The Lightbringer War Arc
The story of Baar and Kilik, two young men whose ambitions would change the world...all starting with the discovery of one sword.
Plot points/Scenes
Structure
Exposition
In the South, Tala, princess of the Mwindaji Tribe, has just had her Becoming Ceremony. This ceremony would signify her journey into womanhood and her eligibility for marriage. As the fighting tournament for her hand in marriage began to take place, Tala surprised her father with the proposition of fighting to determine her own fate. While the elders of their tribe were furiously denying such an act, they're ultimately forced to grant Tala her wish to enter the tournament at the request of the Dorhajhe. The Mwindaji chieftain is more than amused to see his daughter of 17 single-handedly defeat every challenger who came her way and won the tournament. Tala smirked as she towered above the defeated Navatu men, claiming no man was ready to be her equal and thus would stay single until a man was ready to defeat her in combat. Though the Becoming Ceremony ended without Tala finding a worthy suitor, warriors from all over came to compete for the hand of the infamous She-Beast of the Mwindaji Tribe. Despite enjoying the thrill of combat, Tala began to tire of her challengers and one night decided she would sneak off and travel the land, in search of adventure.
Meanwhile, Baar and Kilik, two youths from outside the borders of Faenheim, have just begun their own travels across the land of Pangaea in search of adventure. Hearing legends of a mysterious tower located in the wilderness full of treasures, the duo sets out to find it. This journey quickly turns into more trouble than they anticipated however as the darkness of the Infinite Void suddenly engulfs them, the sounds of wild and dangerous beasts echoing all around them. Deciding to take their chances with the unknown, Baar and Kilik push on, eventually making their way into the entrance hall of the tower. The tower seems to go up endlessly, its entrance room extending into several other rooms on the first floor.
Though they don't find treasure, the duo is confronted by Tala, also seeking refuge from the Void within the tower. As the three explore the tower’s hallways, they’re met with skeletons and traps aplenty. Though rough, they somehow manage to make it through to the third level of the tower where they find an unusual sight. Randomly scattered about the room are statues of various lesser daemons. In the center of the room lies a giant pit, lowering far below the entrance of the tower and deep into the earth. In front of this pit, however, sat a sword of elegant design, plunged deep into the center of a rather large daemon statue. Tala attempts to remove the sword but to no avail. After persistently attempting for some minutes, however, Kilik seems to be beginning to work the sword free until a high-pitched screech stops him in his tracks. Coming up the stairway is a massive group of maw daemons and impus. Baar, Kilik, and Tala try to hold them back in the stairwell but they find themselves fighting a losing battle. Unsure of his options, Baar runs to the sword and seems to effortlessly pull it from the statue, allowing the blade to cover the room in a mighty radiant light as soon as it is lifted in the air. Mysterious sword in hand, the trio continues to fight back the enemy but the horde seems endless and from within the pit, they begin to hear the cackling and growls of daemons crawling their way up. Just as the situation becomes dire, suddenly a voice echoes in Baar's mind. “Light the Beacon,” it whispers. Now knowing what to do, Baar runs to the pit chanting in an unknown language while the daemons make their way up the pit towards the party. Suddenly a massive light shoots down from the sky into the center chamber of the tower, lighting up the pit and decimating the daemons making their way up. The light is so great it causes everyone to shield their eyes in its intensity.
A moment passes before the three can open their eyes, finding themselves in an empty room. The daemons were now gone, replaced by a great light centered from what was once the center pit. After gaining what information they could about what happened, Baar, Kilik, and Tala leave the tower and are met with a large group of knights led by a female faery woman wearing an air of authority and grace. Introducing herself as the Faery King's right hand, Morgiana demands to know what happened at the tower and requests their attendance before the King so that he may question them personally.
Upon arriving in the capital city and greeting the guards, the three are immediately guided to an audience with the Faery King, Atem. The Faery King informs Baar, Kilik, and Tala that war is on the horizon and Faenehim faces threats from both the north and the south. To the north, they face the Conqueror of the North, a powerful gigantes warlord slowly making his way south as he destroys or enslaves everyone and everything in his path. To the south is the Mwindaji Tribe and their chieftain, Gandiva the Storm Beast, pushing his way north for reasons unknown. Unable to target both threats, Atem has decided to focus his full attention on the Conqueror of the North, leaving his close friend Asuron in charge of the Southern Campaign. Atem also decided to trust Baar, one of the 4 people in history to be able to light a beacon from within the Void, to protect his lands from the Mwindaji Tribe to the South. Atem promises to give Baar any and everything he desires in return and after much consideration and thought, Baar agrees to hold the southern borders while Atem goes to face the King of the North. Tala conflicted to fight against her tribe but unwilling to reveal her lineage, sides with Baar for the time being.
