Anima: Beyond Fantasy Theme: Part 1
I am working on transcribing the theme onto this LJ. So if a MU* is ever decided to be made.. Well.... here.
===========================
+The Damnation of Oblivion+
===========================
And man forgot.
No one is able to say why it happened -- or how. Perhaps some sort of natural phenomenon erased our memories. Perhaps we broke a rule of some unknown Power, and we were punished for that. Perhaps, simply put, we did it to ourselves.
Like small children, reduced to something little more than animals, we roamed throughout centuries while our arrogant civilization tumbled down around us. Everything turned into ruins. The ruins turned to dust. And the dust was taken by the wind. The world had a different name then. But no one remains to remember it.
===============
+Their Arrival+
===============
At some point, man caught their attention. Why? We will enver know. Perhaps something in our nature attracted them to us. It was also possible that we woke them with our silent cries. They did not belong to this world. They came from far away, and their arrival split the sky and fragmented the earth. For a time, the unknowns observed us closely, studying who were and what we had become. They were intrigued, fascinated in their own way about our condition. Those beigns could not decide between intervening or, on the other hand, remain hidden and letting evolution continue unaltered.
But in the end, they chose something unexpected. They created their own work inspired by us.
Thus the Duk'zarist were born. They were the perfect version of man -- dually shaped from the darkness of our ignorant years and the fire that they hoped would light their way. In them, the principle human feelings were increased. They were gifted with great powers, but at the same time, they carried a tremendous weakness. However, the greatest difference that distinguished them from us was rooted deep within their very essence. Their souls, even though made in the image and likeness of ours, were more closely bound to the spiritual world than that of ours. Thus, they possessed supernatural powers, that, with time, we would once again call magic.
And thus, from one day to the next, they walked beside us. And ever since that sunrise, we would never be alone again.
However, some of the creators were not satisfied with their work. The unknowns thought that they had only limited themselves by carrying out a simple adaption of a "something" that already existed. Therefore, they proceeded t give life once again. This time, they dug deeper into the forgotten memories of man, their endless fountain of inspiration, and from the imagination of the humankind would sprout a new kind of creature.
This new race would be an incarnation of fantasy, born from our goblins and fairies. To differentiate them f even more from the Duk'zarist, they based their souls on the supernatural powers of the light. Even now, we call them a name from our fairy tales -- elves. However, they have their own name: Sylvain.
But this second work was not warmly received by those who considered the Duk'zarist and humans as their focal point of their attention. A silent reprimand surrounded the void in which the creators lived, a silence that even the mortals could hear.
The situation worsened. While some limited themselves to observing, others gave free reign to their creativity. Not counting on the others, they again conceived new creations, and an amalgam of creatures appeared in that world with no name. They een gave life to the elements themselves and to beings whose nature is completely unexplainable -- like great beasts, gods and demons.
In very little time, disagreements among the creators reached unimaginable levels -- and Creation itself would be witness to its consequences...
War in the Skies
----------------
The fight did not last nine days or nine nights. Nor did it last hours. Perhaps everything ended in minutes - or maybe even less. In the end, however, C'iel and Gaira stood among the desolation. Were they living weapons built by the creators to assure mutual destruction? Were they beings capable of devouring gods with a simple thought? Could they erase those who had brought them into existence? Or would they be the incarnation of the conscious will of each side? Primordial concepts prior to creation.
Whatever the answer, neither one found a reason to continue the confrontation. And they were not alone. Seven beings, survivors of the battle, were raised by each side. Along C'iel, who the elves call the Lady of the Light, stood the Beryl. The Shajad, the Lords of Darkness, stood with Gaira.
No one knows why mortals did not suffer the consequences of thi conflict. Nor is it known what made C'iel and Gaira decide to stay with us. Perhaps, within themselves, they felt that they had to protect us and stay next to all those children who were starting to take their first steps.
As time drew on, the land had a new name. It would be Gaia.
===============
+Birth of Gaia+
===============
There is not a lot to be said about what happened years following the conflict except that it was a period of splendor and progress. Every race began to flourish and advanced quickly in several fields, pressing forward in arts, philosophy, and even in new forms of science. Cities were established and the first kingdoms were formed -- some of which even grew to become empires. In the beginning, the newly arrived had little interaction between themselves, given that each race was found over distant places along the globe. Only the humans, spread out all over the place, found themselves interacting with various races at once. Back then, man still lived in a cultural state that was pretty primitive. However, thanks to the influence of other civilizations, we began to find our place, little by little, in the new order of things.
