Generation 1 - Year 1 Spring (The Power of Man)

        It took a while to get the system set-up but soon tree trunks were flowing down the river towards us. I stood at the edge of the river on our side with Hederick as we guided the logs to an inlet near the shore. 10 logs already! It would still take a long while before we had enough to complete the construction of the mine but we were making incredible progress.

        As I looked at the forest , I could tell what used to be in front of me had been completely leveled in the course of a day. While I was amazed at what two men could accomplish in such a short period of time, I began to realize the powers that each person innately had. What took years for nature to create was destroyed by man in the course of an afternoon leaving just grass and holes in the earth.

         Besides axes, Henri and Dhoran knapped us some stone pickaxe heads and shovel heads as well. We tied the heads to giant branches each with parts of the leads used to hold the horses. In the future, we would have to preserve the limited amount of string we had available.

        "We're back!" shouted Meiri. Her hands were filled with a menagerie of different berries and wild vegetables Behind her was Louise carrying a equally diverse amount of different edibles. They dropped everything on the table and smiled happily.

          There were walnuts, rhubarbs, grapes and an assortment of berries.
          "Wow, you girls sure did a great job!" exclaimed Hederick, "What's that white stuff though? That doesn't look edible."
          Louise laughed at what seemed to have been for the rest of us quite obvious. "For a big priest with fancy clothes, you sure don't know what your clothes are made of huh! It's cotton of course. We'll have to separate the cotton from the seeds, yarn it, and knit it together but at least we'll be able to fix any holes in your clothes that you get."
          "Do you think we'll be able to make some strong rope out of it as well?" I asked, knowing about our string shortage.
          "Probably not..." I gave a disappointed look. "The cotton will need multiple layers to form a rope that won't break. We could probably make a few but we didn't bring back that much cotton. In the future, when I finally get to make my farm, we can plant some cotton too for the long-term."
          "Anyways Louise and I will start making us a nice salad as we wait for our two lady-knights to come home with hopefully a giant pig. I do miss bacon," said Meiri.
          "Alright then, let's grab our shovels and start hauling," shouted Hederick.
          Before we began though, Dhoran made an important point in that the dirt will have to be moved somewhere: "We'll probably need to build something to haul the dirt away as well. Say, I bet I could hollow out some logs and leave the bottom attached. Just fill them up with dirt and we'll haul them to the river and dump the dirt out."
          With that said, the first phase of construction began.

Generation 1 - Year 1 Spring (First Plans)

   

        "We need to build a farm so that we have enough food to survive until next year," shouted the red headed girl who I later learned was Meiri, "A baker like me is nothing without her wheat."
        "A sustainable food supply should definitely be our primary goal," concurred Hederick.
        "While I agree with food as our main goal, the land here is rich with fruits and wild animals. In addition, with just a wheat field, we still don't have anything to process it into something edible such as bread. Instead the lack of tools should be our main concern. To manufacture new tools, we'll need to rebuild a workshop so that I can begin forging iron shovels, axes, and other tools," retorted Henri.
        "But I don't wanna just eat weeds all day!" shouted Louise. She raised her right arm into the air and made her best pouty face. "Besides, does anyone even know how to build a mine safely without it all just collapsing all around us?"
         Carra moved to the front and raised her hand: "I used to be an apprentice builder back where I was from. I think if we find a good location, I'll be able to work out where to place the support beams. Don't worry."
         "Nonetheless, Louise made a good point. We really can't sustain just on eating random vegetation around us. We'll quickly exhaust our supply. If anything, we'll have to have Jessica and Rylai go on a hunt for food. If anything should happen to them, we'll quickly be in trouble if we come under attack." Hederick then looked at me, "This will be your first and perhaps most important choice."
         All the pressure was back on me. I thought about it for a bit as everyone continued debating amongst themselves. There were merits to both plans but I had to pick one. Splitting our efforts would just result in two half-finished projects and eight skeletons.
         "I agree with Henri's plan. While a farm is extremely important, we won't be able to reap the benefits until Fall. In addition, we'll still need to rebuild the old watermill and to do that we need the resources that a mine can provide for us. I know it's a risk but we'll have to hunt for our food and live on the native fruits around here."
         Henri clapped and responded, "I am glad you agree. Maybe I was wrong about you but you still have a lot to do before you earn my trust,"
         "So it has been decided. We build the mine," proclaimed Hederick.
         There was some dissent, mainly by Louise but after a while she calmed down, knowing that the decision had been made.
          Jessica and Rylai took the horses and rode out to look for anything to bring back as food while Louise and Meiri left in the opposite direction to forage for whatever they could find. The rest of us immediately began working on the plan for the mine.
          "The plan is simple. We are very fortunate to live near a large mountain. There should be rich ore veins somewhere inside. The hard part will be hitting the iron deposits." Carra pointed at a section of the mountain behind us.

