Excerpt from The Eppalid
An Excerpt from Book Thirteen of The Eppalid, a tale of the Pre-Sundering world:
Now came Forsyth from the city of Telia to the summit of Telimentari, and he called down so everything assembled may hear, and all listened, down to the stones and trees: “Hear me, all you gods and all you mortals: hear me as I speak what my heart urges. By my Domain I bind you to this covenant, that we divinities come meet upon this summit and discuss the fate of this war, as equals. As I am the one of us who forges bonds stronger than any metal, those who attempt to break them, or that go with the Telians and aid their cause, or with the Chovains and aid their cause ere we have spoken, will be shattered themselves, such that their power may never be whole again. This you know to be true, for my strength is that of all the beings of the world, which includes my fellows, and has no equal.”
And from behind the gates of Telia came Valorheart the Unyielding, walking loudly, and behind came Seren and Illom, as they had all known of Forsyth’s heart before he spoke atop the mountain, and were prepared to answer his summons, though Valorheart chafed at the demand. The Prince Glores, Ascendant of Valorheart and her most beloved, ran out of the gates behind them and joined the procession, but the Unyielding mother turned to him: “Though you carry my honor and power and therefore some divinity, Glores, it is not you who is bound to answer this call.”
To this Glores, who's hands sparked with the rage of clouds against mountaintops, said: “I hear this, master of my power, and know it to be true, though those who grant mortals power may still find protection with their wards, and should any others bring retainers.”
The bravery of her ward warmed Courage herself, that a smile did come to her face: “Be not afraid for us, for our ally's Domain will enforce the peace, and none among us would bring mortals to a meeting of Divine. But instead, stay atop the highest tower of your city and watch the Chovains, who, without us to deter or their Divine to hold back, may take matters upon themselves, as they are not bound to peace as we are.” With this, Valorheart turned again to the road to Telimentari and left Glores to follow her instruction, which he did.
The Ember’s words reached across the open fields outside Telia and into the camps of Chovain that had been built up over these long years of war, and they fell upon the ears of the divinities there. They did not answer Forsyth with haste, though they knew they must eventually by the command of his Domain. Lydia came to Tharanis, who was wisest among the Divine, and asked: “Time, you have seen all that has happened and know of all things–what does our brother seek from an audience? Is this not some ploy to leave the Chovain and those who serve under us to be attacked in our absence, or to steal away our own power?”
Tharanis answered: “Do not worry, for I have looked at Forsyth’s heart and see no shadow upon it, nor has one come to tell me of his hidden wishes. Only with great need would any of us use our Domains as our brother has, and the bonds of his Domain control him too: he may not injure us or ours–it would be akin to breaking his own power–and so we need not be afraid.”
Being thus assured, Time led Death out of her tent, and went to Desolation, who was watching out over the field between the Chovain and Telia. Moros said: “I have watched the Unyielding and the Twins ascend before us, without arms.” This confirmed what was already known to Tharanis, and without fear, the three gods answered Forsyth’s summons. Thus were most assembled, save for two.
Ashok had heard the Ember’s call from his hunting grounds and answered with a howl that shook the trees from their roots, such was the trees’ fear and desire to move away. Having no prey and claiming the summons as his next, he flew through the forest, until, as a great white wolf, Ashok appeared on the field. And on seeing them were the Telians afraid, but Glores, who was atop the highest tower called down, “Still yourselves, for that is the Wolf of Winter, and though he is savage, he would not hunt us here behind our stone walls when the Chovains have only ditches and wood towers.” This was true, and it calmed the Telians. And even as he said it, Ashok turned to the scent of the Telians and saw their city upon a hill, and to the Chovains, and he was nearly turned from his first Prey onto another with the temptation of a field of death. But the Chovains also saw the Great Hunter, and Orlipiles and his Pasylions stood as a bulwark, who were known to Ashok and had his respect. This kept Ashok from the Chovains, and he continued up the mountain path.
Then the Golden Traveler of Ages, who could not be tied to any place or being, such was their Nature, heard the echo of Forsyth’s words on the wind and turned towards it. Seeing the other divinities gathered made them curious, and so they did reply: “Though true your power may not be matched, do not forget that you have none over me. Yet even so I will walk this path with my fellows, if only to know what is said there.”
Forsyth heard this and frowned at his cousin’s defiance, but said nothing as the Golden Road took its place amongst the others at the summit. Then were all the Divines of the World assembled, and the Ember spoke: “My siblings and cousins, we who have such power that the world may bend to our every wish, have been fighting year on year with only more mortals slain to show for our efforts. Does it not hurt us all to not only lose these devout, but to cause their death? Surely we must have a better answer for our dispute than to continue a profitless war.”
Now Lydia, who had been silent through all that was spoken before, said: “Through these long years I have waited to share the true prophecy of the fate of Telia and of this war, for there were several and much was yet to be decided. With our meeting here, there are but two left, with one choice left to make.” The gods there assembled fell silent at Fate’s words, and each reached for their own hearts and those of their family. And the gods found connections that had laid dormant through these long years of hatred, or perhaps were forged by Forsyth with his Domain, and at once understood the others.
Then Valorheart, being the proudest of the assembled, spoke first: “There is no honor for me to find in this fight, as none among us here have challenged me or will, and mortals, no matter how they are favored by the Divine, could not slay me. I will leave the field.”
Moros said next: “I will watch over the fields, but make no move, for I am bound to watch over my Domain so long as it is brought here by mortals. Though I can contain it to those who come to this place, and keep this war from spreading to Faradh and Whuna and to all of Aldwa, as it has threatened to in the past.”
And in once voice, Seren and Illom, who were one but two, said: “We delight in the mightiest being laid low, for life is not fair and no skill can master Chance, though we may not change Fate, and have no desire to take this from our sister. What is decided on will come to pass, and we will follow the other defenders of Telia.”
To this Tharanis answered: “Though I have ruled this field with Shadow at times, it seems to be the will of all those present that this war be over, and it is within my power to move it towards this end. As the Cycle is ending their part, I will do the same.
And at last Forsyth said: “I, who above all others desire unity and peace between other beings, but could not reconcile the differences of the Telian and Chovains these long years, do not see how else my efforts could manifest such an outcome. And so I must think that the only solution is for my involvement to end.”
The wind swept across the summit as the Weaver of Fate stepped forward so that she may be in the center of the circle of her peers, and said so that all may hear: “By Forsyth’s Domain, and our own Natures, are we bound to abide by what has been said, and so only one Fate remains. Telia will fall, though not until Orlipiles has slain Gorles, though he will not see the victory he’s long sought, and will fall as the city does.” This was carried down by the wind, and all who felt it heard the fate that Lydia spoke upon them, and were afraid.
And at this Valorheart wept, for she knew that the Weaver saw the paths of all things and did not lie, and that Glores, her most beloved, would pass…