Prologue: The Beginning

In the beginning, there was One, Tokijin, the father of all creation. And he formed the heavens, the mortal realm, and the nether-realms; and he looked upon all that he had made, and behold, it was very good.

Yet he dwelt in solitude, and his soul was lonely. Therefore, to reconcile his isolation, he brought forth six children, breathing life into them and granting unto each a fundamental pillar of existence.

To the firstborn, Zaruken, he gave the element of Yin. To the second, Raize, he gave the Storm. To the third, Jurin, he gave the Earth. To the fourth, Kaite, he gave Flame. To the fifth, Mize, he gave Water. And to the sixth, Nanemero, he gave the element of Yang.

When the elements were thus divided, Tokijin decreed the order of their generations. Unto Zaruken, he granted dominion over the nether-realms and commanded that Raize and Kaite should bow before him and be subservient to his word. But Nanemero he established as the right hand of the heavens and master of the mortal realm, commanding that Jurin and Mize should serve beneath him.

And Tokijin looked upon his children and the stations appointed unto them, and said that it was good. For many ages, the divine house abided in peace, and the cosmos rested in quietness.

But the hearts of the sons of the nether-realm grew bitter, for they dwelt in a dark and miserable cesspool. And Zaruken, together with Kaite and Raize, took counsel against their father, refusing to remain outcasts in the world he had fashioned.

Thus, they rebelled and stormed the gates of heaven, and the Heavenly Schism began. And Tokijin, being overwhelmed with grief, was struck down by the hand of his own eldest son. Then was there war in the heavens for ages upon ages, until a final, cataclysmic hour when Zaruken and Nanemero smote one another with fatal blows, and their bodies plunged into the earth. And the remaining siblings, faithful even unto demise, cast themselves down into the dirt after them, that they might continue to serve their leaders beyond the grave.

And it came to pass that from the ashes of the fallen gods, a new generation arose, gifted with their ancient wisdom and primordial power. And they were called humanity.

Thus began the true beginning.