There he sent dark shapes to plague the warriors, with fear, doubt, and temptation. Their needs grew hot like fire, making their hunger scream through their fast. But Aegis had faith in his chosen few. He knew that those he had sent would not let their passions rule over them. Seven days passed before priests were sent into the mountain to collect the young warriors and the embodiment of their enlightenment.
Had Aegis not brought the nightmare into creation, it might never have fallen into the hands of man. It was not of this world and the laws of the material seemed but a novelty to them. It charged across the sky on clawed limbs and it dove into solid stone as if it was a clear river. It left no tracks in its wake and seemed to vanish from the world at will. These powers to was given to their riders, as long as they held onto their nightmares.
But such power came at a price. For the nightmares did not feast upon plants or flesh, but were hunters of the soul. While they could take bites out of a crowd, without leaving a mark. Long term proximity to a nightmare, began to change its rider.
They could not tear a soul from its mortal coil. But there did come a point where the soul would be split between rider and nightmare in almost equal share. The first stage was the sight, allowing the rider to see through the eyes of his mount and even control it to some degrees. A useful skill as the mare was both silent and could see through the black of night.
Next their spirits would grow closer towards the ethereal realm. Their dreams became more vivid, the will of their god more clear. But as they grew more and more attuned to their god, they would also begin to see the world as he did. Tastes, scents, passions would burn brighter than ever, making it increasingly difficult to control the nightmare. Passions could be a wondrous thing. But they had to be tempered with discipline. Thus only those strong of will was chosen as riders.
It was while he taught his warriors these very lesson, that he heard the voice of his sister. For some time there was silence. Aegis was not known as the dreamer for nothing. He often retreated into deep sleeps, as he pondered through out the ethereal realm. He was not one to give a hasty response, for once his words were uttered, they would forever be beyond his control.
But eventually he spoke.
"I apologize, dear sister. I had presumed a equal share of land was a fair arrangement. Indeed, I left the southern green lands for you to enjoy, while I toil away in desolate wastes, as a token of respect. And while it is true the lovely Lena grows closer to you. The mighty Ahrimas is approaching my desert... And of course, there is the matter of Death laying somewhere beneath the sands, waiting for the hour to reap his reward. None the less. I would feel inclined to respect your refusal. Had you offered any respect in turn. Instead you spit upon a hand offered in friendship and you send vermin to infest the mountains, I desired. I said as much to you in trust. And you respond to me with poison... Still you have nothing I desire. I will claim the mountains as my own in good time. I do not even care if you decide to settle upon their surface. There is more than enough of them between us. But if a single man of my faith falls before the pest you have unleashed towards me, I will have no choice but see it as a act of open aggression against me. This is your foul creation and I hold you responsible for their every action. Bring them to heel or wipe them from existence. I do not care which. As long as they do not plague the mountains upon my arrival, you shall have nothing to fear from me. For while you play and greedily covet the forest, I prepare for our true enemy. And if you will not stand beside me as an ally. Then I shall find others who will."
Of course, he would not make the mistake of trusting Vynnessia again. Be it through malicious intent or a far more deep rooted weakness, she had already put the fate of this age in jeopardy.
Thus it fell onto him to bring order where his sister would bring ruin.
He called upon his priests and told them of what had transpired. Their god had found a people to the south, which was growing lazy and complacent in their lush forests. In their sloth, they had allowed the rise of a new plague to their land. He showed them the worms, greedily devouring all they came upon. He showed them Dremur as he often did in the night, at the glory it might one day achieve. Citadels and towers which reached towards the heavens, all invested by the vile vermin. They saw that dream of theirs crumble to dust before them, leaving nothing but a dead ruin.
He did not mention his sister, for he was sincere when he offered to let her right her own mistake.
But he would not stand idly by and simply hope she would do so... War was finally here, even if it was against a mindless beast. Preparations had to be made and fires had to be lit.
The first of which might seem strange. Fewer and fewer priests were taken into Aegis's service. Instead he favoured priestesses to study under him. Many more were positioned as crafters, while few were placed in the warrior caste. He wanted them well out of harms way, as he introduced them to the breeding program.
It was said that five children was considered a modest thing in the eyes of Aegis. One for each caste, was deemed sufficient. But if a woman went beyond that, she would have well earned her gods favour. And while he did not forbid romance, Aegis made it clear that he did not reward such emotional ties.
Our wants and desires were fleeting things. But our accomplishments, our legacy, is the one thing the world will never forget. At times it might have been tough. But eternal salvation was the reward for those who preserved. Damnation to the rest.
