Ink Sisters

Legend Two

The Legend of the Order of the Octave and the Seven Swords

Magic coats the land like a dense fog, its rhythmic hum casting a false calmness. False? Yes, quite false. Magic, you see, is as wild and unstable as a newborn colt. It rears and bucks, sprouting random trees and boiling the waters of the Sea of Reflection. It runs rampant, destroying and building wherever it wants. The mundane people are terrified. They hide in their homes, seeking refuge from the force. The magic needs something to harness the power and wield it for good. The chaos must end.

The two rulers of the Mirror Lands make a choice, one that shapes the path for centuries to come. There is a rumor that an ancient stone resides on the Isle of Mist. It has the ability to capture fleeting sparks of magic and hold them in its glass shell. The rulers search for the Orb, spending years and years on the desolate Isle. As what normally happens when one looks for something, it appears just when thoughts of giving up encroach. The Orb hides in the Bog of Vanishing Inhibitions. It has been careful to remain hidden while the intruders search. Now, however, it becomes careless. Lured upward by the tantalizing warmth of the golden sun, the Orb breaks the murky surface of the waters of the bog. It is quickly seen and retrieved by one of the rulers, concealed in the confines of a worn cloak. A dilemma presents itself. The ruler should have told the other of the finding but does not. It is the first secret, the one that will lead to the demise of the structure casting the land in the shadow of war. All it takes is that one secret, just one, and distrust wriggles its way into all things.

The rulers depart from the Isle and go to their respective realms: Helia and Relia. As time passes, the ruler of Helia unwraps the Orb, and is enthralled by the power coursing through it. The ruler captures the magic of Helia within the glass circle. Eight castes are forged, believed to be the most important elements of magic. They are Fire, Forest, Water, Winter, Song, Wind, Glass, and Ink. The ruler of Helia seeks out the most trusted of her subjects. They are gathered and invited to a clandestine meeting. The eight arrive and are persuaded to touch the Orb. It releases its power, one caste shooting into the veins of each subject. They are transformed, changed into magic wielders. They are called Mages. There is only one mage per magical caste. Only one or the entire balance is upset. Under the ruler's guidance, they form the Order of the Octave. They spend years garnering the control of the magic in the land until it is harnessed and under control by the eight.

Meanwhile, the ruler has grown greedy with the heady feelings that come with authority. Why should the stretch of power stop at Helia? Why can Relia not be under the thumb as well? The Mages are sent into Relia to overtake the ruler. They almost succeed. Ultimately, they fail though. For unknown to the ruler of Helia, there has bene a spy in the midst.

A trusted guard and soldier of the ruler of Helia has been reporting to the enemy, feeding information about the formation of the Mage Order. So, the Relia ruler has taken matters into their own hands. They have created an elite order of their own, one to protect the realm. Eight Swordsmen to fight against the Eight Mages. They are masters of the blade, made so by trapping the wild magic in Relia into their swords.

Hatred now seeps into the warriors for each ruler, brought on by jealousy and distrust. The battles ravage the land, casting it into a burning inferno that is far worse than the days of unharnessed magic. The poor people call for reconciliation; the rulers ignore their cries, hell-bent on decimation.

It is the greatest string of wars the Mirror Lands has ever seen, lasting centuries and centuries until finally one side prevails. This only happens because both of the rulers are killed. The Mages and the Swords have forged a secret alliance, eager to put an end to the destruction. Finally, after years and years of death, it is over. Both rulers fade into history, many wanting to forget their rage and hate, but knowing they cannot. The Mages claim victory but only by the narrowest of margins. In their triumph, they believe that the swords can still be useful.

They begin to rebuild the land, but their magic is waning, worn down by strife and odium. In an attempt to counter this, two academies are set up. The Elite Academy will teach the ways of the mages, training younger generations and promising to relinquish the power of the orb to eight worthy recruits that come up.

The Stalwart Academy is established for the swords. Much like the Elite Academy, it trains those who are ready to potentially join the Swordsmen.

Tired after years of war, the two orders decided that each member of their respective groups will only be allowed to remain within the order while they are deemed worthy. The moment they cannot perform their duties, they must relinquish their position. Only one may remain in each caste just as before the wars.

All is not quite tranquil though. The Mages, ever eager to keep their power, have done away with one member of the swords, thus making them only the Seven, one less than the Octave.

Their power, however, is brief.

Greed collides with the power the Mages wield. A continuous cycle of omission and treason circle the Octave until they are divided and weakened by the division. Cracks pierce the indestructible foundation that once stood so strong after the horrifying wars of long ago. The Swords soon gain the upper hand, drawing strength from their teachings of brotherhood and honor. These are the attributes the Mages have forsworn for so long. The toll this omission has taken is lethal.

The Seven Swords make their move drawing strength from dwindling magic. It is something that is tied to the lands, which are now burned and withered, never able to recover from the wars. The Swords are found to be more reliable, more real. Thus, the Mages continue to weaken, despite their extra member. The magical stories of the Mages are forgotten or reformed into a humorless joke, a whisper on the wind. No one bothers to correct the sentiment or recall the true past. Many are left wandering the Mirror Lands. Some drink from the Looking Glass to forget.

In the present, a fragile hold on the Mirror Lands rests in the hands of the Seven Swords as the magic fades. Three of the number have taken up presiding over Helia. Two are positioned to rule Relia. The remaining two are drifters, roaming in between the lands. Both shy away from power and the inevitable pitfalls it creates.

Many legends have faded into mist, forgotten and redistributed. This one will not be broken from history's tethered strand though. The famed swordsmen keep this story close to their hearts so as not to forget their defeat and triumph in the form of another's destruction.

Thanks so much for reading this far into Ink Sisters! Hope you enjoyed this legend. What do you think this all means? Can magic ever come back to its full strength?  We really appreciate your support! Please don't forget to comment and vote if you enjoyed this part!