Fire

The chambers deep within the heart of Death Mountain resounded to the sound of hammering.

Upon an anvil that was as black as the void, a huge, bearded figure struck at a piece of red-hot metal. The great figure was clearly not human: his skin was a pale brown colour and seemed to be made of stone but was patterned with black tattoos in strange, primitive design. His long, white hair grew wild and thick but had been carefully plaited into long threads that reached almost down to his knees. The hulking figure's bulging muscles pulsed with the effort of each swing, but neither a glimmer of sweat nor any other sign of the heat showed upon them. Around his head he wore a red band of the same fiery colour as the metal he was beating. The hammer he used was simply made and also black, but seemed to glow with every beat. Molten lava flowed down the sides of the chamber and surrounded the figure in a circle, leaving him standing with his anvil on an island in the fire. Surrounding him stood six other figures, each dressed in a differently coloured cloak with the hoods up despite what must have been searing heat. Their faces were hidden in shadows.

Using the hammering as a constant, slow, bass rhythm the smith began to chant in a voice that sounded of ancient, red caverns and vast lakes of molten rock:

"I bring heat and flame, I bring fiercest fire; I bring a burning heart of bright desire!

I give you passion, I give you power; I give you the strength of the sky's grand flower!

By me you shall burn, by me you shall destroy, by me you shall forge the way!"

The smith ended his chant on a strong note. He started to hammer the other side of the metal. One of the figures surrounding him stepped forwards and lowered its hood. This one stood taller then all of the others and wore a cloak of deepest purple. His age was hard to determine: he seemed at the same time both young and old. His violet eyes were hard and merciless and his black hair tied back out of his eyes in a warrior's topknot. The beat changed to be faster and paired, almost like the pounding of deep drums in the darkness. The purple-robed one started to chant in a habitual whisper that sounded of death and dark secrets:

"I bring doom and darkness, I bring blackest night; I bring the void that swallows all light!

I give you secrets, I give you silence; I give you the curse of ruthless violence!

By me you shall kill, by me you shall murder, by me you shall smite your foes with fear!"

The singer stepped back, but kept his hood down to reveal his face. As he did so, one of the others stepped forwards and lowered his hood. He looked older then the others and his stern face seemed to almost radiate wisdom. He wore a robe of bright, golden yellow. His head was bare and glistened in the light, but his long, white beard trailed almost down to his waist. He carried on the chant, and the rhythm changed to the tolling of great bells in lofty towers of learning. He spoke in a stern, authoritative voice that spoke of grand cathedrals and bright spires:

"I bring law and order, I bring brightest light; I bring the good for which you shall fight!

I give you faith, I give you purity; I give you the mark of most holy authority!

By me shall you shine, by me shall you illuminate, by me shall you banish the night!"

As the previous chanter had, the old man took his place in the circle again, but kept his hood down. As soon as he did so another stepped forth to take his place. This one was the shortest by far, only the height of a child, and as he lowered his hood it was revealed that he was, in fact, a child, but his hair was green and his eyes showed a depth of understanding and wisdom equal to any of the others'. His rhythm was bright and lively, and his voice sounded of energy and life:

"I bring grass and earth, I bring thickest glade; I bring protection greater then any blade!

I give you breath, I give you laughter; I give you life for now and ever after!

By me shall you save, by me shall you grow, by me shall you start all anew!"

The cycle repeated. The green sage stepped back. One dressed in orange stepped forward and lowered his hood. His face was tan and regal, his eyes black and cunning, and his hair red and fearsome. His rhythm was strong and constant, and his voice sounded of determination and ambition:

"I bring life and death, I bring noblest spirit; I bring the heart of the shifting desert!

I give you cunning, I give you pride; I give you purpose in your stride!

By me shall you desire, by me shall you inspire, by me shall you lead to victory!"

The orange-robed king stepped back. The smith suddenly stopped beating and raised what was now clearly a sword, lowering it into a nearby tank of what had been ice by the start and by now was water. By the hiss of steam the blue-robed figure stepped forth and lowered his hood. His face was blue-skinned and scaled, and from his head there grow a long fin. He sang in a voice that sounded of soft rain and deep, still lakes:

"I bring ice and steam, I bring deepest water; I bring the mind of a calm fighter!

I give you peace, I give you thought; I give you all that can be taught!

By me shall you guide, by me shall you know, by me shall you judge rightly!"

The blue-robed sage stepped back. Finally the smith held up the sword, which caught the light reflected from the fire and threw it to every corner of the room. Its keen edge seemed to part the air and its power could almost be felt. The last sage stepped forwards, without lowering its hood.

This one wore a grey robe. The smith reverentially handed it the sword and stepped back to take its place in the circle. The six unhooded chanters began to sing wordlessly in harmony, a tune that spoke of a sanctuary against the unending flow of time, a shelter from the force that creates and destroys all. The grey-robed figure threw back its head, letting the hood fall. Her hair was a golden blond and her eyes a sparkling blue. She seemed to have only just reached womanhood but her expression looked far older then it ought to. She chanted over the singing in a voice that was clear and wise, always just, but never merciful, which gave succour to none and saw the beginning and end of all things.

"I bring day and night, I bring endless time; I bring beginning and end in great combine!

I give you immortality, I give you exception; I give you control over time's domination!

By me shall you travel, by me shall you seal, by me shall you complete your purpose!"

The sages continued to sing as the grey-robed queen held the blade above her head. "This shall be the blade of evil's bane! This shall be a weapon to which all others are subservient! This shall be a Master Sword!"

With a flash a symbol engraved itself on the blade of the sword she held aloft: one triangle created from three lesser ones.

Deep within the heart of Death Mountain, a light was born that would forever shape the fate of the world.