Rising Action
In the south, Baar and Kilik struggle to unite bannermen in preparation for a defense of Faenheim against the growing Navatu threat. Through adventures around the countryside, they make allies of Porks, the farmer, Mikaeyla, the queen of thieves and daughter of Porks, Onyx, leader of the border patrol of Faenheim and Hekane, a Navatu priestess of mysterious origins. With this ragtag group of adventurers and the knights of Faenheim, Baar figures they are just barely able to protect the Great Fae Capital when it comes under a surprise attack by the Mwindaji Tribe. Though they force them Navatu raiders to retreat, it is at the cost of many, lowering overall morale. During the fight, Tala is spotted and identified, causing her to reveal her secret to her allies.
Meanwhile in the North, Atem fights vigorously alongside Morgiana and his army against the gigantes and their king. Though the fighting is brutal, the appearance of Androssi and her Icarus quickly turn the tides of battle and an alliance solidifies between the two. With the help of Androssi's forces, the King of the North quickly begins to see his forces lose ground and territory and is forced to join the frontlines himself. Immediately, his presence on the battlefield shifts the odds again in his favor with his titanic might and charisma. Even the combined might of Atem and Morgiana is just enough to match him on equal terms.
Back in the South, Baar summons his close allies for a war council. Before retreating, the Navatu raiders warned that they would return with their leader, Gandiva the Storm Beast, in one month. Tala sought out peace, hoping her appearance would make her father stop his assault. Kilik however, wanted to bring the fight to the Mwindaji Tribe in their own territory. Though both gave good points, the decision was ultimately split amongst the council with Baar and Onyx siding with Tala and Mikaeyla and Hekane siding with Kilik. Porks, the final vote, ultimately sided with Baar, causing a divide in the party. Though still loyal to Baar, Kilik began to doubt his methods. This slight rift was the chance Hekane was looking for. She began getting intimately close with the young man, spreading seeds of doubt in his mind and causing him to truly doubt the effectiveness of Baar's orders. A week before Gandiva's forces were said to arrive, Kilik challenged Baar to a duel for Ysander, the sword the three of them found within the tower. Though shocked, Baar accepted his friend's duel. The fight was brutal and for a time it truly seemed as though Kilik would win without Baar wielding Ysander, but in the end, his training with the magical sword bore into Baar unnatural reflexes and combat prowess, ultimately giving him the edge. Kilik had lost and under order by Onyx was imprisoned in the dungeons of the Fae Capital until further notice. Pained by his friend's actions, Baar struggled to keep his composure but understood there were more pressing matters at hand. Tala, however, kept an eye on Kilik's closest ally, Hekane.
In the dead of night, after drugging the on-duty guards, Hekane freed Kilik and together the two fled the capital. Following his savior, Kilik suddenly found himself within the Void. Though initially worried, Hekane's words at his side kept Kilik's mind clear and focused, only concerned with pushing forward through the abyss. After further wandering, they suddenly came to a clearing with a strange lake at its center. In the middle of the blood-red waters of the lake, a decrepit tower rose high into the fog of the Void. Entering the tower and climbing to its peak, Kilik found a stone pillar with a peculiar blade stuck in it, very reminiscent of Ysander's placement atop the Lost Tower. Before he could think about the situation, the tower was overrun by shadowy beasts, quickly coming after the pair. Without thinking, Kilik lunged for the blade, removing it from its stone prison and cast it towards the sky. Immediately, a brilliant light shown down into the center of the tower as the fog of the Void began to dissipate. The shadow beasts began to flee in fear, just as Kilik began to hear a burst of low, deep laughter in his mind.
From below, Tala watched on in shock at what she'd just witnessed. As fast as she could, she raced back to Baar to tell him what she just witnessed. Behind Kilik, Hekane's lips curl into a smile, her eyes hidden. Now all the players were ready.
