The Realm of Laanx
Third Epoch: The Realm of Laanx
Laanx spent a very long time in the Stone Labyrinths trying to bring serenity back to his heart. Then Talad tried to approach him, trying to recognise in the red-dressed figure what remained of the beautiful goddess he had once known. But he saw nothing but an empty dress, and this disturbed him.
-There must be a remedy. Come back and we will be One again.-
Laanx spoke with a cold, male voice:
-You do not know what you did, Talad. It is no longer possible to be One. I do not know you, and you do not know me. Leave me and do not disturb me again.-
Many other times Laanx rejected Talad's entreaties to reconcile with him. Talad's insistence insulted Laanx, who wanted nothing more than to be left alone in his painful isolation. Laanx forgot the millenia of friendship with Talad and sought the loneliness even more deeply in the bowels of the Stone Labyrinths, heedless of the large number of Lemurs that followed him. The Lemurs continued in their fervent worshiping and offering gifts to him as they learned a harsher way of life. As time went on, they began to absorb Laanx's hatred of Talad into their own hearts.
Talad gave up any hope of reconciliation with his old friend and, now alone, he turned his thoughts to the Kran and Lemur left in the small towns they had begun creating together. Nearly three centuries after the Lemur had been created, he named one of the towns "Hydlaa", the name of the powerful ritual that Vodùl had revealed to Laanx and that led Talad to ignore prudence to satisfy his pride and impatience. He wished for a permanent reminder of his foolish mistake. Waiting for the day when the other peoples would come, he carefully forged the magical power of the Crystal into many shapes and set them to appear across the realm for the Lemur and Kran to find. He had created the first Glyphs. These magical symbols appeared seemingly at random on all forms of material, from rocks and tree bark to animal hides, and were suitable to be used by the mortals to practice the art of magic.
After two hundred harsh years, many short-lived generations of the Lemurs had passed in the inhospitable Stone Labyrinths. Laanx wandered into a cave that was hundreds of times larger than the one he created with Talad in the stalactite. With his godly vision, he spied a huge stalactite jutting down from the cavern roof and occupying one-third of the vault. Some say it was the conic block of rock that held what would become known as Yliakum.
Centered in the cavern, he saw a deep, life-filled lake which was continually filled by a thin rain of clear water from the tip of the stalactite. The lake shore was covered by a thick mat of brightly glowing moss growing in the fertile soil. The Lemurs believed that their god had led them to a new home. Their praises and thanks to Laanx echoed in the cavern and many sacrifices were made. In that moment, Laanx became aware of the presence of his followers and was stricken by their faith and ingenuity. His heart became a little softer, and he gave his people many powerful and useful things to brighten the cave and make the lake and its shores a good place to live. The Lemurs multiplied rapidly, built the ten towns of Kadaikos, and quickly became a prosperous and numerous nation.
For a period of about one hundred years, Laanx ruled Kadaikos harshly, giving the Lemurs inflexible laws and a strict hierarchy. After discovering the delight of ruling his people, the Masked God became greedy for more power. He remembered the promise made by Vodùl to send people to Yliakum. They were supposed to arrive in a few decades, and so he decided to take them all and lead them to Kadaikos so that they might worship him alone alongside the Lemurs. Thus, he journeyed back to the Stone Labyrinths near Yliakum to await the arrival of the first settlers. He did not tell the Lemurs of Kadaikos why he left, causing strife and a great debate among them. Some claimed that it was a sign and it was time to return to their home of legend. Others thought it was a test, and they should stay in Kadaikos. The debate escalated almost culminating in warfare, and caused the Lemurs to split, some leaving to search for Laanx, others staying in Kadaikos.
After the Lemurs left Kadaikos to find Laanx, a strange black fog began to follow them up through the Stone Labyrinths. An aura of fear surrounded the fog, eliminating any thought of returning to Kadaikos. They became lost in their haste to flee the unknown darkness and wandered the Stone Labyrinths for years. To this day, it is uncertain what became of the great cities. It is whispered that even the gods will not cross into the black fog.