The days before the Great Trial passed with an uneasy stillness, like the lull before a storm. Mortals went about their lives, unaware that their fates had already been decided in the Hollow of the World. As the gods prepared their elemental challenges, whispers of change began to ripple through Aethera. Among the Ignarri, Undini, Aeriads, Drahl, and Sylvans, strange dreams haunted the nights. Faint whispers echoed in their minds—words that promised power, freedom, and something else far more dangerous.
These whispers were the work of Nytheris.
She moved in the shadows of the gods' grand design, weaving her influence with care. While Pyrrhos, Rheia, Zephyros, and Gaethra prepared their tests of fire, water, wind, and stone, Nytheris worked her way into the hearts of the mortals, sowing seeds of fear and doubt. For though the other gods sought to test the strength of the body, Nytheris intended to test the strength of the soul.
The Dream of the Ignarri
In the burning lands, deep within the heart of an ancient volcano, the Ignarri prepared for battle. They sharpened their obsidian blades and stoked their forges, readying themselves for the conquest that would come with the Trial. But among them was Korrin, a warrior of unmatched skill and fiery temper, who had begun to dream.
In his dreams, Korrin walked through a field of ash, his skin glowing with the heat of Pyrrhos' blessing. But the flames that once burned bright around him began to dim, until he stood in a field of cold, grey dust. A figure appeared before him, cloaked in darkness. The figure's voice was soft, yet it filled the void around him.
"Do you see, Korrin? The flame that burns brightest burns out fastest. Pyrrhos' fire will consume everything—even you. But there is another way. I can offer you power that will never fade, a flame that will burn beyond life and death."
Korrin awoke, drenched in sweat, his heart pounding. The voice stayed with him, a constant whisper in the back of his mind. He dismissed it as a trick, a dream brought on by the tension of the coming trial. But deep down, the seed had been planted.
The Song of the Undini
Far beneath the waves, in the great city of Lacivara, the Undini gathered in their temples, offering prayers to Rheia for protection. They knew the trial would bring hardship, but they trusted in their goddess to guide them. Yet, among them was a young priestess named Ilara, who had begun to hear a different voice in the depths.
While she meditated by the Temple of Tides, Ilara felt the familiar currents of the ocean move around her, but something was different. The waters grew colder, darker, until she could no longer see the shimmering light of the surface. In this deep abyss, she heard a voice like the crash of distant waves.
"Ilara, why do you pray to the sea? Rheia cannot protect you from the darkness that lies beneath. The depths of the ocean hold more power than your goddess allows you to see. Join me, and I will show you the true depths of the world."
When she opened her eyes, Ilara found herself in the temple once again, but the coldness remained in her bones. She shivered, though the water around her was warm. The voice, soft as it was, echoed in her mind, offering promises she dared not speak aloud.
The Flight of the Aeriads
High in the mountain peaks, where the Aeriads soared on currents of wind, the people gathered to prepare for the winds of change. Among them was Caelus, an explorer and adventurer who had spent his life mapping the skies. He feared no storm, no tempest, and trusted in Zephyros to guide him. But recently, the winds had carried strange voices to his ears.
As he flew above the clouds, Caelus found himself caught in an unfamiliar current, one that seemed to pull him toward the horizon. No matter how hard he tried to turn back, the wind carried him faster and faster until he found himself in the eye of a great storm. And in the center of that storm stood a figure cloaked in shadow, untouched by the chaos around them.
"Caelus," the figure whispered, though its voice carried through the roaring winds, "Zephyros is not the only one who commands the skies. There are other winds, darker winds, that offer freedom beyond your dreams. The sky is endless, but so too are the shadows that cover it. Come with me, and you will soar higher than ever before."
Caelus awoke on a mountaintop, the memory of the dream vivid in his mind. The wind still howled around him, but it carried a different tune now, one that stirred something deep inside him. A desire to fly farther than he ever had before.
The Silence of the Drahl
Deep within the mountains, where the Drahl lived in their great stone halls, the people prepared for the inevitable tremors that would accompany the Trial. They were strong, unyielding, and had always trusted the earth to be their guide. But for one Drahl named Tharn, the ground had begun to shift in ways he could not explain.
In his sleep, Tharn dreamed of tunnels collapsing, of mountains crumbling into dust. He stood alone in the darkness, the weight of the world pressing down upon him. From the shadows came a voice, soft yet commanding.
"The earth is not eternal, Tharn. Even the mountains will one day fall. Gaethra has taught you to rely on the stone, but the stone will fail you. I can show you the path to true strength, one that does not rely on the world around you. Join me, and you will never crumble, never fade."
When Tharn awoke, the dream lingered in his mind like a distant echo. The earth beneath him felt solid, but he could no longer ignore the doubt that had crept into his heart. Could the stone truly be as unbreakable as he had once believed?
The Growing Fear
As the dreams spread among the mortals, so too did the whispers. In every corner of Aethera, Nytheris' influence grew, subtle and insidious. Mortals who had once been confident in their gods' protection now felt a creeping fear, a sense of doubt that gnawed at their souls. The voice of Nytheris spoke to them in the silence of the night, offering power, escape, and the promise of something more than the harsh trials their gods had prepared.
The gods, busy with their preparations, did not yet realize the full extent of Nytheris' plans. They believed the Trial would test their creations, culling the weak and leaving the strong to inherit the world. But in the shadows, Nytheris was preparing a different test, one that would challenge the very faith of the mortals.
The Great Trial was approaching, and as the gods sharpened their elements, the mortals stood on the brink of a choice. Would they trust in the power of the gods? Or would they listen to the whispers in the dark, where Nytheris waited with open arms?
For in the shadows, the first true cracks in Aethera were beginning to form, and Nytheris knew that soon, the world would be ripe for her harvest.