Book 13: Chaos
The clouds rolled across the darkening sky as the force of the beast’s strike sent the remains of what used to be the Twilight skyward. Higher and higher they went until the crystalline seeds mixed with the clouds themselves. Thusly impregnated the clouds grew into a severe northern storm. The walls of black rolled across the former home of the tribes and it began to snow. The magically powered and stoked storm blanketing the entire region in the crystalline infused powder.
The unexpected snowfall and blistering winds drove the earth-born whom still lived in the area out of their small communities to take in the unseasonable storm. The children played, the adults watched in wonder. The snow was not cold, but unusually warm. Those that exposed themselves to it would not only find a renewed sense of balance, but also be changed forever, marked by the snow. Over the ensuing generations they would gain a crystalline shine to their bodies. They would become crystal-born. For now though they played, not knowing of the other storm brewing south of them near the mountains that sheltered their lands.
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The Sun and Moon looked on at the physical manifestation of the beast they had fought from before their ascension to the current day. The great ebon wrym composed most of its twisted body, making it a titanic creature that dwarfed them. Its fist had been larger than the fallen sister, which gave it enough force to launch her remains into the atmosphere. The rest of the body was composed of various beasts from the land, those birthed from his twisted power and those twisted by it. The chimeric amalgam had never been seen before and would never be seen again. More menacing than its appearance was its eyes. Eyes that showed the eons of wisdom, rage, and patience it had accrued. Eyes that bored into your soul and laid all your faults bare before him. Its voice echoed with the power of ages, the kind of voice that haunts dreams.
“Long have I waited for this revival. Long have I languished in Creation’s prison. Long have I planned to met my revenge on her and her children. I have laid low one of her precious daughters. I have stolen the power of her other daughters, her power! I have twisted those she granted her boon to. Her power is my power. Entropy will destroy, must destroy. I am more than I was when she locked me in the core. I am both creation and destruction. I AM CHAOS!”
The booming voice drives the sisters to their knees, knocking them backwards at the same time. The declaration sent ripples through their link to the All-Seeing and the embodiment of creation cried. Her oldest friend and oldest enemy had returned, more powerful than he had ever been. She felt the power granted to the Sun and the Moon in him and could not pull it from him. She had vanquished him those long eons ago only because he had so spent his power destroying all she had created. Now he had regained what was lost and more so, while she had given of herself to the three and was diminished. The All-Seeing feel into despair. The Chaos sensing this could only chuckle.
The Sun and Moon righted themselves and began to channel their given powers. The solar sister glowed as bright as the sun, melting the rock upon which she stood. The Lunar sister reflected the power of the Sun, amplifying it and adding her own power to it. The two prepared to launch the combined attack at the beast when, with a wave of its paw, the energy was dissipated, the attack. The two were stunned. They drew in the power again, but nothing came.
The beast smiled. It raised its paw to silence the sisters. It beckoned them to send their armies against it’s own. The game had begun and it was time for the pawns to be moved. With a wave of his talon the sun set, the moon rose. Minutes later the process repeated itself, the moon set and the sun rose. The Sun and Moon could only stare; the beast had such power to effortlessly change the celestial bodies. He continued. They would have 20 such cycles to ready their game pieces and then it was game on.
Still sensing their connections to the celestial bodies, the two shivered, they felt his alien presence encroaching on the deep-seated connection. The cycle repeated. The sisters planned a counter attack so they would not involve those under their protection. The cycle repeated. The Chaos, annoyed with the two, encased his paw and talon in an orange energy and the two vanished from the mountainside just to reappear back at the Bastion of the Sisters. He had force teleported them. Once again, the voice echoes in their mindscape. They have 18 cycles left, but chaos by its nature does not always follow the rules.
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The beast sends a surge of consciousness through his chaos-born and they move. The magic-chaos-born enact their plan first. Having infiltrated the united tribe’s ruling council and their generals, the chaos-born struck. Dropping their disguises they strike out at the terrified tribe members. Flashes of sickly green strike out and incinerate, melt, dehydrate, or freeze those that had not already been replaced. The leadership of the united tribes is decimated in a single instance, but by Chaos’s command one is left alive to spread word of their arrival. The city panics looking to their army to restore order, but there will be no help there. All of the leadership hierarchy has been likewise decimated. Only the squad commanders in the barracks remain.
As the city falls into Chaos’s grip, the earth-chaos-born erupt from their caverns. Their very steps blight the land, spreading the fungus and diseases that lay festering inside their undying, dead bodies. The plague released spreads across the fields of the earth-born, killing the crops and poisoning the waters. In the opposite direction comes the swarm of chaos. Each is small, but ravenous. Anything edible is consumed, leaving only sand and stone. Each birthing two more once it has consumed enough. The three continue to feed. The swarm flows out in a cloud, a desert is all that remains. The tribes people in the beleaguered areas retreat towards the capitol where hope remains. There they will only find despair.
A roaring eagle cry echoes across the land, it is answered in kind. Leonine raptors streak across a formally clear sky, bringing dark, blood red clouds to block the sun. An eerie quite descends just to be punctuated by the eruption of a volcanic fissure. The fiery pyroclastic flow rises high into the clouds and resonates in them. Winds whip up, blowing the sand and desiccated plants around, tornados form destroying the buildings around it. Lightning cracks across the sky and the clouds release their packages. It is not rain that falls, but fire. The streams of flaming liquid plummet to the ground and burn what ever they touch. The flames merge with the whirlwind and a firestorm is born. The magic-born sorcerers and weather-born try to stem the storm, but only delay it. They make for the capitol city, its wards and larger magic-born populace hopefully able to shield it from the chaotic weather.
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The Sun and Moon used their powers to shield the citadel from the affects of the weather, the swarms, and the plague. The spectral barrier preserving the harmony tribe and allowing them to marshal their forces. All of the solar guard and lunar guard were rallied into battle formations and prepared to march against the minions of chaos. The enchanted armor adorned their bodies, uniting them as a glinting golden and onyx force. Their weapons glowed with the twin eyes of the All-Seeing, honed to points and anointed to purge illusions and break magic. Arrayed before the two sisters were 20 score soldiers awaiting the commands of their leaders.
Another 2 score medics and spell breakers were marshaled as well. The medics had been trained to treat the blight and illnesses that had arisen from previous conflicts with the forest and Chaos. They were prepared to go and aid the stricken populace as best they could. The spell breakers who had helped dispel the covetous illusion on the rock had further refined their skills. They had prepared themselves to break higher-level spells. Be it barriers, transformations, or magical storms; they were prepared for them. They too would be sent to aid the populace and tame the rogue weather if they could. Clad in protective armor and vestments they too waited their leaders commands.
The Sun and Moon knew the Chaos was not following its own timeline, but could not sense its direct involvement in the turmoil around them. What they could sense was the chaos sown by the forces arrayed against them. The head had been cut off of the united tribes and none rose to lead. They conversed with each other and agreed to a course of action. The Sun would take a small contingent of all three groups to the capitol. There the harmony tribe would restore order and make good on the declaration the Sun made those many months ago. Reluctantly she and her sister would assume direct control of all the tribes and lead them in this time of strife.
