"In the vast, wide world of this mystical realm, our planet Eldoria is ever evolving endlessly," the Grand Elder would tell us, as if to share the ancient woman's tale of knowledge. "While time flows differently for us than for most other living creatures, we are the Eternals."
In the paradise of our elven forest, I could see a sort of barrier upon the area, like a dome. It was massive, and many of the elves enjoyed the terrain of endless trees and lush vegetation.
It had been nearly a thousand years since I had been reborn; I coined the phrase "relentless rain" as my nickname. None knew I was once human, as even explaining what a human was perplexed them, as no such race existed. I kept my "dreams" to myself, sharing them with only a few.
The expanse within the barrier wasn't infinite; I traveled for years to find its limits. Once I did, I returned home to my castle.
Each Eternal, as they called themselves (though I internally referred to them as elves), had a strange social structure unlike that of humans or people from Earth. The term "family" encompassed all members as a whole; the distinction between 'me and yours' didn't exist.
I had parents, but they weren't "parents" in the traditional sense; all adults were my parents, and all children were my brothers and sisters. We Eternals aged slower than most other creatures; the only beings comparable were the sky-turtles, which aged much slower than us, placing us in second.
In human terms, I was now around 14 years old, or in Eternal years, one thousand and seven hundred. I was a young teenager, yet also the most turbulent youngster of our generation. Elves didn't register emotions the same way humans did, but my past experiences as one conflicted within my genes, resulting in a misbalance of emotions and a sense of individual indifference precoded within me.
To others, I was the most sensitive and relentless person, never one to relax. I despised relaxation, as it meant enjoying doing nothing for nearly five hundred years! In the grander scheme, we had the luxury of time; our lifespans were nearly unlimited. However, this wasn't entirely true; records noted an age range of 17,000 to 21,000 years as the oldest.
Our elder was already 16,000 years old, the most patient person I had ever seen, yet her gaze had a mysterious effect, as if she saw into your soul.
"Other enigmatic beings commonly refer to us as 'Chronos,' 'immortals,' 'guardians,' 'undying cursed ones,' or with evermore new monikers upon us unraveling in time," she appeared reminiscent, a slight smile tinged with sadness creeping but quickly fading like the wind as she continued, "So, by outsiders, we who possess a lifespan far surpassing that of any other mortal creature, for every hundredth and a half or so years that pass in their ages, is merely a day elapsed in our realm." She'd stare at the skies as we gazed upwards, filling in her wonder with our own.
"This unique relationship with time has sculpted the very essence of us, the Eternals. Understand that we, Eternals, see the passage of time as fluid and elusive, with centuries slipping by like mere moments in the grand tapestry of our lives." Her gaze shifted down, focused; no longer afar, she wanted to ensure we heeded her warnings and lessons.
Listening to her in this white marble-walled house, a massive chapel where lines of nature meet architectural beauty, I was among my four peers. We elves, or Eternals, had a low population standard. Even I, once human, felt no attraction to the handsome and beautiful people around me. I felt no inclination toward procreation, detached from the hunger of it. That was the one thing I found most interesting, as an intellectual.
"As a result, we must possess a deeply rooted sense of patience and contemplation, viewing the fleeting struggles and triumphs of mortal races with a mixture of curiosity and detachment," she declared, the air still as if her voice had commanded it, no sound heard as she stared deep into our eyes. Like a passing storm, she relaxed, and we felt at ease, having passed whatever test she had set for us.
"Yet, despite our longevity, we Eternals are not immune to the whims of boredom and ennui that inevitably accompany such an extended lifespan. Many among us find themselves adrift in the currents of time, seeking solace in mundane pursuits or indulging in frivolous distractions to fend off the relentless march of monotony," her tone full of sorrow, as if she were not vividly present in the moment but speaking to us through the vessel of now.
