The Codex: 0 AE

Chapter One: The Age of Disjunction

Eons before the emergence of the modern era, a celestial alignment propelled a star seed from the depths of space, colliding with the planet Mythron. This cosmic event forever altered the world and its inhabitants, fracturing Mythron's single supercontinent into seven distinct ones. Each new land bore unique terrains, from jagged mountains to crystalline lakes and storm-swept islands.

Celandine, an expansive temperate continent, became the cherished home of the Lyonar Kingdoms. The lush and perilous Xenkai found itself as the abode of the Songhai Empire, while the arid and desolate Akram transformed into the domain of the Vetruvian Imperium. The shattered and broken chasms of Styxus evolved into the haunting residence of the Abyssian Host, while the primordial and volcanic Magaari became the habitat of the Magmar Aspects. In the far reaches beyond the Whyte Mountains, Halcyar unfolded as the haven for the Vanar Kindred. Aesteria, the central continent, underwent a profound alteration, marked by two concentric rings of colossal mountains thrust up by the cataclysmic impact. At its epicenter, spanning a thousand miles across, lay God’s Heel—the impact crater of the star seed.

The collision not only reshaped the geography but also transformed Mythron's climate. Vast storms swept across the planet, unleashing torrents of acid rain and devastating lightning. Maelstroms, hundreds of miles wide, churned the oceans, while temperatures fluctuated between blistering heat and frigid cold. Most of Mythron's diverse lifeforms perished, with the resilient few seeking refuge underground or adapting to the harsh landscapes of volcanic pits. Amid the cataclysm, a new species emerged. At the heart of the impact crater, the star seed extended its cosmic roots into the planet's core, tapping into magical energies and metamorphosing into the Great Tree of Eyos.

This profound transformation heralded changes of an even greater magnitude.

Chapter Two: The Great tree of Eyos 10,000 AE

Across millennia, Mythron experienced a gradual recovery from the cataclysmic arrival of the star seed. Adaptation and proliferation among creatures revived the planet, ushering in an era teeming with vibrant life.

Simultaneously, the Great Tree of Eyos thrived, tapping into magical energies emanating from the planet's core. Sprouting prismatic leaves that absorbed starlight for sustenance, the Great Tree underwent a profound transformation. Ten thousand years post its inception, the Great Tree bloomed, unleashing an arcane energy burst that bathed the planet in an everlasting radiant glow. The skies adorned a breathtaking Harmonic Aurora, while the Great Tree exploded with mana blossoms, releasing iridescent petals to journey across Mythron on the winds.

Each petal forged a direct link to the Great Tree, endowing the creatures they touched with the ability to harness the planet's arcane energy. Moreover, the Great Tree gained the ability to perceive the world through their eyes. Touched objects crystallized into nodes of magical energy, their brilliant colors mirroring the contained metals and minerals. The petals nurtured and accelerated a diverse array of creatures and plants, sentient and non-sentient alike.

In the Northern Whyte Mountains along Halcyar, ancient races like the elusive Snow Chasers and the formidable Draugar Giants emerged. To the East, in Xenkai, the interconnected network of sentient bamboo transformed into the Whistling Blades, while the graceful orange cranes in the Ang’Mar Glades metamorphosed into the life-giving Zurael. As the initial Great Blooming concluded, the Great Tree of Eyos entered a state of repose to replenish its magical energy. However, thirteen perfect petals drifted to the volcanic region of Magaari.

There, they landed on the exposed metallic chrysalises of rare, sentient drake-like creatures protected by iridium exoskeletons. Deep within the volcanic mountain, untouched and untransformed, their Queen Mother met a solitary end, forever separated from her species. On the surface, these thirteen males evolved into the immortal Magmar.

Chapter Three: The Rise of the Magmar Aspects 10,000-20,000 AE

Following the Touch of Eyos, the Magmar experienced centuries of existence, attaining a unique immortality by gaining the ability to return to their chrysalises and be reborn anew. Though unable to reproduce without their Queen Mother, they found leadership in a Magmar named Valknu, who emerged as their alpha over time. As the Prime Focii, Valknu devised a method to preserve the Magmars' deepest memories, a cherished gift to their future selves. In a ritual known as The Dance of Dreams, each cycle required them to revisit and reinterpret their memories. To immortalize these experiences through time, the Magmar devised a magical script akin to a song, encapsulating their collective consciousness in The Thirteen Aspects.

Over epochs, the Magmar cultivated a balanced philosophy, mirroring their harmonious journey of constant rebirth. Solitary yet spontaneous, they embraced simplicity and reveled in the wonders of nature, detached from personal desires. While mostly reclusive, they occasionally embarked on great journeys to engage with other sentient beings.

In stark contrast to other races, the Magmar mastered the art of stillness, communing with the Great Tree of Eyos. Spending several kalpas—hundreds of years—they achieved dialogue with the tree, learning about the Great Blooming. This revelation led them to revere and celebrate Eyos as the ultimate harbinger of birth, growth, and rebirth.

During collective meditation and communion with the Great Tree, the Thirteen Aspects glimpsed the world and even perceived the ephemeral tapestry of time. However, this unique ability came at the cost of individual identity and a sense of self. Despite their profound connection, they fell short of complete ascension or a comprehensive view of the future. Forever cursed to repeat their lives, the Magmar remained bound by destiny, never fully masters of their own fate.

Chapter Four: The Aestari Spark 20,000-22,000 AE

In the midst of the Second Great Blooming, the Great Tree of Eyos once again scattered its enchanting petals into the winds. Among the chosen destinations was the Vermillion Forest, where these mystical petals touched an intelligent humanoid race adorned with crimson-orange hair—the Aestari, also known as the Children of the Ineffable Flame. Within a few generations, the bestowed powers permeated the entire Aestari species.

Endowed with a natural inclination for manipulating arcane energies, the Aestari exhibited distinct manifestations in males and females. Aestari females excelled in focusing and channeling magic continuously through a skill known as The Binding. Their ability allowed them to concentrate and manipulate objects for extended periods. On the flip side, males demonstrated expertise in intensifying magic but in shorter bursts termed The Surging. This granted them the natural capacity to phase and summon objects swiftly, albeit at the cost of rapid magical power consumption. To replenish their strength, males needed either to extract more energy from crystals or abstain from magic usage until recovery occurred.

However, for certain Aestari males, The Surging fueled an intrinsic and insatiable desire for more—yearning for greater heights, accomplishing grander feats, and ascending beyond the constraints of the world. The pinnacle of arcane mastery, combining great intensity and endurance, lay achievable only through the power of crystals. Many became reliant on crystal energy, unable to reconcile with their inherent limitations and return to mundane lives. The relentless thirst for additional magical power eventually pervaded their daily thoughts, consuming their existence.

Chapter Five: The Emergence of the Inxikrah 20,000-22,000 AE

As most of Mythron's creatures thrived on the surface, those that sought refuge underground during the cataclysm of the star seed's impact remained hidden in the depths. Unseen by the world above, the magic petals of The Great Tree of Eyos descended into the shadowy realms, penetrating the dark crevasses and shattered chasms of the continent Styxus. Within this subterranean world of stone, the petals worked their transformative magic, turning it into a mesmerizing nexus of luminous crystals that spanned the vast network of caverns.

These iridescent petals discovered a unique, pale, snake-like race of sentient beings known as the Inxikrah, or the Formless Faces. Evolving over millennia to adapt to their underground habitat, these scaly, albino predators released clouds of psychoactive toxins that paralyzed and controlled their prey. Sensitive to daylight, the Inxikrah avoided exposure to the sun, exploring the surface only under the veil of night. Their isolation extended across the vast, swirling oceans that separated them from Mythron's other evolving civilizations.

The underworld, deadly and treacherous, bred equally formidable creatures. Yet, within the Echoing Depths lay vast treasures — ancient crystals formed during the first bloom of The Great Tree of Eyos. Smoky purple gems accompanied the plant-like Inkhorn, black Amethysts thrived alongside Dark Creep Moss, and rare Ghost Azaleas emanated potent, concentrated magical energies. The Inxikrah discovered that these crystals, acquired through a transformative ritual called Krah’Zul, bestowed upon them the properties of their prey.

During each shedding cycle, the Inxikrah forged ever deadlier forms, incorporating the most lethal elements of their consumed prey. Over time, as the Inxikrah continued their predatory pursuits, the species diverged. Males, hunting the most dangerous predators, grew increasingly vicious with each generation. In contrast, females hunted for sustenance, never for sport, and defended their brood with devastating violence when needed. However, they never embraced the Krah’Zul-induced malevolence that characterized their male counterparts.

Chapter Six: The First Empire 22,000-23,000 AE

Sheltered from danger in the central crater of God's Heel, the Aestari lived for centuries in peace and harmony. With no competition for resources, their population thrived and prospered. Small isolated villages became towns interconnected across the Sanctuary Plains.

During this Age of Wonder, creativity in the arts and knowledge of magic flourished, spawning myriad specializations and schools of thought. The Aestari established the Seventh Sanctum, their primary center for learning. It was comprised of seven branched disciplines:

- School of Knowledge: The Alcuin Order, first Line of the Loremasters, was established to further a deeper understanding of the world.

- School of Harmony: The Swords of Akrane and the Twin Crescents both refined various forms of swordsmanship, harmoniously blending magic with bodily motion, incorporating the fluid duality of the visible and invisible, the physical and non-physical.

- School of Timelessness: After years of intense meditation, the Chakri Avatars learned to commune with The Great Tree. They could heighten their state of power almost indefinitely, and even see visions of the past and future.

- School of Selflessness: The first Shieldmasters, protectors and defenders of the people, were focused on piety, integrity, honor, and mutual respect.

