The Cöstere, are the order that is closest to the Yondar. Why would they be here? Aethid thought as he watched the sage walk in through the opened door.
It is an honour for a sage of the Cöstere to visit one's own home. It could mean anything though. Aethid snapped back to reality, and watched and listened intently as the sage began to speak.
"Aethìd, these lands are under Londel's guidance. His people who were called the Yondar, rule over the lands with justice. But, let me tell you, of the creation of the five worlds and the first breaths of humanity on our world of Mydram."
Aethid, having heard this story many times, truly became confused. "Why are you here and how do you know my name?" Aethid asked.
"Now now, you will find out soon enough." The old sage flashed a grin at Aethid, yet it was only a grin, and nothing was behind it.
"In the beginning, there were two worlds with a void of chaos between them. These two worlds were called Jotlan and Yolkner. The worlds of fire, and ice. On these worlds, the strangest of creatures came into being. The Aloten, a race of giants, formed out of the chaos. The Aloten then fell to the worlds of Yolkner and Kötlan, where they grew into their own separate beings."
"The Aloten on the icy world of Yolkner, became the Re Yolk. They were peaceful, and their society was one of perfection, and they stood as a beacon of light in the young multiverse. This stood, until the Köten came into being."
"The Köten, as the Aloten on Kötlan began to call themselves, grew to be very aggressive, and would brave the storms of the chaos, to attack the Re Yolk, and level their beautiful cities with fire and magma. They could wield fire, where the Aloten controlled the element of water."
"Eventually, a bridge was formed between the two and a massive war started which changed the heavens forever. The Köten and the Re Yolk used their powers against each other on the bridge. Ice met fire in the chaos and a new world was created. This world was called Yondìn. A new group of powerful beings came to live on this new world, and called themselves the Yondar. The Yondar could control all of the elements, and so held the the opposing sides in place and brought balance to the three worlds. Once the worlds were brought to order, their leader, Londel, forced the chaos into a new world name Hal. The Yondar locked the chaos into this world so that it could not escape. The chaos, angry that the Yondar would do such a thing, brooded in the depths of Hal for time immemorial as peace reigned throughout the multiverse. Eventually, the seals on Hal weakened enough to let little gasps through. One gasp hit Yondìn and the Yondar attacked the chaos once more. The chaos broke loose and the battle between the Yondar and the chaos went all over the void. Eventually the chaos was thrown back into Hal, but it was too late. The damage had already been done as another world, our own was formed. Another world, had come into being from the chaos. Great reptiles roamed our world, some say that some of them breathed fire."
"The Yondar, attempting to fix the situation to the best of their ability, killed most of the reptiles. Evidence can be seen to the South, where the battles occurred. Still no water can be found in these areas. Once victorious, the Yondar called the world Mydram and the first humans were created in the image of the Yondar out of the mud and clay. To this day, the battle for the heavens continues, and a new Era will begin again, next time the chaos breaks it's bounds."
The Sage looked at Aethid, with a look of knowing on his face. Aethid recognized it, and asked the question. "Why are you here father, if just to tell me the story?" Aethid looked at the sage, and the sage finally answered. "In some of us, the Yondar placed a gift, an ability to contact them, and to talk to them as well. You Aethid, are of the enlightened few who can keep in contact with the Yondar."
"What makes you say this father?" Aethid asked.
"Have you ever dreamed of talking with Londel himself? Have you ever felt the reverberations of his voice through your skull? Have you ever noticed that you were able to remember those dreams?"
"Yes father, though I have not thought it important till now." answered Aethid.
Do you wish to join the most esteemed order of the Cöstere?" "I do father." Aethid answered. "Good. Go to the temple, they are awaiting you there. Your training will begin when you arrive." The Cöstere sage turned, and glided out of the room.
Later, Aethid walked up to the steps of the temple, the stones crunching under his feet. Robed figures stood on either side, as he went up the steps. He counted the sages as he passed them. There were thirty of the Cöstere in all. Aethid walked into the temple, and the darkness surrounded him.
"Be one with your surroundings." came a voice that reverberated through the temple. "Use your senses to guide you."
Then, the doors closed behind him. He went to open them, but he could not. Inside, it was purely black, as if no light had been in this room for a while. The stone was hard on his bare feet as he stumbled through the dark. He ran into a wall and hit the ground hard. Groaning in pain, he got up, and continued onward.
"Let your senses guide you." came the voice, which seemed to be further away, but still echoed through the chamber. Aethid followed the wall until he reached a ledge. He laid down onto the cold ground and felt for something, anything near it. They were stairs. He had found his destination. Aethid, ignoring his senses, went down the stairs, and was hit with something hard. He stumbled off in bewilderment, and prepared to fight his opponent, who was already gone. More careful than before, he continued down the stairs. After a while the stairs ended, and Aethid was again stumbling through the dark. "Use your senses to guide you." the voice reverberated off of the arc like walls of what was obviously a cavern. Something hit him again in the legs, and knocked Aethid off his feet. Aethid got up, and continued. "Why do you want to become one of us? Do you feel you deserve it?" "No! " Aethid shouted in reply for the first time. Then the the thing, a stick, hit him again.
He stumbled through the dark, defensless and under assault and then tripped and landed on the ground hard. Something clattered across the floor, something wooden. He groped around for it on the stone floor and found it. He picked it up and the stick hit him again on the left. "Listen to your senses. Hear my voice. Feel your surroundings." The stick hit Aethid again, this time from his left.
Aethid began to redden and became enraged at the Cöstere. "What is this for? Why are you doing this to me? How about this, I beat you, and then I leave?" then an orangish flash appeared in the darkness, and pain shot up his arm, which quickly became wet with blood. He dropped his stick, and picked it up again to only be rapped on the head by his opponents' stick. Aethid carried his weapon, and now stayed silent, while clutching his arm. He listened to the sounds in the cavern, and began to hear footsteps over his beating heart. He followed the footsteps and managed to swing at the Cöstere sage with his stick. The Cöstere sage dodged the stick and pulled it out of Aethid's hands. "Good child, you have learned the first lesson. Follow my steps, and you may just survive." Dripping sounded on the cavern wall, and Aethid was completely lost and the only directions he had was the sound of the sage's footsteps on the cavern floor.
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