Chapter 1: Hoth and the Coming of the Aslah
In the beginning there was Hoth, the Great Void without time or age, and all was dark, for there was nothing to bring light to the dark and Hoth was saddened. And Hoth pondered and questioned the darkness and through his will were Veradu and Ergon born. Veradu was of Water and Earth and her star was perfect to behold as she traveled the Great Void and brought light where she passed. Ergon was of Fire and Air and his trail was fiery and he brought light to where he passed. And Hoth was pleased.
So it was that Veradu and Ergon made their journey through the Great Void, bringing light wherever they went and Hoth could watch them from afar and no longer was there only darkness. So it was that the bright stars of Veradu and Ergon traveled the Great Void, bringing light and happiness to Hoth, who watched the children born of his will.
Yet it was, after time unknown, that Hoth felt a shadow pass over his joy and his happiness was no more. What it was that had passed over him, he could not say, for he had no knowledge of it, but could only watch Veradu and Ergon with a frown, where before there was joy unconfined. So it was that he pondered long and hard, but could find no answer. With this shadow upon him, his mind became fixed on the star of Veradu as she traveled the Great Void and he followed her path with a great frown upon him. So it was that he felt a sadness in Veradu that he had not before noticed and became aware of the tears of water that she left in a trail behind her as she made her journey through the Great Void.
And Hoth was moved by the sadness of her beautiful tears.
"Veradu", Hoth's voice boomed, "Why so the tears that bring a shadow over me? What is it that pains you so?"
But there was no reply, for Veradu had not the power of voice.
So it was that Hoth fixed his mind upon Ergon, whose brilliant fire lit the darkness in which he passed, and Hoth felt a sadness in Ergon that he had not before noticed and became aware of the tears of fire that he left in a trail behind him as he made his journey through the Great Void.
And Hoth was moved by the sadness of his beautiful tears.
"Ergon", Hoth's voice boomed, "Why so the tears that bring a shadow over me? What is it that pains you so?"
But there was no reply, for Ergon had not the power of voice.
And the shadow that pained Hoth grew and no longer was there a great joy at watching Veradu and Ergon, for he could see the trail of their tears and feel the great sadness that had embraced them. So Hoth pondered long as he watched them bring light to the darkness and many thoughts came to him, but none which lifted the shadow.
So it was that Hoth gave to Veradu the great gift of speech, for no longer could he endure the trail of her tears in the Great Void.
"Veradu, to you I give the power of Speech, for your sadness brings a shadow over me and I cannot say why. Veradu, why so the tears that bring a shadow over me? What is it that pains you so?"
And long was there a silence and Veradu did not make her response and Hoth could feel the great sadness within her.
And then Veradu spoke, her pure voice like a music that had not before been heard within the Great Void and Hoth was greatly moved by the beauty of her voice.
"My lord," Veradu's soft and sad voice sang through the void and Hoth was greatly moved, "who have given me life and have watched me from afar, I am undeserving of this gift, for there is great pain within me."
"Veradu, your voice is like a music upon my ears and truly not even I could have known that such beauty could be. But tell me, Veradu, what can this pain be, for I have made you perfect and your light is so bright and your music now so grand and the love I have enthused you with is the love that I have for you? I have pondered long, yet the answer will not come to me."
And again Veradu's voice sang into the Great Void. "For sure, my lord, I am not worthy of your love", she sang, "for it is the love that thee have gifted me with that pains me so and for such I am ashamed. For long did I travel the Great Void in bliss and in my heart there was song and my light did fill the void. Yet, from afar, on an occasion, did I espy another light, dimmed by distance, yet still bright and beautiful to behold. And my gaze became fixed upon this thing of beauty, so far in distance, yet with such power as to reach out and find me."
"And ever since have I been enthralled and the music in my heart saddened and yearn only to be with that which brings such a light to the void. For, my lord. I cannot say what it is I feel and I cannot say what it is that I see, yet I yearn to be with it and I cannot feel joy again until it be so."
And Hoth smiled, for he understood the pain of Veradu, such indeed was the power and beauty of Ergon, whose light was such that even Veradu could see it.
"Veradu, now it is that I understand your pain and the shadow that has passed over me. This light you speak of is Ergon, who brings light to the void and has brought much happiness to me. Yet your paths are distant and set at odds, for he is Fire to your Water, Air to your Earth. What he is, you are set apart from, so do not be saddened, for these things cannot be. Such is the will of Hoth."
Veradu's song did echo through the Great Void for the last time. "And so it will be, my lord. But in my heart, I will sing no more, for Ergon alone can awaken in me the music that is lost."
So did the song of Veradu end.
Now did Hoth turn to Ergon and to him also gave the great gift of speech.