Nodding to her final lesson, I felt impatient yet patient enough, as my old self had grown into what an Eternal was. I had changed to the point where I didn't know if I was even changing anything. With such a lengthy period of time, it was extraordinarily impossible to stay the same as once was.
"Some delve into the arcane arts, which can bend landscapes to their will. Others weave intricate tapestries of generational mind songs and stories that span epochs, while some lose themselves in the pursuit of unending mysteries of knowledge, delving into forgotten tomes of the past and future ancient mysteries in search of enlightenment," she stood, struggling as the four of us walked toward her to aid her, only for her to gesture that she was fine. The gale around her smoothed unnaturally, aiding her in walking towards the massive tree.
Her mentioning of the types of magical arts made me nervous, as most of my peers had kept themselves to the bare minimum of their magical abilities. Magic was undoubtedly time-consuming, and if one lacked talent, it took even longer. I, on the other hand, had many talents and was already proclaimed as the greatest in the future of the Eternals.
I was acclaimed to be the rare genius who appeared once in a millennium. Which wasn't entirely true; I simply had Earth knowledge that I could apply over time, creating my own unique abilities into manifestation.
Most importantly, the ability to use magic was manifesting one's mind upon reality. All magic was driven by notions related to the psyche, soul, mind, and/or spirit.
Eternal Psionics used telepathy, telekinesis, and vitakinesis. One enabled communication with plants, spirits, other intelligent creatures, and animals. The second was the ability to control the environment by sheer force of willpower. The third was the ability to manipulate one's energy to heal or enhance themselves. It was all Eternals needed. Yet I was the black sheep, more experiential in Psionics than others.
"However, amidst the tranquil beauty of Eldoria, a shadow looms over the Eternals," she stopped, turning her head slowly to glance down at us, yet smiling kindly as she beckoned us to follow towards the everlasting enormous tree.
The elder always smiled but seemed distant; I knew one true thing—she didn't like me much. I was always there to make her worried or annoyed. She tried to calm me down with time, only to learn I was ever more seeking to use the time given to me to further myself. Eternals marched with time in hand and never really sought to improve upon mastery or even polish their own skills. The inherent talent of the Eternals ensured we never grew rusty with our skills; once we learned completely how to do something, we'd forever have that ability to perform it at the peak level.
"Despite our boundless existence, we find ourselves lacking in the simple joys and passions that define other mortals," she'd say, presenting to us the already known details of other races in the world. The one we currently weren't allowed to go out to—why? Because we were too young, and the world beyond was chaos for our unknown minds.
"For them, love is a concept unfelt, unlike we Eternals. They have an ephemeral notion that holds no sway over us. Are we flawed? Or rather, would it be them...anyways," she'd smile once more, staring at us with a smile that wasn't as before. Was she glad to have us? I knew that we were the recent four children of the Eternals, a rarity to see four at once.
"Reproduction, too, is a distant memory of a time long past, something I, an elder Eternal, cannot even comprehend or recognize as my own experience—a biological urge that is a rarefied part of us, which could be traced as obscurity for Eternals." Hearing that, most of us would look to each other; Eternals could breed with each other and not have any genetic defects. I had read about it, and as the only boy in the group of four, I wasn't interested in ever participating in such a ritual.
"Yet, despite these limitations, we Eternals persevere. Our rituals have always remained unchanged to this moment, for you four are the new generation to be in the next eons to come, as I was once before, as you are now—our spirits unyielding in the face of the relentless march of the Gods," she'd raise her hands as she spoke, then facing me, the only troublesome thing, she'd pat my head and move to lead us outward. We had worn our stylish clothes and gear of adventure; we knew this day was one to come. I was excited, yet the other three seemed bored, indifferent, sleepy to get this over with.
"Within the depths of our ancient souls lies a spark of resilience, a glimmer of hope that burns bright against the encroaching darkness. And though theistic visions of paths may be fraught with challenges and uncertainties, we Eternals stand as guardians of Eldoria, custodians of a realm where time itself is but a fleeting illusion in the grand symphony of existence," she'd say. After that, a portal would open up, and beyond, I'd see another forest with a sky that was new!