            "We'll take turns shoveling and carrying dirt until we can make a flat surface. Then the fun begins. We cut straight into the mountain. To do that, we'll need some timber to support the earth. I'll get a better idea on how to do that once we've finished digging."

            "Great, I think there's some trees up the river. We'll have to swim across and chop the trees down but then we can roll them into the water and have someone on our side rope them up. I think the leads used to hold the horses down should be sufficient," said Dhoran as he pointed across the landscape across the river.

           "Then it's settled then. We'll need to knap some axeheads and find some branches too before we can just knock down an entire tree," said Henri. "Although I used to craft metal tool. I'm sure I will easily figure out how to make some simple stone axes. I believe Dhoran used to be a smith too and since he pointed out where we should find the timber, he should come along too." 

          With that said, we had taken the first steps in building a permanent settlement. 

          I wondered if I had made the right decision.

          

Generation 1 - Year 1 Spring (Confirmation)

     

        "Attention all! The meeting will now begin." yelled Hederick at the rest of the crowd. He walked up to me and turned back to the crowd. "I have a very important development to announce to you. Through a vision from the Lord of All that I had received back in Galitia, I have been led to this place to find the one who can help save our sinful world. This is our savior, Julius Stern!"
        Everyone else looked at each other in confusion without saying a word. After a long pause, they all fixed their piercing eyes upon me. Some looked up and down while others scratched their head puzzled by what they had just heard.
       "The boy's barely half my age. How can he know what to do to save us?" shouted a mustached middle as he broke the silence. From his blackened apron, one could tell he used to be some type of metalsmith.
       "Now, now. He's a cute little fellow. I'm sure he knows what to do!" giggled the blonde girl who was standing in front of him. She gave me a little wink and a smile. I wasn't sure what she meant by that but it was good to know that at least I had someone's approval.

       "I agree with Henri," came another, as he walked up to the front of the crowd. He turned to Hederick and then pointed at me, "I don't know what he did before we all lost our normal lives but I'm sure survival in the middle of nowhere wasn't one of his skills."
       I was completely dumbfounded on what to say and just stared at them with my jaw dropped. It would have been easy to imagine this as some silly comedy with me as the fool. I stammered, "uhh maybe, we should uhh maybe."
       Henri glared at me, "See we'll all be dead before two sundowns, three if we eat each other." The remaining members of the group raised their voices in approval.
      "Look, the decision has already been made and if I can't convince you then you're free to leave. Just remember that you will have to face whatever dangers by yourself. The knights are bound to this mission and by proxy, bound to our mission and to Julius, here."
      Everyone else grumbled in dissent but knew the facts. They had no other choice.
      "I know we have not all met yet but I look forward to working with and getting to know each and every one of you. I, just as you have lost everything that I hold dear. In addition, I promise to value the words you say and earn your trust as we move forward together." I was surprised the words actually were able to flow through me. There were a few stutters here and there between each line but for the first time since I was announced that I was the supposed "savior", I had an inkling of confidence that maybe I could do it.
   

Generation 1 - Year 1 Spring (Starting Out)

        "Now that you're awake, I'm going to gather everyone else so that we can decide on a plan of action. The next couple of days will be crucial for our survival. Feel free to take a look in the chest so you know what we have. It's not much but whoever used to live here must have left in a hurry as there's quite a few goodies still left."

        With that Hederick left the small hovel. Rylai and Jessica followed shortly after, there movements sluggish. They must not have slept for quite some time. 

        It took me all of my strength but I managed to get out of the bed. Pain still ached throughout every muscle but the more I moved, the more the pain dissipated. 

