Iuvelism

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# I - The First Age

***"From the darkest night came the brightest flame."***

***-Iskara, Pillar of Order***

Cold. It is cold. The frost stings - piercing one's bones. A thousand daggers, biting you, but you can't feel it. Your body is numb because of the chill. Welcome to the First Age. There is no light here, only darkness. There is no existence here, only nothing. There is no hope, only despair. The First Age was peaceful, yes, yet bleak. No creature nor structure existed. But that would all soon change. A few centuries, nay, a few aeons later, a spark as tiny as a needle's head and as hot as 20,000 blue suns appeared out of nowhere. From that minute spark came an enormous change. The universe never became the same again. Eventually, the spark grew hotter and larger - creating a flame. It would be known as The First Flame. From this flame, a magnificent creature came to be. Its shape was serpentine; its body was translucent as a phantom's; its limbs small; its head resembled a lizard. He was a celestial dragon - the first of his kind. This dragon would be known as Hyper'Iun. Because he inherited the flame's ability to give life, he became the God of Creation. From his newfound powers, Hyper'Iun created the first star. Some believe he took inspiration from the flame that birthed him. The star would be known as Iun, meaning "to create", named after himself. Iun was the brightest star to exist. It was also the hottest. Hyper'Iun used this star to give birth to planets and galaxies. Life was good for Hyper'Iun, except for one flaw - he was alone. Or so he thought.

# II - The Other

***"From the brightest flame came the darkest night."***

***-Iskara, Pillar of Order***

Hyper'Iun thought that he was the only living creature in the universe. For a very long time, he always found himself in solitude. No one was there to accompany him. He just existed - creating stars, planets, and other celestial bodies by himself. However, this all changed when The Other came. Back in the beginning, Hyper'Iun wasn't the only one that the flame birthed; it turns out. From the coldest embers of the fire arose a winged creature. Its feathers were as black as the void, its curves and chest a flaming blue glow, and its eyes dead. It resembled a corvid - a raven, to be exact. It inherited the flame's ability to burn - to destroy. From there, she became the Goddess of Ruin. She would be known as Tei'Vel - Tei, meaning malice, and Vel, meaning omen. After her birth, she fled into the darkest part of the universe and went into a deep slumber. She had no idea that Hyper'Iun existed; neither did Hyper'Iun know she did. One fateful day, when Iun the Star of Origin birthed celestial bodies, it awoke Tei'Vel from her slumber. She spread her carbon-black wings and took flight. She was a bullet - silent yet fast. Through the darkness, she ventured. As she soared across the universe, as stars twinkled, she sensed that she was getting closer and closer to a source of exponential power: Iun. Eventually, in her journey, she found Iun. Its luminosity was blinding, its heat burned exponentially, and its beauty was like no other. Tei'Vel was immediately attracted. She thought that if she absorbed the star, it would grant her powers she could not imagine. She carefully opened her beak, attempting to eat the star. The heat of Iun did not burn her, nor did its light blind her. She thought the star had chosen her. In the distance, however, a particular celestial dragon saw her. For what felt like an eternity, Hyper'Iun always thought he was alone - until now. He slithered towards the raven, hoping to satiate his curiosity. He finally approached the goddess, levitating next to her. She, however, did not care about Hyper'Iun; she only focused on eating the star.

"O, strange creature, what are you doing with that star?" Hyper'Iun asked with overwhelming inquisitiveness.

Tei'Vel did not reply.

"What even are you?" persisted the God of Creation. "How do you exist?"

For the second time, Tei'Vel did not answer. She merely wants to eat the star and solely that. Hyper'Iun thought that the creature in front of him couldn't understand a word he said. Tei'Vel kept attempting to put Iun in her mouth, but it just won't go in.

"That thing isn't meant to be eaten. It's a tool I use to create celestial bodies," said Hyper'Iun in an unamused manner as he watched Tei'Vel desperately try to swallow the star.

