~ The unicorns that were massed around the interior perimeter began to
fall to the ground, dead, one by one... - Mythos, "Twilight of the
Gods?" ~


The following is taken from a little-known late chapter in the War of
Humanity, translated from High Tsol'aa:

In the aftermath of the great war between the gods on Nishnatoba, the
gentle goddess of sleep and dreams walked the blooded fields wrapped in
a shroud of silence. Tears glistened upon her cheeks.

Though harsh winds raged all about her, driven to a frenzy by the
tremendous amounts of magical energy expended there of late, no wind
dared to touch the goddess as she wandered, weeping. Her delicate feet
trod softly upon the countless corpses fallen in battle, leaving nary a
mark upon their shattered frames.

After some time, a radiant man swathed in black silks materialised and
strode alongside the goddess, matching her slow perambulation
pace for pace.

"Whence springs such melancholy, sister?" Thoth asked, resting his pale
hand comfortingly upon the goddess's delicate shoulder. "Come, join the
celebrations. Victory is ours."

Valnurana turned her head and gazed at Thoth with shadowed eyes. "We
have paid a high price for victory, have we not? The unicorns, the
magnificent creatures, are lost forevermore. I loved them dearly, as you
well know."

"Have you forgotten to whom you speak?" asked the God of Death, amused.
"Their souls are not lost to me."

Valnurana glanced again at Thoth, a sudden light shining in her eyes.
"Yield them to my care, brother," she pleaded. "Release their shades
unto me, to run free in the wilderness of dreams."

Thoth raised one eyebrow. "That is an... unusual request. You spoke of
high prices, dear one; this may bear more than you wish to pay."

It is known only to the God of Death and the Goddess of Dreams what
covenant was struck at that time, but at long last, Thoth was satisfied.

Thoth said, his tone ringing clarion with the voice of divine prophecy:
"Very well. These souls do I give unto you. All but one, for one male
shall I keep. His soul shall be mine until the day that the night
swallows up the sun and the moon."

"And after?"

"You may have him then," Thoth said, smiling, "but you may not know
him."




[...to be continued]


Penned by my hand on the 4th of Ero, in the year 426 AF.