Stories Of Zoltah

Jeio

Perhaps life's best kept secret, the mind is the most powerful weapon that one can ever wield. Within it, are contained all the hopes and dreams, wishes and desires – not to mention fears and looming doubts that propel us all. And throughout the ages, a few among the celestials have come to know of its inner workings and inherent vulnerabilities. You see, unlike other organs making up the body, the mind can be trained and manipulated to such an extent as to influence even the very reality you experience. For instance, the same boulder shown to an Asgardian, an Olympian and a Heliopolitan, can be viewed differently depending on how their minds were inured. One might view the boulder for what it truly is - an oversized rock, jagged in parts, while another may see a marauding bear, towering and ready to strike! Meanwhile, the last to be shown, may not see the boulder at all, but will rather, look out at an empty field. Who is to say which of these is mistaken in reporting what they are viewing with their own eyes? Reality after all, is that which you experience – that which is real to you. From our heights, we have observed some tinker and prod away at hapless helpers, all in the quest of exploring these attributes of the mind; some in the hopes of unlocking one's true potential, and a few sinister others, in the hopes of ultimately gaining unbridled control.

It comes then as no surprise, that the one location, bearing objects of the utmost importance, was enchanted to change location each time it was found.

As the story begins, centuries ago, whilst his eyes were transfixed upon his watch, one of us – a sentry named Syan, heard the distant rumble of erupting lava. At first, he thought it was one of the countless volcanoes littered across Zoltah, but after pacing along the length and breadth of his tower and gazing outward, he was unable to locate any such smoke, or streams of flowing lava for that matter. You see, in those days, all the three kingdoms were still firmly rooted upon the ground, and deciding to search further, lest any of us missed impending danger, Syan descended from the skies and walked upon the land. And by so doing, he made our existence known to the celestials, a few of whom saw his towering stature and brilliant armour, only to rush back to their kingdoms and inform the others. Either Ignoring or utterly unable to comprehend this crucial mistake, Syan continued to roam across Zoltah for years, obsessed by the sound he had heard from his tower. It took three others abandoning their posts, to draw him back in and return Syan to the skies, where he would later tell of the rumbling noises he had heard all those years ago, taunting and tempting him like an itch with no cure.

The same fate later befell another named Keon, as she too soon heard the distant rumbling; only this time, we were all present, congregated upon the day of Ragnarok. Rather than restrain her, we followed as she descended from the skies and in a trance-like state, made towards the east of Zoltah; far beyond the kingdoms and towards the frozen lands, were glacial mountains tower within swirling seas of purple water. It was there that we came upon it for the very first time - the fountain of consciousness! Alight with dazzling colours and replete with tinkering gemstones – each and every one of them imbued with some unknown power. After taking a handful back to the towers with us and observing them for decades, we were finally able to understand precisely what these gemstones were, and how they could be abused. So under the charge of Heimdall, we enchanted the fountain and ensured that should any ever come across it – whether sentry or celestial, the fountain would forthwith change its location.

I speak of this now because I see brewing over the horizon, a new charge in the abuse of the gemstones, masquerading as a force for good, yet deceitfully concealing a grave reality.

It is not a sentry's place to interfere with the happenings upon the land, but ours is to merely watch and awaken those who will listen.