The Tale of the Great Sealing

The Tale of the Great Sealing is one of the most widespread and important myths on Acciphere. While it's known to virtually everyone on the planet, most dismiss it as pure fiction. It's also called by many other names, with some people calling it the Great Beginning, owing to the fact that life first prospered after when this myth supposedly took place.

Summary

The myth starts with the Five Great Beasts fighting.

God thinks of how he created them so that they could watch over this world and take care of it, but he never expected that they would keep fighting for eternity like this. He warned them not to fight and sealed them off during every New Year, but they would break free on New Year's Eve and then fight again. Even though life tried to sprout anew every year, these beasts would destroy them all at once. They were destroying the very things they were meant to save. And so, he starts meditating, in order to store massive reserves of his energy.

Eventually, their fighting reached a limit that endangered the existence of Acciphere.

The Beasts of Power grew overconfident in themselves. They thought that instead of fighting themselves, if they killed God, nobody would stand in their way. So they formulated a plan, and thought of killing him in his meditation. But they ultimately failed.

Driven with rage over how the Beasts wanted to kill their own creator, he released all the massive amounts of energy he stored while he was meditating. Golden chains shot out of his hands, and he awakened a third eye on his forehead, which would later be called the Divine Eye. It is this Divine Eye that is said to be the sun, watching during the day and sleeping during the night. The chains wrapped themselves around the beasts, effectively immobilizing them. After that, purple flames shot from his Divine Eye, and slowly crystallized around the Beasts. After about ten years, they were completely sealed in the purple crystal. Due to their inner aura, each of the stones shone the colour of the Beast inside it. As for the Twin Lightning Dragons, both of them were sealed in one Artefact. After that, it was said that God came to Acciphere and gave it to the humans, so they could keep it in check, from ever breaking again. He warned them not to use their powers, because if they did, the essence of the Beasts would leak out little by little, until they reformed outside the stone again, to wreak havoc on the land.

Soon, God had two sons named Fidan and Udan. They were the ultimates, and mastered all the knowledge there is to be. But Udan, seeking all the power of the world, turned evil and unleashed the Artefacts on the Fidan, who always believed in peace. Their battle would go past their original bodies, with their bodily essence reincarnating into different generations. This reincarnation was finally stopped when the newest reincarnation of Fidan called Lucas, purified the soul of Leonidas West, who was the newest reincarnation of Udan. Both souls departed from Acciphere, no longer bound by regret, knowing that their time on the planet was finally over.

Historical Basis

Yes, this story is actually true. The main evidence to support this story is the Four Artefacts, which are guarded by the Four Great Clans of Acciphere. The myth was further proven of its existence in the Second Robot War, when the reincarnations of Fidan and Udan fought. They released the Four Great Beasts from the Artefacts, and used it against each other. After both of them died a final time, the Beasts were given temples to reside in. They stand as living and breathing proof that the story is true.

Spread

Even though the tale is widely known, most didn't know the whole story until after the Second Robot War. Before the War of the Kingdoms, each Clan thought they were the only ones to exist with such powerful magic. Some people thought that God gifted them the Artefacts, and didn't really know the secret behind the magic. Only a select few knew the whole story, and even those people died before they could pass on the truth. After the Second Robot War, everyone knows the whole story.

Cultural Reception

The cultures of the Four Great Clans were deeply affected by this myth. Their central item of worship is the Artefact they hold with them. Every reason behind the rituals they perform and the things they do in the name of religion all have their deep roots in this myth. The reason why most of a Clan behaves like one is due to the influence of the Artefact they hold; for example, the Fire Clan is hot-headed, just like Haruno, the Tiger of Fire. Most of the Water Clan is made of monks, owing to the sometimes peaceful nature of Itsumo the Water Tortoise. Hence, the myth has shaped how human groups were influenced in the early times.

In Art

Throughout the ages, the Clans have interpreted different versions of the Four Beasts of Acciphere into murals and wall paintings. The Lightning Clan has painted a huge tapestry of the myth into their Clan leader's Palace, whereas most of the walls in the ritual rooms of the Fire Clan contain statues of the Tiger of Fire in different poses. The Water Clan hides their Artefact in a statue that looks very much like the Tortoise of Water's mouth. Whenever a monk comes near, the mouth opens and the Artefact inside can be seen.
After the Second Robot War, there were two massive statues built in the city of Banswick and the The Dragon's Tail; with a statue of Lucas and the Twin Dragons of Lightning in Banswick, and a statue of Leonidas and the rest of the Beasts of Power in the Dragon's Tail.

Date of First Recording

0 FE

Date of Setting

-1160 FE to -1150 FE