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Prologue: Even fate had its beginnings
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"Giving up on myself and on the ones I care for would be the only cruel act
left for me now; a rudderless life indeed..."

My legs are beginning to cramp up from the journey but my mind is so numb with
the pain of past events it doesn't matter. I push onward, swimming at full
speed into the depths of this icy darkness.

I've been imagining from the beginning of this voyage about what he would be
like when we finally meet. I am approaching threshold of insanity with all of
the questions that have gone unanswered. I knew if there was anyone who held
the answers to this mystery, it is him. "But why was I asked to make the
voyage? By the Fates, why was I chosen? After all, I'm not the greatest swimmer
and I've never really had much luck solving puzzles. My world is turned on its
head, my heart in ruins and still I am asked to do the impossible. This is a
race against time... And what if I fail... Well, I'd really rather not think
about the possibility of failing. In seems like just yesterday...

"How long will you be going out to sea on your journey?" Ikarht asked me, a
thoughtful expression on his face. It was him and my two other closest friends
Joesla and Rikel, whom walked beside me towards the shoreline.

"We're going to miss you so much... Please promise us you won't be gone long?"
Joesla seemed to be frowning as she pressed on, reminding me to be safe when
going into the deep waters of the Inner Sea. "And don't forget to eat, you
always go too long without food! We've all packed you a few of your favorite
snacks in this bubble-basket." A small tear rolled down my cheek as I realized
this really was good-bye.

Rikel looked at me for a moment, she'd been silent nearly the entire time we'd
all been walking together. Her hair was braided today, a silver-hued rose above
her left ear. She never wore braids I thought to myself, only when we were
children or on holidays when her mother told her to. "Please don't forget about
us..." she said suddenly, I nearly choked as the words came from her lips. "I
could... I will never forget you Rikel. I'll never forget any of you... and
I'll be back as soon as I can, you'll barely notice I'm gone." I tried to say
it without looking away, but I couldn't bare to make eye contact as I knowingly
lied to my friends. They must have known it too, they'd known me all these years
and they knew this wasn't going to be a short journey...

........ I can't bear to think about them any longer... I wish I could have
told them how long I was going to be gone that day. My friends, my family and
my guildmates; how it frightens me to think that you might all be lost forever.

I've been derailed too many times already on this quest, thrown off track
because I couldn't stay focused. My mind is plagued by the demons of Nil it
seems. The taint has truly cast itself a net over everything I care for. I wish
I was imagining all of this. What a dream it would be to wake up from... I
mustn't fail. It's beginning to consume me though, the possibility of failure.
"How much longer... How much further..."

The axis of fate was rapidly turning. Was the whirlpool of time and space
generating the momentum for a single Merian? It is a question that the greatest
philosophers have debated.

How long can one mortal survive in the cold blue depths of solitude and
sadness?

"At least I can be certain that the last breath I take, the very last moment of
my existence will be my fighting to discover the secrets of what has happened.

Can I can undo the work of a Divine and restore that in which I loved so much?
I wish I knew for certain. If only the pain I feel now could be locked away
somewhere; this grief I feel is more than any mortal should have to bear... I
shall not give in easily though, not this time, not when there is so much at
stake. Buried by Fain in the depths of where he thought I'd never look. Oh yes
indeed, we shall be together soon, the mystery and I. I'll finally know the
truth of what transpired; perhaps I'll even be able change the outcome of past
events. Yes, I shall change history if the Fates bestow upon me the power to do
so... Celest cannot remain in ruins, not if I can help it."

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Chapter One: The last meeting of Lord Fain and Lord Raezon
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It didn't take long to work out his most successful plan since the coming of
Estarra. In the eyes of this Divine, 157 years seemed to go by in an cold
heartless breath. If it weren't for the insistence by Lord Raezon that it had
to be done so soon or else the magic would fail, he would have taken more time
for preparation. Fain was sure that he'd accounted for almost everything but a
few possibilities remained unchecked. He was indeed the type to calculate every
move, every possible outcome to the letter. His years of lies and mastery of
subterfuge had led him to become quite strategic when it came to laying plans
involving the deception of others.

"We're approaching the deadline", Fain whispered to Raezon. His mellow tone
masked cruelty and hatred for his immortal brother.

These two never truly loved one another, though they often showed a false
camaraderie when it served their aims to do so. Each God had masterfully
worked up a plan the other did not fully know about. Fain was indeed the more
conniving of the two, for his plans involved the downfall of his brother along
with many others. Raezon was merely interested in the knowledge he would gain
from the event and the any advantage he might gain over the Mysterial Lord,
Lacostian, if his brother succeeded. Both had been in a struggle for power as
long as time had woven the threads that made up the great pattern of Lusternia.

Raezon held up a glass sphere that was filled with gems of various shapes and
sizes so that the light caught it and refracted rays of various colors
throughout the room. It was clear to Fain that there was a large sapphire in
the center of sphere, evident by a soft blue glow it displayed when the
torch-light on the wall struck its edges.

"Fain, this is the same sphere that was used by Vestera, the Dreamweaver. You
have heard of it I assume?", Raezon spoke softly, his brother listening
intently to him.

Fain stroked his chin for a moment as he considered his brothers comments. He
opened his lips to say something before shutting them to reconsider his
response. At last he spoke, "I've indeed heard of this sphere brother. If the
story I've been told of it is indeed true, it was melded in the Ghalphalshi
swamps from the Bubbling cauldron, rising forth along with the Dreamweaver
herself. Correct me if I am mistaken brother, but it does indeed foretell the
future of possible events, does it not?"

Looking at him for a moment thoughtfully, Raezon beckoned him closer to observe
the inner workings of the sphere. "Do not bother yourself with the details of
this device my brother. Heed only the words I speak now, and the vision you see
in the spheres center."

For a moment Fain hesitated but then reluctantly approached his brother to gaze
into the sphere. His brother shook it for a moment and a grey mist appeared
masking the visibility of the stones inside. They waited and watched for a
moment and at last a chilling grin formed on Raezon's face. The mist began to
settle inside of the sphere and when it came to rest the stones no longer
remained. Instead a crystal clear image took their place: the Pool of the
Stars.