They agreed as well that the Moon, the more level of the two would act as the high general for their forces. Her clear head and the healing aspects of the moon would guide and protect those under their command. While the Sun prepared her detachment to move out, then Moon called forth the generals, one from each contingent. The four of them reviewed the plans and the scrying results. All combined they knew what to take care of first. The chaos swarm was the largest threat and needed to be neutralized first. The spell breakers would focus on the firestorms, aided by the weather-born with custom made armors for handling hazardous materials. The medics would be spread out with two solar guards each to bring aid to those affected by the blight and, all-seeing willing, stop its spread and spare the farmlands.
The plans laid, the Sun took her detachment and with a serious of successive teleports they appeared at the gates to the beleaguered city. The rivers of lava cascading from the sky flowed down the sides of the magical dome that had been hastily erected to protect the buildings and populace. Still, damage could be seen on many of the taller buildings. Deep scars etched by the hellfire. With a pulse of her magic, the Sun blew away the clouds, dispersing them into oblivion. The sun shown over the capitol once more. Then, with her guards in tow she marched to the same square where she had made her fateful declaration. With far less fanfare this time she made a similar declaration. With the ruling council dead she and her sister would now lead them and protect them. Her serene grace and arrival by dispersing the clouds gave a different reaction this time. The panicked crowds cheered for her and the guards she brought with her.
The guards were dispatched across the city to the barracks of the united tribe’s army. Many of the leaderless squads and companies tried their best to maintain order, but they had not been trained to lead so many souls. Others stayed in their barracks, safe from the turmoil about. The army was broken as had been the Chaos’s plan. The solar guard moved to rectify this. Glad in their armor, many of the soldiers from the canide incursion recognized their saviors and fell into step. Those that didn’t or whom challenged the solar guards soon found themselves out numbered as their fellow troops fell into their ranks. The ranks however left the Solar commanders less than pleased. They were still strictly segregated by tribe, not relying on the combined strength of the tribes. Each tribe forming entire phalanxes, instead of layering their strengths. In short order the harmony tribesman reorganized the united armies formations to amplify the effectiveness. Earth-born would hold the line with their indomitable strength. The magic-born, safe from the melee would rain down spells onto their enemies and bolster their comrades. The weather-born would harass and flank whom ever they would encounter. The army had been restored and they marched to the square to join with the rest, awaiting their commands.
Calling forth the stronger of the magic-born that inhabited the city, the Sun beckoned them forward to learn from her spell breakers. Together they formed a matrix of spell casters with the Sun at its center. Recalling the barrier into themselves, the magic-born began the new spell. Weaving their collective powers together in a harmonic wave, the spell is channeled through the only one there capable of handling such raw energy. With a glowing flash, the Sun amplifies the spell and a cascading wall of golden energy erupts from the center of the matrix, pushing outwards in a great dome from them. The effects of the spell were apparent immediately. It broke all illusions and enchantments on any it passed through. Those that were not of the tribe were blown forth, carried by the energy and thrown out into the land. Hundreds of chaos-magic-born were expelled, their disguises shattered. Some of the assembled united tribes army were revealed as well to be the devilish beasts and were likewise expelled. The surge terminated at the boundaries of the city, erecting a golden dome that would cleanse those that entered. The refugee’s would find solace there when they arrived. The army stationed guards at all entrances to manage the expected tide of bodies and to handle any chaos minions that may try to enter. The rest moved out towards the planes before the forest to join with the rest of the solar and lunar guards.
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The chaos swarm continued to feed, continued to spread. More and more land was rent unto dust. The lush forests and fields of the west that once stretched to the coast were reduced to a small line. Soon however the swarm would devour it and all the lands from the forest of chaos to the great sea would be barren. It was at this point that the lunar guard arrived to tame the swarm. Through their mistresses blessing they had moved through the very shadows, covering the distance in the blink of an eye that would have otherwise taken days of marching. 80 souls stood against the millions in the swarm, their resolve bolstered by the armor on their bodies and the faith in the sisters. The Lunar casters together with the weather-born wove a net of morning dew and shadow silk; a strong, unbreakable mesh that would not be consumed. The Earth-born among them using their strength and endurance corralled the swarm into a choke point formed by the southern mountains. Forced into a cave the swarm grew angry and began to turn on the lunar guard. The net however was ready and sealed their prison. A final spell applied to the mesh and built to radiate throughout the cave would seal their fate. One by one the swarm turned to stone, petrified by the enchantments. Exhausted and with the Moon’s blessing spent, the lunar guards began their long journey towards home.
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The United army would take 5 days of marching to reach the fields at full strength, where they would merge with the remainder of the solar and lunar guards. While they waited, the Harmony Tribe’s soldiers tended to the errant weather. The senior spell breakers worked with their younger subordinates began to strip the enchantments that had taken over the sky. The caustic flow subsided in the immediate area, but far more land was still affected. Utilizing their fastest fliers the army migrated the clouds still under the spell within range of the spell breakers and destroyed the cleansed clouds, returning them into a vapor most foul.
A vapor that sapped those that inhaled it of their strength and their will to resist. The brash weather-born that had fool hardily charged through the clouds, destroying as many as they could in one go were the first to feel their effects. Their muscles relaxed. Their minds became clouded. They could stay airborne no longer. They fell. They broke themselves upon the ground. Blood soaked craters marked their passing. The magic-born and other weather-born tried to save their fallen comrades, but the distance was to far. They had fallen to fast. They would have to mourn the loss later, the clouds still needed to be dispersed and they now had the added hazard of the gas. Using helms crafted by the magic-born for when they worked with volatile chemicals in their research, the remaining weather-born returned to breaking down the clouds. Taking care to disperse the gas harmlessly into the vast sweeping winds found in higher altitudes. It takes two days of nonstop work, but finally the skies over the land are clear. The weary spell breakers and weather-born have three days to rest until the Sun returns with the united army. Hope be it that the Chaos give them that time.
On the fourth night they lay camped the Moon joined them, ready to rejoin with her sister and drive chaos back. They were joined shortly thereafter by the lunar expedition that had seen to the chaos-swarm. With the full moon’s glow, she cast a spell of refreshment upon the assembled masses, cleansing them of the weariness that still remained. Renewed, the army waited for a sign of the Sun and the soldiers she brought with her. Before the dawn came on the fifth day and they spied a messenger, but she did not come from the direction of the capitol, but from the citadel. Worried the entire army was roused from slumber and formed ranks, the Moon at their head. The messenger halted, stumbling, but did not fall, the Moon’s magic catching her. She spoke quickly. The forces of chaos in a surprise attack had overrun the castle of the sisters from the gorge around the perimeter. The guards had fallen quickly, overwhelmed by the sheer numbers. The buildings were in ruins. Before she could recount the where about of the families and civilians, the poor mare collapsed, dead from the run and from a formally unseen wound.
The armies immediately wanted to march back to their city, back to their families. The Moon however feared a trap and would not move the army until her sister arrived. Descent began to spread until one of the hawkeyed weather-born positioned as lookout spotted incoming marchers. Fearing of an attack they reformed ranks and waited. As the marchers grew closer, the scouts identified them as the members of the Harmony Tribe they had left at the castle. The soldiers began to celebrate, assuming the poor messenger had perished before she could tell them to expect the others. Closer and closer they came, never stopping, not breaking to see their loved ones, the horde marched on. Soon the sickly green aura around them could be seen. Worried, the spell breakers began charging a spell to break any control spells that may have been on them. It has no effect. Closer they come and soon they see the horrible truth. Their families were dead.
