(Third Person Narrative - The Cabin)

  After the emotional peak of Aena giving birth, a fragile calm settled within the small cabin. Leon and Aena, exhausted but filled with quiet joy, eventually retired to their room to rest, leaving their newborn son, Lae, sleeping peacefully in his newly crafted crib. Before leaving, they gave careful instructions to the two ancient beings who now shared their home, detailing what little they knew about caring for an infant should any need arise.

  The Sisters required no sleep themselves. Physical rest was unnecessary for beings of their nature. Instead, they found themselves drawn to the small, breathing bundle in the crib. They looked human, fashioned of flesh and blood, yet possessed an ethereal, breathtaking beauty. A playful, vibrant golden energy seemed to dance around the one called Light, while the one called Darkness possessed a deep, quiet serenity, like tranquil twilight. They watched the baby with a mixture of awe, curiosity, and a tenderness neither had experienced in millennia.

  "He is so small, Sister!" Light exclaimed quietly, her golden aura seeming to bounce with contained excitement as she gazed at Lae. "But he feels so… complete! Just watching him breathe is amazing!"

  "Peaceful," Darkness supplied, her voice a calm, steady murmur, though her deep eyes held an equal measure of fascination. "Yes, I agree. It’s hard to reconcile this tiny form with the vessel holding the essence of Lord Azahel."

  Light's bright energy dimmed slightly, replaced by a genuine, overt sadness. "I miss him, Sister! Terribly!" Her lower lip trembled slightly. "I wish we could have done something, seen him one last time before…"

  Darkness placed a comforting, shadowy hand near her sister's luminous shoulder, her own expression hardening almost imperceptibly. "I miss him too, more than words can express. Those five miscreants… Earth, Water, Air, Fire, Nature… They will answer for what they did." Her voice was quiet but held an edge of cold certainty. "But remember his final message to us, Sollene. We are to live, to guard this place, to wait for his return. That is our path now." Her voice grew softer again, imbued with ancient sadness. "Perhaps then, when he rises again, we will have a chance to atone for our failure, to prove our loyalty once more. And maybe then... we can forgive ourselves."

  They fell silent again, the energetic Light and the serene Darkness united in their vigil over Lae. Their thoughts were filled with longing for their lost master and a growing protectiveness towards the child who carried his hope. Their gaze drifted occasionally to the small, softly glowing sphere – Azahel’s Core – resting safely within the cabin, a tangible reminder of their duty.

  (First Person POV - Lae)

  Hmmm… mmm… hmm. (Lae’s eyes fluttered open). Okay, blacked out for a bit there after that last insane power surge. Where am I now? Everything’s… big. Wooden ceiling beams high above, rough-hewn walls… smells like woodsmoke and something… milky? I seem to be in some kind of wooden box… a crib. Right. I’m a baby.

  Looking down, or as much as I can lying flat, I see tiny hands and feet. Wow. Definitely a baby. Feels incredibly weak, frustratingly so. Tried to push myself up – nope, not happening yet. Just basic wiggles seem possible.

  Turning my head, I saw them. The two women… no, the Sisters Azahel mentioned. The ones born from his light and darkness. They’re watching me. Even in the dim light, one seems to almost vibrate with bright, golden energy, while the other feels… deep and calm like twilight, though her eyes are observant. They're both incredibly beautiful, otherworldly, even though they look perfectly human. Their presence feels… immense, ancient. Hard to believe they were his shackles just hours ago. They seem sad… the bright one looks ready to cry, while the dark, calmer one looks… resolute, maybe angry underneath? They were talking about missing their lord… Azahel.

  So these are the Sisters of Light and Darkness I heard them talking about from inside the womb. They really are beautiful, divine beings that feel completely beyond this world, even if they look human now.

  "Oh! He’s awake now!" the bright one (Light) chirped, her sadness momentarily forgotten as she leaned closer. "He’s looking right at us!"

  "He is adorable," the dark one (Darkness) agreed, her voice a low, calm murmur, though her gaze softened slightly. "He truly resembles Master somehow… His eyes look like they hold such wisdom."

  "Yes, wise and so cute!" Light added enthusiastically. "Can you hear us, little one?"

