stories_by_rushlight

I came into being at the beginning of time born into existence during the creation of the universe. At first I drifted, with out form, just thoughts. Who was I? Did I have a purpose? The cosmos shined brightly around me; stars and planets formed in violent beautiful dance. Something called to me but I knew not what. I could not help but follow its heed. Soon I became of other presences like me, my siblings. Our thoughts became stronger, clearer and as they did so we began to flicker with light. Nine flickering lights floating through the depths of the universe pulled along by the silent siren. It was clear to us that we were being drawn to our true purpose, our reason for being. But what that purpose was we still did not know. Time meant nothing to us, yet all around us, worlds formed and tiny sparks of life began. The presence calling us was clear now; an insignificant planet, in the vastness of the universe. What was so unique about this place to summon us so? The blue-green jewel drew us on, or flickering grew stronger, pulsating with light we reached our destination. My siblings and I could feel such power radiating from this place. When we came to stop the surroundings were lush and inviting, so many shade of colour. Plant life covered the land, but this is not what caused us to be overcome with peace. The moment we stoped our purpose was clear, this place had drawn us forth to protect something. A crossing between times or realms, maybe both. We were the Guardians of these gateways, it’s caretakers. Time would mean nothing to us, as ageless as eternity we would do this gladly. The world around us was pure, teeming with all manner of life. My family and I drifted with purpose on this strange peaceful place, pulled by invisible lines of power. These lines encompassed the entire planet and where those lines the power given off by them was immense. These spots were were the gateways could open, we could feel it in the core of our beings. There were nine of these places that we found, one for each of us. Gradually each of us was called to one of the places of power, as we arrived we were no longer nameless...I was the last to find rest....my name is Ninde and I shall endure....

THE LAST DRAGON CROSSING
Andoi was one of the last dragons ever to be taught the portal magics. He was one of the Golden Dragons, the most highly esteemed clan of all. He was also one of the more powerful dragon masters. Because of this he was granted permission to cross into the mortal realm to see how humans were progressing, (or not) in the mortal realm. Although he was not a young dragon he still had hope for the journey that he was about to make. When he crossed to the mortal realm he arrived in the dark ages. Seeing the state of the people around him, he began to use small magics and summonings to help people. He ended up being presented to the local lord who wished Andoi to only do magics for him. Andoi was not sure of this but was invited to stay at the lords manor while he made up his mind. Whilst Andoi was staying there he met the lords daughter Meridith. Andoi was smitten, (it is not unknown for dragons to take mortal lovers) as was Meridith. Andoi and Meridith wished to be together but when Andoi decided that the lord alone should not benefit from his help, the lord refused and Andoi was lucky to escape with his life. Not wishing to reveal his true from he fled from the manor. However before he went he made a promise to Meridith to return for her. In the depths of night and under the shadow of illusion he returned to the manor and spirited his beloved away. He did not wish to keep his true identity from Meredith so he explained to her his lineage. Instead of being frightened of him like he expected she was intrigued. Andoi showed her his true form, apart from a small gasp of surprise at the sudden change she merely replied that she loved him for who he was inside not what he looked like on the outside. She decided to join him in the faerie realm as she did not wish to be parted. Andoi knew that the Council would not be pleased but felt that he had no choice. So they returned through the gateway.

THE RETURN
Now when the Council found out about Meridith's crossing they were most displeased with Android, but between them they decided that she could stay but that she could never return. There was also one condition placed on their union, mixed children would not be tolerated. If there were children they would be examined, mortal children would be tolerated but any child showing abilities of the dragon would not. (No other dragon/human union had ever produced anything more than mortal children if any children were produced at all). Meridith agreed to this as she was assured that all other unions had only ever produced mortal children.

It was at this point that the dragon council decreed that no more crossings to the mortal realm could ever be made. The spells necessary were stricken from the records and forbidden to be taught to anyone.

