Into the Unknown

Part 1

The skys were gray, but not as gray as these last months had been. Ever since the growing clouds of war massed over us from the east there had been no light, no beauty, all was gray. As an isolated village we lived on the edge of the Sundering Sea ever facing to the west for some hope of voyage, but we all knew, or thought we did, deep down that we would find nothing across that sea that sundered us from naught. Or naught at least was the most popular view to the people who inhabited it. Even though we were so isolated the growing news of war could not be kept from our deafened ears. As a shadow the fear of war crept into our peaceful town at first as a whisper but now as roaring thunder. How had it come to this? It had been half a year since the Darkening. Had it only been half a year, it seems like so long ago that the sun shone down so brilliantly and the people were so ignorant to the world around them. We were a secluded people, ones who did not want anything to do with the outside world as long as it didn't have anything to do with us, but since that fateful day that the coulds stormed in we have become more and more aware of the people, the countries around us.
To only go back to the days before, the days in which we lived in a state of joyous ecstasy. Of course that is very relative, for a few of us were not happy, but the majority of the people were. I was, at least I thought I was. I distinctly remember running along the coastline one day. It was the middle of summer and the dawn's first lights were licking upon the watery horizon over the ocean. The lights of the moon and the approaching sun mingled together to form a golden gray haze along the surface of the ocean. The Sundering Sea it was called, for over it no man had gone. Legends tell of a land of eternal bliss over the sea where none die and none are sad as all live in the glory of the unnamed power, but no one believed it. Old wive's tales they were. But oh, how that sea glimmered as a sapphire upon the curved world. The sun had just fully risen and the blazing colors of the infinite glory that lit the world were mirrored off the clear blue sea and I was not able to tell where heaven stopped and the world began. Was this what was over that sea if just upon it was the sheer power of the merging colors?
The sky was filled with flaming oranges and dazzling reds upon the sea of infinite blue. Coming out of my memory I found myself upon a lonesome road leading into the ever gray, all was gray, all was miserable, all was naught. The wind picked up and my vision was re-instated. How soothing those breezes had been as they swept over me from the ocean carrying that distinct smell of salt and sand. It made you turn your head and look to the west, the far west beyond the sea. With the breeze a desire swelled up and burned in the cavities of my heart. I am not sure what it was about that sea air, or was it the unnamed power that put that longing in me, I do not know. All I am sure about is ever after my thoughts crept back to the sea, to go over it and find what it was I was truly seeking. The sun was now nigh overhead and shone down in streaming shades of gold. The sky turned darker upon the road I was now treading. The sun always shone clearest and most intense over the sea. As a sort of reverence the sun took bowing its greatness to the sea below. What caused the sun to do this I thought? Why does the sun shine and why does the wind blow and why do I long to go over that sea? All of these I thought, but I have no time to think about them now for all is sad and all is gray.
Oh, how great those years of my life had been, but now I'm stuck in reality I thought as I entered the town. In its glory these walls and pillars had been carved of pearly marble and gleamed in the bright sun as diamonds in firelight. The swift breezes brought fragrances of jasmine in the halls of the town but now all was grey. No sun shone on them and the breeze carried in only the aromas of sorrow.
I continued on my path all the way to my house. I had built it not too long ago in a large forest. By a river it was, an unreal mist shrouding it in the hopes of solitude. The cool and calming waters flowed down through my house to courses and destinations I'd only know upon my death. A waterfall gurgled and churned on the river near my front gates that gave a soothing sound. Like women and harps all atune the stream sang melodies of ancient times and ancient people who were long gone. It sang in longing of the times when the world was young and there were wild things to tame. A time where heroes walked in search of evil to eradicate. Like gods their armor shone in the newly made sun and the radiance of their spirits were like the first of the very earth itself. Lamentations it sang out for ages lost where glories filled the sky as pictures painted. It also sang out a doom to the earth one that I wrote down one day as the water's voice was clear as it it hearkened me to listen and hear its wisdom. Like a dream its soft voice came upon me, singing out:

I had a dream ere the worlds end, but of the same fate
Of a world ever divided, betwixt in love and hate
Gold and silver lost in grey
Watch, see as beauty turns to black
The sun explodes in fires of read
The stars collapsed overhead
The world caved in in lamenting dread
And the sea gave up her dead
While staring at the mighty's tomb
Ever standing on the edge of doom
Fore're and a day our folly's hold
And cancels out the brave and bold
Woes to our heroes' part
We're ever worse from the start
An age unknown shroud in bliss before
Our "wisdom" ever thought to ask for more
Where are the prophets from long ago?
Where mighty men fought mighty foes
As gods they walked with their spirits aflame
Ever with wild things to tame
How their armor gleamed in the early sun
With ever sudden enemies' stun
Epics, legends, myths unfold
As the ageless stories told
Swords to sunder in their time of wonder, ere the Earth was found
To what have we come, to what end our hope's avail?
For all that ever was is lost and all that is shall fail
Laments for ages lost, times of innoncence ere it was mastered:
What follies disaster
From that time so long we've come
As discoveries made us numb
Oh to return to that olden age to taste the rivers pure
Where elements were still unknown and ever humans lure
That time is lost, our heroes slain
Evils rise from our disdain
How sweet was that land like picture painted
Long before its truths were tainted
How sad that river was, how sad that I could not live up to the men of legends, the men of my past, the men of my fathers. I came up to my large oaken gates and found a note ever to my disdain. It read:

"War is upon us, you knew this day would come..... be prepared."

By: mr penguin12
Proofread By: Ultima Cow
Coded By: mr penguin12