My show is called “Age of Umbra”. The word umbra means shadow or darkness because that is the time period in which the main story is set. But to understand this a little better, let’s delve into the history of my fantasy world and some factual information.

 

Extra Info/Facts

 

The different species (originated from the six kinships) and their lands:

Elves: Tillursir

Humans: Gilgoreth, Smalbruk

Orcs: Fal-Opar, Fal-Endith

Fae: Nebedemer

Dwarves: Gilhiltos, Taramak, Kirinorth

Nereids: Lusializ, Lizzima, Zimaliz, Zimalel

 

Tillursir, Gilgoreth, Nebedemer and the nereid seas are all kingdoms. Smalbruk is a part of Gilgoreth but is large enough to be considered its own country, and although technically under the rule of the human king and queen, is taken care of and lead by a Duke.

The elves live peacefully, with elegance and fidelity. They are connected to nature, and live in harmony with their landscape, having adapted to forests, deserts and mountains, all of which are governed by mages faithful to the elven queen. Humans are most problematic in this world, but face their problems head-on. They are mostly known as the keepers of history, with most records of old left in their care. They have perseverance and flexibility, but often find themselves too occupied with their own problems to aid others in Unitaris. Nereids are merpeople who live in the surrounding waters of the island. There are hundreds of sub-species, with different body types and regions, but most of the population have two legs, fins, flippers and scales. Of course, they are perfect swimmers and can be lethal in the water, but do not involve themselves with the comings and goings of the land hardly as much as they used to. Finally, there are the fae, who dominate the largest area of Unitaris and make up most of the population. The fae are best known for aerial combat and utilise their wings in a variety of ways. Most of their lifestyle revolves around flight, and they believe the sky and air to be sacred; their most precious gift. Fae culture is rich, similar to that or India, Spain, Turkey and Bulgarian, a mix of colour, life and beauty. They are vivacious, tough and have some of the best fighters in Unitaris, making their security near impeccable. Unfortunately, the past of the island has resulted in these amazing kingdoms being tainted, and under the lively surface, problems like mistreatment of certain groups, inequality and greed sit like unmoving boulders.

This is the hierarchy that is followed although unofficial in most of these places:

 

 

It is different with the orcs and dwarves, who have very different ways of living, and are split into tribes. The orcs, who live in cold mountainous areas, have chieftains of each village, but no monarchy, and are a wild, strong and unwavering people, devoted to the hunt and to each other, and are said to be experts at taming beasts. The dwarves are extremely prideful, arrogant and unyielding, and do not care for the other dwarf tribes, only gathering once a decade to compete against each other in the fire trials, which is said to be a series of cut-throat challenges. Dwarves are best at mining, forging weapons, working with lava and metal and using the volcanic scope of their land. They have no leaders but choose a representative when needed, based on skill and strength. Generally, they rely on their harsh laws and punish anyone who breaks them as a collective, keeping order rigorously.

The lifespan of most of the species are similar to the human being (100 years), but some like the elves, nereids and fae have prolonged lives, ranging from an extra 50 – 200 years. These shift however, due to the introduction of magic and planetary differences.

 

 

Our story began on a mass of land that was not yet named. Surrounded by a vast ocean, the little island was yet to be discovered by the creatures who lived in the distant surrounding lands, all different species with their own continents and countries. The Kinships, great clans, entirely separate from one another. They knew of the existence of the other clans of course but remained to themselves, distant and cold. Here and there, pressure would build between two or three different Kinships and for long years, it felt as though they were always on the brink of war with one another.

All that was about to change, for the small planet on which each Kinship dwelled was spinning around two stars in continuum – Zvezdia and Zauris. Twin flames, each star danced around the other in the steady rhythm of time, giving light, warmth and life. What was unknown to the inhabitants, however, was that the stars were about to complete their first full cycle, and Zauris was finally coming around. It soon span parallel to the planet, and brought upon the clans what seemed to them – an utter miracle. Magic. Depending on which star was the closest, magic appeared, and after the star span away, it disappeared, forming a cycle that the clans would not soon understand. During these centuries of magic, in each Kinship, certain newborns seemed to be blessed with the ability to perform it, and soon mages of all kinds started to populate the lands. Human mages, elf mages, orc mages and more – all with white eyes and a certain aura, glowing with waves of energy that surrounded them at birth, the signs of magical ability. Nobody knew if there was some sort of selection, or if those born to magic were random, but they profited greatly from it, enjoying years of advancement of their ways of life.