PARTINGS
All was well for a good many years and Meridith finally became with child. A girl child was born and after being examined by the council was deemed to be mortal. Andoi and Meridith were overjoyed at this and named her Lilith Andolin. Their joy was to be short-lived. Meridith became ill and no magics or medicines could heal her. (Even the greatest elf healers could not). She died shortly after Lilith's 10th birthday after being ill for a number of years. With a heavy heart Andoi buried his beloved and raised his daughter alone. (Unknown to him it had been the Eldest working his magics to end Meridith's life as he was afraid of more children being born of their union). Andoi doted on his daughter and again they were happy for a time. Lilith was aging in accordance with her mortal being but on the eve of her 15th birthday she she began to exhibit some control over the four elements. Worried for his daughters life he gave her some rudimentary lessons in control and bid her to keep this power secret. For a few months this worked, but one day Lilith lost her limited control and caused an elemental storm. The dragons sensed this and summoned both Andoi and Lilith to the council chambers. Not wishing the outcome that was guaranteed for his daughter if she went Andoi took his daughter and fled. In the few months they avoided the others Lilith began to understand some of her powers. Although she could control the elements, her strongest ability was the control of fire, (understandably being dragon really). The other elements however her control was weak, often failing altogether. The other difference that her father discovered was that she was unable to change shape or fly.

Eventually the council caught up with them, knowing the outcome of their flight he opened a portal and bid his daughter to cross. He could not bear to loose his daugher and pushed her through to the mortal realm wishing her some happiness and peace. The portal had closed when the other dragons found him. Andoi was surrounded, i do not yet know his fate.

LILITH ANDOLIN
Tumbled through time and out of the mortal gate. When her mother left it was the dark ages, but the time has turned quickly and is not our modern age. Lilith does not know her fathers fate but vows to make him proud of her by controlling her developing powers and making a new life for herself in this world. She is alone in a strange world. Shes is shy and and unsure of herself in this new world. Afraid of her powers and what they could do, she is bereft, friendless and most of all frightened. Looking around the wilderness she feels someone watching her but there is nothing in view but empty moors and a jumble of stones. Lilith wanders for a time before finding an abandoned shack. This will become her home until she is ready to navigate the new world around her. Her father taught her enough to be able to forage for food and simple Magic to encourage plants to grow. Eventually Ninde is drawn to her, at first watching from a far. Sensing a kindred spirit and being along for so long he reveals himself to the girl. Lilith was not afraid of him, after all she grew up with all manner of faerie folk. Their loneliness brings them to feather and they soon become friends. Ninde is also able to help Lilith to control her powers and explain to her how different the mortal realm is.

FERALS
Ferals are a race from the faerie realm. In the mortal realm they are known as 'werewolves'. Most are not as we see them in stories but some ferals suffer from what can only be called madness or berserker rage which is where most of our legends concerning werewolves come from. Ferals have evolved somewhat since our legends were written, most can no longer change form but are imbued with the abilities of wolves themselves; extrodinary sight, smell, hearing as well as speed. Ferals are still mistrusted in faerie owing to their racial history of mental instability. They are generally used as hired mercinaries because of their unparalleled senses.

JAEGAR WOLFSUN
Jaegar is a Feral, his name literally means hunter. It’s the only life he’s ever known, working for the Dragon council to track down those they wished found. He often wonders if there is more to life but as his mind are still mistrusted by many faerie folk he does as he is bid. The Dragon council summon him to track down Lilith in the mortal realm and exact their terrible justice. He was sent through the portal to the mortal realm a week after Lilith fled, (faerie time), but became lost in the passage (it was the White the eldest that opened the portal and did so incorrectly). When he eventually arrived on the mortal side Jaegar is unconscious and barely alive. Ninde sensed the portal opening and discovered the gravely Ill man and summons Lilith to him. Lilith nurses Jaegar back to health not knowing that this man has been sent to kill her. Jaegar does not realise at first that Lilith is his quarry and falls in love with her. He falls into a deep melancholy once he realizes who she really is; how can he kill that which he loves? Jaegar also doesnt know that he can never return to the faerie realm. He has been given a crystal that can communicate with the dragon council to say that he has slain the half-breed. If he does not communicate with the council after 5 mortal years they will send another Feral through the portal.

