Saturnine Solstice

by: Chaotic Symphony

A/N: Okay, listen up. The rest of this little project won't suck this bad, I swear. This was just a quick, jotted down history of what's to come. Kinda one of those have to know it deals to understand the plot. Sooo, I encourage you to read and review! Save all flames for the 'comment' portions of your 'Who deserves to die and why' lists, not my review section! Much appreciated, and remember, I love you all! ~puffs~

Prologue

A gentle silence hung in the air; gentle, but filled with anticipation as a group of children, wide-eyed and still as five tiny statues, sat in a half circle, attention fixed on an elderly man hunched in the middle. He was an elder in Pau City, a large village at the heart of the Kensis continent, resting on the bank of a bountiful river. Sobreka, the called him, a warrior in youth, now a scholar and the eldest of all in Pau City.

Soft hazel eyes gazed upon the children, a smile beneath the whiskers, turned silver with age, brightened his weathered old face as he cleared his throat quietly. The story would begin shortly, the traditional telling of Creation, the tale that wold begin the five days of celebration, prior to the setting of the sun on Winter Solstice. Sobreka's lips parted slightly, all five children audibly pulling in a breath, causing the man to let out a gentle chuckle. Much anticipated event, indeed.

"The dawn of time." He began, inciting a series of excited giggles from the children, quickly followed by respectful silence. "The Beginning. Genesis. So many names for one specific moment. A moment surpassing all others. The moment Pavane, and all else, was brought into being."

"How did that happen?" A small boy chimed in, large, chocolate-colored eyes blinking furiously.

"We were coming to that, weren't we?" replied Sobreka, whiskers twitching on his upper lip, his smile broadening a bit. "As I was saying, Before you, or I, or even the deep recesses of space came into existance, there was nothing but chaos and confusion. Light collided with darkness, time meant nothing, Pavane wasn't even a notion.

"The Chaos, however, provided the energy, as light once again collided with darkness, to produce an entity, the one we call Sifalik, the very entity who's likeness guards the entrance of our city. This entity, Sifalik, grew lonely in the timeless depths of his chaotic prison, longing for company, for the presence of others like himself."

"So, what did Sifalik do?" a small voiced asked, Sobreka's eyes settling on the form of a little girl lying on her stomach, chin restin in her palms, feet kicking slowly behind her.

"You want to know what he did, eh?" Hazel eyes sparkled warmly at the child's curiousity as Sobreka prepared his response. "Sifalik used the Chaos. He used the light and the darkness to create two gems: from the light, he forged a gem of purity, goodness, and truth. And from the darkness, a gem of evil, pain, and deciet. These gems weren't just any gems, mind you. They contained within them, life, order, the ability to cease the Chaos.

"From the gems' combined energy, the Chaos was brought to order, the light was condensed into the stars that shine so bright, and the sun our Pavane revolves around. As for the darkness, it was given the night, the only time evil can emerge and walk freely amongst us.

"Bringing Chaos to order, and dividing the realms of light and dark were only the beginning for Sifalik and his gems, however. Upon completion of these tasks, our god called upon the gems to bring forth the planets, and on them the mountains, rocks, rivers and oceans. So beautiful were these planets that Sifalik shed a single tear upon Pavane, bringing forth our planet's first rain. Before Sifalik knew what happened, a lush green grass burst from the ground, tree sprang up helter-skelter, flowers littered every field." Pausing, Sobreka looks into each of the children's eyes with a soft smile before pressing on.

"You all remember why Sifalik created the gems, don't you? He was lonely, and thus, the planets alone weren't enough to satisfy him. So, taking the gems in hand, Sifalik requested beings like himself to watch and interact with. The gems, of course, complied, creating a small colony of people, much smaller than our Pau City.

"This was all Sifalik had wanted, and, upon expressing his contentment, lifted the gems high above his head, praising the unity of light and dark. The gems, however, had their own intentions as though they had lives and souls to express with. From the first gem, the Gem of Purity, a blinding white light shot forth, filling Pavane, and it's small colony with it's radiating warmth. From the second gem, a shadow enveloped the planet, mingling with the light."

