Mirror Me

21: The Age of Mirrorbenders

"After the disappearance of King Darius, Queen Claudine and the subjects of Silvershine, the rule of Tartarus fell on the royal children. The three princes, Juprus, Neptus, and Plutus, formed small territories across Tartarus's landscape; territories that would eventually lead to warfare.

The youngest brother, Juprus, a fool hardy fellow, cared for the physical pleasures in life. He enjoyed surrounding himself with beautiful people leading him to a lifestyle of exuberant parties and extravagant feasts. While one might say that these are no qualities for a prince of Tartarus to have, they fell in comparison to Juprus's greatest flaw, his temper. Juprus's aggressive nature came forth when things did not go his way. Sometimes he turned his frustrations into public spectacles. Executions, humiliations, and shaming became a common sight for those associated under his domain. Besides his irrefutable abrasiveness and crude punishment, Juprus created a strong militia, a fierce justice system, a series of entertaining sports, and a suitable tax to sustain and construct roads and buildings across this empire.

The second oldest brother, Neptus, a goal-driven and adventurous man, found solace in exploring the furthest reaches of Tartarus. He adored the seas and wished to travel beyond the horizon. Using the drawings of ships that his father had left behind, Neptus constructed mighty seafaring vessels to which he discovered many islands. He established port cities perfect for fishing, trading, and exotic culinary delights. This made his empire the richest in all of Tartarus.

The oldest brother, Plutus, a sensible and intelligent man, found his true passion lay with the collecting of knowledge. His first act as prince was the creation of schools and universities. Hoping to grasp the laws of science and the mysteries of magic, Plutus formed a large library where documents of all kinds found sanctuary. In the beginning his universities were strict to only the nobility until he discovered that even the common people could provide valuable input. Unable to sway the established colleges to take in the common folk, Plutus set up a diverse group of smaller public universities for those who wished to learn but did not have the financial or status means to do so. The doors to knowledge were now open. Even those of his brother's nations could come and learn. Plutus was also a big supporter of the Sages. He declared that the ancient Council of Vetra be protected should a person from the other realm ever appear again.

During the time of the Three Brothers' Rule, Tartarus experienced a hundred years of peace and prosperity. The trouble began shortly before the death of the three brothers with the arrival of the Second Mirrorbender.

The Second Mirrorbender, Aileen, became an instant celebrity when she fell through the Mirror of the House of Dite in the city of Themis. Many who recalled the time of the First Mirrorbender, Darius, were filled with the hope of continued peace. Unfortunately as Aileen was discovering her power, the three brothers began to die one after the other. This left the world in instant turmoil and the idea of one central ruler began to poison the minds of the nations. The children of the three brothers in an effort to gain control expanded their territories. This blurred the boundaries between nations creating further hostility. Uncertainty over land ownership and resources led to the eventual Thousand Year War. Due to them being high in the mountains the Plutus nation stayed neutral for most of the war while the nations of Juprus and Neptus butchered one another.

For a thousand years the Council of Vetra along with the arriving Mirrorbenders focused on ending the fighting and reestablishing peace. After much hardship and many failed attempts, no one believed the fighting would ever end until the 74th Mirrorbender Dalton, arrived.

Legend said that after his arduous training, Mirrorbender Dalton went to the hidden places of the world. There he befriended and convinced the magical beasts of Tartarus to assist him. Stories claimed that Mirrorbender Dalton descended upon the great battles of the Elysian Plains riding atop his mighty dragon, Alistaire. The fear in the soldier's eyes was enough to quell the fighting and bring reason and words of peace to the warring minds of the people. With the help of the Council of Vetra, Dalton established treaties between the nations eventually deciding upon strict boundaries.