- School of Power: Artificers and Songweavers learned to concentrate the power of crystals and imbue inanimate objects with their energy, creating powerful Artifacts and magic items.

- School of Dreams: Aestari Mistwalkers and Aethermasters developed the ability to astral phase through alternate micro-dimensions, cast illusions, and summon creatures.

- School of Order: The Arcanysts harnessed the power contained within magical components and scripts, discovering spells that enhanced one's natural abilities, and inventing mixtures such as the highly sought after Sundrop Elixir and Aurora's Tears.

During this Age of Wonder, the first Aestari Chroniclers explored the mountains beyond their central continent, recording all they discovered. This Age of Wonder also saw the Magmar grow into their rightful role as Mythron's protectors, to meditate, interpret, and guide the Aestari leaders.

Chapter Seven: The Darkness Gnaws Below 22,000-22,300 AE

While the Aestari Age of Wonder was flowering on the surface of Mythron, a more sinister development was unfolding beneath it. The Inxikrah had embraced with great enthusiasm their role as the apex predator of the underworld. And as their supremacy became unquestioned, their thirst to exercise it became unquenchable.

Powered by the magic of crystals of the Black Amethysts, the Krah'Zul transformation that followed each act of predation not only conferred on the Inxikrah the strengths and abilities of their prey - it flooded the predators with physical pleasure that bordered on ecstasy.

Over time this magnified and exaggerated their primal, predatory instincts. The male Inxikrah and female Inxykree both came to be driven by an insatiable, all-consuming hunger for the feeling of youthful rejuvenation that came from killing. The gnawing addictive power of the crystals, and their growing scarcity, caused infighting among the Inxikrah. A system of rigid castes was established to create order, to preserve the crystals, and to help the Inxikrah survive and remain preeminent in a world fraught with danger and dwindling resources.

The elation and the rush of killing and transformation became a ritual, taking on a sacred significance that made the Inxikrah even more rapacious. The male Inxikrah became increasingly defined by an ethos of cruelty. Lesser sentient creatures and captured enemies from raids became slaves or playthings, including the Inxikrah's less evolved cousins, the Serpenti, which the Inxikrah often transformed into tortured Darkspine Elementals and familiar-like wraithlings.

Meanwhile, the female Inxykree grew more social and increasingly repulsed by the Inxikrah's random brutality. Over generations, the differences became so pronounced they were like two separate species, the male Inxikrah and the female Inxykree, whose only contact was to perpetuate their species.

Chapter Eight: The Prophetic Paradox 22,300-22,400 AE

As the Age of Wonders drew to a close, the Aestari Matron-Magus, Kaon Deladriss, having mastered all seven Schools of the Seventh Sanctum, retreated to the top of Ivory Peake to meditate. After a decade, she had gained the ability to commune with the Great Tree of Eyos, and the Great Tree observed her thoughts and actions as well. It deemed her virtuous, worthy by deed, mind, and spirit. Kaon returned to the Seventh Sanctum by teleportation, becoming Mythron's first Horizon Walker.

Years later, as Kaon Deladriss was dreamweaving at the White Mantle, she received from the Great Tree a devastating Prophecy of Ages. It foretold the destruction of the Aestari civilization in a coming Age of Decay, a time of chaos and unfathomable suffering that would last a millennia. But while the Age of Decay was inevitable, the tapestry of Kaon's dream contained a single thread of hope, a way that the Age of Decay could be shortened to a single century, to be followed by an even greater civilization built atop the foundation of the First Empire. But the price for this would be terrible, indeed.

It would mean forsaking forever her harmonious meditation and near immortality. It would cost her ongoing ascension, her connection with the Great Tree, and even her ability to Horizon Walk. More importantly, she wondered if her actions to spare the world such suffering - to save nine centuries of unborn lives - could bring about something unimaginably worse. Kaon struggled with the paradox of the Prophecy.

In the end, she decided that the chance to prevent such suffering was the only path forward, even though the task it demanded was too horrific to speak of. The demand of the Prophecy was that the Heart of the Great Tree of Eyos must be removed - cut out - and placed as far away as possible, never to return to Aestari soil again.

Chapter Nine: The First Senerai 22,300-22,400 AE

The Prophecy of Ages foretold Seven Seeds that would change the course of history, seven heroes to complete the task at hand. To find them, Kaon Deladriss established the first Trial of Champions, a six- week contest of strength and endurance, intelligence and honor. The winners would be called the Senerai, “The Seven Stars.”

The Trial of Champions revealed the finest warriors in all of Aestaria, head and shoulders above all others. Many Aestari distinguished themselves as ‘Vanar’, or legendary elite. Yet, only a select few displayed the heroic excellence necessary to earn the title of Senerai. They represented the best in each of their respective disciplines. Their unquestioned leader was Songweaver Eurielle. Joining her was Loremaster Lumina, Swordmaster Zwei, Avatar Saari, Arcanyst Graye, and Shieldmaster Koreldyre. But to Kaon’s consternation, they numbered only six.

Kaon held one more week of trials, but no one else proved worthy. She wondered if there could be only six. But if she was wrong about that, what else had she misinterpreted?

She began to question the entire prophecy...until a towering silhouette entered the arena carrying a twin-bladed sword: A Magmar.

Kaon greeted him respectfully, but said, “You must go. You are not Aestari.”

He didn’t move. “I am Starhorn,” he said, “The Seventh Star foretold by the prophecy.”

Kaon turned to the Vanar elites and said, “Whoever defeats this Magmar shall join the Senerai.”

The Magmar was monstrously massive, but when the warriors came at him, he maneuvered with blinding speed and subtle grace. He touched no one but let none touch him. After a full day, as the last Vanar finally collapsed in exhaustion, Kaon said, “Enough. Starhorn, most honored Magmar, you are indeed the Seed of Dreams, the Seventh Star.”

Chapter Ten: The Great Tree Aperion 22,402 AE

Advancing in years and rapidly losing her powers, Kaon Deladriss traveled with the Senerai to The Great Tree of Eyos, to fulfill the prophecy. In anguish, she extracted its Heartwood, a perfectly brilliant prismatic seed the size of a small fist. Immediately, The Great Tree shrank and withered. Its starry leaves turned crimson red. Stricken with grief, Kaon gave the Heartwood to the Senerai so they could fulfill the rest of the prophecy. She remained with The Great Tree, mourning, until her dying days.

For many years, the Senerai journeyed across the vast world of Mythron seeking the perfect sanctuary for the Heartwood. Amid the lush beauty of Xenkai they befriended the Four Winds and tasted the rejuvenating waters of the Twilight Spring. Among the Islands of Pyrae, they rediscovered the lost arts of fireweaving. Hidden in the Sea of Fog, they found the exotic islands of Y'Kir, where master inventors and artificers worked in solitude crafting the first magical devices that their descendants would prize as ancient artifacts. They landed on the desolate surface of Styxus, naming it the Blighted Lands.

They were the first Aestari invited to Magaari, the Magmar homeland, to behold the Golden Chrysalis containing the remains of the last Queen Mother. They travelled along the Yquem River, allying themselves with the Silverbeaks near Raithline Lake against a horde of Mirkblood Devourers. They witnessed Azurite Lions hunting across the Alluvial Plains. And after many years of encountering strange creatures, discovering countless locales, and witnessing mysterious cultures, the Senerai finally arrived at Halcyar: the Northern-most realm — far past the frost-carved Whyte Mountains, and more importantly, far beyond the prying reach of Aestaria.

They found a distant peak enveloped by the magical Northern Aurora, hidden and shielded on all sides by hundreds of identical mountains. They named it Deladriss Peake, in honor of Kaon, and there they planted the Heartwood. A sapling immediately sprouted from the ground, its young leaves drawing in the crisp starlight. They named the new tree Aperion. At that exact moment, Kaon dematerialized from the living world. All Aestaria was plunged into mourning. The once great tree, now withered and weak, released red droplets of crimson sap, the Tears of Eyos, and forever after was known as The Weeping Tree.

Chapter Eleven: The Protectors of Mythron's Secret 22,402 AE

The dangers faced by the Senerai on their quest were not all external. Songweaver Eurielle saw that some of her comrades were internally tempted by the Heartwood’s endless power, especially Arcanyst Graye. As they journeyed back to Aestaria, she convinced the Senerai that for The Great Tree Aperion to remain truly safe, its location must remain forever secret.

That night, they joined in casting a Globe of Disrememberance, erasing all memories of the tree’s location. When the Senerai parted ways, though, instead of returning home, Eurielle shadowed Arcanyst Graye. She saw him head back toward Deladriss Peake and discovered that he had drawn a secret map before the Disrememberance, so he could return to steal Aperion.

Eurielle confiscated the map and banished Arcanyst Graye from the Senerai. She realized Aperion must be protected, but decided Aestaria’s men were too covetous of its power to be trusted. She established the female-only Seidir — the Hearth-Sisters — who swore an undying oath to protect Aperion and the secret of its location.

Starhorn disagreed, and he wove the location of Deladriss Peake into the Magmar’s sacred song, the Dance of Dreams, so that anyone deemed worthy by The Thirteen Aspects could learn of Aperion’s whereabouts. Kaon Deladriss had also disagreed with Songweaver Eurielle’s decision and imbued the secret within Swordmaster Zwei’s dual-wielding blades, Solstice and Winterblade. Before mysteriously vanishing, she had secretly dispatched the female Vanar to help guard Aperion’s clandestine location.

At Deladriss Peake, young Aperion dropped its first potent petals, transforming the morning mist into the first of the mana-rich Crystal Wisps, which allowed the Seidir to access to the Voices of Winds, including the ability to morph into various animal aspects. Thus they protected the Great Tree of Aperion, fulfilling the Prophecy of Ages in solitude until the unexpected arrival of the Vanar reinforcements.