"What were the gems doing?" the same tiny female voice from before filled the air with it's blatent curiousity.

"The gems were seeking out their oracles, my dear. The one's who would represent them in the living world, and provide guidance." Sobreka replied, folding his old, weathered hands in his ap after smoothing the egg shell-colored robe he wore. "As the light and shadow faded, the people of the colony, and even Sifalik himself, looked to where the light and shadow met. Two women stood, infants cradled in their arms, side by side, in awe.

"The Gem of Purity had chosen an infant boy, and the other, a girl, burying their spirits deep in the hearts of the babies.

"Sifalik was stunned, holding two lifeless gems in his hands. Furious at his sudden loss of power, the god closed his powerful fist around each gem, crushing them into three fragments a piece before casting them down to Pavane in a heavy rage. One fragment from the Gem of Purity and one from the Gem of Darkness plummeted to each of the three continents; our village was one of these locations. Of course, at that time, our village did not exist. The founder of our humble Pau City located a small piece of the Gem of Purity and called it a sign. A sign to build, a sign that the land was fertile and the crops opulent. His assumtions were correct, indeed, and we've been here ever since."

"Sobreka!" A boy whined, calling in a chorus of childish voices. "What about the babies? And Sifalik!?"

"Ah, yes! I'm sorry." The elder chuckled, hazel eyes squinting as his lips crack into a smile. "Seems I got a bit off track. I do apologize.

"What was I saying, now? Oh, yes, Sifalik was so upset, he cast the fragments down. The gems were gone, scattered, and so was his power, but deep in his heart, he felt a need to protect the infants the gems had chosen, unaware of what intentions light and darkness held.

"As time passed, the children grew as any others would, happy and healthy, and under the ever-watchful eye of Sifalik. The girl grew into a beautiful woman, surrounded by a dark, but magical aura, and, on her sixteenth birthday, was deemed High Sorceress of the colony. She was to train herself in the ways of magic and incatations and guard the people of the colony.

"The boy, however, had a much different situation. His parents had perished in a terrible fire in the boy's fifth year, and the only option the colony had, was to send him to a temple founded by Sifalik himself. The monks raised him, sensing the pure aura surrounding the child, believing he was touched by their creator.

"The children seemed to be doing well, with no sign from the spirits dwelling within them. Sifalik, after nearly twenty-five years of watching, had finally let his guard down." A chorus of 'uh-oh's and 'oh no's filled the room, leaving Sobreka pleased with how this tale was turning out. "Oh, yes." He continued, smiling gently. "Sifalik turned his back on his duties, allowing the gem fragments he cast down and forgot, to call upon their spirits. The hearts of the chosen children began to burn with the desire to destroy one another and the gem they represented.

"The girl left her training, and the boy turned his back on his brothers, the spirits drawn to one another. Sifalik could do nothing to stop them and he knew it. Harnessing the Chaos meant nothing. Light and dark would forever be at war.

"The clash between the children, when the two finally met, was devastating to Pavane. Half the colony was caught in the onslaught, mountains fall, fields burned, rivers stopped flowing completely. In the end, both children had fallen and, around them, the rain, washing away the blood that had been shed.

"Ages have passed since then... no one can honestly tell how long it's been. The gems have lain dormant, and where the spirits reside, no one knows. It is said that one year, as the sun sets on the Winter Solstice, the bodies that harbor the spirits, a girl and a boy, will be called forth and the clash of Light and Dark will begin anew." Those hazel eyes run once again over the children, a deep silence filling the air, frightened eyes locked on the wise elder. Yet another chuckle sounds from Sobreka as his solemn expression turns to one of amusement. "I don't think we have to worry about that, though, children." He laughs, standing shakily from his chair, trusting old and tired joints to hold him up. "Come now." Followed by five excited children, Sobreka heads to the door of his chamber, tossing it open to reveal a crowd of Pau City inhabitants.

"Let the Solstice Celebration begin!" He shouts, tossing his hands in the air as the crowd rejoices, ready for the five days of ceremony, each heart light and unassuming. Creation was a tale, a legend, no match for modern science, they were certain.