The Guardians of Veya

There weren’t always dragons in the Valley. No, once the Valley was guarded by beings of legend, possessing great power bestowed upon them by the dragon kings. They were fearsome warriors, pure of heart. They bore the mark of the dragon kings, understanding that they had been chosen and granted this great power in the defense of all that was lovely and pure in the world. They stood watch over all of Veya, from the distant mountain of the High King Keth’ir to the gates of the Valley. They kept darkness at bay for a millennium, and all the people of Veya lived in peace. Then the Night Giants returned. These were beasts of clouded heart; fallen dragon kings whose hearts had led them astray by a greed for power to a fate of desolation.

Before the Night arose, all the dragon kings lived upon the mountaintops where all the world was in their view. Each dragon king reigned and protected the kingdom below their mountain peak. None desired the kingdom of others; all lived harmoniously in their reign. A deep bond of brotherhood ruled their hearts, thus was the peace of Veya secure. This was shattered as the heart of the dragon king Thayde began to lust after the kingdoms of his brethren. One kingdom was no longer enough. Darkness entered his heart, and over the next 100 years it took a deep root that consumed the soul and spirit of the great beast. As his countenance drew towards the darkness within him, he began to corrupt the souls of other kings. Thus was an alliance of evil formed; an alliance that threatened the peace and tranquility of the world. Word soon reached the throne of the High King, Keth’ir, and he summoned his wise council to decide what must be done to preserve the peace of Veya. After days of deliberation, it was decided that Thayde and his allies should be cast out of Veya into the dark void of Gol. The kings would go to war.

The council of the kings reached the people, and the house of Aru arose, pledging themselves to the dragon kings to defend the land. Keth’ir tried to discourage the men, men of his own kingdom. He knew the might of man could not compare to the power of the dragons, but what he saw was more powerful. He saw the heart of man and its capacity for good. Against his pleas, they would not yield. The great dragon, moved by the house of Aru, gave them a power beyond that of any man and placed upon their shoulder the mark of the dragon kings. Together, they led an assault against Thayde and his Night Giants. The warriors rode upon the backs of the winged kings, leaping from beast to beast, slaying the Night Giant alliance of the fallen King Thayde. Dark fire was breathed from the nostrils of the enemy yet could not touch the chosen men. They breathed a fire that burned bright as the stars of the heavens, blinding and wounding the dark army. By nightfall, the war was over. Thayde and the remaining Night Giants were cast into the eternal dark of Gol and the doorway sealed. Many of the house of Aru were killed, including Aru himself. His eldest son returned to Keth’ir and pledged his life and that of his household to the service of the great king, and to the protection of Veya. His pledge was received by the great beast with joy. These guardians became known as the Aru’i. They guarded the Valley and all the gateways of Veya.

Many generations came and went, and the prestige of the Aru’i grew. They became warriors of great, fantastic legends, many of them true. Their power was known in worlds beyond. Other beings dared test that power, enticed by an opportunity of higher war, only to be sent away utterly defeated, in awe at the might of the descendants of Aru. Yes, their power and their might grew, but all great things are threatened by greed. The darkness of Thayde now grew within the heart of the leader of the Aru’i, Skald. Whispers from far away entered his ears and were granted residence in his soul. Before long, his heart became corrupted. His eyes had become blackened, his compassion turned to ice, and his focus turned towards power. His heart opened to conversation with Thayde in the void of Gol, and he was taught the dark magic of the Night Giants. He learned of the path that joined the two dimensions. Thayde promised Skald a power he could not comprehend if he would champion the return of the Night Giants to Veya. Skald agreed, unwilling to relinquish an opportunity to sit in a place of ultimate power. His younger brother, Ja’i, saw the changes and overheard the conversations he had in the night. He confronted his brother, wishing to spare him the fate of Thayde, but it was too late. Skald had fulfilled his oath to Thayde. The Night Giants and 10,000 Aru’i faithful to Skald withstood him. The darkness had returned.

Narrowly escaping with his life, he reached the mountaintop of Keth’ir and informed him of Skald’s betrayal to the dragon kings. The High King sent Ja’i to gather what loyal guardians he could and begin the assault against what is now known as the Dark Allegiance. When he arrived at the Valley, the Allegiance had already begun to slaughter the people of Keth’ir. 100 Aru’i remained, battling against the powers of darkness. Ja’i found his wife and son at the foot of their home, slain by the hands of Skald. As rage swelled within him, a great power rose from within him. His eyes became as bright as the three suns that shown over Veya, his skin became as dragon-hide. A fire within him ignited, rushing out through his mouth and nostrils. He took to the air, the first of any man, and destroyed any who withstood him. The loyal Aru’i watched in wonder as Ja’i decimated the Dark Allegiance ranks. Foot soldiers, captains, commanders, none could withstand him. Courage once again entered the hearts of the Aru’i. Keth’ir emerged from the far side of the Valley with the dragon kings. The Aru’i leapt into the air, once again upon the backs of the great kings. A battle that would last for four days ensued. Relentlessly, Ja’i fought with Skald from the rising of the suns to the watch of the moons. As they entered the third day, Ja’i overpowered his beleaguered brother. He held Skald by his head and looked deep into the eyes of the brother whom he once loved. With a cry of pain, Skald was turned to ash. Keth’ir, witnessing the demise of Skald, came to the side of Ja’i. Together, they turned their full attention to Thayde and his army. The faithful Aru’i were reduced to half their numbers. Fearlessly they faught, led by Ja’i and the High King. At the end of the fourth day, the battle had been won, Ja’i being the only survivor of the house of Aru. The head of Thayde now rested in the claws of Keth’ir, and the surviving Night Giants were cast back into Gol. Thayde’s captain and brother, Thayne, swore vengeance upon Keth’ir. The great king scoffed at this threat and closed the way from Veya into Gol. Though Thayde perished, his spirit persevered; it entered Thayne as the doorway was sealed. Keth’ir, aware of what had happened, feared that this was not the end of the Night Giants, that one day they would return.

The dragon-rage that had emboldened Ja’i had left. He came before the king, and on bended knee resigned the power that had been given to his house. Seeing the fragility of the heart of man and the strength that greed had over them, he was unwilling to risk the temptation and become as Skald. Never did he want to endure the dark fate that had consumed his brother. Keth’ir offered his forgiveness, not wishing to relieve him of his place, knowing of the impending return of the Night, but Ja’i had lost the heart that would sustain the strength given to him. Seeing that his spirit had been broken, Keth’ir did as Ja’i wished. The dragon kings, now without the might of the Aru’i, knew that the ways to Veya must be protected. They resigned their thrones and their mantles of kingship to keep the paths of Veya safe. They bestowed the mantles of leadership to men. Many led with nobility while others led through tyranny. The world of Veya lost her innocence and purity during the desolation of the Dark Allegiance. For an age would the land of Veya be watered by the blood of men as the dragon kings kept the Night Giants in their imprisonment of Gol.

His mantle revoked, Ja’i led himself into exile over the mountains outside of the view of any of the dragon kings. The entirety of his ancestry now lived solely within him, the last of his house. The house of Aru and the legend of the Aru’i died with him in that forsaken land. Or so we thought.