MORTAL & FAERIE REALMS
The mortal and faerie realms came into being at the beginning of the universe, they are connected by portals or gateways allowing passage to either realm by the way magic. Time differs in both realms, a few moments spent in the faerie realm can be days or months in the mortal realm. Faerie is inhabited exclusively by creatures from our myths and legends, (the most powerful being the dragons) and normal animals. There are no mortal humans in the faerie realm. The mortal realm is our world where only stories and tales remain of the creatures of faerie and the few poor faerie folk doomed to walk in the shadows, unable to open the gateways themselves. Magic used to exist in both realms which made crossing realms easier but as the mortal world has distanced its-self from the arcane and become more technological magic has waned making opening portals virtually impossible from this side. Magic is a part of life on the other hand in faerie meaning that portals can easily be opened if one knows the right way to do it.

PORTALS & THE GATEKEEPERS
The mortal realm portals came into being at the start of time, there were 9 of them all located on major leyline meeting points. The gates harness their power from the leylines but as the world drifted away from the arcane the leylines have weakened to the point that even the most powerful dragon could not open the portal from the mortal realm. There is no need for fixed points in faerie as in essence the whole realm is alive with the same kind of power as the leylines hold. Only a few dragons know the opening spell now, one of whom is on the dragon council (being the Eldest and slightly senile) and Andoi's family line. They do not teach the spell of opening any more,(will be discussed later). If a portal spell is used incorrectly it can cause those that pass through it to become lost in the space between time, too long in this place can cause madness or even death.

Each of the 9 mortal gates came into being with an appointed Guardian, they are tied to the fate of the gate and can prevent hostile entities opening a portal but not who exits them. They can sense the opening of portals and will be drawn to where the portal opens immediately to observe the traveler. If they feel the traveler means to do harm or has ill intent they can use their own powers to subdue and return the hostile force. They are ethereal beings, neither male or female. The in essence have no form or substance but if they wish they can take any form they wish to present to people. They are also immortal and cannot die by normal means. This does not mean they can never die. In the centuries that the Gates have been unused eight of the nine Gaurdians have succumbed to despair in an uncaring and unseeing world, their true purpose seeming gone forever. They literally caused themselves to no longer exist. Without a gatekeeper the portals are forever closed. The last gatekeepers although saddened by the world around 'him' will not leave the mortal world forever cut off from faerie. Ninde is the name of the last gatekeeper 'he' (i shall use he when talking about Ninde for the sake of ease), has not shown himself to anyone for centuries. Ninde is alone, the last of his kind in a world that has forgotten much.

The last known mortal portal users were the Druids of ancient Britain but once the Romans came they were all destroyed. With their destruction went all knowledge of opening the gateways.

CONCERNING DRAGONS
The dragons are the most powerful of all the faerie realm, but they are not the evil monsters that our own legends and stories portray. They are highly intelligent beings with a love of learning, most of them can speak all manner of languages fluently. Our earliest stories talk of dragons helping mortals, it was they that taught the portal spells to mortals. Dragons are masters of the four elements, earth, air, fire and water. The wisest of Dragons can also change their forms and appear human. (Think back on all the stories you know of people turning into monsters, this was probably a younger dragon that had not quite mastered holding a new shape). All dragons can fly. Dragons are not immortal as such but have an extremely long lifespan, there are generally around 300 dragons at any one time at they are too large to exist in vast amounts (currently there are around 170 dragons owing to the many that had been slain in medieval times). They are ruled by a council of Elders, called the Council of Three. The Eldest on the council is known only as The White in respect for his age and wisdom. He is one of the few dragons that still know the portal spell, unfortunately due to the sheer amount of years pressing down on him his mind has begun to deteriorate.
Dragons used to make the crossing between realms regularly seeing the potential in mankind. However many men became jealous of the powers wielded by the dragons and began to resent them. Some great powerful rulers began to put a bounty on dragons and spread the tales we now see as how dragons were. Because of the deaths of countless dragons, the council decreed that the younger dragons could no longer be taught the portal spells. The dragon council felt that this was preferable than war with the mortals. Those that did know the portal magic had to get dispensation from the council before they could open a portal.

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