Their throats were slit. Some of their heads were barely attached. Others had their stomachs opened, entrails dragging behind them leaving a gory mess. None had been spared. From the youngest foal to the oldest stallion, all had been slain and returned to unlife. The macabre horde marched on. The Moon tried herself to dispel whatever had enchanted the corpses to move, but the magic around them was chaotic and power washed off them as if water against a rock. The army retreated from the horror show before them. The horde marched on, but stopped shy of the frightened soldiers. With a primal scream, the bodies of the dead began to bloat with necrotic gasses becoming distorted and twisted. The strain was to much for the bodies and they burst, raining fetid gore upon those unfortunate to be close to the grisly site. The horror did not end there, the remains oozed together, forming a score of distorted giants that could be seen rotting the ground they touched. The lumbering behemoths marched slowly, but steadily towards the startled troops. The Moon gasped, she recognized these beasts. It had taken many lives and the two of them to slay such a beast those many years ago. For the first time in many centuries, the Moon felt fear.
The army broke, the beasts, far smaller than the one faced before marched steadily on. Finally The golden light of the true dawn washed across the land, originating from the Sun herself. The armies merged and informed the newly arrived allies of the travesty they had witnessed. The Sun cast a blessing over the assembled troops, bolstering their resolve and turning the anger into righteous fury, their weapons now glowing with the fury of the sun. Thus strengthened the one tribe prepared to put to rest the tortured souls that composed the wretched abominations. With a cry for their country echoing across the fields, they soldiers of harmony charge the beasts. Commanded by the experience of the Moon and Sun, the soldiers down four of the beasts without losing a soul. The victory is short lived as the approaching behemoths absorb the decaying matter, adding it to their own, strengthening themselves and growing in size. The tribe presses on, if they force the abominations to merge into one, the sisters can vanquish it like they did the last.
A feral cry pierces the heavens and streaks of tawny brown and gold tear into the weather-born circling the abominations. The marks of the sky are ripped from their backs and they plummet to the ground, raining their life fluid across the field. More blurs strike the earth-born, denting their armor or striking at the exposed limbs and joints. Turning to face the new threat, the soldiers only find empty air, the beasts striking and fleeing in a single stroke. The weather-born break off to chase the elusive enemy, leaving the air above the army unprotected. The magic-born redirect their shields from in front to above to compensate. The loss of protection so suddenly causes some of the earth-born on the front lines to fall. They are joined shortly by the plummeting corpses of chaos-weather-born and the untainted weather-born. The aerial battle in full swing, but the weather-born, trained to harry ground troops are fairing poorly in air-to-air combat. More of them fall than the minions of chaos.
Their attention diverted, the abominations continue their advance across the fields. The grass and shrubs wilt at their passing, the dead plants merging with their executioners. As with the plants, the bodies of the fallen are also added to their own mass. The magic still present in the corpses permeates the beasts, strengthening them. No corpses are spared; minions of chaos are absorbed readily as those of the harmony tribe. Wounded earth-born, unable to escape the inexorable march are taken screaming and added to the mass. The more they consume, the stronger they get. The more they consume, the less effective the weapons endowed with the sun’s fury are. The united army falters and begins to fall back. The march of the behemoths continues unabated. The sky still rains blood as the aerial combat intensifies. More corpses to feed the tide of chaos.
There would be no respite for the beleaguered soldiers that morning. The ground around them erupted as fissures blossomed into being. From these new gaping maws came the towering forms of the chaos-earth-born. Their frozen breathe stealing the warmth from the very air. Their steps freezing the ground they walked on. If they could not feel warmth none would. They lashed out at the flanks of the formation; grabbing those they could and with strength unrestricted by mortal limits, crushed the life from them. If the touch of the chaos-born landed upon an unarmored portion, the heat from their blood was drawn out, the soldier frozen where they stood. A kick from the chaos-born and the soldiers were shattered like the Twilight before them. The united army fell back further, their once well formed phalanxes broken into a mass of bodies, into chaos.
The Sun and Moon gathered their strength. They would need all of it to vanquish the abominations and the other chaos minions. They looked upon the battlefield and wept silent tears for the lives lost, but they must remain stoic. They must wait until their power reaches its peak. For the good of all the tribes they must suffer to watch their people die.
The solar and lunar guards fought back and rallied the other soldiers. They had lost their families to these monsters and would not let any others lose theirs. With renewed vigor they pushed the chaos-born back, felling some in the process. The enchanted weapons drawing the chained spirit from the body as it severed flesh and the connection to the flesh. But as a storm can suddenly turn so did the battle. Discord came from within the ranks as soldier turned on soldier, killing their own allies. An errant blast of magic scours the illusion from one of the combatants to reveal the insectoid chaos-magic-born. The chaos intensifies as allies soon face dozens of their commanding officers, striking out with abandon. Some strike true and fell the chaos-born, others strike false and slay their own. The bodies began to pile up, more food for the abominations.
The lord of chaos sat upon a throne of ethereal nature, watching the turmoil below. The pawns, and rooks were having a splendid battle. The battle however had become a back and forth. One that would not end soon. The enchantments the Sun and Moon had granted their subjects proved to be on par with his pieces. But what fun is there in balance? In harmony? Reaching out to his minions, the embodiment of chaos fed them his power and they supped from it like eager foals at their mother’s teat. The abominations grew larger and became resistant to the burning fires of the weapons. The chaos-weather-born became faster and their talons sharper. The chaos-earth-born grew strong, their souls bound now by both chain and the will of chaos. The chaos-magic-born had their illusions fortified. They could now cast their spell over any other being. Friends became foes and were slain because of it. The Sun and Moon looked on at the growing carnage and redoubled their efforts to gather sufficient strength to end it in one blast. Chaos decided to send in his knights, hoping to force the sisters to use theirs.
Bounding across the gore soaked land came the shadows of countless beasts of the forest. Twisted wolves made of the very trees in it; mismatched amalgams of creatures; and enormous multi-headed lizards. From the north came the remnants of the polar ice spirits, freezing the land as they were fueled by the chaos below. Their assault hammered the united army hard. Many fell and were absorbed by the encroaching abominations. The beasts as well were not immune to the flesh giants. If they did not move fast enough their mass was added to its own. For a further twist of the knife, Chaos bound the polar spirits to the bodies of the slain, creating new, more powerful chaos-earth-born. Now wearing the skin and armor of their comrades the undead entities struck harder. The lines began to buckle.
The Sisters, finally at the limit of their ageless patience feel they have gathered enough power to immolate all of the undead affronts to the great cycle. Signaling their forces to fall back the two thrice-touched began to weave their titanic spells together into a mighty yin-yang of solar and lunar energies. The moon eclipsed the sun, the ring of exposed flames radiated both energies, painting the land in the colors of twilight. The immense circle of roiling energies centered itself on the ring of flames. The powers coalescing into a beam of searing and cleansing light. It lanced out towards the minions of chaos, intent on obliterating them from existence. It never reached. The lord of chaos caught it in his hand like a child catches a ball. With another gesture, the energy is released back into the aether. A mental command to the sisters indicates that it is not yet time for them to enter the game and he will not tolerate a violation of that one rule.
