Alusterial

Alusterial is the oldest planet in the universe and was the first to be created by the Mother of All, Tunare. It is the home planet of the Mother Spirits and their forces, the largest of which are the Knights of Darkness who venture to other worlds to conquer and siphon resources to take back to the Shadow Empire.

It was the first world created by the Mother of All and was the birth place of the omniverse's first living creatures. Alusterial resides in the far off whirlpool galaxy called Falerin (Fuh-lee-rin), which literally means "everything", but translates as the "Center of Tunare" or literally the "center of all". Alusterial itself is ten times the size of Lore, serving as the home of the Mother Spirits and trillions of their 'children'.

The head-seat of the world is the Kingdom in Leviathia called Silent Ruins, which was renamed after one of Ashuga's prophecies; the original name has been lost in transition. SR was the Kingdom established by the Silence Dynasty after the Dark Moons were created, and served as the political and economical powerhouse of the world until the Shadow Kingdom gained power following the Dark War. It fell to the Loviatar during the War of Souls.

Leviathia is a tropical paradise in the middle that becomes grassy plains and forest to the south, and snowy in the north.

The Setrius Divide is basically a hot, large desert and the climate and weather there can be pretty chaotic.

But on the continent of Neberos, the climate is cool and never changes. The sun cannot penetrate the clouds over Neberos, so the flora and fauna that roam there are of a darker variety. There are more carnivores in Neberos than there are anywhere else in the world.

Two Lorian days is equal to one Alusterian day; each Alusterian day is 48hrs long, with years being 606 days long.

January = Metzoas [41 days]
Febuary = Carvanas [41 days]
March = Trajavur [32 days]
April = Dimatae [41 days]
May = Furmortiis [41 days]
June = Luvaria [41 days]
July = Lukarta [41 days]
August = Nuvarae [41 days]
September = Tsunadaizo [41 days]
October = Memevetzo [41 days]
November = Akunzo [41 days]
December = Octunozo [41 days]
Tunare (Lore month) = Katorsae [41 days]
Additional Month = Qatorgrove [41 days]
Additional Month = Diowna [41 days]

WEEKDAYS
Monday= Rascicala
Tuesday= Dakecala
Wednesday= Kokorocala
Thursday= Bellowcala
Friday= Spriicala
Saturday= Tsucala
Sunday= Tsukacala
The Alusterian calender begins on Dakecala.

Alusterial has two suns: Nuros and Orboros

The planet has 87 moons, the largest of which is the crimson moon called Urdir.

In the beginning, there was Tunare. Tunare the Mother of All was the "One God" who gave birth to the universe and the planet of Alusterial along with its galaxy. First, she created the Ookami - and was said to be the first male ever created, but this is only believed to be such due to the nickname given to him by the people of Alusterial. "He" was created to be her male counterpart, the yang to her yin. He was also born in the image of Light. To the first humans, the first Ookami was called "Father", but only Tunare called him by his name - Luacrox. Second, she created the Kuda-Gitsune (pipe-fox) to serve as her messengers. The first foxes were born in the image of Chaos.

Third, Tunare created the first dragons - ancient reptilian brutes - to be her army should things ever go south. They were born in the image of Darkness. Next, she created the first Phoenixes to be the wings that guided her children back home after their time was up. These birds of fire were born in the image of Time. Lastly, she created the Leviathan to be the harbinger of the end and watch over the dead until the time had come for them to live again. It was born in the image of Death.

Her forces complete and prepared, the Mother of All started designing an outline for her first creations. However, it was beyond anything she had ever made before, and so her idea was cast upon the shelf. She had to make sure that the creatures she wanted to create would function in the way she had intended. Taking the rough idea of her goal, which she entitled the Dark Moon, she created a much simpler version of the race. A mortal line to act as the prototype for the Dark Moon. She called them humans.

Making two of them wouldn't provide a wide enough array for her to test. Thus, she created three humans; two female and one male. The first female, Saleoni (DM for 'Night'), was named for the night-dark coloration of her hair and bright blue eyes. She was the more dominant of the three. The second female, Aniu (DM for 'Life'), was named for her lively curiosity and childish compassion. The male, Slind (DM for 'Red, Fair') was named for his fair skin and fiery colored hair. Tunare and her Ookami raised the three as their own, during which time she put the humans to a series of tests that optimized emotional, physical, and psychological responses - most of which Aniu, being the most submissive and naive of the three, failed. Slind and Aniu were much frailer than Saleoni, who tried harder and showed superb perseverance throughout the tests. Having hope from their results, she created more humans.

