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War I |
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The First Elemental War |
| After a period of a thousand years, the Elementals acted on their
aggressive tendencies. At least, three of them did. Cain, born of the
fires, was at the forefront of these attacks. He descended upon the
forests, a great Phoenix leaving a trail of fire in his wake. Gaea, who
took residence in the forests, lashed back violently. Feeding off of the
death and destruction, Thanatos, Elemental of Darkness, grew stronger
every passing day. The only Elementals who did not see the point in such
fighting was Kaios of the Winds and Imbrium of the Seas. They remained
neutral during the war, aiding fleeing refugees by shielding them inside
their domains. This protection did not matter to the other Elementals. They waged their war across the isle, demolishing all in their path, rearranging the entire geography of Tolaria. The temple atop Mount Infinity was blown into ruins, the scholars fleeing for their lives. Kaios and Imbrium did their best to protect Tolaria from these ravages, but they had no power in the lands the other Elementals controlled. And so, for ten years, the war raged. Out of the ashes of despair rose a new hope. Trained among the mages of the Holy Temple that once stood proudly on Mount Infinity, came Urza. His details have faded with time, but his legend remains. Urza had discovered a new power, a power unparalleled in all the world. He, as well as the remaining scholars of the Holy Temple, journeyed to its ruins for a final stand against the Elementals who fought for so long. Backed by Kaios and Imbrium, Tolaria's fighters awaited the Elementals in the very spot they had landed. As the battle roared, mortal against god, Urza unleashed his weapon: the Sylex. The small bowl was etched with mystic runes, it's power immeasurable. Urza chanted, his voice carried by the winds, as powerful as the tides. He filled it with his memories, his life force, the very energy that created the universe. Kaios and Imbrium lent the power of the gods, and the other mages lent him their lives. The blast that issued forth warped the isle yet again. The mountain on which they stood exploded with energy, it's boiling magma innards erupting forth as it transformed into a volcano. The lives of those who fought were trapped between worlds, between life and death. They became the Soltari, shadow folk, ethereal beings. Bound to the ruins of their temple, they became guardians of the Holy Grounds as well as living proof of the past. Urza himself, however, did not become a Soltari. Nor did he die that day. He vanished from Tolaria and its history, but what happened to him has yet to be discovered. The Elementals themselves were trapped within emeralds, forever known as the Master Elemental Emeralds. These gems, containing the essence and powers of the Elementals, were placed in special temples built to honor the Elementals in their respective home areas. With the onset of a bold new era, the Tolarians looked towards a hopeful future while they rebuilt what was lost. |