Adasion

Large warm glowing spaces lit up the planet of Adasion. Gasps and cheers echoed. Crowds of elves flowed out into the streets shouting and crying that finally their planet would begin its cycle of birth. The Welcoming had begun.

It had been twenty years since the last descents. It had skipped the decade tradition the last expected Welcoming. With the long war came years of death. Afterwards, there were no high level births. Too much mana had been used during the Great War and not enough of the planet’s energy could gather for naught but the most basic eggs.

A period of drought both spiritual and magical etched the planet citizens’ minds. This Welcoming was a blessing as there had been none during the War. It was as though the planet knew that violence was not the time to bring new life. All waited with much hope.

As the glowing spots around the planet settled, the Adasions could see the crystalline pods holding humans. Mostly women. One apiece. Frozen in time, but alive.

Oynoiz raced through the Gongre forests. A glow appeared not far from the borderlands of the Gongre Confederacy and the nation of Lysara. This was unusual. Why would a pod appear where there was no population? The site where it landed was nothing but a ruin from the war. They were tempted to not report it. They didn’t want to give it to the Dominion of Asa.

A voice sounded in their ear. “We got reports that a pod appeared on the borderlands. Since you’re the closest agent there, go find it and tag it.”

“I am already on my way,” Oynoiz said.

Quickly running through the forest detritus, they dodged large trunks and leapt over shrubs. They slid over a large mossy bank before crouching.

A soft, steady glow was surrounded by collapsed buildings overtaken by vines and weeds.

The pod was darker than most they’d seen.

Oynoiz was 100 meters away, but like most Adasions, Oynoiz had sharp eyesight and hearing.

Their shoulder length long black hair was pulled in a half ponytail. Their all-onyx outfit of tight pants and shirt melded them into the shadows.

The figure inside the amber pod was a woman, but she appeared older than most human arrivals. Usually the pods were a bright gold, the women inside in their young 20s. A thought came to mind: was she destined to have come here last decade? There was an unusual 20 years in between the last wave of human immigrants. The whole situation was strange. Why didn’t she arrive at the places with large populations like the other women? Why in such a remote place? Something didn’t seem right.

But before Oynoiz could approach closer, voices from the opposite side of the clearing revealed Asan dialects.

With one hand Oynoiz slowly slid his dagger. With another they lightly held their communication crystal to his lips.

“Headquarters, this is Oynoiz. I have found the pod. But we have company. Asa Dominion reached her first.”

“Damn it!” came the reply.

“Please advise? Should I defeat them and capture the pod?”

“…Negative. We must follow the treaty unless we risk another war.”

The Gongre Confederacy reeked of poverty, ruins, and weakness. They hadn’t recovered. One of the terms of surrender was to give up the nations’ claim to any pods during the next half century. None of the nations could have imagined the mana drought.

Both they and Lysara suffered defeats against the Asa Dominion. For Lysara, it was on the high seas. But with their keen business sense, the port cities thrived once again. Gongre was not so fortunate as most of their battles had been on land. They both were punished with tribute: monetarily, in food, and through the surrender of the pods.

They needed these humans, they were vital. Without them, they had a difficult and long road to recovery.

The pods were the key for stronger mana, more powerful Adasions to be born, and access to wisdom from another planet. Who had them had the continent’s power.

With reluctance, Oynoiz slid their dagger back. They waited and watched.

More Asa gathered.

They tied her pod onto the back of a ruddy beast.

The soldiers led her out of the forest and east towards the High Hall of Asa.