  Oh, they're talking to me? I mean, I understand them, but they should know I can't talk yet, right? Tried opening my mouth, thinking words, but nothing came out. Right, baby vocal cords. Maybe gestures? But all I can manage is wiggling. Okay, plan B: just stare intently. Maybe they'll get it?

  "Kyaaaah!" Light suddenly squealed, clasping her hands together, her eyes sparkling. "He’s sooooo adorable, Sister! Look at him just staring! Maybe this is why mortals like having children so much!"

  Darkness watched her sister's antics with a faint, almost imperceptible smile before turning her thoughtful gaze back to Lae. "Perhaps. We never paid much attention to such things before, always focused on Master's needs. Maybe this closeness, this simple existence, is why he held such fondness for mortals."

  Grrrrwllle.

  Uh oh. That loud growl came from… my stomach. Seriously? I can have the essence of a god inside me and still be ruled by infant urges? Guess I’m only a few hours old. Hahaha… okay, not funny when I’m actually hungry. Seeing the Sisters just look confused, maybe they don’t know what the noise means? Should I cry? Guess that’s the universal baby signal. Here goes nothing.

  "Ungwaaah! Unghwaaah!"

  "What? He started crying?" Light asked, instantly looking distressed. "Did we do something wrong? Was it something I said? Oh no!"

  "It might be related to that growling sound we heard," Darkness deduced calmly, though a hint of concern touched her serene features. "We should alert the parents."

  The two Sisters drifted towards the closed door of Leon and Aena's room. Lae, still wailing, floated gently in the air between them, held by their unseen power. Darkness knocked softly.

  "Humans? Our apologies for disturbing you," Darkness called, her voice calm but carrying urgency. "The baby is crying. We assure you, we did not harm him."

  The door opened, revealing Leon, rubbing sleep from his eyes. "Mmmph? What is it…? Oh, he’s awake now…" His eyes widened as he saw the floating, crying baby. "Whaaa! Oh, Great Sisters, please be careful with Lae! Here, please bring him here."

  The Sisters carefully floated the baby towards Leon, who took him into his arms with practiced ease, cradling him gently.

  "Sisters, this is how you should hold him," Leon explained, trying to keep his voice gentle despite his initial shock. "I know you have perfect control over your powers, but he’s… well, he’s mortal. We need to be careful handling him. He's very fragile right now, you could accidentally crush him if you weren't careful."

  "What? Crush him?" Light gasped, looking utterly horrified. "Nooo! We cannot have that! We would never!" she insisted, looking ready to cry herself.

  Aena appeared behind Leon, pulling a robe around herself. "It’s alright, Leon. The Great Sisters are still unfamiliar with these things. Thank you for watching him."

  "We apologize," the Sisters said in unison, Light looking genuinely distraught, Darkness looking deeply remorseful.

  "What happened, Sisters?" Leon asked, stepping back to let them inside. "Please, come in. We've had enough rest, and perhaps we do need to discuss things, figure out what we'll all be doing from now on."

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  As the Sisters entered, they explained about the strange growling sound followed by the crying. Leon chuckled, relief washing over his face. "Oh! That! Don't worry, Great Ones, that just means he's hungry."

  He passed the still-sniffling Lae to Aena, who sat down and began to nurse him. The Sisters watched, utterly fascinated, as Lae quieted instantly and began to feed. Their eyes were wide with astonishment.

  "He… drinks from her?" Light asked, tilting her head with childlike curiosity. "Remarkable," Darkness murmured, observing intently. "Nourishment, directly from the mother." Light then glanced down at her own chest with wide, innocent eyes, then back at Aena. Darkness seemed to notice her sister's glance and gave a small, almost imperceptible shake of her head, though her own expression held thoughtful curiosity. Aena caught Light's unsubtle look and suppressed a smile. Leon, however, seemed to momentarily follow Light's gaze before catching a sharp, warning look from Aena. He flushed and quickly looked away, clearing his throat.

  (Third Person Narrative - Discussion)

  After Lae was fed and settled back into his crib, a comfortable silence fell, broken only by the baby's soft breathing. Leon finally spoke.

  "So, Great Sisters," he began respectfully, "if we are to live together, may we know what we should call you? We can't just keep saying 'Light' and 'Darkness' forever."

