The Lords of Heaven:
Chapter One - The Time of Choosing
Angyl
It was the time of the choosing again. Every fifth cycle the Lord of
Heaven would come into their small village and choose on of their youth as
his own. That youth would be taught arcane arts and, when ready, sent off
to teach others as they had been taught, a circle of life and service to
the planet and people which made them. In return for the sacrifice of one
of their children, the Lord of Heaven kept the village safe from the
Marauders. It was a harsh trade, for the young were the lifeblood and
future of the village, but also a fair one for it ensured the survival of
the entire village and gave those chosen a great destiny.
Histories taught that it hadn't always been like this. That once, a
long time ago, Edan Valley had existed in isolated splendor. The people
who existed there had at one time wandered the stars until their great
ship crashed in this place and they had built a life for themselves. Only
those gifted with 'sight' or one of the other arcane gifts still believed
the stories, to everyone else they were old wives tales.
This was the way it remained - until the Lords of Heaven came in their
great silver ships, bringing with them knowledge of the arcane and
mysterious. They chose to live on the mountain peaks above the valley,
silent sentinels to any danger that threatened. There were thirteen lords,
each choosing a spire as their own and with it an area of the valley to
protect. By some mysterious pull those who did not fit in with the other
villagers made their way to the Lords of Heaven to serve them, and up on
the peaks they prospered and changed.
When one of those who ventured up to the peaks returned to visit
family, knowledge was passed along. The Lords of Heaven came from across
the Star Plains, chased from their homes by a great darkness. The same
darkness that had caused the Edanites to flee from the same place a
millennia ago. The villagers were told of how their ancestors were chosen
warriors of a great and ancient order and when the darkness came they were
forced to flee or be slaughtered. They fled across the Star Plains until
they ended up on Edanna, but the histories were lost in the crash and so
the Edanites forgot where they came from as the eons passed.
It was a thrilling idea, to be a child of the stars, to have a noble
past where their ancestors had been champions of the light and of justice.
The people of Edan were a simple folk who lived simple lives and passed
their histories along through the storytellers. They lived off the land,
raised their children, laughed, cried, grew old and died. They knew
nothing of greed or violence or death beyond sickness and old age. They
had no weapons, no enemies and no defenses. To be told that they were once
warriors was fantastic, and seductive to some.
Soon after the arrival of the thirteen Lords came the Marauders. The
Lords of Heaven raised their collective might and forced the black bird of
death from the skies, ensuring that it could never fly again, or send word
to others like it. They had believed that those on board had died as well,
but the Marauders, led by Sith Sidious had managed to survive. Using
stealth and dark arts, they seduced hapless villagers away from the safety
of the valley, or appealed to those with darkness in their souls that
matched the Marauder's and their numbers began to grow. They were
determined to succeed where their ancestors had failed. All the children
of the light would be destroyed. It was the destiny of the Sith to rule
forever.
The Lords of the Dark were horrific creatures, dressed all in black and
brandishing fiery red swords. The most fearsome of the creatures was Maul,
chosen successor of Sith Sidious, their leader. He was a vision of the
fires of hell, black and red and his head wreathed with a crown of horns.
His eyes glowed like hot coals and when he grinned, it was the grimace of
death.
When they felt they were strong enough the Dark Lords of the Sith began
to raid and destroy the villages of Edan. The villagers could not defend
themselves, and although they were great and powerful, the Lords of Heaven
could not defeat their enemies now that their numbers had grown like an
evil plague spreading through the land. This was why the Lords of Heaven
began to choose a child to teach their ways to, it helped keep the
Marauders at bay and keep the valley safe. It also allowed the Lords of
Heaven to increase their numbers for the battle that was surely to come.
The village of Correllias was part of the domain of Lord of Heaven Jinn
and it was the time of the choosing once more, but many were afraid that a
choice would not be made and the ancient contract broken. It was common
knowledge that the last youth chosen by Lord Jinn had shunned the path of
light, choosing instead the seductive pleasures of the Dark.
Xanatos. The son of the last chieftain of the village. He had been a
darkly handsome young man, a favorite of all. His pretty visage hid a
black heart though. He knew of his appeal and used it to get what he
wanted, and he had wanted to be chosen by the Lord of Heaven, so chosen he
was.
Lord of Heaven Jinn was the youngest of the Lords, having succeeded the
last Lord of Correllias a mere 15 cycles ago. It was said that he was the
son of the last Lord, but none had ever seen him until the first time he'd
ventured down and chosen Ariadne as his first apprentice. She'd been a
perfect student, learning all then venturing out to teach other children
of the Edanites their destiny as warriors. The Lord had returned upon her
departure and chose his next student, Xanatos. It was rumored that the
Lord had not only taught the youth, he had also fallen in love with him,
so it was understandable that Xanatos' betrayal was twice as devastating.
