The Armada of Fallen Stars: Story I

"I awoke seated on the tallest tree.

I saw what surrounds; my senses were free.

I rose from golden grass and ran steadfast.

Now I must conquer the lands around me.

To see how it ends and where I must be."

This place is called the Golden Country and is ruled by a Kyvatian named Kolvir. As he ran down the hill on which he was born, he stepped on something sharp. Kolvir attempted to yelp, but to no avail. He tried again and once more, until he found no purpose in attempting to vocalize. Kolvir simply moved onward with a quickly healed foot. He travelled to the east, where he saw a field of beautiful, enticing flowers. The flowers were odd in shape: They did have petals, but in the middle were translucent bulbs filled with orbs of arcane energy, which, when sniffed, his mind tethered with the aether. All of these enchanting colours ranged from many shades of blue, green, yellow, and purple. There were a few that were black and Kolvir was curious; He popped one of the bulbs. His mind flooded with thoughts, though most were born of needless paranoia. The clutter in his mind could've slowed him down, but he was resistant to their arrest. But within this burdening stream of thoughts, he asked himself, "Why black without white to accompany it?" This very thought grew a white flower to settle his restless mind. He took a deep sigh of relief; Though the episode only lasted a few seconds, the energy that was depleted felt as if it were drained over the course of days. Kolvir took a rest in the tall grass, among the weird, albeit harmless bugs. He dreamt, oddly enough; It was the middle of the afternoon and it was very bright. Kolvir dreamed of flying, up and up until he hit something, after which he woke up. For now, up until nightfall, he spent time learning of the land and its strange, but useful resources; Including what Kolvir called, “Smiling Vines”. This unique plant was almost as cognitive and responsive as he was. Therefore, he knew in order to collect this resource, that he must coerce it. So, Kolvir smiled, “Why, hello! Would you care to join me on my journey?” He politely asked. The vines formed their own smile as a response, then proceeded to enter his bag crafted out of tree leaves. He slept next to a small waterfall with the company of a few bears, supposing they wouldn't eat him as long as they weren't threatened. The next day, he decided to go back to that hill and build his place of residence. His mind, being ever creative, decided he'd build a home in it. First, he created a few tools completely out of wood. The Golden Country was teeming with sharp quartz; Veins sprawled across the land and loose crystals were sprinkled throughout. Kolvir looked above, held the clearest piece up to the sky and let the sunlight shine through it; It was three o'clock in the afternoon. He sharpened the longest pieces of crystal that could be found and used them for sawing and shaping the thinnest trees in the land for the handle of his tools. Instinctually, he would never use the hide of an animal to create anything; Even a sheath or a cover for the hilt of his tools. He figured as long as he left every creature alone, they wouldn't want to hurt him; And he was correct. Even the hornets and wasps never stung him once because he never saw any use in bothering their nests. Next, was the refining of the stone. He took a thick, sharp piece of crystal and started chipping away at the top, rounded portion of a boulder. Though it took a couple of hours, he eventually got it off the way he intended. He looked up again; It was five o'clock. Kolvir took a deep breath of air and thought to himself, “The day's just getting started for me!” He puts the slab of stone on the ground and refines the point of it. As he sits, he feels the vibration of a huge creature stepping behind him. He remained unperturbed by the shaking ground, as he tied together the stone and wood with the vines. Kolvir started digging, with no regard to the giant creature staring at him. He knew it was, but he went on.

..

