Of the Spirits

Collection: Of Greater Shadows, Chronicled by Valhel

Dear Reader,
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The One called great and mighty spirits out of the nothingness and set them as wardens over his creations. To some he gave powers over the skies and winds, to others he bestowed the dominions of dreams and terrors. And to each of the spirits was appointed a task, a duty to watch over their own charges and to defend them from corruption.

Then the spirits began to fall into order. The Seraphim ascended to the highest halls of the One and kept a vigil of burning lights. From these halls the some spirits descended to the worlds below. These spirits immersed themselves within the elements of their charge and were changed. A swift and clever spirit plunged into the rivers and seas, he emerged with skin like rushing waters armored with smooth, stone-like plating that rippled in deep shades of blue and bright silver. Another sought out the heart of the world, and within the great darkness of the cavernous deep she found light. Calling the molten stone unto herself she bound fires to her mind, forging a blazing likeness to give her form in the waking realms. Such was the birth of all of the first spirits sent to the worlds.

Once they had been recalled to the heavenly halls these angels were named Revenants, for they had descended and returned with the favor of the One. The Revenants were many, some of stone and earth, others of wisdom and purity, each with their own guise to wear before the creatures of worlds. They were the avatars of the elements of creation, guardians of their appointed dominions.

Lords, too, were given a place of rule in the cosmos. These spirits were less than the host of the Revenant, yet had been given great foresight and power to shape history through subtle influence. The Lords did not often take on manifested form, only on the rarest of events did they appear as mere apparitions. So great was their cause in their own minds that secrecy was deemed necessary to carry it to fruition.

Altalorn, High Seraph of Song, served before the One. Honored with a gift of the One’s own creativity, Altalorn’s compositions filled the heavens with music. His melodies could nearly take shape as unmade worlds and creatures, and all were raptured in awe of his songs. The One was pleased with Altalorn and his works, for as he had created wonders beyond knowledge so too did Altalorn imitate this through music.
For a time High Seraph Altalorn remained a servant of the heavens and loyal to its cause of peace and order. Altalorn could feel the pride with which the One held for him and this was enough for many aeons, no reward or prize could Altalorn find in all of existence greater than the blessing of the One for his music.
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The twin stars of the heavenly places, Esthar and Vesper would reign in the day and retire to give way to evening. Their Revenants would carry them beneath the seas of night, and others would raise the moons into the astral reaches. Over the darkness the One had appointed Revenants to stand guard. Just as the creations of the world would sleep or wake at night, so too were the spirits. Spirits of dreams, nightmares, and visions, avatars of the moons, of shadows, and the void. Alongside these were also wardens of stranger tasks, jailers of corruption, arbiters of the One’s vengeance. To them were given the secrets of righteousness and of evil so that in all wisdom they may act in accordance with the One.
In the youth of the realms these dark Revenants had little to fear, the dreams of creation were sweet and the might of the corrupt was frail. In place of their grim vigil these spirits watched the halls of the moonlit heavens while their brethren awaited sunrise.
To be continued…