Xanatos had allowed himself to be seduced by Sith Maul with promises of
great power and wealth - and pleasure beyond his wildest dreams. The
selfish young man did nothing to resist the dark pull and soon turned on
the Lord of Heaven, trying to kill him in a spectacular battle in the
middle of the village. They fought fiercely, Lord Jinn's eerily beautiful
sword of green fire clashing against the dark red fire of Xanatos' weapon.
It was a darkly beautiful dance of deadly intent.
In the end, it was Xanatos' father who had put a stop to the battle by
stepping between the combatants and taking the blow meant for the Lord of
Heaven. As he lay dying he spat upon his son and denied him. "No
child of mine would betray that which we have held sacred since the
dawning of Edan. You are the spawn of the dark - I do not see you."
And with that he died. Xanatos had howled in anguish, blaming the young
Lord for his banishment, swearing eternal revenge. He'd disappeared in the
shadows and gone to join his Master and lover, Maul, to lick his wounds
and plot his vengeance.
The day dawned brightly and many thought it a good omen. Perhaps all
would be well, perhaps the Lord would choose his next youth and the
promise would hold. Throughout the village mothers prepared their sons and
daughters, dressing them in their finest clothing while weeping at the
thought of loosing their children.
In the household of the new chieftain a different sort of drama was
being played out.
"No Obi-Wan, I forbid it - you will not appear before the Lord of
Heaven!" Chieftain Ben-Lar raged at his son. The truth was, Ben-Lar
knew that it would be his youngest that would be chosen if any was.
Obi-Wan was born to great things; the stars had been in perfect alignment
the night of his birth. The fates had blessed his second-born with a great
destiny - one that Ben-Lar was afraid of. His first-born son Oh-Wen was
too old to be chosen now, and was betrothed to the daughter of the
Chieftain from the village of Dantoone, Beru, so he was safe. But little
Ben was not.
Obi-Wan had just turned sixteen cycles and was as beautiful as
starshine. He was the exact opposite of his distant cousin Xanatos. Where
Xanatos had been darkling handsome, Obi-Wan was a golden child with
red-blonde hair, sea storm eyes and skin like the finest honeymeade. His
soul reflected his features. He was a joy to be around, generous and
happy, always with a kind word or deed. Obi-Wan would constantly be found
helping those who needed it with a smile on his face and a song in his
heart.
He was a young man who sang with the power of the ancients, and who
would gladly give his life to help defend those he loved from the dark. He
was the sort of man who was meant to be a Lord of Heaven.
"Father, I will do this - with or without your approval. It is the
law that all the youth of the village present themselves to the Lord of
Heaven. It is his right and his privilege to choose whom he sees fit. To
do this would be to violate your sacred trust. Just because you are the
Chieftain it does not mean I am above the choosing. I will do this father.
I must." Obi-Wan prayed his father would one day understand.
Something was pulling him to the place of the choosing, a feeling deep
inside that spoke to him of the rightness of his actions. He was meant to
be there today. He was meant to serve.
Ben-Lar silently acknowledged his son's words as he watched his
beautiful child walk out their home for the last time. Obi-Wan would not
be back. "Be one with the Force that binds us my son. I love
you." A silent tear tracked down the elder's face, destiny was
calling and Obi-Wan had to answer.
In the dark shadows surrounding the village of Correllias a predator
waited. Today he would get his revenge on the man who cost him his family.
Today Lord of Heaven Qui-Gon Jinn would die.
"Patience my dark love," came the sibilant hiss of his lover
and Master, Sith Maul. "Patience, and you shall have all you have
ever desired." Taking Xanatos' mouth in his own he ravaged it as he
had ravaged the younger man's body only hours before. The dark passions
that burned within this child fed his own dark flames. Lust, corruption,
avarice and greed. He could taste them all in the blood that he lapped
from wounds he himself inflicted with his sharp incisors.
How Maul hungered to rend this child apart, to suck the darkness from
his very bones. An appetizer, nothing more. The true feast lay in the
village beyond, this was what Maul truly desired. A creature of golden
light and pure beauty, one that he would corrupt and mold and turn into
his perfect plaything - as Sidious had done with him all those years
before. Nothing fed the darkness that consumed him like the debasement of
true innocence. He would allow this foolish pup to destroy both himself
and the Lord of Heaven - then young Obi-Wan would be his.
END
 since 02-17-07
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