Chapter Twelve: The Trinity Mandates and the Great Diaspora 22,402-22,610 AE

Returning to Aestaria, Songweaver Eurielle was welcomed as a hero. In the void left by the death of Kaon Deladriss, she was universally acclaimed as Aestaria’s new leader. But Eurielle was a warrior at heart — she was not well-suited to governing an increasingly complex, growing empire.

Hardened by travel and spartan in her ways, she was impatient with the nuances of politics and with the Aestari people. They were soft and inwardly focused. The rich and entitled had become lazy and overly dependent on the crystals, frivolously wasting the precious — and rapidly depleting — resource. Eurielle became bitter, angry that her teacher Kaon and the Senerai had sacrificed so much for a selfish and ungrateful people who cared only for themselves — and their precious crystals.

Eventually, Eurielle deemed it necessary to restrict the use of crystals. She established the Trinity Mandates: The First Mandate, which declared that under penalty of imprisonment, any Aestari citizen who used a crystal must refrain from practicing magic for a set period of time, to balance the debt of use.

The Second Mandate established an elaborate set of permissions and rules governing appropriate crystal usage. The Third Mandate outlined specific priorities, strictly forbidding the use of crystals for simple entertainment or pleasure.

The Aestari people were furious. Many felt they were being oppressed, that the mandates violated their rights and fundamental Aestari beliefs. Some had grown so dependent on the crystals that they became physically ill without them. Aestaris hoarded, smuggled, and stole crystals from neighboring towns.

Some scoured the surrounding Sundrop Mountains, desperately seeking more crystals to satiate their unceasing hunger. Other groups simply left Aestaria, crossing the treacherous mountains in pursuit of their own destinies, and new sources of crystals.

Chapter Thirteen: The Dawn of the Vetruvian 22,610-22,640 AE

Among the disparate groups who fled the Aestari Mandates was a band of pilgrims, visionaries, and explorers who travelled directly east. They discovered the lush and stunning coastlines of the continent of Akram.

They established the city of Kaero, which one day would become the capital of their new nation. The interior of the country was mostly arid desert, but moving down the coast they encountered the calmer waters of the reef-sheltered bays, and discovered vast nodes of copper, tin, iron, and other metals.

Amid the Dunes of Ma'or, they discovered subterranean sources of pristine water, erecting massive Pyramid Towers to extract the pure water from deep underground. They established cities like Tyvia, which became home to the finest weaponsmiths, as well as Pyrae and nearby Murani, which became home to the finest artisans and craftsmen.

Most of the Alcuin Loremasters moved to Kaero, setting up The Ostracon, a sister institution to the Seventh Sanctum. In time, the Ostracon became a prominent University and bastion of learning, the epicenter of academic and arcane knowledge on Mythron where the best and brightest scholars would learn from peerless Aestari sages -- respectful of the finite supply of crystal energy, but unfettered by the Aestari Mandates.

Despite the scarcity of water, Akram’s plentiful metals attracted the best Aestari craftsmen. The metallurgic arts flourished, producing advances that soon outstripped Aestari technologies. From among this new breed of craftsmen emerged one particularly brilliant Aestari: Atar.

With unparalleled speed, he swiftly ascended the Ostracon’s ranks, earning the titles of Grand Loremaster, High Artificer, and Prime Arcanyst. He was also a tireless explorer who would one day learn that Akram had as-of-yet undiscovered resources more precious than anyone could have previously imagined.

Chapter Fourteen: The Star Crystals of Akram 22,640-22,670 AE

While exploring the Aymara Canyons, Atar came upon something no Aestari had ever seen. Sparkling brighter than the setting sun were hundreds of Star Crystals created by the original petals of the First Great Blooming, bursting with concentrated magical energy — pure and crisp, unlike any other.

They were untouched by Aestari hands and undepleted by Aestari magic, but that alone didn’t explain their intensity. Atar realized that not only was the energy of these Star Crystals’ undiminished, but for the millennia they had sat there, undisturbed, sheltered within Aymara Canyon’s protective walls, they had been absorbing starlight — and growing stronger.

Atar established the Order of Staar and named himself Atar Starstrider. He became rich and influential, but remained a renaissance man and inventor at heart, never obsessed with power or wealth. To make the waterless interior of the continent more habitable, Atar invented the Sand Shield, a mechanized suit of star-powered armor that minimized water loss. Atar coined the term Vetruvian — “The Remade Man” — which the people themselves quickly adopted.

Atar continually refined his Sand Shields, making them lighter and stronger. Some were even biologically integrated into the body, all-but eliminating water loss, granting the wearer superhuman abilities and opening new aesthetic possibilities. Water was shared freely with the young, but at adolescence, integration with one’s suit through the solemn Rite of Melding became a civic obligation — and an essential step toward Vetruvian adulthood.

Using Star Crystals, Atar sparked life into mechanical objects, creating the first sentient Golems and increasingly sophisticated mechanical beings that would one day become the Mechanysts. In Kaero and Pyrae, the Order of Staar learned to manipulate heat, electricity, and wind to shape metal into customizable armor and floating platforms.

Years later they would join the star crystals with the sand silica to open portals to other micro-dimensions, forge the first Portal Obelysks, and summon the ephemeral Wind Dervishes, silica-based races of the Silhouette Tracers from the Sea of Dust, and the legendary Jax. Atar's final creations were the flying Wind Shrikes and Mirror Masters, which could organically replicate anything before them.

But his most important legacy was that the Vetruvians, rather than searching for power solely from the Great Tree, discovered that the true source of power came from the stars themselves.

Chapter Fifteen: The Twin Empires 22,640-22,700 AE

Many who had left Aestaria returned with exaggerated tales of fertile soil and giant crystals the size of boulders. But not all who left Aestaria seeking fortune actually found what they were looking for.

Some headed north to Celandine pursuing stories of previously unknown gold-shimmering crystals — Sun Crystals — that could absorb sunlight, as well as rumors of a second Great Tree nourished by the sun. They discovered neither, but they did carve out a life for themselves.

The Highmayne clan called their newly established home Windcliffe, while those who called themselves the Order of the Second Suns and the Lightchasers established the towering city of Sun Forge on the highest peak in Celandine. In time, the continent became home to the Lyonar Kingdoms.

Another hardy group of Aestari explorers chased similar tales northeast, to the exotic and mysterious continent of Xenkai. They found a harsh and dangerous land of wet jungles, frigid mountains, arid deserts, and ghostly predators at every turn. But they conquered the land, taming and riding many of these creatures, hunting and killing with deadly precision many others. These agile and lethal warriors were the forefathers of the Songhai Empire, and founders of the cities of Xaan and Kaido.

Travelling inland, they discovered the Twilight Spring, where dusk and dawn mixed together, blurring light and dark, life and death, blood and earth, animal and human. It was a place where boundaries merged, an aetherial vortex that allowed the Songhai to commune with their ancestors and spirit essence animals with mystical Twilight Seals, establishing the Ancestral Spirits and Zodiac Masks.

Although they could not transform into the animals themselves — like the Vanar — they could inherit the abilities and traits of their representative spirit animal. Some Songhai rulers later came to believe they were the physical descendants of their patron animal, including Kaleos the Ghost Tiger, Gen-Bo the Sable Tortoise, and Taegon the Citrine Dragon.

But these were not the only emigrants to Xenkai. Foreseeing the destruction of Aestaria and the birth of a future hero on the continent of Xenkai, the Chakri Avatars journeyed to the isolated Saberspine Mountains. Hidden on its steepest slopes, they built the Chakri Monastery, where they stayed, meditating in solitude, honing their skills, ready to return in Mythron's time of need.

Chapter Sixteen: The Golden Age of Peace 22,403-22,765 AE

One by one, the Senerai passed away, confident in their decisions and comforted by the knowledge that they left behind a Golden Age of Peace.

But Eurielle brooded over the prophecy of the Ages. She knew peace would not last forever. On her deathbed, she made Starhorn promise he would leave Aestaria and travel to the outer continents in search of the next champions who would assume the mantle of the Senerai — the keepers of peace and protectors of Mythron’s greatest secret.

She reminded Starhorn that the Chakri Avatars had moved northeast, and that it was likely the next destined hero would be born there. Starhorn agreed in principle, but he did not leave right away. He already had an inkling of who would succeed the Senerai, who Mythron’s next great leader would be.

The Thirteen Aspects remained in Aestaria, guiding the people, helping maintain order, and ultimately grooming successive generations of Aestari leaders as their civilization spread across the globe. As the ongoing study of magic and science brought vast increases in knowledge and power, both Aestaria and its far-flung settlements continued to grow in both size and sophistication.

The continents continued to develop into intricate civilizations, further enriching Mythron’s already diverse cultural tapestry. As the settlements evolved into new nations with their own unique identities, they remained under Aestaria’s direct control. At first.

Over the centuries, however, the strength and power of the Aestari colonies approached that of Aestaria itself. The central government’s control lessened. Eventually, inevitably, these nations would establish their independence, giving rise to the Lyonar Kingdoms on Celandine, the Songhai Empire in Xenkai, and the Vetruvian Imperium on Akram. But not yet...

Chapter Seventeen: The Ascesion of Emperor Sargos 22,465-22,745 AE

Aestaria thrived in tranquility and affluence, its grandiose cities gleaming akin to the crystals whose potency underpinned their existence. The Thirteen Aspects steered the Aestari and clandestinely curbed their darker inclinations.

While Aestaria presented itself as a realm of radiant splendor, with towering ivory spires and adorned cloaks, beneath the surface, avarice and decay had infiltrated the populace, eroding their once-idealistic society with a pervasive and self-indulgent decadence. As the continents endeavored to assert autonomy, Aestaria treated them as subject nations, exacting a tribute toll in the form of crystals for the privilege of being part of the Aestari Empire.