  Aena nodded. "Did Lord Azahel have names he called you? Or perhaps names you used among mortals before?"

  Light and Darkness looked at each other, a flicker of ancient memories passing between them. "Humans, in ages past, sometimes called us Solaris and Lunaria," Darkness said calmly. "But Master… he once fondly called us Sollene and Alluna." She indicated her sister, then herself. "She is Sollene. I am Alluna."

  "Sollene and Alluna!" Sollene (Light) repeated brightly, seeming delighted. "Yes, those feel… right! Much better! We request that you call us by those names."

  "Of course," Leon replied immediately, adapting. "Sollene and Alluna. Thank you for sharing them with us."

  "Oh, human Leon," Sollene protested, waving a hand energetically. "So formal! Master wished us to be family! Just use our names, okay?"

  "Yes," Alluna agreed with a serene nod. "As Master said, let us treat each other as family."

  Sollene's eyes lit up again. "Ooh! Like Aunties?"

  Alluna considered this. "Thinking about it," she said thoughtfully, "you called Master 'Grand Father' before he departed. Since he considered us akin to his daughters..."

  Sollene gasped, interrupting excitedly. "Does that make us technically your Aunties? And Lae's Great Aunties?"

  Alluna nodded serenely. "Technically, yes, from a mortal familial perspective. Though 'Great Aunt' does sound rather..."

  "...Ancient!" Sollene finished with a playful pout. "Exactly! I don't want to be called Great Aunt Sollene all the time!"

  Aena smiled warmly. "Then 'Elder Sisters' for me is perfect. And perhaps just 'Auntie Sollene' and 'Auntie Alluna' for Lae when he's older?"

  "Yes! Auntie Sollene! I like it!" Sollene cheered.

  Leon opened his mouth, a logical point forming, "But technically, even just Aunties to us means you're still ancient..."

  He stopped abruptly as three pairs of eyes – Aena's amused but warning, Alluna's calmly pointed, and Sollene's narrowed in a surprisingly fierce pout – fixed on him. He wisely shut his mouth and decided that particular technicality could remain unvoiced.

  Aena smoothly redirected the conversation. "Okay, Elder Sisters, getting back to things. You wished to know about the world now. What would you like to know first?"

  Alluna took the lead, her calm demeanor focusing the inquiry. "Let's start with the basics. What is this world, Eternea, like now? Where are we, exactly? We have been… confined… for thousands upon thousands of years. Much must have changed."

  Leon nodded, adopting a more serious expression. "Alright. We are currently in the Forbidden Forest of Lockhart. It occupies the northernmost, highest region of the main continent. Imagine the known landmass of Eternea viewed from above – it looks somewhat like a broad, triangular mountain, and this forest covers its peak."

  He continued, "It’s called 'Forbidden' because it's filled with powerful monsters, born from… well, from Lord Azahel's suffering, as he told us. The nations surrounding it fear this place; almost no one ventures here willingly. Anyone lost here is usually considered dead. As far as we know, we might be the only humans within the forest borders."

  Sollene shivered dramatically, pulling her light closer around her. "Monsters born from Master's pain… How awful!"

  "And the nations?" Alluna prompted gently. "You mentioned the 'Sacred Five'. Do they still hold sway?"

  "Yes," Leon confirmed grimly. "The five gods who betrayed Lord Azahel – they are worshipped widely now. The continent is largely divided into realms associated with them." He sketched a rough map on the floor with a piece of charcoal from the hearth.

  "Directly south of us, in the center, lies my former home, the Kingdom of Avalor. It's ruled by humans, making up about 90% of the population, with other races scattered among them. They primarily worship Flamira, the Fire God, who they associate with Courage."

  "To the west of Avalor is the Kingdom of Syl," he went on, pointing. "Also human-ruled, but more diverse – maybe 60% human, 40% other races. Their patron is Sylo, the Wind God, representing Freedom."

  "East of Avalor is the Dwarven Kingdom of Argo. Ruled by dwarves, almost entirely populated by them. They revere Dio, the Earth God of Stability."

