Light From Above

Introduction

Above the world there once stretched only darkness with no light to penetrate the space between the heavens and the ground. The only light for the people of the world was the fires that lit their camps and homes. 

Then came the stars. Little pinpricks of silver light, piercing the darkness to guide them, offering them hope there was something more out there than monsters to haunt their dreams. 

Much later came the two great orbs, set to sail the skies at differing times, bringing light and blessings of magic to all.

During the day, the bright Sun appeared, guided by the beautiful Helia. She took the form of a serious young maid with long black hair, wearing formal silks the color of tongues of flame. Helia sailed the skies bringing health to crops, the gift of poetry to the people, and a light unlike any they had ever seen. Quickly the people of the world began offering her prayers for protection, and so her duties grew to include teaching the warriors to be fierce fighters that served with honor.

During  the night, the pristine silver light of the Moon appeared guided by Helia's twin brother Endymion. In almost every way he was her opposite. Where her hair was dark, his was as silver as the light of the Moon. A smile never seemed far from his face and his clothing tended to be simple in black and white. The people of the world prayed to him for healing and rest, as well as inspiration for artistic pursuits.  

He lived in a palace made of silvery moonstone and shining opaque crystal. It was a sprawling structure; even Endymion did not know how many rooms it contained. He spent most of his time alternating between the Great Hall, where the stars gathered between their lonely sojourns through the sky, and his Observatory, where he listened and watched the world below.

For years, decades even, this arrangement worked well, but there came times that Endymion became bored. It was those times that everyone feared, for no one, not even Helia could predict what he would do. Once, the power he usually aimed toward the calming of dreams was channeled into giving everyone horrifying nightmares. When next he was bored, he kept the Moon high in the sky longer than was his right. To the people on the surface, the Moon grew larger in the sky and consumed the light of the Sun, bathing the ground in light the color of blood.  

All the while, Endymion laughed.

Yes, the Moon's boredom was disastrous. For that reason, the people prayed to the stars. Who else could protect them from the Moon and his whims?

And that is where our story begins. Peace had reigned for years. And still the people prayed, waiting for the next disaster. There lay the true conflict for the stars. Would it be treason for them to ally themselves with their leader? Or would the true treason be to stop Endymion from wreaking havoc on the surface?