It was an era where the supernatural could be found everywhere. The warlocks wielded mystical forces with ease, and the line separated the Wake from the material world was so thin that all types of creatures could manifest themselves physically. The Shajad and Beryl continued to work during this period of development, making small interventions and handing out knowledge to some. They taught the beginnings of magic and observed with joy how their teachings were quickly assimilated. They never demanded anything in return. Neither of them had desire to become gods or to receive adoration -- although any of their incarnations inspired cults to a variety of deities and demons. As tme passed, each faction began to feel an attraction for certain races and cultures, especially those that were evolving in a way that was more akin to their ideals.
Like the first born, the civilizations that progressed more quickly were the Sylvain and the Duk'zarist. The Sylvain gravitated to the philosophy of C'iel, who maintained the idea that all living things have a right to live in an established order of complete equality, and they moved forward in accordance with this idea. On the contrary, the Duk'zarist developed a culture that was more similar to Gaira, whose ideology affirmed that the strong should rule over the meek, so as to avoid chaos and destruction. Thus, the Duk'zarist evolved militarily, inventing weapons of great force and focusing on the use of magic for warfare.
Unavoidably, the different ideologies between these two main cultures were clearly in conflict, and the relations between both races became more tense. Finally, the Duk'zarist came to the conclusion that if things continued to evolve this way, all of Gaia would find itself plunged into anarchy. Therefore, they decided that the time had come to impose a new order. Lead by Ghestalt Noah Orbatos, their first emperor, they began what would be known as the War of Darkness.
Perhaps something deep within them, their human source, drove them to fight.
The War of Darkness
--------------------
The war was terrible, and both earth and sky were stained with blood. C'iel and the Beryl looked on in horror but decided not to intervene openly, so as to prevent Gaira from doing the same. At first, the Duk'zarist focused all of their efforts against the elves, who were unable to face their bellicose might. They dominated demons, elementals and dragons, and built flying fortresses that laid waste to entire cities. In spite of their smaller number, a Duk'zarist warrior could finish off more than ten Sylvain.
Soon, the Duk'zarist began to wage war on fvarious fronts against other races, believing that there was no other force on the face of Gaia that could stop them. They did nt count on the support of all the Shajad, some of whom looked on with satisfaction at the growth of the cultures that were in danger. In fact, they suggested to Gaira that he should intervene. The Dark Lord, however, preferred to sit back and smile, probably foreseeing what was to come.
It was only near the end that all the people of Gaia truly understood what their destiny might be. At that moment, between chaos and blood, an individual arose who accomplished what would never happened again - the union of all of the races against a common foe. Even now, we do not know who he was - not even his name. Naturally, each culture who remembers the war believes that this person was from their race. No body, however, has any proof. Be that as it may, the last desperate alliance achieved the unthinkable - it stopped the conquerors' advance and made them retreat step by step. This was an inconceivable thought for the Duk'zarist. They observed with growing fustration and dismay as enemies who previously fell before them started to hold their own. Even worse, these upstart races started to use the Duk'zarist weakness to metal against them. Through this war, in fact, the Sylvain had already become a formidable adversary, capable of matching them almost on equal terms.
In the end, The Duk'zarist retreated to their own border, aware that they now fought for their very survival. More than ask, they demanded that the Shajad intervene in their favor, accusing the Dark One of turning their backs on them when things turned against them. In the moment of absolute desperation, before the final battle, Ghestalt himself challenged Gaira, urging the Shajad to follow him if he defeat their Lord.
No one doubted the outcome of this confrontation - not even Ghestalt himself.
What else could happen?
After that final defeat, the Duk'zarist never fully recovered the complete superiority they enjoyed during this period.
Gaia was in ruins, ready to begin the long process of reconstruction.
The Chaos Era
-------------
The war affected everyone - especially the Elven Empire and the Duk'zarist. The relationship between the different races were strained, but even so, they made an attempt to process forward. Many opened their borders and began to cooperate amongst themselves, specially those who had formed part of the alliance. However, the same level of trust that used to exist between the races would never be present for fear that history would repeat itself.
It was without a doubt a strange era - one in which a few individuals reached exorbitant levels of power, almost becoming gods. Some of them were able to alter the course of the tides simply by their presence, split mountains in two, and eliminate entire armies with horrifying efficiency. Little by little, both the Shajad and the Beryl began to intervene less in the world, aware that their participation in ancient times could have caused the war.
It was during this time that humans, who were less affected by the war, would become a true force. Spread throughout the world, we raised up numerous kingdoms and empires, finding strength in our numbers. From night to day, new cultures and civilizations appeared, some of which last even now, while others would soon find themselves plunged into nothingness. Humans even attained the ability to master supernatural secrets. Those who did showed off their powers by bending the weak under their will.
Isn't it ironic that, in our moment of greatest triumph, we were our own worst enemy? Very quickly, the human kingdoms got involved in numerous internal conflicts, trying to conquer neighboring human lands. In these chaotic times, various men tried to unify all the lands, but their campaigns only brought failure and death. Even now some of their empires are still remembered - like Solomon. But those are stories for a different time.