        I looked in the chest and indeed found a book with some dried ink. I would have to water up the ink but that wouldn't be too difficult. The hard part was finding a quill to write with. In addition there were a set of tools that we could use to make a little homestead that would hopefully keep us all alive. I picked up the tools to look what was underneath: a few wooden planks, some various stones, some unlit torches, and a backpack. A strong stench then filled the room as I lifted some planks. There were some bones, possibly from a chicken with a few bones still having some scraps of flesh left on them. I couldn't bear the smell and quickly placed the planks back over them. Grabbing the book, I closed the chest and headed outside for the meeting.

       There wasn't much left of the original structures. Directly in front of me were the remains of a watermill. The only thing remaining of the derelict was the wheel itself in surprisingly good condition. With a great deal of effort, it could be rebuilt one day so that we could make flour and bread but this was more of a long term prospect than anything manageable at the moment.

      I looked back at the house that I had stayed at the night before. It was more of a shoddy hovel than anything and it definitely could not comfortably house the eight of us for long. The roof looked like it had been patched up with grass and twigs recently, perhaps by its new inhabitants before I had arrived. Whatever negative thoughts I had about it, I knew that I might as well make myself comfy because it'd be a while before we had the time and energy to remodel it over other, more pressing matters.

     The road that used to lead to this dwelling had clearly been overtaken by nature. Potholes dotted through what used to be perhaps a nice cobblestone entrance while new signs of plant life creeped in through the cracks between eroded rocks. We would have to clean it up one day to call this place truly our home.
     Tethered to the remains of the fence, surrounding the house, were two horses. They were eating the fresh grass around them when the chestnut colored one neighed at me. I carefully walked up to it as she looked at me inquisitively. Like a statue, it just stared at me as it kept on chewing the contents in its mouth. In Mell, I was usually stuck in the library, copying works of literature for trade. Because of that, I had never gotten too close to a horse before.
      "She won't hurt you," came Rylai as she left the home. She spoke in a soft voice as she closed the door behind her. "Her name's Cheryl," said Rylai as she walked up to her partner and stroked the horse gently against its blonde mane. It neighed happily as it jumped up into the air. "She's always restless and full of energy even though we've been riding for about a week non-stop." The Queensguard took off her helmet and let her auburn hair flow with the breeze. Her face was wearied but still beautiful. She couldn't have been any older than her mid-twenties.
      "You've been on the run for that long?" I asked.
      "Yes." she replied. Her voice was quiet and soft-spoken. Basing just on her demeanor, one could  barely distinguish her from any other normal person but if you looked straight into her dark, brown eyes, you would see an indomitable warrior craft lay within that body.
      With that, she began to walk back into the house. As she opened the door she fitted the helmet snugly back onto her head, "It was nice to catch the breeze for just a quick moment. By the way, Cheryl likes you. Don't be afraid. There's bigger things in the world to be worried about." She smiled and the door closed. 

Prologue Part 4: Awakening

        A different voice started to fill my head followed by another. I knew it wasn't the Lord of All anymore.

        "Will he be alright?"

        "He's conscious but I'm sure he will come out of it. Let's just give him sometime. We should all be glad that we found this shelter. It seems whoever or whatever it was has given up their pursuit."

        The endless void stopped and the numbness of my body was gone. What was replaced instead were aches and pains that filled every muscle and bone. My throat was parched and I felt hunger for the first time in what seemed like an eternity.

        "Grrrrrrrrrrrrr," a growl that would frighten any bear came from my lower body.

        "See look, Carra. He'll be fine; he's a real man. Probably dreaming about food."

        I opened my eyes and groaned as if I had just woken up from a deep slumber. 

        "Look he's awake!" exclaimed the female voice, "Quick get the others."

        Soon I was swarmed by what seemed like eight other refugees.

        Questions came at me like a swarm of angry wasps from the crowd. Everyone seemed to be curious about me.

        "Who are you? Where are you from? Are you ok? You escaped from them too? Are you hurt?" 

        Suddenly the door burst open.

        "Everyone out! He's in no condition to be harried by all of you."

