Part I

Family

In the beginning there were two boys. One was called Allon and the other was
named Ginesh. Allon lived a simple and humble life as the servant of Ginesh's
family. Despite this, the two were good friends.

Ginesh was born into a wealthy and noble merchant family that owned vast estates
in all of the communes and cities. So large were their coffers that the family
employed hundreds of servants to work for them. They dabbled in almost every
trade, from spider silks to Clarramore perfumes and Ackleberry honey to rare
Divine artefacts. But what the family was most renowned for above all was their
expertise and superior knowledge of equines. Indeed, their legendary stables
situated on the golden meadows of Malacoda produced only the finest specimens of
equine, and so revered were they that they answered directly to the royal
Imperial courts.

Allon, on the other hand, was found abandoned at a young age and taken in by the
kind mother of Ginesh's family. Nobody knew from where he came or what his real
name was, but he was immediately treated like one of their own.

Ginesh attended school during the day while Allon worked in the stables and
scooped up hay. Allon learned how to properly groom the horses and fill their
feedbags and Ginesh was educated in arithmetic, history, and fine literature.
When Ginesh returned home from school, he would finish his homework before
having dinner. When he was finished, the two friends went out to play at
knights, mages, guardians and gods.

Part II

Decisions

All was well in the manor and the stables. Ginesh and Allon reached their
teenage years and began maturing, physically, at a rapid rate. It was no
surprise that Ginesh began to attract the attention of females at his school and
during Imperial parties, and vice versa. Allon was not privy to any of these
occasions and so could not enjoy this simple pleasure, or rather he continued on
living in blissful ignorance.

But when Ginesh was not away at parties, at school, or helping his father run
the family business, he would spend a large amount of time with Allon. They were
growing too old to play at knights, mages, guardians, and gods, so Ginesh would
tell Allon about the places he visited, the people he met, the ferocious
creatures he encountered, and his dreams of the future. Sometimes Ginesh would
spin a fancy tale or create an entirely imaginative narrative. Allon could not
tell the difference, but he still loved nothing more than hearing these
wonderful stories for he did not know any better.

Allon began to learn the finer points of raising a beast and his masters
discovered that the boy had a natural talent for it. From wild wakabis to
magnificent hippogriffs, no beast was too intimidating or too stubborn for Allon
to tame. His skilful hands could groom a shaggy wargoat's coat until it cascaded
like a silken waterfall, and his keen insight into different feeds and breeding
behaviours would give rise to stunningly beautiful paradise birds and finely
sculpted stallions. Soon Allon's prodigious abilities spread throughout the
Basin, reaching the ears of rival stables and beastmasters.

One day, a mysterious dracnari visited the manor, donned in a brown cloak that
glittered with specks of sand. He asked the butler at the door for the 'special
stableboy', who immediately knew who he was looking for.

Allon came to the door, looking slightly perplexed since he was seldom ever
called forth like this.

"I have a rather lucrative proposition for you. Have you heard of the
Beastmasters of Zoaka?"

"I have heard and dreamt about them. Why do you ask?"

The dracnari told Allon about great riches and fame that could be had with the
Zoaka Beastmasters, of working with the most mythical beasts that have ever been
captured by mortals, and of gaining secret knowledge passed down through
generations of beastmasters. He tempted Allon with tales of glory and the chance
to rise above his lowly stature as a stableboy.

"You would come with me to a settlement by Zoaka Mountain, your new home," said
the dracnari.

"Will I still be able to return here?" asked Allon.

"You would not have any time to do so, and we cannot have you mingling with our
competitors regardless," replied the dracnari.

Allon pondered this proposal for a long time, reflecting over the stories and
growing excited at the prospect that they would not have to be mere stories any
longer. But then, he thought about Ginesh and his stories

Alas, Allon thanked the dracnari gratefully, who looked back disappointingly but
nodded and parted with a few words.

"You know how to find me if you change your mind."

Allon closed the door behind him, not thinking about what he had potentially
lost but what he could potentially lose.

"Who was that, Allon?" asked Ginesh who had come down the stairs and caught a
glimpse of the dracnari just before he left.

"He had a question for the stablemaster, but he is not here right now," replied
Allon, smiling.

Ginesh suspected what the dracnari had come for, but also noted that whatever
the dracnari wanted, he did not get. He was about to open his mouth to part
some advice and concern for Allon, but stopped short and smiled back instead. He
felt the same way as his friend.

