A young Alva girl awoke with a start, her chest tight and barely able to draw breath. “What is this feeling? Where did all these voices come from? Ow, why does this hurt so much?” Golden blonde strands of hair spilled through her slender ivory fingers as the child Alva held her head- her mind a maelstrom of voices as angst collided with treason laced thoughts. Though the Palace of the Stars was a vast distance from the quiet villa where the Alva girl lay, she called out to one of the Palace’s inhabitants.

“Thayer? Thayer, are you there? Thayer?”

“Anastasia? Is that really you?” answered a young adult Alva, with a smile even in his thoughts. “The growing extent of your powers never ceases to amaze me.”

Something outside of their telepathic conversation drew Thayer’s thoughts. In a shielded part of his mind the young adult Alva knew the urgency of the evening was mounting and he did not want his adored little sister to be anywhere close even in thought.

“You will be here in two days to celebrate the Maiden Voyage Don’t tell me you just couldn’t wait to see me? Why are you awake at this hour?”

“Because they are shouting. I feel like my head is splitting open. Thayer, I think something bad is going to happen.”

Thayer could hear a whimper even in Anastaisa’s thoughts; his younger sister was most likely crying. It troubled Thayer that he was too far away to comfort her.

“You hear them too?”

Thayer’s thoughts were momentarily uncharacteristically melancholy.

“Anastasia go back to sleep all of this will pass. I am going to find Kisho and Kane. Don’t worry little sis, nothing bad is going to happen. This is Alva Home, the heart of the Alva Caelum, we are safe here.”

Despite Thayer’s reassurances, the terrified Anastasia refused to let go of her mental link with her beloved brother.

~*~

The night was dark but by no means silent. The atmosphere over the Palace of the Stars was agitated. The scuffle of pacing Alvian feet filled the air as nervous eyes turned toward the Temple. An ill tempered atmosphere emanated from the heart of Alvadom.

Standing as the zenith of the Palace of the Stars was the Temple of the Creator; its stained glass dome shining as a richly set precious stone above the stepped radiant Airds. At the heart of the Temple was the Well of Origin, the only permanent direct access point to the Point of Origin in all Creation. Two shrouded figures silently entered the Norar entrance of the Temple; stealthily maneuvering through the columns and alcoves to the Well Room.

His majestic presence filling the Well Room, an Arch Alva stood with his jade green eyes gazing down the Adonite Well of Origin. Intent on the Well, his back was turned to the emergence of the two shadowy figures.

“Mordan, why have you come this night to the Temple of the Creator?” demanded the first figure pulling back his hood; a mass of wildly curled chestnut hair fell down around his shoulders. His moss green eyes were alight with flecks of what could have been the embers of a smoldering fire.

“Kane, what a surprise!”Mordan sneered as he turned away from the Well of Origin to address the new comers. He offered the pair a genuine smile and nonchalantly brushed the angled fringe of deep amaranth hair out of his eyes. “Why I’ve come only to pay my respects to the Creator of course.”

“The treachery in your heart makes the intentions of your mind transparent,” admonished the second figure. His hood fell back to reveal jet black, perfectly straight, waist length hair that was meticulously braided away from his face. His eyes, the color of new spring leaves, were devoid of their usual warm, sun-dappled glow. Unlike the aggressive movements and terse tone of his counterpart, his movements were graceful and his voice melodic.

“Ah Kisho, it seems all the Arch Alva have gathered before the Well this night,” Mordan taunted, “I suppose Thayer will come trotting out next; his golden ringlets dancing above his eternal smile?”

“No. What transpires here is between the Arch Alva” replied Kisho; the elegant black haired Arch Alva’s voice had an unusual bite to it. “Where is the Staff of the Creator?”

“Why it is right here my dear Kisho.” An unsettling smile slithered across Mordan’s features as he brandished the long metallic staff pulsing with dark energy.

“What have you done to it?” Kane stammered in awe. Even under his cloak his broad shouldered muscled phsyque was noticeably growing more tense.

“The Staff of the Creator is the only thing in Creation that can overcome the destructive chaos of the Anomaly Storms.”

