And we finally begin!

EDIT AUGUST 29TH 2013: Sorry guys, I had to redo this chapter. I hated just looking at it, nothing went the way I'd planned and it made it impossible to continue on. Pretty much everything has been changed; apologies for the confusion. So let's try this again, yeah?

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Tropicraft

Biomes o' Plenty

~-Ari

Chapter One

Ward

Far beyond the stars, darkness conceals the ephemeral shapes in the skies, human-like eyes watching their creations strive to grow as a society. They are different from us – rather, we are different than them – but they had molded us. Humans took the Gods' likenesses more than we Elves, but unlike the others I hold no grudge. Really we haven't much to fight about. We are all children of Strad, in the end, regardless of skin color or frame.

I only wish I could remain here for the remainder of my seemingly endless life. I know my end will come eventually, but in the form of a handsome God wearing a slightly familiar face. He was a stranger to me, to all of us, but so warm. Our shield. We've lived in peace, since his first descent; feuds between ourselves and the humans still break out, but they are admittedly far less frequent than the time of my growing up. I must say, I will miss the amethyst waters of the shores, the sparkling blue of the leaves falling from the trees. A truly magical land, to be certain. Though the Elves hold a much more vast knowledge of magic, this section of our planet is... remarkable.

Ah... as always, it seems I'm rambling. I do that far too often. I suppose I've simply... lived too long. I have far too many stories to tell, but no voice to tell them. Not really. My tongue has been tied by Strad himself since the day he kissed me. I assure you, this is far less romantic than it sounds. He will not allow me to speak in a more direct manner. If I should attempt to do so, I am unable to speak at all. He apologizes to me in my dreams, but sometimes I am not sure if it is him at all or simply my imagination running away without me again.

Dreams seem to be the most powerful gateway... we are so vulnerable as we sleep, open to any and all attacks. The shadows could creep into our beds and would would never know until the cold tendrils of death seeped into our flesh. It leaves our minds so open, a vast plane of reality where nothing is real but for just one moment, we imagine everything that could never be... and we don't know otherwise until we awaken. Perhaps that is why the Gods had given us the ability to dream.

Every so often, just as yesterday turns and the pattern begins again, I see his face. He is blurry, as if were staring at him throw water. He rippled and shook, but his lips moved. Soft and cold, tender and spiteful. He was a bundle of contradiction, that Strad, but I suppose I would not have him any other way. When he spoke, his words would never reach me until the sun had already risen. An echo, a brief sound before it is gone. Warnings would be sent through me, but there had never been an option to pass them along. I wonder if perhaps this was my punishment for seducing a God? It had been the other way around, but it would not surprise me if that sly creature had managed to turn the tables on me yet again.

Last night, he sent another warning. And this afternoon, I received it. It was vague, even to me. There was a tremble in his whispering voice, just crossing the lowest threshold of my hearing abilities. The fear was quite real to me. I did not need to see his eyes to know that something was coming, and it was something that even the Gods feared. If he were afraid of it, what hope did we, mere mortals on Terra, have?

Well... we do have one. His message had been vague enough. My tongue has not been tied upon speaking it aloud to my wall, but I couldn't bear to think what would happen should the Elder hear of this.

"Ward. The clouds have come. Gather the child."