When we fell from Earth

Prelude to When We Fell From Earth

It was like the world had all the magic sucked out of it. We felt weak, powerless, and useless. And ten pillars of iridescent light rose from the battlefield and shot towards the heavens. We saw our sky break and we saw our world collapse. But it was at this very moment that we knew we were given a second chance.

--From Histories of the Time of Peacefulness, by Aragai Chartai, the personal Historian of the Imagination Creator

Zayne, the Imagination Creator, sat on his throne and looked at the reflective mirror on the floor of his circular throne room that had shown him the battlefield. The scenes kept shifting, showing the Ocean of Beginnings, where Arothemanians were dragged into their homes by the shifting monsters in the darkness and slaughtered. He saw the floating land of Grandana, where Wielders fought and were pushed off the floating island and into the abyss. He saw fallen angels fighting for their homes as their wings were torn from their bodies. He saw Fire Speakers dancing with their fires, protecting their homes as the darkness overcame their fires and snuff them out of existence. He saw the Shifters of the Crystalin hills as they fought for their continent and were frozen by their own magic. He saw–

Zayne couldn't take it anymore, so he waved a hand and the mirror went obsidian.

In the circular room in his floating palace in the center of the City Tower of Arotheman, Zayne wasn't alone. Zayne's palace acted as a host for the ten Kings and Queens of Arotheman during this war so they would discuss their next moves. To discuss the destruction of their world. Zayne looked at them one by one and he couldn't utter a word, for what could he say? He created this. He created this world and he couldn't protect it.

It is not the first I have failed to do so...

Zayne turned to his left to see that his brother, Deus, wasn't in the meeting. He growled and called for one of the servants. But Stephan, the King of Light, stood up and stopped Zayne, "Do not take it out on the poor servants! They have a family fighting there, you know!" Stephan looked in the mirror. And as if the mirror sensed what Stephan wanted, it showed him the shores of the Ocean of Beginnings. The Ocean that ancient Arothemainians found and named home for those who can feel the water and listen to the light. Where life began and flourished on its very shore.

Now, the white, powdery sand was spoiled with the red and black blood of Arothemanians and monsters in the darkness. It was filled with half-eaten Arothemanians' bodies, their gore spilled around them. They saw fierce warriors turning water into animals and objects to try and kill the darkness, but they couldn't, for you cannot kill the darkness the same way one cannot kill the air or any element of nature.

One can only contain it.

Stephan stared at the mirror as he breathed, "The Ocean of Beginnings and Endings..."

Zayne turned to look at him, the windows that showed the sky behind Stephan poured in light that contrasted with his ebony skin. He shook his head and closed his eyes. "My people lived on the shores of that ocean as a good omen for them, but now...my people shall not touch the waters of this cursed place again."

"How dare you!" Natara, the King of Water stood up, sword drawn. "How dare you speak of my home like that? My home has been nothing but a blessing to your people! How–How are–"

"Cut it off, both of you!" Fortha, the Queen of Wind stood up, "We have no time for your bickering. We need to find a way to lock this Darkness in. We need to–" Her voice broke as the mirror reflected her people, fighting and dying. Children being slaughtered and women being killed. Men being pushed off the island and steads being eaten. She saw animals all around Arotheman trying to hide and failed. She couldn't take it and broke into tears, only to be held up by her love, Zmerald, the Queen of Earth. Zayne knew that Zmerald felt the animals more than Fortha did, but their Partnerhood made it so that they can both feel each other. They both feel the pain...they both feel the sorrow.