This was the Aestaria where the young emperor Sargos rose to power. Intellectually inquisitive, with an unquenchable thirst for knowledge in science, magic, and a myriad of books, young Sargos was adored by his people and held in esteem by the Thirteen Aspects. Early in his reign, while engrossed in the Alcuin Library, Sargos stumbled upon fragments alluding to a Second Empire.

He summoned Valknu, Vaath, and Starhorn, who reluctantly affirmed the prophecy predicting a new empire emerging from the remnants of the old. However, they divulged nothing more. For the first time, Sargos suspected they were withholding information from him. Resuming his studies, he found no further mention of the prophecy. When he sought to validate his initial findings, the ancient tomes that contained the reference to the Second Empire had vanished.

Sargos became convinced that Valknu was concealing the truth. Thus, the initial seeds of Sargos’ mistrust of the Thirteen Aspects were sown, a discord that deepened within Sargos’ soul.

As Emperor Sargos matured, Aestaria was already in a state of decline. Yet, Sargos remained fixated on the prophecy of a superior Second Empire, dreaming of a united Aestaria with unparalleled greatness on the horizon. While witnessing the prosperity of the Lyonar, Vetruvians, and Songhai fueled by crystal resources, he recognized the ultimate source was the Weeping Tree, rooted in Aestari soil.

Striving to restore Aestari dominance, he conceived a plan to erect a colossal, towering structure that would not only signify Aestari supremacy and control but also secure it for millennia to come.

He named it The Monolith.

Chapter Eighteen: The Construction of the Monolith 22,745-22,870 AE

The envisioned Monolith by Sargos was to transcend mere symbolism. It would encompass the Weeping Tree with expansive Celestial Lenses crafted to ensnare starlight, intensifying and concentrating the cosmic radiance onto the Weeping Tree. This process aimed to fortify and invigorate the tree, fostering its strength and health while expediting the arrival of the impending Great Blooming.

Simultaneously, the colossal enclosure would guarantee that the petals released during the subsequent blooming — along with all their contained power — would forever remain confined within Aestaria.

In the immediate term, the Monolith's construction would devour more crystals than ever before, exacerbating prevailing shortages and inciting even more significant unrest among the overtaxed continents. Nevertheless, Sargos foresaw that, in the long run, the Monolith would furnish Aestaria with virtually boundless magical energy, denying its adversaries the same privilege.

Emperor Sargos mobilized the most brilliant minds of the Aestari Empire — artificers, sage-scholars, mana-smiths, enchanters — and directed their collective efforts toward conceiving and erecting the Monolith. The Thirteen Aspects advised Sargos that building the Monolith was a misguided choice.

Its construction would transgress the Trinity Mandates, established to conserve and perpetuate Mythron's harmony for the coming millennia. Some elder Aestari concurred, cautioning Sargos about the potential calamities resulting from the Monolith's construction. Ignoring them all, Sargos remained steadfast in his decision, harboring suspicions about their motivations.

Galvanizing the common populace under the banner of progress and Aestari pride, Sargos publicly denounced The Thirteen Aspects for attempting to preserve the status quo to the detriment of the Aestari people. He allocated a substantial portion of harvested crystals to erect the Monolith but simultaneously rescinded the First, Second, and Third Mandates, reinstating unrestricted access to crystals for the people.

Emperor Sargos' and his Monolith's popularity surged as the Aestari envisioned an unbounded reserve of magical power and an envisioned era of magnificence.

Chapter Nineteen: Breaking of the Thirteen Aspects 22,765 AE

The Monolith's construction persisted for two decades, gradually depleting all of Aestaria's crystals. By the time the Monolith reached three-quarters completion, the final Aestari crystal had been entirely consumed.

Entirely reliant on foreign crystals and compelled to endure more stringent austerity measures than the original Aestari Mandates had ever imposed, the populace turned against the Monolith and the Emperor who had conceived it. Sargos's inner circle fragmented due to factional conflicts and personal disagreements, with even the most privileged Aestari now scrambling for a rapidly diminishing crystal supply.

One night, Valknu experienced a dream where an inky cloud devoured the Golden Chrysalis, transforming Mythron's continents into disintegrating ash. Burdened by this vision, Valknu, after deep contemplation, resolved to disband The Thirteen Aspects, scattering them away from God's Heel.

Callixylon sought refuge in Southern Aurora; Jhorxia in the Dunes of Ma’or. Kraigon ventured to Ash Valley; Ishtara to the Azure Mountains. Nharmyth concealed himself in the Emerald Vale; Paarnax in the Shim’Zar Jungle. Ka’al retreated to the Shadowlands; Ragnora to the Obsidian Woods. Taevarth headed to the Forbidden Steppes; Yrsada to the Cobalt Isles.

Starhorn journeyed to the Fist of the Four Winds, guarding the secrets of the four elemental spheres, ultimately finding solitude in the Whispering Blades.

Vaath returned to Magaari, where he domesticated the untamed Makantor beasts near Mokvalar and utilized his magic to transform creatures in the secluded Beastlands, birthing the inaugural Kolossi.

He employed Star Crystals to forge innovative Golems near the Stormmetal regions and erected the Amberhorn Citadel, inviting all sentient creatures on Magaari to join him. Valknu remained in the Grand Trianon alongside Emperor Sargos, anticipating the impending darkness.

Chapter Twenty: The Coming of Rasha 22,745-22,870 AE

As Aestaria's reliance on externally sourced crystals surpassed the burdensome tribute taxes imposed on the vassal continents, it amassed substantial debts. The merchant class gained ascendancy in this evolving socio-economic landscape. With limited prospects in the stagnant Aestari economy, military service became increasingly popular among the disillusioned Aestari youth, gaining prestige in the process.

This societal shift gave rise to an exclusive warrior caste, known as the Knuckles of Akrane, paying homage to the fabled Blades of Akrane from the Age of Marvels. When an ambitious young soldier named Rasha assumed the position of Lord Marshall of the Realm, the mercantile and warrior classes emerged as the true power in Aestaria, relegating Emperor Sargos to a mere figurehead.

Rasha, an orphan of common birth, quickly ascended through the ranks to Field Marshal during the Shadowlands campaign. He transformed the Knuckles of Akrane into the predominant military force in Aestaria. Under Rasha's leadership, they pursued their own agenda and garnered the support of the common people, who viewed Emperor Sargos as ineffective and the Great Aestari Council as an inefficient bureaucracy controlled by privileged elites ensconced in lofty ivory towers.

As a member of the Inner Council, Lord Marshall Rasha endorsed the Emperor's perspective that the construction of the Monolith should proceed to completion. While Rasha acknowledged the importance of ensuring Aestaria's independence from external resources, he also believed that Aestaria's vulnerability stemmed from its dependence on foreign trade and the merchant class.

Rasha posited that a more straightforward approach to meeting Aestaria's needs was to assert dominance using its unparalleled military might. From the Knuckles of Akrane, he established the Kurikan, or Swift Wind, a clandestine faction of elite assassin spies directly answerable to him. Valknu cautioned Sargos about Rasha's escalating influence, but Sargos, harboring distrust for the Magmar and their intentions, swiftly dismissed the warnings as yet another deceptive maneuver.

Chapter Twenty-One: Rasha's Betrayal and the Eternal Empire 22,885-22,905 AE

'It's preferable to face the gallows for loyalty than to be rewarded for betrayal.' - Valknu, Thirteen Aspects

Emperor Sargos rebuffed Rasha's assertive militaristic approach, sparking escalating animosity between them. Following one of their numerous disputes regarding provincial control, Rasha sought seclusion within the Inner Sanctuary of the incomplete Monolith. Unaware of another presence lurking in the shadows, he snapped a sacred twig from the Weeping Tree. Viscous red sap flowed from the wound, known as The Tears of Eyos.

Intrigued, Rasha tasted the sap, experiencing an immediate surge of magical power coursing through his veins. Eyos' life essence amplified his physical strength and significantly elevated his proficiency in Binding and Surging magic, surpassing even crystal-enhanced levels. Keeping his discovery clandestine, Rasha covertly returned to consume the sap repeatedly. Empowered by this newfound magical source, he consolidated his authority, bolstered his military might, and, with his Kurikan enforcers, incarcerated his political adversaries.

Continued exposure to the Tears of Eyos eventually overwhelmed Rasha's sanity, fueling his madness for power and an insatiable craving for more. Under the cover of darkness, Rasha and his Kurikan swept through the Grand Trianon and the Aestari Palace, ruthlessly assassinating Sargos in his bedchamber. His warband infiltrated each school of the Seventh Sanctum, executing those loyal to Sargos.

Valknu valiantly resisted, but he proved ultimately no match for the combined might of Rasha's forces. Sargos had confided his suspicions about the Magmar hiding potent secrets, so Rasha cast Valknu into the palace's deepest dungeon, subjecting him to torture in a futile attempt to extract the Magmar's undisclosed knowledge. Despite imprisonment, Valknu magically communicated with his fellow Magmar, alerting them to Rasha's treachery.

Rasha declared himself the High Emperor, adopting the title Lord Magnus. He renamed Aestaria as "The Eternal Empire," convinced that he embodied the fulfillment of the Prophecy of Ages. As Rasha's descent into madness and addiction intensified, tales of the brutal imprisonment and massacre of his adversaries spread. Entire families were slaughtered, their ancestral homes reduced to ashes.

Some Aestari rebels sought refuge in the mountains, while many others fled across the increasingly tumultuous oceans. A small faction reached Kaero and other continents, but numerous others perished or were relentlessly pursued. With the unfinished Monolith all but forgotten, Rasha and his armies redirected their focus outward.

