Peace, with eyes as clear as the blue sky, soars above the heavens, carrying storms and sheltering her young within her powerful talons. A glow in her gaze, born of drinking from the river of life, lights the paths she treads in the dark. Even when the world is shrouded in shadow, her steadfast eyes guide her way.
Born of the creatures of the world, among the terrifying creatures of the night and the creatures of the day, peace is an incomparable creature of knowledge, she scours the world and knows all that live in it. Her beauty reflects her purpose—to protect and nurture.
The lower valley filled with horror and endless chaos, where the creatures of the night hunt and devour the creatures of the day in their sleep, restlessness had become a dreadful burden in the lower valley, so she fled to the solitude of the upper valley, seeking silence, and there, in the wild woods, she found strength,
Her sharp beak slices through the thick grass, her claws pull at stubborn roots, and with branches torn from the tallest trees, she builds her nest low among the strongholds of the forest. Fearlessly, she flies into the unknown, her wide wings cutting barriers asunder, trees parting in submission to her power.
Under her expansive wings, her young are shielded from cold rains. When she descends, the earth trembles—the sand and grass bowing in reverence. Her feathers, as pure as untouched snow, shine like a beacon, leading her brood back to safety.
This creature, this embodiment of peace, reigns over the skies of the woods. Yet, even here, she shares the valley with a predator: a white wolf, solitary and fierce, born of loss and hardened by survival. The wolf, like her, knows the wilderness intimately. And when the valley whispered the presence of a wanderer—a broken man lost in the shadows of an unfamiliar world—it was the wolf who summoned peace, calling her by name to guide the stranger.
A Wanderer's Descent
Once, the man had known a life of comfort. At night, he lay in warmth, serenaded by the rain's rhythm. The years were filled with splendour, his desires met, his dreams undisturbed—until fate turned, leaving him adrift. His life, once steady as a pillar of stone, began to fracture. To survive, he learned to ally with his troubles, forging strength from adversity.
When sorrow overwhelmed him, he sought refuge in isolation, retreating from the light of his once-familiar world into the uncharted wilderness of the lower valley. In his exile, he honoured the strangeness of the woods with humility, and the valley rewarded him when he needed it most.
The Depths of Despair
The valley was relentless, a crucible of trials. By day, the man scavenged for roots and water, his body weakened by hunger and his mind haunted by the weight of solitude. Nights brought storms that chilled him to the bone. Between jagged rocks, he huddled for warmth, his torn clothes offering little protection.
The valley's darkness seemed endless, its skies stubbornly withholding light. The storms would abate only to make way for denser fog, and the wanderer's sense of direction dissolved into confusion. Yet, even in his suffering, the valley denied him the release of death.
In his despair, he became one with the wilderness. The endless sound of water cascading from the upper valley and leaves dying as they fell to the ground echoed his inner turmoil. He pressed on, wounded and weary, his spirit battered but unbroken.
A Reluctant Survivor
The wanderer's body bore the scars of his journey: bruises from falls, cuts from the valley's sharp edges, and feet hardened from miles of relentless walking. Each misstep and injury taught him something new. Even when his bones broke, he found ways to heal, tearing strips from his tattered clothes to bind his wounds. He cried bitterly but never truly gave up.
When storms ravaged the valley, and cold rains soaked the earth, he fought to build fires with smooth stones. The flames flickered briefly before the wind extinguished them, leaving him in darkness once more. Yet, despite every failure, he tried again.
A Glimpse of Hope
One night, as he lay among the rocks, his mind filled with exhaustion and grief, he dreamed of light piercing the storm. Warmth brushed against his skin, and for a fleeting moment, peace settled over him. But when he awoke, reality returned, and the darkness reclaimed the sky.
Still, something within him had shifted. Strength surged in his limbs, and for the first time, he rose with renewed determination. The rains washed away his doubts, and the clouds above began to clear. As he stood at the edge of the upper valley, looking down into the fog below, he contemplated the unknown.
Tears fell freely as memories of pain resurfaced, yet those same tears reminded him of his resilience. Turning away from the edge, he summoned all his strength and resolved to find the city between the mountains—the one safe place he had left to hope for.
There was a time when the wanderer had just descended through the skies into the upper valley and his people had started preparing for settlement, before a dome was formed to protect the city from the wilderness, the wilderness engulfed the city and devoured the first descendants of his people while he fled towards the lower valley. It is the creatures of the night that brought an end to the first descendants.
