5.1 - Remains in Chaos

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In the aftermath of the destruction of Nisu and the great battle against Shinkai, there was still much sorrow and unrest. The atmosphere around Nisu’s ruins was heavy and unstable, with the dark and malevolent energy from the defeated Shinkai still shimmering in the air nevertheless, like the memory of a nightmare.

Although Shinkai had been banished, the area surrounding the ruined city was now volatile and filled with the subtle tension of impending storm. Within this echo of violence, the seeds of a new chaos were sown, and a Tormented Spirit rose to the north of the now-destroyed city, threatening the remaining people and the vicinity as a colossal and awe-inspiring shape made up of twisted trees, earth, and stones from the shattered ruins of Nisu itself. Even as the spirit formed, it became a twisted whirlwind of branches and vegetation, of screaming stones and furious violence, expanding moment by moment into greater hugeness.

The terror of the newborn Tormented Spirit was witnessed in shock and alarm by the remaining humans and horume, who were still exhausted from their recent battle with Shinkai. And they had no help. With the Seasons and Gekkou gone to seal Shinkai, the humans would have to deal with the new threat on their own.

When it appeared, the chaotic spirit whirled and stormed in one spot at the north of the Nisu ruins, and in those first few days, the weary humans banded together and attempted to contain the Tormented Spirit, yet after their initial attempts at defense, they found themselves dispirited and their efforts failed. The Crimsonhood members who were present were still reeling with the shock and grief of the loss of their great leader Kadu Goodthorn, however their pride and courage fueled them to prove the Guild’s worth in battle and to bravely honor the death of their leader. With this in mind, they decided to call upon the great and mysterious Primeval Spirit Harae. Harae, although still an enigma to the people of Ambal at this time, was nevertheless recognized to be a master of purification and a friend to the Seasons, moreover he had come to the aid of humans and other creatures on several other occasions.

Hearing the call of the Crimsonhood, Harae appeared before them and, looking upon the might and violence of the Tormented Spirit, he agreed to help them to subdue and purify the creature.  The Crimsonhood’s weary fighters then faced the chaos of the great Tormented Spirit side by side with Harae, battling the twisted mockery of nature’s beauty until Harae showed the strength within him by striking the Tormented Spirit with glowing blue liquid fire even as the Crimsonhood chanted in solemn unison the necessary purification ritual Harae had taught them. Nonetheless, the victory felt bittersweet, with the members of the Crimsonhood still mourning for the passing of their leader, and unsure what the future held for the great Guild.

Meanwhile, after the destruction of Nisu, the Vaians who had survived that catastrophe wearily followed the carved stone path that had been created by their prophet so many years before, moving in a difficult and lengthy exodus towards the Northern part of Ambal. There by the river, they founded their new city, Catuy, with the help of the other civilizations.

5.2 - The Brewing Storm

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During the building of Catuy, scouts from Aaraxa spotted massive dark clouds rolling in from the south, and above equally tumultuous waves across the sea’s surface that moved in tandem with the roiling skies. The mysterious storm moved inexorably towards the land, boiling with incipient force, its shape changing and expanding as it slowly approached. As it came closer to the great Vermilion Reef that had been created by Summer in centuries past to protect the land from the dangers of the open sea, a faint wail could be heard from within. Watching this new danger, the Philosopher Heralds who ruled Aaraxa looked upon the approaching storm in fear of what it truly might contain, and the observers prayed that the reef would weather the storm while continuing its protection of Ambal.

