The Great
Fall
In the forgotten Age of
Paradise man and dwarf, and elf and halfling dwelled together
one
A
mist of water dew rose up and blew within the air, keeping them cool from
burning sun
The
plants and animals grew in number serving, loving man without a
fear
Even in the evening time the
lights burned bright, the moons, the stars and all their
beams
Made
the night so bright and clear
Together the Races of Man built a city where they dwelt
together
At
the center they built a temple a circle of stone pillars lined up with sun and
moon
Where God himself would come and with his creation he
would commune
The
Age Paradise long forgotten, was an age of peace and life
The
people grew number and knew no death
They
took in joy and released contentment, with their every blissful
breath
They
ate of all the fruits the land could offer
Their lips, and eyes, and hands enjoyed Dragonia’s world,
forged of sacred incense
Yet
every time he came to visit at the temple to bless his people and share his love
he reminded them of one command
“I
have given you all creation. The oceans and the mountains, the grass fields and
all the sand
The
beasts and plant life in the lands…are yours to enjoy I give them to your
hands
But
I ask of you one thing, do not drink the blood of the earth, from the springs of
Forbidden Mountain
For
in them are knowledge and greatness, but those that only come from death and
hardship
I
will give you anything that you should ask when you are ready, but do not drink
the blood of my creation.”
And
with his parting words he’d share his love
Then
he’d descend to his domain far above
The
day had come when man was dwelling late at night within his
keep
He
wandered aimlessly through the night, too much time upon his
hands
For
men did not grow weary at this time, therefore they had no need of
sleep
Above his fireplace, long-neglected he found a lovely
spider’s web
“What is this?” he asked in awe
Then
he saw a delicate little beast, eight legs in all
He
tugged the web softly, and towards his hand it began to
crawl
Nibbling lovingly at the man’s big hand she smiled into
his eyes
And
there she beckoned him closer and whispered in his ear
While in his heart she weaved her web of
lies
“Listen closely man, and heed my words.”
“I
have never seen a creature like you” said the man. “Yet I have named all the
beasts that crawl the earth,
The
fish that swim the sea, and even flying birds.
Who
is this tiny, lovely creature that greets me now?”
“Deceit would be my given name,
For
your God, Dragonia has banished me from heaven
And
now I dwell beneath the earth in shame.”
Staring at her web, a certain tear came to into his
eyes
The
spider smiled slyly, for she knew he thought himself as
wise
“For
what were you banished creature of heaven?” asked Man.
“For
taking what rightfully belongs to me!” cried she.
“For
showing you great things he wants you not to see…”
“Explain,” beckoned man, in great concern
The
webs glowed brightly as if they might begin to burn
Hot
with lies the master spider began to sew
“If
you come with me there are many things to show
Your
God has many secrets he doesn’t wish for you to know
Yet
I say knowledge is yours to take; I say truth is yours to
make
He
wishes for you not to know that you are wiser than he could ever hope to
be
Seek
not Dragonia’s face
But
make the truth your own; go and gather every race
Tell
them to drink the blood of the earth so that your world and you become as
one
Then
you will be God, and you’ll shine greater than his Son.”
Taken in by vile lies the man obsessed and paced to and
fro within his halls
Everyday and every night he heard the spiders words, and
felt tugging on his heart her nightly calls
His
eyes turned red obsessed with blood and power
Locked away within a tower he thought of what to
do
He
forsook the gatherings at the temple, too taken by a promise that wasn’t even
true
Finally he broke and gathered all the townsfolk in a
meeting
He
repeated all the lies that he’d been told
Empty promises vain and bold
Knowledge, power, glory, wealth
All
these things he promised and raised his foaming mug in toast to
health
Al
were taken in by Man’s bold words, for the tongue of Man was craftier than
all
Together they climbed their mount of
doom
Colder grew the air; thicker grew the cloudy gloom
At
last they reached the top and walked upon the mountain’s
face
Struck in wonder they saw the blood boiling inside the
mighty forge
Shimmering with magic power and glowing brightly red it
called to them
“Here we are,” announced the elven priest. “The heart of
the earth,
But
I beseech you all to go no further for this is sacred
ground
From
this spring comes life, from this blood we received that
gift
From
this heart where all life was birthed
I
beseech you defile not her fluids, defile not her beauty”
The
elves turned to their leader and bowed their lowly heads
They
repented and there they left and with their feet returned
The
priest’s son even wept as he walked down the mountain path
But
within his daughter’s heart a wicked passion burned
“Cowards!” she cried in great disdain. “Leave if you wish
but I will claim what rightfully belongs to me!”
