The Whithering of Delodiil Content . There was , in those days , a city in the Heartland , Delodiil by name . And it was a city of pleasant promenades , of learned scholars , of meticulous artisans , and of lissome dancers . And also did Delodiil have warriors fierce and proud , who protected the promenades , and the scholars , and the artisans , and the dancers . And though the warriors were few , they were bold . Now the people of Delodiil worshiped many gods , for they were devout and held all the Divines in reverence . But above all others they did venerate the Lady of Light , building for Merid - Nunda a chapel of colored rays and beams , which was for glory like a piece of Aetherius brought down to the mortal world . And the people of Delodiil were proud thereon . But across the valley was another city , Abagarlas , which was to the darkness as Delodiil was to the light . Now Abagarlas had as many citizens as Delodiil , but few were dancers , artisans , and scholars , because most were warriors fierce and proud . These warriors were to other states and cities for the making of war in return for wealth . And thus did Abagarlas , in its own way , prosper . Now the King of Abagarlas saw the chapel of lights that was the pride of Delodiil , and he said , " Is not Abagarlas as great a city as Delodiil ? We shall have a great chapel of our own . " And he decreed that much of the wealth of Abagarlas be spent in the building of a shrine to his own patron Divine , who was the Lord Mola Gbal . And the people of Abagarlas reared up a vast shrine to Mola Gbal , but they were but rude soldiers rather than artisans , and the shrine was misshapen , ill - colored , and burdensome to look upon . But it was , nonetheless , larger than Delodiil ' s chapel of lights , and thus the King of Abagarlas boasted that his city was greater therefore than Delodiil . But the people of Delodiil evinced no dismay , and went about their business as before . And this unconcern of the Delodiils ate a hole into the heart of the King of Abagarlas , and he was vexed unto madness . He sent soldiers to profane the small shrine to Merid - Nunda in Abagarlas , and then went to his vast shrine to Mola Gbal , where he swore a mighty oath . And slaying a family of visiting Delodiils on the altar , the King vowed that he would gather his army , march across the valley , and capture all the Delodiils , sacrificing them to Mola Gbal within the chapel of lights . And the King of Abagarlas mustered all his soldiers , and on a night in which the skies were lit by a furious racing aurora , he marched them across the valley to Delodiil . But when the King and his army arrived they found the land empty , for the city of Delodiil was gone , unto every brick ! And the King thought he heard laughter in the lights in the skies , mirth that turned to shrieks of fear that came , not from above , but from back across the valley . In haste the King marched his soldiers back to his city , but when they arrived at Abagarlas , they found it utterly destroyed as if by scorching light . And of the families of the soldiers and the King , nothing could be found but their shadows burnt into the walls of the city . Thus Abagarlas . But of the fate of Delodiil , nothing more was known .