“I’ve only made some needed adjustments.”Mordan’s eyes flashed with a wicked gleam. “The Anomaly Storm of destructive chaotic Resonance will not pass by the Aether Stream after all.”

“Mordan be reasonable!” Kisho implored. “There is no telling what will happen if you activate the staff in that condition. You could exponentially amp the strength of the Anomaly. And. . .”

“And if it enters the Aether stream it could easily come to Alva Home or go to the Point of Origin!” Kane fumed.

“Exactly.” Mordan wielded the corrupted Staff of the Creator in a flourishing arc. “And won’t the Creator be surprised when the destructive chaotic energy purged then cast off of his own Creation bursts into the Point of Origin. If the Anomaly Storm doesn’t wipe out the Creator and His Angelic Messengers, then I and my followers will be on its heels to use the confusion to take control of Creation.”

“Why, Mordan? Why do you seek to rebel against the Creator?” Kane demanded. His flaring temper was steadily reaching its breaking point.

“Because He is being unreasonable!” Mordan shouted as his eyes flamed a dangerous angry black. “We are the first, the eldest. We can bend the Resonance of all Creation to our will. Yet, we are reduced to clerks and clerics of Creation’s knowledge.”

As Mordan spoke he slowly descended the Well dais. With every step he took toward the pair, Kisho grew more grieved and Kane ever more angry.

“We have the ability to control, and yet we observe mostly unknown to those we observe. We are the crowning glory of Creation and yet we are treated as though we are nothing.” Mordan stopped inches from the pair, struggling to imprison them with his piercing gaze.

“That is not true Mordan!” Kisho asserted gently, placing a reassuring hand on his conflicted friend’s shoulder. “We were given stewardship of all Creation by the Creator.”

“Stewardship of all Creation,” Mordan whispered with barely constrained anger, his body trembling beneath Kisho’s slender fingers. “Don’t make me laugh!” Sweeping Kisho’s hand from his shoulder, it was clear that Mordan had only just managed to restrain himself from striking his gentle friend. He turned away quickly to control his anger before he once more turned to address his fellow Arch Alva.

“Free will is the First Gift of the Creator, and yet He sets up laws to govern our powers and activities. Under that law we are powerless.” Kisho fought the urge to reach out to his friend again, fearing the action would further provoke the disturbed Arch Alva. “Mordan, what has happened to you? You have never been the same since the Machina Village Massacre. In the decon since you returned from obeserving the Gallimuafry Caellum, you have become a stranger to we who are like your brothers.”

Mordan lowered his eyes and turned slightly away from his Arch Alva brethren; lost in a distant memory.

“What happened in Machina?” Kisho gently prompted.

“I discovered the truth about the First Gift,” Mordan responded bitterly. “It is not a gift at all but a means to limit and control us.” Mordan’s fist clenched tighter around the Staff. As he considered the twisted energy of the Staff of the Creator, he spoke as one in a trance. In that moment he was not speaking to any but himself. “What good is being able to bend all of Resonance to our will if we can’t even. . .”

“We cannot impose our will over Creation, even if we can bend all of Resonance to our will,” Kisho gently replied. “I cannot deny that many abuse or misuse the First Gift. But Free Will is the First Gift given to all of Creation by the Creator. Who are we to deny that gift?”

“So then,” Mordan squared his shoulders, as he snapped out of his dark reverie. “I shouldn’t expect any more interference from you.”

“We didn’t say that,” growled Kane, “Hand over the Staff of the Creator.”

Mordan’s countenance froze into a steely gaze of hatred. “No!” He roared as he released the Resonance that had been slowly compressing around him. Such was the force that it knocked Kane and Kisho to the ground. In a single bound, Mordan disappeared down the Well of Origin. Recovering quickly, the two remaining Arch Alva raced down the Well in pursuit.

~*~

The Temple of the Creator shuddered as Thayer made his way up its Vestar entry steps. Passersby joined him as he stared in amazement. The Resonance surrounding the temple was pulsating stormily.

“Thayer, what is going on? What is that discordant sound?” Anastasia cried, feeling the rising emotions of the Palace occupants.