Part III

Growing Up

Several years had passed and Ginesh was getting more involved in his family's
business in addition to preparing to graduate from school. Allon was no longer a
stableboy and began to train apprentices of his own. Their time together grew
more sparse and far in between.

The students at the school would tease Ginesh behind his back, spreading rumours
that he liked to tumble in the hay and sleep in the stables like a lowly
stableboy. They ridiculed him for associating with the 'dirty faced' human
servant, who in this case was obviously referring to Allon. Some of their other
rumours were even more vicious and hurt Ginesh and his dignity.

Ginesh would return from school and tried to avoid Allon when he could. Using
homework as an excuse, Ginesh spent less and less time with Allon. He spoke to
Allon in a sterner tone and tried not to look him directly in the eye. Allon, in
all his simplicity, believed that Ginesh was just very busy at school and was
under a lot of pressure. Sometimes, though, on certain nights when the moon was
out and the stars shone bright, Ginesh would give in and tell Allon a story,
weaving tales from the constellations and facts from his history textbooks. For
all it was worth, Allon did not mind Ginesh's attitude towards him as long as he
could still enjoy these stories.

During one class, Ginesh took part in a scholarly debate with members of a rival
academy. Ginesh was on the side in favour of the statement, "Indentured servants
deserve as much rights as any citizen of the Kingdom." Their opponents were the
undefeated students from the University of Cosmic Understanding, Hallifax. A
soft-spoken trill delivered the opening remarks, whose downy white feathers and
deep amethyst eyes betrayed the harsh and cold words that she spoke. So poetic
yet calculated were her sentences, so melodic the tone of her voice, and so
serene the gaze of her eyes... Ginesh was taken aback immediately and stumbled
embarrassingly during his rebuttal. The Hallifaxan team won unanimously for the
tenth time in a row.

After the debate, Ginesh encountered the trill on his way out of the school. He
ducked his head in shame, but she laughed playfully and admitted that she
actually did not agree with her side of the debate. It was just a clever play of
words, charms, and half-lies. Ginesh felt slightly reassured and comforted by
the trill's sudden empathy. The two began to talk. Her name was Lilywyn, and
Ginesh felt brave enough to ask her out to dinner.

"Yes, I would love to,' she replied.

Part IV

Moving On

Ginesh began to go home with a distant lustre in his eyes. His parents noticed
but did not bother him, feeling content that their son was growing up and moving
into the next phase of his life. So too did Allon find that speaking to Ginesh
was like speaking a person behind a silk screen. The few stories that were still
told no longer focused on epic battles, mighty heroes, or magical beasts, but
were all on the soft-spoken trill. Allon was happy that his friend was happy.
But for the first time, he felt a real pang of doubt in his heart. He felt that
something important was slipping away.

Now that Ginesh was spending nearly all of his time outside of the manor,
enjoying the company of Lilywyn, Allon kept himself busy at the stables. He got
along with the new apprentices and stableboys, but they had no interest for
fanciful stories or inspiring tales. The sympathetic mother saw a growing
loneliness on Allon's face, and allowed him to take trips outside of the manor
estates and into the cities and communes.

Allon frequented the cities and communes of the Basin, quickly learning his way
around the crystal spires of Hallifax, the polished streets of Celest, and the
cool canopies of Serenwilde. He witnessed a great many things that confirmed the
stories Ginesh once parted to him. After each trip, Allon would bring home a
souvenir he came across or story he overheard, eager to share with Ginesh.

"I've already seen that, Allon."

Or, "That's nice Allon, tell me about it later."

Soon Allon amassed piles of forgotten trinkets and rejected gifts in his room,
the stories they contained never to be revealed.

Part V

Friends

Allon was an industrious man and, no longer seeing Ginesh as often as he used
to, decided to teach himself how to read. Quietly in his room, Allon collected
old books and articles that Ginesh studied years earlier. The mother gave him a
chest full of children's picture books, which Allon took great delight in. He
recalled fondly the days when he and Ginesh were mere boys, when they used to
play at knights, mages, guardians, and gods.

That is how Allon came to learn about Project Cosmic Hope, though perhaps a bit
too late. Wandering through the streets of Magnagora one day, Allon picked up a
pamphlet announcing the Emperor's expedition to the supra plane. The date of the
expedition was set for XX, which coincidentally was the same day as that day.

