FicWad

The Elemental Circle Of Virtue

.......................Gust....................
...................Freedom..................
......Wave.....................Bolt.....
Adaptability...........Destruction..
.....................Virtue.....................
..............Knowledge &...............
.............Benevolence.................
.....Nature...................Flame.....
....Vitality..................Passion...
...................Mineral....................
.................Steadfast...................


All creation was wrought in the balance of the seven elements, and forged in the crucible of their antithesis. Everything in all creation bears their touch, whether trifling or abundant; they, together, are the truth of existence. Some believe there is a higher order, or a greater purpose, or a force that surpasses these elements; this remains a hotly debated topic among all sentient peoples across creation. But all generally agree, without knowing of the others, that these seven elements are the hammer and anvil of creation.
Many, and many times many worlds were originated in that cataclysm of conception. On many worlds, the elements only left that trifling touch, creating delicate and complex varieties of interconnected life. On others, these elements seemed to run rampant, producing an almost infinite variety of fantastic organisms of all kinds, blending and reshaping again and again until the planet was covered in all possible diversity of intelligent life. This eruption of potential imbued all with inconceivable amounts of elemental energy, which would never be truly depleted but instead convert from one form to another. On only a handful of worlds was this phenomenon ever perceived. One such world was Pevara.
Pevara, which mean “child” in the most ancient tongue of its peoples, is a comfortable world of various climates. It is slightly larger than the standard life-bearing planet, though its surface gravity is similar to the norm because of its slightly smaller molten core. It orbits a relatively small gas giant of multicolored hue named Sarenpa, which means “parent.” It graces the sky of Pevara at night, filling the vision of its peoples with surrealistic swirls of clouds, as if standing watch over the people of Pevara.
On Pevara, something extraordinary happened. Its unusual mix of properties and the phenomenal amount of elemental energy created beings made of elemental energy themselves. They were called the viras, beings who exuded the element from which they were created, their bodies extracting only the purest and strongest materials to sustain them. They are among the most powerful races on Pevara, and have guarded the usage of the elements for centuries upon centuries. There are seven kinds of viras.
-Kryntari, bearers of the Flame, with long thick necks and tails, covered in spikes and plates of metals refined in their molten volcanic dwellings.
-Aworologa, giant avian creatures who control the Gust, and ride the winds across the globe.
-Agalanda, the gentle Men and Maidens of the Wave, who control the vast waters of Pevara.
-Kamanti, the Great Stone Hunters, made of Mineral, who race across the lands in packs.
-Nyagant, the Tree Spirits, who jealously guard the great forests and other forms of life, keeping the balance of Nature.
-Piago, the great formless intelligence of Bolt lightning, a being of total chaos and destruction, .
-Wytlyth, the delicate and beautiful beings of Virtue, with miniature bodies and wings of the finest make. They are renowned for their comeliness and ability to soften the most hardened hearts.
Since that time of creation, beings of nearly every race, creed and species have sought power over their kind, and all other kinds as well. There have always been those who seek to kill, conquer and rule. They practice deceit and flattery, leading many to follow them in their selfishness, only to betray them at the end as they gain what they have sought. Then they must fight bitterly to defend what they have stolen from free peoples, until they are cast down. Once actual control of the seven elements was discovered, even this sacred energy was used for such intentions. Such is the story of Drakul, the Black and Immortal.
Drakul, named for his bloodthirsty predations, was a Kryntaris, an elemental force of Flame, like darkest obsidian both in appearance and heart. He was able, over almost two hundred years of searching and training, to find a terrible way to steal the life and elemental power of other viras, as well as casters of any race. His first victim was his aged and venerable father; afterward he went on a rampage of slaying viras and casters alike. Once he had obtained enough elemental energy, he used the six elements of Flame, Gust, Bolt, Wave, Nature and Mineral to reinforce the materials which made up his own body, trying to make himself live forever.
As do all evil peoples, who murder and pillage to gain what they want, he scoffed at the power of benevolence embodied by the element of virtue. Since he had no virtue to speak of, it was absent from his manipulations, and as a result, his “perfection” was flawed.
In his murderous quest to control and conquer the “lesser races,” many of the thinking beings banded together. Mai from the Ivur cities, reiciors of the Osileau, and other casters all joined together with the embattled viras to battle Drakul. Finally, a lone Ivur maije recklessly came to spy upon Drakul near his cavernous dwelling in the volcano Reyoldvich, in the far west. His Chrystyn-communication to his elders cost him his life. Outraged, the combined forces redoubled their efforts against Drakul, until at last they had found a way to defeat him—they battered him relentlessly until they could remove his heart. With his seething heart removed, and imprisoned inside a perfect giant sphere of Metal, with hundreds of protective barriers in place to prevent its release, his body was left to dissolve away into nothingness upon the side of the volcanic mountain where he had lived.
But the elemental energies he’d cast upon himself prevented him from dying. He was truly immortal, but without his fiery heart to provide the necessary molten lifeblood, his body began to deteriorate and wither. Rotting while still technically alive, his mind remained whole and intact. And thus he stayed in this undead state for nearly one thousand years, unknown and forgotten.