The first generation of mages brought all of the species together through peace and gratitude. They opened up and began communicating with kindness and patience, establishing trading systems, exchanges of rare goods, celebrations that all could partake in, and plans to share their prosperity. With all of the new travel, the unnamed island was inevitably discovered. It was eventually agreed that a new era was to begin, one where all different species lived as one. A group of each Kinship sailed to the island and colonized it together, declaring that since it was in the middle of all of their original countries, it would be the main stop for all trading routes, central to all of the Kinships and their businesses, as well as the home to all of the different species that had stepped upon its rocky shores together. It was named, Unitaris, the land that would unite them all and ensure peace for eons to come.

If only it turned out so.

For a while, it seemed that all was well. The Kinships prospered, and all those who lived on Unitaris seemed to live a perfect life together, with plentiful food, water, friendship and joy. Zvezdia and Zauris continued their dance, and in between each generation of mage-folk, the people used books, scrolls, artefacts and any other records of magic to keep themselves going, hoping and awaiting the return of magic with eager expectancy. They began to understand the cycle, although their limited insight into space and the stars that gave them life made this difficult. It was hard, but with each generation, they learned more and grew accustomed to sharing their problems and helping each other, the years of solitude seemingly long behind them. The peace continued just so, and each generation of mages was greatly respected; they were the elites, powerful and knowledgeable. All who were troubled sought one out, seeking guidance and wisdom, and although they did not always find the quick solution they were looking for, they came away as better versions of themselves, more understanding or compassionate, more willing to try and work and think. It was truly a golden age. Alas, the higher one soars, the greater their crash, and whilst it seemed as though the utopia of Unitaris and the Kinships would be eternal, it too fell to the merciless hands of time.

After the fourth mage generation, the stars started slowing. The time without magic, seemed to stretch greatly before it came back, and after each cycle, the twin flames grew slower and the people grew wearier and more fearful. It had been long since they last had to fend so much without the convenience and aid of magic, and things began to strain, reflective of the collective mindset of the Kinships. Unbeknownst to them, Zvezdia was dying. Since it was not the star responsible for magic, when it did come back, it came with the same strength and magnificence as it had for the previous two thousand or so years. But the dance of light was slowing, and time was bending ruefully because of it. Even if magic remained unaffected, the people did not.

Centuries passed. Magic almost completely faded away – records too old, crumbled to dust, and memories died with those who saw and believed. Hope was a cowering boy, hiding behind passing elders and dusty bookshelves, flitting in between scrolls and curling with their dwindling ink. But it was still alive, clinging to old stories and sparking here and there – the lore, the myth, the legendary mages, inspiring young and old alike. Could such great humans ever have existed, casting fire from their hands? Could there have been elves who could speak to the rivers like old friends? Could the fae really spin threads of moonlight into silk, and could the nereids truly graze the lands with their songs? It all seemed like a wonderful fairytale, but few believed it.

For after this long time passing, Zauris did return, and with it, came the blessing that the very earth beneath the feet of the Unitarians longed for. However, the world that this new generation was born into was not the same one as their ancestors had once protected and ushered. Magic was what held everyone together, it’s prolonged absence had shattered the peaceful world that the Kinships had once been a part of. Without the mages, everyone felt lost, and the alliances and friendships suffered greatly for it. Leaders fell back into the same habits they didn’t even know their ancestors had been slaves to centuries past – anger, jealousy, fear, hate. Battles ensued once more and blood seeped into the seas and soil. The countries were broken and war-torn, struggling to keep their clans alive. Unitaris was not forgotten but abandoned nonetheless, and it became utterly corrupted. Injustice plagued the lands. The magical folk grew in a world where different species treated each other coldly and cruelly, where wealth and status were sought after and power determined how you lived, where distrust, contempt and betrayal infested the minds of the people and the land, like a cancer that grew in the very ground. What seemed to be worst of all, was the fear. Most of the population had forgotten about mages, and when they came back, fear and confusion took root. Nobody understood what magic was – they did not remember all that the mages bad done for the world and coexistence was difficult. The more the first mages grew, and more new ones were born, the more tense things became, and a steady oppression towards magic began to form. Some were furious that creatures could possess such power, others vengeful about the unfairness of it all. Some were disgusted but all were cautious.

