The Origins of the Aramors and of Hallowed Zenith

This story does not begin with "Once upon a Time…" for the main character knew not of Time as we do. He learned of Time through our lessons but could never truly perceive it.

I firstly speak to you of those known as Aramors. The Aramors were once long ago made by a Human hand, by Human talent, by Human inspiration. And they were constructed not as warriors or creatures or suits of armor. Their maker gave them life because the Aramors had their own will to exist even before existing. And by their maker, I speak of none other than Gabriel Wind`s faithful squire and life~long friend, the good King Willow, of whom I assume you've heard tales before. The Aramors indeed exist neither by the means of a Soul, as we understand the Soul or Core, neither by just Magic, or at least what we perceive by that concept as well. While being forged by the then very young Jack Willow, these suits of armor gained a Spark of their own, a more primal and rugged Spark that was unique in its own design. The Spark spread all throughout the suit of armor making every scale and every link exist.

Thus, the Aramors all came to exist, not one by one, not by a hundred but in just one heartbeat and one thought, through the Talent and Passion of the child Jack Willow. They silently built a home for themselves, in a place where they could aid all and bother none. And ever since that Era, there they wait to be given a reason for their existence. But this story of genesis was merely a prologue to a tale of just one Aramor, a tale of One sole Spark: the first Aramor that had not only existence, but thought and Passion of its own as well. This tale is about the `life` of the Aramor that would be known as Hallowed Zenith. Although the name might appear to be religious, Hallowed Zenith did not serve the purpose of deities. This Aramor gained his name instead by simply falling through the sky.

Zenith`s past and means of how and why he truly got to be `falling from the Sun` to the Realm will forever remain unknown.

It is said that an Aramor fell through the skies and crashed to the ground but what rose from that place was no longer an Aramor. The Aramor had died and something else had come to a new life and as it did so, the memories of his former existence shattered into pieces and faded away. The tale speaks of his `fortuned arrival` for, as he plummeted to the ground, he did not land just anywhere within the Realm. He instead crashed upon the tallest and highest point, the mountain Capitol of the island Golemus Golemicarum. Even more interesting of a fact is that his coming to the Realm had not only been foreseen by the great diviners of the mountain but was also greatly needed by all. As the Aramor falls to the ground, the story moves on to another forgotten character, Jillayan, a man who was not a wizard or sorcerer or warlock or healer or illusionist or witch. Jillayan had somewhat more profound professions. He was a necromancer and also an architect. Out of all his designs only one structure remains: the one that during his life served as his home, the Ivory Tower.

Jillayan, just like the rest of the island was told of the Aramor`s coming beforehand and he desired nothing more than to use its body and craft from it a Creation of his own, one that, in difference to all his other, would not be made out of life or death. And that is in fact, how Hallowed Zenith was born.

The Aramor crashed and shattered. Its Spark, in order to continue to exist, forcibly seeped out of the Aramor fragments and reunited itself into one essence. Immediately the fragments of lifeless armor began to dissipate and turn to magical ash. This was the moment the necromancer had waited for. Without hesitation, he seized the Spark and pushed it back into the decaying fragments. This action was no transformation, transmutation or necromantic ritual and, even though there was no law to dictate the success of the necromancer`s experiment, he succeeded. The ash along with the decaying fragments united around the Spark and slowly began to turn to flesh. And once the dead suit of armor became a Human body, its hollowness was filled by blood and bone. It is in this point in Time, that an Aramor was for the first time Destroyed, and in its place a Human was Created. Hallowed Zenith had gained a Human Soul and with it, the Human Spirit. He could think. He could feel. He could learn.

The necromancer wanted his `child` to become his apprentice over time but it was proved trial after trial that Zenith did not have the talents of necromancy. However, those who are now long dead remember him to their dying breaths not as a failed apprentice but as a hero. He was a wanderer at first, after being shunned by Jillayan. He came to live at the Paper Cabin and he told me of his odd and interesting background. Nobody knew what he had been and done before being Hallowed Zenith but they all knew what great deeds he performed during his Era. Many of those deeds are now forgotten but I still remember them all.

He had been the only one of that Era, and many Eras after, except the Three Kings of Kelle'tha to ride a Drachorn into battle while leading an army of Imperial Aramors into the First War against Necrovion.

His still inhuman appearance had allowed him to infiltrate DeathMarrow numerous times and he singlehandedly battled against dozens of Shades inside the Heart of Necrovion and then made it out back into the Realm, alive and sane. Nevertheless, Hallowed Zenith`s greatest achievement is to be the sole individual sentient being within the Realm to have ever received the Kiss of the Queen of Angiens. The ancient myths that dare relate to the Queen of Angiens or Her Royal Court spoke of Her ability to bestow a gift of Immortality through Her Kiss. And even though Zenith became immortal, he grew old like any other of us.

Thus, in the bitter end of this story, the only Aramor who came to learn of Time but could not see Time finally ended up being swallowed by it along with all his deeds. He never died, but became too old to live on. He returned to his first home where he sought a way to rejuvenate his body. He has not been known of for centuries. I chose to tell you the tale I kept a secret for so long, not as a betrayal of him, but as a lesson to you. This tale holds within it the secret of Passion. King Jack Willow knew this secret since childhood and used it innately and never aware of his power, Jillayan the necromancer learned this secret and practiced in order to Create one of the Realm`s greatest heroes and every Aramor feels this secret as it is in fact their Spark.

``Have all the greatest weapons, armor and items, have all the greatest and rarest creatures and rituals, have all the greatest and most powerful Magic Spells and Powers this Realm has ever known, but if you do not have the Passion to bind them to your Soul, all you will have will be ash and dust.``