Guardians of Twilight/The Prophecy of Luna
The beginning of the Order is chronichled here by Tiernan Fionn,Brian Fionn and Ziode Calanar.
Tiernan walked through the night.His torch held in his grasp.He had awoken suddenly and knew what he must know.
He had dressed quickly and quietly and slipped out of the window with no protection but the 3 and a half feet of metal at his waist.
He had dreamed a strange dream.A tall woman had come to him.A beautiful woman surrounded by a grey glow.He was enraptured,he knew who it was.
He was out of the outskirts of Ortedail quickly.He threw the torch from him.He did not know why but he knew he had to.
The moon was showing him a path through the forest.He went deeper and deeper into the eerily lit forest.
The path was there and he followed.
Brian sat studying the documents relating to the payment of his unit.It was boring work.
He looked up quickly.The light of the moon was shining in his window.A sliver of light fell on the lump on his sleeping pallet.
He stood up with a start and grabbed the shield he had recieved from Ziode.He strapped it on quickly.
Recognition dawned.Suddenly it was clear.
Brian walked quickly from his room.Striding past the stunned Marcus.
The man knew better than to try to stop Brian.Even if Brian's 6 foot 5" bulk did not impose itself.The experience that Marcus had of dealing with the young man was second to none.
Brian was out of the door quickly.He knew where he was going.He walked out the west gate with purpose.
The dark of the forest beckoned.But the light of the moon shone down as Brian walked to the forest.
Tiernan stood in front of the cave.He had never seen it before,even though he knew these forests like the back of his hand.
Maybe it wasnt meant to be found until now.The light of the moon shone on the huge boulder at its entrance.
There did not seem to be a marking on the face of the huge solid wall of rock.
Tiernan sat down in front of it and stared at the stone.
Ziode was walking through Ortedail. That was fairly common for him although he didn't like all of the guards. He decided to take a break and sat down leaning against a tree. As he was sitting there he watched Tiernan walk out of the gates. That was fine. Then a little later Brian walked out of the gates. Brian seemed determined about something.
"What the...?"
"Sir?"
"Nothing..."
He waited for a minute. The guards weren't paying attention to him. Ziode pulled his black cloak around himself and slipped past the guards in the shadows. He needed to figure out what they were doing. He followed Brian to the forest in silence. He followed him into the forest. Behind him he could hear some of the guards panicking and Gerard laughing. At least he thought it was funny. As he followed Brian he saw the moon shining on a rock formation up ahead.
Tiernan looked round as the moon moved closer to the horizon.Dawn was nearly upon the three men.
Tiernan stood up.Then it happened as he had been told.
As the light of the sun and moon intermixed in the grey light of dawn the face of the stone changed.
The light hit the shield on Brians arm.The shield came from his arm and floated in front of the wall of rock.
The three looked on in amazement.
Suddenlly a blinding light came from the center of the shield and hit the rock wall.
A golden outline traced its way along the rock.The three men were transfixed.
The outline showed a doorway in the rock.
The rock doorway swung inwards showing a set of stairs leading downwards beyond.
Tiernan watched as the shield flew back onto the arm of the stunned Brian.
Tiernan looked at Brian and Ziode in shock.
Ziode stepped out of the shadows and watched the whole thing take place.
"When I began studying the secrets of the Twilight...there was nothing about this."
The three men walked slowly down the steps.They did not need a light because an eery grey glow was lighting their way.
The steps seemed to stretch for ever.After ten minutes of walking the ground levelled off.
Tiernan looked back up the stairs and could see where a small pin prick of light entered.
He looked on grimly as the three walked on.
Before any had noticed,the passage widened until they were standing in a large room.Cobwebs hung from the roof and dust was deep across the floor.
"This place has not been disturbed for millenia" said Brian
Tiernan just nodded and walked onwards to the center of the room.
There upon a raised Dais stood a book on a pedestal.It was silver in colour and looked ancient.
Tiernan began walking towards the book when an unearthly voice rattled the air.
"YOU HAVE ARRIVED" said Luna
They knew it was Luna.A sense of understanding entered them all.It was a beautiful feeling.
"NOW,THINGS MUST BE EXPLAINED TO YOU" said the voice
"LONG AGO,IN THE TIME BEFORE MAN CAME TO THE WORLD OF BATTLEMASTER,THERE EXISTED AN ANCIENT RACE.THESE CREATURES HAD RULED THE WORLD OF BATTLEMASTER FOR AEONS.THEY WERE KNOWN AS THE SPELLMASTERS." The voice stopped,as if to let this sink in.
"MAGIC WAS THEIR CRAFT.THEY WERE ALL POWERFUL IN THEIR OWN RIGHT.A SINGLE SPELLMASTER HAD NOTHING TO FEAR BUT ANOTHER OF THEIR KIND.THEY CREATED SPELLS AND ARTIFACTS OF SUCH POWER THAT THE HUMAN MIND COULD NOT ENCOMPASS THE STRENGTH.BUT THEN A NEW ERA ARRIVED." the voice stopped.Not to draw breath but for the benefit of the mortals in its presence.
