Dormin

Prologue

Before time, the Geijut whispered through the emptiness of a masterpiece they hoped to create. A place where they could each let their imaginations develop a single attribute towards the final picture. The Six Geijut; Zamidan, Yõquae, Vikatsu, Corpsuri, Anikoro and Kurassus drew from their spirit a pillar for the artwork, for better or worse.

Geijutor Zamidan conjured the earth, sky and emptiness beyond as the foundations for that which was to come. For anything that was to follow required a basis and room to grow. The Great Expanse brought forth worlds, light and dark corners for exploration and expansion. And yet, their opus was not yet complete.

Upon that, Geijutor Yõquae made the elements: water, fire, wind and rock with all the energies seen and unseen to those who can perceive to give the foundations an uneasy yet solid ground. Their focus was on one world which was christened Chikūra where they would further their preliminary artistry. And yet, their opus was not yet complete.

In addition rose life: animals and creatures, great and small, chief unto them was the Homigen, who would hold the great honour of the link between this world and that of the artists themselves. With this link, the Homigen held influence over the artists in their tiny corner of The Expanse; deciding through faith how much strength should return to their creators, the same strength that went in to creating them. The Geijutor Vikatsu was proud of the beings that now populated Chikūra. And yet, their opus was not yet complete.

Diversity amongst the artist's prize feature was yet to be established, and so gender was conceived by Geijutor Corpsuri. None became two that worked in unison to allow the Homigen to include their own line on the tapestry. Even so, the artists did not besmirch the Homigen who loved their own kind and taught to embrace all those who lived. Skin and shape and mould and origin were given, but never was it painted as a feature to be feared or hated, but respected. And yet, their opus was not yet complete.

Further divides were required, less physical than previous. Emotion and conscious thought were born through Geijutor Anikoro. The will to have faith was the righteous gift to impart upon the Homigen. Ones that turned against the artists, who understood that loss was necessary for individual growth were not shunned. Living creatures had the right and not even the artists had the power to change that. Thought, emotion and senses were unleashed. A better perception of the world and a broader pallet for those wise enough to use it properly. And yet, their opus was not yet complete.

Too perfect a world, thought Geijutor Kurassus. The brightness cannot stand out well enough without the darkness. And so, pain, suffering, evil and insanity were mixed into the colours of Chikūra. The Homigen who had abused the artists for the too perfect world again chastised them for bestowing these faults as well. But it was far too late to change the way things were. Once created, an artist cannot change their contribution. Only by destroying the masterpiece could such an action be undone, but no artist has the right to deny the life they created. And so, for better or worse, their opus was completed.

Now, it was up to the Homigen to decide for themselves whether to acknowledge their creators or to simply forget.

For a time, there was an equal understanding. Many of the Homigen worshipped the Geijut and in return were blessed with good seasons, long lives and an education of The Expanse as so far as their evolution allowed. Only a chosen few who could handle such information were allowed to its access but it was a mere grain compared to the shore that held all knowledge. It would take eons for the Homigen to wholly reach that level of understanding and the Geijut hoped to guide them to it. But as the knowledge they offered peaked the Homigen's ability to articulate, so did the interest of the Geijut.

Since the beginning, they had steered Homigen society in a singular direction, carefully and fairly, but the time had come for them to move on, to populate other worlds in an effort to better their next creations. While this entailed leaving their children, it meant no less that they still held a place in the Geijut's hearts. Too easily, however, did the Homigen's love for their creators dwindle as their prayers were no longer answered. Many turned away from the path and the Homigen divided into subcultures, independent of each other and of their forgotten deities. Other powerful beings of the mind came into existence to replace those lost to them and the insightful simply could not see without help. It had never been practised alone, and that is how the Homigen found themselves; alone.

The land grew less fertile in pockets, the pain and suffering grew and there was no relief. The Homigen had to build their own respite, fend for themselves against the biting cold and sweltering heat of the world without care. Fierce storms of many natures swept settlements clean and progress proved hard to achieve. Betterment had lost all meaning, but for some, the meaning was as clear to them as it was misguided. Currency, weaponry and social divides spread across the map and the false religions clashed with each other as much as the sciences. New traditions replaced or outgrew the old, making way for the class system. Violence had been a rarity before the Geijut's departure, but such acts were commonplace in the centuries passed. Sizeable skirmishes over land or reputation were growing, and even several wars had erupted.

There had been no word for a conflict of that size until it had occurred, and its reputation was feared by most, but sought after by too many, however few.

Higher tiers dominated the middle who stayed where they were by supporting their superiors. The lowest tier merely supported the system but never advanced. Anyone unable to keep up with the odds were no longer considered Homigen, neither were they important enough to outcast. They just simply existed in complete invisible turmoil. The Homigen had turned their backs on their origins, their creators, perspective, morals, and themselves. None saw the damage, too keen to watch out for their own demise and avoid it. No one had any idea how their actions would affect the future. Not one person noticed the day that the Geijut did finally return, and so all that had been was forgotten.

But not all things remain hidden forever…