Seeing their goddesses unable to aid them, the army broke. What little semblance of order remained had quickly dissipated like summer fog. Giant gaps opened in the lines allowing the minions of chaos to move freely between the gaggles of retreating soldiers. Claws of wood and bone ripped into the fleeing masses, opening them up the world. Flashes of icy breath and pale green magic lanced through the terrified troops, paralyzing them, just to be trampled by their own allies. Allies that were in such a rush to get away card not for their fellow tribesman. Those that chose to hold their ground and fight soon found themselves surrounded and harried from all sides. Not even the sky was safe, the chaos-weather-born diving on them relentlessly. Each small grouping picked off like rabbits in an open field. Only one large group proved a challenge. The solar and lunar guards, seeing the breaking of the army had collapsed into the phalanx they had trained in for many years. For the time it held, but as the smaller groups fell or retreated, more of the enemy focused their efforts on those few brave soldiers.
The phalanx moved steadily backwards, towards ground that was not slick with blood and gore. Moving to a place where they would have a better footing and would be clear of the bodies of the fallen. The giant abominations of flesh and bone moved over the battlefield absorbing all those that had fallen. By a dark command the 16 became 8, the 8 became 4, the 4 became 2, and the 2 became 1. The behemoth now towered over the landscape, almost as big as the lord of chaos himself. The chaos-born migrated to the flanks and back of the harmony troop’s formation, leaving the front for the great beast. They collapsed their formation into a circle, not allowing anything to have their backs. Each successive line supporting the other, trying to hold back the tide of chaos that threatened to overwhelm them.
The front most line falls beneath the seemingly endless assault. Their bodies crushed, devoured, or absorbed by the roiling mass. The soldiers lost still inflict grieves harm on those that felled them. For every solar guard that falls, two of the minions of chaos perish. The abomination still presses down upon them and with its new strength, their weapons are but like paper before it. The second line goes down, another 80 souls lost. They pray for aid from the All-seeing, but it goes unheard. With the spirit of chaos around the words fall on blocked ears. They hold the line, but are continually pressed. They would not hold longer. Hey would all soon join their loved ones in death.
The piercing roars of a wyrms radiated across the field, distracting the minions of chaos from their long awaited kill. While the cacophonous sound seemed to come from everywhere, all eyes turned to the sky, looking for the approaching horde of the reptilian beasts. The fleeing soldiers froze as well, having fought the beasts before and likewise fearing them. Seeing that their pursuers had halted as well, the united army took the opportunity to reform lines with what little they had left. Barely a third of their original force. All eyes continued to search the sky, but no great shadows came. A final, momentous roar came from behind the united army as another army of tribesman marched forth. Clad end to end in armor forged from the scales of the wyrms, the troops were likewise armed with gauntlets, spears, and other implements of war carved from the teeth and claws of wryms. Deadly sharp and incredibly hard, these weapons would pierce even the thickest armor. They declared themselves as the Wyrm-born, the members of the united army that had gone to train with the wryms those many years ago. They had returned and as long as they stood, chaos would not win.
The rallying cry of the wrym-born reverberated throughout the tribe, reinvigorating them. Lighting a fire in their hearts and minds. The wrym-born charged the minions of chaos with out fear, their courage forged in the flames of the great wryms. The stampeding forces on the ground bowled over the chaos-born and their pets. The armor they wore stopping all of the attacks. The wrym-born that took to the air swiftly corralled the chaos-weather-born and other aerial threats, forcing them from the clouds, which were swiftly broken. The tide had turned once again, the Moon and Sun thankful for their timely arrival. At the capitol a titanic purple wrym lay at rest in one of the massive caverns underneath the city, a smile plastered across her face. She had made it in time to aid the world’s time of need, but for now she needed to rest. More of her kin would come once they concluding their incessant bickering. They were timeless however, so such arguments could take far longer than most mortal ones.
The bulky earth-wrym-born smashed through the enemy lines, forcing the chaos-earth-born backwards. The enhanced titans quickly pushed back, their strength unrestricted by the limiters found in mortal minds. The tug of war continued with neither giving any ground. The blows of the chaos-born could not puncture the wrymscale armor and the undead nature of the chaos-born prevented the weapons from scoring a fatal wound. The stalemate ceased when the wrym-born used a skill taught to them by the flightless wryms. Gathering their innate magic into their hooves, the raised them high and smashed them onto the ground, releasing the energy. The impact created a shockwave before them, stunning, disorienting, and knocking over their enemies. The ground itself ruptured from the impact, some of the beasts of chaos plummeted into the fissures. Using this opportunity, the wrym-born descended upon their foes, decimating those they could. For the first time since their conversion, the chaos-earth-born felt fear and fled the field. The earth-wrym-born turned their attention to the approaching abomination, ready to fend it off.
The skies to revealed the dueling forces of chaos and harmony. The aerial wrym-born proved faster and more agile than the bulkier chaos-weather-born. Time spent in the high mountains dodging and training with the whelpings of the older wryms. The reinforced muscles and body of the chaos-born allowed them to endure the fast, small hits of the wrym-born. With an almost reptilian smile across their faces, the wrym-born release the secret skill taught to them. Gathering the very magic in their bodies into the wings that marked them, they swept them before them, hardening the very air into razor sharp blades that moved with the speed of sound. The blades impacted the chaos-born, severing limbs and wings before dissipating back into the sky. The chaos-weather-born had shed their loyalty once and did so again. Breaking all bonds with the lord of chaos they rejected his blessings and fled for their lives. They would flee across the great sea, far from the conflict. As with the earth-wrym-born, the aerial wrym-born turned towards the behemoth of flesh before them.
The casters among the wrym-born began to tend to the wounded, sealing the wounds and mending the broken bones. A sense of unease grew on them as some of the soldiers they did not have to tend to looked strikingly like those they had healed. With a glow woven into their ministrations, they shielded themselves from harm. The toxin laced knives of assassins bounced harmlessly off the shields of cobalt energy. Turning rapidly the wrym-born could only witness them blending back into the crowd, disguised as their own. A glance shared between them, they begin to channel the spell taught to them by the wryms into their throats, a spell that would amplify their voices and give weight to ancient words of power passed down to them. Drawing in deep breaths they spoke the words as one. The tongue of the wryms rocketed from their mouths, creating a wave of force, which rippled across the gathered forces, ripping away any and all illusions. The chaos-magic-born were outed and slain in short order by the massed troops. Free from the spies in their midst, the wrym-born complete their ministrations and turn towards the final enemy.
The relentless advance of the abomination had not ceased with the coming of the wrym-born. Indeed it had the opposite affect, the bodies of the slain chaos-born were absorbed and added to its own mass. The wrym-born regrouped and enacted a plan to decimate the affront to harmony. The earth-wrym-born channeled the magic to create the same shockwaves, cracking the ground beneath the behemoth. The waves of force generated vibrate throughout the gelatinous mass forcing it to pause. Swift blades of wind slice into the creature, severing chunks, which fall and form smaller abominations. The striking of the ground by the earth-wrym-born does not abate and these smaller ones are likewise stunned. Finally, the magic-wrym-born release the second word of power taught to them. Their breath does not create the force wave, but instead ignites into wrym-fire. The flames from their mouths burn bright green and far hotter than any regular flame spell. The intense flames immolate the smaller abominations and take root on the larger one. The winds are fed into the blaze, engulfing the beast in a raging inferno. Nothing is left by the time the fire burns out.