Eventually, she gave up on eating the star. She decided to dig her claws in it and carry it away - she wanted to steal Iun. Hyper'Iun, however, was quick to detect her plot. As Tei'Vel fanned her wings out, Hyper'Iun bit her left, leaving a scar that she would bear forever. Regardless, Tei'Vel managed to bolt away, carrying Iun with her. Beats after Tei'Vel took flight, Hyper'Iun phased in space and zoomed after the wounded bird. The celestial dragon caught up to her, but the cosmic raven fought back. She stopped escaping and turned around, facing Hyper'Iun. It surprised him - he never thought this bird brave. She flourished her wings upward, forming a Y shape. She then suddenly shoots out sharp ghostly projectiles towards the off-guarded Hyper'Iun. Most of the shots pierced Hyper'Iun's serpentine body, but one hit his right eye, blinding him in that spot. The dragon roared, and the raven screeched. Hyper'Iun had to hit back. He opened his mouth, and it glowed white as he was preparing to exhale flame. Tei'Vel, on the other hand, was preparing for Hyper'Iun's attack. She shielded herself with her enormous wings. The two deities fought for a long time - expecting one to die. They wounded each other, but their will to end the other's life was too great. It turns out that they cannot die. Just as Hyper'Iun was about to give up, Tei'Vel penetrated the Star of Origin with her sharp beak, causing a wide and blinding explosion. After the short light came the long dark. It destroyed everything Hyper'Iun created - from the tiniest planet to the broadest galaxy. It even extinguished The First Flame, leaving only unlit embers. Once more, the cold and eternal darkness came back. It felt as if The First Age had returned - only this time, much darker.

# III - The Long Dark

***"In madness, one can also find sanity."***

***-Askavel, Pillar of Chaos***

The universe bleeds black. Darkness looms over the horizon. Gently, it crawls all over the place, yet it stings horribly. It tastes so bitter. Hyper'Iun, exhausted by the raven, knelt and mourned the ashes of his creations.

"Look what you have done." The God of Creation weepingly shouted as he glanced at the Goddess of Destruction looking down the ashes. "Why did you even do it? No matter. No. You can't even understand me."

"That... thing was mine. It chose me." For the first time, Tei'Vel finally spoke, shocking Hyper'Iun. "It would've granted me power!"

The dragon, still in a state of surprise, shakingly replies. "Y-y-you can talk?"

"I can."

"A-and you u-understood me long ago?"

"I did."

"Then why didn't you say anything?" Hyper'Iun asked reluctantly.

"Why?" Tei'Vel flicked her head towards Hyper'Iun's direction. "Because you're simply none of my concern. You are nothing to me."

Hyper'Iun was left in shock once more. The dragon was as silent as the wind.

"I would've become all-knowing and all-powerful, but you just HAD TO INTERFERE!"

"What are you even talking about?"

"That tool of yours chose me. I felt it hot, yet I did not burn. Its light was magnificent, but it did not blind me. It only meant one thing - it wants me."

"You are a fool!" Hyper'Iun said. That star wasn't for consumption - it was for creation!