“Anastasia listen, I need you to let go now,” Thayer insisted.

“I can’t. Don’t you understand? I can’t shut them out. I feel captive to a thousand voices that are not my own. I need you Thayer!” Anastasia begged.

“Anastasia this is beyond my understanding, but . . . I believe you. Just promise me you will keep trying to let go and keep quiet while you are still holding on.” Thayer implored.

So in tune to one another were the siblings that leagues away Thayer could feel the warmth of Anastasia’s tears running down her face as she whimpered,“Yes, brother.”

Thayer dared to enter the Temple to locate the source of the Resonance disturbance. He found the source to be the Well of Origin. Resonance in the Well Room swirled chaotically; violently it spiraled out from the Well of Origin.

Cautiously, Thayer braved the ebb and flow of destructive Resonance and approached the Well. Crouching below the lip of the Well, his medium frame pressed against its cool Adonite wall, Thayer weathered the Resonance storm. Desperately he searched for the cause of the unprecedented maelstrom as he waited for a break in the erratic pattern of Resonance.

In a moment of stillness, Thayer hesitantly rose and gazed down the Well. An immense pulse of Resonance flung Thayer from the Well dais and sent him sliding across the floor into the wall. Mordan shot out of the Well, closely followed by Kisho and Kane. Thayer pulled himself up enough to watch the aerial fight from the shadows as the Arch Alva battled above the Well. A feeling of dread came over Thayer as he watched the Arch Alva wrestle for possession of the Staff of the Creator pulsing with a sickening darkness- before they disappeared back down the well as quickly as they had emerged.

Thayer was stunned. Never before had an Alva manipulated Resonance to harm another being. Though the Alva had observed such violence against one’s own kind before in countless Caeli, never before had any Alva engaged in battle. Such a battle was the mark of a Caelum’s use of the First Gift to rebel against the Creator.

Thayer’s heart sunk with the weight of what he had just seen; still, he could not bring himself to believe what his eyes told him. Thayer’s closest friends and greatest hero in all Creation were battling; shattering the eternal peace of the Alva. He stared in wonder as the luminous golden and lavender airiform Aether boiled in the Well shooting upward as an effervescent geyser at irregular intervals.

“How could this have happened?” Thayer wondered, stricken. The young Alva heard Anastasia muffle a cry in the back of his mind as a Resonance pulse of far greater magnitude than its predecessors shook the Temple of the Creator to its very foundation. The structure’s groans were accented by glass shattering as it fell from the Temple’s dome. “I can’t stay here.” Thayer thought as he stood shielding his head from the falling glass. “I must speak to the Council of Elders right away.”

~*~

Another Alvian year was coming to a close and the three moons of Alva Home were at their darkest, not unlike the events that unfolded beneath their blind watch. Yet, as Thayer exited the Temple, he found the Norar Piazza located between the Temple and the House of Meetings- shone like midday with the light of countless torches.

The battle in the Temple of the Creator could not be hidden from the masses and a huge crowd had formed in front of the Temple in all four of the Cardinal Piazzas. With the celebration of the Maiden Voyage within three days, most of the population of Alva Home was in the Palace of the Stars.

Two willowy figures glided up the Temple steps their white blonde hair and ivory skin starkly contrasting with their all black attire. “Thayer, their minds are twisted somehow. Don’t trust them. Be careful,” Anastasia whispered.

“Camulos, Segomo,” Thayer greeted the figures as they halted their graceful ascent.

“Thayer, I can’t say that finding you here is a surprise,” spoke the taller of the two, Camulos.

“I would advise you not to go into the Temple this night,” Thayer sternly replied.

“Ah, but we must,” said the more slight of the two, Segomo, “You see Lord Mordan is waiting for us.”

Thayer stiffened. “Mordan is the greatest among the Alva but he is no Lord. He would not allow such an address if he were present.”

Camulos and Segomo laughed.

“My dear naive Thayer, after tonight Mordan will be Lord of everything!” jeered Camulos- his turquoise eyes gleaming with a touch of treachery.

“Don’t speak such blasphemy!” Thayer warned.