Chapter Twenty-Two: The Vetruvian Wars 22,905-22,915 AE

'The foundation of surprise is melding rapidity with concealment.' -Carl von Clausewitz

With Aestaria now bereft of all its crystals, the insanity of High Emperor Rasha appeared to extend beyond the realm of mortals, infecting Mythron itself. Earthquakes rattled the ground, formidable storms tore through the air, and tumultuous maelstroms churned the seas. The same ruinous madness that fueled Rasha's thirst for power also intensified his sense of invulnerability. He became increasingly fixated on the Sun Crystals of the Lyonar Kingdoms and the Star Crystals of the Vetruvian Empire, and nothing would hinder his quest to claim them for himself.

Aestaria was already strained by the magnitude of its military, but Rasha pressed harder, conscripting even more young Aestari men into the largest army ever witnessed in Mythron. He redirected significant resources to bolster his navy, constructing new ships and commandeering merchant vessels that had opted to remain in port rather than face the tempestuous seas. With his navy doubling in size within a few brief months, Rasha devised a plan to traverse the seas and inundate Vetruvia with an overwhelming surge of Aestari military prowess, conquering their lands and seizing control of their Star Crystals.

As his fleet embarked, many of Rasha's most ardent supporters began to question his sanity. Nevertheless, he successfully landed all his capital warships on the shores of Kaero without a single loss. To the astonishment and horror of the Vetruvians, Rasha's fifty thousand troops swiftly captured the city within days. This triumph fueled the flames of his escalating madness, reinforcing his conviction that he embodied a magnificent destiny.

High Emperor Rasha and his forces unleashed unrestrained havoc, massacring men, women, and children, looting the ancient city of Kaero, and leveling the revered Ostracon. As Rasha's army advanced southward, seizing Tyvia and Murani, leaving pillaged ruins in their wake, even his staunchest skeptics came to believe in his impregnability.

Chapter Twenty-Three: The Rise of Ziros Starstrider 22,905-22,915 AE

'When the adversary is at ease, make them toil. When replete, starve them. When settled, make them move.' -Sun Tzu, The Art of War

Amidst the multitude of Vetruvian exiles escaping the Aestarian onslaught, a Tyvian adolescent named Ziros Starstrider stood out. Descended from Atar Startstrider, he had been nurtured in the arid expanse by the sisterhood of Aymara Healers. En route southward, towards the Aymara Canyons, Ziros aligned with the resistance, adeptly engaging in skirmishes with their Aestari pursuers and effectively impeding Rasha's army, allowing women and children to reach safety.

Ziros showcased innate strategic acumen, leading numerous successful sorties against the Aestaris. With his tactical brilliance and extensive knowledge of canyons, cliffs, and desert water sources, coupled with the demise of other Vetruvian leaders, Ziros naturally assumed leadership of the Resistance by the time the refugees reached the outskirts of the Aymara Canyons. Guiding the civilian refugees through the El-Gamesh desert, directing them to Pyrae and Petra, Ziros then returned to the Aymara Canyons, where he intended to make a final stand against the marauding Aestaris.

Outside the coastal city of Tyvia, Rasha's forces grappled with unfamiliar terrain, ill-prepared for Vetruvia's scorching, desiccating desert heat. Without the resources or supply lines to conquer Pyrae and Petra, especially with Ziros' resistance fighters consistently disrupting their progress, it became evident to Ziros that, with a modest aid from the Songhai or the Lyonar, they could vanquish Rasha and terminate Aestari aggression definitively. Ziros dispatched messages to both nations, detailing the circumstances, seeking assistance, and cautioning them about the imminent threat posed by Rasha.

As the Aestaris gathered at the canyon's edge, primed for their forthcoming advance, Ziros received responses from the Lyonar and the Songhai. Both nations asserted that the conflict was between Vetruvia and Aestari, declining any involvement. Ziros, harboring deep resentment, pledged never to forgive them, swearing on the blood of his forebears that he would not extend aid when they faced their own trials.

He then devised an alternative strategy.

Chapter Twenty-Four: The Starstrider's Final Gambit 22,905-22,915 AE

'Nothing poses a greater threat to those parched than the illusion of water in the arid expanse.' -Ziros Starstrider

Ziros harbored suspicions that Rasha's true objective was to unveil the whereabouts of the Star Crystal fields concealed in the Aymara Canyons. Influenced by the intense desert sun, Ziros devised a daring stratagem to divert Rasha from the crystal-laden canyons. His metalmancers diligently gathered every fragment of metal not crafted into weaponry or armor, transforming them into crystalline forms infused with a radiant glow. Creating a unit of Orb Weavers familiar with every water mine in the Akram Desert, Ziros dispatched them to position the authentic crystals at the outer western periphery of the Akram Desert, concurrently placing the counterfeit ones atop the deeper dunes one day's march within.

At sunrise, three courageous Scions from House Volari, one of Vetruvia's oldest clans, willingly undertook a sacrificial mission to entice Rasha's patrols to the Akram Desert's edge before allowing themselves to be captured. The enemy patrol discovered the genuine crystals and observed the false ones in the distance, glimmering in the morning sunlight. Despite enduring Rasha's brutal torture, the captured noble Scions insisted those were the Star Crystal fields. Succumbing to his fervor for the crystals, Rasha, in a mocking gesture, granted each Scion a final wish before executing them, then led his army through the night.

Exhausted, they reached the Akram Desert just as the sun's initial golden rays illuminated the crystals, both real and counterfeit. Undeterred, Rasha commanded his men to press forward without respite. Hundreds succumbed to the scorching heat. By nightfall, the invaluable crystal fields appeared almost within grasp, but not quite. Despite his derangement, Rasha recognized his men's need for rest. Under the shroud of night, while Rasha's fatigued army slumbered, Ziros' squad shifted and astral phased the counterfeit crystals another day's march eastward, deeper into the Akram Desert.

At dawn, Rasha dismissed it as a mirage induced by the desert sun. Undeterred, he ordered his men to march once again. The relentless heat claimed thousands that day. By nightfall, the Crystal Fields remained elusive, and Rasha's men, even more desperate for reprieve than the previous night, found themselves restless. Once again, Ziros' men relocated the counterfeit crystals, and at sunrise, Rasha directed his men even farther into the desert.

By noon, as Ziros and his Dunecasters launched their assault, half of the Aestaris had already perished, the remainder driven to madness by thirst. Yet, not as insane as their Emperor, who fought on until his last man's lifeblood saturated the sands, bearing silent testimony to Vetruvian vengeance. Consumed by revenge, Ziros instructed his men to erect a monument at the location of Rasha's demise — Rasha's Tomb — interring Rasha and his men within, condemning them to eternal immolation beneath the scorching desert sun.

Chapter Twenty-Five: The Aestari Embargoes 22,915-22,055 AE

'Vetruvian will never witness Aestarian presence on its soil again.' - Ziros Starstrider

Following the triumph of his forces in the Akram Conflict against the Aestari, Vetruvia emerged as an unparalleled global force, with General Ziros assuming the uncontested leadership. Pledging to shield his people from ever enduring the suffering inflicted by Rasha's troops, Ziros initiated immediate measures to strengthen Vetruvia's military prowess and fortify the cities of Petra and Kaero. His focus then shifted towards the root of the aggression — Aestaria itself.

General Ziros aimed to penalize the Aestaris and curtail their capacity for future acts of aggression. He reinstated the Aestari Mandates, exclusively applying them to the Aestaris this time. Additionally, he declared a comprehensive embargo on crystal trade and usage within the central continent, vowing Vetruvia's military might to enforce the ban. Witnessing the resounding defeat of the Aestaris, surrounding continents opted for compliance, severing all crystal trade with the center, subjecting them to deprivation and jeopardizing their way of life. Aestari envoys sought aid from other continents, but none dared to defy Vetruvia.

Ziros' animosity towards the Aestaris consumed him, and he governed them with an unyielding authority. Disregarding the fact that numerous Aestaris had opposed Rasha, some had fought against him, resisted him, and even conspired against him, Ziros uniformly punished them all, transforming potential allies into muted adversaries. The Aestarian economy lay in ruins, their crystal reservoir depleted, leading to a daily struggle for even the most meager survival. The greater the suffering and starvation the Aestaris endured under Vetruvian dominance, the more inadvertently Ziros created a fertile ground for extremism to thrive.

Chapter Twenty-Six: Counsular Draug and the Vermillion Legion 23,055-23,090 AE

'Desperation is sometimes as potent an inspirer as genius.' -Benjamin Disraeli

If Aestaria during the trade restrictions was the ideal breeding ground for radicalism, Consular Draug emerged as the perfect leader to exploit it. A captivating practitioner of the forbidden arts, Draug founded a religious faction named The Crimson Flame, an underground organization of zealots whose escalating influence ignited the simmering embers of Aestari nationalism. Draug preached that the Aestari were the original inhabitants of Mithron, born as descendants of celestial flames, nurtured in the ancient Vermillion Forests. They were destined to govern themselves and the younger races inhabiting the other continents. According to Draug, the Aestaris were the rightful heirs of Mithron, their destiny awaiting acknowledgment.

From his inconspicuous origins as a heretical preacher outside the confines of the Seventh Sanctum, Consular Draug swiftly ascended to significant power in just a few brief years. Attaining a cult-like following, he gathered a dedicated army of religious enthusiasts known as the Vermillion Legion. He resurrected Emperor Rasha's legacy, meticulously studying his military tactics, political triumphs, and, notably, his failures. The more Draug emulated Rasha, the more he endeavored to rectify the High Emperor's ultimate defeat. Motivated by this emulation, he initiated an intricate plan to once again invade Vetruvia.

