Of Trembling Light: Part One
By Kay
Author's Notes: Here we go with the first part-- this timeline is really difficult to comprehend, so bear with me here. We've gone back to a point very early in Everworld's origin, but not at the very beginning. It's just growing now, that's all. This will be explained in a very lousy attempt. ^^;; Oh-- none of the guys show up, but they will in the next one. My plan includes to follow them as small children for maybe a chapter or two, then skip ahead to when they're older...
Remember-- there will be SLASH. And het, but who gives a damn about that. ::winks::
Jalil: Only most of the population?
... you shut up and go back to looking sexy.
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In the Beginning...
She stood silently in the rainfall, her pale white skin soaked to the her brittle bones. The damp air curled her golden strands roughly, sticking strands of blond to her sharply angled face, and falling into her dark green eyes. Her body was rigid.
She stared at them. They listened quietly.
The damp smell of the earth was heavy around their small group of assorted creatures-- the human mortals breathed it, the gods ignored it because they had created it. Water droplets fell and slid off their illuminated forms, the three gods who stood impassively to hear the girl they watched. Only three had come. Through the hundreds in their new world, only these few would listen to the words of such a girl.
A powerful. A creative. A deadly, and a witch.
She didn't look the part of a witch, all thin limbs and ragged gold hair, with her unblemished skin and clean face. So there were only five mortal humans who came to see her, a handful of trusting peasants who were eager for change. Their world needed the words of this girl, needed them for its very survival. Listening could only bring them hope, and this girl had eyes that told of older years than her age.
Three gods, five mortals, and a witch. And they listened as the last spoke to them, with a raspy, airy voice that barely was heard over the downpour of rain.
"There will be four children, four protectors to guide us."
One human woman, with flowing black hair, fidgeted. Her eyes were riveted on the golden haired girl, the witch dressed in rags. But she held her doubts and silence, letting the girl continue.
"Born at the exact same moment, the very second, the very first cry..." she said to them, bored but firm. "They will be the ones to save this world. To bring your Everworld back from its shattered pieces."
The god of blonde hair and impossible stature snorted, clearly insulted. But he held his silence also, for once in his eternal life, and Loki listened. He had come with the promise of change, change to their battered and struggling world.
"The gods created this place without concern, without thought to what would happen. There is confusion. They fight over territories, and yet such things don't exist here in the first place," she murmered quietly. The rain pattered on her skin, clear rivers flowing down the white of her arms.
"The people have no leaders to learn from, and gods have no time for the teaching of mortals. They care for nothing of their plights and sorrows."
At this point, someone else spoke up for the first time-- stepping forward, the golden haired goddess that had joined them out of curiousity frowned. She shook her head, dry hair perfect amongst the falling water, and said, "And the people will not always listen to the gods. You would have us give unselfishly to those who are supposed to worship us? This is not the way of gods, you know this."
"Ah, yes. The wise and fierce Athena speaks the truth, it is not entirely the fault of gods, but men also." The witch reacted, smiling slightly for the first moment. However, it was quick lived and faded swiftly. Her next words were foreboding and full of warning.
"But it will be men who solve the problem. Four of our own mortals, gifted in rare abilities and thoughts, will bring this world to its knees. They will be its protectors, the shapers and molders, as pottery is made by our craftsmen." She closed her eyes and raised her dead fleshed face to the heavens, as though offering her lips. "They will bring you completion and order. But this miracle will end in tragedy once its purpose is finished. None shall live to see their eighteenth mark."
Quiet discontent flew across the features of the mortals, some suspicious, some hopeful, some sorrowful. The gods remained carefully composed, giving nothing away in their intense gazes. Loki and Athena carefully ignored one another, while the third looked distantly into the dark shadows surrounding them.
"How do we know these incredible mortals when we see them?" she asked carefully, tearing his gaze away from the shadows. Her eyes glowed in the dark. "We cannot search every child in this world."
"They are specially marked, their very births prophesized," the girl answered. "You, Brigid, are a goddess who can understand the ruling of destiny. Your own awaits you in a fashion you cannot yet imagine."
The goddess nodded slowly, giving no indication of alarm, but intent on the witch's face. She turned back after a moment to look into the shadows, her face thoughtful.
The golden haired witch raised her pale slender hands in the air, palms up as if to claim ignorance. Instead she lowered her face from the sky and opened her eyes again. They blazed blackened crimson.
"The protector and priest of the North of Everworld will be born in the lairs of the dragons, from their very fire and ash. His bravery and determination will bring the lands together and create harmony. One day he will wield a sword the gods daren't touch. The legendary sword of Odin, the Balmung."
Athena looked at her sharply. "The magical sword Siegfried wielded to destroy Fafnir?"
"The same."
For a moment, Loki's jaw tensed at the mention of Odin's youngest son, Siegfried-- but he merely settled for scowling in distaste. The girl continued, ignoring the stunned looks of her listeners.
"The protector and priest of the West of Everworld will be born from the sea itself, cradled on rocks and cloaked in mist. His light heart will be as buoyant as the ocean, his temper and scorn just as powerful, and his joy will create trust and happiness in the people. He is a summoner of great magnitude, as he learns to use it."