"THAT NEW ERA WAS THE GODS.MY BROTHER SOL AND MYSELF CAME INTO BEING."
At this moment Brian asked a question.It was a surreal experience for him,speaking into the air.He tried not to think of what he was doing.If he did he knew he would have gone mad.
"How can you speak to us???How can this be???" he asked with panic in his voice
"BRIAN OF LUNARIA,I SPEAK THROUGH AN AVATAR.MY THOUGHTS AND WISHES ARE TRANSFERRED TO THIS ROOM.THIS BOOK ACTS AS MY CONNECTION TO MY LAND.BUT THERE IS MUCH TO TALK OF." Brian was filled with a great sense of peace as the voice filled all his senses.He looked at Tiernan and Ziode.They both had expressions of complete peace on their faces.
"WE CAME INTO BEING,THE ERA OF THE SPELLMASTER WAS OVER AND THE ERA OF TWILIGHT WAS UPON THE WORLD.UNFORTUNATELY THE SPELLMASTERS DID NOT ACCEPT US.THEY WAGED WAR UPON US,IN A TIME THAT WAS KNOWN AS THE WARS OF CHAOS.THEY CREATED ARTIFACTS OF GREAT POWER AND TERRIBLE MAGICS RIPPED THE VERY FABRIC OF THE UNIVERSE. BUT THE SPELLMASTERS WERE OLD,THE TWILIGHT JUST COME TO THEIR POWER.WE DESTROYED THE SPELLMASTERS AND ASCENDED. THEN THE HUMANS CAME,WE CREATED THEM AND GAVE THEM ORDER.WE WATCH OVER THEM.SOL IN THE DAYTIME AND I IN THE NIGHT." said the voice
Tiernan stood bemused at all that had been told to them.
The voice started speaking once again.
"WITH THE PASSING OF THE SPELLMASTERS,THEIR TIME AND MAGIC CAME TO AN END.THE GODS CAN ALSO GIVE POWER TO THEIR PRIESTS TO BE USED IN THEIR SERVICE.THIS IS THE TWILIGHTS GIFT TO THIS WORLD." spoke the ethereal voice
"THE POWER OF THE TWILIGHT WANES.ITS FOLLOWERS MUST KEEP CHAOS FROM CONSUMING THE WORLD AGAIN.REMENANTS OF THE CHAOS WARS EXIST TODAY.THEY MUST BE STOPPED FROM FALLING TO THE WRONG HANDS.YOU WHO ARE LOYAL TO OUR SERVICE,MUST BUILD A GREAT TEMPLE,FROM WHICH YOU WILL PREVENT THE CHAOS FROM RETURNING."
"TIERNAN,I SENSE IN YOU AN ABILITY TO INFLUENCE YOUR FELLOW MAN.YOU MUST BUILD A GREAT TEMPLE,AND TRAVEL FAR AND WIDE PREACHING OUR MESSAGE TO ALL WHO WOULD LISTEN.TO DO THIS YOU WILL RECIEVE THE BOOK OF DUSK.IN IT THE TWILIGHTS SECRETS ARE HELD." a light shone on the book on the pedestal.Tiernan reached out and held it without a word.
"ZIODE,OF THE FOLLOWERS OF THE TWILIGHT YOU ARE THE MOST INTELLIGENT.YOU ARE THE QUICKEST TO SEE THINGS CLEARLY.IT IS YOUR TASK TO LEAD THE SCHOLARS OF THE TWILIGHT.YOU MUST STUDY THE GREAT SECRETS OF TIME.YOU MUST GATHER ALL THIS INFORMATION,AND YOU MUST USE IT TO PREVENT THE CHAOS FROM RETURNING.TO YOU I GIVE THE BOOK OF DAWN.THIS CRONICLES THE SECRET MYSTERIES OF THE WORLD.IT TELLS OF THE SPELLMASTERS.IT IS AN ANCIENT AND POWERFUL TOOL.USE IT WISELY."
The light shone on another pedestal which held a golden book.It was massive.Ziode picked it up silently.
"BRIAN,I SEE THAT YOU ARE A WARRIOR,LOYAL AND TRUE.YOU MUST LEAD THE STRONG ARM OF THE FELLOWSHIP.YOU MUST DO BATTLE WITH THE CHAOS THAT THREATENS TO OVERWHELM THE PEACE OF THE WORLD.TO YOU I GIVE THE HAMMER OF TWILIGHT.USE IT IN OUR SERVICE,AND IT WILL STRIKE TRUE."
the light shone on a rack which held a large hammer.Brian picked it up and stood waiting.
"YOUR TASKS LIE BEFORE YOU.GATHER OTHERS TO THE TWILIGHT AND PROTECT AGAINST THE CHAOS.MAY THE BEAMS OF LUNA AND THE RAYS OF SOL GUIDE YOU."
The room went dark.Seconds past.The group opened their eyes as a wind blew against them.
They stood outside the cave in the dawn light.The entrance was closed as if it had never been opened.
They stood in shock as they tried to think of what just happened.