"I have learnt through dreaming with this sphere by my bedside that the outcome
of our plan shall not fail. There is no uncertainty in the world of dreams when
the sphere of Vestera aids you, although there are always choices brother."

"Choices? What do you mean choices?" Fain spit as he spoke, "The decisions have
already been made Raezon. I've been waiting for this day since Lisaera and
Terentia stood to oppose me and ruin my plans. If I'd known they were so
callous as to presume themselves my equal I would have planned things
differently, but I know better now brother. Those two have sealed their own
fates."

Fain laughed for a moment while Raezon watched his brothers face twist and
contort with the hatred that consumed him. The sound of his laughter reminded
Raezon of souls screaming to be set free from a dark prison.

"The pool shall be laid to waste along with the Grand city of Celest. When I
have devoured the power from its Nexus, I shall at last destroy that wretched
sister of mine."

"And what of Terentia, what shall become of her Fain?"

"I've weighed the scales of the Fates this time brother. I'll allow her to
live, but not as she lives today. Oh, I am sure I can find a purpose for her,
as a servant and a lapdog to me. When I am bored of her, you can borrow her
brother, as a gift to you for the aide you have provided me. I'm sure she'd
enjoy that, a chance to serve two great Divine, greater than she herself could
ever be."

"Yes brother, I am sure she would like that very much." Raezon smiled, a fake
smile but a smile none the less. He knew his brothers madness and saw no logic
in arguing with him at this time. Fain would carry out his plans and the rest
would be left to for the Fates to decide.

Fain thought to himself for a moment as he studied Raezon. "I've been meaning
to ask you Raezon, what do you have to gain from all of this?"

Raezon shrugged his shoulders for a moment before stretching his arms outward.
A blue glow began to concentrate in the center of his palm and a soft grey
smoke began to rise from his pores.

"You should know by know Fain, my brother, that I take joy in seeing arcane
magic at work. The magic of old can bring down suffering and madness upon those
who do not embrace the taint. The magic when harnessed correctly has the power
to dispel hope and dreams from the minds of those pure like Elohora and
Japhiel. Even the Supernals cannot withstand the turpitude of their beloved
followers. The symbolism of the taint shall rise above all others."

"There is an immeasurable distance to cross for those who harbor the light in
their hearts. They will find it gives them no solace when the time of awakening
approaches. You know this as well as I."

Fain's top lip curled upward for a moment as he sneered, a red glow manifesting
in his eyes. "All of existence will bow before me Raezon. It is finally time
those sisters of ours learned our true strength. Even Estarra herself shall
bear witness to my power in awe. Let the Soulless remain sealed, I need no help
from them this time. The power of this world is mine for the taking."

"The plan will not fail this time, you and I have made certain of that. Now we
must act though, for there is still the chance, although a small one that this
magic can be unraveled."

"You worry too much Fain. You should leave the realm of these forbidden magic's
to me and concern yourself only with execution of this perfect plan of ours. I
have shown you the tones. The magic you will bring forth into this world cannot
be stopped by any Divine. There will no undoing of the fabrics once they have
been woven. Some knots cannot be untied, only the strings that created them can
be cut. Fate is yours to seal now. You shall have your revenge."

If only Estarra were able to hear them...

It was obvious neither of them was going to delve too deeply into details of
what they'd already planned so meticulously. Even these Divine, all powerful in
their disguise, safeguarded their secrets when speaking out loud. They each
considered paranoia a close friend when it came to proper execution of any
strategic operation.

"You must be careful though Fain. Terentia will not stand by idly as you prance
about the city of Celest. "

"Terentia will be distracted when I enter the city Raezon. She has already
fallen prey to the trap I have constructed. I orchestrated the kidnapping of
her Orders mortal leader, and she will most certainly be busy trying to figure
out what has transpired while I am in Celest laying waste to the city. She's
blown her own horn for too long, it is time a different tune rings throughout
the city of Celest."

Raezon was divided in his thoughts, as he listened to his brother recall the
atrocities of the past.

"I'll never forget what happened to me, no, I've promised it would be repaid
and the pain will run close to home as her city swallows its pride and
succumbs. The floodgates shall be open and they will finally know the taste of
taint upon their lips."

Subterfuge and his divine mastery of its realm all too well promised a sure
success. He'd strung the lives so many mortals abroad to follow his
instructions to the letter so that each piece of his plot was executed with
precision. Now all he had to do was wait, and Raezon, one to enjoy the
suffering of those untainted, was merely a spectator. His brother might offer
his suggestions at this point but mostly enjoying what he considered to be a
'theatrical production.' There was little left to be spoken about.

The pleasure in hearing his own voice was all that really mattered now. A few
moments passed and neither spoke. Raezon stared into the darkness of the poorly
lit pit of Nil they'd picked for a meeting place.

"In an hour's time, it will be done," Fain said at last. Raezon seemed to wake
up from daydream and made a quick nod to his brother before raising his palm in
the air.

"You will no longer be necessary to me brother when this task is complete. We
have nothing further to discuss." Fain mentioned dryly.

Raezon didn't blink as his brother reached to clasp his hands together and a
crimson cloud enveloped his body. In a blink of an eye, Fain was gone.

"Fain, you fool", Raezon scoffed under his breath after his brother had
departed. Your demise comes soon as well, for your hatred blinds you from the
knowledge of the magic you are playing with. When the Pool of the stars lay in
ruins, your doom approaches soon after."

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Chapter Two: The Graveyard of Lives almost saved
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My legs have become tight and cramped, my body deteriorated into a weaker state
of its former self. I've had to navigate undersea cliffs and the deep watery
abyss of the Inner Sea and beyond and yet I've found no answers, only more
distance to cover, more murky waters to reveal lost hopes and forgotten dreams.

Somehow I've managed to keep one goal in mind all this time... Learning the
answers to this foreboding question of what seems wrong... I've been having
terrible dreams lately. I never thought I'd return to Celest and yet I find
myself pushing harder then ever to return to the city and revisit my past life.
And of course, shattering the lies I have told myself all these years. I've been
motivated before, but not like this. Something in the back of my mind keeps
telling me to return to Celest. And now...