In the process of this construction, Kolvir heard a continuous sound. Though the place itself was temperate and comforting, the frequency alone was enough to make him quiver. Wood was sawed and the vines that he collected were to be used as rope to hold materials together. However, due to Kolvir's humble nature, his home was orderly and minimalistic, with true honor and thanks bestowed to its materials. As he finally laid himself down to rest, the fright-inducing resonance still lingered about and interfered with his much-needed sleep. Suddenly, the north wall began to crack and crumble, revealing a deep cavern that led down into the depths of the abysmal subterrane. Kolvir immediately corresponded this with the haunting sounds, as they seemed to originate from the bottom of the deep hole. So he fetched his vines, but they tangled and refused to work in the way he wished. “Please, you must help me be rid of these terrible sounds!” Kolvir pled to his fibrous companions. The vines assimilated into the shape of a frowning face in response to his plea. “Indeed, you feel the way I do. But we must work together to banish this evil noise!” he cried for help once more. Now a bit more motivated, the plant now obeyed his commands to straighten and lower to the bottom of the hole. With a lantern at his side, he saw what was around him; Mutliple primordial drawings donned the stone walls. He soon arrived at the bottom and he raised his lantern to light the way. Using his Kyvatian-born sense of hearing, he found the source of the sound; A cage imbedded into the wall. As he approached it, the ongoing noise had stopped abruptly and an eerie, dead silence pervaded the dark cave. Kolvir looked through the metal bars and saw nothing, except for a pair of glowing red eyes and a vague bodily figure. Thinking it was a being or possibly a sentient creature, he called out to it, “Hello?” Whatever was trapped apparently had a body, because it responded, “Please help me...I've been stuck in here for so long...” The strange thing begged him. “Yes, yes, of course! Just let me figure out how I can get this gate open!” Kolvir quickly replied. He observed the lock on the door and concluded that it was weak and fragile. He picked up a rock and smashed it into the lock. Upon opening, however, the prisoner was gone. “What...? Where did you go!?” Kolvir exclaimed. He looked all around the cell and he found absolutely nothing, save for the chains that held the creature. “No...It...It doesn't make any sense...” The fact that the prisoner was gone, never to be found again in its physical form (whatever that may have been), completely violated his logic. “I must leave this place and seal it away...forever!” Kolvir thought to himself, terrified. But even stranger was his newfound ability; He was able to see in the dark even without his lantern. As he looked about, the cavern itself glistened with gold, a prospect that excited Kolvir to the point of forgetfulness. “Ooh, shiny! Maybe I can build with this...” He thought to himself, fearful no more. He picked up his lantern and climbed back up the rope and into his humble home to finally gain some rest.

..

In his dreams, distinct and vivid in their nature, he sees a great mountain that he must walk. But even though it was a wondrous, joyous reverie of adventure and curiosity, it is completely ruined by him waking up just before reaching the peak of this mountain. “This is maddening! I want to know what happens next!” Kolvir thought to himself angrily. He attempted to go back to sleep and experience the rest of that dream, but to no avail. He sighed and thought once more,“Oh, fine...I suppose it's time to wake up anyway.” He rose quickly from his stony bed and made for the exit of his house. As he went out into the glorious sunny morning, he saw in the distance a quickly-growing forest among the flowers with colorful bulbs. He smiled and started traveling to the golden collective of trees. Tall, yellow grass began to grow in his tempest as he gently approached the fast-growing eden. When he arrived, he took a sigh of relief and sat at the foot of one of the trees. In this restful period, he hears a voice, “To the north, is a mountain, your nation's Majesty. Travel there and you shall truly know greatness, both in the trek and destination.” Kolvir was confused, to say the least. “Who's there?!” he called. No response was reciprocated. “Alright...Well, I guess I have to go north...” He thought to himself. On his journey to the north, he discovers a family of interesting creatures, and he called them “Ursalas”, due to their bear-like appearance. They huddled in small communities, traveling all over the country. He studied them while he made for the mountains. These creatures were adorned with sun-like dots and their fur was an angelic white. It seemed each “Ursala” had their own responsibility to the community and though they were animals, these creatures had intelligent and primal needs. From hunting for food to making conversation in their unique sign language, Ursalas were sentient enough to do almost anything. Kolvir read these creatures like novels, with each member of the community a story to be told. Unfortunately, Kolvir couldn't write it down. The only kind of literature, at least to him, was life itself and the creations gifted from this worlds' Macros. He studied whatever he could about their sign language within a week of traveling. Kolvir was actually so fascinated by these creatures, that he lost track of what he was doing or where he was supposed to go. “Oh no! I've strayed-” Kolvir was about to say, until he realized that the family of bears was making their trek to the Golden Country's Majesty, the mountain spoken of by the mysterious voice, days ago. It was only a few hours until he and the Ursalas arrived. They weren't the ones who had to climb it, so they stayed at the foot of the mountain. Kolvir, however, continued his trek and began to scale the mountain.