Before the raven could even respond, she got cut off by something she noticed glowing below her: a flickering light - weak yet enough to be eyed by the goddess. Curiosity took over Tei'Vel's mind once again. But, as she was about to get a closer look, the light had faded as fast as its appearance. For a moment, Tei'Vel was silent. Hyper'Iun then immediately took notice of her quietness. The dragon asked her about it, but she dismissed him. The two returned to argument shortly after. For aeons, darkness and the two deities were the only things to be found. Once more, they were back to the First Age. It would take some time for the two to experience tranquillity with each other - that only happened when the light reappeared. Tei'Vel was the first to notice. The first flicker occurred on her left side, and this time, it was a lot more violent. It faded again. After a minute or so, it reappeared everywhere. From one flicker to two, from two to a thousand. Hyper'Iun noticed it and was left hopeful yet scared. His eyes followed every twinkle, and it interested him. He wondered why the light started to appear again. Had she not destroyed everything? He thought. The two of them examined the flickering, and it turned out that it was coming from the embers of The First Flame. Had the flame not died? Tei'Vel questioned herself in silence. How can this be possible? Hyper'Iun suddenly acquired an idea. He convinced Tei'Vel that they should work together and rekindle the flame. At first, Tei'Vel didn't agree. She thought that it would be pointless. After all, how could they rebuild the fire with merely weak embers? And besides, she preferred the dark anyways. But Tei'Vel thought of the advantages of bringing the light back. Perhaps it would grant her the power she wanted. Maybe she'll be something more. But something deep inside Tei'Vel was consuming her - a burning sensation longing to escape. From their arguments in the dark, Tei'Vel developed sentiments for Hyper'Iun. The goddess is disgusted by the thought, but she cannot deny it. She might've been annoyed by him, but he was the only thing giving her some warmth. She likes being alone, but she cannot deny that she appreciates some company. Hyper'Iun was the only one there for her - even though the only activity they did together was clashing. For those reasons, she chose to work with the God of Creation. Together, they gathered all the embers they could and combined them with the ashes of Hyper'Iun's creations. The flickering became stronger as the embers united. The dragon noticed that the ashes were burning. After a long time, it seems that the flame has returned. Slowly, the ashes turned to embers. The two deities gained hope. Across Tei'Vel's face was a faint smile, although she hides it very well.

# IV - The Age of Restoration

***"One must destroy oneself to progress. Born. Destroyed. Rebuilt. Improved."***

***-Tei'Vel, Goddess of Destruction on the Philosophy of Ruin***

The fire grew larger and brighter, consuming every ember and ash. The flame coughed and coughed until it became stable. After a while, Tei'Vel and Hyper'Iun witnessed particles of the blaze dancing around the air. It was lovely. Bright flames drifted softly around them like phantoms - it was beautiful like a flower field in the morning. At a pace, the blaze's waltz turned into a quickstep. Rapidly, they all wafted around in a synchronized manner. In this movement, the particles formed a helix, gliding more swiftly with each second. Then, in a blink of an eye, the helix turned into a ball of light and exploded. The explosion was so radiant and hot it reached even the outermost parts of the universe. Before they could even react, Hyper'Iun and Tei'Vel were already knocked unconscious by the blast. After a spell, they regained consciousness. Hyper'Iun was the first to wake up. What he saw, he could not believe. Is this all a dream? A hallucination? He thought. More than a hundred billion stars twinkled around him. Finally, there is light to serve them in the dark. But that's not what piqued his eyes. He saw a galaxy in the distance just in front of him. It was the only galaxy that existed after the restoration. It seems like it was special. It flourished a beautiful milky white and bluish-grey spiral. In the middle, it boasted a rose-gold hue. After noticing the galaxy, Hyper'Iun tossed his head towards his left to look at the unconscious Tei'Vel. He poked the bird with his snout, and Tei'Vel slowly woke up.

"Huh? What is it?" Tei'Vel asked in a soft and lazy tone as she gradually opened her eyes, looking at Hyper'Iun with a blurry vision.

"Look," Hyper'Iun replied to the raven as he pointed his head towards the white galaxy. "It seems to be the only one around."