"A summoner of what?" one of the mortals, a tall and wizened old man asked calmly. His sharp sky-blue eyes were fixated on her, his own aura resonating with the power her's was expelling.
"Of what can be summoned," she evaded simply, and continued without pause. "The protector and priestess of the South of Everworld will be born from the earth, created of the softness and morality of flower petals, but the strength of stone. She is the faithful, the trusting, and will work to make this world worthy. Beware, though, she contains a conflict of powers. Her fingers bring healing, but they can also bring pain."
"You are very vague in your descriptions of them," the dark haired mortal woman mocked finally. "Surely we can't find them from these mere pieces of information? You jest with us."
The witch was silent, her body soaked and worn, but her eyes alive and snapping with violent energy. One of them had been lost. No matter, there were the others. She said nothing but turned to those who were still listening.
"You will know them when you find them."
"You said there were four," one of the mortals murmered.
"Yes." Flashing eyes sought their own in the dark. "The protector and the priest of the East of Everworld will be born from the winds and the gentle songs of the air on rivers. From the willow reeds, he is cunning and intelligent, sharp of wit and mind. Yet as ruthless and intent as a hurricane when forced. He will bring words and teach the people. But for all he can give to them, he can never give his heart to anyone."
"Why not?" Brigid murmered. "Humans have so little without their hopes and loves. How can we place such an empty one as a protector?"
The witch sighed softly in the night, listening as the sound fell with the rain, mixing in with the flesh of the ground. "He will be cursed. Be warned of this-- no man or woman may ever touch his bare skin."
"Why?" inquired the old man sharply.
"They will die on contact. It is his curse. And it will be his saving blessing, if he so chooses."
With these cryptic words, the witch paused suddenly and cocked her head to the side. They watched in facination as she frowned, as though listening to distant music no one else could hear. After a moment, she looked back at them. Her heavy emerald eyes were blank of any emotion.
"I must leave this place now," she said. "Do not look for me again. Go to the four children, bring them to their new homes. Save this world you created and prize so highly."
"Wait, you cannot leave without--"
Athena's cry of outrage echoed throughout the clearing, where the eight of them stood in the trembling light of a growing dawn. The sun seeped through the trees of the clearing slowly, just barely touching their toes, only driving away the lightest of shadows. It turned the green grass under their feet a golden orange.
The eight of them looked at one another; only eight, for the witch was gone.
"A waste of time and full of blabberings," the dark haired mortal said. She scowled heavily at them all, black onyx eyes flashing, and straightened as though to storm away. Which she did when none of them moved-- only pausing to shout over her shoulder, "You fools! Why believe the words of a witch?!"
She faded out of the forest, and the light tipped over their feet. Spilled into the clearing and warmed them. They stared at each other, consideringly-- a god of destruction, a goddess of wisdom, and a goddess of many things. An old mortal man with considerable powers, many of which would pass on down to his future children, who would in turn become great wizards as well. Three other mortals; a woman with concern and worry in her dark oak gaze, a young child of thirteen with a serious frown and blue eyes, and a man with dark black hair swept back into a braid.
"I believe her," the mortal teenager spoke. "I think we should try to find these four protectors before it's too late."
The others nodded. The gods said nothing, but a softening in Athena and Brigid's faces seemed approving. Loki eyed the trees as though they would give him answers he didn't have, and they obviously wouldn't have anyway.
"You are humans, you can move about in the world far better than us. Go. Go and find these four that we seek," Athena said, neither ordering nor asking. Merely stating that they would, as she knew they would. They all nodded.
Brigid spoke, "Bring them back here when you find them, to this very clearing. Remember the witch's warning well, though, and take caution."
"We will each search for a seperate child," the old man said. He glanced around the group as though judging who would be best for what task. "I will take the South, if there are no objections. My magic works well with earth forces and plantlife. It is perhaps the best option."
"I know dragons well," the dark haired man offered. "My father's brother lives near their favourite hunting grounds. It would be easy for me to slip into their midst and find the child of North." The others nodded to him.
"I swim well," the brown-eyed woman said. She laughed.
"Then that leaves me," said the young girl. "I will go to the East to search for our little cursed one." Her midnight blue eyes darkened further, tinged with swirls of navy and cerulean. "Good luck to you all."
"And you."
"Yes."
Loki strode off through the trees without a word, ignoring the entire group. The goddesses disappeared, and the four mortals were left alone in the clearing.
After a moment, they also left.
And in the silence, a disembodied voice murmered softly to the trees and the air.
"This can only end in tragedy."
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End of Part One: More to come soon! Next up: We meet Baby!Jalil! Hee hee. Okay, so Baby!Everyone, actually, but he's a cutie. So wah. :P
Mweh, I don't feel good. Going to bed now. I hope everyone enjoyed this... ::frets:: The whole born from fire, earth yadda yadda, doesn't really have anything to do with their personalities or elements or whatever. ^^;; Not *really*. Well, kind of. I don't know, it just sounded cool! Anyway, thanks for reading... all will be explained later...
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