===========================
+The Damnation of Oblivion+
===========================
And man forgot.
No one is able to say why it happened -- or how. Perhaps some sort of natural phenomenon erased our memories. Perhaps we broke a rule of some unknown Power, and we were punished for that. Perhaps, simply put, we did it to ourselves.
Like small children, reduced to something little more than animals, we roamed throughout centuries while our arrogant civilization tumbled down around us. Everything turned into ruins. The ruins turned to dust. And the dust was taken by the wind. The world had a different name then. But no one remains to remember it.
===============
+Their Arrival+
===============
At some point, man caught their attention. Why? We will enver know. Perhaps something in our nature attracted them to us. It was also possible that we woke them with our silent cries. They did not belong to this world. They came from far away, and their arrival split the sky and fragmented the earth. For a time, the unknowns observed us closely, studying who were and what we had become. They were intrigued, fascinated in their own way about our condition. Those beigns could not decide between intervening or, on the other hand, remain hidden and letting evolution continue unaltered.
But in the end, they chose something unexpected. They created their own work inspired by us.
Thus the Duk'zarist were born. They were the perfect version of man -- dually shaped from the darkness of our ignorant years and the fire that they hoped would light their way. In them, the principle human feelings were increased. They were gifted with great powers, but at the same time, they carried a tremendous weakness. However, the greatest difference that distinguished them from us was rooted deep within their very essence. Their souls, even though made in the image and likeness of ours, were more closely bound to the spiritual world than that of ours. Thus, they possessed supernatural powers, that, with time, we would once again call magic.
And thus, from one day to the next, they walked beside us. And ever since that sunrise, we would never be alone again.
However, some of the creators were not satisfied with their work. The unknowns thought that they had only limited themselves by carrying out a simple adaption of a "something" that already existed. Therefore, they proceeded t give life once again. This time, they dug deeper into the forgotten memories of man, their endless fountain of inspiration, and from the imagination of the humankind would sprout a new kind of creature.
This new race would be an incarnation of fantasy, born from our goblins and fairies. To differentiate them f even more from the Duk'zarist, they based their souls on the supernatural powers of the light. Even now, we call them a name from our fairy tales -- elves. However, they have their own name: Sylvain.
But this second work was not warmly received by those who considered the Duk'zarist and humans as their focal point of their attention. A silent reprimand surrounded the void in which the creators lived, a silence that even the mortals could hear.
The situation worsened. While some limited themselves to observing, others gave free reign to their creativity. Not counting on the others, they again conceived new creations, and an amalgam of creatures appeared in that world with no name. They een gave life to the elements themselves and to beings whose nature is completely unexplainable -- like great beasts, gods and demons.
In very little time, disagreements among the creators reached unimaginable levels -- and Creation itself would be witness to its consequences...
War in the Skies
----------------
The fight did not last nine days or nine nights. Nor did it last hours. Perhaps everything ended in minutes - or maybe even less. In the end, however, C'iel and Gaira stood among the desolation. Were they living weapons built by the creators to assure mutual destruction? Were they beings capable of devouring gods with a simple thought? Could they erase those who had brought them into existence? Or would they be the incarnation of the conscious will of each side? Primordial concepts prior to creation.
Whatever the answer, neither one found a reason to continue the confrontation. And they were not alone. Seven beings, survivors of the battle, were raised by each side. Along C'iel, who the elves call the Lady of the Light, stood the Beryl. The Shajad, the Lords of Darkness, stood with Gaira.
No one knows why mortals did not suffer the consequences of thi conflict. Nor is it known what made C'iel and Gaira decide to stay with us. Perhaps, within themselves, they felt that they had to protect us and stay next to all those children who were starting to take their first steps.
As time drew on, the land had a new name. It would be Gaia.
===============
+Birth of Gaia+
===============
There is not a lot to be said about what happened years following the conflict except that it was a period of splendor and progress. Every race began to flourish and advanced quickly in several fields, pressing forward in arts, philosophy, and even in new forms of science. Cities were established and the first kingdoms were formed -- some of which even grew to become empires. In the beginning, the newly arrived had little interaction between themselves, given that each race was found over distant places along the globe. Only the humans, spread out all over the place, found themselves interacting with various races at once. Back then, man still lived in a cultural state that was pretty primitive. However, thanks to the influence of other civilizations, we began to find our place, little by little, in the new order of things.
It was an era where the supernatural could be found everywhere. The warlocks wielded mystical forces with ease, and the line separated the Wake from the material world was so thin that all types of creatures could manifest themselves physically. The Shajad and Beryl continued to work during this period of development, making small interventions and handing out knowledge to some. They taught the beginnings of magic and observed with joy how their teachings were quickly assimilated. They never demanded anything in return. Neither of them had desire to become gods or to receive adoration -- although any of their incarnations inspired cults to a variety of deities and demons. As tme passed, each faction began to feel an attraction for certain races and cultures, especially those that were evolving in a way that was more akin to their ideals.