Tei'Vel moved her skull in the direction Hyper'Iun was pointing. She opened her eyes wide and was mesmerized. She doubted it at first, just like Hyper'Iun, but she believed it after. Their work was a success. She then looked around and saw the stars flashing. But, something was missing, she thought. She spread her wings and flew away from Hyper'Iun. The dragon, however, did not chase her this time. She glanced over and explored the horizon, looking for The Flame, but she could not find it. Tei'Vel then deduced that it is now the stars. When the fire exploded, it converted itself to stars. Tei'Vel then flew back to Hyper'Iun and told him about her deductions. Hyper'Iun, not convinced, looked for The Flame himself, but he could not find it just like Tei'Vel. In the end, he agreed with the Goddess' conclusion. Shortly after, they then went closer to the milky galaxy. For a while, they came up with multiple names for it. Eventually, they agreed on one - Mil'aaq. It meant "the milky river." In modern times, it is what people call The Milky Way Galaxy. Hyper'Iun then slithered inside only to find that the galaxy was hollow. There was nothing inside. So, he created planets and a star inside. He would name this the Sol'semn - meaning "the fiery one." Initially, there were twelve planets in this system, but three were mistakes. He attempted to erase them but could not: Hyper'Iun can only create, not destroy. He is the God of Creation, after all. And so, he called Tei'Vel to aid him. The Goddess of Destruction agreed. Tei'Vel then destroyed the three planets, leaving only nine. From that point onward, the cycle of creation and destruction began. One cannot exist without the other, after all. After decorating the galaxy, Hyper'Iun and Tei'Vel were both exhausted. They went to rest, and the next day, they began to create a new one. Every week, the two would form or destroy new galaxies. After constructing the twenty-fourth, something interesting happened between the two deities. The raven confided her feelings for Hyper'Iun. Hyper'Iun was surprised at what he had just heard. He thought the goddess was only playing tricks on him. He did not believe her - until unexpectedly, Tei'Vel bussed him. Hyper'Iun kissed back. It turns out that their feelings were mutual. Their act became a violent fire of passion that burned across the heavens. The two then made love below the stars. It resulted in four gods being born - the offsprings of Hyper'Iun and Tei'Vel.

# V - The Four Pillars

***"My children, you are pillars. The virtuous and noble. You shall keep the balance between life and death, order and chaos, light and dark."***

***-Hyper'Iun, God of Creation***

After some time, Tei'Vel gave birth to four deities: two gods and two goddesses. Two inheriting Hyper'Iun's traits, and two inheriting Tei'Vel's. Although they were the offsprings of a dragon and a bird, they resembled none of the sorts. Instead, they appeared human - flesh, limbs, and all. The firstborn was the God of Light, Iunus, named after his father. His hair is silver, his eyes a golden glow, and his body is that of a warrior. He had a sword made of pure white energy; some say it's from the last ember of The First Flame. A bold soul and a born leader, he was the one that banished the darkness. He embodied hope. He ruled over all aspects of the light: life, courage, and luminosity. The secondborn was the Goddess of Order, Iskara. She may be small in stature, but she had a large mind. Her hair is ebony, her eyes round and blue, and her shape hourglass. Cold, quiet, and quite controlling, that's how her siblings describe her. She wielded a needle and a thread she'd use to weave timelines. Thus, the past, present, and future came to be. She ruled over time, productivity, law, and peace. The thirdborn was Askavel, the Goddess of Chaos. Erratic, lively, wise yet mad. She inherited from both her mother and father. Her locks were a flaming red, her skin dark and smooth, her eyes gold, and her mind an enigma. She wore a torn charred dress which made her resemble a fiery moth. Askavel ruled over the aspects of chaos: heat, creativity, intelligence, madness, and emotions. The last of the pillars was the God of Death, Argivel. He shared similarities with Iskara, although he was more reserved. He was aloof, a deep thinker, often silent, and empathetic. His siblings would often try to bond with him, but no one would be as close to him as Iskara. They became tight due to their traits being similar yet conflicting. Argivel's appearance was unlike his siblings'. He didn't have a face - he had a skull, his body of bones, and his eyes were void-dark. He carried a scythe with him that he would use to harvest dead souls. Argivel ruled over life and death, darkness, despair, pain, disease, and rot. These four gods would be known as The Four Pillars of the Universe. They are the ones who keep the balance in everything. They are the pillars upon which the universe rests. To help aid them in doing their duty, the siblings created something.