“What are you going to do if we continue?” Segomo taunted.

“Thayer!” A new voice hailed from the head of a column of Alva ascending the steps.

“Ugh, Elders!” Camulos groaned.

“Thayer,” the Elder spoke as he reached the level of the three young adult Alva, “tell me son, what transpires in the Temple of the Creator this night that would cause the whole of Resonance to be in turmoil.”

Thayer greeted his father with the sad tidings. “Father, I am sad to report that the Arch Alva have turned Resonance against one another and are fighting in the Well of Origin as we speak.”

The Council of Elders was shaken.

“That is not possible. Resonance is not a weapon, but a life source!” Thayer’s father’s voice was colored with disbelief.

“And what is worse is that they struggle for possession of the Staff the Creator that has been somehow tainted.” Thayer paused to let the importance of his words sink in.

In all of Creation there was one thing the Alva were powerless against and it was the Anomaly Storms. Resonance so twisted and chaotic that it was no longer Resonance, these dark storms of rogue energy were purged by the Caeli and traverse the Aether Deeps. Anamoly Storms would at times threaten one Caelum or another and the Staff of the Creator was given to the Alva to protect the Caeli. No one knew how it worked; very few knew how to activate it. For something such as the Staff to become tainted was a serious accusation with terrifying ramifications.

“Thayer!” Anastasia broke into her brother’s thoughts once more. “Listen. Listen, there are many whose thoughts reflect those of Camulos and Segomo. This problem is bigger than the Arch Alva and Camulos and Segomo.”

Thayer turned his thoughts over the crowd and listened to the whispered support of many hidden in the crowds. Thayer addressed the crowd gathered in the Norar Piazza, “I cannot tell you why, but this night the Arch Alva are at war with one another. It seems that the poisonous atmosphere that threatens the peace of the Alva has brought us to this point. Look to your hearts, purge any rebellious thoughts, do not let this tragedy spread any further.”

“My fellow Alva,” Camulos called over Thayer’s speech, “If the Arch Alva war surely it is for a good cause; the protection of something dear to us all.”

The tension in the air began to mount. Fear grew among the crowd, nothing of that nature had ever happened before. The violent pulsations of Resonance amplified the crowd’s fear and anger. Two thousand miles away in her comfortable villa, Anastasia’s mind was ablaze with confusion and tumultuous emotion. She could hear frantic whispers of fear and anger; the entire Alva population was in an emotional chaos; all of their thoughts were pulling her mind in an infinite number of directions. Frightened and overwhelmed, Anastasia struggled to keep her promise to her brother.

With a mighty crash and a shower of glass, the dome above the Well Room was blown off and out emerged Mordan, Kisho and Kane. Screams of horror came from the crowd when they saw the trio covered in the wounds of battle. Mordan landed above the Norar entrance of the temple while Kisho and Kane remained in a defensive aerial position above the shattered dome of the Well Room to protect the Staff of the Creator that had clattered to the Temple floor below them.

In her room, Anastasia shook. Biting back her urge to cry out, tears poured down her cheeks as she felt the fear and anguish of the mob. The crowd grew silent in anticipation of what would come next.

“Kisho. Kane.” Thayer’s father’s voice broke the silence. “What is the meaning of all this?”

Mordan called out before the pair had a chance to answer. “They were attempting to deny me the First Gift of the Creator. They attacked me and tried to take away my Free Will in the name of the Creator.”

The crowd gasped- its numbers having exponentially increased as Alva from the other Cardinal Piazzas then hovered over the Norar Piazza.

“That is not true, Elder Muel!” called out Kisho. “He was seeking to control the whole of Creation using the twisted power of the Staff of the Creator to alter the path of an Anomaly Storm to assault the Creator and then use Resonance to subjugate the Caeli.”

“I was seeking to claim the First Gift!” Mordan yelled cutting Kisho off. “It is my power, I should be free to do with it what I want.”

“That goes against the law of the Creator,” Muel argued, “Those laws are in place to protect. . .”