Leaping out first into the forest window of the portal, I could see new plant growth and trees, as well as a sky unique from the dome illusion or dimension trap hole it was. We were free! I could finally get to explore the world! I'd burst out running to see the light beyond the horizon, "So congratulations on becoming planewalkers! May you go through this journey heeding my lessons and return to the everlasting branch! Listen, Calo! Jurn!"
That was the last of them, of the fourteen Eternals in that portal prison. I had learned that twenty-eight others currently lived out in the world, and now the number was going to be thirty-two! After four thousand years, we'd get a call to return to the main branch to perform the ritual for our race. Until then, I was to enjoy my four thousand years!
As I ran, the other female elf seemed just as impatient, leaping out as quickly as I had. She took a different route, while I took my own straight line into the light.
Upon reaching the edge of the tree line, I saw we were on a floating mountain, with many others in the area too. Below was a village on the edge of the mountains below the one I was on. I could see some Eternals around, then sensing another Eternal near me, I turned slowly. "You're the young ones, right?"
The man seemed surprised that I wasn't alarmed by his swift move towards me. "I am, and you?"
"Oh? Know that the many rules of the Covenant of Altra don't apply once you leave it. It's why they never let anyone out of their own domain," he said, as I had heard that some rules were absolute. "Is the rule 'No Eternal shall kill another' still true?"
A wicked smile crossed his face. "Oh, there are only two rules that are true; that one isn't, as only a domain master can kill. The other is if you pledge allegiance with an opposing faction master. So, what do you say? Will you pledge allegiance to me?"
Sighing as I stood, I could sense why the elder was worried, yet at the same time, it seemed keeping us inside forever was detrimental to our growth as Eternals. I had heard rumors that her decision to send all four of us was a mistake, but things seemed to be muddled now. Her domain was conjoined with another, and now they simply limited the Eternals from returning to our covenant.
This was interesting. Quickly feeling a strain of weight upon my body as I was lifted off the ground, I realized this was their plan—forcing us to fall into despair and pledge to them as servants. Unfortunately, of the four, I was abnormal and absurd in their expectations. I could sense my other fellow peers kneeling or screaming in terror as we were preyed upon by poachers.
Ignoring the Eternal who struggled to move me from the air or affect me by any means, I focused on the three peers I had come with. The first one had already pledged herself to whomever. The second one was fighting her best but had lost her own leg. The last one was running as fast as she could, and it appeared she had sensed me in turn. "Stop watching, help them Jurn, I know I can't," she said as she escaped off the mountain, thus losing my mental sight on her. The rest... I felt nothing, but shouldn't I have felt anything? I decided to focus on the present situation as I then shifted my attention back to reality in front of me.
"You look scared," he said, angrily focusing more of his attention on me as a wave of psionic force came plummeting me to the ground. However, his desire to see his result succeeding only turned into despair. "I don't think I should break any laws known to me. Your laws fail to enforce whatever you believe."
I simply ignored him; his psionic level was far below my standards. Even the grand elder was stronger than his own wave of strength. I had long surpassed our grand elder, so this was childish to me. Ignoring him as he stood there baffled by the interaction that had occurred between us, I moved to help the two peers.
Upon arriving, the girl I had seen back in the covenant avoided my gaze as she was being carried away. The man looked at me, then faced in the direction I had come from, turning to look at me again. "What's your name?"
"I should ask you. Are you going to kill her?" I returned the question. He tilted his head sideways. "No, young master."
That was the first time someone acknowledged how strong I was, fearing to make a mistake. "Okay."
Glancing at the next peer, I manifested myself into the vicinity surprisingly quickly. The woman who had attacked my peer lunged at me, only to freeze in place. My eyes were wide awake now that I had encountered death for the first time.