"Loss is in the air. I can smell it." I remember walking through this graveyard
so many times before. Something is wrong, something bad happened here.

The graveyard did smell. In fact, it stank of fresh rot, the corpses of
thousands of buried bodies beneath newly carved tombstones.

"This must be some sort of a joke... I can't believe all of these people died.
Perhaps it was a plague. Oh no! I.. it can't be... These tombstones over right
here belong to my four of guild mates. That one there was our Guild champion.
Oh Gods, what has happened."

A massive grave stood in the center of the graveyard, surrounded by seven
smaller but equally magnificent stones. The one in the center was shaped with
two massive blades crossing one another. Atop it a crown was carved in steel
and melded to the stone to wrap around the blades.

The tombstone belonged to the second in command of the Order of the Terentia.
It said so, chiseled into the plate of the stone: "Here lies the second soul to
pledge devotion to her faith, fallen in service of the Even-blades. May your
battles for the Light in the realm beyond be victorious."

Many of the graves had flowers on the mounds of dirt covering the coffins
below.

It sees impossible to forget, that moment in the graveyard. It isn't fair,
though life rarely ever seems to be in my experience. I only hope I can change
this series of events, but I doubt I'll be able to. I doubt I'm much good for
anything these days.

The only comforting thought I had through all of this was that I wasn't there,
and immediately after it I felt terrible. What sort of twisted soul am I to be
happy my life was spared when my friends are all gone? I must find out what has
happened here.

Then I saw him standing there, at a distance of several hundred paces across
the graveyard.

I had never expected to meet a Divine on my return to Celest, especially not
one I've loathed since my childhood and especially not in a graveyard filled
with all of my friends. I immediately made out the figure to be Lord Raezon. I
knew it had to be him. I'd seen a statue in his honor crafted out of a dark
slate in Nil during my youth.

His knowledge of forbidden darkness has ruined the lives of so many from the
stories I'd been told as a child. I concluded immediately that he must be
responsible for all of these lost lives here. Why else would he be here, except
to gloat and relish in the mayhem and destruction he has caused. I wonder of he
saw me... It doesn't matter, I've got to know what happened, even if it means
speaking with that filthy tainted excuse for a Divine.

I began to approach him, slowly and without haste, to find out what had
happened and get answers to this obvious chaos that had befallen my friends.

His eyes caught my own for a moment and a sense of evil beckoned me forward, a
compelling I've never felt before. A blur surrounded him as I continued my
approach, suddenly caught in a trance that approaching a God of his aura seemed
to create. It wasn't long, merely a few more paces in his direction, that he'd
materialized before me, covering the distance of the field in only a few
seconds.

"I see you've finally returned to your city mortal. Your timing is...
impeccable to say the least."

I could barely speak and even moving seemed too difficult so I didn't even try.
He continued to speak, his voice echoing throughout the graveyard, "I did indeed
see this day in my dreams, that you would come back to find me here in the
graveyard where your friends lay beneath the ground. It is a shame you were not
in Celest to bear witness to its demise mortal. Your patron Terentia arriving a
moment too late. The city wailing in tears as the vibrations of the taint
carried course through its veins. It was an amazing spectacle for all to bare
witness to, mortal."

"What have you done Raezon? Why do so many people from my past lay here in this
graveyard, having faced deaths obviously before their natural time?"

"It is Lord Raezon to you mortal and It is not what I have done", he said, a
grin of insanity manifesting on his face.

"This graveyard Lord Raezon", "I've passed through it so many times in my
childhood, never really recognizing the graves littered throughout. And this
time, this time it is the opposite. So many gravestones, all names I know. Why
do all of my friends lie here?"

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!" I shouted at last.

My mind began to race as he stared at me quizzically, considering perhaps if he
should destroy me as well for the disrespect I'd just shown.

How long have I been gone? I looked around at all the graves again and then
rested my eyes on my feet. I couldn't bear to look at the monster that stood
before me any longer. The grief was already beginning to swell inside of me and
I thought I might burst at any moment.

"You're one lucky Merian", He said at last. Somehow the Fates have tied a
special thread to you, though I'm sure it'll not be long until it is cut as
well. You survived a catastrophe in your city, by the mere chance that you had
gone to sea for so long. You survived when all else have perished."

I looked around frantically... Was this all in my head?

I looked up again, and saw him still standing there, a smile on his face that
never met his eyes. His face reminded me of vomit thrown upon a canvas of a
skull, grotesquely marred and deformed from anything I'd ever seen. Perhaps it
was just the disgust I had inside of me for his actions against my city
clouding my vision. I didn't care. I knew he had to be to blame. Who else could
it be? His very presence made me sick. I could only wonder what was going on.
How long had I been staring at him?

"I have come to deliver a message to you. All the citizens of Celest,
Celestines, Aquamancers and Paladins are dead. The fact that you remain alive
is a fluke, a chance of luck I say, but it cannot be denied. For some reason
beyond my knowledge the Fates have chosen you, although were it up to me I'd
soon see you join your mortal brethren. Alas, certain forces prevent me from
doing so, so I am here to relay unto you the following: Your city has been
destroyed, as you shall discover for yourself soon enough. All whom called it
their home are buried here beneath these graves."

I nearly choked on my next breath of air.

I could feel my stomachs acids beginning to burn a hole in my side and my eyes
watered up into swells. I knew what he said must be true. The gravesite smelled
of buried flesh, beginning to rot away.

"What... err...? How can this... uh..." I was lost for words.

"You must continue onward to your city mortal", his voice suddenly boomed
throughout the area, my soul shaking for a moment.

"You will discover what I say is true once you do. It is no joy of mine to aide
you now but I fear I must, for reasons beyond your purpose to know. Know this
instead: you and only you have the power to unravel the mystery of what has
happened here. The attack on your city was that of my brother, Fain and was the
last stone cast in a long waging war between him and my divine sisters.

"What? Why would Fain—Oh Gods no..."