Toward Redemption
The wanderer's path remained fraught with uncertainty, but he moved forward, each step a testament to his will to survive. The valley, once an insurmountable foe, now seemed to recognize his resolve. The light he longed for still lay beyond reach, but the journey toward it had begun.
In the face of darkness, he carried his burdens and scars as symbols of his endurance. Through the wilderness, he walked—broken, battered, yet unyielding—toward a future where peace might finally embrace him.
The Valley Below
The wanderer was thrown to the ground by a fierce, unnatural wind as he stepped away from the valley's edge. Crawling and battling against its strength, he collapsed, breathless, onto the cold ground, and shut his eyes, ready to surrender to death.
The wind covered his body with sand, burying him as air drained from his lungs. Yet, as he teetered on the edge of death, the wind strengthened, sweeping the sand away. Rain followed, washing him clean and bringing clarity. Slowly, the valley grew bright, forcing him to close his eyes against its radiance.
When night fell, he opened them again to the moonlight piercing the cleared air. The fog was gone, and the wind had stilled. With tears in his eyes, he gazed at the valley, watching lights rise like thousands of fireflies through the mist, ascending to the heavens and joining the stars. Entranced, he wandered along the edge until a distant ray of light appeared between the mountains from the city they had began to build. The wanderer was lost in this wilderness for seven years when he saw the light between the mountains.
Drawn to its glow, he walked toward it until he reached the towering mountains that cradled the light. The sight gave him hope, and with tears of resolve, he decided to venture through the mountains come daylight.
He gathered scattered wood and started a fire for warmth. Exhausted, he fell asleep for three days, awakening to the sound of water rushing from the mountains.
The flood surged toward him like a relentless beast, uprooting trees and scattering boulders. He ran, but the water caught him, sweeping him over the valley's edge. Bruised and battered, he plunged into the depths below, unconscious in the flood's grasp.
When he awoke, he was on a shore, his waist torn by a deep wound. Bleeding and shivering, he took in the valley, which seemed like another world—a place of towering trees, jagged rocks, and a cave behind cascading water.
After binding his wound with cloth, he explored. The dense forest was eerily silent, its roots like ropes and trees impossibly thick. Seeking shelter, he started a fire in the cave and dried his wounds.
Strange sounds stirred him awake. Thirsty and hungry, he drank from the waterfall and ventured into the forest. There, he encountered a giant bird with immense wings. It moved through the forest, pursued by a massive wolf, its white fur matted, and its limbs stuck in mud.
The bird perched on a high tree, watching as the wanderer approached the trapped predator. Fearful, he worked to free the wolf, crafting a makeshift rope from forest grass. With determination, he lashed it to a tree and looped it around the wolf's neck. Despite his efforts, the wolf remained stuck.
Suddenly, the bird descended, its wings creating a whirlwind that lifted leaves and dust. With its powerful beak and talons, it pulled the wolf free. Both creatures vanished into the forest, leaving the wanderer in awe.
The Lifeless River
Venturing deeper, he discovered a glowing river that illuminated the dark forest. He dipped his hands into its waters, only to feel searing pain before noticing his wounds heal miraculously. Immersing himself, he drank and felt his strength return.
The river was peculiar—its creatures grew enormous when removed from the water. He cooked one of the creatures that looked like fish over a fire and ate, regaining his energy. But at daylight, the river dimmed, becoming lifeless and draining vitality from all it touched.
In time, he built a shelter in a clearing with scattered trees and abundant fruit. He thrived there, returning to the river only at night when its waters glowed and healed.
Predators of the Valley
One day, he observed creatures crossing a distant river, scattering prey into the forest. The valley's balance was clear—fearless and fierce creatures existed in fragile harmony. But when the creatures roamed near his shelter, danger struck.
At dawn, three dark wolves attacked him but before they could reach him, the white wolf he had saved intervened, fighting fiercely to protect him. The battle was brutal; the white wolf was injured but managed to kill two of the attackers. The third pursued the wanderer to the glowing river.
Hiding in the grass, the wanderer watched as the white wolf arrived, battling the last predator. They fell into the lifeless river, where the dark wolf perished. The white wolf, weakened, lay by the riverbank, waiting for night to heal.
The wanderer, still fearful, tended to the wolf at nightfall. Both regained strength in the river's waters.
