The Song of the Keepers

Chapter 4 Tales and Titles

"I'm going to give you the abbreviated version, seeing as covering over 600 years of history in explicit detail could be terribly overwhelming.

Our ancestors came to this planet from the old world, the one that is called Earth. In our histories and accounts, we find much information on the tales and woes of our home
planet. There they spoke many languages, and the world was divided into hundreds of countries, from what we can tell. As a historian and a linguist, I have performed an in-depth study of their history and culture. Their past was riddled with wars and conflicts, it's amazing the human race survived."
Cato began.

"So why did our ancestors come here?"
I couldn't help but ask.

It was quite the shock to learn there was more than one life-sustaining planet in the universe.

"The records lack detail on the journey from Earth to our planet, Tyche, but from what we can tell they hoped to create a utopia. It's understandable when you see how bloody Earth's history was, why they would search for a place of peace."

"Guess that didn't work out so well."
Kairos interjected.

"Why is it named Tyche? That's such an odd word."
Vienna questioned.

"Tyche was the ancient Greek goddess of chance, fortune, and prosperity. I suppose the discovery our planet seemed a stroke of good luck."
Cato explained.

"So what happened after they came from the old world?"
I asked.

"The records we have, suggest their perfect utopian society broke down quickly and was replaced by the clan system. They were segregated by wielding abilities, the Water Clan being made of those with water-based abilities, Ice, Water, and Mist. The Earth Clan was more diverse in abilities, though at that time there was not the same variety that we have seen since. The Fire and Wind clans were the 'purest', having the same wielding ability between all the members."

"The Fire and Wind clans were mortal enemies right?"
I questioned, recalling something Kyle had told me when he had first explained the rarity of my wielding ability.

"Yes, the war between them raged for decades. From the Fire Clan there rose up a strong warrior who was as clever as he was brutal. You know him as Lucali Amir. Under his leadership, the Fire Clan captured and ruled the Water and Earth clans with an iron fist. The Wind Wielders, however, continued to escape his grasp. On the eve of a great battle, Lucali sent a specialized squad to massacre the Wind Wielders while they slept. Sound Wielders kept the silence while Plant Wielders choked the life out each and every one of Lucali's enemies. When the job was done, Fire Wielders set the camp ablaze. The ground is still scorched to this day where Wind Wielders breathed their last."

My heart ached for those who had shared my unique ability, it was a strange fate that Ranen's ancestor had been the one to destroy everyone like me. It was more than just his father that I hated.

"If they were all destroyed, how am I here?"
I couldn't help but ask.

"That is the question Miss Coften, we have all been asking. You're a bit of a mystery."

I had hoped he would have a better answer than Kyle, but it was not to be.

"Lucali united the people of Tyche once more, as the sovereign nation of Itova. A few souls, smaller tribes that had broken off from the clans, survived, and escaped into the wilds, not to be heard of again for several generations.