City of IF

[FatHairyApe]

For all of you doubters: it’s beginning to come together. Just like you voted, a Weatherwarden from the past comes to teach these young’uns. Let’s see what happens!



Chapter Three
There was a giant blast of light from Raish’s hand. The pearl began to levitate on its own with all of us staring at it in awe. Once it gravitated high enough, the object began a transformation.

Streamers of light energy flowed out of tiny jewel. Slightly colored beams flew around us in what looked like arbitrary patterns. But then… there was a hand. It was made entirely out of light energy, but it was undeniably a hand. Moments later, there was an entire being sculpted out of light before us.

Features solidified before us, and soon we could see every detail on the old, wizened man before us. He was slightly translucent with the pearl completely opaque connected to a band on his wrist.

“Hello, Weatherwardens.”

We said nothing in return.

“My name is Ezekiel, and I was one of the most powerful Weatherwardens in my time. Before I died, I enclosed my soul in this pearl to teach a future generation if needed.

“I suppose I should begin by telling you all what your purpose is and what it means to be a Warden. Ever since the creation of the Weatherwarden after the Great Flood, there have always been ten Wardens in existence to help control the elements. It is magic’s natural way of balancing humanity’s chaos. So, this means that you, Dendrin—“

And he knew my name… how?

“—just happened to be born when a certain Weatherwarden died. His power was then infused in you, and, as luck would have it, you became a Warden.

“Now, to clear up any confusion about the Great Flood. As I’m sure you all know, there was a horrible elemental battle. Yes, and there was a horrible battle on Earth as well. Rain had one advantage—no one had bothered in for many years, so it had time to bolster its forces and prepare a strategy. Now, as the story goes, Rain won this war. Everything was covered in water. There is more, however. You have never seen it, I’m sure, but before the war the Earth had been covered in this thing called Fire.”

There was a slight gasp in our circle of amateur Weatherwardens. We had heard of Fire, but we’d always thought it was a myth. We had no need for its mythical warmth, for we could not feel warm nor cold. We had no need for its light, for we had lamps made of harvested sun. Thirdly, we all knew it could not grow in Skyward. It could not tangibly rest, nor could it grow without being impeded by weather.

“Those on Earth relied on Fire entirely. The Fire Peoples were enslaved to constantly support the others that accompanied them. It was the element that was everywhere: for war, for machines, for light, for life, for food, for everything. Fire was Earth’s lifeline.

“Well, when the Flood came, all of the Fire was extinguished. The entire world was in darkness for an entire year: not only was the sun eclipsed with the powers of the elementals, but also the smoke from the fire clouded everything. It is this that killed those of the Sky. Smoke destroyed their plants and got in their lungs and pillaged everything it touched. Soon enough, those above perished one by one. Same for those below.

“We do not know the name of the last man alive. However, we do know that he was a Weatherwarden. He was the first, somehow bound to the Earth to begin with. A gypsy who had warned of the nearing apocalypse gave him a single gem—she told him to hold it near to him at all times, for if he died without it, this world would have no chances at rebirth. He attached it to a band on his wrist.

“Here, it is important to draw the difference between magic user and Weatherwarden. Does anyone know?”

There was silence. Nothing seemed to matter but Ezekiel’s voice. It was enticing, and it was answering anything we had ever dreamed about.

“Well, a Weatherwarden has the power to control any element. Those of Lightning, for example, can only control lightning and its related elements like Thunder. There is a line that is drawn, however: no element may ever be created. When the Water Peoples created rain, they pulled out moisture from the atmosphere. They did not actually create it, but they rather uncovered it and utilized it. This is why a Weatherwarden is essential: he is the one that control any bad no matter where it comes from. He is the tamer of the rogue elementals that threaten the existence of this world.

“The time had come for this nameless man. He died, alone and afraid. His body rested on the surface of the Earth with no one to bury him. All he had was this petty gem to keep him company.”

Suddenly, we could see the image in our minds. It must have been an effect the Weatherwarden had enchanted the pearl with. I could see this man… the gem… the… smoke. It was awful. Horrible.

“Thousands of years passed. Here is where the story gets confusion, for we know it is true, but it seems so unlikely. The dead always go to the Realms of Never—surrounding planes of existence to our own that nearly touch but cannot. This man’s soul, however, did not ever make it away from this world. The spirits foraged the Earth looking for the body—only searching, never touching, for our worlds could never collide. They finally found only a gem resting on a single plot of land. There was a soul that radiated from the presence, though, and the deceased knew it. They tried to find the life of the Last One Left, but they failed. However, they just did not look hard enough.

“All of the presence of spiritfolk and ethereal powers had an effect on this single gem. It was here were the first Weatherwarden’s soul had gone. With just enough energy operated from the Realms of Never, the gem’s power began to have an effect.”