As the first of the new mage generation grew into adults and blossomed into their power, they started to get sick of the inequity and sought to bring back peace and integrity. There was still no community, so a group of mages that were originally scattered across different countries, came together to form a plan. They travelled to the centre of Unitaris and built a secret city, that would be hidden from all in the world except their fellow spellcasters. It was called Alderin Hescostos, named after the complex spell used by the mages to cloak the city and make it invisible. Over time, they gathered many, for like all creatures, they felt compelled to find others like themselves, and many young ones were enticed about the possibility of a school and proving themselves, and being surrounded by others who were like them. Finally, there was a community for the mages – a family, The Union. And all mages were drawn to it, compelled to train and grow. However, in their attempt to grow stronger for the sake of peace, they abandoned the outside world for years, and the problems only grew greater.

As a consequence of a chain of events that were never really clear, Alderin was discovered, and it was to be expected, as the truth always finds a way to step into the light. The Unitarians were enraged when they discovered that the mages had built a secret city behind their backs, and incredibly scared, although none cared to admit it. They were terrified of the strength of the magic that the mages had amassed and their Union. Surely they meant to destroy the world – what other explanation could there be for hiding? Even though the mages tried to explain, it was too late. A great war broke out between all of the species living in Unitaris and the mages. They were outnumbered, but they had their powers and no choice but to fight. It was the none-magic vs the magic. For years, there was only bloodshed, and it felt as though every corner of Unitaris was used as a battlefield. Alderin Hescostos was reduced to ruins and the great city, as well as the Union, was destroyed. Many died during that decade, and for what? In the end, nothing was gained. The losses on both sides were immense and most who survived either died soon after from lack of recourses, wounds or emotional trauma. There were, of course, those who lived on. Some roamed the charcoal fields, crying amongst fallen bodies, insane with grief and sorrow. It is hard being the one who survives. But, the very strongest understood their mistakes. Survivors of each species (mages included) wanted to prevent a war like that one from ever happening again, and so, once again they stood together, not hateful, not loving, but tired, mournful and incredibly painfully human. Under a new sky, they bound themselves in promising, to the stars, sea and land, that they would respect each other and live in harmony. Of course, this was no easy task, and the emotional scars that they carried forced them to pass on their promise to others, to continue the quest for peace.

And once more there was peace. But this one was earned with a great many sacrifices. Unitaris still had many problems, complex and layered, much like our planet Earth. Things could never be as perfect as they once were, they could never be the same. The harmony that had bound a member of each species was brittle, and Unitarians did not feel like one.

That brings us to the current time, where our characters are born in a problematic period – a shattered society hastily glued together. Mages are not only relied upon once again but also pressurised into maintaining and perfecting their magic for the good of Unitaris. People believe that the trouble caused in the past was at the fault of magic and consequently, the mages would have to pay and make up for it, otherwise, they wouldn’t be allowed to live amongst them. Some do still admire them, but most hate/fear them or feel they owe them a debt. A magic-born is not allowed to work with other mages to train, any community or union is strictly forbidden. The magic-folk have no land, no family and are forced to fit into the mould Unitarians made for them. They each learn and grow individually and the family they are born into are put under immense pressure in order to meet the expectations placed upon them and their child. They are expected to behave a certain way, to do certain things for others, to give up and trade-off and make exceptions and bend rules. They are the puppets of their village/city and the subject of constant gossip from people who once claimed to be friends. If you have a baby blessed with the gift, your entire life changes. Many abandon their babies because of it, not ready or not willing to choose that life, resulting in many mage orphans. Others keep them but treat them worse than society does, making them slaves to keep in the good books of the locals, an act which nobody seemed to object. Problems like neglect, abuse, fear of kidnap or death are constantly surrounding a growing mage, and although they have powers and these things are discouraged, it doesn’t stop the fear that gnaws inside them. It is never easy feeling alone. Families who are supportive of their magical children are hard to find.