“Protect? He does not bind us with such senseless laws to protect anything but Himself! It is because He is afraid. Afraid that if we use our power, we would be stronger than He is and take His place as the head of Creation. If He truly is the benevolent being who gives the gift of Free Will, then He should not put limitations on us!” Mordan rebutted.

“Those limitations are for our own good,” called out another Elder named Marin.

“They are for the suppression of the Alva!” Mordan spat.

Even so far away, Anastasia felt as if her spirit were being torn in two as the crowd responded to the words of the treasonous Arch Alva.

“Look at me!” cried Mordan. “Look at what happens when you try to claim this so called First Gift. They turn their power on you and seek to destroy you!”

“Liar! You turned your power against us!” defended Kane.

“We would never had thought to use our power against you in a violent manner if you had not first used yours against us,” finished Kisho.

“I am near to death at the hands of these two servants of the Creator! This is the truth about your Creator!” Mordan provoked the crowd. “I discovered the true power that lies within and dared to question, and I nearly lost my life for it. How many more have you silenced?”

“Fie upon those brutes that would seek to deny the First Gift of the Creator!” cried Segomo.“Hail Mordan who fights for the true rights of the Alva!”

     Others in crowd took up Segomo’s cry. A vehement rift grew among the Alva crowd. Never had so much malice existed between the Alva and its strength threatened to shatter eons of the Alva’s peaceful way of life.

     Rocking back and forth, Anastasia sent out whispered pleas, “Stop, stop. Please stop.”

     “Anastasia!” Thayer called to his sister. “Anastasia, if you are connected to all of these Alva, speak peace to them. Don’t be ruled by their fear. Be strong Anastasia, speak peace to the Alva who will listen, just as I am doing.”

     “Mordan, Stop this at once,” demanded Elder Marin.

     “Or what? Or you will stop me?” sneered Mordan.

     “The Council of Elder’s have betrayed the Alva!” shouted Camulos.

     “They will oppress us all!” added Segomo.

     A growing part of the crowd followed suit, shouting even louder on behalf of Mordan. Kisho and Kane silently spoke to one another, “We have to stop him. This can’t continue.”

     The pair mentally called to Thayer.

     “Thayer, do what you can to quiet the voices of Camulos and Segomo.”

Kane and Kisho quickly swooped toward Mordan to apprehend him when a shot of Resonance altered into a hardened scythe came hurtling toward them. Kane put up a solid Resonance shield and blocked the lethal Resonance with such force that Mordan fell to the ground.

The crowd erupted. Those of Mordan’s followers hidden among the crowds rushed to his side and turned to face the rest of the present Alva population. Congregating on the Austar and Vestar sides of the Norar Piazza, two lines were clearly formed; each harboring defiance for the other.

Foreign and violent images and words accosted Anastasia’s mind and all she could do was plead with the crowd. “Stop it, stop it, please, stop. Don’t think such horrible things. Why would you think of such hurtful things? Please, you are going to do something you will regret, please!”

The two lines had fallen silent. Kane and Kisho went forward into the center of the piazza and addressed those who had sided with Mordan. “Please listen to reason, it is not too late. Refuse to listen to Mordan and put aside your anger. Choose to remain loyal to the Creator, He has always been loyal to us.”

Having been helped to his feet by his followers, Mordan released another deadly wave of Resonance. Kane was not the only Alva to put up a shield, knocking Mordan and many of his followers to the ground.

Shaking off the blow, Mordan sensed something was not going according to his plans. “What is going on with you?” Mordan raged into the minds of Camulos and Segomo. “Why has the agitation in the crowd lessened? That blow should have sent them into frenzy. Camulos! Segomo!”

Despite Mordan’s fury with them, even Camulos and Segomo acted with the lethargy of a sedated state. Mordan sought for the source of the sedation.

“Thayer!” Mordan shouted.

“Mordan.” Thayer responded silently and coolly, staring across at Mordan from the Vestar side of the Norar steps.

“Your powers are truly impressive. We have long been friends, come with me and become truly great,” Mordan enticed Thayer.

“Why Mordan?” Thayer honestly searched his assailant’s mind. “You are the greatest Alva. You were my mentor, my hero. You taught me about the Creator and what it takes to be a great Alva. Why do this?”