"Yes mortal, nothing can be put past my brother and his treachery. He meant to
destroy the Nexus at the Pool of the Stars and drain its power for himself.
Filled with the power of the Nexus, he might certainly be unleashing the
Soulless from the sealed prisons where they are kept. Only it seems he
underestimated the magic of the ancient weave. It seems that the fire he
decided to play with finally burnt him in ways that have left him permanently
scarred. The master of subterfuge fell victim to his own games indeed. His
absence after the pools breaking was almost immediate."

"Absence?"

"Fain upon uttering the final incantations to the break open your Nexus was
destroyed along with it. Well, destroyed in a way that an immortal such as he
can be. Let me say simply that he is no longer what he was. The form which
embodied my former brother is a mere shell of existence. His soul has joined
the Soulless, though the paradox of such will likely make no sense to you. The
surge of the great magic within him was to great for his weakened state to
bear. I did not give him the final incantation he needed to remain unharmed by
the event."

"It really is too bad, but, that is what he gets for meddling in a realm beyond
even him."

You must go now mortal, go deep beneath the waters of your former city and you
will see. Allow even the most unlikely of guides to show you the way and you
shall find the answers you seek."

The conversation had taken my mind away from the fact that the graveyard was a
sickening place to be. The smell of flesh had filled my nose to the point that
my eyes were watering both from sadness and the putrid stench. I watched the
form of the Divine before me vibrate rapidly and within seconds a charred spot
on the ground where he had stood was all that remained. I quickly turned toward
the gates at the edge of the graveyard and ran... I ran towards Celest.

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Chapter Three: Celest beneath the Sea
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I'd been accustomed to seeing the streets of Celest flooded before. The
Aquamancers had setup their demesnes time and time again to defend the city and
flooded the streets as a result. This however was nothing I could have prepared
myself for. I found myself swimming into the city, or rather, above what had
been the city.

Celest, why did this have to happen to you?

There were no towers pushing through the waters surface. The entire city was
submerged. The water as I swam closer towards the center of the city became icy
cold. My breathing shortened into short-gasps for air as I could barely retain
oxygen. My arms and legs were covered with goose bumps and I began to shiver.
The shivers ran up my spine as I dived downwards towards what my eyes realized
was indeed the submerged city of Celest.

All of my strength reserved in my body could not help me in this moment of my
life. Celest had always held a special place in my heart. The point had finally
come when that place turned to a dark crystal of pain and despair, jaggedly
tearing into my soul. The murky blue liquid seemed to be tainted as I swam
through pockets of liquid much too oily to be pure water.

I circled the city before heading to where the pool of the Stars had been. It
was there that I found what Raezon had spoken to me about in the graveyard.

The Pool of the Stars glowed, a red hue coming from the glowing sphere
surrounding it. My intuition told me that the sphere encompassed the secrets to
what had taken place. I had to find a way to get inside.

I swam towards it immediately, desperate to find the answers I'd been looking
for. Ouch! I was met with a shock that sent me somersaulting backwards.

Some kind of a force field surrounded the sphere, or the sphere itself was the
force field. I can't be sure, but it seems... I raised my hand and using what
lesser-magic How could I pass through it?

I remembered in that moment one of those epiphanies we sometimes have from
experiences of our past. I saw myself from above, seated in a circle of several
Merians meditating. In the center of the circle was a red box, carefully crafted
by an artisan with wild designs of great white sharks and turtles on its sides.
The box began to vibrate suddenly and from its center a bright watery mist
began to rise. Suddenly a person in the circle spoke, "Concentrate on the mist
as it rises. Allow your mind to relax and feel the waves of the aether around
us. Do not become distracted by the thoughts in your mind. Let them float by as
if leafs on a river. Watch the flow of the river now."

The mist continued to rise and finally reached its pinnacle before separating
into balls of light, diving towards each of the Merians sitting in the circle.
In a flash the lights erupted on the foreheads of each of the Merians and
everything went still.

The memory of my past faded and I was again staring at the force field.

At last I knew what must be done. Closing my eyes, I allowed myself to fall
into a trance. My mind drifted into the void and my soul began to vibrate
within my body.

I could feel the void creeping over my entire being, ready to consume me
entirely. My concentration ensued and suddenly there was nothing. No Celest, no
pool, no pain... And then it happened. My spirit emerged from my body, in a
dream state. The anxiousness I felt was beyond the void now, my will was all
that guided me. A distant voice that I knew must be my consciousness told me to
discover the inner-workings of this sphere that surrounded the Pool.

I floated now, in a world between worlds, drifting towards the glowing field. I
drifted into the sphere, my ethereal form passing through it its boundary. There
was no feeling as I passed through, only a knowing that seems beyond words to
capture.

I looked through my ethereal eyes at something that nearly caused my void to
shatter. There before me, the pool of the Stars to which I had come to love and
adore, that I'd used for drawing and contributing power so many years, was
cracked. No small crack either, but rather split down its center. Several of
the smooth white stones that surrounded its edges lay chipped and scattered on
the ground surrounding it.

The aura of power and love that had always radiated from the pool was gone. In
my body beyond the force field I began to shake with rage. The void shattered
and I was instantly returned to my body. "Elohora, if you can hear me, I need
you now more than ever."

"Hey! You there..." a voice... but from where?

I spun myself around and there I saw him. A tiny incandescent blue fish with
white speckles spanning across its face floated just a few feet away from my
ethereal form. The fish dashed left and right, obviously trying to garner my
attention. "What is it little fish?" I spoke, my words bubbles in the blue mesh
of what seemed to be unreality.

In what was left of my grieving consciousness, I heard the words, "Follow me...
We have a long way to travel. He has sent me to find you and bring you to him.
We must hurry though. What has happened here can be undone. He will tell you
what you need to know."

"Find who?" the thought formed in my mind, a bubble in the aetherways of mental
telepathy.

It seemed a moment of consideration was all it took for my soul to pass back
through the sphere. My ethereal form had merged once again with my body and I
looked up to see the fish floating there before me, its features plain and
unafraid.

"My master sir. He is the only one who holds the key to unravel this mystery.
We must go now sir. Please, follow me."

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Chapter Four: Discontent and prayer
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My mind is focused now and I don't think my purpose could be any clearer.
Follow this fish and pray that it leads me to the master with whom he serves.
With luck the secrets therein that surround this terrible fate of my city can
be reversed.

