The First World
Initially, we thought the large magic conduit was a holy temple, that we dedicated our religion to worshiping. But, there are few who believe in it now. This is my account of the Xellic’s fall from grace.
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The beacon provides us with immense magical power, which we use as a symbol of our faith. Great rending Xellics display their gifts from the ones on high by defending our people with mighty fury. Conjuring Xellics form our homes with astonishing strokes of magic. Mending Xellics repair the broken, and heal our sick with outstanding grace and beauty. And then there were the Lexicocerchiers, their divinity is the most splendid of all. They wielded magic more masterfully than all the common Xellics combined. To witness their works was a once in a lifespan opportunity.
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In the months preceding the collapse I entered the ranks of the high monks allowing me to observe Revelation councils between the great Lexicocerchiers. As a monk my talents were devoted solely to religious study and teaching of holy prophecies. Being able to witness their creation was an honor beyond comprehension.
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Which is why it brings me great sorrow to speak of the last council held before the collapse. I never had the privilege of speaking to either of the high Lexichiers Gilixsur and Nexillen, but simply being in their presence sent a chilling hum through my exoskeleton. So much power and knowledge radiated from them that had I not trained so close to the Beacon I doubt I would have been able to stand near them.
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During the last council of Revelation Lexichier Nexillen made a horrifying proposition. I knew of the studies he and Gilixsur had performed to lock entities in stasis, and I approved of its use in defense of our cities, but Lexichier Nexillen had made a...horrific discovery. He proposed using an enhanced version of stasis to drain and absorb another’s magic entirely. It was unnatural. His arguments made sense. There were threats we could not contend with, there were those who would continually use the beacon’s gift as a tool for wickedness and they needed to be stopped. But this? This was beyond any of our laws and beliefs.
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I...I could not stand with him that day. There were others who agreed such power mustn’t be used, but not all. After that day there were no more councils. Tensions rose throughout the realm. My brother and sister monks and I tried our best to bring peace and restore the shattered faith of our people, but it was in vain. So long as Lexicheir Nexillen and his followers persisted peace could not bloom.
[three months later]
Powerseekers. How could they abuse such gifts? Nexillen ’s armies have attacked the sacred temple. They seek to claim its power. Do they not remember the beacon cannot be controlled? Do they not recall that it is only through the beacon that all life is sustained? They have forgotten all our teachings.
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As I make this record Gilixsur and the faithful fight against Nexillen in the holy chamber. I shudder to think of the defilement of such a sacred space this war has caused. I—
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Something erupted at the top of the temple. Terrified that Nexillen had defeated our defenses I raced up the tower. I had never entered the sacred room, but there was war waging at the conduit and I would not let Nexillen destroy all that our faith had built.
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What I found was astonishing. A doorway unlike any other to a strange land. The plane was...chaotic. Fire raged on red earth, storm clouds ruled the skies. There were no signs of life, how could there be? A temporary truce was aligned until we understood the meaning of this Chaos Realm.
That was what we decided to call it. Study of the doorway itself revealed that it is composed entirely of magic, though no soul had the power to create such an extraordinary magical construction. To the bare eye it appeared to be an archway to a new realm, however a highly concentrated barrier between our realm and this place prevents the two from merging. We understand it to be a completely different world than our own, that conclusion was fairly simple to deduce. Further inspection revealed that while magic streams are present in the new realm, they are too weak to support life.
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After these discoveries were made it became clear that the only way to gain any further knowledge was to enter the realm.
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We should have destroyed the gate. Moments after four Genercercheirs entered they were slain by towering beasts with dark skin. Then the real nightmare began. They entered our realm. We should have died, but those things...stopped. A large beast studied us for a matter of moments before speaking in our tongue.
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Their God, paganistic as it was, called itself Atax-zauul and declared that even though it and the rest of the Tyuials could raze our realm to its core, that they would not. Not that day at least. And returned to its hellish home. I still do not understand how these muscular red giants survive in such a vile place, but my account must return to the war that resumed not long after Atax-zauul and his monstrosities retreated.
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...The war is over. I rejoice at its conclusion, but mourn the many losses that wrought. A horrid part of me wishes the monsters of the Chaos Realm had destroyed us all, at least then I would not have witnessed the final fall of my kind. There were hardly any who stayed true to the teachings my brothers and sisters told even among Gilixsur ’s people. New and false religions formed and my fellow monks and I could not stop their spread.
Why has the great construct allowed such things to happen? Great is our downfall and deep is our sorrow. As I walk the streets there isn’t a single Xellic that hasn’t been affected by hunger and sorrow. Maybe now they are prepared to listen again. Maybe…