  "Further southwest, beyond Syl, lies the Elven Kingdom of Lirea. Ruled by elves, again almost exclusively their own people. They follow Elfea, the Nature God of Growth." He hesitated, then pointed to the lower-left edge of his drawing. "However, much of the landmass in that direction, past Lirea, is… different now. Old maps showed more land, but sailors report that vast swathes have sunk beneath the waves. It's a region of permanent, violent storms, treacherous whirlpools, waterspouts, and waves taller than mountains. Utterly impassable by normal means."

  "Submerged?" Alluna frowned, her calm expression troubled. "Was that the work of the Five?"

  "Or perhaps the consequence of the Core being damaged?" Leon speculated. "No one truly knows. It's simply considered a cursed, impassable boundary now."

  "And the fifth…?" Sollene asked, bouncing slightly as she tried to keep track. "Fire, Wind, Earth, Nature… what about Water?"

  Leon nodded. "Aquaron, the Water God of Adaptability. His influence is strong, but different. There isn't a single great land kingdom dedicated to him. His power is acknowledged mostly along the coasts, on islands, and among seafarers. There are various port cities and island confederations that worship him." He paused, thinking. "It's also said his truest followers are not land-dwellers at all, but intelligent, humanoid sea-folk who dwell beneath the waves, capable of breathing water. Their cities and exact locations are mysteries to us on the surface, but they are believed to exist somewhere in Eternea's vast oceans."

  "Fascinating," Alluna murmured. "The world has indeed fractured."

  "Are there other lands?" Sollene asked eagerly, eyes wide. "Beyond the continent, across the oceans? More places to see?"

  "Possibly," Leon admitted with a small smile at her enthusiasm. "But honestly, exploration isn't a major focus for the kingdoms. Most are content managing their own territories and people. What lies beyond the known coasts or the stormy barrier in the southwest is largely speculation."

  "So, five domains, tied to the five betrayers," Alluna summarized, her voice cool and steady. "How do these nations coexist now? Is there peace, or constant war?"

  "Direct war between the major kingdoms is rare currently, Elder Sister," Leon answered. "It’s more of a wary coexistence, each keeping to their own affairs. But the peace is built on the ashes of older conflicts. Terrible wars were fought." He gestured again to his map. "Here, west of Avalor, south of Syl – these are the Ruins of Alveras. It was the homeland of the Alvs, a race deeply connected to Light magic. They were utterly destroyed centuries ago, their lands absorbed by Syl." He then pointed south of Avalor. "And this region, now patrolled by Avalor, was once Helestor, realm of the Daemons, who were masters of shadow and twilight arts. They were also exterminated."

  Aena looked sadly at Alluna. "The Alvs and Daemons… they were persecuted because they held onto the Old Truth, didn't they? Because they still remembered Lord Azahel, and… you two?"

  "Yes," Leon confirmed, his voice heavy. "Anyone who clung to belief in the True Creator and the original balance of Seven – especially veneration of Light and Darkness like yourselves, or Lord Azahel – was deemed a heretic after the Five cemented their power. The Alvs and Daemons were the most prominent groups, so they were made examples of. The wars that destroyed them are euphemistically called the 'War of Purification' in official records." He shook his head. "A clean name for genocide."

  "It wasn't just them," he added quietly. "Humans, dwarves, elves – any individuals or small communities found harboring the Old Truth faced persecution, exile, or death. Over the centuries, the knowledge has been actively suppressed, twisted into dangerous myth, or simply forgotten as those who knew disappeared."

  Sollene looked horrified, her light flickering. "Forgotten… They tried to erase him! Erase us! How could they?!"

  "But," Leon continued, looking at them intently, "I refuse to believe it's entirely gone. Somewhere, perhaps in hidden families passing down secrets, isolated communities clinging to tradition, or ancient libraries missed by the priests… the knowledge might survive. I believe there must be others waiting, hiding, preserving the truth for a time when it can be revealed again." He sighed. "But right now? We don't know of anyone else. As far as we know, we three adults here, and now Lae, are the only ones aware of the real history."

  A heavy silence filled the cabin once more, thick with the weight of lost history and the burden of being perhaps the last sparks of a forgotten faith.

  Alluna broke the silence, her dark eyes fixed on Leon, her calm voice carrying an immense weight. "Tell us more, Leon. Tell us about this… 'War of Purification'."