She
scowled and shook her head and caste a glare their way
Yellow, catlike eyes turned back and stared into the
burning pit
“Let
us not drink the blood to start, but let us be clean to partake of its
delights!” she cried.
Stripping off her garments she jumped into the bubbling
spring
Dancing naked she laughed aloud and then began to
sing
Her
cousins followed her with many splashes
Then
Man with a smile on his face
Dove
in and beckoned every race
“Join us!” he cried in glee
Then
they drank of the blood and bathed within her depths
And
together they partook in orgy
Dragonia arrived in all his glory to an empty temple hall
In a
mighty voice he cried “Come down my people from the mountain!”
But
he was too late and the people refused to hear His call
Dragonia sprouted wings and grew in
size
Scales covered up his smooth and gentle
skin
He
roared in fury and fire consumed his angry eyes
He
flew up to the mountain and struck the highest peak with his
tail
“Why
have you done this?” asked his angry voice
The
people froze “Who are you?” Man was first to speak
Dragonia sighed in pity, “You have forgotten
me”
“What are you?” said Man, backing away in
fear
“I
Am. Dragonia, ‘god of all’ and you have forgotten me
You
have drank the blood of the earth and turned your back on
me
I
have given you a choice
To
be my friend and walk forever by my side
But
you have spoken in your actions and I have heard your
voice
You
have turned your back on me in search of power and knowledge to make your
own
I
would have given you all these things in time
In
my light so glorious, you would grow and shine
But
you have sought a path your own
You
have chosen to search and walk alone
But
only through suffering will glory and wisdom be yours to
take
You
will rise and fall, you will fight and die until the day you
break”
He
turned his eye on man “You have led my people all astray
I
will split your house to keep your will at bay
Two
houses of Man will go their separate ways
To
the first I give the harsh, cold lands of the north where lies the silver
moon
For
your people shall seek the gold of life but their journey fails too
soon
And
to the second house I give the torrid desert lands, yonder
south
Above that land there lies a moon, the color
red
Symbolizing all the blood that men will shed”
Mighty Dragonia turned then to staunch and stubborn
dwarves
“And
to you I give the lands of the golden west
A
golden moon shines above the best
For
man led you astray, but you are still at fault this day”
In
pity He turned to the house of the elven priest
“Go
home enjoy a splendid feast
For
I have given you the east
You
have not betrayed me and thus have proven friend
But
nonetheless my time within this world must end
The
world will die around you, and even you must partake of
death
But
I will give you life and purest breath
Disease will not afflict as the
others
You
shall wear and age ten times slower than your brothers
Very
seldom will your skin pick up dirt
But
nonetheless I must leave you in this world for I am hurt
But
in spirit I am with you
And
I will use your people to restore the cursed heart of the
earth”
“And
what of me?” asked the elf priest’s daughter
“You
have shamed your house, and cursed your father
You
are unworthy to walk the earth with them
You
are beneath your father’s feet and as such you shall dwell beneath the world
they walk on
You
shall hide in darkness and walk in shame”
“Master Dragonia, for my sake spare my
daughter.
For
if you banish them to that world below, the Dark Realms, they shall surely
die
Perversions, monsters, and all other things await
them
And
if I lose my daughter I shall surely weep and cry!”
“Then I will hide her in the dark and bless her elven
eyes to see
She
will have advantage in every fight
In
that her skin will be as black and dark as night
Though you dwell in ruin beneath the world I appoint you
rulers of the dark”
When
the races left the Heart behind in shame
Dragonia flew away as well and sent his
rain
For
seven years the water fell and soaked the ground
And
for seven more his mighty sun baked and scorched the earth
The
continent would lie in ruin until the end of time
And
the Heart of th Earth bubbled and boiled evermore
The
blood become brighter and hotter than before
So
hot and bright the blood became that no hand could touch it
anymore
And
as years flew by, all forgot their God, even the elves, his chosen
people
And
they began destroying themselves in war
Yet
Dragonia did not forget his people and their pain
And
swore He would send a Messiah, and He would save them once
again…
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