The Tale of Hera Hikaru

|Chapter One| |The Elemental Rift|

THE HISTORY OF HERA HIKARU

CHAPTER ONE

THE ELEMENTAL RIFT

Long ago, five great nations flourished in harmony. Firelight Valley, the land of fire; Rubin Hollows, the land of lightning; Neptara, the land of darkness; Lunara, the land of earth; and Ethereal, the land of ice, were once united by a powerful bond of trust and cooperation. Each country was home to people blessed with elemental powers, granted by special gems known as the Souls. These gems embodied the elemental forces of the world: the Soul of Fire, Soul of Water, Soul of Earth, Soul of Dark, and Soul of Thunder. Together, the people of these lands wielded extraordinary powers that shaped their world and sustained an era of peace.

The Soul Gems were each made for a specific person, connecting the people to the elemental essence of their land. In Firelight Valley, the Soul of Fire burned brightly, granting its people control over flames and heat. In Rubin Hollows, the Soul of Thunder surged through the sky, empowering its inhabitants with the crackling might of lightning. Neptara, shrouded in darkness, embraced the power of shadows, with the Soul of Dark allowing its people to manipulate the unseen. Lunara, rich with life, saw its people attuned to the earth itself, able to shape mountains and forests with the power of the Soul of Earth. Lastly, Ethereal, cold and distant, housed the Soul of Ice, its people capable of freezing air and water, molding the frozen elements to their will.

For centuries, the nations stood united, their powers complementing one another. They traded resources, knowledge, and even warriors, strengthening their ties. The leaders of each country would gather every cycle of the moon at a sacred site known as the Heartstone, where all five elemental powers were balanced, to reaffirm their friendship and commitment to peace. However, over time, the differences between the nations grew more pronounced.

Firelight Valley, proud and ambitious, began to see itself as superior, driven by the unyielding nature of flame. Its people sought to expand their influence, believing that the fire's warmth and light were meant to dominate the world. Rubin Hollows, quick to act and prone to bursts of energy like lightning itself, resented Firelight's growing arrogance. The people of Rubin believed their swiftness and strength were unmatched, and that they deserved greater power in the alliance. Meanwhile, Neptara grew distant, its people increasingly lost in the shadows, mistrusting the others. Darkness is patient, but suspicion began to twist Neptara's heart. Lunara, steady and patient like the earth, attempted to mediate, but even they grew weary of the constant squabbles. Ethereal, isolated by its icy peaks and frigid landscapes, remained aloof, believing the cold, unfeeling nature of ice was superior to the emotional fires and storms of the other nations.

Tensions rose, and old friendships began to fracture. At a Heartstone gathering meant to renew peace, an argument between the leaders of Firelight Valley and Rubin Hollows erupted. Firelight's ruler, Ryuji, driven by their hunger for control, declared that their fire should guide all the nations, while Rubin's leader, Hikari, angered by this presumption, claimed that lightning could strike down even the hottest flame. Ethereal's leader ,Hyoga, dismissed both sides, calling them reckless, while Neptara's ruler, Shinra, hinted that shadows had long hidden truths the others could not see. The leader of Lunara, Sakarami, normally the voice of reason, found themselves unable to soothe the rising tempers.

The argument turned into open conflict. The war that followed was called the Elemental Rift. It raged across the lands, fueled by the powers of the Soul Gems. Fire scorched the skies as lightning tore through the earth. Shadows darkened the sun while the ground itself shook under the fury of Lunara's warriors. The cold winds of Ethereal froze entire battlefields in an instant. For years, the five nations tore at each other, their elemental might laying waste to the lands they once cherished.