.....

It's been thirty days since he has seen the travelling bear family, or the ground for that matter. After awhile, he became fearful of what would happen if he fell off of this frigid mountain. Fortunately for him though, he realized the more he thought about it, the more likely it would be to happen. So, he pressed onward and continued walking up, until he finally found a flat, icy, stony surface. In his excitement, he gained a burst of energy to see what it was. The voice he heard long ago was correct: He truly did know greatness at this point. It came back to him and said, “Welcome home.” The structure that he discovered at the end of his journey was well worth the struggle. It was an enormous stone stronghold with a gold dome at the top, with solid silver lining the empty spaces in perfect symmetry. As he approached it, the doors swung wide open for him, to reveal a shiny red and white living space. He quickly walked in to shield himself from the bitter cold air and the giant stone doors closed behind him. The living room was warm and comfortable, a refreshing change from the rancorous chill and ruthless winds. A fireplace was lit just ahead of the entrance way, the ceilings were tall, and the chairs, though made of stone, had soft golden cushions. Two stairwells lead to the towers at the east and west end of the citadel, both of which had telescopes to gaze down at the homeland. At the north end of the living space was a courtyard, with a reinforced glass and stone encasement to defend from the weather. The yard itself consisted of training dummies, as well as multiple kinds of weaponry. The most curious thing, though, was the wooden ladder, in the corner of the room. He set down his pack and approached the ladder. It was incredibly dark and he couldn't see the bottom of where it lead. Kolvir, however, faced the darkness with courage and began the descent with his trusty lantern. It actually wasn't as dramatically deep as he thought it was; He was at the bottom in a matter of minutes. As it turns out, below the living space was a workshop with a stone quarry, multiple kinds of tools and machinery that Kolvir would soon introduce himself to. Over the course of a few months, he had been working on a way to get back down. There were some books, left from what seemed like ages ago. But the covers were old and the text within was fading on torn pages. He heard a crack of stone somewhere in the room. He looked around to see what it was, only to just notice a nine-foot-tall statue in the corner, holding a disk. As he approached it, the disk glowed bright yellow and the stony monument began to break apart. When he got the closest he could, the light from the disk was blinding and the stone shattered. What came about from this was a being of immense height and wings of jet-black strings of flesh. Its eyes were two shining suns, yet the rest of its face was obscured by a helmet that extended to the neck. With its hardened obsidian gauntlets, it granted Kolvir the golden disk. He took it gently and the mysterious being disappeared into the shadows of the corners. Images flashed before his eyes and they were instructions for smithing, masonry and woodworking. In an instant, the disk stopped glowing, the pictures ceased and it crumbled into dust. After what he learned, he fashioned some tools from what the workshop had to offer and was working on paving the mountain.

.....

Hard work, dedication and companionship were the most important ideals in Kolvir's life. They defined the way he shaped and molded his own country. Even as he worked tirelessly on the mountain's pavement, creatures were drawn to him. A white raven, who had seen much of the rest of the world, and yet travelled it alone, told him of the lands beyond the Golden Country. “What's that other place called, again? The one with the towers?” Kolvir asked as he shovelled and mined. “Bwaak! That's the desert! It's got cold air, but warm sands and big buildings.” the raven replied. “Who lives there? Is there someone...like me?” Kolvir inquired. “Sort of. He's sleeping, though. I helped cover up the sun for when he woke up, though.” the raven answered. “I couldn't imagine a land without sunlight...” Kolvir cheerlessly responded. While he lifted another large piece of stone, the winds picked up and a cold chill swept his shoulder. “Bwaak! The winds call me; They go north on this day.” the raven stated. “I wish I could fly like you...” Kolvir said in a childish tone. Before the black bird took off, it replied, “I fly because I must. You are strong, curious, clever and yet incredibly immature because it is in the stars that you must be.” It began again, “Now, I must go. The north needs my guidance. Meditate, and blessed be your home land.” The raven flew away and took the frigid winds with it. Kolvir regained his warmth as he once more lifted a slab of stone. The hours were long and while his body worked, his mind pondered the words of the raven. Another creature approached him: A snow lion. It snarled as soon as Kolvir took even the slightest glance. When he noticed that the lion was heading to the fortress, he abruptly stopped his work. Spikes lined the outside of the fortress and a deep ditch surrounded the place. At this point, Kolvir didn't care about the danger of quickly approaching the lion. It growled at him aggressively, but he began to communicate to it. “Get away from there! Do you NOT see the sharp things?!” Kolvir pleaded to the lion. It stopped threatening him. But, upon further observation, the cat was underweight. It gave a rather melancholy glance at Kolvir and proceeded to lie down on the cold ground. “Okay...Come here.” Kolvir called to the cat. It glanced at him and ignored his request. “Alright...” he said, as the doors of the fortress flew open. “Go inside.” Kolvir commanded as he pointed to the door. The lion's eyes opened wide and it proceeded to feel the warmth of the fires from within the citadel. “Good kitty.” He said, then told the raven to bring some food. Kolvir followed closely behind it and as it sat in front of the fire, so did he.

