First-Flames
Overview
The First-Flames were the first deities chosen by their siblings in Yedistren to lead the unfallen spirits before mortality. As the first to take mortal vessels, they became known as the Elder Sherok, and under divine mandate, they ruled over all Free Species. They wielded near-divine power and served the Mother and Father faithfully, acting as their lawgivers and enforcers of divine will.
However, their rule became flawedâtheir benevolent dictatorship bred resentment, especially among the High Valorèin. This led to rebellion, the fall of the Sherok Empire, and ultimately, the self-imposed exile of the First-Flames. Their most infamous act was the Cursing of the High Valorèin, which they would later deeply regret.
After Malismorai's defeat, the First-Flames resurfaced, purified the Valorèin, and ultimately chose to transcend. However, before their ascension, they performed one final miracleâthe resurrection of Merik Teslek, the Chosen Hero.
The True First War & The Rise of the First-Flames
Before mortality, Yedistren was ravaged by the True First War, a war between the unfallen spirits and the forces of Malis, who had already become corrupted. This war was a battle of spirit against spirit, with no mortal blood spilledâbut the destruction of spirit bodies was just as horrific as any physical war.
The First-Flames emerged as Grand Generals, leading the unfallen spirits against Malis and his loyal Malisik. Their strategic brilliance, self-sacrifice, and wisdom made them the undisputed leaders of the unfallen.
When the war ended in victory, the Mother and Father decreed that the First-Flames would rule over the Free Species in the next phase of existence. But not all spirits agreed.
Opposition from the Sebuuk & Malisik
The decision to appoint the First-Flames was not unanimous.
- Many spirits, particularly from the Sebuuk and the Malisik, rejected their rule.
- They saw the First-Flames as too meek, too weakâ"warriors of peace" rather than true conquerors.
- When the ruling vote was cast, Deviant factions splintered off, led by Elidrèel, who would soon become Malis.
This division planted the first seeds of rebellion long before the First-Flames had even begun their rule.
The Golden Age of the First-Flames
When the First-Flames took mortal vessels, they did so willingly and eagerly. Unlike the rest of the spirits, they created their own vessels rather than being born into mortality. This meant:
- They retained their divine memories upon entering the world.
- They left behind their full divinity, keeping only the power to enact the Mother and Fatherâs will.
- Other deities who were born into mortality had to prove their worth through trials to regain their divine authority.
The First-Flames established their rule over the Free Species, creating the Council of the First Hundred, a benevolent dictatorship that sought to bring order and wisdom to Yedistren.
The High Sherok & Their Decadence
The High Sherok were given the impression that they would one day inherit the rule of the First-Flames. However, because the First-Flames were functionally immortal, succession never came.
This led the High Sherok to descend into hedonism.
- They turned to debauchery and pleasures of the flesh, seeking sensations rather than purpose.
- They viewed the ordinary Sherok as beneath them, losing interest in their own people.
- When the Valorèin began rising in power, the High Sherok ignored themâallowing their discontent to fester.
The Laws of the First-Flames
The First-Flames established Sacred Mandates to preserve order, but many of these laws led to unrest:
- Thou Shalt Not Murder
- Thou Shalt Not Steal
- Thou Shall Respect Thy Parents
- Thou Shalt Not Consume Alcohol
- Thou Shalt Not Indulge in the Pleasures of the Flesh
- Thou Shalt Cleave Unto Thy Mate and No Other
- Thou Shall Take a Mate by Adulthood and No Later
- Thou Shalt Not Lie
- Thou Shall Sing the Praise of the Council Every Dawn and Dusk
- Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery
- Thou Shalt Not Copulate without the Intention of Begetting a Child
- Thou Shalt Not Perform Copulation in any position not approved by the Council, or it is Sodomy.
- Thou Shalt Not Commit Sodomy
- Thou Shalt Not Curse
- Thou Shalt Not Utter Against the Council
- Thou Shalt Not Consume Any Substance without the intent of receiving Sustenance
These strict laws were enforced without exceptionâexcept among the High Sherok. Over time, this favoritism led to discontent, as the High Valorèin felt they were treated as mere enforcers rather than equals. This frustration festered, ultimately boiling over into rebellion.
The Fall of the First-Flames & The High Valorèin Rebellion
The First-Flames' downfall began when Malismorai, once a trusted figure, was exiled for trying to reopen the sealed Black Hole to Gozogânok to enslave the Sebuuk.
From his place of exile, the whispers of Malis corrupted him, and he reached out to the Queen of the High Valorèin, whose Lifemate, King Azlen, had been executed for dissent.
The Purging of the Sherok & The Fall of the Crystal Citadel
Malismorai and the Queen Onarèa allied together. With the High Valorèin as his army, he led a full-scale rebellion against the First-Flames.
- The High Valorèin stormed the Crystal Citadel, burning it to the ground.
- Sherok cities were purged, with millions slaughtered.
- The First-Flames, outmatched for the first time, found themselves powerless to stop the onslaught.
The Cursing of the High Valorèin
In one final act of desperation, the First-Flames performed a forbidden ritual, speaking a dark, eldritch incantation that cursed the High Valorèin.
- Many fell into spontaneous Rampancy, losing their minds.
- The rest would slowly descend into madness.
- Only Lifemates, Young Adults, and Children were spared.
Realizing the depths of their mistake, the First-Flames and the surviving Sherok fled.
The Resurrection of Merik Teslek
The First-Flames had only resurrected two others before. The third and final resurrection was Merik Teslek. When the remnant Sherok retrieved his body, the First-Flames communed with the Mother and Father. It was divinely decreed that Merik would return. Merik had refused the Call to Transcend, choosing instead to remain with his Lifemate. Upon witnessing the purity of his spirit, the First-Flames knew this was their final act. With one last look upon Yedistren, they transcendedânever to return.
The Final Act of the First-Flames
As their time in the mortal realm came to an end, the First-Flames gathered beneath the celestial lights of the Naaâoena Cities, standing before the assembled Free Species. Their forms, once radiant with divine fire, now flickered, dimming with the passage of time.
In this final moment, they turned their gaze upon the Valorèin, the people they had once ruled, cursed, and ultimately sought to redeem. With hands raised to the heavens, they spoke the Words of Reversal, unraveling the Curse of the High Valorèin that had plagued their kind for millennia. Those who had no lifemates were transformed, reborn as the Neo Valorèin, free from the shackles of their ancient sin.
The First-Flames then turned to Merik Teslek, the Chosen Hero, the one whose spirit had remained unbroken even in death. They saw in him not just a warrior, but a leader of a future they could no longer guide. With a final blessing, they restored his body and soul, binding him once more to the world of the living.
As the Free Species stood in awe, the First-Flames took their final steps toward transcendence. Their bodies, no longer bound to mortality, became fire and light, rising beyond the veil of Yedistren.
Their voices, now eternal whispers in the cosmos, left behind only a single message:
âLead with wisdom, not dominion. Serve with humility, not pride. Remember us not as rulers, but as those who sought redemption.â[[Lerèan MuldĂťr, First-Flame]][[]]
And with that, the First-Flames were no more.
Legacy
The First-Flames' legacy is one of triumph, tragedy, and redemption. Though their rule led to rebellion, their atonement ensured the survival of the Free Species.
They were not perfect gods, but flawed deities who learned from their failures.
And in the end, they left behind a Universe stronger than the one they had ruled.
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