“That was before I knew the Creator for what He truly is. I cannot live under the rule of one such as He!” Mordan spoke sincerely. “Now, let go of the crowd. Take down your dam of peace.”

“No, Mordan.” Thayer replied, resolutely. In the back of his mind Thayer could hear Anastasia becoming frantic, but he fought to conceal her presence from Mordan.

Thayer felt his chest constrict painfully.

“Release your hold,” threatened Mordan, “or I will release it for you.”

“Never,” Thayer thought weakly, as his vision grew bleary and his jovial face contorted in pain.

“Let go!” Anastasia screamed. “Stop hurting Thayer. Let go of him!”

“Hello Anastasia!” Mordan laughed. “What a pleasant surprise. Thayer if you will not take down your dam, I will take down your sister.”

“Don’t you touch her!” Thayer roared aloud. It was only then that Kisho and Kane realized why Mordan’s forward approach had halted.

“Thayer!” called Kisho. “Thayer what is wrong?”

“Oh, Anastasia come and talk to me and I will let your brother go,” Mordan crooned.

“Run, Anastasia!” Thayer yelled. “Let go now.”

“Anastasia?” Kisho was bewildered.

“How is that possible?” Kane asked.

“Ah, there you are Anastasia.” Mordan smiled cruelly.

Despite the growing pressure collapsing his chest,Thayer put all his power into deflecting Mordan from accessing Anastasia.

“Ha! You think you can overpower me?” Mordan scoffed.

“No, but I can protect my sister!” Thayer cried pushing harder against Mordan’s hold on his mind. The pressure in Thayer’s body was such that plum blood was running from his nose and ears.

“Thayer!” Kisho yelled, noticing the blood.

As Thayer’s body began shutting down, a sincere sadness filled Mordan’s eyes, “I don’t want to do this Thayer. I do not want to lose anyone else, but I cannot miss this opportunity. I will ask you one more time. Please let go.”

Thayer summoned what was left of his strength to respond “I am not sure who you have lost, but this. . . this is your choice. And I have made mine.”

After a few pain wracked seconds filled with the distant and muffled cries of his sister, Thayer forced his mind to become sharp once more. “Kisho take care of Anastasia.” Thayer thought weakly. “Anastasia, I love you. Now please let go.”

“So be it,” Mordan’s voice cut into Thayer’s thoughts as he crushed Thayer’s heart.

Anastasia shrieked in terror as Thayer’s body fell lifeless onto the Norar steps of the Temple of the Creator two thousand miles away. Her shriek burst through many Alva’s minds sending blasts of pain and letting loose all the hate and anger that had been slowly building behind Thayer’s forced peace. Overwhelmed by it all, Anastasia doubled over vomiting. “Brother, no! Thayer! No Thayer!”

The crowd erupted as fighting broke out between the rebels and the faithful both on the ground and in the air. The flurry and fury of the battle ranged the width and breadth of the Cardinal Airds. The brutality of the Alva surprised even the rebels as each side fought to overcome the other.

Distraught, Anastasia found the one other voice she wanted to hear. She found Elder Muel being mercilessly beaten by Camulos and Segomo. “Father!”

“Anastasia!?!” Elder Muel stammered in the confusion of the battle.

Anastasia railed against those who were attacking her father. “Stop it, leave him alone! Go away! Just leave him alone! I said stop!”

The forcefulness of Anastasia’s commands brought Camulos and Segomo, along with many other rebels to their knees; her shrieks tearing into thier minds with searing pain.

“Anastasia, no! I would never have wanted you to see this!”

Kisho and Kane had come to the Alva Elder’s aid. Kane defended the Elder. Kisho marveled at the agony which the surrounding Alva rebels were experiencing from Anastasia’s unseen force.

“Anastasia, you must let go!”

Seizing upon the connection between the Elder and Anastasia, Kisho broke through the despair that engulfed the child Alva. He created a buffer so that she was no longer able to engage with the battle. In the dark room far away, Anastasia’s body collapsed and her mind was soothed to a black nothingness by the far away Arch Alva.