The traveler stared up at the mountain. He shook his head and trudged on up into the cave, the fires deep inside dancing in the shadows. He descended, getting closer to the Flame of the Forge. As he went down, he began to here a faint clanking sound. The cave widened suddenly and now the traveler could see a man, silhouetted by the forge. The hammer fell. BAM! Sparks scattered. The man began a solid beat. BAM. BAM. BAM.
–
Listen and I will tell you how it all began…
–
After a couple minutes the man spoke. “Ah, King Talyn, Welcome to the Forge. It took you long enough. What can I do for you?” King Talyn started at that, then he took a deep breath and began frantically chanting in a tongue foreign to him, a prayer so ancient that it hadn’t been uttered as intended for nearly three hundred years. After the fourth mispronunciation, the smith interrupted. “You know, I don’t think a mispronounced prayer for me to bless this herd of goats for peace and prosperity is hardly applicable. A language is much more impressive when spoken actively. Remember that. It also helps if you know what you mean to say beforehand as well. Besides, I only put up with formalities when my siblings are here. What is it you want?”
–
How the world was made and how the Gods came to be.
–
King Talyn’s face flushed. He swallowed,took a deep breath and then let it out slowly. Finally he said in a voice that was steady, if not as confident or strong as he would have liked. “I have come to call upon the Council of the Elements to intercede upon the face of the world.”
–
In the beginning all was dust. It was spread finely, throughout the heavens. As the eons passed it stayed, evenly spread, moving but not acting. All was peace, all was void, all was death.
–
The man at the Forge looked shocked, but only slightly. He grabbed a cloth from a rack and cleaned his hands. “Lord King,” he said, “an action such as this, once invoked, cannot be undone. Are you willing to pa the price we ask of you?” King Talyn, his face grave, nodded. “I do understand and I accept all charges laid on my flesh and my soul, now and forever.”
–
Philosopehers tender that this was the one time everything was right with the universe. No plauge, no strife, all peaceful al quiet.
–
“Then let us call the council. Aurora, Sister, I know you can hear me.” He folded his arms and tapped his foot in an off beat pattern. It kept hopping from one beat to the next, where the rhythm would get stuck in your mind only to be driven out by the next one. Suddenly, the forge flame flared up and a whirling breeze rushed into the room. “Enough! Enough! I give, Brother, I give. Quit your insane beat before I snuff you like a candle! And for your information, and for that of this mortal, I did NOT listen in until you called me. I have my own domains to monitor, I shouldn’t have to watch yours as well. What do you want?”
–
Then, inexplicably, one piece of dust moved. It drifted sharply and bonded with another piece of dust, creating both a place of density and non density, Earth and Air, the Primal Elements. This is why most cultures worshiped Heaven and Earth at some point.
–
“The mortal called for a Council. Would you be as kind to summon Lord of Earth and Lady of Water to the meeting place? I’ll bring the mortal.” The Mistress Air looked at this odd smith who had placed the towel out of sight, mouth agape, then bowed. “I understand. See you then.” She turned to King Talyn and blew him a kiss. She giggled as she disinegrated like dust blown from the palm of a hand. The King stared as the cloud that was Aurora floated away.
–
Conversly, the void has been, in some religons, a form of hell, where one loses all meaning and returns to the void. Some religons think of this as a Heaven.
–
Avatars need their own plane to exist. Therefore, a meeting place of the Avatars would need to be a place where Fire, Water, Air, and Earth meet. Today, they met in on a beach, with an endless lava flow running to the sea, solidifying into a sheet of floating rock while releasing a steady hiss of steam. The others were already there when the Lord of Flame and king Talyn rose out of the lava. King Talyn looked a bit off color. The Lord of Earth was the first to speak. “Your late” he noted firmly. The Flame-Lord laughed. “I’m always late and I almost always have a good reason. This time it was convincing the mortal to jump into the Forge to get here. Guy was as scared as a rabbit looking at the cooking fire and I’ll bet that’s a bit how he feels. Anyway, this isn’t a general get together. This mortal comes with a plea. I did the preliminary ‘Is it worth it’ and brought us together. I have judged his will and tested it through the fires of my Forge. He is worthy of an audience. I now turn the time over to you, brother.” The Forger bowed low. The Mountain nodded grimly and gestured. The Sea and Sky both bowed and gestured as well. As one, the Avatars each sat on thrones that had suddenly appeared. The Force of Will sat of a chair of roaring flame. The Flow of Thought sat on a small cloud. The Beat of Heart sat in a geyser that threw a steady stream of water and conformed to her recline. The Strength of Body sat on a chair of packed earth, tall and firm. He spoke. “So, mortal, what transpires on the world of men that you feel must needs disturb us from our various amusements?”
