It is oft accepted that even the gods themselves are not immune to true love’s embrace. These stories of love and of the legendary children of the gods persist throughout generations of tales in the mortal realms. None are more famous than the love between the God of Balance and the Goddess of the Sun.
Though none know how or why, Garm came to love Aurora and she in turn loved him. Their love was so great that the two had a daughter called Dalindanna. An immortal woman with hair of spun gold with a touch of flame, she sought the righteous path of her mother but tempered with the wisdom of her father. Her skill with a great sword was unmatched and her love and kind words could melt any heart. Dalindanna lived among her mother’s chosen people for many years. She eventually took a human lover and bore him a son who’s own radiance shone like the dawn.
Beloved of her people, Dalindanna attracted her own followers and with them continued to do Aurora’s work in the mortal land. Stories of old Auroran lore called these first followers of Dalindanna the first Hunters. Other tales call them the first angels, for with Dalindanna’s blessings they achieved feats no mortals could do.
There came a day when Dalindanna stood with her lover and her son. She also stood with her son’s wife Fiona, her other lover Matthew and with a few mortals of exceptional faith and love. She spoke to them of a great task. The avatar of Dionin, the immortal creature known as The Champion also a child of gods, had gone too far in his torment of the mortals. The Champion had also loved Dalindanna, and when she rejected him, he turned his fury on those who were defenseless. Dalindanna called upon each of her followers by name and bestowed upon them a token of her love. For where they were going, there may not be a return and she would lay down her life to end this threat. Matthew was despondent. He would not bear witness to Dalindanna’s suicide mission for he loved her truly and could not bear to think of her dead. He turned his back on his comrades and then left.
Dalindanna then spoke to those remaining. Whatever happened to her, they must attack the stronghold of The Champion and break his ties to the mortal land. The mission must succeed. It was then that The Champion attacked and dragged Dalindanna through a portal to Hell. She called out to her followers to leave her an continue with their goal. Enraged at the loss of their leader, Dalindanna’s followers broke their oath and jumped through the portal to Hell after her…all save one. Fiona shouted at her husband. She shouted at her father-in-law. She shouted at all of those who ran for the portal to stop and remember the task Dalindanna gave to them. It was to no avail. Fiona watched every last one turn their back on her only to later return from the portal changed and twisted. These fallen angels became the first demons.
Fiona told what had happened to Matthew. She pleaded with him to come with her and complete Dalindanna’s mission, but he too turned his back on her. Fiona called after him. Alone and afraid, Fiona whispered that to deny Dalindanna’s last wish would bring nothing but regret and sorrow. Her words traveled after Matthew like a curse.
Matthew stormed the stronghold of The Champion. Single handedly, he pushed through the defenses until he came face to face with his adversary. Try has he might, The Champion could not force Dalindanna to love him. Blind with rage, Matthew took up his mace and with a mighty yell swung a crushing blow at The Champion…only to hit and kill Dalindanna by mistake. Kneeling beside her broken body, Matthew gave up on life and let darkness into his heart. Fiona’s curse came true and Matthew became known as the Demon of Corruption, a slave to The Champion.
The light of the immortal Dalindanna faded from the world of the mortals.
The gods could do nothing but watch. To do anything else would be a violation of the Rules.
Knowing her daughter lay dead, Aurora cried tears of grief. Those tears containing a bit of her essence fell to the mortal realm and crystalized. They become known as Tears of Aurora.
Garm shed no tears at the death of his daughter. He instead sent his sworn knights to collect her body and bring it to his realms. Garm carried the body of his daughter through his domain to the Crossroads. With fury and rage, he commanded Hephaestus to give her a new purpose. Under Garm’s order, the smith forged Dalindanna’s body into that of a longsword. Taking the sword in his hands, Garm bestowed on it his blessing. Should the wielder choose to invoke it, those struck by the sword would forgo Judgment and be obliterated.
Thus was the Sword of the Crossroads made.
It would be many years before mortals traveled to Garm’s domain, takinge the sword out into the world. It would be almost a generation after that before Dalindanna would live again as an immortal, but those are stories for another day.
