Summers Crest - A Novel

We lay our King to peaceful rest
Ore the hills of Summers Crest
From the Saga "Bendersfel"
The Worshippers - Age Thirteen Era Two

Age One Era Twelve. This was the time of the great separation. Three of the four known tribes were sent into the land of Breda. There they were each to establish their kingdom. They went west traveling days across the land bridge from Callarea to Breda entering into the valley of Darnsmenth. This was a vast valley; one could only cross it by traveling for many weeks. There were three roads; one to the North, one to the West and one to the South. The roads were protected until the time the separation was completed, and then the roads could be traveled no more. The valley was protected by the magic, spells and creatures of the Earenanth. They controlled the valley. They exiled the tribes. Once the separation was complete there would be no way to return to the land of Callarea. Each tribe was given that portion of the vast country according to their customs and ways.
The Ffarones traveled south into the fertile lands and marsh lands. This area was also accessible to the sea, as these people were fisherman as well as planters. They named their land Moshen meaning New Garden.
The Gorsheens went west into the arid desert and semi desert land. The sea was blocked from them to the far west by cliffs which rose into the mountains running north. This tribe lived under ground and their secrets of survival were known by none. They named their land Somi meaning Darkness.
The third tribe traveled north into the hills and mountains. These were mountain people of the old world and were named Elowens. Their language was different from that of the Ffarones, Gorsheens and the Earenanth tribes. It had a special quality about it. Their language was spoken clear and precise. This tribe named their land:

Summers Crest

Chapter One

One hundred and fifty seven years had passed since the great separation. The three kingdoms had survived and flourished. In that time, contact between them was only during the assembly. This took place once every era, or year in our time, in the valley of Darnsmenth. A small council representing each tribe would travel to the valley to meet with the Earenanth leader. At this time they presented the Earenanth with treasures from their land. Each tribe also gave up two of its male members to be servants to the Earenanth.
Warriors of the Earenanth lived and patrolled the boundaries of the three lands and their needs were provided for by the tribes. There were occasions when members of tribes were killed when venturing too close to the boundaries. As eras passed, the tolerance of the Elowens waned. It had become clear to King Bendersfel, after the last assembly that the time had come to align the three tribes. To do so would bring the wrath of Earenanth upon them all. At the assembly, Doogarth, the Earenanth leader, took the men from each tribe who were to be servants and staked them out in the valley of Darnsmenth. The winged dragons descended on them and tore them from their posts. What was left of them was eaten by the packs of Dareths, a four legged creature as big as a horse but with razor sharp teeth. Its sides covered in layers of hard skin like armor plates. The tribes were told that ten servants would be required from each tribe in the future and all would be killed. The treasures brought to the council would also be increased.
The stories, past down thru the ages, told of a vast land and of a great and powerful people in the land of Callarea. The reason for the separation was now lost in time. Stories were told of a war brought on by the Earenanth who were from a land far to the south across the sea. They came to Callarea by ships. Thousands of ships landed along the coast. There were no defenses. The three tribes were not of a warring nature. As all history showed, they lived peacefully with each other.
The Earenanth conquered and separated the tribes after one year. The cities were taken over. With them, the Earenanth brought technologies the others had never seen. As a race of people they were large in stature, grotesque in appearance, and barbaric in their treatment of others.