Climax
In the South, Baar prepares his forces for the worst-case scenario now that Tala and Kilik have disappeared during the night. For his attempt to speak with the Mwindaji Tribe's Dorhajhe, Tala was essential. Luckily Tala returns before dawn breaks, out of breath from running all night, and warns Baar that Kilik and Hekane have fled south to an unknown tower. Baar is silent for a moment, before laughing off the information, informing Tala that he trusts Kilik. Though questioning his rationale, Tala decides to keep her trust in Baar. As the next day rises, Baar and his troops come face to face with Gandiva the Storm Beast, and his Navatu allies. Determined to handle things diplomatically, Baar offers to speak with the Dorhajhe man to man. Respecting the boy's bravery, Gandiva agrees, surprised the Faery King would trust a nobody with the protection of his entire realm. Before Baar can ask him anything, however, Gandiva nimbly disarms and moves behind Baar, holding him hostage and demanding the immediate surrender of all of the Faenheim forces. Baar hardens his resolve and informs no one to disarm themselves until he speaks with the Dorhajhe of the Mwindaji. Gandiva however, drops his captive as Tala appears before him. Confused why his daughter would side with the enemy, Gandiva releases Baar at her request, now willing to hear them out. Baar begins questioning why they are pushing north into Faenheim with such urgency, asking if they're running from something. The Dorhajhe refutes such claims, explaining that he is moving his tribe north to fulfill the will of Visha, the Old God of Wind and War. With his power, gained after receiving Visha's blessing and ascending into a demigod, Gandiva had subjugated every Navatu tribe in his path, increasing their power in preparation to push north and conquer all of Pangaea under a single banner to prepare for the coming evil. Before he can elaborate on exactly what evil is coming, however, their talks are interrupted as an explosion erupts behind the Mwindaji Tribesmen, scattering their forces. Cutting his way through their center is Kilik, Hekane in tow. In his hand, Kilik wields a peculiar-looking blade possessing a powerful red aura to it. At his side, Baar feels Ysander begin to shiver and a voice in his mind warns him of danger approaching as a massive cloud of darkness follows at Kilik's heels.
Up north, it's been a week straight of fighting as Atem and Morgiana face off against the Conqueror of the North. Neither willing to give up an inch, the battle becomes so intense their forces are forced to retreat and only look on, preparing themselves to charge at the slightest sign of advantage on either end. Before the battle can conclude, however, massive darkness covers the battlefield, engulfing both sides. Atem and Morgiana take the chance to retreat to their troops and attempt to rally their armies amidst the chaos. Suddenly from without the darkness, creatures of the Void begin to attack both sides. The Conqueror of the North is easily able to dispatch these beasts but is caught off guard as he hears screams of terror and anguish behind him. Turning back he is barely able to make out his forces being obliterated from within the darkness. Quickly turning back to aid his men, the Conqueror readies his warhammer high in the air as he attempts to shine his power through the darkness. This brief period of clarity is quickly replaced with dread and despair as a massive, hulking beast stands before them, easily towering over the already large King of the Giants. Androssi sees this hulking monstrosity and drops to her knees, her face showing an expression those around her have never seen before: fear. Before the Giant King, stood an avatar of Nzara, The Great Hunger. An avatar of the Dhimwari.
Gandiva mounted his horse and rushed to meet Kilik in combat despite Tala’s pleas against it. As the two men clashed, the following darkness of the Void engulfed the battlefield, sending both sides into a panic.
Up North, after the darkness settled in, creatures of the Void began to attack both armies.