A Journey Back
The wanderer's bond with the white wolf deepened. Together, they traversed the valley, reaching the waterfall that marked the upper valley's edge. The wanderer crafted tools to ascend, felling trees to build a ladder.
As he climbed, he glimpsed the vast lower valley below, a breathtaking sight of boundless wilderness. But the rising waters of the waterfall made his ascent perilous. Just as he lost his grip, the giant bird appeared, catching him in mid-air and carrying him to safety.
She flew him to the upper valley, leaving him on solid ground. From there, he looked back toward the lower valley, tears streaming as he heard the white wolf howl in farewell.
The bird bowed her head, allowing him to climb on. Together, they soared over the upper valley, where he witnessed the rivers, mountains, and uncharted lands stretching endlessly ahead.
Novak
He gazed ahead, his eyes drawn to a luminous dome of light nestled between towering mountains. The bird flew steadily, carrying him toward what appeared to be a hidden city.
The brilliance of the sight was almost overwhelming—a beacon of mystery and beauty in a world that had brought him so much hardship. Tears welled in his eyes as he marvelled at the valley's wonder, unable to reconcile its beauty with the trials it had inflicted upon him.
Below, his people, newly descended into the city, stood astonished. They gawked at the sight of the immense bird soaring above their heads. As it descended gracefully, the crowd retreated in fear, watching as the bird bowed its head at the city gates, allowing the wanderer to climb down. Standing before the gates, bathed in the ethereal light, he seemed otherworldly.
The people hesitated, afraid to open the gates. His transformation was unmistakable. Once an ordinary man, he now stood taller and stronger, his form changed by the food and water of the lower valley.
His face, obscured by wild, unkempt hair, made him unrecognizable to them. When the gates finally opened, they parted in awe, clearing his path as he entered the grand city of precious stones and glass.
Among the crowd, a woman clutched her young daughter tightly. She was Jaeda, his wife from a life he no longer remembered. She called out to him, her voice trembling with hope and heartbreak. But the wanderer, robbed of his memories by the dark valley, did not recognize her or their child. Startled, he fled deeper into the city, running until he reached its edge. Beyond lay a smaller city, separated by a river and open land. At dusk, under the pale glow of the upper valley's moon, he crossed the river and entered the smaller city, a place of unparalleled splendour.
Exhausted, he found refuge in the castle's lowest floor and slept. three days later, he awoke at dark and climbed to the highest tower, where he discovered a chamber of glass. Through its windows, he could see the brilliance of the larger city's lights on one side and, on the other, a dense forest and open land resembling the lower valley. Curious, he descended and ventured into the forest, marvelling at its vegetation and smaller creatures. Though like the lower valley, this land lacked its ominous edge, and its tranquillity both comforted and unnerved him.
During his wanderings, the city slowly began to change. Winds and rain swept away the dust, revealing its former glory. The wanderer roamed its streets in isolation, cleaning and restoring what he could.
One night, he discovered a massive throne room in the castle, its centrepiece concealed under a thick cloth. Pulling the cloth away, he revealed the throne and sat upon it. As he did, a radiant beam of light shot skyward, illuminating the entire city. The sudden brilliance stirred something deep within him. Memories long buried came flooding back—his life before the descent, his people, and his purpose. Overwhelmed, he wept on the throne until exhaustion claimed him.
At dawn, he awoke to find a familiar figure outside the castle—a giant white wolf. The wolf growled softly; its piercing eyes locked with his. Recognizing it as the creature he had saved in the lower valley, the wanderer approached and placed a hand gently on its snout. The wolf bowed its head, and the wanderer climbed onto its back. Together, they rode to the river separating the two cities.
The people were awestruck and fearful as the wanderer dismounted. They bowed in reverence, sensing he was no ordinary man. He called out for Jaeda, his voice echoing across the crowd. Tears streamed down her face as she recognized him. Clutching her daughter's hand, she ran to him, and he embraced them both. It was the first time he met his daughter, born after his descent into the dark world. The loneliness that had gripped him for so long finally began to fade.
In time, the people crossed the river to join the wanderer in the smaller city, where he became their king. Together, they rebuilt their lives. Under his guidance, they explored the new world, discovering its resources and unlocking its mysteries. The minerals of the valley sparked advancements in technology, and the cities flourished under the king's rule.
During the day, the wanderer would take his family to the open land behind the small city. There, he would meet his wolf and tell his daughter stories of his time in the dark valley.