The War of the Illumins
Long, Long ago, before even the dragons had been created, Atmos was ruled by a race known as the Illumins, or the Masters of the Light. They had powers far greater than any being alive today. They could change the weather, create mountains and even life with jus thought. A council of Elders ruled them, the oldest of the children, who had lived for what seemed like an eternity. This civilization existed for nigh on a thousand million years. But, as like all-powerful civilizations, the end was also nigh.
The elders grew content with their power, and began acting like dictators, enslaving entire groups of their fellows to their rule. Civil war erupted. The Atmos was torn asunder. Death rained down. The rivers flowed red with blood. Good and Evil clashed for an eternity.
After a thousand years of constant war, and with the Atmos black with death, the last two Illuminii fought. Blades clashed, lightning flew, the earth shook and the ground trembled and rumbled. At last, after 1 long year, the duel ended.
Standing victorious, the last of the Illumins stood, regaining his composure, and surveyed all around him. What the saw hurt him deeply. The war had turned the land into a black desert of ash and dust. Nothing lived upon it. The corpses of the fallen had long been covered over with layers of ash. The sight hurt him so deeply, he drove his own sword into his heart, and collapsed to the ground.
Millennia passed. Life returned to Atmos. Green plants covered the surface and bade the black land fair ounce more. But beneath the surface, the energy of the Long war was condensing. Over millions of years, It condensed into crystals. In them was the raw power of destruction, or whatever the energy unleashed was used for.
Legend tells that where the last of the Illumins fell, there is a crystal of such power and potential, that whoever wields it could become a god. But, as sorrow made it, only sorrow can wield it. Only one who had suffered a great loss that they had never recovered from could hope t hold such despair and use it. The crystal when touched was said to fill the mind with despair and hopelessness. If, however, you had lived trough pain and suffering, you could overcome this despair and use the power of the crystal to your own ends.
All the time, mines grow deeper and longer. The talons of The Empress dig deeper to find more power. And she sits on her throne, alone and cold. No-one like her is alive that would be with her. She had always been alone. Only her mother and father had been there for her, and she had lost them. She slammed shut the Book on the Illuminati and hurled it across the room. She stalked across to her balcony and lent upon it. A single tear fell from her violet eyes as she gazed upon her empire…