A slow clap can be heard as the last of the minions of chaos are driven back into the forest. Descending from upon his throne, the lord of chaos walks on invisible steps till his titanic form settles on the ground. His voice echoes across the blood soaked and charred field.
“Well done. Your knights proved to be far better than mine. Now it is time for the leaders to enter the fray. Daughters of creation come and pit yourselves against your better! Come and complete the failure of your ‘All-Seeing’! But first we must do away with the rest of the pieces on the field.”
With a wave of its great talon the wrym-born are swept into the air by their throats, dangling like puppets on a string. With the other paw he draws runes into the air that ignite in a chaotic multi-hued circle that draws all attention to it. Thrusting his paw through the center, towards the helpless wrym-born, the runes follow along with it. An eerie wind blows and the wrym-born scream in reply. Spectral trails begin to leak out of them as their screams intensify. The leak becomes a torrent and the wrym-born are silent, their drained husks falling to the ground lifelessly. The pure magic had been drawn out of them and gathered into a ball of pure power. Instead of consuming it, the spirit launches it at the two sisters. They prepare to take the attack, but it never lands. They feel the energy enter them. It was not an assault, he had forced the magic of their people into them. His cackle followed with a smugness gained from eons of life he stated they would need all the help they could.
The two sisters had no words for the arrogance and power just displayed by the beast that had plagued them for millennia. Feeling their connection to the Sun and Moon unblocked, the two focus all of their immense power into the spell, adding the magic of the fallen wrym-born to their own. The dark master of entropy stood there, inviting their attack. The thrice-touched planned to make him regret his arrogance. The moon eclipsed the sun again and the fiery ring and intense power returned. The beam of perfectly balanced fury and calm lanced out from the rune circle the sisters had drawn while waiting. Acting as an amplifier it would strike with ten times the power of their previous assault. As powerful as he was, he would not be able to survive such an assault. The Chaos stood there and took it. The intense flash of light blinding anything that looked at it. The light faded and the beast was unscathed. The energy had lanced around him harmlessly. He now held each portion in one of his hands.
“The attack was powerful. Powerful enough even to end me. It had one flaw. One flaw I made sure your attacks would have. They had no harmony. Yes you balanced your powers, but they did not blend, not without the power of the third sister. A touch of chaos is enough to break your spell. You can not defeat me!”
Taking the orbs of pure magic he crushes them into his own eyes, which being glowing bi-chromatically. Raising his now free hands, the grin on his face widens as he crafts a new spell. The sisters can feel something wrong, something alien. Their connections to the celestial bodies are being weakened instead of blocked. They can feel the tendrils of power migrating to a new lord, towards the Chaos. The ethereal nature of the hair that flowed from their heads faded and it no longer blew in an imaginary breeze. Their connection to the sun and moon had been completely severed. Wielding his new powers, the beast of chaos called both orbs forth and, with a motion of his hands, began to juggle the two as a foal juggles balls. The armies of harmony would not bear direct witness to this, they had retreated towards the safety of the capitol to allow the sisters room to cast their spells. The sisters could only watch in horror, both mourning their failure.
Entropy would let them stew in their failure. He could not remove their immortality, but it was for the better. It would act as an eternal reminder of the hubris of the All-Seeing. They would not, however mourn here. Crafting another spell he cackled madly, dragging apart the two sisters as he did so. Encasing each inside an orb of chaotic power he casts them out of the land. In opposite directions they fly, across the land, across the sea. Far from their ancestral home they are stranded. Far from each other they land. The Chaos raises his arms high and the forces thought vanquished return. He had committed only 3/4ths of his armies to the fray. When combined with the surviving ones, but not the traitorous weather-born, left him with half his original force. Together they marched on the capitol. Together they marched to his new throne.
The retreating army could not help but witness the spectacle of the sun and moon rapidly moving, swapping the day and night in sequence. All that knew of the battle that looked upon it knew the truth. The sisters had fallen. Chaos had won. Knowing that none now held the power to defeat this foe, the demoralized guards slowed their double-time march to a trot. Getting to the city did not matter anymore, all was lost. A few deserted, running for their homes and families. The surviving solar and lunar guards discussed a plan as they moved. During the next break, the weary soldiers were informed of the decision reached. The solar and lunar guard, for the most part, would fall back into the wilds, where they would try to locate the sisters if they lived. They would also reach out to the other races and find allies to help retake their land. They extended the offer to any other soldier without a family. Few took the offer. The rest would continue to the capitol and if need be restore order. They would remain there and at the other settlements to maintain civil order. They would need to work within the new order where possible. Those that did not agree were released from service. Half the army fled when given the option. Those that remained all swore an oath to the sisters and the All-Seeing to protect those that had laid their trust in them. The two groups separated, going their respective directions.
The legion of chaos continued its march towards the capitol, the titanic Chaos at the forefront. The chaos-born close at his heals, ever willing to do his bidding. The beasts of the forest prowling the group’s perimeter, hunting and acting as scouts. Together they left madness in their wake. The ground beneath them rotting, splitting, freezing, and melting. The weather turned violent and unpredictable with every flap of the beast’s great wings. Basic laws broke down as the Chaos walked through mountains and hills, sending peaks high into the air, where they stayed levitating. The clouds no longer released water, but liquids of all imagining. From the sweetest nectar to the most vile bile with no pattern to be found. Hail fell, but was not made of ice. Instead large chunks of iron and steel rained from the clouds, leaving craters wherever they landed.
The creatures that failed to flee from the wave of chaos felt its affects as readily as the weather did. Minds broke from the maddening magic that pulsed like waves from the horde. Limbs grew long. Libs grew short. Arms turned to wings. Wings turned to legs. Where once was a single head there were now multiple heads. Some creatures merged with the prey they were consuming, becoming a new, more terrifying beast. Babies grew to adulthood in an instance. The old became young again. The dead rose, returned to life. Creatures that lacked the spark of intelligence gained it in an instance. Others lost their reason and returned to their distant roots. The laws of nature itself broke down. The master of chaos basked in his new pristine land.
The Lord of chaos also began to exercise his new control over the celestial bodies. Day and night blended into one as the orbs traded places with every one of his footfalls. Footfalls, which soon became a dance of victory, an unheard beat playing across the beast’s mind. None in the land could question the wrongness that now pervaded it. Each time the sun appeared it either grew hotter than high noon in the dead of summer or colder than the distant deeps of winter. Sometimes if flared so bright anything that gazed upon it would forever be blind. Other times it was no brighter than the full moon. The moon too was not immune to the changes. Its proximity to the land changes with each rotation. Tides raised and receded with it. Tsunamis were generated and silenced. Not even the great seas were immune from his chaos. Freezing both orbs in the air at once, they arrived at the capitol, still surrounded by its golden barrier.
