The Halfblood King: Book 1 of the Chronicles of Aertu (33 page)

Appendix B

Comparative Timelines of Dwarves, Elves and Men of Sudea

Appendix C

Historical Synopsis of Elves, Dwarves and Men of Sudea

Elvish History

At the beginning of time, the Allfather, creator of all things, begat the universe from incoherent matter.  He created the multitudes of stars in the night sky.  He beheld the beauty in what he had created from nothingness, but it gave him no comfort, for it still seemed cold and empty.  The Creator fashioned beings like unto himself, in the forms of male and female, for he remembered his Sisters as well as his Brothers and wished to create a family like unto the one from whence he came.  These first children numbered fourteen in all and equally matched, consisting of seven male and seven female.  This celestial family coexisted happily for uncounted ages, with only the stars as companions.  They travelled widely, marveling at their father’s creation.  The male and female of his children coupled and over the course of the ages begat untold thousands of offspring, like unto themselves, but of lesser stature.  This was the natural state for these beings and they did just as their Father had, before coming of age in his Mother’s universe.  These first children were not destined to stay forever in their Father’s universe, but would someday come of age and create their own to their own liking.  Their offspring, begat of their Father’s universe, however, would remain forever tied onto it.

As is the way of stars, some grew old and died.  From their death were born new stars.  It was at this age that the Allfather knew the time had arrived for the next stage of his creation. About one likely star, He congealed the formless gasses into balls of matter, glowing hot like steel from the crucible, spinning around the star.  He did the same about many other stars and left them to cool for eons untold.  One day, He returned, with his children and grandchildren in tow and said, “See all of you the many worlds I have made here unto this star.  Only one of them will be suitable for our purposes next.”  He then led them to the third small rocky world from the star and said unto his children and grandchildren, “Behold that which is to be the fruit of my Creation.”

His children did not yet understand and one said unto his Father, “Why this one Father, for there are much larger and more beautiful worlds further out than this one.  It is plain, dark and uninteresting with its steaming pools and black rocks.”

“Ah my child, you do not yet understand our purpose.  Though still rough yet, it will be as a jewel when we are finished.  Let us go down and shape this rough new world to our liking.”

The Allfather proceeded to separate the land from the sea.  He brewed monumental storms over the seas and used the rain and winds to carve the highest mountains, wearing them flat and then raising new mountains in their place.  Thus was barren rock turned to soil over the course of untold ages.  When at last it was ready, He said, “Come my children, let us bring life unto this fertile world we have before us.”

“What is life, oh Father?” they asked in unison.

“I will show you now,” He told them, as he took up water from the sea and bent his will to it.  The first life sprang forth in His cupped palms.  His children saw and were amazed, but he admonished them, “My children, do not attempt to bring forth beings like unto yourselves into this world, for that is my prerogative.  Make all forms of plant and beast, but save for me the beings who will rule over them.  My grandchildren, do not attempt to bring forth life as your parents do, for if you succeed, your creations will be flawed.  Instead, it is your destiny to inhabit this world and others that we build, so that you may watch over them as caretakers.”

With that instruction, the children of the Creator made all the life in the seas, then they made all the life on land.   What had been barren rock and steaming pools, became green hills and valleys, white capped mountains and crystal blue waters.  The world had indeed become like unto a jewel.

At the point where the world had been populated with all manner of life, one of the children had become so enamored of their handiwork that he begged of the Creator, “Father, please, may I have this world as my own?  I love it so and wish to watch over it and care for it for all the ages that are yet to be.”

The Creator knew that this could not be so and saw through his son’s plea to the covetousness that lay beneath the request.  “Do not ask this of me, as it cannot be so.  Your purpose is to create a universe of your own when you are grown. In due time, you will be able to create worlds and populate them, just

as I have done.  Do not thwart your own destiny, just to possess a portion of mine.”

The errant child, much chagrined by his Father’s reprimand, grumbled loudly to his brethren and their children over the unfairness of the Creator’s decision.  His brethren rebuked him as well for his disobedience to their Father, however, he swayed many of the grandchildren with his words and they became his followers.  Secretly, he preached to his following of the unfairness of the Creator’s prohibition on them to create living things.  He taught to them the way to accomplished it and together they created all manner of despicable creatures, for it was true, as the Creator had said, that the creations of the grandchildren would be imperfect and flawed.

Soon enough, the others discovered that the beautiful world they had created was beset with foul creatures that crawled in dark places.  The beasts were beset upon by biting things, parasites and disease.  The plants died from fungus, rot and ravenous creatures.  The Creator was not pleased with what he beheld and asked of his children, “Who among you is responsible for these foul creatures?  They are a disgrace and a disfigurement upon our beautiful world.”  None spoke up to own to the wrongdoing.  The Creator looked into the hearts of his children and when he came to the one who had disobeyed him said, “Do you think you can hide the truth from me, my disobedient son?”

“It was not I who disobeyed you Father.  I have always been your faithful servant,” the son lied.

“Do you think I cannot look into your heart and see the truth?  You add lies as well to your treason. I have seen now what you have done, and that you have drawn my children’s children into your disobedience.  Get thee gone from my sight, never to return and those of your following who refuse to repent.”  The disobedient son left the presence of his Father and his brethren, taking with him the grandchildren who would follow.  Though many grandchildren repented, begged for forgiveness and returned to the fold, most did not and followed the disobedient son. 

The other children then proclaimed, “Father, we must rid this world of all the vile things our brother has brought into being.”

“That cannot be so,” the Creator replied.  “That which has been brought into being must not be destroyed out of hand and must be allowed to follow its natural course.  We will give our creatures a means to defend against the

creatures of your brother, who will not be named.  Now our beautiful world will be marked by strife forever more.”

Soon after, the Allfather discovered that the one who will not be named had done that which was unthinkable.  He had created creatures after his own likeness, as was to be the sole prerogative of his Father.  Like the creatures of his followers, these were fraught with imperfection and he made many attempts, failing each time.  Now, gruesome creatures of dim intelligence and evil disposition stalked the dark places of the world, wreaking havoc among the beauty of creation.