"Oh Lady Estarra... I cry out to thee in prayer... Show me a tidal wave of
generosity so that I may have haste in reaching the master of this fish. Aide
me please Lady, so that I may discover how to change these unfortunate events.
Celest has indeed become a city of sadness for me; my dreams of joyous days
upon the walk and relaxing by the pool with friends seem so distant now. I've
always believed that progress meant leaving things behind us, but now I realize
that my ideals were obscured dogmas of ignorance and naivety. Progress now to me
only means change; change in a forward direction. I've not much hope left in my
heart.

My life is an hourglass emptying faster than I can swim, each grain stacking
upon the previous one so that all I care for is buried beneath the sand. I've
never been so troubled, so confused before. The blue fish... Raezon... Fain...
The pool of the stars in ruins... none of these pieces seem to fit together at
all.

Why would Raezon want to restore Celest? He's always shown disdain towards it
and its ideals. Something is afoot, and were I no Merian, I'd say this all
seems a bit fishy. The immune system I once called morale is in shock. If this
isn't denial, I don't know what is. I'm not sure what to believe anymore, but I
know I must carry on... Please Lady of Creation, guide me."

I continued swimming as fast as I could, the fish moving at a pace beyond any
I'd seen before in a creature of its size. My thoughts remained on Lady Estarra
and her rescuing me in her arms. I envisioned her nurturing my heart back to
life with a vision of Celest thriving, its citizens dancing in the streets
around the pool of the Stars, people going about their way happily. It was the
city I had grown up in, the one from my childhood. I saw my childhood best
friend standing by the pool, gazing into its calming waters.

A soft voice startled me from my dream of Celest and I heard the tiny fish
speak to me, "We must go faster sir... I must pick up the pace if I am to get
you to my master in time. Please try to keep up."

My sense of time became completely lost as the journey took on what must have
been several days time. There was no way of knowing for certain but I'd spent
many years at sea and I knew my limitations. Pressing onward with fatigue
beginning to set in has never happened before until at least a week without
rest. And this is the hardest I've ever pushed myself before. I'm ready to
collapse at any moment.

And then it happened. We approached an undersea coral sanctuary.

I looked around and noticed there were jellyfish all around me of every color
imaginable. Some of them spanned twelve feet in dIkarhteter while others were
no larger then a gold sovereign. The fish I was following managed to find a
path through them and I quickly tried to keep up, moving my body with the
utmost dexterity possible to avoid smashing into schools of the jellies.
Minutes turned into hours and the thick cloud of jellyfish seemed as if it
would never end.

I lost sight of the tiny fish for a moment as we took a sharp bend around a
school of what must have been a thousand of them. I began to panic. "Oh no...
where has he gone too." I quickly bolted towards the direction I saw him last,
pushing through the waters with all of my might.

Suddenly I emerged from the jellyfish cloud into an area of crystal clear
freshwater. I looked behind me and saw the cloud of jellyfish was actually
moving further and further away and looked back to see no sign of the fish in
sight. "I must have lost him in the cloud... I've failed again... I knew I
wasn't cut out for this. My city, my friends, everything remains lost and now
I'm completely lost to. If it weren't so dark at these depths, I'd at least
have a sense of where I am but alas..." I tightened my eyes to fight back the
tears that would pollute this freshwater I floated within. I really did think
this was it.

A journey that seemed to last weeks ending with my inability to keep up with
the small fish that had been my guide. "This is just hopeless", I finally
thought to myself.

And then I heard it, a voice that was nearly songlike, calling me... calling my
name...

"Child..." What voice is this I hear... a whisper of an echo off the inner
barriers of my mind... "Do not be afraid child... You gather strength from your
deep sadness. From your pain, the turmoil and death of those you loved. Look
within yourself now and feel inside of you a power that waits within, ready to
emerge and aide you in completing this quest. You shall learn to be happy again
child, this is not the end. Do not give up hope."

Oh yes! I am certainly losing my mind. I looked around for a moment and saw
nothing. The madness must have set in. I knew it would sooner or later and I
guess it's finally happening. I hear the voice again.

"I knew you were coming for me, for you are indeed a child unto mine. Your
quest for knowledge and to understand the quandary that has complicated your
life is admirable. There are many who will lay praise to you if you are indeed
to succeed."

I cannot believe what I am hearing.

"Who... who are you?"

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Chapter Five: Hanging by a thread beneath the sea
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"In all my years..." was all I managed to say after before his eyes sparkled
with a twilight of a thousand stars. From what appeared to be endless blue
depths of darkness, his figure before me took shape and size, materializing
into something or someone I'd never seen before. It caught me by surprise and
left me looking to find my breath which had been exhaled completely in an
elongated gasp.

I've seen in my life many wonders within the oceans and seas but none of it
seemed to compare to the figure gracing me with his presence in these starry
depths.

My eyes traced along the contours of his robes, a radical silver-hue with
sophisticated embroidery that caused my eyes to strain as I followed the
incredible designs. Each thread seemed to tell a story, with a hundred shades
of silver in each picture. I noticed a large shark swimming beneath a ship,
waves crashing into the starboard side of the giant boat. Another embroidered
picture depicted a man standing on a beach looking out at sea, a message in a
bottle floating towards him. The flow of pictures seemed to change as he
shifted, one image replacing another.

Surrounding his figure was an aura of omnipresence. His face was smooth and
calm, and seemed to know the infinite cosmos and beyond in its assured gaze. I
truly saw through my eyes for the first time while standing before him. His
presence alone enlightening me in a way I never have known before.

It was for certain in my mind that here before me floated a Divine, his
radiance driving my inward thoughts towards curiosity and intrigue. I was
shaken by the mere fact that he was so tall, towering above me in magnitudes of
length that diminished most whales I've encountered.

"I am he who holds knowledge of all that is absolute. Cultures and
civilizations throughout the ages have called upon me to understand the
mysteries of life and beyond. I confront all enigmas and riddles, my
understanding of all that is extending deep into the realm of the Knowledge and
Mysteries of supreme Magic."