Baar and Tala try their best to rally both sides, quickly locating Kilik and Gandiva who were still locked in close combat with each other. Getting between both men and ending their duel, Tala stated they had bigger problems at hand. Hekane agreed, appearing from within the darkness. She explains to both the four of them that it was her that spread the rumors of the Lost Tower Baar and Kilik found themselves in and it was her that purposely led Kilik to the other tower. It was their destiny to free the two blades from their resting places, as they were the only way to free Melusine from her prison. Hekane went on to explain how Ysander and Sparta once were wielded by a Navatu warrior of unmatched martial ability from the war man fought against the Dhimwari hundreds of years ago. Wielding two swords blessed by the Gods, the warrior was able to put an end to the war by slaying one of the Dhimwari avatars with the aid of Melusine, the Goddess of Water at the cost of her life. After the war, Ysander and Sparta were then sent to opposite ends of Pangaea for all time. This was to be how things would remain until centuries later, the swords would mysteriously appear, waiting for their next wielders. To defeat another Avatar of the Dhimwari, the power of the Gods would be needed. To recover Sparta and Ysander however, two strong-hearted people with no natural ties to magic were needed as the overwhelming power from a single blade could prove to be too much for a single person to handle were they unprepared. Hekane paused for a second to reveal that she was once a member of the Noh Tribe, exiled for the removal of her mask. The mask's removal connected her with the world in a way that to this day she's sure she could explain but at that moment, she saw a vision. With this information, she was chosen to be the one to inform Gandiva and the Mwindaji all of that she knew first as the strongest tribe among the Navatu. Hekane hoped for his assistance in repelling the Avatars of the Dhimwari. Gandiva however only took this information and formed his own solution: to conqueror Pangaea and unite them under his own personal banner. The Storm Beast angrily pointed his blade outwards at Hekane before it was quickly knocked away by Kilik, coming between the two of them. Before the fighting could start back up, a blood-chilling roar erupted from behind the group. Hekane froze, explaining they needed to leave, now. Before anyone could react, however, the Avatar of Nzara leaped through the darkness, ready to slam his massive fist down at Tala, her eyes widening as the cold embrace of death reached for her.
Falling Action
The Conqueror of the North was engaged in direct combat with the Avatar of Nzara...and losing. The mightiest warrior of the North was losing and this was greatly demoralizing the Giant King's forces. Just as things started looking bad, Atem and Morgiana rushed in to deflect a killing blow from Nzara's Avatar. The Giant King looked at Atem and let out a sigh of relief. With that silent exchange, the truce was formed and the three powerhouses charged back at the monstrosity before them, killing it with ease.
Her instincts sharp, Tala readied her spear, just barely being able to parry the the hulking monster as it lunged at her. As the creature stumbled, Baar and Kilik appeared at Tala side, taking the chance to strike, their magically imbued blades making up for what they lacked in fighting such horrors. Though she prepared to help Baar and Kilik, Tala suddenly caught a chill, her attention turning off towards the capital city. Suddenly she dashed off through the darkness, calling out for Baar and Kilik to do their best to defeat the monster. Hekane in tow, Gandiva disappeared into the darkness as well, leaving Baar and Kilik to fight the Avatar of Nzara on their own. Despite Ysander and Sparta giving them an edge, their bodies were not able to keep up for long and began to tire. Eventually, Nzara's Avatar was able to knock the duo back, disarming them. Before they could reach their blades the monster was on them, grasping both boys in each hand, attempting to squeeze the life out of them slowly. At the mercy of this monster, Baar and Kilik struggled to free themselves when suddenly a piercing light shot through the darkness and the avatar's torso. It dropped to a knee and shrieked in pain, dropping the two boys in the process who scrambled as quickly as they could to their weapons. Looking around, they noticed the darkness began to dissipate, being replaced by strong gusts of winds. out of the parting darkness, appeared Gandiva, bow in hand, walking to stand right before Nzara's Avatar. The monster let out a mighty but distressed roar before the Storm Beast's face, before quickly taking several arrows to the face. The monster recoiled in pain, falling back as the strange man notched another arrow, ready and aimed.
Meanwhile back north, the Conqueror of the North, with help from Atem and Morgiana, was finally able to beat back Nzara's Avatar as the three of them back it into a corner. the monster lets out a desperate shriek before the Conqueror, with all his might, brings down his warhammer upon its head, felling the monster. While the trio begins to celebrate, Androssi, having recovered from her shock, screams for the three to prepare themselves for the next wave. Confused, Atem is narrowly able to jump out of the way as several more massive monstrosities appear from within the Void, charging the trio.