Draug's initial step involved forging a clandestine pact with the Lyonar's High Council leaders from Baast, Caerme, Windcliffe, and Lyr, exploiting their discontent with Vetruvian dominance and enticing them with promises of rewards from Vetruvia's downfall. Only the leaders of Sunforge declined the invitation. With his northern flank secured, Draug orchestrated a surprise assault on the Songhai capital, Xaan, targeting the unsuspecting Songhai fleet at port and sinking it with minimal resistance. During the Battle of Three Crossings, General Taegon of Kaido desperately sought aid, but the complicit Lyonar and Ziros, adhering to his oath of non-intervention in Songhai affairs, allowed Draug's forces to conquer Xaan and Kaido, consolidating control over the entire continent of Xenkai. The world was astonished, yet as Draug redirected his focus to Vetruvia, no one stepped forward to aid his victims.

Or almost no one...

Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Path of the Five Sisters 23,085 AE

The five noble sisters of House Khaleem perceived the world through unique lenses. Within the group were two pairs of twins: the sixteen-year-olds Elika and Anobi, and the seventeen-year-olds Dreena and Naidi. Leading them was Cassyva, the eldest at eighteen, who, despite her impulsive nature, had recently begun displaying the early signs of a remarkable magical gift. Descendants of Atar Starstrider, affiliated with the Order of Staar, and distant relatives of Ziros, they were renowned for their unparalleled beauty, sharp intellect, remarkable melee prowess, and above all, their limitless compassion. Distressed by the suffering caused by Draug's escalating conflicts, they resolved to assist, planning to covertly transport a variety of Star Crystals into Xenkai to aid the Songhai people. However, their grandmother, Regent Visala, discovered their intentions. Although heartbroken, she pledged not to impede them but insisted on sharing a long-held secret with Cassyva before they departed.

During Regent Visala's youth, her father, Lord Khaleem, escorted her to the Grand Trianon, where she encountered the renowned Lord Marshall Rasha. Intrigued, she trailed him into the newly constructed enclosure of the Weeping Tree. Witnessing his apparent anger, she hid and observed as he plucked a twig from the Weeping Tree, savoring the bright red sap that exuded from the ancient bark. Delighting in the experience, she tried it herself when he departed, gaining a measure of the same formidable magical powers as the Lord Marshall. Filled with fear, she kept this revelation to herself until recently, when she noticed Cassyva developing similar powers, suspecting her sisters would follow suit as they matured. Visala stressed the burden of such power and the heightened responsibility it entails.

Following a tearful farewell, the sisters of Akram journeyed to the continent of Xenkai. The people there were in despair, and the Songhai government lay in ruins. While the sisters offered aid where possible, Cassyva's frustration mounted. Assisting individuals one by one did not create a substantial impact quickly enough. As potent nobles possessing extraordinary abilities, Cassyva impatiently concluded that they needed to operate on a broader scale, becoming part of an organized initiative. Thus, the sisters resolved to seek answers to their inquiries by embarking on a journey into the Saberspine Mountains, aiming to locate the solitary standing institution of the Old Empire, the Chakri Monastery.

Chapter Twenty-Eight: A Landing on Styxus 23,090-23,092 AE

After thoroughly analyzing the shortcomings of High Emperor Rasha's unsuccessful incursion into Vetruvia, Consular Draug determined to deviate from the northern scissor attack strategy employed by Rasha. Instead, he opted to bypass Kaero and Petra Fortress entirely, navigating his fleet around to the southwest side of El-Gamesh. Recognizing the inherent risks, particularly in traversing the unpredictable Sea of Judgment, Draug embarked on this calculated gamble, unaware of the myriad unforeseen consequences that awaited him.

Shortly after setting sail, Draug's ships were ensnared in a sudden maelstrom of unparalleled violence. Remarkably, none of the vessels succumbed to the tempest, but the fleet veered wildly off course. As the maelstrom abated, Draug discovered his ships along the coast of a primitive and unfamiliar land. Initially mistaking it for the Magmar continent of Magaari, his men encountered peculiar lizard-like beings—sentient but underdeveloped, exhibiting fear and fragility. Venturing further inland, they discovered expansive desolate plains strewn with unharvested crystals, a sight unprecedented to Draug. Exultantly, he hailed his good fortune, envisioning the untapped crystals as a source of power and a clandestine weapon against emerging nations.

Draug attempted to communicate with the serpentine creatures using his Mindwarpers, but detecting his true nature, they adamantly refused dialogue. Subjected to torture, they reluctantly unveiled Draug's location as the Ixus Peninsula on the Styxus continent, identifying themselves as the surface-dwellers, the Serpenti. When Draug inquired about what lay beneath the surface, the Serpenti became even more apprehensive and guarded. Only through intense interrogation did the terrified creatures disclose details of the subterranean darkness. In moments of fleeting consciousness, the Serpenti painted scenes nearly beyond Draug's imagination, depicting colossal underground cities constructed entirely from crystals.

Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Second Vetruvian Wars 23,092-23,105 AE

Establishing a stronghold on the Ixan peninsula closest to Aestaria, Draug christened it Shar. Empowered by the crystals from Ixus, the Vermillion Army swelled both in quantity and strength. Draug's own prowess escalated as well. Fueled by the dark arts of the Crimson Flame and the influx of crystals, he approached near invincibility. With forces meticulously primed for a frontal assault on Vetruvia, General Ziros, oblivious to their newfound might, remained unsuspecting of the impending attack. The Vermillion Legion, accompanied by their Storm Rooks, effortlessly pierced through Petra Fortress like brittle parchment, breaching the once indomitable walls of the citadel. Despite Ziros and his army's valiant resistance, they found themselves significantly overpowered.

Unstoppable, Draug and his forces surged virtually unhindered across Vetruvia. Ziros, displaying remarkable valor, sacrificed himself by activating protective Obelysks to impede Draug's forces, affording what remained of the Vetruvian army an opportunity to escape through the El-Gamesh plains. Returning to Aestaria with Ziros' severed head and shattered Sand Shield, Draug declared himself Conqueror Draug, asserting dominion over the Eternal Empire, the prophesied Second Empire according to the Prophecy of Ages. While other nations maintained a fearful silence, the Lyonar Kingdoms finally resisted Draug's aggression. Despite standing alone, they proved no match for the Vermillion Army, witnessing the rapid fall of Windcliffe and the longstanding Opaline Gates to Draug's superior forces. The Lyonar forces retreated beyond the Forbidden Steppes through Agenor's Pass, where General Trajan from Sunforge made their final stand—signifying the demise of Lyonar itself.

Through military subjugation or preemptive surrender, the remaining continents succumbed to Draug's rule, except for Magaari. Under the leadership of Vaath, an assembled array of formidable Leviathans, long-range Spirit Harvesters, fearless Phalanxars, and a dedicated Veteran Silithar force clashed in a monumental battle that claimed tens of thousands of lives. Dubbed the Battle of Serpent’s Coil, the conflict ebbed and flowed, occasionally approaching but never reaching the Amberhorn Citadel deep within the continent. Ultimately, Vaath's combined forces pushed the Vermillion Army back to the initial landing site, now known as Draug’s Landing, forcing them onto their warships and out of Magaari for the time being.

Chapter Thirty: The Five Fanblades 23,092-23,105 AE

The Chakri Avatars warmly received the Khaleem Sisters of Akram, impressed by their inherent kindness and their profound dedication to aiding others. In return, the sisters were captivated by the serene tranquility of the Monastery and the unwavering goodness of the Avatars, who were already assisting numerous Songhai individuals. Collaboratively, they worked to enhance the lives of countless war-weary individuals.

The sisters developed a deep affection for the Monastery. After extended days dedicated to aiding the less fortunate, they immersed themselves in rare books and invaluable manuscripts, absorbing knowledge. Despite witnessing the positive impact they had on many lives, Cassyva remained acutely aware of the extensive suffering that persisted. Once again, the sisters felt compelled to do more. Cassyva engaged in a conversation with the Avatars, inquiring about additional ways to alleviate the ongoing suffering inflicted by Draug's brutal predations. After thorough discussions, the Avatars extended an invitation for the sisters to join them and become Chakri Avatars themselves.

Cassyva and her sisters felt honored, flattered, and tempted by the offer. However, they had already begun considering a different path. As the Avatars deliberated, reports detailing Consular Draug's latest conquests and increasingly heinous acts in various lands started pouring in. They learned about Draug's discovery of a new crystal source in a location named Ixus, where he planned to expand his aggression with an abundance of mana-rich crystals. Under Cassyva's leadership, the sisters reached a distinct conclusion about their next course of action. The most humane act was to halt Draug—by any means necessary. The method they envisioned was far from compassionate, but they unanimously agreed. Integrating many of the Chakri Avatars' teachings, they transformed into something entirely new—the Keshrai Fanblades.

For the sake of the entire world, Consular Draug had to meet his end.

Chapter Thirty-One: The Age of Decay 23,105-23,205 AE

The Aestari populace savored a fleeting period of tranquility and abundance until Draug exposed his true nature. Fueled by the nations under his control, strengthened by the crystals from Ixus, and assured of his dominion over nearly the entire known world, Draug's rule evolved into an increasingly harsh and authoritarian regime. Hovering above all, symbolizing the shortcomings of two rulers, stood a travesty of Aestari greatness—the incomplete Monolith. Draug understood that the rest of the world perceived it as emblematic of the limitations of Aestari influence. To make his unparalleled greatness undeniable and Aestaria's supremacy unassailable, he resolved to accomplish what his predecessors could not.

