War of Light and Shadow - Light's Last Stand (part I)

Following the deadly trap that Caldonnas and the Cal'ashan had narrowly escaped, the champions of light retreated to the world of Akuinor, where the Aldoren had their seat at the time.

Caldonnas was grievously wounded, and some feared he would perish, and thus the Cal'ashan voted for a new leader, whilst Caldonnas was taken in all urgency in the House of Restoration, his wounds catered by the aspect of life herself - Yriel.

Alarmed, the Aldoren and their allies convened. They had built formidable defenses, but all else in the dream was falling apart, and they knew that if they could not rise victorious then there could not be enough safety anywhere in the Cosmos. They needed some form of counter to this all, even a desperate solution for these were the most desperate times. But they could not come up with something that was adequate, and with Caldonnas on death's door, they could not yet make any plans.

Warriors and refugees arrived from all of the Unfolding Dream, and since the Aldoren were seated on Akuinor, bent, as some said, on protecting some unknown secret that they had placed there, the world became even more mightily fortified.

Kaehir now worked in his forge full time, rarely going out to convene with the Aldoren. Elora trained an elite guard that would hold the last bastion before the Throne of Akaon. Thaeron was leading a small group of warriors, trying to desperately halt the advance of Ulhaeron's armies with strategic strikes. Aelon and Nuviel worked tirelessly on the ordering of the armies of Light. Aedmon and Selassea helped to evacuate to safety refugees from all the worlds and realms that fell to the Shadow. Yriel and Nuviel also tended to the wounded and the dying.

Anadun took temporary leadership of the Cal'ashan in the absence of Caldonnas. A pragmatic and stoic defender, she was what Akuinor needed at the time. Together with Elora, she coordinated the defense forces, even as Kaehir's Dragons and Titans added their formidable might next to the Celestial defenders that would stand before the ramparts.

But everywhere else, worlds came to ruin, bright realms were ravaged, and countless of souls fell to the sway of the Shadow. When refugees arrived in Akuinor they brought tales of horror, and the end of hope. Among them sat Ancalimon the musician, endlessly trying to lift their spirits.

With Caldonnas still hovering on the brink of death, the Aldoren intensified their discussions. Several plans were already under way, but there was no hope that Ulhaeron could be stopped or destroyed effectively. Some argued that a desperate attack from all the forces of Light could give a decisive blow against the Shadow, but the majority agreed it would be too suicidal. The truth was that destruction and corruption was easy, whilst healing and creation was hard. The Aldoren far surpassed the Shadow God in works of creation, but could not outmatch him in destruction.

There was only one who could bring to bear so much destruction that the Shadow God might be ended, but he was grievously wounded, and even his power was insufficient. But, Aelon argued, if Caldonnas survived, perhaps a weapon could be made, endowed with much of the power of the Aldoren, a weapon capable of such devastation that even Ulhaeron would be finally destroyed. But everyone was hesitant for such an undertaking. Even if Ulhaeron was destroyed, the creation of a weapon so powerful could potentially trade one evil for another. Even if Caldonnas never used this weapon to destroy unrighteously, its sheer power would attract many who would wish to wield it, and ultimately the lord of the Cal'ashan would be forced to use it, or would lost it to someone with superior force. But more importantly, Kaehir, the only among the Aldoren who could forge such a weapon, refused to do so adamantly.

But time passed, and slowly, the wounds of Caldonnas closed, and it seemed his body had begun to recover, although he was still unconscious, seemingly lost in a deep, forgetful sleep. Unable to agree on any other solution, the Aldoren finally agreed on the forging of the weapon. All of them, that is, except for Kaehir. The Lord of Creation refused to give his power to such an implement of devastation. He was certain that if he would give his power, then the weapon that would've been created with it, would've been too terrible for anyone to wield. The other seven, however, invested a great part of their power in a piece of metal, each of them choosing a different alloy. They gave the seven pieces to Kaehir, and he took them to his Forge, where he resumed his cumbersome work.

In time, the last refugees arrived before the outer bastions completely shut out the rest of the Dream with powerful fields of force. Thaeron and his warriors also returned, confirming what everyone else feared. The armies of the Shadow were all converging on Akuinor. This would be their final stand.