prologue


    Time unknown


    The gods often argued and sometimes clashed, but they never seriously tried to harm one another; it served no purpose. They were all made from the same life force and energy, Among them were the elements of light, darkness, wind, earth, water, and fire, along with one non-element: balance.


    They didn''t have names; they liked what humans called them based on their elements.


    After watching humans rise and fall through the ages, they realized they needed each other.


    It was a humbling realization for the gods, but it helped them grow, not just in their relationship with humans but also among themselves.


    They learned that true power lies in collaboration, not in hoarding it for oneself.


    Light remembered the weakening of how frail she felt and lost, darkness gloated for the longest time as he grew from the fall of men


    but even he faded with time as all the other did they did not know humans all this time prayed to them, gave them strength.


    Their faith added to their lives the more they believed in the gods the more they grew


    but after so long of ignoring the humans and feeling they were on their own.


    They just nearly stop altogether believing save a few zealots that refuse to abandon the faith and would still believe that the gods lost everything.


    “Darkness ?” light as in a low voice


    “ yes? “he replied


    “where we wrong? “She wondered he laughed,


    “I’m never wrong “After a short pause “But what about?” wondering her point.


    “We exist and are the source of all magic”


    “ yet we never really cared about the world”


    “ that was born with,”


    “ We always view it as a novelty at best”


    “ and went on fighting for who was best. “ Darkness looked off into the distance staring into the abyss which was in essence him but also not.


    It was also just a cloak and shadow he wore as just like light could be the rays from a sun she was her own entity same with wind and the others.


    After a long pause, as he kept staring, she thought he would ignore the question he tended to do that when his pride would not let him say he was wrong


    She learned not to push the issues she liked his company and did not want him to leave


    but to her surprise, he did answer with a low “yes.” Followed quickly by” but not the way you think, “


    “mortal are weak”


    “ and we owe them nothing”


    “ but when they believed,”


    “ When they gave us power”


    “And we still looked away… that was wrong. “


    She was not sure what to say to that she wanted his view but where to go from there was lost to her.


    “ what should we do? “she asked.


    “Hmm, nothing,” he said flatly which shocked her


    “Nothing!”


    “ But they need us”


    “And we abandon them for so long!” She said getting exasperated. “No, “he said” we cannot give them anything freely”


    “ even if they pray,” he said with solemness “yet we do need to gather everyone “


    “and work out a plan to help them” a brief pause as he thought


    “Perhaps that’s why Balance was born amongst us”


    “ only they would try to balance us all”


    “ as they don’t gain anything from humans but everything from us.”


    Light agreed it was wise to ask all instead of trying to make a plan amongst themselves.


    It was one of the things they fought about who was lead and who must follow.


    Each felt they were greater than all others, only balance did not push that as they knew they needed all of the others.


    Even in a sense, they were the most important as the balance, the energies amongst them all preventing any from truly dying.


    Just fading to near nothing.


    Even assuming it could happen it would only be from eons of neglect… later that day when all the gods had gathered to see what was so important.


    “Why did you call of us this time darkness”


    “ come to gloat some more?” fire asked already annoyed water spoke up first “Let’s not fight”


    “ I’m sure this is important”


    “ he promised he would stop acting as he leads us”


    “ we should give him a chance,” Water said a little nervously


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    air was watching the world with Earth both of them more interested in the mortal’s affairs than whatever the gods had to say.


    Balance was crestfallen that no matter their view it always be secondary to others.


    After a few more talks among themselves, darkness remained quiet to not fuel any anger


    as well as show that he was willing to let another lead light spoke up.


    “We need to help the humans,” she said air got excited and Earth smiled fire frown and both darkness and balance merely looked on with indifference waiting for what was to come next.


    After a brief pause to let them think of her words, she continued a sigh escaping her lips “For too long we used mortal with indifference”


    “ Since we now know are powers come from them”


    “We need to balance this...” Balance was shocked at her word choice intentional or not it made balance feel like they had more worth knowing that things needed to well be balanced!


    “Is there a point?” fire asked “They''re just little things that exist”


    “why should we care?” water chimed in before Light or others could respond.


    “Without them, we will fade”


    “ and I don’t like the feeling even if we can live without them”


    “ I feel better now a lot of humans believe again and among us”


    “what is wrong with sharing that feeling with humans? “


    “YEA!” wind shouted excitedly despite the tense atmosphere, earth nodded slowly, agreeing.


    while looking once more over the world mortals live in a sigh in the background from darkness


    Sparking anger from fire “Go ahead” fire said “Tell us the right way”


    “ tell us how this is best, we all know you want to…”


    darkness spoke slowly in a low voice” How quickly you make me a villain”


    “ just because of my element “


    “yet tend to ignore you burn and hurt”


    “ a lot more than I ever could.”


    Fire flared up at that and all backed up a bit readying for a fight even light who started this meeting felt it was beyond her control and knew not what to do.


