Now the ages had turned, and the Children’s powers were becoming quite great indeed. The world of Elcriss was thriving, and the creatures that lived their lives there did so in harmony and happiness and peace.

By this time, Zion and Zora had created spheres that contained their great powers of Light and Shadow, and Vega showed them how to place the fiery golden orb Sol and the softly glowing Lamp of the Shadows, Na’Lune, in the heavens as she had the stars so many eons before. These orbs were set in motion in the heavens and brought the Day and the Night to the realms of Elcriss, and the Children of AOZ named their rotation The Great Cycle. So it was that the passage of Time, which had forever been moving forward, could begin to be measured.

One day, as the Children were resting from their labors in the Gardens of Heaven and looking fondly upon what had been created, Gelu came down from his lofty seat and said to them,”Behold, now the time has come for the greatest part of the Plan to be made known to all.” In his golden eyes the power of Truth flashed, and in the hearts and minds of the Children a great secret was revealed. Excitedly, the gods and goddesses watched as Vega sent several of the stars in the Heavens hurtling toward the earth. Since the Dawn of Time the stars have held a spark of the essence of the Creator within them, and as these struck the realms in fiery flashes of light a remarkable thing occurred.

Out of the stardust came beings that resembled the gods and goddesses on a small scale!

Into the mountains, a star fell. Out of the light and rocks came a race of small, sturdy people with exaggerated features and sparkling eyes. These people are known as Terrans, and they are beloved of Tera.

Into the desert, a star fell. Out of the light and fire came a race of fierce reptilian people with heavy, shimmering bright scales, hooked claws, and sharp teeth. These people are known as the Drakkhan, and they are beloved of Vesu.

Into the sea, a star fell. Out of the light and water came a race of amphibious people with webbed hands and feet, gills, and smooth, lightly scaled skin. These people are known as the Mordkin, and they are beloved of Auge.

Into a canyon, a star fell. Out of the light and air came a race of winged, feathered people with the heads of fierce birds. These people are known as the Elgru, and they are beloved of Aeon.

Into the forest, a star fell. Out of the light and the trees rose a race of lithe, beautiful people with silvery hair and luminous eyes. These people are known as the Sylvaan, and they are beloved of Orza.

Into a volcano, a star fell. Out of the light and lava came a race of powerful creatures with serpentine lower bodies and muscular torsos, with grim faces and hard black armor imbedded in their dark skin. These people are known as the Val’Zeru, and they are beloved of Xorl.

Onto a glacier, a star fell. Out of the light and ice rose a race of lupine people with silvery fur and piercing ice blue eyes. These people are known as Wolfen, and they are beloved of Shia.

Into the clouds, a star fell. Out of the light and thunder came a race of powerful giants with flashing eyes and rumbling voices. These people are known as the Gargans, and they are beloved of Mesu.

Into the sky, a star fell. Out of the light and energy came a race of tiny winged people that glow with magical power. These people are known as Fey, and they are beloved of Vega.

Into the shadows, a star fell. Out of the light and darkness came a race of people that all looked very different from one another, with the features of both people and animals. These people are known as Changelings, and they are beloved of Zora.

Onto the plains, a star fell. Out of the light and dust came a race of tall, strong people with a look of fierce determination on their faces. These people are known as Men, and they are beloved of Zion.

Into the Heavens, a star fell. Out of the light and power came a race of winged figures that possess unearthly grace and voices that sound like beautiful music. These people are known as Arkon, and they are beloved of Gelu.