"There is none unto my realm that can remain uncovered to mine eyes. All
existence knows my touch child, and so shall you know it as well" his voice
bellowed, a resonating sound of twilight in my mind."

"This must be a great bit of confusion for you my dear mortal. The questions
for me you must have I shall answer in my own way, but know this. I am the
Mysterial Lord, God of all legendary and modern Knowledge. I am Lacostian."

I stuttered for a moment, unsure of what to say next, though he continued
speaking as if I'd made no sound at all.

"To you I bestow my divine favour, for Your journey will not go without reward
and my assistance. Though it may be decades before you are truly recognized for
what you shall embark upon when you leave my presence, know that I have been
watching you and my blessings shall be known unto thee."

With that said he raised his hands above his massive figure and the waters
above him began to swirl. A whirlpool of blues and greens seemed to spin faster
and faster until he was floating below a complete blur of aquatic chaos. From
the swirling madness jet streams of water sprung forth in all directions,
blasting off in directions all around me as far as my eyes could see. The
swirling began to subside and just before it completely stopped a giant stream
shot forth and blasted me in the chest. Surprising to even myself however, I
did not budge but rather stood stronger, more resilient and filled with energy
of magic I'd never known before. I shook my head from side to side for a
moment, trying to clear away the confusion to no avail.

"I am sure you'd like to know why you have been chosen to seek me out and why
you were led to see your cities ruins by a Divine whom is tainted and corrupt."

I looked at him for a moment, still astonished by the quickening of his tone
since I had encountered him. I managed a brief node before he continued.

"Raezon pledged an oath to me due to an offense I caught him red-handed
committing many years ago. Since I could not travel to meet you in the
graveyard upon your return to Celest, he did unto me a favour by being there in
my place. It was no joy of his to do so mortal, but he had little choice in the
matter for his debt to me weighed in such costs unto him.

While the affairs of the Divine are of no concern to you, this story and his
offense to me are of importance to your journey. His tone changed for a moment,
as he began to recall a history of events that had taken place.

"Raezon sought to learn a very unique greater Magic for which only I have
knowledge. It is known by some Divine that many secrets of this great Magic are
kept in my private library, where I have allowed my most devoted followers
study. This library is guarded carefully, and none may gain entrance without my
own permission or that of my followers."

"Raezon is no fool though my mortal friend. He had gained access to my great
library by coercing one of my followers who had largely underestimated the
intentions of a divine as corrupt as he. He'd taken on the form of a Goddess,
the Lady Isune upon arrival at my library. Implying a very urgent need to see
me, Raezon in the form of Lady Isune was given entrance to my library as my
follower dared not imagine any to impersonate the Goddess of Compassion. In
form of the Divine Lady, he agreed to wait for me in the lobby of the library
and after waiting for my follower to return to his studies, left immediately in
search of what he'd came for. After masking his form from mortal eye, he was
able to search through my library and eventually uncovered from a wing closed
off to even my followers themselves, a book of extremely dangerous magics.

From my library he removed a book called the Magical tones of Fabricia, one
which he had long sought after. This book was bound and sealed using a magical
cipher, a nearly unbreakable encryption that I developed after many years of
study. I knew if any were to break into my library through means of deception
or brute-force, I'd have to protect certain articles therein."

"In order to break the encryption, Raezon laid plans to kidnap three of my
followers who had been studying my techniques of such encrypted bookbinding for
many years. Before departing from my library, he traveled into the commons where
they were deep in research and entangled them before any alarm could be
sounded."

"Foolish I was not however, for the techniques used to safeguard the Fabricia
text were none known to my followers. They were unique unto themselves,
although due to the nature of such magic, some overlap used in all encryptions
is inevitable."

Let it be said to you now mortal so that you may fully understand the outcome
of the events that took place that Raezon did not break the encryption in its
entirety. He uncovered only enough in his great effort to reveal certain
magical tones that gave him the capacity of destroying a Nexus of power. After
learning what he could from my followers through various means of torture, he
disposed of them by twisting their minds with a deeply tainted magic. I was
able to recover my followers from the pits of mortal damnation, but they were
forever changed.

Taking what knowledge Raezon had learnt from my followers, it still took him
several hundred years to unlock a single chapter of the book. And even in doing
so, many carefully made instructions remained missing as his techniques for
decryption were not precise."

"Knowing he did not have the full mastery of this magic, he still thought
highly of himself for his partial-discovery. He began to contrive plans so that
he could someday make use of these destructive incantations."

"Fain would suffice as the superfluous pawn to Raezon's plans. He knew he could
manipulate his brother into performing the ritual by stirring up the welling
hatred within his immortal soul. The perfect plot Raezon thought to himself.
He knowingly gave his brother the tones which he only partially understood,
leaving out the details that would insure Fain was as expendable as the Nexus
he'd end up destroying.

While even I do not know the exact details that were shared between my divine
brothers, I do know that Fain lacked the tones that established wards necessary
to safeguard him during for performing the ritual of Demolia Nexum."

"The series of events that actually took place upon the day your city was
destroyed are quite important. You will find that this story has some holes it,
ones even I could not fill in as I pieced together the events my brothers had
created. It does however begin simply enough."

"It begins with Fain and Raezon planning a way for Fain to gain entrance to
Celest. The plan was simple. Raezon would lure Meleris away from the Pool of
the Stars in a dream, the keeper having been resting for a moment after a long
day of keeping watch. The sphere of Vestera made this possible, another
discovery Raezon had made over the years as he worked out this plan."

"The keeper was convinced of a story that a enormous treasure chest filled with
essence was not far off to the east, and only the Keeper of the pool could open
it. This all had come to the keeper in a dream, told to him by the Lady Isune
herself. With promises of quadrupling the power for the city, Meleris went
blindly towards the east in a trance induced by greed and a desire to see his
city increase become stronger than ever before. By the time the effects of the
trance wore off and he realized he'd been played the fool in a royal hoax, Fain
had already made his move."