.....

A year has passed since Kolvir has made his home within the fortress. He gave shelter to the big kitty and the white raven comes back frequently to deliver food for the cat (often field mice) and conversation for Kolvir. “Bwaak! How goes it?” the raven asked. “I'm almost done...” Kolvir tiresomely replied. The raven looked at what he did accomplish and said, “Work can and will consume you. Take breaks every now and again!” But he was nearly done. He didn't want to stop now. “I only have three slabs left...huff...” He almost passed out from exhaustion as he said this. “Bwaak! I said it's all the more reason to take a break! When you rest and regain your strength, those three slabs will feel like pebbles!” it convinced him to walk away from his project, just for awhile. Kolvir strolled up his path and the raven landed on his shoulder. “So...What else have you seen since we last spoke?' he asked the albino beast. “Bwaak! I've seen some strange changes in the Ivory Sea and in your land below. As a matter of fact, I met a ghost that lives there among the islands. Oh, and many rivers have emerged in your land.” the raven said in response. Kolvir looked back, because he heard a strange sound that was similar to screaming. “What is a river?” Kolvir nervously inquired. “A river is a long body of water that extends from a larger body of water. Though the fuel for life is clouded, it is still quite pure and it's the nectar of life that feeds most of the living.” the raven said, not quite sure if Kolvir would understand due to his spiritual immaturity. “What do you mean... 'most' of the living?” he queried, unknowingly not noticing the fact that he didn't eat or drink anything. “BWAAAK! You really haven't noticed yet? You, or any of your other brethren, are not usual mortals. You don't ingest anything and if you haven't noticed yet, you don't actually talk either; You just project your brainwaves.” the raven explained, surprised and yet strangely fascinated by how little Kolvir actually knew about himself and therefore about the Kyvatian people. Suddenly, a loud screeching is heard and the mountain begins to quake! “It's happening! BWAAK!!!” the raven said in excitement. “WHAT is happening?!” Kolvir asked frantically. “The violent birthing.” After a few minutes of ghastly screaming, it and the quaking stopped. “What...Is that?” Kolvir asked, as he observed a group of ten bipedal creatures climb up the mountain and approach him. Suddenly, they all stopped and one in particular decided to introduce himself. “Hi! My name is Niryr and you must be...Kolvir!” Kolvir looked at him in the eyes and smiled. “It's nice to meet you, Niryr!” he replied. “Er...How do you know my name?” Kolvir asked. “Bwaak! You and your brethren are mentally interconnected, so they contain all knowledge that you've accumulated, including about yourself.” the raven answered. Then exclaimed voice from the crowd of nine behind Niryr, “Yeah, what the bird said!” Niryr gave a somewhat unimpressed expression and said to Kolvir, “Don't mind him. Now, I want to see that fortress for myself!”

.....