*The following section involves information about my characters which I won’t be going into in full. For more information on the characters view their character profile posts*

A young fae baby was found on the outskirts of a city, somewhere in the East of Nebedemer. The baby was raised by a high ranking family (The Ernestine family) of Fae who had had no luck conceiving a child for many years, and so young Bozhidara (Bulgarian name, meaning divine gift) or just ‘Dara’ was brought into nobility. A couple of years later, almost unexplainably, Dara’s parents had a child, who was born a mage. She was named after the African Tswana word that means “woman of light, and so Lesedi and Bozhidara Ernestine became sisters. It seemed however to the small family, that fate had made a mistake, for misfortune hung like a curtain over them all. Lesedi was born a mute, and her inability to speak prevented her from doing the sole thing mages are known for – creating magic. She grew ridiculed and hated and felt unappreciated by even her own family, all because of her inability to cast spells. She was treated like a mistake all her life, hidden away from society by her strict parents, and shown no love. Her sister, however, did not have to endure any disappointment or neglect, in fact, she ironically grew up up in the light, seemingly possessive of a great talent for fighting. Dara was superior in all combat, but her best skill was sword fighting, and she quickly rose to the top, becoming a knight for the Fae royalty. Although she loved her sister, she always chose her duties over her and did nothing to oppose the mistreatment for fear of being tossed away by her parents, like when she was a baby. Extremely loyal to her home, she soon became one of the best knights and lived blissfully in service of the King and Queen, whilst her sister lived in shadow.

In another place, a country belonging to the human kingdom, named Smalbruk, a young orphan was struggling on the streets. Nobody paid him any attention and any food or coins he managed to obtain were stolen. He was often forced to steal scraps to survive and was beaten severely for it when caught (which was often, for he was weak and small). The little boy was called Kreo, and he did not remember his parents. With no family and no home, Kreo lived hopelessly and miserably through each day. I know you expect me to say that a kind stranger took pity on young Kreo and took him under their wing, but the boy had no such luck. For if there were any kind strangers about, they were most likely trying to solve the bigger problems of their home, and could not afford to give shelter to skinny, dirty children that littered the back corner streets. It was unclear to Kreo what kept him alive. He had nobody to live for, and nothing to stand for, yet something inside of him kept him fighting. Fighting the hunger, fighting the cold, fighting the urge to keep his eyes closed when he knew it would be the end. It was a spark that was waiting to be kindled, deep inside.

As Kreo grew, he learned the ways of the world – the bad ways that is. It was much easier to get food through lies and trickery than to beg at someone’s back door. He found this out the hard way but soon began to like it, discovering a natural talent for manipulation and strategy, using the shadows to his advantage. Small gangs started to follow him, not for friendship, but for protection. They were like hound dogs, and they could sense their alpha. By the time Kreo turned 17, he was known as the Black Wolf, scheming and extremely skilled at the hunt, especially at night, when he and his gangs worked silently and craftily, gathering food, supplies and weaponry, earning him the name Kreo Ardwulf, King of the backstreets.

But he didn’t stop there. The world wasn’t changing, but he was, and he despised it. He despised the hierarchy, that money and status lead people by the leash. He despised the injustice and the people who were more well off, yet did nothing for those in need. The weak were treated like dirt, and he wanted to change that. Kreo had succeeded in changing his fate, but he wanted to bring the invisible rules that structured his land crumbling down, and to do that, he has to keep climbing, to a position that would grant him that power. And so he did, that spark now a burning flame, roaring higher with each success. He lied and killed and made his name known everywhere, gaining more followers and taking control of Smalbruk bit by bit, until not even the Duke who ruled over the small country dared not oppose him. He found himself with an army, and with a real position.

When the King and Queen found out that a piece of their precious kingdom was taken from within, they sent armies to destroy the man who claimed to be King, and The Black Wolf slew them all. The people grew even more fearful and news spread of this invader who used what little he had to gain more and more, with unusual talent and wit. Eventually, he invaded Gilgoreth and overtook the King and Queen. This was when Kreo lost his way, once fighting for a cause, now blinded by power and greed. He was bloodthirsty, selfish, malicious and dangerously smart, creating a crown from the bones of the dead king. He abandoned his old identity behind, disgusted that he could ever have been so weak, and was from there on out known as King Umber.