Resumption of the Monolith's construction, coupled with Draug's insatiable hunger for power, once again depleted the formerly abundant crystal reserves. Draug enacted his own decrees, reserving the diminishing crystal supply for himself, his inner circle, and the Monolith's construction. Commoners were forbidden from practicing magic, and with time, ignorance and superstition proliferated, warping the truth and distorting centuries of arcane knowledge. Each passing year exacerbated the earthquakes and storms, and the populace instinctively attributed these calamities to Draug's reckless consumption of the once plentiful crystals. In their collective mindset, magic became tainted and enigmatic, vilified as the alleged source of trouble, rather than its misapplication.

Chapter Thirty-Two: The Vanishing Window 23,105 AE

"To preserve many lives, sometimes one must be sacrificed." - Cassyva Starstrider

In the confines of Aestaria, Consular Draug maintained seclusion within a heavily fortified palace. However, overseeing crystal mining operations in Ixus rendered him considerably more susceptible. Recognizing this vulnerability, Cassyva and her sisters concluded that reaching him during this phase was their sole chance. Boarding a supply ship bound for Shar, they clandestinely slipped into the unfamiliar, shadow-laden ruins under the cover of a bloodmoon night. Establishing a camp on a ridge with a clear view of Draug's compound, their initial plan involved weeks of meticulous observation of the surrounding terrain and Draug's daily routines. But early on the first morning, Cassyva spotted another nearby dock and realized their limited window of opportunity—Draug was departing. Awaking her sisters, they observed Draug preparing to board a massive warship and understood that this might be their most opportune moment to topple Draug from power—perhaps their final chance. The time to act had arrived.

Concealing deathstrike-imbued blades and mana-rich crystals beneath their elegant gowns, the sisters hastened to the dock. Despite being among the most skilled fighters in Akram, they faced overwhelming odds. Recognizing that surprise was their most potent weapon, their atypical appearance would amplify the element of unpredictability in their attack. Every man they passed in the camp turned to gaze at them. Reaching the dock just in time to witness Draug and his Sworn Defenders ascending the walkway, the sisters found themselves confronted by hundreds of Draug's soldiers. Scores stood between them and their target.

"Consular Draug!" Cassyva called out as he approached the ship. He halted upon seeing five distant figures adorned in resplendent gowns advancing toward the obstructed walkway. Cassyva had no time to employ the Star Crystals, consult with her sisters, or thoroughly analyze the situation. Action was the only option. In a swift motion, she extracted five blades concealed in her sleeves and propelled them with as much magical force as she could muster. Spiraling through the air, the blades were on a deadly trajectory toward Draug... but at the last moment, they harmlessly rebounded off an imperceptible magical barrier enveloping him. Unfazed, he observed impassively as the magically siphoned blades instead impaled his elite Defenders, who crumpled into the water with undignified splashes. Draug grinned and uttered, "Kill them." Then, he vanished.

Chapter Thirty-Three: The Birth of Abyssians 23,105 AE

The valiant journey of the Five Sisters unfolded against the backdrop of the Bonemaw Mountains, fiercely combating Draug’s soldiers. Encircled and left with no alternative, they sought refuge in a cave, luring their pursuers into an intricate labyrinth of subterranean caverns. As they eluded their foes in the darkness, the sisters themselves became disoriented. Cassyva, sensing an ominous presence trailing them, led them through potential exits, inadvertently guiding them deeper underground. Finally, a shimmering light beckoned, revealing a sizable domed cavern illuminated by the gentle radiance of crystals. However, they soon discovered they were not alone.

The inhabitants were Inxykree, the female counterparts to the relentless male Inxikrah. Six adults attended to a dozen infants, all possessing pure white reptilian forms with large, faintly glowing cloudy eyes—intelligent yet enigmatic. The adults, adorned with needle-like fangs and razor-sharp claws, turned and hissed at the intruders. Cassyva hesitated. While they had vowed to employ the Star Crystals solely to thwart Draug, the deed was now beyond their reach. Cassyva exclaimed, "Now!" raising the crystals and imbuing the sisters with magical energy. However, it proved futile. The Inxykree struck without hesitation, tearing the sisters into bloody shreds before they could unleash the absorbed magic.

Subsequently, the Inxykree and their young devoured the remains. Accustomed to absorbing the powers, abilities, and knowledge of their prey, they encountered unprecedented creatures: benevolent, intelligent beings born of magical blood and infused with Star Crystal power. Outwardly, the Inxykree underwent a profound transformation, exhibiting the sisters' beauty in a manner that made them almost human-like. Internally, the metamorphosis ran even deeper. Perplexed by their altered bodies and the carnage around them, they questioned, "What happened? What have we done? What are we?" An Inxikrah male entered, glaring at them. "You are not Inxykree," he declared, baring his cruel fangs. "This is not your Abyss," he shouted, launching an attack. The Inxykree, stripped of talons and fangs but endowed with the speed, strength, and skills of the five sisters, seized bloody weapons from the floor and vanquished the Inxikrah. "He's right," they proclaimed in unison. "We are Inxykree no more. We must find an Abyss of our own."

Chapter Thirty-Four: The Emergence of the Bloodbord 23,105-23,203 AE

After Rasha’s downfall, Valknu eluded the Aestarian dungeons before Draug’s rise to power and journeyed to Xenkai. As Draug’s harsh rule plunged the world into increasing chaos, Valknu convened with the Chakri Avatars, discreetly dispatching them across the continents. Their task was to amass collections of ancient texts and manuscripts, along with any relics surviving from the Seventh Sanctum and the Ostracon. The impending Age of Chaos necessitated action. Valknu and the Chakri Avatars aimed to safeguard the accumulated knowledge for the future, shielding it from the impending madness.

They transported the texts back to the Chakri Monastery in the Saberspine Mountains. There, Valknu and the Chakri Avatars stood guard, preserving Mithron’s gathered wisdom while awaiting the opportune moment to confront the encroaching forces of darkness. Amid Draug’s and the Ixikrah's destructive conflicts that plagued the world for a century, the Chakri Avatars metamorphosed into a covert resistance unit. They patiently trained under Valknu’s guidance, cultivating the self-discipline necessary to wield immense power responsibly.

As the prophecy foreshadowed, darkness held sway in the prolonged war between Draug and the ascendant Inxikrah forces. With signs pointing to an inevitable cataclysmic clash, Valknu and the Chakri Avatars embarked on a perilous journey to Deladriss Peake, the concealed location of the Great Tree Aperion. Valknu engaged in discussions with the Seidir and the Vanar, persuading them that the Chakri Avatars were deserving and the situation so dire that they needed empowerment — a rebirth — through the Blood of Aperion. Only united with Aperion’s power, and solely as the First Bloodborn, could they aspire to overcome Draug and the Inxikrah, paving the way for the true Second Empire.

Chapter Thirty-Five: Draug's Last Hope 23,203-23,205 AE

As the Inxikrah made headway, severely constricting the crystal supply from Ixus, Draug found himself in a defensive stance. His potency waned, his adversaries grew more confident, and the Monolith, now an emblem of his rule, frustratingly stood incomplete. Draug, feeling the looming specter of defeat for the first time, akin to the hot breath of Inxikrah venom on his neck, went alone to seek solace from the Weeping Tree. There, a solution to all his predicaments presented itself—the Weeping Tree adorned with luminous, crystalline buds.

In Draug’s perspective, this revelation was a game-changer. Natural historians posited that the Great Tree of Eyos bloomed every ten thousand years. Despite merely four thousand years passing since the last bloom, the removal of the tree’s Heartwood centuries earlier left uncertainty. Although weakened by age and injury, the Weeping Tree retained unimaginable power. A bloom would release petals containing immense magical energy, potentially rivaling a third or even half of all the crystals that had ever existed on Mithron. Draug was unwavering in his resolve to deny his enemies, especially the Inxikrah, this power, and equally determined to claim it all for himself.

Facing a deadline that could spell either his ultimate downfall or his supreme triumph, Draug intensified his efforts to finalize the Monolith, enclosing the Weeping Tree and the imminent crystal power release. The mana-infused buds he had witnessed remained a guarded secret, known only to him. Draug shielded his discovery by declaring the Monolith's interior strictly off-limits to everyone except himself. As construction accelerated, so did the imbalance of magical energy, resulting in increasingly erratic weather, tumultuous seas, and tectonic instability. Sensing Draug’s vulnerability, the Inxikrah exploited it, escalating their assaults on Aestaria. However, Draug was aware that he only needed to fend them off until the Monolith's completion and the Great Blooming occurred. Then, Aestari supremacy, and his own, would be secured for millennia.

Chapter Thirty-Six: The Floating of the Monolith 23,205 AE

As construction neared its end and the potent buds swelled on the Weeping Tree, Draug's paranoia and dissatisfaction with the Monolith's protection intensified. Despite constant revisions and the need for additional materials and magical energy, he grew uneasy. Ordering his builders to delve even deeper underground, Draug extended the Monolith's walls far below the surface, curving them inward to enclose the tree comprehensively. However, excavations under the tree revealed withered, broken, and dead roots.

The tree itself, remarkably, was alive and on the brink of blooming. Surviving solely on starlight, disconnected from the planet's core, it sparked an idea in Draug's mind to make the tree inaccessible to all but himself. Despite the immense drain on his magical energy reserves, Draug decided it would be a payoff worth a thousandfold. Instructing his builders to encapsulate the tree completely, even across the bottom, proved a monumental task of advanced engineering and potent magic, claiming numerous lives in the process. Upon completing the Monolith, Draug ruthlessly eliminated the remaining workers to safeguard his secret.

Focusing all the power from his remaining crystals into an unprecedented blast of magical energy, Draug elevated the entire Monolith, permanently fixing it in the sky. The resultant waves of magical disturbance caused a Great Disjunction, shaking the planet to its core, destabilizing continents, and setting them in motion. Despite being weakened and depleted, Draug stood in awe of his remarkable achievement. Now, all that remained was to await the tree's imminent blooming — a moment when he would become infinitely more powerful than ever before.