The spirit of chaos halted his minions at the foot of the mountain that held the capitol and he alone advanced. Growing multiple times is already enormous size; the beast grabs hold of the golden shell and rips it and the city from the side of the mountain. Rubble levitates in the air, nothing falls. The shield was not only on the surface, but created a perfect sphere of protection around the capitol. Holding each end between his hands, the dark lord cracks it upon the peak of the mountain as a chef cracks an egg. Tipping the contents out, the buildings and citizens flow out in a river of destruction, running down the mountain’s peak. None in the egg dies, the unnatural laws preventing the ground from breaking them. The buildings, once made of marble and granite become a torrent of cold liquid, flowing into an immense throne. Houses are created as if from a youngling’s mind. None are killed so all may behold the lord of chaos as he ascends his throne. Reverting to his normal, yet still overwhelming size, the beast sits upon his throne, content to watch the turmoil and drink in the failure and humiliation of his old nemesis.
The All-seeing looked upon the chaos and could only despair. Entropy had stolen enough of her power to reclaim his former glory, a power level that would have left them as equals. But she had given of herself to many and her power had been subverted and stolen by her diametric counterpart. The two who Entropy had referred to as her daughters held much if it, the third sister had taken much with her as well, the power scattered to the winds by her demise. Condensing her power she began to plan for a final gamble. Whether it worked or not, Entropy will have won their eternal game. Locating the two she summoned them to a mountain found in the middle of the land they had been flung to. None know how long it took for the drained thrice-blessed to get there for day and night held no meaning anymore. Finally rejoined the sisters awaited for the All-Seeing to grant them an audience. The All-Seeing prepared to give them her final gift.
For the first time since her inception as the abstract of creation, the All-Seeing took mortal form. Descending from the great void her essence began to take shape. She had chosen to take a form like her daughters and thus a thrice-blessed appeared wreathed in light, a few heads taller than the sisters. Her body was an alabaster white that glowed with a calming light. From her head shot hairs as red as fire that cascaded down her beck and back. One her side she wore the mark of creation. The two sisters rushed forward and embraced their second mother. The being who had given much to them. Breaking the contact, the All-Seeing spoke with the voice of ultimate kindness.
“What I do now I do for you and to defeat Entropy.”
Stepping further back the embodiment of creation doubles in size and begins to glow. Words echo through the minds of the sisters. Loyalty is earned not given. Once earned it is a powerful force. The loyal will soar across the sky to reach you when you’re in need. Like the weather they can be violent one moment in your defense, but clear in another. Be loyal to each other and none can break your bond. The words finish, the wings from the All-Seeing’s back glow a bright red, which detaches from her body, removing the mark of weather. The energy coalesces into a large gem of the same color and begins to orbit around the sisters.
The voice returns again. Generosity is a blessing not a requirement. To expect something from another is to invite discord. Give of yourself to others as I have given to you and others will give back to you a hundred fold. It contains magic most powerful. Generosity begets generosity. Give to each other and your powers will no longer act as oil and water. The words again cease and the mark of magic upon the All-Seeing’s forehead begins to glow a deep purple. As with the mark of weather it to leaves her and jets towards the sisters. A purple gem joins Loyalty in orbit around the sisters.
Diminished, but still strong the All-Seeing’s voice returns to the sister’s minds. Honesty with yourself and with others breaks the illusions that may cloud your minds. Be as honest as a tree. It takes what it needs without falsehoods. It gives back of itself without lies. The honesty of the land will guide you and strengthen you. Be honest with each other and do not let falsehoods cast a pale upon you relationship. The voice of creation halts once again as the limbs of her body begin to glow orange like the sunrise. Still standing as the energy leaves her, a soothing orange gem joins its allies in orbit around the sisters.
A mirthful voice returns, belying her weakened state. Enjoy life my daughters. Laugh with each other. Laugh with those that would give you dominion over them. Do not let the timeless nature of your being tarnish the unbridled joy of being alive. Do not laugh at others for such laughter invites hate and malice into the heart. Use your time to spread joy and destroy malice. A chuckle concludes the dialog and the very head of the All-Seeing begins to glow a luminous blue. The energy streams towards the sisters leaving the chest of the All-Seeing and two glowing eyes as the remnants of her body. As with the other three a fourth gem comes into being.
The voice comes ins a weak rasp now, most of her power spent. The last lesson I have for you is Kindness. Be kind to each other. Comfort each other when they are pained. Do not take kindness as a weakness. The kind can tame the beast where the strong will slay it. Do not hide from each other what pains you. Know that they will be kind to you if you are likewise to them. Be kind to those that follow you and they will be kind to those that follow them. An unbroken chain of kindness will form and harmony will reign. With that the body of the All-Seeing glowed pink as the setting sun and formed a fifth gem that joined its brethren around the sisters.
The two eyes remained, each reflecting the power of the sun and moon, but they were farm dimmer than they had been earlier. She speaks again, but barely a whisper. The voice is like the wind on a summer morning.
“These…are the 5 Elements of Harmony…They are the five outer pillars. When united….by…you…and…reveal…sixth element…”
The words are cut off as the eyes wink out of existence. The All-Seeing is no more. She has spent her all to grant the thrice-touched with a weapon to fight chaos and restore harmony. With the five elements circling them and the cryptic final words in their minds the two can only do one thing. They hold each other and cry for the All-Seeing’s sacrifice. For the second time in their lives they have lost their mother.
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Sensing the enchantments placed upon the great vault beneath the citadel by the sisters fade, a group of unknown entities begin uncovering the entrance so that they may gain access to the great treasure stored within. The entrance opened, a small group heads into the ruins and into the vault. Traps prepared are sprung early by tricks and sorcery. Wards are shattered by their very voice. The door is wrenched from its hinges and the prize is revealed. The great lance used to slay the Ebon Wrym, sealed by the three sisters is now open to them. Hefting the spear upon their shoulders, the cloaked raiders leave the vault and return to their comrades. Passing the weapon to the largest there, the group makes for the caves where they would rejoin the rest of their tribe. They had to prepare to unleash the weapon at the correct time.
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The sisters recovered from the loss of the All-Seeing in time, aided by the soothing touch of the Elements. Feeling renewed and reenergized the two, teleported themselves back to the land they called home. What they found broke their hearts. Everywhere the signs of the devastation wrought after their defeats were evident. Steeling themselves they tapped into the power of the Elements, preparing to test the powers they contained. Focusing on each virtue within them, the sisters forged a bubble of pure harmonic energy. Wherever the bubble touched, the land returned to the state it had been in before the madness descended. Adding a fraction of their own power to the sphere, it expanded exponentially, purifying more of the land. Pleased by the effect, the sisters released their focus and the gems returned to their orbit. Sensing with in the Elements a connection to their own celestial charges, the two prepared to regain their birthright from the Chaos.
