Battle of the Ancients

Celestial / Cosmic

All the Belhadin fought, and there was war on Matar like there had never been and like there will never be until the Pillars are sundered and Matarros is remade.

But one of the Belhadin, the mightiest and most beautiful of them all, hid a secret desire in his heart. None now know his true name but among the priests of the South Wind Temple he is called Iarax. Iarax was the guardian of the sun, and the most beautiful of all the Belhadin. He looked down upon Matar from his position beside the sun and grew greedy. He determined that since the sun rules the day and it's reflection the night, that he should rule over all of the ancients and, when they arrived, the children of the Archenlord. He began to threaten the spirits of the earth. To the spirits of the forest he said, "bow to me or I will cause the sun to shine on you day and night, and I will send my heat on your trees until they dry out and burn. To the spirits of the fields he said, "bow to me or I will withhold the sun's light and your flowers will wither and die." To the spirits of the sea he said, "bow to me or I will cause the sun to boil your seas away until nothing is left but naked stone beneath." To the spirit of the moon he said, "bow to me, or I will not shed my light on you and you will grow dark and your beauty fade."   Many he cowed in this way to bow to him. But to other spirits he offered greater power if they would call him their king. To the spirits of the winds he said, "aren't you tired of the Archenlord always telling you what to do? Blow here and you blow here. Stop and you stop. Now blow there and you obey. Bow to me instead, however, and I will let you blow where you will. To spirits unhappy with their lot he offered them light from his light and fire from his fire to become beautiful and powerful like he if they would bow. To heralds he offered power in his kingdom if they would spy on the Archenlord for him. In this way he bullied many to bow the knee to him and others he lured to serve him with promises of power.   But not all were so easily cowed or so easily ensnared. And the Archenlord was not blind to Iarax's machinations. He ordered Iarax to appear before him and he chastised him, saying that, before receiving his purpose and form, he was equal with all his brethren among the Belhadin. Therefore he should not consider himself greater because of his power and beauty for these things came from the Archenlord, and they could be taken away. In response Iarax declared that the Archenlord was jealous of his power and beauty and that he was jealous over the Belhadin he had brought under his hoof.   So Iarax rebelled against the Archenlord and was expelled from Silar. He returned to his golden throneroom in the sun, and he gathered his followers, his through fear and through greed, and he set them loose and gave them permission to do as they wished.   Among those who refused to bend the knee to Iarax was Illume, guardian of the moon. When she refused to bow to Iarax, he forebode the sun to shine on the moon. Illume became weakened by this, and fell to Nov Matar. She was soon surrounded by Iarax's followers but the Archenlord heard her cry for help and sent down to her a sword made of the First Light from which all other lights, even the sun, received their initial spark. With the power of the First Light flowing through her, Illume struck down many of the fallen ancients. None whose hearts had become darkened by greed could face her. Illume gathered those ancients faithful to the Archenlord and led them against the fallen. But Iarax knew there was one of the Ancients that might be able to best her: the one she called brother, Dargon. So Iarax whispered in his ear and offered him great gifts of power if he would turn against Illume. Dargon was corrupted, and agreed. So Iarax pulled from his very heart of darkness a great mace made from his own greed and desire, and gave it to Dargon.   So Dargon faced Illume, and all the Belhadin fought, and there was war on Matar like there had never been and like there will never be until the Pillars are sundered and Matar is remade. As they fought, Illume pleaded with her brother to give up his greed, to drop his weapon and surrender. Dargon, corrupted by Iarax's promises, refused to listen and only fought on. Their conflict took place in the center of the battle and soon both sides ceased their fighting, so awed they were by the climactic conflict between Illume and Dargon. At last Illume struck down Dargon in the midst of the great western sea and the guardian of the void fell to the sea with a final cry of rage. And the fallen belhadin were scattered. The faithful pursued them, all except Illume. Instead she wept over her fallen brother. Out of the midst of the sea she raised up earth and formed a grave for her brother, its headstone, a mighty mountain. That grave is the Isles of Athalar. That headstone is Horus Damaroth.   Enraged at the failure of his champion, Iarax leapt from his throne in the sun and dove upon Illume, striking her with his own weapon, a wicked spear of black fire. Illume cried out and dropped First Light into the sea. Immediately there was a change in the fortunes of the opposing armies. The faithful buckled at the sight of their leader so defeated, the fallen were invigorated to see their master had joined the fight and overpowered their enemy. Many powerful faithful rose to defend Illume but none could overcome Iarax. Many fell. At once it seemed the Fallen had won Matar. They surrounded the faithful and it seemed all was lost.   But then the seven heralds of the Archenlord blew their golden trumpets and down from Silar came the Son, and in his hand he held the sword of Vengeance that only he had power and authority to yield. Before his presence many of the fallen dared to stand and fight. These knelt before him. But Iarax was not swayed by the glory of the Archenlord, but felt only hatred in his heart for him. So he raised his spear to do battle with the Son. But there was no battle. With his first and only strike the Son broke Iarax's spear, smote his head and struck his golden crown from off of his head.   Iarax fell. The sun went dark. Day turned to moonless, starless night. All went silent and wondered if this was the end.