–
More particles rushed to join the denser piece. Their rushing caused both Earth to grow and Air to move. This Primal Movement is why no one can destroy Earth and Air, as it gave them their power. Even the smallest peice of Earth and the tiniest puff of Air are indestructible. Earth just becomes smaller Earth and Air just becomes more agitated as you try to neutalize it. The only real way to end both Earth and Air is to return everything to the Void, as dust spread evenly throughout the heavens.
–
King Talyn cleared his throat. “It is,” he began, “a message of the most dire importance. It has become apparent that your mandate has slipped out of the fingers of the Emporer and his get. He is no longer to be trusted with the power of the people. He has performed acts of hate and greed so malicious that it makes me sick to comprehend. His officers under his sanction care more for their wallets then they do for the safety of the people. The nobles follow his example, causing despair across the nation. The capital city, once the finest example of architecture and grace is now the swamp heap where other countries send their filth. I beseech you, Almighty Avatars, that you let not these atrocities, occasionally committed in your name, lay unheeded.” King Talyn stopped, a bit out of breath. He looked to the floor, not daring to stare into the eyes of the gods.
–
Earth continued to attract particles. Other particles began to group together as well.
–
The Lord of Earth spoke. “Lady Water, can you uphold his words as truth?” The Lady closed her eyes and King Talyn could feel the power of her soul as it drifted out and came back just as suddenly. “Lord Stone, I do uphold his truth. There is a taste of blood on the corner of my mouth and many have gone to an early, watery grave.”
–
Water formed as groups of earth and air combines just right. It took a long time for water to form, but for it did and it just kept forming
–
The Lord of Earth spoke again. “Lady Air, can you uphold his words as truth?” The lady cupped her ear and went pale. “Lord, I hear cries of agony from all ages. I hear a lony babe crying as his mother is dead and I hear a dozen families all weeping that their child is dead. The grief is strong Lord. I do uphold his claim.”
–
Fire was created as particles were absorbed faster and faster. This movement generated heat, thus fire.
–
The Lord of Flame chipped in before being asked. “I feel anger burning in a thousand hearts and I sense the fear one man has against another. Blood runs warm with death and the heart runs cold with vengence.”
The Lord of Earth nodded. “The bodies of countless folk lay strewn about and the earth lies fallow against the blood of man. It is agreed?” The others nodded. They turned their penetrating gazes to Lord Talyn. “We have determined that the Empire is corrupt. What do you wish of us?”
King Talyn bowed to the assembly and started. “Lords and Ladies, I am aware that you may not act unless in dire circumstances. Therefore, I, with your blessing, if i may have it, will attempt to clean the throne. All I ask is for you, my lieges, to provide a way to ensure that those who follow will be worthy. I care not that my seed hold the throne. I care that my throne holds beauty, honor, and intelligence in its grasp. This is what I wish.”
–
The Elements grew in size and complexity, each inhabiting all, but each distinctly seperate. Between them, they forged the galaxies.
–
The Lady of Water smoothly turned to the man, gazing into his heart. “His heart yearns for those who suffer. I find his heart worthy and will accept his desire.”
The Lady of Air lightly turned to the man, gazing into his mind. “His thoughts show schemes of only aid and charity, not of power and scheming. I find his mind clear and will accept his plan.”
The Lord of Earth gravely turned to the man. “His body is fit an prepared to do the work that is ahead of him. I find him stable and am willing to accept his course.”
The Lord of Flame brazenly turned to the man. “His will is strong enough to move the Gods into action. I find him set for his task and accept his challenge.”
–
With galaxies came planets. On the outskirts of a spiral arm of a spiral galaxy, the gods set they’re sights…
–
