As we descended in some kind of a rock bubble, the rock elemental released his grip on my shoulder and then slowly spoke, “What has happened to you, my brother. I did not know how to respond the events of the recent past were blurred and painful to recall. Suddenly I did recall one thing, it was looking at the messenger of the Gods and thinking of how prideful he was and that Biblical passage, “Pride goeth before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.” I thought about that for a while, maybe my subconscious was once again telling me something.

It came slowly the feeling of anger until it suddenly broke upon me like an ocean wave on the rocky shore. Pride, was it my downfall? Not a fucking chance, and with that my head began to clear and the swirling emotions that had been overwhelming to me began to recede. With trembling hands I reached into my bag and pulled out the makings of a smoke. Working slowly I rolled one, it's a little more difficult when you can’t see what you are doing, and then lit up.

Taking a drag I held the smoke in for a minute and then exhaled. As I worked my way through both the smoke and my thoughts I began to achieve a sense of balance. Not inner peace, that was for the people who sold candles at airports. I did not want peace; I was hungry for recompense, and was done with the partiality of the game. I know longer cared at the fact that the Jackass had arranged for the game to be changed in such a way that benefited him. That would be addressed I promised myself.

Even my capture and subsequent torture no longer burned like a fire within my breast, I was filled with anger at the injustice of it but not overwhelmed. I would be returning to the city, and when I did come back, action long overdue by the Game masters would be taken. The Gm’s were supposed to insure that this kind of thing did not occur. The lack of a response spoke of a problem that probably extended beyond the game and into the real world.

Time passed with my thoughts becoming stronger and my will beginning return. The elemental turned and looked at me, and spoke, “I will tell you the tale of how the world was made and how the Gods came into being. The history of men and the other races and how it all began.” I nodded my head and thanked him then listened.

“In the beginning there was Gaiatoci, the earth mother who is the center and who provides for all. Being alone for millennia she became lonely for she is love and love is strong when shared. She brought forth the first of her children, the Dragons, those who were born of fire and shadows. Then she birthed the stone elementals out of here thoughts.

We were the first children of Gaiatoci and we lived on love and harmony with her and each other, little brother. As time passed she looked at us and loved us and wanted to share that with more, so the Gods were called forth by her word and she looked upon them and blessed them.

Over time more children came forth, living things of the water then the land. Then the dwarfs, and the elves and the other races were all called forth. Not given the eternal life as the eldest children were but given a divine spark of life within that would be freed upon death to return to the love of the earth mother. And finally man, the weakest and short lived of all the children of Gaiatoci.”

Here the rock being shook his head and sadness was heard in his next words. “They were children that Gaiatoci loved the as the last born, created to be with her forever, for they would not die in her presence.” “What happened?” I asked my thoughts wondering at the story. “The Gods,” sighed Laeki “The Gods happened.” I thought back to my world, where in the name of God many terrible things continued to happen, and nodded my head.

“The Gods over time became jealous of the love of mankind for Gaiatoci and slowly led her children away from her, first to the Roundland and then to the Topland. Once removed from Gaiatoci man began to change and the Gods each encouraged this. Not caring for love, or man or each other they only wanted to deprive anyone of what they did not have.” “This is what the Gods taught man and after leading man as far away from Gaiatoci as they could the Gods abandoned them alone on the Topland.”

“What happened,” I asked my voice quiet and soft. “Seeing the plight of mankind the Eldest among us the dragon of shadows, the firstborn left the comfort of his mother and ascended to the surface. Having heard the cries of her children and seeing them lost in their ways, Gaiatoci blessed him and gave him the ability to become as a man and walk among them. He guided them and taught them, restoring knowledge and love to the people who now had spread out among the Topland.

As he was doing this the Gods were also at work slowly moving all the races away from the Roundland and up to the Topland. “Why?” “Only the Gods know, we have long speculated that pride entered the hearts of the Gods, and that when they saw that Gaiatoci loved all of her children they were moved by bitterness and jealousy. They desired to be first in her heart, not knowing or caring that her love is the same for all her children.

After tens of thousands of years, all the races now lived upon the Topland away from Gaiatoci and the Gods returned to her. Seeing only us the eldest of her children, the Gods believed that they would receive all her love. When Gaiatoci asked why they had taken her children away from her, they became bitter and angry.”

A mother’s heart does not stop loving any of her children she told them, but in pride and anger they then turned away from her, and left never to return. And now all the children of Gaiatoci now live on the Topland where she is not even a memory.”

What happened to the eldest, the dragon, the one that had left the presence Gaiatoci to help mankind.” “The other Gods returned to the surface and began to manifest themselves to all the races. They were determined to wipe the all knowledge of the round land and the Earthmother from all.”

“They began to demand worship and with acts of power and displays of might swayed mankind from following the eldest. Eventually they convinced man he was just a legend, a myth, the unknown God.” Once man was established in the new ways the Gods began to fight amongst themselves, until few remain.” They have become vain and jealous, and care not for man or each other, the darkness has begun to fill them.” “That is the story of our family little brother; now sleep for the journey is long and you must rest before we arrive at home.”