Flying as fast as they could, without draining to much of their reserves the sisters made their way to the former capitol and new throne of Chaos. Their hearts and minds prepared for the sights before them, they readied themselves to face Entropy for the second time. Upon his throne he sat, sensing their approach he did not prepare. He had no need to. Summoning a draught from thin air, he imbibes while he awaits their arrival. They land at the foot of the mountain and demand to speak to the lord of chaos. With a snap of his immense talon he appears, throne and all, before the two. His evil smile flirts across his lips as he asks if the sisters had come to swear fealty to him. Their response was no, they had come to reclaim what was their own. Scoffing, he raises both the sun and moon into the air. They are his to control. The sisters did not hesitate to prove him wrong. The Elements flared to life, forming a pyramid around the two. Channeling their own magics into the apex of the pyramid, where all of the 5 elements were focusing their own power, they unleashed the beam. It split into two streams, each one impacting one of the celestial bodies. Chaos felt his connection wrenched away. Chaos felt the touch of Creation. The sisters felt the connection with their namesakes restored, their hair heralding the return as they once again blew in the invisible wind.
Rising from his throne, the titanic avatar of Chaos snarled in rage. He focused his immense power into a spell of pain and sent it at the sisters. Thousands of chaos-laden arrows cut through the air towards them. None reached. Each arrow had been incinerated by wyrm fire. From beneath the mountain came the great purple leviathan, the ancient matriarch of all of the wryms. Arrayed with her were representatives of all of the other wrym tribes. Their fire proving that nothing burned hotter than it. The sisters noticed that in the purple matriarch’s talon rested the great black lance that had been sealed those years ago. Its surface now covered with the rune words of the wryms, strengthening its power even more. They had prepared it for use against the beast of Chaos. It had slain the body once and they would use it to do it again.
Chaos summoned his minions to battle and they streamed from the city. There were far more than when the battle had concluded. He had converted many of the tribes people, whether willing or unwilling into his chaos-earth-born and chaos-magic-born. The armies of chaos would be no match for the unrestrained fury of the wryms. Their fire burned hotter and faster than the coldness of the chaos-born could strip the heat from the air. The ground they stood on became their pyre. The insectoid minions faired no better. Unable to copy the immense size of the wryms, they could not confuse the enemy and had to rely on their own magic. Magic, which many had not used in a decade. Their queen herself, who was immensely powerful, fell to the claw of the great purple wrym. At her loss the chaos-magic-born fled the field, obeying her last words to get her daughter, their new queen to safety. The creatures from the forest, trusting their own survival instincts fled the field as well, retreating to their dens and caves in the forest. Chaos stood alone to face the rage of the dragons and the daughters of creation.
His arrogance continued unabated. He looked forward to the challenge. A challenge he had not had earlier. He would enjoy proving to be the more powerful being. Reaching out with his hands, the youngest of the wryms scooped up into the air and like the wrym-born before them, had their magic drained from their bodies. His body recognized the taste of wrym magic and drank it up. The wryms kept his attention while the Sun and Moon focused their power along with the elements to slay the beast. Forming a spell matrix with the Elements of Harmony, the two craft their eclipse spell once again, this time with harmony. The mention of the sixth element still sat in their mind, but they assumed it was the two of them combined. The spell was complete and the Chaos felt its simmering power. He hastily erected a shield to protect him from the onslaught. The chromatic beam fired and Chaos braced itself.
The Great purple wrym saw the attack and prepared her own. Drawing back her arm she threw the black lance with all her titanic might. The runes along the shaft and blade began to glow with emerald light as it spun. The missile cut through the air and pierced the center of the Elements of Harmony’s matrix. It joined with the assault, absorbing the energy. The runes working to weave together the powers and to pierce shields. The spinning rainbow of harmony impacted the barrier of chaos and shattered it as if it was paper. The spell struck true and impaled the behemoth of chaos. But it was not a fatal wound, he had moved at the last moment to have it strike his shoulder. The impact of the harmonic spell burnt his body, severing the arm. The energy circulated around him, stripping him of the power he had absorbed from the All-Seeing. Like the abominations he crafted, as he lost power his size diminished.
By merit of his subtle dodge, some of the immense energy aimed at him had glanced off his shoulder and burnt an enormous gouge in the land. A ghastly scar had been painted to mark the wound he had been inflicted. The land around the gorge was renewed by the blast, the wound would not be healed though as it was created by the powers of the Sun and Moon, not the Elements. The lord of chaos cried in pain from his wound. Fury overtook his vision and with a single pull of his good arm, released the lance from the ground it had impaled and threw it at the Sun and Moon, imparting a portion of his rage and power into it.
Exhausted from the spell, the thrice-touched could only wait for the inevitable impact, hoping to dodge it. They would not have the chance. The great matriarch of the wryms intercepted the weapon, throwing her own titanic bulk in front of it. He scales and hide proved little protection from the enchanted spear and chaos magic. It blasted her backwards, piercing through her gut. She crashed to the ground grievously wounded, but had a smile of satisfaction upon her face. The Sun, her oldest ally rushed to her side and thanked her for interceding. The wounded lord of Chaos took the distraction and withdrew from the field of battle. He needed to collect is power and find a way to counter their new weapon. He retreated to the caves underneath his forest.
In their weakened state, the Sun and the Moon could not hope to heal such a grievous wound. The wyrms as well could not; none there were trained in the medical words of power, only combat. With great care they removed the cursed lance from her belly and set it aside. Many voiced concern as to why they had brought such a weapon in the first place and further strengthened it. The voice of the matriarch silenced the opposition. She had known of this possibility and had accepted it. The lance had let them score a pivotal victory and land a great wound upon the spirit. It was her pleasure to have done such for the world. She had lived for more years than grains of sand in an hourglass already and was ready to let another ascend to the throne of matriarch. Her lifeblood leaking out she called the sisters and the wryms to bring the lance before her.
Levitating the gore stained instrument to the claw of the matriarch as she requested, the wryms used their fire to burn the lance clean. With a knowing look in her eyes, she generated an intense emerald flame upon one of her claws and painstakingly adjusted many of the runes that adorned the shaft and blade. Each changed rune created fissures in the surface of the spear. The fissures joined together and chunks fell off. With the last run complete, the lance ceased to be. With a flash of emerald flame, the lance dissipated into a cloud of dust, the runes having done their work. She had but one task to finish before she would let death take her.
She beckoned the Sun to come closer; she did not have the energy to talk louder than a whisper. She spoke that with her age she had been the mother of countless broods, but none had survived to reach maturity. Too many of the other wrym clans feared that her offspring would be raised to gain her mantle of grand matriarch and lord over the tribes and clans. While unfounded, the fear was enough for her young to be singled out and exterminated. Eventually she stopped hatching anymore whelps, tired of suffering the mother’s anguish. Sensing her death was coming, she had one last brood, but only received a single egg. That egg she had left in the caves underneath the capitol, safe from the rival wryms. This egg she gave to the Sun and Moon for protection. The Sun asked when would it hatch, the only response she received was, when its ready and the spark returns. The purple titan’s breathing ceased and passed from the world.
Over a few days, a litter was created to ferry the body to the ancestral grounds where she would be granted the proper burial and rites befitting their matriarch. The wryms took their leave and apologized for not being able to help further, but the succession would require their full involvement. The Sun and Moon understood and gave their condolences. True to her word, the Sun did not speak of the purple spotted egg that was now secured in her possession. With the departure of the wryms, the Sun and Moon turn towards the ruined capitol and are greeted by familiar faces. The Solar and Lunar guards, seeing the sun and moon return to their previous cycles, had known the sisters had returned. Behind them stood the United army. They had rallied the army that had remained in the capitol as soon as they heard about the sisters driving the spirit back. Together they had driven the remaining minions of chaos from the capitol and began to minister to any injured. The sisters were overjoyed that some of their subjects had survived and now rested, would restore the capitol to what it once was. Channeling the Elements of Harmony, the sisters undid the chaotic changes made to the gleaming city. The spires and buildings were restored, but some damages remained. The citizens got to work repairing their lives.
