over the land, blighting it with their ugliness.
“What will we do?” asked Motravia. “Would that we could destroy these awful creatures!” But they could not, because one god was powerless to destroy the creation of the others.
“We will create our own creatures,” said Trusco, finally. “Each of us, and we will give them each a portion of this new world of ours, to guard and hold and prevent its destruction, for Prias’ creatures will surely destroy all if they are permitted to multiply unchecked.
And so saying, Trusco held out his mighty sword, and as the lightning flashed, the country of Trusca was born, and the first Truscans sprang forth from its soil, tall and straight, with mighty shoulders, in the image of Trusco, so that they could lead this world into battle against the creatures of Prias.
Then Tarn stepped forth and reached again into the heavens, gathering stardust, which she threw across the hills and so was born the country of Tarn, whose people are tall, though not as tall as the Truscans, and slender, whose greatest delight is the growing of things, and whose country produced the finest trees, the greenest plants, and their purpose was to aid the Truscans in their battle.
Andovo stepped forth, and Andovia rose from the hills, with its people who are fair of skin and golden of hair, as was the God of Light from which they sprang.
And Motravia, she of the stars, gathered starbeams and where they struck, Motravia was born, whose people are small and gossamer like the Goddess who gave them birth.
And young Fresco threw whole shooting stars to the ground, and Frescia grew, with its people who sparkle and desire nothing more than to be left alone to play, for they were the children of a child and could not be expected to understand the dangers of Prias’ children.
And the gods and goddesses looked down.
“At least they are contained,” Trusco said with a sorrowful sigh, “and their portion of our new world will be Pria, but they will ever seek to move out and destroy our children.”
“Then we must give them suitable weapons,” cried young Fresco, who really had no conception of what he was about to do, and he reached out beyond the stars.
Trusco cried out, “No! We must not! For they do not have the maturity or the wisdom to use those weapons. They will destroy the world with them, themselves, and we will have prevented nothing!”
But it was too late, and from beyond the stars, Fresco threw down the great Stones of Power, which burned through the heavens with trails of fire behind them, carrying the secrets of the gods, and they smoldered as they struck the world.
The older, wiser gods moaned as they saw their new children rush up to the great Power Stones which had fallen, one in each world, and seek to carry them away.
“Quickly Trusco!” Tarn exclaimed. “Lift them up and send them back to the heavens!”
“I cannot,” he said sorrowfully. “For they have been disturbed and will never again balance in the skies. They are bound to this new world now, and will be its greatest strength. Or its greatest curse. But I will hide them. Hide them until these newborn children gain the wisdom to use them.”
And he picked them up, the six Stones of Power, and scattered them among the six countries, and some he hid deeply beneath the soil, and others he thrust into the hearts of the mountains, and some he cast into the depths of the deep lakes which had pooled in the flatlands where the flowing streams came to rest. And the most powerful of the stones, he hid deep within his own creation of Trusca, to be guarded by the Truscan warriors he had created in his own image, who were charged with the primary responsibility for seeing that this world lived to attain the wisdom for their use.
And that was the beginning and the end of the first day, when the world was born from the swirling mist, and the people of all her countries were created.
Chapter Twelve
As Dalph finished
“What will we do?” asked Motravia. “Would that we could destroy these awful creatures!” But they could not, because one god was powerless to destroy the creation of the others.
“We will create our own creatures,” said Trusco, finally. “Each of us, and we will give them each a portion of this new world of ours, to guard and hold and prevent its destruction, for Prias’ creatures will surely destroy all if they are permitted to multiply unchecked.
And so saying, Trusco held out his mighty sword, and as the lightning flashed, the country of Trusca was born, and the first Truscans sprang forth from its soil, tall and straight, with mighty shoulders, in the image of Trusco, so that they could lead this world into battle against the creatures of Prias.
Then Tarn stepped forth and reached again into the heavens, gathering stardust, which she threw across the hills and so was born the country of Tarn, whose people are tall, though not as tall as the Truscans, and slender, whose greatest delight is the growing of things, and whose country produced the finest trees, the greenest plants, and their purpose was to aid the Truscans in their battle.
Andovo stepped forth, and Andovia rose from the hills, with its people who are fair of skin and golden of hair, as was the God of Light from which they sprang.
And Motravia, she of the stars, gathered starbeams and where they struck, Motravia was born, whose people are small and gossamer like the Goddess who gave them birth.
And young Fresco threw whole shooting stars to the ground, and Frescia grew, with its people who sparkle and desire nothing more than to be left alone to play, for they were the children of a child and could not be expected to understand the dangers of Prias’ children.
And the gods and goddesses looked down.
“At least they are contained,” Trusco said with a sorrowful sigh, “and their portion of our new world will be Pria, but they will ever seek to move out and destroy our children.”
“Then we must give them suitable weapons,” cried young Fresco, who really had no conception of what he was about to do, and he reached out beyond the stars.
Trusco cried out, “No! We must not! For they do not have the maturity or the wisdom to use those weapons. They will destroy the world with them, themselves, and we will have prevented nothing!”
But it was too late, and from beyond the stars, Fresco threw down the great Stones of Power, which burned through the heavens with trails of fire behind them, carrying the secrets of the gods, and they smoldered as they struck the world.
The older, wiser gods moaned as they saw their new children rush up to the great Power Stones which had fallen, one in each world, and seek to carry them away.
“Quickly Trusco!” Tarn exclaimed. “Lift them up and send them back to the heavens!”
“I cannot,” he said sorrowfully. “For they have been disturbed and will never again balance in the skies. They are bound to this new world now, and will be its greatest strength. Or its greatest curse. But I will hide them. Hide them until these newborn children gain the wisdom to use them.”
And he picked them up, the six Stones of Power, and scattered them among the six countries, and some he hid deeply beneath the soil, and others he thrust into the hearts of the mountains, and some he cast into the depths of the deep lakes which had pooled in the flatlands where the flowing streams came to rest. And the most powerful of the stones, he hid deep within his own creation of Trusca, to be guarded by the Truscan warriors he had created in his own image, who were charged with the primary responsibility for seeing that this world lived to attain the wisdom for their use.
And that was the beginning and the end of the first day, when the world was born from the swirling mist, and the people of all her countries were created.
Chapter Twelve
As Dalph finished
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