Like the first born, the civilizations that progressed more quickly were the Sylvain and the Duk'zarist. The Sylvain gravitated to the philosophy of C'iel, who maintained the idea that all living things have a right to live in an established order of complete equality, and they moved forward in accordance with this idea. On the contrary, the Duk'zarist developed a culture that was more similar to Gaira, whose ideology affirmed that the strong should rule over the meek, so as to avoid chaos and destruction. Thus, the Duk'zarist evolved militarily, inventing weapons of great force and focusing on the use of magic for warfare.
Unavoidably, the different ideologies between these two main cultures were clearly in conflict, and the relations between both races became more tense. Finally, the Duk'zarist came to the conclusion that if things continued to evolve this way, all of Gaia would find itself plunged into anarchy. Therefore, they decided that the time had come to impose a new order. Lead by Ghestalt Noah Orbatos, their first emperor, they began what would be known as the War of Darkness.
Perhaps something deep within them, their human source, drove them to fight.
The War of Darkness
--------------------
The war was terrible, and both earth and sky were stained with blood. C'iel and the Beryl looked on in horror but decided not to intervene openly, so as to prevent Gaira from doing the same. At first, the Duk'zarist focused all of their efforts against the elves, who were unable to face their bellicose might. They dominated demons, elementals and dragons, and built flying fortresses that laid waste to entire cities. In spite of their smaller number, a Duk'zarist warrior could finish off more than ten Sylvain.
Soon, the Duk'zarist began to wage war on fvarious fronts against other races, believing that there was no other force on the face of Gaia that could stop them. They did nt count on the support of all the Shajad, some of whom looked on with satisfaction at the growth of the cultures that were in danger. In fact, they suggested to Gaira that he should intervene. The Dark Lord, however, preferred to sit back and smile, probably foreseeing what was to come.
It was only near the end that all the people of Gaia truly understood what their destiny might be. At that moment, between chaos and blood, an individual arose who accomplished what would never happened again - the union of all of the races against a common foe. Even now, we do not know who he was - not even his name. Naturally, each culture who remembers the war believes that this person was from their race. No body, however, has any proof. Be that as it may, the last desperate alliance achieved the unthinkable - it stopped the conquerors' advance and made them retreat step by step. This was an inconceivable thought for the Duk'zarist. They observed with growing fustration and dismay as enemies who previously fell before them started to hold their own. Even worse, these upstart races started to use the Duk'zarist weakness to metal against them. Through this war, in fact, the Sylvain had already become a formidable adversary, capable of matching them almost on equal terms.
In the end, The Duk'zarist retreated to their own border, aware that they now fought for their very survival. More than ask, they demanded that the Shajad intervene in their favor, accusing the Dark One of turning their backs on them when things turned against them. In the moment of absolute desperation, before the final battle, Ghestalt himself challenged Gaira, urging the Shajad to follow him if he defeat their Lord.
No one doubted the outcome of this confrontation - not even Ghestalt himself.
What else could happen?
After that final defeat, the Duk'zarist never fully recovered the complete superiority they enjoyed during this period.
Gaia was in ruins, ready to begin the long process of reconstruction.
The Chaos Era
-------------
The war affected everyone - especially the Elven Empire and the Duk'zarist. The relationship between the different races were strained, but even so, they made an attempt to process forward. Many opened their borders and began to cooperate amongst themselves, specially those who had formed part of the alliance. However, the same level of trust that used to exist between the races would never be present for fear that history would repeat itself.
It was without a doubt a strange era - one in which a few individuals reached exorbitant levels of power, almost becoming gods. Some of them were able to alter the course of the tides simply by their presence, split mountains in two, and eliminate entire armies with horrifying efficiency. Little by little, both the Shajad and the Beryl began to intervene less in the world, aware that their participation in ancient times could have caused the war.
It was during this time that humans, who were less affected by the war, would become a true force. Spread throughout the world, we raised up numerous kingdoms and empires, finding strength in our numbers. From night to day, new cultures and civilizations appeared, some of which last even now, while others would soon find themselves plunged into nothingness. Humans even attained the ability to master supernatural secrets. Those who did showed off their powers by bending the weak under their will.
Isn't it ironic that, in our moment of greatest triumph, we were our own worst enemy? Very quickly, the human kingdoms got involved in numerous internal conflicts, trying to conquer neighboring human lands. In these chaotic times, various men tried to unify all the lands, but their campaigns only brought failure and death. Even now some of their empires are still remembered - like Solomon. But those are stories for a different time.