        The command was quickly acknowledged as the rest of the inhabitants started walking out the door, some of them grumbling that all they wanted to do was satisfy their curiosity. What was left was a tall man clad in dirt and grime. Underneath that layer, one could barely make out the fine red and white silks that used to adorn him. Standing next to the entrance were two ladies clad in full armor. Their swords were unsheathed but not with hostile intent, more-so in a defensive posture as they curiously looked at me.

       "My name is, Hederick, a priest of the Order of Red from the eternal city of Galitia or what was once the eternal city."
       I had heard of Galitia before although I had never been there. Traders from there used to come to Mell for the cheese and cured meats that we produced. It was rumored that buildings as tall as mountains could touch the sky. It would require a day to walk to the other end of the city so people rode metal carts that powered them through the roads. Food was aplenty and any invaders were quickly thrown back by its towering white walls.
      "Behind me is Lady Jessica and Lady Rylai of the Queensguard of Galitia."
      I greeted them in return but they gave no response except bowing and sheathing their swords. Their armor was covered in dents and was dirtied but one could tell they were once the finest works of some master armorsmith in Galitia.
      "It is good to meet others," I replied, "but I'm not sure I understand where I am or even how long I've been asleep or what the Order of Red is."
      "First of all, you are near where we found you this morning. I'm surprised just as much as everyone else is that you recovered so quickly. We all had no idea how long you would be asleep."
      It was incredible. I couldn't believe that it had only been a matter of hours since, when I'm assuming was when I collapsed. It had seemed as if eternities had passed by where I was simply lost and drifting through the void.
      "I'm more surprised you do not know what the Order of Red is but then again I'm not. We are but the last order of what was once many orders that serve the Lord of All. During the fall of Galitia, the elder priest Dyalenmore and Queen Aunor ordered me to find a temple dedicated to the Lord of All so that the remains of our great city could be rebuilt there and the end of times stopped. For my protection, they ordered the two ladies of the Queensguard to guide me through the secret tunnels out of the city. Sadly, I believe the three of us are all that remains of Galitia."
      "The Lord of All!," I exclaimed. That was the voice from my dream. "I had a vision, someone or something called the Lord of All made me accept some contract and record everything and rebuild and..." I couldn't find the words to communicate what I wanted to say.
      "It is ok. I understand everything. The Lord of All told Dyalenmore in his vision of your coming. Although I wish we could just rebuild the temple complex right now and set everything right, I know this is impossible. In fact, I am glad you woke up because we need you to heal up as fast as you can. Food is short and we have very little in resources to share between our group. We won't survive a week, let alone have the energy to be able to rebuild the temple."
     "Alright. I will do what I can."
     "Excellent. Also, before I forget, I want to say that I know of your mission. In this chest you will find pages and a quill so that you may complete the task the Lord of All has been assigned to you. From here on out, you and your descendants will be honored as the ones who will record everything of importance that occurs."

Although this preface does end, it is but the end of only the beginning. I know not how long it will take before our mission is accomplished or I end in failure should that be my fate.

I, Julius Stern, do swear upon the Lord of All that what I wrote here is accurate and the truth to the best of my memory. May the light guide us forward eternally.

Prologue Part 3: The Lord of All

       The cacophony of sounds had stopped as soon as I announced that I accepted whatever fate now was going to be laid before me.
       "Accepted," said the voice, "You and by default, your descendants have accepted."
        Suddenly a bright light filled the void. While I once could see nothing but darkness, now I was completely blinded by the light.