    That was when Balance meek as could be spoke up the best they could “Light was trying to help us and the humans we should listen “Both fire and darkness quickly jerked in her direction


    as if she was all but forgotten and they were shocked she was there much less talking. They both quickly look away knowing that they both suffered from thinking they were better


    and balance was weakest among them yet it was balance why they were able to coexist.


    With a deep sigh, darkness said “Sorry” With an annoyed look fire said “Sorry” too and they both calmed down a little. Water was the one that broke the tension’s final grasp.


    “ Light, you have a solution?” Light back in control and shone a little brighter feeling hope this could work,


    She spoke quickly before it spiraled once more “YES!” She said loudly then blushed not meaning to be so upbeat in a tense situation winds joy tends to be infectious “Yes” she said again much calmer


    “We cannot give magic to mortals “


    “least not directly or without cost, “


    “Well, not all mortals there has to be a balance,”


    “ so me and darkness thought we could reshape the world”


    “ Slowly”


    “ with power and blessing,” Wind was not as sure nor were the other elements, none wanted to be the first to speak


    as this was new territory and they knew it be a change that could never be taken back.


    Balance was the only one with no real stake in all this as she had no element for it to matter, so she asked what others were afraid to voice.


    “How would it work,”


    “ if not just giving power to a mortal?


    “And what would stop a few hoarding all the power”


    “ I don’t know how to balance a whole world she said meekly


    Light smiled at that and said “Dungeons”


    “dungeons ?” a few random elements asked while the others all frowned as if it was an odd thing.


    “ yes dungeons”


    “ it will allow rewards”


    “ while keeping powers in check! “


    “And it allows all of us to gain power”


    “without a need to be forced to balance! “ Balance became depressed with that so she did mean so little they even found a way to make her worthless by taking away her only gift.


    Nobody noticed balance mood, each being lost in their own thoughts, but Water was the first to question.


    “ What about balance?”


    “ that hardly seems fair to her”


    “ to include all us but neglect her. “Balance blushed being acknowledged and felt like nobody would care.


    It meant a lot that water did. that when as all stared at her making her shrink in a bit


    light spoke up “O, NO NO NO!”


    “ You misunderstand”


    “ Balance you would be in charge of balancing”


    “ the dungeon, and make sure none of us go too far!” Balance was shocked that she would be given the most important role!


    She cried at that, water, air, and earth came closer to console her light wanted to join but felt she had enough


    support both darkness and fire frowned, at what they saw as weakness they said nothing


    as they knew they had a hand in making that insecurity and wanted a better relationship so did nothing and let her have this bit of glory.


    They shared a similar thought: maybe she give them an edge, feeling like they earned it, both getting smug in their thoughts.


    After a bit of letting balance recover light went on once more


    “ We all want things that benefit us”


    “But we need to remember “


    “to have humans focus on our elements”


    “ and we need to make sure we reward them”


    “When we can” balance now feeling better and more confident she had a voice in this matter and spoke up” If we do this “


    “we must include monsters”


    “ and anything that could become a spiritual creature” Shocking balance was darkness the first to voice an objection “Why monster?” he asked.


    “We want to help humans, not kill them?”


    Balance said yes, but there must BE a balance”


    she went on before she could lose her nerve “Dungeon will be bound with whatever we add to it”


    “ the creature there will be mindless”


    “and any there will be only to fit the dungeon needs”


    “ nothing more but monsters born from us”


    “ as well as spiritual creatures”


    “ will be like humans and can grow”


    “ and keep humans from growing too much”


    “ as well as humans keep monsters in line.”


    Water hummed a bit and spoke first” I like it”


    “ so we can make elements like us?” air gasped and said “We would”


    “be part of the world and among humans?!”


    “Well, not exactly” Balance tried to calm winds growing excited both fire and darkness deep in thought


    or seemed to like the idea. Balance asnt sure. earth spoke up “I like it” while looking at the world once more


    “even if we don’t inhabit the place”


    “We are a big part of it.” wind jumped up and down and started running around then flying with joy,


    water shared her joy and danced both fire and darkness kept thinking to themselves not adding any input. light finally spoke up “assuming we all do agree “


    “ too much too soon”


    “it will break the world”


    “ it needs to happen over a long time “


    “not too long,” Darkness spoke up


    “We saw a world with no magic”


    “ it will be a better one with.” Fire was still a bit annoyed everything seemed to be moving along so quickly, and he did not even give any real input,


    so fire said to feel included “what the plan light or balance “


    “whomever is leading this,”


    “ as long as we get results, I don’t have a real objection.


    Light spoke first,” It will cost over half of all our power to start the change ‘


    ‘from there, we will randomly lose power from balance allowing humans to be born with are gift”


    wind was the first to speak “Where not helping humans directly?”


    “Why?” She was puzzled


    “We cannot,” Darkness said before anyone else


    “but why?” air persisted not understanding balance spoke seeing darkness did not seem to care.


    “ I cannot balance so many humans”


    “ even if we did not have spiritual creatures”


    “ and monster it’s why I wanted those added to help humans gain power and bless us.”


    a few murmured but none spoke with that the humans knew for a fact of gods and also monsters for the first time


    so they marked it in history the world before and after blessing