to the moon, maybe it was even her who tried to return, although that would be a stretch. After all, Ygannea herself said that she suspects this being was an outer god... but who knows, she couldn't see it after all."
Almost every day Aldwyn thought about the events in Helgarde, but after a few seconds he regained his composure and continued to study the book.
The next deity was Dhirion. Known as the 'Heart of War', he was the god of battle and strategy. When he consumed the heart, he did not change as dramatically as Cihdall or Selthar, but something in his nature changed. His eyes turned fiery red and his muscles bulged like a warrior's, ready for battle. His pathways were those of the warrior, the hunter and the berserker. His followers were the most feared in battle, their mere presence striking fear into the hearts of their enemies.
Dhirion was revered for his valor and his unwavering protection of humanity against the dark forces that threatened it. The texts spoke of his countless battles against demonic hordes and his personal vendetta against the creatures of the night. It was said that he fought alongside humans, granting them strength and strategy that turned the tides of war. His battles were legendary, inspiring tales and songs that echoed through the ages.
„Thinking about it now, I realized something... In the many inns or even manors I visited, there were many paintings and tapestries showing legendary battles. From the description, it could very well be that they represented his battles..." Aldwyn thought to himself as he examined the next text.
The chapter on Ruton was next. Ruton had consumed the heart that symbolized obscurity and secrets. His transformation was the most mysterious of all. He was said to have vanished into the shadows, only to reapper in the most unexpected places. His eyes had turned into a piercing purple, like two glowing amethysts in the night, and his skin had become almost transparent. His followers whispered that he could see through any deceit and that he knew the secrets of the universe.
The pathways granted by Ruton were those of the Magician, the Witch, and the Dragon. These were the most feared and misunderstood of the deities' followers. The Magicians were renowned for their ability to manipulate the very fabric of reality, bending the laws of the universe to their will. Their spells were intricate and complex, often requiring great intellect and precision. The Witches, on the other hand, drew their power from the darker, more primal forces of the world. They could commune with the spirits of nature and the elements, weaving curses and hexes that could bring down empires. The Dragons were the rarest of Ruton's chosen, individuals who could tap into the very essence of the mythical beasts themselves. They were said to breathe fire and command the skies, their power so great that they were often hunted by those who feared their potential.
„Ruton... I'd never heard of this god before, I knew the names of the pathways of course, but I could never associate them with a god. I only recently read something about it in the Helgarde newspaper... It said something about the Forsaken Empire and a discovery of the Dragon Path... Have they rewritten the texts? Or how did they know it existed? Maybe there were records from the past, but we haven't found any evidence of it yet... That could explain it, of course.
„Another thing that surprises me is that those who possessed the Dragon Path were hunted down... Unfortunately, it doesn't say by whom. Maybe by the other followers of the other gods, maybe they were afraid of Ruton and his followers... He doesn't give me the impression that he was a merciful god." Aldwyn thought quietly about what he had read.
Moving on to Illusara, the goddess of deception and the trickster, he read with a particular interest. Her chapter spoke of the heart she consumed, which embodied the essence of shadows and illusion. Her transformation was as mesmerizing as it was unsettling. Her skin took on a rainbow sheen, reflecting every color and none at the same time. Her eyes shifted and danced, a kaleidoscope of colors that could mesmerize and disorient.
Her pathways were intriguing to Aldwyn, especially the Politician. It spoke of the art of manipulation and the power of words. These followers could charm the most stoic of souls, convincing them to bend to their will without the need for force. The Detective path, on the other hand, was about uncovering the hidden truths behind every lie. They had a keen sense for deceit and could discern the most intricate webs of deceit. The Artist path was the most enigmatic, allowing its followers to manipulate the very fabric of reality through their craft, whether it was painting, sculpture, or music.
These were the last chapters of the book, Aldwyn was able to learn a few things, but nothing that helped him seriously.
„The question which interests me the most is if there are other gods outside of these six primordial gods... They are described as being the beginning of true humanity, but what about the elves or dwarves? Do they have other gods?" Aldwyn closed the book "The Era of the Old Gods" and was about to turn his attention to the next one when he noticed something.