"Many centuries ago, there were two thriving kingdoms, each at opposite other ends of an endless and vast plain. They were both peaceful kingdoms which flourished and were a utopia to their residents. But as they grew larger, so did their inevitable desire for power and domination, as it usually is with growing kingdoms. This was not a process that occurred overnight; it evolved and infested itself into the hearts of the rulers of the kingdoms as time passed on. The residents of these kingdoms all saw it coming, little by little, but they could not do anything about it. They had tried to speak up, but this just seemed to spark anger into the rulers, whose hearts were beginning to be consumer with greed. It took many decades, but very soon the rulers of these kingdoms had grown oppressive and heartless, fueled only by their desire for power. They wanted to control everything. They took away rights from the residents of their kingdom and made them learn how to fight. Elders spoke of the times where everything had been perfect. They said it only seemed like yesterday when they were happy. But no one was happy anymore.
And so, a war started. A war for ownership of this field, for the right to expand their kingdom, and ultimately dominate the land. These two kingdoms had been peaceful, but they quickly learned how to fight and craft the weapons and armor they would need for battle by bribing the surrounding smaller kingdoms, who knew of such things.
The commonfolk of these kingdoms did not desire the war. They loathed it. They wanted everything to go back to normal, they wanted to be happy again, but they knew this was not a possibility unless a miracle happened. A revolt, perhaps, but they doubted even this, as he rulers made sure everyone behaved. They enforced this with strict punishment, which was usually death, which was imposed on those who spoke out against the kingdom. All of the men were forced to fight in the war, and many women also joined, for they could not bear to see their loved ones fight against their will, by themselves. They did not want to be told by their spouses that they might not come home. They wanted to die by each other's side. So they all became soldiers in their kingdom's army. Their lives were miserable at best. They had to learn how to use a sword or bow, and they were whipped when they failed to perform something well or obey a command. Many suicides occurred, but the soldiers with faith simply fought on and tried to shed light on the situation. But dark clouds blocked this light of theirs, and they could see no rays of sunshine in the sky, or on the horizon. the only light they could see were the lightning bolts from the sad storm in their mind, and they could feel the cold, sharp rain of misery on their skins, stinging like a sheet of needles falling from the sky. These soldiers wanted anything, even death. They wanted things to change, even just a little bit. Just to be a little happier. They learned to appreciate the small things and to take nothing for granted. They had lost everything, and now cherished life to the fullest, even though it was full of misery. These soldiers cried and prayed at night, asking for happiness. That's all they wanted. They looked to the Ice Goddess for these things.
The
Ice Goddess was a powerful entity, who often wondered the land,
making things better for people. She was very serious and quiet, and
rarely showed her face to anyone, except in dreams. She had the power
of ice. She could make an icicle in her hands sharper than a dagger,
that was hundreds of degrees below zero. She was immune to the cold.
Rather, she loved the cold, for it filled her body with strength. She
also had other powers, but no one was really sure what they were. She
was the one people cast their faith into. People know of her from the
things she did in the past, and from the stories that were told of
her, which were passed throughout the land.
The Goddess had seen
this war coming long before it actually happened, when the kingdoms
were still happy and peaceful. But when it started, she did
absolutely nothing. She did not want to interfere right away. She
waited to see what would happen, whether this war would go anywhere,
and whether or not they would realize the foolishness of their
actions. If that did not happen, then, and only then, would she step
in.
But this did not happen. Both kingdoms fought to the death, and showed no mercy. Ruthlessly killed and torturing, they would stop at nothing to gain this vast expanse of land. The battles started off small, but they were still battles nonetheless, with blood and death. And with every new battle fought, they grew in size, and the bloodshed and death increased with every one. Bodies began to pile up, and the clangs of swords and the screams of men could be heard, echoing across the plain. Families became used of their loved ones not coming home, but they still wept.
So finally, the Goddess did step in.
But it was too late.
