Greed: The Ultimate Sin
Power, Wealth, Fame... These are the titles that rule every world. If you have even one of these, the other two aren't difficult to attain. But to obtain them, one must allow their greed to guide them!
Alarth is one of these worlds, and like the rest of the worlds, they've exploited every resource that the Heavens have given them to obtain obscene amounts of power, immense treasures, and renowned recognition between its inhabitants.
The five nations occupying Alarth are Badu, Seenia, Afreegia, Uropa, and Usaria. Countless wars have stained this world's history in an attempt to be the ruling nation. The Heavens have grown tired of their constant begrudging of one another and decided to intervene.
Hundreds of thousands of years ago, a messenger from the Heavens descended into Alarth in the middle of a war involving all five nations. Every participant in the warzone froze in their place as the Heavens' messenger arrived. Some were in the middle of a leap, while others were breathing their last breath, but everything stopped in its place as if time was restrained. Only their thoughts remained active.
"Enough! The Heavens have grown tired of your constant bickering!" An androgynous voice came from the messenger. "I have been tasked to resolve this issue!"
And with a wave of the messenger's hand, each participant was flung into five corners based on the nation they served. Another wave and the barren warzone started to expand millions of miles in each direction to the point where the warzone became larger than all of the five nations combined.
"I've decided to split this landmass into six equal parts and place a vast and dangerous sea between them." The androgynous voice continued, as shock and disbelief filled the minds of everyone there while cracks started to appear around them.
"Each nation will have its own continent on opposite sides of the world. This central landmass beneath me will be dubbed the 'Holy Central Continent'. The first nation to find me here will be made the rulers of Alarth while the remaining nations will be forced to submit to them for all eternity!"
With those words, the cracks in the ground became chasms where one couldn't see the edges with normal means. The nations, now continents, continued to separate between themselves as water filled the chasms. As time crept by, the chasms continued to widen until one could mistake them for oceans. The central continent remained in its place while the other five continents were sent to different edges of the world.
Everyone was losing their mind, as countless thoughts ran through their head. All the wars fought have become obsolete, the lives of cherished ones lost in those wars were vain. The wealth spent, to get even a small edge, became nothing more than a poor imitation of throwing money into a fire. At least throwing money into a fire could provide you warmth! All their riches were spent in a vain attempt to gain even an edge against their sworn enemies for millennia! The Heavens intervened in their latest war, rendering all previous wars null. Admiration for the power displayed by the Heavens became disgust as these thoughts settled into their minds. What right did the Heavens have to wipe their previous history off the pages just to start a new page!
The messenger could sense these thoughts and shook their head. 'No matter what gift the Heavens give the humans, they continue to blame the Heavens for their own greed.' thought the messenger 'Maybe this gift might rectify that'.
"The Heavens will give you one last gift, do with it what you may, but your task remains the same if you wish to rule this world" rang the androgynous voice in every inhabitant of Alarth's head, and with that, the messenger spread their arm and a profound aura enveloped the world of Alarth. The Heavens gave Alarth one last gift, the gift of Qi to aid them in their trial.
FrozenBlaze · Fantasy
