46A/N: Hey everyone! This is my first posted story, created basically using ideas from previous stories that didn't work out. I thought I'd try something different and be spontaneous in writing this- no plans whatsoever. We'll see how we go. To those of you who have read this before, I've done a little changing, a little smoothing, and a little elaborating here and there, although the general plot is the same.
Anyway, I really love constructive criticism! So yeah, heaps of that, as well as general comments and opinions are welcome. For now, that's it from me. Thanks in advance for reading!
lv, Nadia (naughty little munchkin)
Prologue
Long ago, the world was a barren and desolate wasteland, devoid of all lifeforms. Cimorene, Queen of the Lenarean heavens, had long gazed upon this destitute place and desired to create a more bountiful view from her divine kingdom. At long last, she drew to her side her children- the six golden goddesses of the elements. They were Aila of light, Seraphine of fire, Clyte of water, Kaia of earth, Venilia of air, and Zila of shadow.
"My children," Cimorene said to the gathered six. "I want you to leave the heavens and go down unto the ravaged desert of earth. For millenniums we have looked down upon this world and it pains me to see it so ravaged. I am unable to leave the heavens unattended so unto you I place this task. Banish the poisons from the land and create a world where life may breathe and flourish."
Her daughters accepted their mother's request, for they too did not like to look upon such a sight, and one by one, the elemental goddesses descended upon the land, each in a cloud of bright, shimmering gold. There the sisters hovered and each created a coloured fiery orb, each of the six fires unique, which burned with unnatural brightness. Together they thrust the balls of flame to become whole and the light from this fire spread to each and every corner of the earth. Wherever the light touched, the earth turned rich, brown and fertile, where at once trees, bushes and shrubs sprang to life. Lakes, rivers and oceans were formed, deep valleys and gargantuan mountains, rich in minerals, were created. Air cleared, fires burned, and light and shadow perfected the world, maintaining the delicate balance of the new life.
In a blink of an eye the world was created- yet there was something missing.
It was then that Queen Cimorene at last consented to leave the heavens for a short while and followed her daughters down to the newly-created world. Lifting her hands, she moulded the first animals and humans to ever walk the earth. Now the world was perfect and complete.
Queen Cimorene again beckoned for her immortal daughters. "My dear children, remain here on this earth, which you have so wondrously created, and rule wisely over this new life. Such a creation could not last without your watchful eyes. I must leave you now and return to the heavens." It was here that she then conjured identical necklaces for each of the goddesses, and bid them pour the power of their orbs into the clear, crystal stone. She said that this would safely keep the power that had created the world, for it was great and powerful, yet also unpredictable and dangerous. One by one, they did as their mother had asked and their unique powers each turned the stones a particular colour. These henceforth came to be known by man as the Lenarean Necklaces.
The golden goddesses made their home on top of the highest mountain where they remained vigil, constantly watching and guarding their creation. There they ruled together, both wisely and kindly, and the life on earth prospered under their protection.
But gradually things began to change.
Zila, the Goddess of Shadow, had always been dark and secretive. Her sisters did not think as she did and disagreed with many of Zila's ideas, the five goddesses usually overruling their sister. Gradually Zila grew to loathe the jointed rule shared between herself and her sisters. She desired to be the one and only ruler of the world- the owner of all the Lenarean Necklaces. Eventually a fierce argument erupted between Zila and her sister, Aila, the Goddess of Light. Zila promised there would be war between them and she left the mountain.
In the craggy depths of a deep crevice in the earth, close to its fiery core, Zila created a new breed of creatures from the shadowy power of her necklace. The Grismonds were a savage race that dwelt in the fiery caverns of molten rock and lava, the new servants of Zila. By day they forged their weapons, screaming and howling from within the dark places in which they dwelled. All who heard their ghastly cries cowered in fear, dreading the very moment when night would fall. It was at this time that the Grismonds would emerge and wreak havoc and bloodshed upon the world, intent on destroying the work of the golden goddesses, as was the wish of Zila, driven by her corrupted desire for power.
Aila and her sisters saw what was happening and were distraught. Finally, from the power of their own necklaces they created their own protectors, made in the image of man, whom they called the Heliods- warriors of the gods. Each Heliod was gifted with an ability of a particular element, which helped them to fight against the deadly Grismond forces.
The War of Light and Shadow between the Grismonds and Heliods continued for many years until finally, Zila and Aila came together in a final combat that many thought would decide the fate of the earth. Furiously they fought, using powerful magic and enchanted weapons against each other, until finally, with one lucky stroke from the tip of Zila's shadow sword, she cut Aila deeply. But still the Goddess of Light fought on, warring with darkness. She knew that if she were to fail, darkness would consume the earth; for Zila had grown much more powerful than she once had been, possibly more than even the combined powers of her sisters.
At last, just before she dropped to the ground in pain, Aila managed to hit her sister fatally with a bolt of lightning. There they both lay, side by side, upon the ground, inching towards death, for the weapons and magic they had used were those of immortal craft, forged in the heavens, and could even bring about death to those whom were everlasting.
Suddenly, a radiant white light descended from above, scattering the shocked onlookers of Heliods, Grismonds and the four remaining goddesses. It was Queen Cimorene.
Sadly she surveyed the battle scene around her and looked down at her two beloved daughters, Aila and Zila, both wounded and lying limp upon the ground, close to death. "I have come too late. The power of the necklaces has corrupted one of my daughters and has brought about her destruction as well as that of her beloved sister. No more shall you reign," she cried at last to all of the goddesses in her grief. "Instead your spirits shall be concealed inside the very stones you wear and these shall be cast around the earth, the power no more to be used, but stored, and so the earth shall forever be safe."
Cimorene raised her hands and the spirits of her daughters rose into the air. But as each of them began to enter the stone of their necklace, Zila cried out, "Once more the stones will be found. My spirit will wait until the One finds my necklace and unleashes the power within! The Grismonds will follow the One of Shadow until I hold all the necklaces and have complete dominion over the earth!"
Yet Aila, hearing Zila's cry, in turn called, "Yes, once more the stones will be found. But the one Heliod bearing my mark will find the lost necklaces and reunite them and the Heliods against the One of Shadow. Light shall once again war with Darkness and the fate of the world will then be decided!"
With those last words, the spirits were imprisoned and all that remained of the once immortal bodies, were six piles of golden dust.
Cimorene knew that what her daughters had prophesised will come to pass, for that single moment had been charged with rare and unnatural magical forces, such a time where the earth could forever be changed. But until that time of the prophecy fulfillment, she banished the Grismonds back to the dark caverns from whence they were created, whereas the Heliods she sent to live normally as other human beings upon the earth.
But only for a time.
Year by year, the world watched and waited, but no signs of the Chosen Ones made themselves known. Soon centuries, and eventually millenniums had passed, but still nothing had happened. The threat of Zila, Goddess of Shadow, and the return promise of her sister Aila, Goddess of Light, gradually faded from the memories of mankind. The Heliods- if such things had ever existed- had disappeared, vanishing into the shadowy past. What records that had survived during that era were dismissed as mere legends and myths of old. The story of the golden goddesses became exactly that- a story. A tale of might and magic told to young children by their parents before they went to sleep at night.
The world lived in peace for thousands of years, broken occasionally by the quarrels and wars between men, but these were nothing when compared to the War of Light and Shadow- the bloody and despairing battle of the immortals. But the time for the Chosen Heliod and the One of Shadow was drawing nearer, and the peace would soon come to an end...