Priests were given authority to dictate breeding patterns. If a man or woman desired children, they only had to speak to a priest and they would arrange the matter to yield the most desirable offspring. Assuming their line was worth preserving. Once the process was over, the two parties would go their separate ways if they so wished. When the child was deemed ready, it was given to its assigned cast to begin a life time of conditioning.
It also gave rise to the first written scripts of Dremur. Aegis had not seen the need for such a thing before. All of their knowledge was divided between the casts and handed down through the generations. But Aegis wanted the genetic traits and lines of heritage tracked. Not only did he want to avoid incestural traits, but he also wanted to note the more desirable lines.
It was nothing so grand as the work of his brother, Monstrator Incaedium. Limited to simple symbols and scratches to indicate individual lines of heritage and how stong their blood had proved itself through the generations.
Crafters were guided to build new tools for their nightmares. Long spears would allow warriors to strike when the enemy grew to close for a bow. Saddles were to be accompanied by a simple harness around the waist of their rider, assuring they would not fall from the skies or be left behind when a nightmare dove between the ethereal and the material.
Animal handlers were given the responsibility of watching over the nightmares and train them to follow the a larger herd. They were also to hunt Trigons were one ever to escape. The nightmares might be unwilling to do so. They liked to spread fear and panic where ever they went, especially within the primal mind. But the Trigon was built to serve and had little sense of self perseverance, thus proving a poor sport for a Nightmare... But having them attack and kill as a swarm might have potential.
Warriors trained with their new mounts and tempered their minds to control them. At first the beasts were soothed by Aegis's influence. But once the warrior and beast handlers had proven themselves capable, they were fully unleashed upon the world. At this point they were suggested to be used for combat practice. The nightmares did not care if a arrow struck its eye. In fact it might find it a amusing game as it slithered across the ground, feeling the archers panic rise, before it launched itself upon him. Nightmares by habit did not kill, as it served them no purpose. They liked to play with their prey, delighting in their anguish. Try as the warriors might, they could not slay a nightmare. They could shatter its skull and watch its black hide turn to dust. But it had only slipped away into the realm of its creation. Waiting for the day it would walk the material plane once again.
Labourers were tasked to build more farms. Trees were to be planted in the south, fields fertilized and wells were to be dug with aid of the Trigon. Aegis needed his people to grow and he would not see his people go hungry again.
While his people continued moving southwards, Aegis turned his eyes to the west. To his Brother Ahrimas and sister Iena... They seemed so far away, but they were his best chance in this endeavour.
He admired Monstrator Incaendium , but felt he was to distant to be concerned with this matter and Aegis could think of nothing that might interest his brother.And so once again he whispered into the night, throwing his voice towards the depth of the sea and the highest mountain.
“Brother and Sister. It is a pleasure to see the two of you alive and well in this age. I do apologize that I did not come before you sooner. I had preferred to stand before you as I once was, not as broken as I am now. Alas I fear our dear Vynnessia has forced my hand. I believe she has grown mad under the ravages of death and now seek to dominate us all with her wild beasts. I approached her some time ago, offering to split our lands equally between one and another, in the hopes that we might aid each other, in this dark hour. In response, she unleashed a plague which threatens us all. We all need something the mountain has to offer. We must all brace ourselves for Death's return and we can not afford to have our walls crumble because of the pest Vynnessia blindly throws into the world. I do not claim to know what ails her mind. But I know that she refereed to you as a mere foreign foot step on her land, sweet Iena and she now threaten the mountain tops I know you treasure so dearly. And if she will not share the desert beyond her mountains. Do you think she would allow the great Ahrimas to grace her coast? No... I fear she thinks only of herself, without regard to any of her fellow gods. And so I propose we all march towards her lands and eradicate this plague, before it spreads to far and remind her that there are bounds, even a god must follow... It need not go beyond that...If she submits to us, if she eradicate her creation before risking our own. Then let her be. If she does not.... Well I leave that up to discussion. But if it does come to that, I want to assure you that I do not do this for personal gain. In fact I am willing to offer you the same courtesy as I did Vynnessia. All land beyond the mountains is yours to claim. I am even willing to give you the southernmost mountains, Iena as a gift from brother to sister. They are far from my people and I believe you would get far more use out of them than I. Ahrimas shall control the coast as is fit for his rule. The forest may be divided as you see fit and I shall brace my armies for Death's return on the northern sands. Though I sincerely hope that the waters of Ahrimas might flow that direction, so new life may spring from the sand once more. And if our sister approach either of you, I wish for you to remember one thing. I come here as a friend, and brother. Offering trust and kinship. While she might tempt you with sweet words and offerings. A cornered animal is far from tamed.