Once there was a land: a land of many creatures, peoples, threaded together by prophecy…
Foretold through the ages was the unsealing of a great evil, to be defeated by the Hero…
But when the people of Mydreign came together to greet this Hero:
They never came.
Still, their enemies did. And so, the land was plagued…
First, by the Kingslayer, who wrecked Myddul City…
Slain by a group of Mydreignites deemed heroic…
Then, a corruption overcame Karu, the Guardian of the Heartwood…
And then it was saved by such brave adventurers!
In another corner of the land, a corrupt Goddess was sealed…
Peace was brought to the Lizard’s Fangs…
All without the Hero.
And so when the stability of Sea of Light was rattled…
And a famine threatened the Sunshade Desert…
The people of Mydreign knew that it was not the end–
And together they could do anything.
But such belief was shaken–
When the Villain came up to eat the sun…
Such crisis having never been foretold in our prophecies…
And Mydreign fell into darkness…
Still, the Mydreignites pushed forward–
Bringing together their strengths–
And the powers of the land…
Until, with a final strike, the Villain came down–
And the Sun came up…
…and such is a mythology of Mydreign.
“Dad!!” yelps a small Mydlin child, no older than five. Her horns are just barely peeking out from her scalp. “Come on, tell me more about what you did!!”
An elderly Mydlin man, To be lost in a trance by the glimmer of gold, laughs at the lass. He is of a short and stocky build, with greying hair. The Myddul house he and his child reside in is modest. He sits on a soft recliner, while Wanda sits on his knees, both taking refuge from the cold winter night next to the warmth of the fireplace. “Of course, Wanda, here…”
Slain by a group of Mydreignites deemed heroic; one of whom, a handsome Mydlin (and some others), distracted the Kingslayer with his incredibly light feet and stealth, allowing two brave Beastkins to slay the first of the evil omens, with three daggers to its corrupted heart, hidden in the back of his armour…
“Yeah!!!” The little Mydlin child cheers in macabre enthusiasm. “Slay the Kingslayer!!!! Let’s drink the blood of our enemies!!!!!”
Glimmer can’t help but chuckle. “You’ve got the instincts of an adventurer, young’in. Now, onto Karu, who was corrupted by vinelings…”
And then it was saved by such brave adventurers! It began with potion preparations and sacrificial cacti. Together, the group was led by Rute, a leader of the Heartwood, to the courtyard where Karu leapt hungrily at the crowd. Separated, our heroes had to use their wits to distract Karu – and finally, with Rute’s lullaby, came a chance for the handsome Mydlin – the very same one who helped defeat the Kingslayer – to strike at the bulbs corrupting the guardian. A garishly yellow shadecrawler came and took out another, and Karu was finally able to free itself from the curse!
Wanda mimes a giant bear with her arms outstretched, smiling through a faux rage. Glimmer pretends to strike at her, and Wanda screams, flailing her arms, before being reborn as Karu, who roars in gratitude.
As Wanda continues to play pretend, putting herself in the story of Mydreign, Glimmer continues to read. He recalls his adventures in the Sky Islands and bringing back the rain, before the final battle with the Villain. Perhaps the story is a little embellished, particularly towards one such ‘handsome Mydlin,’ but Wanda is thoroughly entertained by the adventures of her father.
When the story comes to a close again, Wanda begins to yawn. The warmth of the fireplace begins to truly envelop them both, and Glimmer closes the book, setting it aside.
“What did you do next, papa?” comes Wanda’s sleepy voice.
“Well, I helped the City with my incredible wisdom, as part of their Council of Knights. A hero’s job is not just in the battlefield.” He chuckles, patting Wanda’s hair.
“Can you read me that story too?” Wanda asks, before letting out a big yawn.
“I’m getting tired now, lass. You too. Let’s get you to bed.”
Glimmer carries Wanda through their abode, just big enough for the two of them. His footsteps are the only things that disrupt the peace and quiet.
“Do you still wanna go out and adventure, dad?”
Perhaps for many, if one were in Glimmer’s shoes, their answer would be: “I’m far too old for that,” or “You’re my real adventure,” or something just as cheesy and wholesome.
But Glimmer doesn’t say any of that. To him, there’s still too many stories to tell. Instead, he grins, and whispers into his adoptive daughter’s forehead: “One day, lass, I think I will.”
Glimmer brings Wanda through a doorway, pushing open a door that has scrawled on it, the name of the owner of the room: Da Wandarous Pursoot of Dat Witch is Deemd Imposibl.
“I wanna go on an adventure too…” Wanda whispers, halfway to dreaming.
Glimmer’s thoughts find its way to the Book of Untangling. His half, hidden in a dark corner of his room, yearning to one day be brought back whole.
He smiles, then. “Soon, Wanda. Very soon.”