"Fain, with his brother to thank for the distraction, shape-shifted into
Meleris and approached the city from the northwest where you know Alabaster
Road to be. He was greeted by the cavalier guarding the gates and while they
thought it odd for Meleris to be out wandering about, they dared not question
an elder such as he. He continued onward only to be greeted by several
Celestines and an aquamancer who were wondering why he'd wandered off. He
silenced them in an unusual manner they'd never seen of Meleris before. One of
the Celestines even chose to run off to inform his Guildmaster that something
seemed odd about Meleris. The others did not think much of it."

"It should also be mentioned the Terentia, the Divine patron of the city was
quite distracted during all of this. She was held up by a plan Fain had
organized prior to his entrance to the city, the details of which are
unimportant at this time. Let us just say that Fain knew he had to act quickly
and she was taken care of for the time being. That is all that is being
implied."

"Also important for you to know is that Raezon was not far off during these
events. After leading Meleris astray, he took to returning to Celest so that he
might be able to watch through a looking glass as he hovered mid-air to the
southwest. He actually watched the events that took place from the very same
graveyard you encountered him before setting out to find me."

"The shape-shifting Fain had embraced would only last for a few minutes before
he returned to normal form and he knew that he had to destroy the Nexus. He'd
approached the pool now and began walking around it, judging its depth with his
divine vision and deciding upon where he would stand to perform the incantations
he believed would drain its power."

"For mortals watching him do this, very little seemed out of the ordinary.
Meleris had been known to walk around the pool before, and although he was
acting a bit odd, people usually don't have high levels of awareness. Few
mortals do. "

"It wouldn't have mattered though if things did seemstrange, there was nothing
any mortal could do to stop what was about to take place. Perhaps if the Lady
Isune could have been contacted or if I had not been in meditation so far away
from my mortals, the apocalypse could have been averted. That however was not
the case. The moment of the apocalypse had finally arrived."

"Fain clenched his teeth together for a moment as he looked into his minds eye,
focusing on the first symbol his brother had shown him. Jumping onto the rim of
the pool of the stars, the Celestines and Aquamancer standing by the pool were
caught quickly by surprise."

"He remembered it well, the shape of a tree, its branches spawning both left
and right but not upward in any way. The tree of the event horizon it was
called. He uttered a tone beneath his breath and the pool of the Stars began to
hum. He quickly began chanting the next symbol and with haste, moved onto the
next. One after another, the symbols stacked, the power of each a catalyst to
the earlier ones."

"The hum from the pool grew louder each time a symbol was spoken and at last,
one of the Celestines covered her ears and let out yelp before taking off in a
dash towards her guildhall. Fain laughed loudly as he finished the final tone
he'd been taught by his brother, his minds eye holding the vision of a rams
horn, twisted so that it formed a crown in its spiraling shape, the words
"Kourmi Uxua Raffelia Nexum" leaving his lips before silence fell over the
area."

"The waters in the pool of the Stars began to boil and Fain standing on its
edge simply shook with laughter as he shifted from the form of Meleris into
true natural form as the Divine traitor he was known for."

"The Aquamancer who had been at the pool observing all of this widened his eyes
with shock. If story holds true, he quickly raised his coral staff sending a
wave of liquid frost towards my divine brother. The frosty blast vaporized by
Fain's divine fire before reaching him and only fueled his laughter into what
grew into thundering roars throughout the city."

"The story beyond this point becomes difficult for even I to interpret mortal.
As I told you, it does have certain holes in it to which I have not been able
to fill. These holes in particular are the ones that you must discover if this
magic is to be reversed."

"What I can tell you for certain is this. The magic Fain called forth shattered
the Nexus of power and caused its power to expose him to a true moment of
pandemonium. The magic uninhibited by the constraints of the pool lashed out at
Fain, whom had no ritual wards to protect him. Rather then absorbing the energy
and power of the pool as he imagined he would, instead he was burnt from
within, a lightning strike to his soul if you will. His his very essence was
divided into millions of broken shards. His soul and his essence were
separated, his being becoming Soulless and empty."

"From the seas around the city, the waters rose and came crashing towards
Celest from all directions. It is for this reason and one other that none were
able to escape. I assume you found a red sphere surrounding the pool when you
visited your city last. That red sphere after the invoking of the magic by Fain
had surrounded the entire city, preventing the entrance and exit of any, mortal
or divine. The patron of your city Terentia had actually arrived while mortals
still lived, and she tried to break through the sphere to set them free. Alas
she had to watch as her faithful followers within the sphere struggled to
survive, the waters from the seas around them corrupt with the taint of Fains
own essence drowning them before her eyes."

"The mystery my mortal friend can be solved by understanding the sphere that
surrounds your pool. It is a bubble in the aether, a reflection if you will, of
another sphere. The sphere it represents is the sphere of Vestera, a extremely
powerful object formerly possessed by my brother Raezon. This sphere must be
obtained, though I can say with certainty it is no longer is in the hands of my
immortal brother. While he repay his debt to me by guiding you here, he has
still sought to prevent you from unraveling this mystery by hiding the sphere
from you and I. Due to certain restrictions even upon the realm of the Divine,
my own aide can only be to point you in the direction you must travel next if
you are to save your friends."

You have been chosen not by your own accord, but by the Fates themselves.

"You have come to learn of the tragic destruction of your city, the deaths of
your friends and the cruel acts bestowed upon the city of Celest because it is
you who has the power to reweave the pattern. The Fates themselves have opened
a tear in the fabric of time and space. A path has been made for you, through
limbo and the aetherways themselves, cutting through all of reality. "

I could barely speak... I managed to mumble an "uhrh.." or something that I
thought sounded like one. The story I'd heard so far had blown me away, I
wasn't sure how much more I could bear to hear but I'd gone this far... My own
will was lost as long as my city remained lost as well.

"Your journey only begins here mortal. The path you have swam so far defines
the way upon which you must return. I shall aide you in reaching your next
destination, but your final destination is unknown even to I. While I govern
the realms of truth and knowledge, even I do not know all the future holds in
store for us."

"If you are indeed to restore that which was Celest and resurrect the friends
of your past whom are now buried beneath the ground, you must take upon you a
burden few mortals can bear."

Looking upon this Divine, it was evident I had no choice. It seems my life had
built up to this moment, the thread that dangled from the heavens singling me
out from all others.