A shrill cry and loud commotion immediately diverted Allon's attention to the
centre of the city, where plumes of oily black smoke oozed from the tip of the
Stone of Truth and into the nauseated sky. A deep rumble resounded in the
distance, and then flocks of people suddenly rushed forth with sheer panic in
their eyes. Allon instinctively turned around and ran towards the city gate with
only one thing on his mind.

At the manor, all were shocked and silent as they watched from afar the black
clouds circling over Magnagora, listening to the panicked newscaster's voice on
their aethertuner. The voice was abruptly cut off in the midst of crazed
shouting.

"We must leave immediately! Pack only your personal and necessary gifts and go
to the carriages right away!" the father suddenly declared, his powerful voice
now quavering.

All the servants, chefs, maids, stableboys, and family members rushed about the
manor, quickly stuffing their cherished items into small bags and then boarding
the dashro carriages. The ground shook violently and the sound of crashing glass
and porcelain echoed through the halls.

"Allon, where is Allon!" Ginesh cried out.

"He went out to the market, poor boy," sobbed the mother.

Lightning flashed in the ominous black clouds, slowly encroaching upon and
tainting the fair Malacoda Meadows. The stablemasters released all of the beasts
from their pens and without delay they stormed out in terror, running and flying
with undue haste. The entire spectacle appeared as if some zoo had lost control
of all of its animals.

"Where to, sir?" asked the driver of the carriage.

"We will go to Hallifax. Quickly, we don't have much time," responded the
father.

"No, I will wait here for Allon," said the mother.

"That is nonsense! How do you know he will even return - he was in the city when
it happened," questioned the father.

"He will come back, I know he will," replied the mother, seeming more composed
now.

"You - I must take care of our young nieces and nephews and bring them to
Hallifax to their families... please, make sure you join us soon," said the
father.

The two embraced briefly and the mother wept into his shoulder. The father then
turned around and led the children to the carriages, who looked back with teary
eyes at their aunt, not understanding what was happening.

"Mother, I will stay with you," said Ginesh quietly.

"Ginesh..." replied the mother, and those were her only words.

Standing next to Ginesh was a glorious pegasus with shimmering snowy wings, a
new beast that was miraculously bred for the first time with blessings from the
Holy Planes of Celestia and Shallamar. Her calm eyes made Ginesh and his mother
feel at ease.

"Ginesh, can ... hear me?" a soft voice called out over the aetherwaves.

"Lilywyn, I can hear you. My love, are you all right?"

"Yes, we are fi- ... it's difficult for me ... reach you ... disturbance in the
aether ... don't come here,"

"What did you say, Lilywyn? What do you mean 'don't go there?" replied Ginesh
worriedly.

"Don't come here, the clouds are ... away ... the Aeromancers. Head south!"

"Lilywyn! Lilywyn!" cried Ginesh as the voice abruptly disappeared.

Ginesh looked at his mother solemnly.

"We must go find them," he finally said after a long pause.

Nodding slowly in understanding, the mother picked up her bags and walked
towards the Pegasus. All of a suddenly, the pegasus whinnied and backed away in
panic as a piece of the ceiling crumbled and came crashing down.

"Mother!"

Ginesh leapt at his mother and pushed her away from the debris, shrieking in
pain as the marble and stone crushed his legs. The mother gasped in horror and
rushed to his side, attempting futilely to lift away the pieces of the ceiling.

"Ginesh! Oh, Ginesh!" wailed the mother.

Suddenly the pieces gave way with ease and Ginesh was lifted up in strong,
familiar arms, surprising the mother.

"I'm sorry Ginesh, I'm sorry mother - I'm back now," said Allon.

Ginesh's heart leapt to his throat and he tightly embraced his friend, tears
pooling at the corners of his eyes. The mother smiled through happy tears and
hugged her other son lovingly.

"We must find the family and warn them to turn around, it is not safe to travel
towards Hallifax," said Ginesh.

Allon assisted his mother in mounting the pegasus first, followed by Ginesh who
groaned in pain. He then vaulted onto the great beast and stirred her into a
steady gallop, quickly taking off from the ground on swift wings.

The three survivors watched sadly as their manor, their home gave way and
crumbled into the ground with a heavy sigh, sending out clouds of dust. In the
distance, to the west and northwest, the dark cloud was slowly spreading in all
directions and thundered with a ferocious growl.