We were silent, wanting more knowledge. Ezekiel’s image dithered slightly for a moment.

“Fast forward an unknown amount of time. Right next to the gem grew a single plant. It was a tiny facet of life in a giant wasteland of smoke, water, and death. From here, life grew. There had been small bugs that were dormant at the core of the planet, true, but they could not recreate the world as we knew it. It took an incomprehensible amount of years, yes, but the tiny insects that had survived Man’s Great War surfaced the earth once more plants had grown. They grew bigger, as did the greenery. Soon man developed again and partitioned himself between Skyward and Earthward. There were Weatherwardens, this time, as magic’s balancing act, to protect the future from another utter decimation.”

“What about the gem?” Raish asked. We all stared at her, as none of us had the courage to speak to such a… knowledgeable being.

“Ah…—th—gm—“ Ezekiel’s voice cut off as he became a shadow momentarily. He then was illuminated.

“Yes, the gem remained. It will always remain. It has become the new thing that threatens the Balance, actually. For this gem, as I am sure you all could tell, controlled and created an element itself. There were no plants for it to master and tame, much like one of the Nature Clan would on Earth. This gem had created the plant. This gem, with the soul of Weatherwarden, created itself.”

“What is the name of this gem?” someone asked.

“The Genesis Gem.”

We all gasped.

“Anyone who controls it has the power to create and not just control. If the Water Peoples found it, they would be able to create water whenever they wanted instead of having to pull it out of streams or the atmosphere. Their powers would be increased, limitless, and realm-severing. They would be unstoppable.

“There is one catch, though. In order for the Genesis Gem to work, it require a soul of a Weatherwarden. If a Weatherwarden has it, the Gem will work, for it is bound to his soul. In the hands of another, though, they must slay a Warden and store his spiritual essence inside of it.”

There was silence.

“My time is running short. The spell was not designed to go for this long. You must find the Gem. You cannot let anyone else have it. It is a matter of the fate of the entire universe, this time, not just this lone planet.”

And with that, Ezekiel decomposed back into the fragments of light which then flew back into that tiny pearl. The white orb itself then crumbled into dust.

We were all in shock of what had just happened.

Raish looked at me and said, “Look at your wrist.”

Thinking she was just being observant about a scar I may have had or something, I looked down. Then, I noticed it: we all had wristbands much like Ezekiel had. They were brown, leather bracelets that had a circular inlay to store a round stone or… a… gemstone…

This was all too much. I needed to sleep or something. I needed to think about all of this.

But, just my luck, I didn’t have time at all. Raish called me over to where Ezekiel’s image had disintegrated. The dust from the pearl was forming into something.

Oh. My. Its image took form, and I suddenly realized what it was. He wasn’t being serious—the time was now, and we were the ones to do it.



Decision Point: What does the dust of the pearl turn into?



I hoped you guys liked it! Tell me what you think. Sorry it was a little dialogue-heavy, but there were some things that definitely needed to be explained and sorted out. Let’s keep it up with the action! Maybe this isn’t the last time we’ll hear of good ole Ezekiel…

[Novelest_Ninjagirl]

Wow! This rocks. I like how this chapter helped to clear up any questions about hte past, while still keeping us on the edge. It does seem rather rushed though, and I do believe that some better discription in a few places might give us a better idea, but that's just me.

As for the dp, I say it turns into a map, to someone who knows something (you decide what) that will help them.

[Black Hawk]

it turns into a weapon

[Cyberworm]

Bravo, Fape. Didn't notice any grammar errors and the narrating is smooth. :)

As for the DP, I think it should create an image of an eye, along with the eyelids and eyelashes. Something pwetty, but dangerous. (misspelling intentional)

Sorry if this seems like a rushed response, been writing my own chappy when I saw this... and I had to read it. :smile:

[DeadManWalking]

I F5 Noni.

Map.

Definitely.

btw, nice chappie, nice history.

good job all round.

[Phantomfan]

Too late to suggest, so I'll just talk...

Great history! Very well thought out and thorough...
Basically, just a whole nother great chapter.

Voted for Eye... sounds like a pretty cool idea.

Onwards!

[Head Eater]

Congratulationsssss!

A worthy sssstorygame for the Fantasssy Foressst.

[sir wax]

Nice! Congrats Fatty!

Sincerely,
SirWaxaLot

[FatHairyApe]

Yay!!! I've been promoted!! Thanks so much!

[Phantomfan]

Wooot!! Congrats Fath!!!

[FatHairyApe]

Okay, the poll has been closed and the mysterious eye it is! I will update soon with Chapter Four.

[FatHairyApe]

Yay.