Blaer, God of Air's Story

The wind currents take him into the aether, the thoughts take him into the nether. He drifts aimlessly in the air and it seems as if eons have passed. The last defeat has taken its toll, and it was more that he could bare. The wind kept slamming him into the high rock, on an on, swirling and turning. These blasted isles always came around after the tumbling from the high ridges of the continent and everytime it happened he brought here pieces of life in one of the valleys, although none of the fishing tribes on the shores could find it.

Eagles flew around, some beasts were howling on the distant side and three brothers were searching for food. Scavenging better said. They would be the prey in this area. One was weak
of heart, one was weak of body, while the third helped one and was used by the other.

“It’s their damn fault. Petty creatures.” And the wind started blowing against the brothers on the slippery cold ridges. One brother hanged tight, while one kept the weak of body safe. And then there’s the wind cutting through their skin. “They rose so high through so much effort just to leap back down like cows.” A cancer-like pain cut through the three brothers as the wind kept getting stronger and stronger. The weaker ones were beginning to let go, and would even be swallowed by the rocks below if it weren’t for the stubbornness of the third. “It’s the fault of the weak. They pulled the strong ones under.”

And he started descending on them. A great eagle of mist towards the prey. The wind was stronger than ever but he was pushing them towards the stone now. As he swept above their heads he landed on the nearby ledge, shifting to a hooded man and going behind the bushes. Two would follow, while the weak of heart would want to go back. And before soon there were three brothers following. The God shifted again to a lady of mist, blowing wind against some bushes, and vanishing into thin air.

And there were three brothers in front of a block of ice and mud and stones, but inside of it there was the shining element that legends said that killed. And two of the brothers started clawing at it without success, but the cold of the ice trapped their hands. The third slammed against the stone wanting to set his brothers free, and wind began clawing at them again. His kind would end frozen to death if he’d stay to help, but it was his kind.

So cold it was that with their almost dying breaths the ice cracked right in the middle of the stuck brothers, releasing a double sided blade. And mist engulfed the third.

“No these are not spoken words you’re hearing, but something long forgotten. Petty creatures have thrown this world in darkness, strong ones will bring it back to light and life. This was once a mighty blade, but now it must be stronger. Behind this ridge of mountains there’s a valley, sheltered from the cold the surround the isles. Take your strong and your weak and bring them there. Wind will bring the soil you need, and also the seeds you need. Clouds will gather when you need rain. For that you must wield this sword. One blade for the weak, one blade for the strong. And it needs to spark. It’s been ages since its last spirit, so before you can lead your kind behind the ridge you’ll need it to spark. One blade for the weak of heart, one for the strong. There is no future for your kind otherwise, third son of a third son.”

And then the mist went from around him and formed the shape of a lady near the ledge’s edge, right before taking off in the shape of an eagle with the same cancer-causing-pain gust of wind. A pleasant warmth was left with the three brothers, with a pair of cowardly eyes, a pair of sorrowful eyes and a pair of tears.

When most of their kind have gathered in the sheltered valley, it was time to make them listen to reason. At least someone's. But first he sweeped between the random crops and delivered a new spore between them. And at the heights of the two peaks Blaer meddled with two new lifeforms. Taking the eagle, he made another version of it, with a much faster flight, and another, bigger, sturdier, with bigger legs and four of them instead of two, and patches of fur on its body, aside the head and the wings. The latter would be rideable.

And then it was time to descend upon his future followers. He waited for the one that wasn't afraid of him, the third brother that new him to be among more of them and then, shifting the white mist into one of his giant eagles he started descending quickly towards the valley, taking his two new creations with him.

The descent created spiraling downward current so that it seemed like screeching and most of the humans were scattering away, except for a few brave and that former third brother. Upon the landing he shifted again into an old man, keeping the mist appearance and warming the air around.

Blaer started making shapes out of what for the humans it appeared to be like smoke: people laughing and stuffing their bellies, erotic scenes and wonders. Quickly, they started approaching more and more.

He then pointed at the double bladed sword, as one end had the faintest blue flow, while the other green, and then he pointed to the sky above: the slimmest of shimmering, like flows of water, but so dim that it took quite a few moments for them to see. It was just of two at the moment.

He then showed them deaths out of the mist, from predators and from old age, and he showed them what looked like spirits rising out of the dead and into the colored heavens. He showed them that people would become young again, and enjoy everything again for eternity. But he also showed them unworthy men, whose spirits would be trapped in stone and ice, and he made those appearances disfigured and mad.

He showed them the passing of seasons, and how they could use the small gathering of crops to their advantage, and how they should store things away for the cold times.
He showed them in the mist how they could use stones to shape stone and use them: at first he showed them tools, and then weapons for hunting. He then showed them how to use the stones to go into the rock of the mountain, where they would find something else in small pieces. But he showed those small pieces coming together when a flame came nearby. And the bigger pieces smashed through the mountains.