"Ergon, to you I give the power of Speech, for your sadness brings a shadow over me and I cannot say why. Ergon, why so the tears that bring a shadow over me? What is it that pains you so?"
"My lord," Ergon's deep voice boomed like thunder through the void, "forgive my shame, for I fear I have betrayed thee and a darkness has set itself about my heart."
"How for so, Ergon, has this darkness wound itself around your heart? For your fire is of such beauty and your light brings such joy into the Great Void. What is it that pains you so?"
"For shame, my lord, you honor me with your gift of life, yet life alone is sad and the journey long. My fire roars no more and the trail of my tears long. For time unknown did I feel great joy and sped through the Great Void and my light was a joy, even to me. But then did I espy, far in the distance, a bright light that shone out of the darkness and seemed to call to me with such a music as I had not heard before and my heart became disturbed and my thoughts fixed."
"For long have I now watched this light that shines so bright from so far. What can it be that captivates me so and calls to me with such beauty, my lord? I can think of naught else and the fire in my soul is dampened and can roar no more until I am one with this light."
And Hoth laughed into the Great Void, for suddenly was he made aware of his own blindness.
"Ergon, now it is that I understand your pain and the shadow that has passed over me. This light you speak of is Veradu, who brings light to the void and has brought much happiness to me. Yet your paths are distant and set at odds, for she is Water to your Fire, Earth to your Air. What she is, you are set apart from, so do not be saddened, for these things cannot be. Such is the will of Hoth."
Ergon's voice did boom through the Great Void for the last time. "And so it will be, my lord. But in my heart, I will roar no more, for Veradu alone can awaken in me that which is lost."
So did the voice of Ergon end.
And the light that shone within the Great Void was dampened and Hoth felt not the lifting of the shadow that had settled upon him and no longer was he filled with joy at watching Veradu and Ergon, for he knew their hearts to be saddened and he knew their desire could not be fulfilled. So it was that Hoth turned away from their light and preferred instead to look upon that where their light did not reach and for long did he remain so, though the shadow remained and could not be forgotten.
So it was that Veradu and Ergon did travel alone in the Great Void, their will bent upon the other, whose light seemed so bright and wondrous, yet was so distant and unattainable. For time unknown did Veradu and Ergon circle thus, without hope, and the trail of their tears stretched behind them in a path that grew as time did pass irrevocably, until Ergon could taste the wake of Veradu's long trail of tears and Veradu could taste the wake of Ergon's long trail of tears and their hearts were blackened still more, for the taste was bitter to them.
And so did Hoth once again turn his gaze upon Veradu and Ergon and could see the trail of the tears which sparkled as a great unbroken circle in the Great Void and he knew that no longer could he suffer their sorrow. So did he call out to Veradu, for the last time.
"Veradu, you are beautiful to behold, yet your light is dimmed and soon I fear you will fade into a trail of tears and your light be diminished. And so it is that I set thee free of the pain that has embraced you and choose for you a new path. So go forth with gusto, for thy path shall be brief, yet be full of such light that my heart will be full of thy joy."
And now did Hoth call out to Ergon, for the last time.
"Ergon, you have brought beauty to the darkness, where once there was none, but your light is dimmed and I fear that soon you will fade into the great trail of your own tears and your light be diminished. And so it is that I set thee free of the darkness that has wrapped itself around your heart and choose for you a new path. So go forth with gusto, for thy path shall be brief, yet be full of such light that my heart will be full of thy joy."
And now did Hoth speak, for the last.
"Yet to you both I say this. In your journey lay the seed of my destruction, for I am Hoth, the Great Void, and in me have I brought the lights of Veradu and Ergon, and the Great Void was already lessened. But the path that I have now set thee both upon is one wherein lay my doom, for at your journey's end, Hoth will be no more, for the Great Void will become new and your light will wash away the darkness. But such is the will of Hoth and so shall it be."
But Veradu and Ergon heeded not the words of Hoth, for now their path was as one and they sped toward the other and the heaviness of their hearts was lifted and their light burnt so bright that all the void was filled with it and Hoth was blinded. And so he heard, for the last time, the song of Veradu and the roar of Ergon as they embraced in a great fusion and their light exploded unmatched within the void and Hoth was no more, for the darkness was filled with Fire and Water and Earth and Air and Ergon and Veradu became one and all, Eradu.
And as the void retreated, so the nine children of Eradu, the Aslah, were born and they were the first to walk upon the fair land of Damarkan and they were as seeds, whose fruit was yet to ripen, for they were filled with the power of Hoth, who was no more. And in them lay all that was to come and all that would be. But as yet they were like children and they wondered at the world around them and to them it was beautiful, though it were a plain and barren place, for it was yet to be filled, and they had no cares.
Thus was the beginning set and the future born.
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