"Lord, I am indeed compelled to save my friends. If my friends cannot be
returned to me, if Celest cannot be resurrected, I have nothing left to live
for."

Above Lacostian dangled a thread I'd not noticed until now. It seemed to have
just appeared or perhaps I'd been to caught up in the story he told to notice
it. From the heights of the Ocean, ethereal in its design, it softly waved as
if a current were tossing it back and forth. It radiated a glow of a golden
luminescence and went further then the eye could see.

"I see you standing before me Lord, beneath a thread that reaches into the
heavenly surface of the ocean. It seems to go onward forever." A soft smile
spread across his face as he glanced up towards thread, his hand reaching up to
touch it and instead passing through it.

"That thread represents your life young one, its length represents your past,
both lives you have lived before and the life you live presently. While you may
not understand any of this, there is more to you then even you might know. This
is not the first of mortal struggles you have been asked to champion. It was
you that has been called upon in trial and tribulation so many times before.
You are not new to these coils of mortal life, though your memory is blocked
beyond the beginning of this life you lead today."

"You and I have met many times before, though each time you took a different
form, and each time you believe it to be the first time we have met. You see
mortal, you are more than a material being of flesh and bone. Your existence
like my own spawns back to the early days of creation itself when Lady Estarra
wove the fabrics of space into all that is known unto thee. While our paths are
the difference between the Sun and the moon, we each serve a unique purpose in
this extravagant world and the enormous hourglass of fate. Your purpose is to
save your city now mortal, while mine is to aide thee in ways only I know how.
You have my blessing mortal, and now, have unto thee this gift."

I watched as the powerful Divine before me reached down in my direction, a
glowing ring in one open palm and a small green box in another.

"Take this ring and wear it mortal, for this ring holds in it the power to
solve mystery and discover even the deepest held secrets. You will need it
where you are going. And in this box mortal holds my final gift for you. I
cannot speak of it now I'm afraid, for if I do the item within will vanish and
its possibility of helping you save your city shall vanish along with. The
magic protecting the contents of this box works in such a way as this: A divine
must never speak of nor see the specific contents within this box, or the
contents shall be forever lost. It is a most clever protection if I do say so,
for it protects all Divine, even myself from using it and gaining use of that
which is within."

"There is little more you shall need mortal. You do remember the fish that led
you here though?"

I looked up at the Lord of Mysteries, my eyes wide with the enlightened feeling
he graced upon me. I nodded calmly.

"You'll be following him again, but only for a short while. He will lead you in
the direction you must go, but even he cannot take you there this time. You will
know what needs to be done when the time comes. You must find the sphere of
Vestera mortal, and while its direction is known unto me, its exact whereabouts
only you can discover."

"You must go now. The Fates may not grant you eternity to solve this mystery
and each moment that passes solidifies the impossible from being reversed."

"Th... Thank you Lord..." I managed to say at last from beneath my breath
before I realized that with his last words he'd vanished. The darkness before
me where his form had just been went forever into the depths of the oceans. The
ethereal thread that had hung above him was gone as well. Had I just dreamt
this? What... just happened... I thought to myself, before looking down to see
a ring and a small green box in my hands.

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Chapter Six: The fall of Fain
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Sitting in a finely crafted silver-imbued throne of ivory, Fain jotted away
carefully on a map, scribbling down notes in a blurred frenzy. The map was of
the Grand city of Celest, its many streets and shops, guard towers and
facilities. At the center of the map was a circle in red ink surrounding the
Pool of the Stars.

Many key notes were added on different parts of the map. Small scribbles around
the pool itself could be seen, containing symbols of various shapes and sizes.
Fain knew what these symbols meant, well... he knew what most of them meant.
Raezon had given him a tome that contained eight ancient symbols used to call
upon the arcane magic of Lusternia. Four of these symbols corresponded with the
great seals, two of them were representations of positive and negative karma and
the last two he had been forced to learn without explanation, adhering to the
advice Raezon had given him. The last two worried him the most however since
one of them was the shape of a cross with two eyes drawn above the horizontal
axis. Red eyes...

Fain knew he didn't have time or the patience to worry about the details of
this magic but it still bothered him not knowing what the last two symbols
meant. He really only knew one thing. That he was going to break the Nexus of
the Pool of the Stars and spills its power forth so that he could absorb it for
himself.

During a dark night when the guards were patrolling the portals above the pool
due to attacks upon the city that he had orchestrated, he had performed a small
test to see if Raezon had told him true. Sneaking into the city as the form of a
small pilgrim, he found himself at the pool at the city center. Using three
uttered incantations he had been given, he was able to draw from the pools
power and watched as a nearly invisible crack formed on the edge of the pool.
The remaining symbols would build upon the momentum of the chanting, until the
pool itself split open. That was the plan at least. He left the city, empowered
more than ever as he knew with confidence his plan would not fail.

It seemed everything was finally coming together. Terentia and her precious
city would pay the price for what she had done to Fain; oh... she'd pay the
price indeed. Even Divine have weaknesses Fain thought. He knew this all too
well. His own weaknesses had become obvious to him over the millennia of his
existence.

Fain relaxed in his chair for a moment and dreamed of the future... He imagined
himself a puppet master pulling the strings on the citizens of Celest and its
Divine Patron. He pulled the strings on Terentia harder and harder, and finally
tore her left arm from its socket. "Not so even-bladed now..."... his laugh was
menacing and roared through his mind so loud that he came to from his daydream
and refocused his attention on the map on the desk before him.

His plan was perfect and his brother had agreed to help him, distracting the
Keeper of the pool from the city while he laid waste to it and its citizens.

He smiled to himself as he spoke, "The taint would rule Lusternia again he
thought to himself, I will rule Lusternia."

Only one final matter was left to attend to before he went to Celest to commit
this act of madness. He knew what it was. His brother had shown it to him and
he wanted it. He knew it had given his brother the visions to bring this
perfect plan into motion and he wanted its power to guide him in the coming
days. He had to have it. Carefully folding up his map, he placed it away in a
chest near the door of his study.

"I'm coming for you brother but more importantly I'm coming for it... the
Sphere of Vestera shall be mine."