The Division

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Talad and Laanx beseeched Vodùl to lure worshipers from other gods and to bring them to Yliakum. Vodùl agreed to their requests, but in exchange wished for Talad to become one of his servants and Laanx to become one of his consorts. Laanx and Talad accepted the exchange without question, because Vodùl was a kind master and a pleasant consort. They traveled to his great palace to reside there until Vodùl could achieve his promise. Vodùl informed the two gods that the task had begun, but it would take many centuries to realize.

Time passed and the years flowed by. Laanx and Talad learned from Vodùl's teaching, preparing themselves for the time ahead. One day, the two young gods awoke to find the palace empty. Vodùl had vanished and a strange feeling filled the air. Talad told Laanx to remain in the palace while he conducted a search, but was stopped by Vodùl's tremendous voice pounding in his mind. "STOP! Obey me once more. Go directly to the world you have created. Remain there and build your civilisation. Do not speak to, nor attempt to contact any beings outside your world. Forces are at work which you will not be prepared to face for centuries to come. Obey me and wait." The voice vanished as quickly as it came. Talad realised it was a magical echo, not the voice of Vodùl himself. Given little choice in the matter and thinking this to be a final test, Talad and Laanx left the palace to return to the cavern they had made.

A long time had yet to elapse before the promised people would reach Yliakum, and Talad began to grow impatient. Laanx, young and very pretty, had fascinated the ancient Vodùl and she had learned from him how the energy of the Crystal could be used to create life. She wanted to make Talad happy, for he was more restless and found the wait more unbearable than she did. To surprise and amaze him, she drew the incommensurable power of the azure crystal as much as she could and, in secret, mimicked the rituals Vodùl had taught her. Working carefully, she formed creatures in her image and gave life to them. The new people were good-looking and had a quiet behaviour like their creator. Having been given full self-awareness, intelligence, and understanding of language by Laanx, they called themselves 'Lemurs'.

When Talad discovered Laanx's creation, he was surprised and astonished. Even though he was happy for Laanx and proud of her achievement, he was also saddened. Laanx had her people and he did not, even though she insisted she had created the Lemurs for the both of them and they worshiped both gods as equals. After ten years of watching the Lemurs grow and thrive, Talad could take it no longer. Before a great gathering of Lemurs, he harnessed the power of the Crystal as Laanx had before, but going even farther than she had dared. She thought that Vodùl had also taught Talad the secret of the energy and let him work, trusting him and wanting to alleviate his sadness. But she was wrong. When Talad, imbued with the crystal's power, came close to her to create the first creature of his people, an uncontrolled tempest of chaos burst forth from the god's hands and hit Laanx full on her face, penetrating deeply into her body and forever disfiguring her. The scream of her pain deafened the gathered Lemurs for the rest of their lives. Despite the terrible accident, a new people were born from the rocks. Though they were simpler in mind than the Lemur, they were also given the same language skills and called themselves 'Kran'.

Laanx was no longer beautiful and fell down into a deep depression that shattered her heart like a mirror. After a time wandering aimlessly through Yliakum, she retired to wander in the Stone Labyrinths. Unknown to her, the deafened Lemurs left their kin in Yliakum to follow her. Mindless of Talad's pain in causing her harm, she denied her being, her femininity, her people, and drove away the harmony from her heart. In the darkness, the female Laanx of the past was erased, and the new male Laanx came into existence. He dressed himself in a thick red tunic and shaped a mask without features to hide his face. In his exile, he began creating the Book of Names, for even if he was confused and his mind distraught; he did not forget his desire to be worshiped by the people. Hence Laanx, the Masquerade God, wild and inflexible, began to brood over what happened.