"I can't see them, do you think they've already made it to Hallifax?" asked
Allon.

"I hope they have, but why did Lilywyn say not to go..." replied Ginesh, who was
suddenly cut short.

The massive cloud that was still several kilometres in front of them came to a
standstill, as if impeded by an equally massive force. However, just as soon as
it stopped did it change direction and begin to drift towards the three of them,
this time at an apparently increased speed. Strong gusts of wind came their way,
swinging the pegasus to and fro in the air as she tried to stay balanced.

"The cloud is coming towards us! We have to turn around and head south!" shouted
Ginesh against the howling winds.

"But father and the others!" cried Allon.

"If we continue on, then no one will be able to find us either! We can only hope
and pray that they have found safety!" replied Ginesh, fighting hard to say
these words.

"Ginesh is right, Allon," said the mother tearfully. "We must go, and find them
when the cloud has dispersed."

The three of them came to an agreement and Allon turned the pegasus towards the
south, kicking her in the haunches and urging her to fly swiftly. However, the
cloud was rapidly gaining speed and the distance between them began to grow
narrow.

"We won't be able to make it at this rate," cried Ginesh.

"The pegasus... she cannot support all three of us, we are weighing her down,"
said Allon with a grim realization.

The two friends sat in painful silence as they let this thought dawn on them.

"So... take mother and lead her to safety, and look for father and the others
later," said Allon.

"Allon, you fool... what are you planning to do."

"You know what must be done! Now speak no more of it, just go!" stammered Allon
as he released the reins and passed them onto Ginesh.

"I don't want to hear any of it! We can make it out of this together!" cried
Ginesh, slapping the pegasus and urging her to go faster.

"Stop it, Ginesh... I've made my decision," said Allon, looking down at the
earth below him. A black fog had settled over the meadows now, making it unsafe
to land anywhere.

"Then..." began Ginesh. "Then you should take mother and find the others."

"Ginesh, now is not the time to play the hero. You have a family, a lover, and a
bright future waiting for you. You are the only heir to a vast legacy. I have
nothing."

"No," replied Ginesh. "Allon... you too have a family. You've always had a
family. You have always been like a brother to me. And... I haven't always
treated you like a brother as I should have. Allon, I know you turned down the
offer to be trained with the Zoaka Beastmasters many, many years ago."

Ginesh gazed at Allon sadly before continuing.

"But what you did not have, all those things you missed, all the stories you
could not experience... I have seen, heard, and done all of those things, and
now you can now have a chance of enjoying them too. This is the last... the only
thing I can give to you. So you must live, please - for me."

The two friends looked at each other, knowing now that there was no turning
back.

"My son, Ginesh, I..." said the mother, whose heart was on the verge of breaking
and she burst into tears, embracing her son emotionally. "I love you so much. I
am so proud of all you have done. You have made me so happy."

Allon gently clasped Ginesh's hands, gazing compassionately at his friend with
watery eyes.

"Ginesh, my friend... I love you," said Allon.

Ginesh smiled back happily, and the two of them remembered the days when they
played at knights, mages, guardians, and gods. When they sat beneath the night
sky and spun wild tales of wyverns and damsels. When they were young and just
two boys, two friends, and nothing else.

Ginesh slowly let go of the reins and let himself slip away, through the
churning fog, into the vast space below.

----------

Epilogue

The aftermath of Project Cosmic Hope and the ensuing Taint Wars had a
devastating toll on the Basin of Life.

Allon and his mother escaped the cloud and began a new life for themselves.

After his mother passed away, Allon wandered the Basin until one day he was
spotted by a vaguely familiar stranger. He was offered the prestigious position
as the Celestial Groom of the Holy Plane of Celestia, left untouched after the
Taint Wars. He accepted, and now goes by the name of Frobellon, the Celestial
Groom.

As for Ginesh, he too miraculously survived the plunge into the black fog.
However, survived is used in a very loose way here. Remembering almost nothing
from before the fall except that he was exceptionally skilled at raising horses,
Ginesh was recovered by the "new" residents of Magnagora and taken in. He now
goes by the name of Gishgorolbom, the Farrier of Nil.

Decades have passed and the two have never met again. Allon has never forgotten
his friend, even though his name is beginning to fade away.

Somewhere out there, there are still two little boys playing at knights, mages,
guardians, and gods.