The Swordstrummer's Song

Prologue

Like a lucid dream once lived, more real than life itself, forgotten, but still resonating some form of remembrance, the Arkons eyes explored the empty space around them. Like a decision made to wake up in the morning, the Arkon's blinked their eyes, taking in their growing understanding. Not through force, but by curiosity, the Arkon's played with their powers. Aelor, his hands outstretched before him, began to flex his fingers. Strands of scarlet, slate, and obsidian essences began to twirl in intricate patterns above his palms. He glanced at Aluecien, his eyes brimming with a knowing glare. His lips curled in a wicked smile.

Aluecien began to slowly spin, her hands waving through black space with wonder. Warm amber, ivory, and azure colors burst from her hands making patterns in the space around her as she spun. She dashed to Aelor, her magnificent eyes ablaze with eagerness. Aelor glided backward, his eyes furrowing in obvious unease. Alucien's eyes flickered over at him and she giggled. She shot into the air soaring through empty black space. A small orb began to form between her fingers. The elements began to mix and mingle in a beautiful dance of power. Small strands furious flame began to be drawn from Aelor. He glanced down as the trickle of fire being pulled from him quickly progressed to a torrent surging out of his very being. Aluecien's winds ignited an effulgent blaze of power as it mixed and fed the fire into a roaring river of flame flowing into the growing orb. At first Aelor resisted, frowning at the spectacle of amusement in Aluecien, but slowly he was drawn in and began to bathe the blackness with a beautiful scorching storm. He added some slate rock strands to the mix and the smoldering sphere's mass exploded in size. Aelor began to forcibly rip winds, unknowingly from Aluecien to feed the blaze. Aluecien pulled back, but the force was too strong coming from Aelor. She twisted, and instead of struggling, started to contain and control the chaos that seemed to pour from him. Together they birthed the star Dae.

The Arkons floated next to each other as they bathed in the light of Dae. A strange pull began to tug them towards the star. Aelor, without warning burst forth an amazing display of rock, fire, and darkness, exploding out of his hands as he seemingly made to attack Aluecien. As if expecting the onslaught, Aluecien reacted with her own water, wind, and light. Their powers collided. Shockwaves rolled out from the incredible amount of force from the mixing elements. Aelor with his still wicked grin, began to grimace under the strain. His torrent of power increased with chaotic whips of elements flicking out threatening to overwhelm Aluecien. Aluecien's control was unwavering, her face was a mask of calm, while underneath she strained to maintain order. The powers between them began to coalesce, the massive amounts of elements took shape. In between Aluecien and Aelor a planet began to form. The Arkon's were soon just specks in the distance of one another as a large massive planet formed between them.

Aluecien and Aelor sped towards the land. Below them was a rocky land mass smoldering with mountainous volcanos spewing jets of living lava. Like a kid with a new toy, Aelor stared at their creation, his eyes flared with anticipation. Aluecien understood, but made not a move to deter Aelor. As Aelor tore through the sky blazing with eternal fire, flying on the fresh turbulent winds of Avara, Aluecien followed in his wake. Where Aelor gouged smoldering rivets of molten rock in the land, Aluecien made the fires cease and plant life grow. Where Aelor bathed the land in monstrous gouts of fire, she soothed, and graced the land with rivers, lakes, and streams. As Aelor devasted the land with wild tirades of frenzied power without abandon, beautiful wonders were left throughout the land as Aluecien restored the chaos to a controlled rolling catastrophe. The paradoxical dance of Aelor and Aluecien was a beckoning breathtaking beauty.

Aluecien and Aelor imbued the elements with their telltale traits. Aluecien infused wetness to water, she instilled the spectrum of color hidden in light, she made the pattern of the wind, and gave it life. Aelor steeped fire with heat, endowed the hardness to rock, and gave darkness true form. Aluecien's breath, a mighty gale, carved out other great valleys, her winds clashing with Aelor's scorching blasts that forged rugged cliffs and high plateaus.

Aluecien gathered the vapors, weaving them into swirling rivers and deep, slumbering oceans, only for Aelor to split the seabeds with molten fury, creating networks of undersea fire. Her light scattered through the mist, painting the sky with the delicate hues of dawn and dusk, while Aelor cast shadows that crept over the land, giving depth to every feature they touched. Each element under their command shaped the planet, their powers a reflection of their essence, eternally at odds yet creating a world balanced by their forces.

In their grand design, Aluecien and Aelor's powers combined in a rare moment of harmony to give rise to a protective cloak high above. Aluecien's gentle breezes and lofty currents carried the essence of life, while Aelor's fiery heart and darkened embers provided the energy needed for transformation. This subtle alliance allowed a thin, transparent layer to form, almost out of nothingness, a silent guardian against the fierce glare of Dae. It enveloped their world tenderly, a swift and serendipitous birth of a shield that would protect and foster new life.

The Arkons hovered before each other on Avara, their chaotic battle that stood only on the brink of balance had only just begun...