The hardship of the war, and the Goddess not doing anything when it started warped peoples' belief in her, and they no longer believed she would do the right thing. They believed she should have stopped the war by force as soon as it started. They no longer bowed down to her. They no longer listened to what she had to say. They didn't believe that she knew what was best. As for the rulers, they simply scoffed at her. And the Goddess' hesitance to stop the war in the beginning ultimately cost her everything.
See, on this vast plain lived the elves, the race of the Goddess. They lived on the far edge of the plain, but they too were affected by the war. They knew the two kingdoms would stop at nothing to get to each other, and that they would obliterate them if they didn't do anything. So they also spoke out. They said to stop. They said it was foolish to war over some land when they were already happy. The people of the two kingdoms backed up the elves, but like with the Goddess, but rulers simply scoffed. The elves did not know how to fight, and although they were defenseless, the kingdoms still attacked, reflecting the ruthlessness of these two kingdoms. All of the elves perished, but a few think some may have escpaped, although there are no traces of them anywhere.
The Goddess now deeply regretted everything. She silently cried every night, and she knew she couldn't let any more tragedies happen from the war. She hated herself for letting it happen in the first place. She wasn't perfect. No one, not even goddesses, are perfect.
So on the day of the final battle, she walked out onto the battlefield, seemling drained of emotion. People looked at her in awe as she walked through the battlefield, protecting herself with a barrier of ice. Swords were clashing, and men were screaming and groaning, but she was oblivious to it all. She came across a young female warrior who was lying on the ground. She was bleeding to death, her stomach sliced open with a sword, the ground stained a crimson brown from the blood. She gave her a sapphire, which gave her the Goddess' power and completely healed her. She told her to go start a kingdom. Go, she said, or else you will perish. She didn't have any time to choose anyone else. She could only hope for the best. Then the Goddess told her what she was about to do.
The female warrior nodded, and ran away as fast as she could. She had accepted her fate, because she really did not have any choice, unless she wished to die. The Goddess then sighed, as she knew what she was about to do, and how lonely the next couple hundred years would be. Because once she did this, all she could do was wait.
The Goddess released all her energy, falling to the ground. The temperature dropped hundreds of degrees below zero, and waves of ice spread in thick layers, covering everyone and everything, killing everyone except the one she had given the sapphire to, who stood in the middle of everything. She simply stood in awe and began to cry, pained from watching everyone, her companions, and her enemies, become encased in ice, frozen like statues, the same expression on their faces. But the tears simply froze on her face and never reached the ground. This wave of cold and ice stopped just short of the two kingdoms. Now the plain was cold and barren, now inhabitable. Just habitable to the female warrior, who like the Goddess, was now immune to the cold. On the edge of this plain was where she would start her kingdom, where the temperature was cold, but still survivable.
To this very day, no one knows whether the Goddess did what she did for what was good for the land, or as an act of revenge for what the two kingdoms had did to her race. Not even the Goddess herself. And because of what she did, people don't fight, afraid that she will return and make them all pay with their lives. This legend is told everywhere in Tutara, the name of the kingdom that the young female warrior had started with the help of some residents of the other two kingdoms who loathed it because of the war. They are told only to fight when necessary and that the Goddess knows everything they are doing. This kingdom is small and peaceful, and all they do is live their lives and try to be happy. They don't try to prosper or thrive. After all of the misery that had taken place, they were finally happy with the peace and stillness, and they didn't want to change anything. However, they don't know why they are there, why the Goddess had made them a kingdom who's queens and princesses carry the legendary abilities of the sapphire. Everyone assumes the Goddess gave that first girl her ice abilities to save her from the cold, icy devastation of the plain, but the rules believe there is some other reason, although they canot fathom what. All they do is wait. No fighting, no war, everything peaceful. The life everyone dreams of. A perfect utopia, although they are unsure of why they even exist at all. They have no idea what purpose they serve, or purpose TO serve. All they do is try to be happy. That's all they can do is be happy, and wait, to try to find some purpose.
That is about to change, and remember: we only know as much as the legend tells us.