As the daemonic titan’s roars are silenced, Hekane found her way through the sea of carnage back to where Baar and Kilik sit, exhausted as the Gandiva puts a final arrow into the monster's head, killing it. Though he was able to kill the monster, he remarks that it took much of his strength, as he had to kill one en route to meet the Faenheim forces. Shocked at the knowledge that more of these creatures existed, Baar and Kilik attempted to gain all the info they could from the Storm Beast. Regular weapons and magic are unable to do much good against the Avatars, the knowledge that cost Gandiva almost half his army to discover and he was only able to put it down after relying on the power of the God of Wind. Before they could figure out a gameplan, screams echoed out from near the border of Faenheim: in the distance, another avatar could be seen crashing through the walls of the border. Too far to stop it, Baar and the others quickly headed in its direction before being stopped in their track by the sight in front of them. Onyx, captain of the border patrol, using several layers of chains, was managing to hold back one of the monster's arms as a Tala jumped in the air, landing on the monster's face and actually managing to knock it back as she plunged her spear deep into its head. In the same instance, Onyx, assisted by several members of the border patrol, managed to drag the creature down capitalizing off of the momentum from Tala’s bravery. This feat bought Baar and Kilik enough time to rush in and slice off the avatar's free arm before it could react. The mighty Storm Beast prepared to notch one final arrow but stopped in awe as Tala launched a series of strikes with her spear, seemingly carrying the wind around her in the process as she filled the monster full of holes until it remained motionless. Gandiva smiled at his daughter, understanding the true strength she possessed.
Back up north, Androssi, having rallied all her strength, created a massive blaze, incinerating the avatars of Nzara that had managed to fight off the combined armies' forces. Finally having a moment of peace, the Conqueror of the North let out a deep sigh as he pointed his warhammer at Atem, stating their truce was over. Morgiana and Atem readied their blades to retaliate before Androssi jumped before the two opposing sides. Informing everyone that this was just the beginning of Nzara's carnage and that these monsters were nothing more than spawns of the true Avatar of Nzara. The realization of their complete powerlessness before such a threat setting in, Atem once again extended a truce to the Conqueror of the North. Though begrudgingly, he accepts the terms, at least until the threat of the Dhimwari was wiped from Pangaea. Afterward, he stated he would continue his conquest of the world.
Moving back to the lands of Faenheim, Atem is greeted by Baar and the various Navatu tribesmen, informing him of what has transpired to the south. Combining their information, Androssi appears before the council to let them know their next steps: the unification of Pangaea against the Dhimwari, Nzara the Endless Hunger. To prepare, the Conqueror of the North has halted his campaign for expansion and is currently building his forces up, unifying the North to fight their common threat. Gandiva formally makes a truce with Faenheim, bringing his Northern Campaign to an end. Pleased with their efforts, Atem gifts both Baar and Kilik ranks in nobility, making them barons of Faenheim and generals in his army. Tala, having proven her strength and bravery to be equal if not greater than any other warrior, is chosen by Gandiva himself to serve at his side with the unification of the Navatu.
During all of this celebration and preparation, Hekane took the chance to slip away in the cover of night. Her escape was caught by Kilik, questioning her current goals. Hekane simply smiled, stating she would find them when the time came to awakening Melusine from her slumber.
Resolution
Three years later and the Great Kings of Pangaea have maintained a friendly truce to push back the forces of Nzara the Endless Hunger and his spawns. The first part of this required that they reinforce their defenses and protect their borders from Nzara's hulking monstrosities. At the same time, however, they would need to expand into the shadowed lands of the Void and continue lighting the beacons of Pangaea to regain her lands from the Dhimwari. Although an intense battle, the last 3 years had produced positive results and over time the lands of Pangaea were once again cast with light from the heavens. Uthos and the Seven, unwilling to directly get involved, less they garner the attention of the Dhimwari themselves, simply blessed the people of Pangaea the best they could. Their absence however gave way for the Ancient ones to regain followings as Visha, Jyohn, and Androssi began to regain their lost strength with every new follower.
Their jealousy overwhelming their fear, the Seven began to more directly interact with the people of Pangaea to regain lost faith. This however caused an internal struggle between the Seven and the Ancient Ones. Though Ur and Androssi refused to get involved in such petty squabbles, Uthos and Shiva directly began to compete with the likes of Jyohn and Visha, causing fights amongst their followers. Gandiva, a loyal follower of Visha, saw the Seven and their attempts to garner attention as a distraction from their ultimate goal. This put him in opposition with the new and quickly growing Helios Tribe, who were devout followers of Shiva as the new God of War. Keiros, Shiva's chosen known as the Burning One, started conflict with Gandiva, no longer seeing him fit to lead the Navatu unification efforts. These conflicts did nothing but split the Navatu people during these times and the two became differing factions vying for control of the Navatulands of the South. Tala, often leading the Mwindaji warriors into battle, has come to be known no longer as the She Beast of the Mwindaji, but as the rightful successor of the tribe upon Gandiva’s death.
