Legend of Lacraan: Skylearth Rising

Long ago, in a time before man breathed life, and dragons dared to roam the skies, there lived four elemental maidens all of whom were sisters. They lived in a mystical realm where it is said only the greatest elements thrived in peace and harmony. Fountaine was the maiden born of the sea, Avani born of the Earth, Detia, born of the Fire, and Eithra born of the wind. The realm they lived in was named Lacraan which meant 'Peace through Origin'. As the maidens wandered through the garden one day, a thought lingered only for a moments time; a thought that would last only a second, but an idea that would last for all eternity.

Fountaine slowly walked ahead of her sisters, as she felt the cool grass slosh under her feet just as it would after a light misty rain shower. She sat down at the edge of a reflecting pond and stared, completely absorbed in her own thoughts. eithra with a gentle breeze under her feet knelt beside Fountaine and put a hand on her shoulder loosening her lips into a soft smile. Fountaine looked up and tucked a strand of golden hair behind her ear, casting her gaze into the pond as she moved her lips to speak.

"Have you ever..." Fountaine began as she kept her gaze on the water. "....wondered what it would be like to fall in love? Never knowing when or how, but just imagining the feeling of walking on air?"

Detia glanced up from what she was doing upon hearing the word 'love'. Striding over, her bare feet scorched the lush green grass until it was brittle and brown. Avani scowled as she watched the grass wither away. Detia ignored Avani's glare as she snubbed her nose in the air waltzing over to Fountain in a flaunting manner, giving her a disdainful sneer.

"Hun," Detia began dryly "love is only a myth, and like myth, it is just a story to give people false hope for the wretched lives they live," Avani scoffed as she strutted over in great haste causing the brittle grass to flourish into pristine shades of wavering green. With a swift fluid motion Avani pushed Detia into the water.

"Don't listen to her, she is just mad because her 'love' isn't real. After all, she /is/ the goddess of lust and desire." Detia glared at Avani from the water as she waded out drying herself off.

"Love, above all things is simply...magical," she sighed with a dramatic dreamy sigh.

"Ugh, you don't actually believe that nonsense, do you?" Detia retorted.

"Actually, I do!" Avani simply stated. Detia rolled her eyes as she turned away from her sisters.

"Haven't you, Detia?" Fountains asked innocently. Detia looked at her sister out of the corner of her crimson eye. Her dress seemed to ignite a burning hatred as the thought evoked her. She was silent for a few moments before she parted her lips to let out a sullen "no." Fountaine fell silent as she stared at the water. She new better than to question Detia. The reflection of Fountaine diminished as a swarm of fish gathered around, looking for any sort of feed. Avani knew how meek Fountaine was and how she feared Detia's malicious wrath. Last time Fountaine questioned Detia, she scalded the sea life that thrived in the pristine water, scarring her sister with the image of her being next. Avani took Fountaine's hand which seemed to give the water maiden courage to rebel against her defensive sibling.

"Why!" Fountaine demanded.

"Why what?" Detia asked stopping suddenly with fists clenched into flames.

"Why don't you believe in love," Detia sighed as she turned on a pivot and walked back to Fountaine and Avani.

"We've been over this already. The reason why I don't believe on love is because it's against our customs to bd seen by mortal eyes. If we want to be seen, we have to shift into our altered forms, from goddess to beast, and for someone to initiate intimate encounters with an animal is strictly repulsive." Everyone stopped and stared at each other then at the ground. They knew Fountaine had overstepped Detia's boundaries. The argument echoed through Fountaine's mind as she repeated the word 'beast'. Detia was talking about their feral forms known as 'Guardians" large and ferocious animals that took the lives of humans depending on their crime, age, or deeds. Bad deeds often resulted in Detia's winged fire wolf ripping their soul to shreds and burning the body. Good deeds often resulted the soul to ride in the back of a giant eagle up into Lacraan.

Eithera bit her lip as she glanced at Detia who was staring off into the blinding sun.

"Detia," Eithra began as Detia paid no attention as she continued to watch the sky. "What if we created a man from our own elements one that would bring us much happiness?" Detia turned her head slightly to show an expression of haughty. Avani gave a glare as she walked past Detia shaking her head while Eithra stayed behind.

".....just give it some thought," she said, and turned to walk away.

The moons fixated stare illuminated Detia's room as she started at the stars. A twinge of gloom melded over her immortal heart as rolled Eithra's proposal over in her mind. She would be able to have that sense of belonging that she always dreamed of having. the thought lingered for a long time. Although the thought was for a few moments, the idea would at least last an eternity.

The sun peeped through the window as found herself sprawled on the floor, her lacy night gown tousled from the rough nights sleep as she held a pillow in between her legs. She opened her eyes as the world churned from a blur. The visions of last nights encounter still haunted her as she pushed herself off the floor. She walked down the marble staircase to join her sisters in the dining gallery. The room was filled with gentle chatter and laughter as Detia passed other sentimental beings of Lacraan. Her sisters sat at the far end of the hall sipping their drinks as they glanced up to meet Detia's distressed fabricated gown.

"Good morning Detia," Fountaine said playing with her glass of water.

"Good morning all," Detia said pulling out a chair, running a hand through her rats nest of hair.

"Heavy dreams?" Avani asked setting down her tea.

"Very," Detia groaned.

"Well, what was it?" Eithra asked more anxious than anyone else. Detia groaned again as she sat up in her chair, trying to adjust her eyes to the light which felt distorted.

"There was a man," Detia began slowly. "He wasn't like anyone I have seen before. He had a rich golden hair and a beautiful ripped body. Beautiful abs that seem to have a glow of their own. His complexion had a shine of a thousand suns--radiant glow seemed to emit from his pores. He had amazing Biceps that were bigger than our heads put together! Although there was something peculiar about him..." Detia took a breath and shifted in her seat slightly staring at her sisters who just stared at her with mouths agape. "....his mane was also apart of his tail. He wore nothing but a loin cloth. He had four arms two of which he used to draw a bow one of which he drew a spear and another of which he held a shield. he spoke to me in an ancient language warning me about something 'land cease to be as darkness looms over; skylearth will rise in reflection of me,'" Detia sat back and sighed as Avani repeated the word. 'land cease to be as darkness looms over; skylearth rise in reflecton of me," Fountaine slumped in her chair. "how could shadows fall if we live in a perfect world?" Avani strode over to a fountain and peered through the crystal waters, which revealed a barren wasteland.

"We need new humans to carry on our legacy. All the souls we had before are either here, or part of the earth," she pointed to the land that was covered in white soot. "All that is the remains of humans that were the first inhabitants. We need humans that are faithful, ones that will carry on our legacy. we need to create a civilization, and we can't do it when if the land looks like this. We need to procreate so our offspring may bring this waste land into a thriving world." Fountaine glanced up from the table.

"but why?" she asked curiously begging for an answer.

"because if we do not our powers will diminish, and we will become mortal," Avani glanced at the statue of a goddess that had four arms. In each hand four elemental crystals one of each color: Red, Blue, Green, Silver.

"Our goddess that created us paid a heavy price to make this perfect land, and in return for our stature she requires Attribute Bloods or descendants of us to keep the world thriving,"