The Fleeing

All that remains of the time before time are stories. 'The Great Fleeing'. Before our current history, there existed a great empire. Nothing is known about this time today, except that at the end of a long rule, something forced a rapid change.

Most people perished, as far as the chronicles suggest, but a few managed to escape to hidden corners of Hermertia, and a larger exodus arrived on the shores of Mercury Isle, marking the First Era.

It is presumed that the fleets fleeing from the time before time, having travelled for generations without a homeland, had been scrupulous in their efforts at erasing any historical link to their past. Ironically, the strongest available sources seem to come from the oral traditions of Elenya.

A passage from the Chronicles of Isilioth, passed down from generation to generation to the Lord of the Plains:

Then darkness descended on the world. There were rumours the neighboring kingdom was in turmoil, which was not uncommon during these troubling times. But the cause of this particular crisis was not even known to Tiberius, as this neighbour had a long history of peace. But the strife soon reached their borders, and evil so powerful, that the border city of Tirion has said to be risen from the ground, and explode into billions of pieces, flying as far as within eye sight of the capital, a thousand miles away. The mighty forests were set alight, mountains imploded on themselves, the deserts were turned to glass, and the oceans churned into boiling pots. All defences and cities fell, left into nothing but crushed pieces. Tiberius knew his people were doomed, and ordered the evacuation of Mithold Orthond, using his navy, consisting of forty five hundred ships. Even as the evil reached the city, he continued to save his people and history. He had the grand library emptied onto galleons, so that his people would always know where they came from. As the King's mighty ship left the harbour, the last of the city was collapsing. Escaping with the king was Imperial Princess, heir-presumptive of the mysterious pre-time Empire to the south. Just as he turned to say fare well, the watch tower of the sea shattered, and fell upon the fleet. Two hundred ships were lost, including the library convoy, the king, and the heir-presumptive. The king was survived by his three sons, and two daughters, and the Queen Tatiana. Feeling defeated, having lost their leadership and history, the fleet left to the east, for a new homeland to begin anew. Onward, towards Elenya.