Once her results were final, she created the Dark Moon people. Around that time, the mortal population was thriving. Tunare thought them how to teleport and soon the humans teleported to different realms, aiming to explore. Once these travelers begun to settle down into families, the knowledge of their teleportation ability was lost. Back on Alusterial, things were going fine. Her creations flourished and so did the world in which they lived. For years, the DMs and the humans lived side by side in peace without a worry in the world. It never got too hot or too cold. It was never difficult to feed oneself or their family. Soon after, she marked a unborn DM child with her insignia. She told her children that this child would be her Apostle, groomed to be the Empress - leader of the world - in her stead and that she would be blessed with the powers necessary to lead and protect them.

But the truth was that outside of Alusterial, her creations were suffering, causing Tunare great pain and sorrow. The humans outside of her home realm were beginning to forget and/or hate her, and cursed her for "cursing" them. Those who cursed her rebelled against her, causing Tunare to reveal her dark side. Needed though it was, each act added another crack in Tunare's heart. Her thoughts grew steadily grim. In trying to help her creations, she had (most of the time) turned them further away from her. Her dark side grew more and more frequent, adding to her own suffering that not even her Ookami could sooth. Eventually... She saw herself as a failure and had a nervous breakdown, trying to erase all that she had done to end all suffering. Her hatred, her pain, and her desire for ‘The End’ solidified into D’Gon shards. The breakdown was so severe that she split into five fragments, each representing one of the 'elements'.

When she split, so too did the Ookami that the first humans were taught to have called 'Father'.

~O~

The five fragments of Tunare became known as the Mother Spirits; Ashuga (DM for 'Time'), Salega (DM for 'Darkness'), Sharugen (DM for 'Light'), Shalusen (DM for 'Chaos'), and Shalusa (DM for 'Death'). Once separated, the Mother Spirits begun to create the rest of the world Tunare (who was all of them once together) had envisioned, though each added their own unique twist to whatever they made. They wove together galaxies and solar systems, constellations and laws of the universe that Tunare had not. Ashuga made the flow of time possible and she alone was omniscient; able to see past, present, and future. She was a true neutral force of the five. Salega was the Darkness that had caused Tunare suffering enough to split into fragments. Though she aided in the creation of life, everything she made was tainted by her evil and became gnarled.

Sharugen was the Light, the happiness that gave birth to love and life. While Salega made hate and other negative emotions possible, Sharugen was her positive opposite. Between the two was the ever indifferent Shalusen who only sought entertainment and fun. She was both good and evil yet neither. Shalusa would be the last thing any living thing saw as they died. She would take them to the place of judgement. When Tunare split, so too did her paradise in accordance to each of her fragments. Certain souls belonged to certain fragments and it was Shalusa's role to judge them and rule the dead.

Without Tunare in the picture to maintain the balance, the first dragons and the phoenixes grew more resilient of one another until fundamentally, the two forces went to war in a different realm separate from Alusterial. Having a fragment of his mother to do the task he was created for, the Leviathan withdrew from the realms and retreated to a starless abyss where no life exists and the only world is a frozen ball or the remnant of a vast sea. There, the great beast of death slumbers, forgotten by his fellow primordial creatures, and woe to those that awaken him. While his body slept, his soul was left to wander. When it came upon a drop of freshly spilled blood, it gave form to the first demon, Formortiis, who was born in Darkling Woods.

The only original beast that remained the same were the Kuda-Gitsune, who chose to descend and take physical form to serve as messengers of Shalusen.

~O~

While the Mother Spirits were off creating the rest of the universe, all of Alusterial gathered for the birth of she who the One God had marked; Tunare's fabled Apostle. Mistress One Silence was born in the spring of 100 B.D. to a Dark Moon couple. As was promised, the girl bore the mark of the Mother of All upon the center of her chest; a celtic trinity knot infused with the celtic moon, both enclosed within a circle. She was groomed to be the Empress by the three that were closest to Tunare - the first humans (Aniu, Saleoni, and Slind) - to teach her more about the Mother of All and what kind of leader she should be. Saleoni in particular was animated over the task, forcing the other two to act more as her lackies and servants to the queen rather than her advisers; it was a task that she wanted to fill on her own.

Saleoni was the first dominatrix; while her heart was in the right place, her teachings, rather than turning the would-be Apostle into being willing to serve Tunare, turned the woman further away from the All Mother. She hated having to serve "a greater purpose" - which she believed was to be used by the Mother Spirits - along with all of the responsibility that came with it, and did everything in her power to rebel. Instead of acting like a "good queen", she decided to be the opposite of whatever her adviser told her to be. Eventually, Saleoni gave up and instead decided to act as a helper when it came to the economy of her people which, for the most part, was excellent. While her subjects hated her, they couldn't complain as much because Saleoni looked out for their welfare until she, too, became corrupted (more from M1's own madness than anything).