Also on the rise during this time were harpies and the naga, creatures of varying sentience who during the campaign for Pangaea were seen siding with Nzara. Though typically very chaotic creatures, their newfound leadership quickly drew the eye of the United Forces as groups of harpies and naga shujaa led raids and held defensive camps around light beacons. Because of this, the already dangerous fight against Nzara saw many speed bumps. Adding in the increasing amounts of daemons roaming the lands, and the last few years were anything but peaceful. But despite all of this, in nearly three years, the United Forces were almost finished with their campaign and the vast majority of Pangaea had been covered in radiant light from the Cosmic Center.
Despite pushing back the darkness of the Void, two things stood out and worried Atem. There was no sighting of Nzara's central and titanic Avatar anywhere during their campaign. The monstrosity said to be the cause of all of these spawns was nowhere in sight, despite it supposedly being a natural force of mass destruction. The second thing worrying Atem was the continued silence and disappearance of Xanas, the God of Chaos and Knowledge cast down to the Earthly Realm all those years ago and the cause of Atem's journey to Pangaea in the first place. As the United Forces neared the final beacon and the final and largest cloud of the Void remaining on Pangaea, these mysteries entered Atem's head. As the United Forces neared the location of their final and greatest battle, Atem, his allies at his side, hardened his resolve and let out a warcry signifying the beginning of the end of this three-year campaign.
For hours the United Forces cut through wave after wave of the creatures from the Void and their armies. Finally, the main group, personally led by Atem, had made it to the beacon's tower. After fighting their way to its peak, Atem gathered every bit of his power to light the final beacon and with a massive surge of radiance, Pangaea was engulfed in light. The daemons all shrieked in terror as they fled, the United Forces fast at their heels. Suddenly, however, the United Forces stopped in their tracks at what stood before them: a massive cloud of darkness. Unsure of its appearance but refusing to lose the momentum, the United Forces sent soldiers in after their fleeing enemies into the darkness, only to immediately hear their battle cries deafened upon stepping within the darkness of the Void. Erupting across the entire battlefield was a deep and malicious roar of laughter. As he descended the tower, Atem watched in horror as through the darkness stepped out Nzara's true Avatar, a monster whose sheer size was unlike anything they could have imagined. Atop it stood a man whose face Atem would never forget: Xanas. Paralyzed with fear by the monstrous duo before them, the United Forces could only watch as Xanas began to congratulate them on scattering the darkness of the Void from Pangaea. He then laughed, understanding that they could and would never truly be free of the Void as long as the Dhimwari lived. "But," Xanas continued, "For your valiant efforts, I bring you, a gift." Then without warning, with a wave of his hand, Xanas slew the gargantuan monstrosity, freezing it to its core before shattering it into millions of pieces. There was silence as Xanas slowly floated back down to the earth. Before he could speak again, however, Atem leaped at him, plunging his sword deep in Xanas's chest. The God simply looked at his attacker and laughed, gripping Atem by the throat as the other watched on in horror. "You will never kill me," he whispered in Atem's ear. Then, just as suddenly as he appeared, Xanas left.
In the aftermath of their gruesome war, despite the shallow feeling its end left many in, none couldn't sigh in relief at the defeat of Nzara's threat. Despite understanding that this would only be a temporary victory, Androssi, Jyohn, and Visha were content to once again be able to roam the lands of Pangaea freely. The battle was gruesome, but in the end, Atem and his allies all escaped with their lives. Uthos, again impressed with his friend's devotion and valor, bestowed further power onto him. This power, coupled with the praise and adoration he had received from his accolades during the campaign, unbeknownst to the Seven and the Ancient Ones, would be enough to ascend Atem to demigodhood. Though the Ancient Ones welcomed him into their ranks, albeit begrudgingly, Uthos and the Seven were not so accepting of Atem's ascendance. This would eventually erupt in a major conflict in the years to come.
Plot type
Story Arc
Parent Plot
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