But Blaer needed more and his third brother would make for the perfect tool. So he turned towards him and pulled the air out of his lungs, making him choke. Some brave tried to interfere, but they were blown back, while others tried to flee. The peasants stared in awe as their deliverer to this new land was about to meet his end. He had lost his consciousness and was turning blue now, and soon cold, when Blaer left the mist as an old man standing in front, shimmering, while he entered again in the third brother. Just for a short glimpse, just enough to whisper a memory: he rose him to the heavens and showed him what would be the afterlife. And came back out without anyone noticing. It would only be a dream for him, but the traumatizing shock of almost being dead will make it believable. So that mere moments before death came about he gave him back the air in his lungs, and the dead appeared to come back to life. He showed them that he can take life and give it back, and now their new reborn “baptized” leader would spread the word of more.

So he took back his mist and shifted into an arousing young woman and came near the leader, and engulfed him in mist.

“You are reborn through my kindness, and now you know that it is true. I hold the power over life and death.

We talk again here, where only you can listen. I will come time and time again and teach your kind more and more, but you must do as I say, otherwise your kind will not survive. I’ve showed you tools, now take the rock of the mountain and build me a temple. Make it with eight sides, and give it a whole in the middle. That’s where the lights from above will hover, and in time maybe even touch the temple.

Make homes even for your kind from the same stone, and use ground and what I will teach you in the coming months to fill in the wholes. Even though it’s mild now, during the cold seasons I will unleash my winds to keep your kind strong.

The lights above will be my protection over this valley and they will grow stronger the more you use MY sword. When your kind will depart, moments before they seem to be heading towards the nether use the right blade on them. One for the weak, one for the strong. The blue shimmer is for strong, while the green is for the weak. But in the sky you will see them combine with red and yellow, because in the end no man is perfect. But the more blue that shines above, the better I can look out for your kind.

So take care that you keep the strong, while the weak will be slowly dissipated. Both those weak of body, together with those weak of mind.

Put the women to tend the crops, put the weak to bring rock from the mountains, and also gather as much of the smaller heavier pieces as possible. Take the strong, and take weapons with you. Train heavily and make use of my new gifts to you. The smaller eagle will bring messages to this column of color faster than any other flying creature. The bigger ones you will be able to ride so that going out of this valley is faster and easier. But it is not without danger. You need to tend to them first so that they grow. They’ll be wild in the beginning but use more men to trap them, but only then. The first that rides one will be the only one that can ride them. Just like their mate, so make sure to mate only young with old, and they will go to any length to keep their mate safe, and their first will be the rider. Only the rider should feed them, and he must do that every single day, and it must be red meat, that you fill easily find in these mountains.

When this is done, ride the griffins beyond this valley with the strong, but not before making sure every woman here is heavy with one of the strong’s seed. Spread word to the tribes you will encounter. Tell them of this shelter. If they want to come show them the way - the strong will make it, while the weak will scour. But never kill them. If they say no, just fly away.

And come back in the cover of darkness, flying above the clouds. Dissipate them with your griffons and that should give you enough time to see under a clear sky. Capture the strong, and the weak will surrender. If there is water nearby drown them all. If there are burning lights, bring their settlement to ashes, together with them. If not, bury them head first, as they still breathe, into the ground, but make sure to let their feet outside. It’s the only way your kind will survive.

Now put your people to work as there is much to do. Name this valley New Heaven, and you will now be known as Torrhen.”

He came back out and with the screeching noise went back into the heights.

Filled with anger by their recklessness, he started descending fast coming down with a tornado, disturbing the colored lights that glowed over New Heaven. He took some that were acting reckless and smashed them onto the mountain ridges, then flung them far away into the air and beyond. He also started spinning the air around some wind riders, that were losing their morals. The griffons became restless and restless, until they flung their riders to their doom. And those birds were then brought by the wind to the ground, smashing their wings.

Then, the air calmed again, but their lights, their precious afterlife still acted disturbed. The very old now Torrhen aproached, and the mist engulffed him.

“Tell them that their precious afterlife is not a guaranteed thing. As I showed you the last time, the weak, the undeserving have no place, and they’ll be forever kept in a state of horror.

The city is growing but this protected valley won’t be able to maintain all of you. Use the hunt of animals in your trainings. Beyond the valley are plenty of beasts, although a bit strong just for one man, so hunt in packs. But don’t kill everything you meet. Bring some back, and hold them in caged places. Train the beasts also. Make them docile. Hurt them, starve them, then tend to their wounds and feed them. When they lose their aggressivity, tend to them, bring them to grow and have offsprings. And you will have more food.

Make pathways to the east and to the west, where the slopes are easier. As you and your wind riders know, there’s forests on one side and a lake to the other. Make small settlements there, linked to the pathways, as you will need more in the future to keep this city growing. Only those from here will be able to reach afterlife.