With repairs underway the sisters knew they had to chase down Chaos and end him before he could regain his power and attack again. Gathering the soldiers, the two stated they would go after him alone. They would not put anymore of their subjects in danger. The generals protested, but were silenced. The populace affected by the reign of chaos needed their support more. Some protested that the sisters would not know where to find the beast and would need scouts. The sisters knew where he had retreated. The same place he had retreated to after every loss. He would return to the forest that had sundered his prison and released him upon the land. It would be fitting that they ended him where he began. So the thrice-touched made for the heart of the forest, the five Elements of Harmony circling around them. The generals and commanders who had known the sisters the longest shared nods and, after dispersing orders, followed them.
The beast of chaos retreated to the seat of is power and began to regenerate his missing arm. He merged the beasts he could find with his own body to use for material and in short order his arm was returned. His size as with his original power however, would not return. Those blasted gems and that spear had proven more formidable than he anticipated. Knowing they would not leave him to recover, he began to reclaim the power he had given. Connecting to the roots he had laid all those eons ago, he drew his influence back from the land. Deep he dug to the very heart of the forest; to the very prison that had contained him. Across the land, all who were connected to him felt the pull of their power. The chaos-born that had fled, the polar ice spirits, the dream imps, the savage wolves made of timber, all felt his pull. He drank of his power and his confidence returned. This would be enough.
The forest died. The trees withered and receded back as their power was taken. The great forest, ever free from interference was a shadow of its former size. The trees and their evil were now concentrated upon the Chaos, its ancient tender. The chaos-born felt their blessings pulled from them. Many fought it and survived, some did not. The distance that separated them from the Chaos helped and many would survive to continue on their species, a new offshoot of their common heritage. The ethereal polar ice spirits and dream imps were not so lucky. They lacked bodies with which to resist. Their very essence was reclaimed. With a howl of rage they ceased to exist. The sisters found the forest and its state and knew their foe lay within. With booming voices they called out the tender to settle the fight once and for all. His arrogance restored he willing came forward. This time he would not be caught off guard.
The Chaos attacked immediately, but the sisters were prepared and the attack glanced off a shield generated by the Elements of Harmony. They countered with successive bolts of force from the array that stripped away the power of the Chaos like layers of an onion. His shield could not protect him; he was to weak to fully block the shots. The bolts were also not powerful enough to vanquish the embodiment of entropy either. His constant attacks and counterattacks kept the sisters from channeling the massive spell. He had learned from the earlier encounters to not let that happen. The battle raged for days, neither side giving up. Smaller and smaller Chaos grew, but also weaker and weaker were the bolts shot by the sisters. Often the attacks would miss, striking the maddened land instead and healing it. The Sun moved so her back was to the sun and created a massive solar flare, which blinded the Chaos momentarily. This was all the time they needed. Combining her powers with the energy the Moon had gathered and that of the Elements of Harmony they made one more assault against the beast. His vision clears to be met by another, much more powerful bolt. He feels large portions of his power stripped from him. His body falls.
Landing the exhausted sisters see that the beast, no only twice their size has fallen. They do not see him moving and the currents of air remain undisturbed by the beast’s breathing. He is dead. Turning to each other to tend to the myriad wounds they have, neither sees the beast stir. Neither feels the air distortions as its breath returns. It is to late when they feel the power of Entropy’s oblivion spell. A spell that uses the caster’s own life force as power. Cackling like mad the beast fires the beam. If he falls, he will take the daughters of his enemy with him. The sisters are too exhausted to move; the days of relentless magic use has pushed them to their limits. To their horror, the beam does not strike them, but their three generals. One of each tribe; Earth, Magic, and Weather; had jumped in the way to intercept the attack. Their faces twisted in pain turn to smiles when they see that the sisters are safe. They do not scream, but speak. They thank the two for giving them purpose. They thank the two for showing them what is right in this world. They thank the sisters for being their friends. Their bodies begin to glow a bright blue from the assault and all must turn away from the blinding light.
The light dissipated and the generals’ bodies lay upon the ground, unconscious but alive. Their savior floated above them. Composed only of energy, the Twilight had returned. Her body composed of roiling energies reflecting the rising and setting sun. The older sisters can only stare at the miracle. The weakened lord of chaos shows for the first time true fear. A voice in their heads call to them, the sisters turn towards the Twilight.
“Mother could not complete her final message. Those gems are five of the Elements of Harmony; the 5 outer pillars that support us all. The 3 inner pillars are the Sun, the Moon, and the Twilight. When all 8 are present the ninth pillar, magic, is revealed. I am both sun and Moon. I am the sixth Element of Harmony. The spark of magic that leads to true harmony. The willing sacrifice of those your hold close and that hold you close created the path for my return.”
The Sun and Moon understanding the All-Seeing’s final words prepare to use the full power of the Elements of Harmony. The lord of Chaos tries to flee, but find his legs bound by the magic-born general’s spell. The sisters three take formation in the sky. The 5 crystalline Elements of Harmony form an outer circle, connecting themselves in a pentagram. The three sisters form a triangle inside the center of the immense spell matrix. Channeling their magic together and resonating it through the 5 Elements, the sixth appears in its center, a glowing lavender six-pointed star. As one, nine beams of pure energy, each with a distinct color lance from the array, spiraling together to create a rainbow beam.
The energy impacts the lord of chaos head one. His body contorts and twists in the assault. His face is frozen in terror. The spell from the general breaks and he tries to run, but his legs won’t move. Grey stone slowly creeps up his body. It does not encase him, but turns him to stone. He can feel his limbs grow stiff. His movements grow slow. He can feel his very blood turning to stone, each beat of his heart trying to force the stone blockades away. His heart gives out and in mid cardiac arrest, it too becomes stone. It creeps up his neck and his vision goes dark and his world goes silent. At his brain, the petrification stops. His body is immortal. He cannot truly die. His brain will remain organic. He will be trapped inside his own mind till the end of days.
The task done, the elements and the three sisters land upon the ground. The Sun and Moon find themselves fully restored and reenergized by the power of the Elements and, with a glance between the three, begin to channel them again. A glorious wave of rainbow energy erupts from the nine pillars and spread out in a circle. Everything that the wave passes over and through is restored. Creatures mutated by the wild magic are returned to how they should be. Lands floating in the air are restored to their rightful place in the ground. Old wounds like the chaos-born cannot be healed, they have been steeped in the power of chaos for to long, the wave can only clear their minds of any remaining taint. Buildings destroyed by the minions of chaos also remain in ruins. Only those devastated by the random chaos magic can be fixed. The wave recedes and harmony is restored. Her job done, the energy form of the Twilight, much to the horror of her sisters, begins to fade. They ask her to stay, but she can not. They ask her when she will return, all she says is.
“I will return when I am most needed.”