The Shattering

'Light pierced the veil, shattering the shadow, and all in creation witness its arrival.' - Light’s origin, Page 1, Line 4

Written by Yerran

As seen in

Life's Heart

The Balance

The planes exist in balance, as all things do, good and bad, dark and light, life and death, mirrors in all ways. All planets that appear in one appear in the other as do the races, though often as parodies of each other, one gaining the admirable traits of the Radiant, the other those of Nightmare.

To grow and live within one is to know only darkness or light. Everything borne and bred within a plane lived by this harsh reality and because of such the traits of those that dwelt within each became those required to survive and flourish. While those within the Nightmare were strong, resilient and brutal, within the Radiant were traits of honour, intelligence and compassion.

The Shattering

The Radiant grew and prospered in their realm of energy and purity and before long they used their powerful magics to gaze into the Nightmare, the only thing they did not understand, and there they saw cruelty and malice.

The agents of The Radiant called upon their deity to bring peace to them, as it had to the denizens of their realm, and a plan was hatched. Power gathered, and strength arose among the races of the Light realm, a crusade. One that would sweep the Nightmare from all existence and deliver purity and joy unto those that lived beneath its sway.

The power built, and the Radiant took those traits so powerful to its denizens, Justice, Honour, Devotion, Hope and crafted them into Titans. Physical beings that embodied each of these traits, to spread them amongst the Nightmare. And in the following moments The Radiant broke the barrier between realms, shattering space-time and plunging into the Nightmare.

Though balance must be maintained, and as Light entered dark, so did dark enter light, and all became corrupted.

A Cosmos Re-ordered

The Shattering was the beginning of 'The Light's Crusade', and since 0L.C. (Light's Coming) war has ravaged the cosmos. The 'Grey-Space' or 'Darklight Realm' came into being, occupying 80% of the cosmos. A place where light melds with dark caught in a viscous cycle. A place where traits of both exist, where beings struggle and die. A place where the destination of your soul upon death is no longer guaranteed, as it once was.

The Light's crusade is now within its eighth millenia and only a few remember life within the realms before. To fight and struggle is all they know and the powers of the Crusade have dwindled to almost nothing. Broken in the battle of the HeiRi system (4931L.C.). Few titan's of Light remain, and those that do fight to maintain what they've claimed.

Now the tendrils of shadow web their way back, corrupting the minds and hearts of those that were once its denizens. Influencing the planets closer to the Nightmare's stronghold and using that pathway to sway the hearts and minds of those on their world's twin.

Date of Recording:

0 L.C.

Belief:

Many consider the events of The Shattering to be historical, though disagree with the reason behind it. Most dispute the time before, refusing to believe a split cosmos where Radiant and Nightmare were separate, or a time before the Eternal Crusade and the daily struggles of life and death didn't exist. Such a place where some beings are arbitrarily assigned to paradise and others to suffer is beyond believable to many, and a cosmos without the struggle of Light and Dark is even more proposterous.

Radiant & Nightmare

Opposing primeaval forces, once separated and now exposed. They mirror each other in all ways, except for their motives. The Radiant's motives were driven by its inhabitants and believers, who wish to eradicate all injustice from the cosmos. They are zealous in their eradication of the Nightmare, determined its destruction will fulfil their goals and bring peace to all. The Nightmare, is reactive in its nature, and wishes to only restore the balance that once existed between them, returning to their separate realms.

These two forces are known to all, even the lowliest of beings, though they number names uncountable. Most know the Nightmare as that, or 'shadow', 'dark', 'twilight', 'gloom', 'blight', etc. The Radiant is more commonly known as 'The Light' but also as 'dream', 'brilliance', 'spark', etc.

Light's Origin

The coming of the Radiant as taught to the Lightsworn.

"At the birth of all, Darkness ruled.

It ruled with malice and hatred, and all lived under its sawy.

Though it's growing power attracted opposition, heralded by the birth of hope.

Light pierced the veil, shattering the shadow, and all in creation witnessed its arrival.

Its flames struck planets, stars and moons, and where it graced Titans rose.

The champions of The Light stood alone.

For The Nightmare had ruled since time immortal, and it was unwilling to relinquish what it had forever possessed.

And so, the Light’s Crusade began and with it a conflict that spanned creation.

The beings of The Light rallied behind the greatest of their kind, Amumeth.

A titan of courage and strength

Their crusade liberated planets and systems, one at a time,

freeing those races from The Dark’s grip to bolster their armies,

and those that were beyond saving, were exterminated.

But ever in their hearts, The Nightmare sought doubt and conflict,

and while they battled against its agents and armies, its corrupt tendrils seeped through worlds,

eager to turn all to its side, mind, body and soul.

Friend fought friend, brother fought brother and worlds tore themselves apart,

their occupants to be forgotten by time.

Those that could be saved, were,

for The Light saw good in all.

And those freed became the most zealous of all,

for they knew what The Dark had done, and they feared it.’

Those that could not, were obliterated.

As the tide turned, and world after world was liberated,

The Nightmare unleashed their most terrifying abominations,

savage and dangerous monstrosities that burned planets for their energy and souls.

The Light neared victory as they came across The Dark’s stronghold in the HeiRi system.

The last system, where billions met across a dozen planets, from hundreds of worlds, amongst monsters and titans.

Where Light met Dark.

The Harbinger of darkness, Sanneth, appeared before his black citadel and faced The Light’s Vanguard.

As defeat neared, he faced Amumeth in combat, and through his rage and hatred, struck him down.

But his thirst was not quenched and many titan’s of light were lost to his toxic blade.

And even as they seized victory, Sanneth opened portals above the worlds and pulled suns through.

Annihilating himself and the great army of the light in their moment of victory."