However, at this crucial juncture, Aq'Toth, leader of the Inxikrah host, ordered the assault on Aestaria.

Chapter Thirty-Seven: The Weeping Tree Blooms 23,205 AE

The initiation of the Great Disjunction almost thwarted the commencement of the Inxikrah offensive. Being primarily a subterranean race, they were inept ocean navigators, resulting in a quarter of them succumbing to the tumultuous seas. However, the survivors landed and engaged in a fierce, ruthless conquest across Aestaria, consuming their victims and gradually enhancing their intelligence. With the Vermilion Legion leaderless, the Inxikrah easily subjugated them. Although victorious, the Inxikrah were considerably weakened by the conflict. Aq'Toth, after dismembering and consuming Draug, learned of the impending blooming of the Weeping Tree of Eyos and the formidable power soon to be unleashed within the Monolith through a mind meld.

Valknu, having communed with the Weeping Tree, was also aware of the blooming. With Draug defeated and the Inxikrah in a weakened state, he recognized that the time to strike had arrived. Unaware that the Inxikrah knew of the impending blooming, Valknu understood the dire consequences if they were allowed access to the power. Engaging the Inxikrah in battle was the key to victory for the Bloodbound. Failure would mean the collapse of the Second Empire and the onset of a chaos age far darker than Draug's inflictions.

At sunset, the Bloodbound arrived at God's Heel to intercept the Inxikrah. The rest of the Magmar were already present. As they prepared for war, the Monolith suspended in the sky pulsated with color. The Star Lenses, originally constructed to focus light inward onto the Weeping Tree, now refracted it outward, creating a spectacular display of iridescence that illuminated God's Heel with dazzling lights. The Bloodbound felt a sense of buoyancy, not just from the awe-inspiring nature of the spectacle but as if gravity itself was undulating.

The commencement of the Great Blooming had begun.

Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Battle of God's Heel 23,205 AE

During a moment of elation, the Bloodbound observed the Monolith illuminating the sky. However, their joy was short-lived as the light unveiled the assembling Inxikrah army in the distance. Valknu found himself in disbelief at their swift mobilization. How had they managed to gather so quickly? Did they somehow anticipate the Weeping Tree's blooming? Before he could hazard a guess, a group of agile female warriors approached from the rear. While the Bloodbound prepared to confront them, their leader swiftly declared, "We come in peace. We come to help." These beings, exquisite in their beauty yet not human, had moonlight-pale skin, vivid green eyes, and hair. Identifying themselves as Abyssians from Ixus, they pointed their Vetruvian-crafted Tyvian sword towards the Inxikrah, expressing their shared objective to halt their savage actions. The Abyssian leader detailed the Inxikrah's brutality, revealing their ritualistic consumption of victims to acquire memories and powers. Valknu realized the stakes of the impending battle were far greater than he had imagined.

Valknu gathered the Bloodbound away from the Abyssians and conveyed the information they had shared. Emphasizing their role as protectors of the Great Tree Aperion's secret location, he highlighted the danger of any Bloodbound being killed and consumed, potentially leading the Inxikrah to Aperion. Winning the forthcoming battle required preventing the Inxikrah from reaching the Monolith and safeguarding every Bloodbound warrior at all costs.

As the Inxikrah charged, the Abyssians and Magmar fought alongside the Bloodbound, leveraging their unparalleled magic against the Inxikrah's toxic clouds. God's Heel became a tumultuous battleground throughout the night, resonating with the clash of combatants and bathed in extraordinary light from the Monolith. With dawn approaching, the Inxikrah finally succumbed under the collective might of Mythron's champions, initiating their retreat over the blood-soaked ground strewn with fallen bodies. Facing a dilemma of whether to pursue them for Aperion's safety or safeguard the Monolith, Valknu was astonished to discover not a single Bloodbound, Magmar, or Abyssian had been lost. The Weeping Tree and the secret of Aperion's location remained secure, marking the end of the war.

Chapter Thirty-Nine: Dawn of the Second Empire 23,205-23,380 AE

The advent of the Second Empire unfolded across a war-torn world marked by climatic and tectonic turmoil, ensnared in chaos and malevolence. Amid the aftermath of the Battle of God's Heel, the Abyssians returned to Ixus, establishing an uneasy coexistence with the Inxikrah. While numerous Bloodbound retreated to Deladriss Peake or the Chakri Monastery, a substantial portion opted to reside among their ancestral people, contributing to the reconstruction efforts. Individually possessing the attributes of great leaders, they swiftly ascended to prominent roles, becoming the foundational figures of a nascent enlightened civilization.

However, they discreetly concealed their identities as Bloodbound. The knowledge of Aperion's location, if exposed, could render them and their loved ones susceptible to manipulation by those desperate to obtain such information. Moreover, public suspicion towards magic and its practitioners, including the Bloodbound, persisted due to the scarcity of crystals that had removed magic from daily life. The populace associated magic with the malevolence of Draug and the Inxikrah, blaming it for the Great Disjunction. Consequently, the Bloodbound quietly continued with their lives, maintaining their friendships and secret bonds while occupying influential societal positions. Although their children did not inherit the Bloodbound's unique abilities, many of their grandchildren revealed these powers during adolescence, a secret closely guarded.

As time elapsed, society began to reevaluate its superstitions and fears surrounding magic. While some remained skeptical, numerous leaders privately acknowledged the essential role of magic in societal reconstruction. Overcoming their aversion, people sought to reintegrate magic into their lives. However, the scarcity of crystals emerged as a growing concern and a potential threat to the hard-won peace and stability of the planet. Despite the prevailing sentiment that the Monolith symbolized the hubris and madness of rulers like Draug, Rasha, and even Sargos, it stood as the sole remaining viable source of crystals. Suspended in the sky, it radiated brilliance and beauty comparable to Mythron's moon, yet remained beyond reach.

Except for the Bloodbound.

Chapter Forty: The Council of Mythron 23,380-23,401 AE

Empowered by the sagacity and uprightness of the Bloodbound and the Magmar, the recently emancipated nations of Mythron concurred that the scourge of war must never again disturb their world. However, the escalating demand for crystals posed a burgeoning issue, leading to the formation of a Council of Mythron tasked with addressing it. Recognizing the necessity to explore the Monolith to assess the quantity and nature of crystal energy, they confronted the challenge of its virtual inaccessibility without the magic it contained. Yet, hope lingered for those endowed with extraordinary powers.

Several generations had elapsed since the original Bloodbound discreetly merged into the population, concealing their identities so effectively that the sole means of identifying their descendants—those sharing the powers of the Bloodbound—was through a physical demonstration. A call resonated for those concealing their abilities to step forward and participate in a contest showcasing Bloodbound capabilities—a Trial of Champions—assessing intelligence, physical prowess, and, predominantly, magical aptitude. These contests captivated the masses, fostering good-natured rivalry among nations and dissipating the aggression of more belligerent factions. The newly acknowledged Bloodbound became a source of pride, hailed for their remarkable abilities and the pivotal roles their forebears played in liberating Mythron from the Age of Darkness.

Six victors emerged, each representing the Lyonar, Songhai, Vetruvian, Vanar, Abyssian, and the Magmar with Vaath. Dubbed the Senerei, in homage to the original Seven Stars chosen by Kaon Deladriss' Trial of Champions, they stood poised to become the first to venture into the celestial Monolith, unraveling the mysteries brought forth by the great blooming. Tens of thousands congregated at God's Heel from every continent to witness the inaugural ascent of the new Senerei, propelled solely by their inherent magic, as they entered the enigmatic Monolith.

Chapter Forty-One: The Birth of The Duelysts 23,401 AE

A multitude of anxious denizens from Mythron stood in hushed anticipation for an hour until the Senerei finally emerged and descended to the surface. Each bore a crystal sphere, radiating with diverse colors and intensities, all surpassing the brilliance of any known crystal. The Senerei presented the orbs to the Council of Mythron, recounting the mesmerizing spectacle within the Monolith – the Weeping Tree adorned with luminous crimson leaves, illuminated from above by the Star Lenses and from below by crystal globes strewn across the ground like snow, emitting an otherworldly radiance.

The scholars of the council discerned that the petals of the Weeping Tree, unable to scatter, had accumulated, fusing together to form the exceptional crystal spheres – termed Cores. The distinct depths and arrangements yielded varying colors and power levels, with even the most feeble Core eclipsing the mightiest crystals by thousands of times. Each Core held sufficient power to satisfy a nation's fundamental needs for a year or more. However, with a finite quantity of Cores, the Council faced the challenge of determining their distribution among the nations, as the diverse strengths rendered a straightforward allocation unfeasible.

As the deliberations on allocation persisted, factions within each nation advocated for military resolutions. The Council members lamented how the amicable rivalry of the Trial of Champions seemed like a distant memory. Then, a realization dawned – a contest. Annually, each nation, or faction, would nominate a Duelyst – their Bloodbound – to vie for the energy-rich Cores. Each victorious Duelyst would secure a Core for their nation, while a Grandmaster Duelyst would attain a Prismatic Core, the most potent variant. The second-place finisher would claim a legendary orange Core, followed by indigo purple for third place, cerulean blue for fourth, emerald green for fifth, and crimson red, the least potent Core, for sixth place. Honoring the past, celebrating the Bloodbound, and preserving peace, the contest would diffuse any lingering hostility – thus emerged the Duelyst Grandmasters and The Trial of the Cores.

Stay tuned for the unfolding saga of the Duelyst game lore and the exciting adaptations of the Duelyst Vanguard game. The journey continues, promising new adventures and challenges.