# VI - Of Magic and Men

***"And so, my siblings created something that even father would be astonished."***

***-Argivel, God of Death***

The Four Pillars combined their powers to create magic and humans. They thought that these two would sweeten the universe largely. That, and they just wanted a plaything. So they gathered in a circle and pointed their hands toward the ground. As their powers combined into one force, a ray with hues of all colours blasted upwards from the ground that decayed over time. At first, none of the pillars knew what occurred - then they noticed a black hole slowly pulling a dwarf planet towards it. Askavel deduced that this is a result of their doing. They called this phenomenon Gra'veiin, meaning "a strong pull." We would know this as gravity. It turns out that the four gods have created magic. Gra'veiin is the early form of it. Harness it, and it becomes something else. For two weeks, the siblings messed around with Gra'veiin, resulting in different forms of magic. But now is the time for creating the first humans - their second proudest creation. The four agreed to put the humans on a planet fitting to live in - Erd. This planet in modern times is known as our planet - the Earth. The Four Pillars decided that the humans should resemble them but have none of their powers and that their life would be limited. And so, they created seven billion humans and placed them on seven different continents. That number, unfortunately, got reduced to six billion since one continent was too cold and icy for humans to live. The Four Pillars would sometimes visit Erd, and humans would worship and thank them. In exchange, the humans would receive knowledge on magic. Life was good on Erd. Humans practised magic, gods visited them, and the environment was clean. Everything was at peace until one fateful day.

# VII - The Age of Sin

***"Humans interest me. They're strong yet frail. Intelligent, yet foolish. Good, yet malicious."***

***-Iunus, God of Light, discussing humanity with Askavel, Goddess of Chaos***

Years after the gods' last visit, something was brewing in Erd. Arkis the Silverblade was a man of faith, and he was selfless: he worshipped the gods every time - be it day or night. Every time he would go outside, he would ask for their guidance. Every time he would go to sleep, he would offer a sacrifice. Every time he would return home, he would wish it safe. Arkis was the leader of his village, and everyone loved him. He might've loved his people back, but there was something he loved more - his wife and his daughter. They were his world, and he would give his own life for them. One stormy day, when Arkis got home from a pilgrimage, he froze at what he saw. The gates were recklessly open - the left part was merely hanging off the hinge, the right had holes and burn marks in it. The guards standing next to it are nowhere in sight, except for their bloodied spears. It seemed like someone barged in. Arkis rushed into the village, riding his horse. As he entered, the first thing he noticed was the villagers lying lifeless on the ground, drowned in their muddy blood. As he dismounted his horse, a dying child crawled towards him. His legs were severed, his breath short, and his wounds lethal.

"*Suh-s-s*-Sir Silverblade!" The boy loudly whispered under his short breath as he crawled towards Arkis like a fractured spider, leaving a bloody trail behind him.

"Th-tsch-they took ev-everything! *Agh!* Th-they*.."* The boy struggled to speak, for he could not bear the pain.

Before he could speak any further, the lad took his last breath, Arkis being the last thing he saw. Arkis then approached the boy and closed his dead wide-open eyes.

"Rest now, child. Rest now. Rest among the stars. You are free." Arkis whispered to the boy while holding his cold and grey hand.

Arkis let go of the corpse, and his eyes turned into waterfalls. He had one thing left to check - his house. He quickly ran to it and got inside.

"Ella! Defina! Where are you two?!" Arkis cried as it echoed through the whole village. He searched his entire house until he arrived at the bedroom. There, he saw his wife Ella with an arrow piercing her chest. He checked if she was still alive, but no. She was long dead. He then searched for his daughter with tears on his face. He looked up at the ceiling, glancing at the trapdoor leading to their attic. Something was off. It was broken and had bloodstains on it. He immediately grabbed a ladder and climbed up. There, he found Defina, his fifteen-year-old daughter, lifeless and almost unclad. Her silk dress got torn apart as if a rabid dog had mangled it. Its blue colour turned red from her blood. Her midriff was gutted open by a serrated object. The cuts were barbaric, leaving infections. Her neck had a rope tightly tied around it, causing her to suffocate. Arkis cried at what he saw. The Silverblade is now a broken one. He knelt on the ground and screamed from the top of his lungs. He then punched the wall next to him, breaking his hand. Once again, Arkis screamed in agony. Although despair devoured the Broken Blade, he still had a sliver of hope in him. All his life, he worshipped the gods, so why should they not give something back to him? He mounted the corpse of his wife and daughter on his horse and rode to the nearest sacrificial grounds of Iuvelism. Thunder roared throughout the stormy night as he rode to his destination. When he arrived, he was in disarray. There were no ravens, no moths, nothing that symbolized the gods. But he shouldn't give up, he told himself. He laid Defina and Ella on the cold altar and chanted a prayer.