Mesmerized by the marvelous and turbulent anomaly before them, the Philosopher Heralds sighed as they faced yet another danger so soon after the other dark times the humans had endured. Now came this new potential danger and mystery. Still, they raised their eyes bravely and waited to see what would happen next. As the movement of storm and sea approached, the air felt heavy, but the watchers could not tell if it was really the air that was heavy, or if it was simply their own fear and worry exerting pressure upon them. Fear, they realized, was a paralyzing poison, and even with their wisdom they knew that there was so much that was simply out of the control of their people and the other humans. Watching from the top of the Bay Crag, the Heralds felt the vulnerability of their people deeply, aware of the small size of Aaraxa compared to that of the larger land of Ambal and its mysteries, like the fearsome storm that now approached. However, they were also comforted in their realization that they were not alone, as when the mysterious storm had first been sighted, they had ordered the lighting of the great beacon in order to alert the other cities of the potential danger ahead. In addition, messengers had also been sent by the Heralds to Kamakura, Paraesa, Ocayba and the nascent city of Catuy for aid.

Their pleas did not go unanswered, and soon the courageous leaders from all of the five human cities gathered outside Seiuq to discuss the new menace. Wiser now to the dangers of their world, the leaders formed a council as they had once done during the clashes with the horume in order to prepare themselves and their people in case this mystery was in fact a Primeval Spirit. No longer would they be caught off guard as they had been before with Shinkai and its devastating aftermath. Therefore, the leaders of all five cities gathered their armies together and marched south, around Tranquil Bay’s western coast, and they also contacted the four Seasons for further advice and counsel. Answering the appeals of the humans, the Seasons advised the humans to stay on guard but not to attack or act in fear unless the entity proved to be aggressive.

To the alert and vigilant humans, the time of the storm’s arrival seemed to take ages, as if during the weeks of its approach the lethargic rumbling nebula were watching the humans’ every move. Yet still the Heralds hoped—perhaps the Vermilion Reef would actually be able to keep the threat at bay.  However, to their dismay, the storm came inexorably on, and now it had become apparent to all who viewed it that there was indeed a presence within—a powerful and alluring presence. When the storm finally reached the southern shores of Ambal at last, it descended in slow majesty, effortlessly advancing through the reef as the edges of its roiling clouds touched and merged with the ocean’s surface. The Council stared in wonder at the unworldly phenomenon, which caused the water level to rise and the waves to toss higher and higher across the surface of the bay. Disturbed by these events, the tenko who lived underwater in the bay moved cautiously up to the island in the center of the bay to protect themselves and to avoid the turbulent seas. Even as they did this, they spotted a huge, sinuous and serpentine shape swimming beneath the chaotic surface.

It was apparent to the tenko, and to all who witnessed the event, that whatever had approached from the air was now instead a creature of the waters.

The waves on the shore continued to toss high, yet they were moving with unusual slowness, rising and falling down softly, and with the fall of each wave was cast a mist of iridescent droplets that floated with equal slowness, dancing in the air as if to a world or time of a different speed.  A cool breeze now moved through the dancing, softened air, flowing towards the land, and with the freshening of the air, the entity – now plainly recognizable to all as a Primeval Spirit -- rose to the surface -- more magnificent than the greatest leviathan, with its long body stretching all the way back to the entrance of the bay.

For a moment, there was no sound but an enthralling chant from the soft waves and upon the mysterious breeze. The human forces present at the bay took a breath and readied themselves, poised and waiting for whatever might follow.

Those final minutes of the Spirit’s approach were a pause of almost unbearable tension, as seconds felt like hours, and none of the watchers were sure of what to expect. Would the spirit attack them? If so, how strong was it? If it did not attack, what did it want? Primeval Spirits presented themselves to humans in many ways, after all, in guises that might be destructive and vicious like Ignoblum and Shinkai, or that might be peaceful and benevolent, like Gekkou and Harae. These eternal entities were still very obscure to humans, so each new appearance brought a great deal of understandable apprehension and fear.

Now came this new mystery that had moved from sky to sea. The armies from the human cities stood ready and on guard, watching attentively as the water on the bay continued to rise in those slow, high, unworldly waves. Then the waves slowed, and slowed, even as they reached their greatest heights. Eventually they seemed to pause, poised in the bay as huge impossible walls without advancing further to the land. At this point, Mara Sunfrond, the newly appointed commander of the jointed armies, approached the shore to make first contact.