When this happened, those who worshiped Tunare begun to think that she had forsaken them. Slind and Aniu tried to reassure them, but the rule of Mistress One became worse and worse. Something had to be done... To end the madness. In the cover of nightfall, the pair hatched a coup d'état. Little did they know, Saleoni, suspicious of their prior behavior, lay hidden and listened in on their plans.

~O~

Only smilodon's and a few foolish humans inhabited Neberos at the time of his 'birth'. When the cats begun to attack humans in the woords, blood was split and from the first drop came the first demon. As time progressed, creatures of the night begun to appear. Reptiles and other beasts made their homes in Neberos, upon the mountains and within the woods that he was "born" in. While the human population boom continued, they spread out more over the continents. At the time, Neberos was the same as Leviathia and the Setrius Divide; lush, full of life, and peaceful.

Unlike the humans, who seemed to live in harmony with all beasts until the predatory beasts got hungry, Formortiis found himself to be a least favorite when it came to animals. He was... Different. Vile. To the creatures inhabiting the area, he shouldn't have existed. Every beast, be they predator or pray, lashed out at him when he unknowingly got too close. His otherworldly strength tore beasts in half, broke necks with a simple twist, and his claws shredded through the toughest of flesh. Although one may see being constantly attacked as a negative thing, Formortiis saw it fit to hone his strength in addition to having a constant meal. For years, he wondered aimlessly, content just to be. But as the years dragged on, he begun to question himself.

Why was he where he was? What was his purpose?

Eventually, he happened upon civilization and discovered that there were creatures like him. The Dark Moons were shocked at first; he looked like one of them, yet he did not act like them nor smell like them. In fact, he seemed to be a different creature altogether with the body of one of their people. Formortiis was just as curious about them as they were him. They taught him how to speak and he taught them how to hunt the beasts. But even if they treated them as one of them, he didn't feel as though he belonged there. While the Dark Moons had families of their own, he was all alone. He looked on in envy at their displays of love and passion - something he'd never had. He tried to court a select few of the women, and even one man, but none of them had any romantic interest in him.

I don't understand, he thought. What's wrong with me? Why does no one want to be with me?

Humans moved into the area with them. At first they, like the DM, thought that he was just another Dark Moon. But his strange almost beastial behavior and demonic transformation told otherwise. The Dark Moons argued that perhaps he was a different kind of DM. Humans argued that he was a beast that did not belong. Their loathing and mistrust of him grew by the day until one day when the DMs went hunting, they attacked him with rocks. Surprised by the behavior and abuse much like a cornered animal, his demonic nature lashed out, resulting in the death of at least five humans. Survivors screamed and retaliated, at which point Formortiis attempted to apologize. Having none of it, the mortals banished him and chased him out of their lands.

~O~

Treason was without a doubt a serious crime. Overthrowing, perhaps even ending the life of the individual specifically marked by their 'mother', was more distasteful and shocking to Saleoni than the fiendish acts of the Bitch Queen. Brimming with fury, the mortal scurried off to see the Queen - who wasn't too delighted to have been woken up so late at night. When Saleoni informed her of what she had heard, the Queen collected her hand-made spear, and set off with her adviser to find the pair. Once they had been located, a dangerously calm Mistress One launched the spear towards Slind's head. Try though he did to avoid it, there was one detail about the Queen that suddenly hit home with Saleoni and Aniu, who watched the events unfold in sheer horror...

The Queen never missed.

Slind was struck dead by her spear. Without a word, she collected her weapon from his corpse and jerked her chin towards Aniu. "That is what will happen to all who oppose me. Saleoni, take this girl back to your chambers." She told her adviser. "She will live the rest of her life as your servant and nothing more for her treason. Make this wench know her place." Saleoni obeyed, and went on to begin the practice of bondage to control her servant and remind her of where she belonged until the end of Mistress One's reign and her calm daughter, Mistress Two, became Empress.

~O~

During the reign of Mistress One, Formortiis wondered alone, filled with questions that he could not answer. He hunted only what was necessary to survive and tried to communicate with other creatures, but to no avail. They could not speak as he could. He attempted to find other Dark Moon civilizations without any luck, craving contact with others like himself. In the end, he was alone. For years, he listlessly wondered through the forests, growing more lonely by the day with nothing but his own voice to keep him company. Attempting to keep himself sane, the demon talked to himself and held several conversations... It wasn't the same as talking to another person, though. Still, it was better than nothing.

On one of his hunts three years later, he brought down and killed a large mammal. As soon as he sat down to feast upon it, the animal's head craned up towards him. "You are lonely," it said. He squeaked and jumped back. Formortiis hadn't heard anyone else's voice but his own in years; the sound of another voice startled him. "Wh-what witchcraft is this!?" he exclaimed. "This is not witchcraft," the animal was quick to reply. "Are you or are you not alone?"
Dubious, he nodded. Was this an illusion that his mind created? Had he finally cracked?