        "Who are you?" I asked, wanting to know more who this being was.
        "You may call me the Lord of All. The one who molded the world that is known by many names to different beings who reside on it but to you and your people is simply called Kasha-Akur. Everything that is material forms me and I form it. That is all that you need to know for now."
        The voice was deep and echoed throughout my head. It spoke calmly but with a strong aura of power.
        "Your village of Mell was destroyed by my brother, the Lord of Null. We were birthed at the same time. Creation and Destruction. Feast and Famine. Health and Pestilence. Peace and War. Life and Death. That is me and him. Your world is dying. Soon nothing will remain."
        "How can I prevent this?"
        I tried to open my eyes to see what the voice was but the brightness was completely unbearable. I used all the strength I could gather to take a small glimpse but I could see nothing through the light.
        "Everything is at war between us two. Our strength comes from the beings on your planet. Every action that is performed, no matter how small, feeds one of us. Long ago, what you ran into during your escape was but a small shrine on top of a mountain in a network of temples dedicated to those that once channeled my powers. In time those numbers eventually dwindled and so with them, my power to stop my brother. By accepting this contract, all I ask is to lead your people and create a new land on my behalf and when your kingdom is ready, rebuild the temple in my name."
        The weight of the world had literally just been thrust onto me. Create an entire kingdom? That sounded completely insane but I knew there were no other alternatives.
        "I don't know if I'm capable of this," I naturally asked.
        "Worry not, there were many other survivors that found there way here and many more that will eventually arrive. Most are not from what you call Mell but from other villages that have suffered the same fate. You shall work with them."
        "I do not know if I will succeed, but, I will do my best," I replied, still hesitant about how I would accomplish all of this.
        "In addition, I ask of one more task, a favor, that you and your descendants shall document everything that occurs without fail so that the next generation knows about this very important mission that has been given. Not all of your actions that you or your people will make will necessarily be good. I do not ask you to never do any evil if you must but instead that you always remain there is a balance to be maintained and there are consequences for everything you do. Now go."
       "Wait!" I shouted. "Will you speak to me again?"
       "I will speak to you if I feel it is needed."
        My head started to feel heavy and my body numb. Everything was happening so quickly. What choice did I have though but to do what the Lord of All told me?
        The light disappeared and I was once again greeted with the solitude of darkness.

Prologue Part 2: A Vision

        Drifting. That's the only word I can describe how it felt. It was as if I were a small fish in the middle of the sea. Ages must have passed and ages would continue to pass. Everywhere I looked, there was emptiness. My only company were the countless grey sparks that floated through the void. I didn't feel bored though or hungry or thirsty. I simply felt nothing at all.
       "Is this what death feels like?" I pondered.

        A strange static to fill my head. It felt as if something was clawing inside my head.
        "ahhhshshuwewepppewt," it repeated.
        I couldn't understand what it was saying.
        "ashheewppppttttt," it continued, but this time a bit clearer.
        The intensity of the sound grew louder and in the distance something glowed dimly. I spread my arms and grasped at it, wondering if I would finally find my release from the void.

       As if the void could understand my thoughts, I started moving towards the light. The closer I got, the brighter it became. The static cleared until I could clearly hear the words, "Accept".

       "Who are you?" I shouted.
       "Accept."
       "What do you want from me?"
       "Accept."
       "Accept what?"
       "Accept."
        It repeated the same phrase over and over.
       "Accept."
        The sound got louder until it became unbearable and all I could hear was, "Accept."
       "Stop it!" I shouted helplessly. The buzzing started to become a loud screech as it tunneled deeper into my brain.
       "Accept."
        Eventually, the pain proved to be too much. I didn't have a choice in this matter.
       "Accept."
       "I accept"
   

Prologue Part 1: Flight into the Night

         Fleeing away from the chaos, only a few of us survived the destruction of Mell, our beloved village. I only took one quick look back. Everything was ablaze. What took generations upon generations to build was now a funeral pyre to our dreams. Some of us were braver and chose to stay, buying the rest of us much needed time against the marauders. The Lord of All blesses them.

         We ran south through the plains, the thunder masking our footsteps and breaths and the lightning providing us brief glimpses into the wilderness through the dark night. Men or perhaps demons dressed in all black riding horses covered in dark shrouds picked off those who could not run any further. They must have been demons from the abyss. We've dealt with common thieves and bandits before but these beings, whatever they were, were completely silent. They made no battle cries and said no words. Through the thunder, there was only the sound of metal upon skin followed by the screams of someone we once knew. I swear what I saw of our attackers is true and that I have never seen anything like this before.

         After running for what seemed like the entire night, the terrain began to become more and more hilly and treacherous. I hoped that my pursuers had given up but I didn't dare to stop. I noticed in the distance stone steps leading to the peak of a mountain and saw what appeared to be a shelter on top of it. With my last bursts of energy, I headed towards what I hoped to be sanctuary. Unfortunately, I could go no further. My legs became heavy while my vision began to cloud up. "One-Two One-Two", I thought in my head as I struggled with each step. Each count got me closer to the base of the mountain. I saw the stone steps right in front of me and then I felt my head hit the ground before everything went dark.