Chapter Text
Prologue: Introduction to the Lands
The world was once known as the Great Lands where spirits and gods roamed freely, their magic seeping deep into the earth until life and magic entwined as one. For a millennium, the Great Beings of old lingered on this plain. From them, the beginnings of civilization were nurtured and born, and the mortal age met its inception. There were creatures of varying magic and species, but there were none more numerous or greater than the humans, who wielded magic as if they were one with it. Created by the gods, humans grew to claim the Great Lands as their own. Seeing that their time on this plain was over, the spirits and gods moved on to the celestial realm, leaving the fate of their beloved Great Lands in the hands of the mortals.
Over time, the Great Lands became individual nations, ruled by a respective magic. These civilizations grew in power and knowledge, amassing large forces of fighters to defend their borders. Very soon, these nations fell into a power struggle, each trying to become the dominant force. This power struggle was violent and cruel, and was known as the First Great War, and resulted in the formation of Five Core Nations that stood above all the others.
At the center of these five nations was Acaron, who worshipped the Earth Spirit Alkalis and dedicated their lives to the study of the ancient magic wielded by the first Great Beings. To the south, nestled where the land grows cold and the springs are short but lovely was Egalia, an icy land of great beauty. Here, the people followed the teachings of Egalora the Water Dragon, and mastered the ways of alchemy and potions. To the far east, guarded by a barrier wall of volcanic plains and rigid mountains was Baeun, the home of fire and jewels. The protector of Baeun was the Shaman Spirit Beau, the greatest wielder of fire known to written history. In this nation, the medical arts of healing were unmatched and it was said the greatest medical witches and wizards of history were born to the rich soils of Baeun. Sitting in a land above the ground, the nation of Wynsor to the Northwest was concealed within the clouds. Wynsor’s beauty came from its position high in the sky, where powerful wind and air magic kept the flying capital afloat. It is believed that the essence of Willa the Wind Spirit’s power was buried deep within the core of Wynsor, thus enabling its magnificent feat of flight. In this nation, magic wielders incorporated magic into every aspect of technology and engineering, and was said to be the pinnacle of innovation. Lastly, to the north, hidden away on a lone continent off the shores of the Great Land lay Ideus, protected by the Bird of Lightning. Off it’s shores, a never ending storm protected the island from all invaders. The people of this land, in respect to the great knowledge the Lightning Bird possessed, dedicated their lives to the scholarly aspect of magic.
Each of these Great Nations coexisted in an unsteady peace. The desire for greater power was too much to ignore and war was sometimes inevitable, but after the Second Great War, whose catastrophes were abhorred by many, a greater, more sturdy peace linked the Great Nations through a conjoined Council of Magic. It was in this time that greater cohesion was formed between the Great Nations, allowing the lesser nations to flourish as well. Still, peace is as fleeting as a mortal's life, and the risk of darkness once again consuming the world is one that is too great to ignore.
It is here, at this point in mortal history, that we begin our tale.
The war has just ended, but it’s tragedies are everlasting. As of now, a small boy with silver hair, the color of starlight under a stormy night, weeps next to his father’s lifeless form. There is pain and heartache in the realization that this small child, still so new to this world, is left all alone to navigate its many horrors. He cries and cries and cries, because his father will never wake up, and he cries until he physically has no tears left to shed. Kakashi Hatake is alone, and the realization is as terrifying as it is saddening.