The King kept growing in power, invading each land in Unitaris and killing without mercy. He grew confident and sure of himself, the mighty Umber who could not be defeated. But after so many wins, even he stumbled upon a people as strong as his own, the elves. The battle was vicious and ravening, but the elves won and forced Umber to retreat. His first loss in decades was like a slap, but instead of awakening him from his murderous haze, however, he only grew angrier. But he would not repeat his mistakes. Umber was hateful, but also cunning, and decided to take a different route altogether. He abandoned the flashy armour, the outward display of fury and adopted a cold demeanour that made him even more terrifying. He spoke only when necessary, mostly thinking and planning to himself, and his silences weighed more than any commands he had screamed and yelled out before. He wore a mask and never revealed his scars or eyes. Umber wanted more power – no he needed it. He had to rise above being a human being in order to defeat Tillursir, and he would do it alone, just as he had always done.

Before long, Umber had crossed over the line, bending nature itself. You could only perform magic if you were born with the gift, but Umber didn’t care for some innate ability, he had sheer will, and traded his soul to demons of black, forbidden to all mortals, in order to learn magic. Dark magic. With this, he became virtually unstoppable and squashed the elves like ants.

During this time, as the lands fell one by one, Lesedi and Dara continued their lives. Dara fought and trained even harder, hearing of the threat of darkness that was taking Unitaris, and Lesedi was ever miserable. It seemed the older she got, the worse it became, until at 13 years of age, she could bear it no longer. Fleeing from her parents and home was not easy, but she craved liberation, more so from the feeling of not being good enough than from the misery that others had been inflicted upon her. She was trying to run away from herself, from the chains that were created by them, and reinforced by her. But freedom was exhilarating, and Lesedi loved every second of it. She was finally able to learn of the world, and she wandered from village to village, from cities to countries, travelling for around a year and arriving along the border of Gilgoreth. She had kept to herself, not being able to offer help or make friends, simply enjoying every part of the places she visited, not having seen any of it before in her life of confinement. A lot of the times, she found herself in danger, and wished that she had magic to fight with, but could only run/fly away. Still, the excitement of being able to make decisions and not be judged every second was to her, a gift of the highest order.

Lesedi happened to be wandering close to a forest where several of Umber’s camps had been set up. At this point in time, he had just learned to use dark magic. One of the guards on patrol spotted Lesedi and upon seeing her white eyes immediately detained her and brought her to his captain. Lesedi, scared out of her mind, was interrogated and desperately tried to sign that she didn’t mean any harm, but the guards became even more suspicious and scared and decided to keep her with them and bring her along on their mission. For a time, she travelled with them, and eventually, they returned to the capital of Gilgoreth and dragged her to Umber in chains to ask what should be done. Now Umber, had just discovered a spell that would change everything, and had already tried it with a few of his men, but found that it’s complexity made it incredibly draining. His plan would not succeed if he did not find a way to cast this spell on a larger scale, but fortune was in his favour, as the answer was brought to him, and was waiting at his doorstep. When Umber first saw Lesedi, he was only thinking of his problem and if she could possibly be the solution until he found out she couldn’t speak. At first, he instinctively wanted to cast her away, a mute mage was useless to him. But then he looked closer.

What he saw astounded him. The young girl was surrounded by energy, raw and strong, swirling and reacting to his very own dark aura. Though nobody could see it, he could tell that the guards sensed it, though they did not understand, and were afraid from the very start. He felt that she had untapped potential, and her age would allow him to twist her mind and mould her into his perfect soldier. And so, Lesedi was taken in and made to live with Umber, despite her silent protests. She hated that she felt so weak and helpless, and everyone pushing her around reminded her far too much of her previous home. But Umber was patient and fair, and soon, her fear and anger subsided, and there came a mutual understanding between them. Umber talked to her always, normally, not like she was a mistake, but a human being like him, an equal. He told her stories from his life and although was initially playing on her kind nature, found himself revealing and sharing more truths than he had planned.

