Chapter 22: Origin Soil.....

In a place far, far away, existed a lonely mountain range. This mountain range stood high above any other in existence, no mountain could ever claim to be an equal before it. It was the king, the master, the god among mountains, sovereign among all highlands.

It was so large that it overlooked galaxies and a greater part of the universe, its might alone could occupy a quarter of the current Universe.

It was an extremely vast expanse of rugged terrain. Peaks made of glass towered over the deep valleys that could hold thousands of planets and worlds in their ungodly folds.

Emerald pines the size of mortal mountains blanketed the entire landscape of this mighty mountain range, the emerald hues they gave off, contrasted beautifully with the pristine white that the tops of the range gave off. It was like a realm of dreams made come true.

And yet it was desolate. There was no sky above its peaks only the fluttering of the cold dark space. An unnumberable number of stars rotated around it like little children, filling the mountain range with adoration and majesty.

The stars felt lucky to be allowed close to this holy mountain, even though it had more a thousand suns that rotated around its axis, and an even more number of moons of all colors, sizes and forgotten meanings.

The light these celestial bodies produced was like a firefly straining to shine its light next to a star. Because in a mystical way the mountain range produced its own light from within.

Looking to be curved from the most precious of crystals glass and celestial gems, its beauty as an imaginable.

But even its beauty would pale in comparison to the sovereign that used its peaks as a mere footstool.

The heavenly sight above it could make any living being run mad from its sheer beauty, if they dared to perceive its light at any one moment.

Even just having an inkling about it could make one lose his sanity, and the only relief one would get as they were tormented by their foolishness for daring to overestimate itself was to only sing chants about its beauty till the day one died.

The victim would accept no form of sustenance in fear of tainting the image one had perceived. and one could not stop singing praises for even a moment long, for the fear of death would grip your soul, shackling it from receiving any form of respite. 

And so, this led to many fearing to even dare look at the magnificence that was the Aurora Australis.

It transformed the veil above the mountain range into a perpetual dance of colors and light. And like painting on a blank canvas, the colors weaved perpetually on the dark empty veil of space casting a wondrous sight that few dared to look at lest run the risk of losing your sanity.

Ribbons of celestial green that shined like emeralds, celestial purples that shined like amethyst, royal blues, golds, reds and pinks danced a cadence of mystery and awe, making the reality around the mountain to forever lose any meaning of beauty as this dance of celestial curtains took any form of beauty that the universe had to offer.

Some believed that this celestial being was the result of the Aether of Light and Solaris interweaving through the delicate and yet sturdy fabric of reality.

Others believed that it was an amalgamation of ancient enchantments, laws and Dao that governed the cosmos and the workings of the universe.

How true that was, no one truly knew. But they gave up trying so hard to understand its nature since many lost their meager lives and sanity, trying so much just to decipher it.

But what was true was the fact that, this phenomenon had caused the veil between worlds and other freighting realms to grow thin, but no one dared to find out how true this was.

Another truth about it was the fact that it was picture of splendor. The dark veil above the mountain tops was set ablaze with a kaleidoscope of colors, swirling and dancing in an intricate mix of light. Ribbons of emerald green intertwined with strands of sapphire blues while veins of crimson and amethyst claiming an almost total percentage of the veil for themselves, shimmered like celestial rivers flowing along the expanse. 

The Aurora Australis unfolded like a celestial tapestry of woven fabrics of lights, under its luminous embrace the mountain range that could occupy a whole quarter section of a universe was cast into a realm of enchantment where reality blurred with a realm of fantasy.

Expectedly those that could live under the glory of this monstrosity had to be blessed beyond mortal comprehension.... right?

But one could not just shake off the feeling of dread that would come at the back of their minds as they bathed under the luminance of these celestial curtains, a foreboding like no other, it seemed to conceal a darkness even greater than the light it gave off.

For it said that. where there is light, there is sure to be darkness, the greater the light the greater the darkness. Even the most enchanting sights can conceal dark and unfathomable secrets.

It seemed to reflect well on the land under its glory. The mountains were harsh and basically almost supported no life. It screamed a desolateness that no matter how beautiful the stars, suns and numerous moons that sought to worship it with their light, looked.

Many avoided this spectacle of nature, even when the allure of ancient secrets sought to drag you in, even when this mountain range could be seen from all corners of the universe.

The name of this mountain range was one whispered into the very beings of all that, were born under its light and shadow, a simple name it was, quite literally.

It was called Origin Soil.....

Origin Soil, a name that spread the intent of an unshakable existence, one that has seen the birth of countless worlds and the death of an equal number of them.

It has withstood the test of time, seen the rise and fall of many celestial bodies, and even greater number of powerful beings, it has witnessed the birth of as manty races as the soils on its being, it was a simple name, but it held more weight than its combined total. Truly a wonder of many. 

No planet, no world, no celestial bodies and no stars were allowed to stand higher than the peaks of this ungodly mountain range, and it seemed that nature had allowed it to be so. 

But all this did not seem to concern a small depilated and yet steady cottage that had occupied one of the valley floors of this range. Using its body as a corner stone.

The cottage was built directly into the body of the mountain and only extended a little bit into the valley floor to reflect harmony between it and the life here. 

It a rustic sanctuary, its weathered facade blended seamlessly with the natural surroundings. Moss covered stones from the foundation entrenched in the valley floor against the mighty body of the mountain, while a thatched roof, adorned with wildflowers of so many kinds that it seemed like they had formed their own ecosystem, crowning the building like a verdant crown.

Tall, slender emerald trees stood guard around the cottage, their leafy branches swayed in the gentle gale that seemed to blow all year round, casting shadows upon the mossy ground. The air was rich with the earthly scent of pine needles and damp soil.

In fact, the whole mountain range as big and magnificent as it was emitted a very rich but mild earthy scent that permeated everywhere. This earthy scent mingled with pollen of the wildflowers that bloomed around the cottage clearing.

A winding path led to the cottage, bearing the not so merciful marks of time and weather, adding to the timely feel exuded by the establishment.

Its windows were framed by winding vines that sought to cover the whole structure. Inside, the cottage exuded warmth and comfort with rough looking wooden beams overhead. Sturdy furniture was strewn throughout the entire structure, with bookshelves being the concentration of the furniture. They were so massive that they occupied the whole cottage leaving little room for living purposes.

In fact, the interior of the cottage was way larger than what it looked from the outside. It seemed that the cottage outside was only the tip of the whole thing, for it extended deep into the mountain, but even then, with a mountain as large as this, this little space seemed so inconsequential to it. 

Origin Soil was really something for the wonders. The cottage could be considered to be one of the largest libraries to have ever existed, for every book seemed to be here, but it was nothing special considering the mountain range's size.

But again, few knew of this and why would they care about unnecessary things. Their lives could not get any more comfortable than they already were. If it was not a matter of extending lifespan then, barely would anyone bother to reach the higher levels of power at all.

But the concerns of the mundane had nothing to with the only two beings in the cottage. For them life could not get any more sensual...