"I am, too."

He blinked. An animal could be lonely...?
"It doesn't have to be this way." That was when he noticed that the voice was female. The animal he had killed had been male. Witchcraft... He thought. Or maybe he really was going crazy... "Go back to the humans and the Dark Moon people." she said. He shook his head. "I can't do that." "You will not return for pleasantries," Her voice was firm. When he tilted his head in confusion, the animal rested its head back upon the ground. "Kill fifty of them."
"K-kill them...?"
"Did I stutter? Those humans are the reason you are alone." He closed his eyes, remembering when those humans had run him off. His hands clenched into fists. "They are the cause of your suffering. Don't you want revenge?" She asked, her voice like velvet. He nodded. "Then go. Kill fifty or more in the same spot if possible. If you do that, I will appear before you... Neither of us will ever have to be alone again. Do we have a deal?"

She had promised him companionship for an eternity. To attain it, all he had to do was kill fifty humans and/or DMs for her. The promise of never having to be alone again pulled at the strings of his heart until finally he nodded. "I will do it." he replied. She did not reply. She didn't need to. As he dug into the flesh of the animal, he wondered if that promise was real or not. Having nothing to lose and everything to gain, Formortiis placed what little hope remained in him on that promise and set off for civilization as soon as he had finished his meal. Going back the way he came proved to be much easier than he thought it would be.

He knew all of the sights and smells as though it were a part of him. Three years had not changed the surroundings much in his eyes. He found them easily, huddled around the fire pit they had all once sat around to share stories. From his place in the woods, he could hear them as he crouched, taking the same stance he used to take down his prey... The hunter's crouch. Silently, he crawled towards them. At first, they did not see him. It wasn't until his body was highlighted by the glow of the flames that they rose with spears in hand. The same band of humans that had run him off were present, regarding him with obvious disdain. He could tell some of them were surprised to see him again.

"Formortiis?" The soft voice of one of the Dark Moons reached his ears. It was one of his friends. But he did not respond.
"You've got a lot of nerve coming back here," one of the mortal men sneered, gripping his weapon. "I'll gut you for good this time! Hah!" The man charged, aiming low. Formortiis rose, sweeping his hand under the blunt edge of the weapon to toss it aimlessly high, and used the claws of his free hand to slash the man's throat. Adrenaline filled him as he heard his old enemy gargle and choke on his own blood. The first kill was always the easiest... As his body fell limp to the ground with a thud, the other warriors came at him and met the same fate. The other humans shrieked and scattered like roaches. Only the Dark Moons remained calm. His friend attempted to reason with him but the demon would not hear it.

He spared only his friends until the body count reached the required number. All that remained seated at the fire were the two sisters he had called his friends. Their eyes were pained but they were not angry. The two didn't even seem to be shocked. Silently, Formortiis paced back and forth, counting the bodies to make sure he'd reached the right amount as the blood continued to pool from the corpses of the dead until it reached his ankles. It happened in the blink of an eye.

The pool of blood rippled and from it rose the naked body of a busty dark haired woman with a Dark Moon marked adorning her forehead. Formortiis and the sisters watched her arise in awe. She was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen, covered in blood and death. Her feet hovered over the pool rather than rest in it as his did. "Who... Are you...?" He asked in a whisper. Her eyes clicked open, revealing black eyes with no pupil to marr their color, as she opened her arms and glided towards him. "I am the Mother of Death," she said softly, drawing closer. "Shalusa... Cesario..." For the first time in his life, he felt soft lips press against his own and arms wrap around him in a warm embrace. The demon held his Queen protectively, locked into her kiss. When she pulled away, she smiled at him. "And you, Formortiis, will be my King."

"K-king...? Me...?" He echoed, head spinning.
"I chose you for a reason," Shalusa said matter-of-factly. "There's no one else I'd rather have. You are mine now, just as I am yours."
"I am... Yours...?" There was something comforting in those words. Something right. As she held him, the Mother of Death turned to the sisters. "Who are you?" she asked.

The taller sister with black hair stood. "I am Negalu Teruru." she said.
Beside her, the blond haired sister, stood. "And I am Legazu Teruru."
"Legazu, were you a doctor for these people?"
The woman nodded. Shalusa grinned. "Then I will take you as my Doctor now, and your sister as my warrior. Come, let me show you our new home..." Her eyes met with his. "Our Kingdom."
Without another word, her hand rose and the ground shook. Obeying her hand, the earth rose with it, forming the castle where he would spend the rest of his days happily at the side of his Queen.

To be continued...