Due to his inherited staunch individualism and curiosity, Niryr simply couldn't stay cooped up in the keep. “Well, this has been nice. But I gotta go!” he announced to Kolvir and the rest. “But you've only been here for a few-” Kolvir tried to reply, but Niryr interjected with, “I just...HAVE to go out and see the rest of the country. Er...Bye!” He left promptly and ran down the mountain. He heard through the waves that a few Kyvatians were building a village. A transmission was heard by Niryr, “Greetings, brothers and sisters! I call all of you to help us start our first city!” Niryr was interested and it was early in the morning. “We are located within the Orb Flower Field among the newly grown trees; Join us for communal building exercises!” Once he received these transmissions, Niryr quickly traveled to the site. From knowledge gained by their primary Kyvatian, Kolvir, they fashioned tools to mine stone. The trees were sacred and weren't allowed to be chopped and used for anything. That said, with a throng of Kyvatians to build mine, refine and construct, the first buildings were done in a matter of days. This village was used to research the capabilities of the flowers, how long it took them to grow and what nutrients were required for each color. While half of the population were studying the phenomenon, Niryr was designated to be a scout for new discoveries. Not far from the village, he found a deep hole at the base of a large tree. It was covered and surrounded by snakes. He possessed no light, so he called for his brethren to bring him a torch. The hissing, slithering creatures didn't seem to mind his presence until the light was brought forth. In which case, they fled and the darkness within the hole was still not fully illuminated. He approached it and started to put his torch in, but suddenly the ground expanded and swallowed him whole! He tried reaching and grabbing at the loose earth that surrounded him, but all efforts were in vain. Niryr fell into murky black sand that he eventually stood upon and looked about his surroundings. But, his sight was clouded in horror and frightened astonishment. The place in which he stood was unbearably hellish, with beasts of lizard-like appearance crawling everywhere and others were scaly creatures that lurked about aimlessly. One of the godless creatures crawled up to Niryr and quickly sniffed his leg. The thing hissed at him and ran away. The thick-watered lake was jet black and there swam a thousand tortured souls within it. "There must be a way out of here..." Niryr nervously thought to himself. A hand reached out of the sand and a face appeared also. He backed up away from the morbidly opaque skeleton crawling out of the sand. "I shall show you the way out of this horrid place..." It said in the husk of a voice. It and Niryr walks the mire to a wall which the vessel of a daemon revealed to be a door out. "Thank you, strange one!" Niryr says. "Have you a name?" he asked. "Old ones such as I have no use for names, but for mortals just as ancient it matters more." It replies. Niryr bids it farewell and climbs the stairs to the top, where he once was.

.....

A year has passed since Niryr told the people of the Flower Prairie set within the Golden Land of the horrors and discoveries of the underworld just beneath their beautiful village. But, something else dwelt within Niryr's soul. It persuaded him to look onward to the north and proceed to where it marked his destination. He left in the middle of a windy night, when the bright sun was more than below the horizon, with a sword clutched by its own sheath and his glowing gold eyes looking onward. Kolvir was aware, for he spied through the telescopes from his mighty mountain fortress. But, no matter how impossible it seemed to reach Niryr in time, Kolvir started his travel downward to the surface land. The white raven spoke to him just before he took his first step down the stairs, “Bwaak! Even if you could reach him, it would be too late. You cannot convince that...thing...to stay.” the raven said. “But why?!” Kolvir asked angrily. The feeling of losing control over even just one of his citizens was maddening. “He was foolish. No Gold Kyvatian can step forth into the underworld without being possessed. Your souls are too open. Even you went a little too close for comfort when you unchained that creature so long ago.” the raven calmly explained. “You may be right, but isn't the integrity and strength of soul not defined by what it lets in, but how it handles what's allowed inside?” Kolvir inquired, yet still with an upset tone. “Both, my boy. Both. And you seem to have the latter. Niryr and many more of your race only possess the former. When you meet those who are different from you, you will begin to understand yourself even more. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a meeting with a lady.” the raven said, then promptly flew away. Kolvir let go of the situation and sat himself next to his feline companion.

Niryr was never to be seen by way of mind, body or spirit in the morning.

"From there I set forth outside of my native hearth,

and I proudly looked instead to the timeless earth.

Though flame within faded, I never degraded.

As I looked ahead at the mysterious land,

and espied the nation that was ever so grand."