"O, great ones. If you can hear me, I ask for your aid!" He intonated with a sad and broken voice. "I have always been faithful to you, and I have always thought of you. Now, please, heed my call."

But there was no response.

"First Father Hyper'Iun, First Mother Tei'Vel, Pillar of Light Iunus, Pillar of Order Iskara, Pillar of Chaos Askavel, and Pillar of Death Argivel, heed my call." Arkis persisted.

Arkis heard nothing but the drumming of the rain and the whips of thunder.

"O, great ones. Heed my call! First Father Hyper'Iun, First Mother Tei'Vel, Pillar of Light Iunus, Pillar of Or- DAMMIT HEAR ME OUT!"

He angrily shouted at the sky, but none of the gods responded - not a single one.

"All my life, I have WORSHIPPED YOU! Now I am the one in need. PLEASE! I WOULD GIVE YOU ANYTHING! I only want Ella and Defina to live! I'll sacrifice myself if you want! Kill me if my death would bring them back to life! PLEASE!"

He knelt on the ground, bawling as he looked up at the dark blue sky. Losing hope, he grabbed his silver sword from his horse and angled it towards his heart. As the pointed end pierced his skin, he chanted one last prayer - hoping that this time, the gods would hear him finally. They did not. Arkis abandoned all hope. He dug his sword more and more as he plunged into despair until it came out of his back. As he felt the burning pain of the blade, he let go of his sword, and his blood formed a pool on the ground he knelt on.

"All my life, I've devoted myself to you. All my life." Arkis whispered under his dying breath. "At least let me know that my wife and child are now stars resting in the heavens above. Nothing would make me happier."

And with those words, Arkis collapsed on the ground with the blade intact in his body. But death wasn't the end. From the pool of his blood, a fiery rift opened. A sea of hands dragged his corpse to the portal, and the rift immediately closed. Inside the smouldering sea was an evil-sounding chant done by soft whispering voices. One could not know the chant, but parts of it sounded like "My king. My king." In a dark valley somewhere, the rift reappeared, spitting Arkis out. The Broken Blade gained consciousness shortly after. Arkis wondered how he was still alive. Did the gods save him? He thought. No, this was something else. He was alive, yet he felt dead. He cannot feel the pain of the sword piercing his chest. He felt nothing but hatred, greed, lust, envy - sin. He noticed his body was changed, too. His torso was of char and flame, his legs that of a bird, and he felt a pair of horns embedded on his head. He feels nothing but sin. He desires nothing but to destroy the world and the gods. Arkis was the Silverblade no more - now, he is Arkis the Daemon of Sin, King of Malice. He pulled out the sword that pierced his body and ignited it. The silver sword is now a black one - a reminder of despair and death, of evil. Shortly after his return, he went to the nearest village and slaughtered everyone - men, women, and children. After, he flew up the sky and cast a spell on the whole world - one that would still linger up to this day. He cursed the world to be devoured by sin. He infected all - even newborns. Soon, wars all over the world started because of him. The common cause? Greed. Women and men indulged themselves in lust. Noble heroes devoured by pride. Royals became gluttons. Workers stopped working because of sloth. Everyone envied and hated each other. All this is because of Arkis. All this wouldn't have happened if the gods only answered him. Chaos and despair enveloped Erd - but not even Askavel or Argivel could save them.