Rise of Deception

~Prologue~

     Firelight bathed the old storyteller's face in a warm golden glow, casting shadows under his bushy grey eyebrows. The flickering flames giving his aged face new life as the light danced among the fine wrinkles radiating out from his eyes and mouth. A long, neatly combed beard fell into his lap, where his hands were hidden under it's silvery strands. Tonight he would tell the story of the four magic powers; naur, alu, kemen, and vilya.

     "There was a time, long ago, that we lived in harmony with all the races." He began.

     All the eyes in the circle of the young elfin children were drawn to the storyteller. His strong, smooth voice taking them back in time.

     "We shared our knowledge of naur, alu, kemen, and vilya with those who showed innate ability to use them for the betterment of Rirospen. Sadly, it wasn't long before the magic was used to overpower others, upsetting the balance of nature in the lands. This abuse of power caused rifts to weaken, allowing gates to open between other realms where great darkness and evil resided." The lean storyteller leaned forward and gently exhaled air into the fire. In the center a shimmering window slowly consolidated, hovering slightly above the flickering flames. Shapes slowly formed, solidifying into the familiar appearances of dwarfs, halflings, humans and many other races.

   "The people of our world started turning on one another, and over time the races eventually separated themselves, each laying claim to different lands of Rirospen. Those who wandered close to the weakening gates were consumed by unexplained hatred and anger as the darkness inhabiting the other side grew in strength. Gradually those beings evolved into loathsome creatures bent on destroying all in their paths." 

     The elfin children watched as the figures in the fire changed. Here a human's body painfully twisted, bones popping as they stretched beyond their natural limits. His jaws dislocated, making room for the sharp jagged fangs that erupted through his swollen gums. All that remained of the human was a hairless hunchbacked agaryulnaer. A morier replaced the transformed bloodsucker, the dark one once a proud, stout dwarf.

     With a heavy sigh, the storyteller continued. "To their despair, the Val'istar and Istar of that time realized it had been a mistake to indulge the other race's curiosity of our magic. But it was too late, the evil beings sought out the weak ones who practiced magic, twisting their willpower to sow terror and discord throughout the lands. The Val'istar and Istar traveled near and far, gathering the strongest users of the four magic powers, sealing the dark gates behind them. Many lost their lives in battle with the morierea, leaving behind loved ones and taking their knowledge with them."

     Around the fire the children watched raptly as the battle unfolded amid the flames. Orcs, mere cats, and trolls spewed forth from within the gate's darkness, joined by unrecognizable creatures darting to and fro amidst the army. Massive beasts with thick curved fangs dripping frothing venom ran rampant within the melee, indiscriminately slashing ally or foe with razor sharp obsidian claws. Fear spread it's heavy weight across the young elfin shoulders, making the night chilly despite the fire's warmth. Quick glances flickered towards the surrounding woods, with the fear that some monstrosity would be sneaking closer out of the darkness.

     The flames leaped high at the whispered command of the storyteller, the window into the past dissolving in a swirl of smoke. "The Val'istar and Istar realized that only by combining all five powers could they hope to achieve closing this last dark gate." The storyteller fell silent, his warm amber eyes shining with intelligence that belied his age. His gaze purposely met with each of the young ones circling the fire.

     Hesitantly a hand extended forward and at the storyteller's nod the young woman quietly asked, "Five powers?"

     "Yes, five powers." He held up one of his hands, his long fingers ticking off as he counted. "Naur, alu, kemen, vilya," He paused dramatically, "and morgul."

     From around the circle the youngsters gasped, no one spoke of morgul, the dark magic!

     "Confident that they would soon be feasting themselves on their adversary, all the morier gathered it's remaining forces at Daedhel, the last dark gate, for one last forceful push to enter our realm. Our numbers seemed pitiful compared the thousands straining against the thin barrier holding them back. 

 With grim determination, the Val'istar and Istar worked in unison, combining their powers to keep the horde at bay long enough to prepare a great spell that would forever collapse the gate and save Rirospen. The knowledge that failure would throw our beloved world into the hands of chaos weighed heavy on their shoulders, lending them strength and courage to tap into the forbidden morgul power.

The wind whipped up tempests, buffeting the pair as unseen voices whispered temptations to relinquish themselves to the power. Visions danced upon the air showing all the races kneeling in observance at their feet. They saw themselves embracing every hidden desire with abandon, no one daring to admonish them for their actions. The enticing pull of power tightened around their chests like bands of steel, stealing their breath away.                                                                                                     

Resolutely, the Val'istar stood shoulder to shoulder with the Istar as they approached Daedhel, remaining steadfast against the allure of morgul. The Val'istar nodded, determination shining in his eyes as they wove protection shields to encompass their remaining allies. The barrier dropped and with a deep breath, the Val'istar leaped into the black maw to be immediately swallowed by the horde of morierea fighting each other to escape through the now open gate."

       The old storyteller paused to take a sip of apple wine before concluding his tale. "Sadly, we know not what occurred on the other side of the Daedhel gate with the exception that the Val'istar was able to complete the spell successfully. The wind carries no whispers of his presence. Our people now live separately in the four lands of Rirospen, each mastering one of the four magic powers, safeguarding our secrets from the inferior races. In doing this we hope to thwart any further uprising and weakening of the dark realm paths, avoiding another Daedhel war between light and dark."

     "Istar, what about the Thand Wardens? Do they not practice all four of the powers?" A young woman inquired shyly.

     The storyteller's nod was barely perceptible, "Yes Lainil, Wardens of the Thand do study all the magic powers, including morgul."

I hope you enjoyed reading this part! Please let me know what you think, I'm looking forward to hearing from you :)