And keep building the temple, otherwise the disturbed lights will never calm down. But more than that, you need to sustain what already exists here... Take your strong the smite down those that behave recklessly. But not by your blade... Take them in the griffons’ claws, and throw them from the heights to meet their doom beyond the valley.

And on the outskirts of the valley, higher up on the mountains, send the men to form outposts, and to train there. Starting with their sixth summer, every boy should be there to become strong.

And your growing old and weary, and your place in the Heights will soon be found, but dare not cross my teachings, for there is always the Howling nether for any unworthy. When your time is close take your blade to the highest peak, to the north of this valley. The one worthy of continuing to lead will be able to make it there.

But one more thing... because the weak have proven unworthy, every new child that comes to the world will be dealt by the weak blade, after their second summer, if they can’t speak, or if their body is too weak.”

And he stepped away from their now old leader.

And then took flight out of the valley, making the mountains around howl from the winds that hit ‘em and tossing some of the ones that instead of coming close to their leader, were staying behind the walls, smashing their bodies against the rocks.

The generations would pass, and Blaer made sure that his folk got the right leader each and every time. The climb would be difficult, and some would prove worthy, while others didn’t, and in the end only the strongest of body and mind would reach the summit to grab the two bladed sword.

And every so often would Blaer come tornadoing down in New Heaven to teach them new things through their afterlife delivering leader. The lights still danced a little disturbed as a reminder of past faults done by the people, and every now and then would Blaer send someone who was cowering in fear to his doom, smashed against the rock arround the valley.

As the lights grew, he would make the climate milder, so that more and more things would grow in the valley. But nothing was more precious than that spore he planted long ago, a spore that will grow and engulf in time every living thing from the valley.

But until then there was more to do.

He approached Torrhen, the fifth of his name, a fearless leader of New Heaven for quite some time now. He engulfed him in smoke, and the rest of the people started gathering.

“Afterlife is your deliverance, it’s the place of eternal glory and everything you wish. But it is attainable to you only through death. I can bring afterlife to you, here on this planet, but this will not be easy, as my high lights need to surround it whole. In order to do this you need to create new places to live, and everywhere there must be a place where I can bring the lights in contact.

To the west there is another ridge of mountains. They dwarf in comparison to the heights of this one, but they’re still high enough for you to live well, and notice the surroundings. In their heighest valleys, build 3 settlements, made out of wind riders, and those will be places where people will get to after their 16th winter.

In the middle of the settlements, make me shrines so that I can slowly bring afterlife all across the places. Make a column shaped construction, spiraling upwards. The new settlements will give you more options to dig the earth and discover its minerals. Along the path to those places develop smaller settlements for food and shelter destined for the travellers that will come to New Heaven.

And carry on finding people across these lands and telling them about me and the afterlife. If they come willingly they will make the journey to here. Otherwise, burn them, drown them or bury them alive according to possibilities. Those that come must here at least 5 sommers, so that they can understand our codes and principles. After that, they can either stay, either get to another place of ours in order to prove their worth and earn a place in the skies.”

And he exited the leader and through mist he showed them new things. Bringing supplies in the mountains would prove problematic, so that he showed them stony rails along the roads, on which carts would glide easily. And then he showed them wheels together placed, and ropes around them, and it seemed that the carts would balance out the load and travel all by themselves. From the small port of Torrhen’s Landing (named after the delivering leader) and from the wooded marshy settlement of Moat Trier (named after the first and only of his name, a very just leader) supplies would be placed in the carts, while from the heights of New Heaven stones and metals would make their way down and because of the weight it would all be done easily.

He showed them better hunting tehniques involving weaponry and attacking from the sky. And then he showed them dangers, threatening them and their afterlife. He showed them the evil fire, but also that it couldn’t burn without air; he showed them drowning water, but it could be sent away by wind; he showed them the all engulfing earth, and that it could be molded through time; and he showed them life, with all the horrors that it could bring, and all the joy, and that they’re also alive, and that together with what they achieve they will be able to dominate the others. And then he showed them their spirits, in eternity if worthy, and everything else in a twisting horrifiying eternity.

“He engulffed the leader again: never walk alone, never hunt alone, for you are the biggest of brotherhoods. Search for new people and bring them here, form the 3 collonies on the next western ridge in the highest of places. They will be easy to reach for the wind riders, but more difficult for everyone else. Develop your wind transports. And fly near and far in search for people, and bring them to this place. Make the new settlements along the roads and be careful to have them supplied. It will be easier with the new cart system. And soon, very soon, I will give much more knowledge when the giant temple is complete.”

And with the howling wind he took flight from New Heaven, heading towards Moat Trier and Torrhen’s Landing, where slowly he wanted new temples out of the stone coming from the valley above.