Umber began to see himself in Lesedi. Another Kreo, young, unfortunate and tossed aside by a society that rejected all those who didn’t serve their purpose. Human feelings began to stir in him, which he thought were long gone – feelings of sympathy and kindness, which he had suppressed from childhood. He was reminded of why he had begun to climb upwards and become strong, to change the views of the world and write history anew. He was compelled to provide this world for Lesedi, for the younger him who had died away but seemed to be walking right beside him. This spurred him on to help Lesedi see that she was not broken, and that magic existed within her, all she needed was to bring it out differently. As their training began, and Umber focused on helping her master her ability before introducing dark magic, the elves of Tillursir were attempting to create a resistance with the Unitarians who didn’t accept that their homes were taken, or any who were still free but wanted to join the cause. This, however, didn’t make a difference, as King Umber defeated them with his newly gained magic power, even without Lesedi’s help, who had only begun to grasp how to cast magic. The remnants of the resistance fled to Nebedemer, with it being one of the last large strongholds that stood against Umber. Not everywhere had been taken by darkness, there were still numerous villages and cities that stood, but Umber had at least one part of almost every single kingdom under his domain, and was saving the hardest for last. Before he could take Nebedemer, he had to make Lesedi strong enough to cast the spell that would bring the entire war to an end, and finally, he would have Unitaris under his control.

Lesedi felt, for the first time ever, that she finally belonged. She loved to explore the limits of her magic and was continuously shocked to find how much she could do without speaking. Everybody recognised how powerful she was, for without uttering a word, she could unleash immense force, and bend it to her will. Any whisper of worry that she had that something felt wrong was pushed down by the overwhelming need to prove herself and impress Umber, as well as the thrill of creating pure magic with her mind. He had promised her that if she mastered her magic, and his, she would be the greatest mage who ever lived, one who nobody would dare lock up or talk about with brazen brutality. One who would rule alongside him, over a world that was finally fair and right. He gave her the name Vespera, after his favourite evening star, and she accepted it wholeheartedly, fitting into her new personality as easily as accepting her flawless black dresses, wanting that future more than anything else. She did not doubt Umber cared for her, whilst he himself was not even sure of what was a lie meant to use her, and what was the truth uttered from his mouth. Their relationship was not one like father and daughter, nor was it brotherly or sisterly, or romantic. It was teacher and student, except infinitely more complicated, and Umber was having trouble dealing with the desire to protect this young mage, who reminded him of a part of himself that he thought he had buried.

On the other hand, in Nebedemer, Bozhidara Ernestine was facing an inner conflict that was impacting her training. Dara felt great guilt about letting her sister suffer through all the pain that caused her to flee. She detested that she let her fear of losing her home influence her behaviour towards her family. She let the fear win, and it cost her her innocent little sister, the one who she should have been fighting to protect. Dara still had to learn that her family was also her home, and she was starting to, but her duties and loyalty to the fae were battling her emotions towards Lesedi, and the inner war was tearing into her. It was only incentive to work harder to her however, and every slip-up or mistake only fuelled her determination to be better, to be the best. She pushed her body to the edge, became as strong as steel and flexible as the long grasses, zipping through the sky as fast as the winds and sharpening her reflexes and skills until the emotions that raged on were her weapons, and the pain was her anchor to the battle. Both sisters worked until they were spent, and worked even harder, and both were talented and strong. Everything was coming to a precipice.

Umber’s hold on Unitaris only grew tighter, and his mage Vespera became known throughout the kingdoms. She eventually began to practise the spell that her mentor had been so anxious for her to try and although it was hard, it came to her much easier than Umber. The spell was high-level dark magic, known as Volomar in the common tongue. It allowed control over other beings, and Umber had plans to use it on his soldiers, and all those who he defeated on the battlefield. It would allow his armies to swell, and eventually, he’d launch a full-scale attack on the lands beyond Unitaris, the supposed islands of old that are mentioned in ancient books and scrolls, said to be the homes of six different Kinships, clans which existed before the Unitarians.

Lesedi did not feel comfortable doing the spell; seeing its effects scared her, but Umber did not allow her to be afraid, “fear is your enemy, and it will chain you down if you let it enter your mind” he repeated. She did as she was told, looking away as the orcs, elves, humans and even one or two mages brought to her were subdued and enveloped by the dark, made to serve the dark one, King Umber himself.

Nebedemer had a plan of its own, and it would soon be time for the greatest battle in perhaps a millennia. The rulers, King Arden and Queen Mirilen of Western Nebedemer, and Queens Aerith and Iserina of the East, joined together to formulate the best plan of attack, and tension was rippling through the entirety of the fae kingdom. Bozhidara would be expected to fight. Will she and her sister face each other off? And is the fate of the island already decided, or can the fae really make a difference? The island of Unitaris has come to a crucial point in history, and the age of darkness has begun.