Hemera

Hemera, the Scorching Brightness

Hemera, the Scorching Brightness, is the Primordial associated with Light. It was he who came up with light itself, long before the Unconquered Sun was ever thought of. He was then, in the Primordial War, defeated by the Exalted, forced to swear an oath upon his name, as all the Yozis were, and mutilated horrifically by the death of his souls. Hemera appears in Malfeas as a field of endless ice by Kimbery's shore, that is blinding to look upon, yet just because he is associated with light does not mean that he is not as twisted, angered and filled with hatred as the other Yozis. Hemera particularly hates the Ebon Dragon, for trying to drown his light in shadow, and has plans for him after the more pressing matter of the Reclamation is done.

Personality

Hemera's hatred is cold as the ice that he is formed of, even while its blinding brightness produces heat. He possesses a cold hatred for the Incarnae, hating them with every fragment of his being, in a constant state of tranquil fury. He does not senselessly rage like Malfeas - instead, he constantly burns with a cold hatred, and is constantly thinking up ways to defeat them. Recently, he has decided to throw its weight behind the Reclamation, even while hating one of its chief architects, the Ebon Dragon. Hemera seeks revenge with cunning and intelligence, realising that the Reclamation is the plan most likely to finally work.

History

Hemera was originally known as Hyperion, Primordial of Light. In those days, he alone brought Light to Creation, and even though he had a bitter rivalry with the Ebon Dragon, they did not hate each other as they now do. He disliked the creation of the Unconquered Sun, and hated the idea that a being could supplant him as bringer of light to Creation. With his loss in the Primordial War, Hemera's hatred of the Incarnae has only increased, as they betrayed him. He now seeks to utterly destroy them, and it looks, with the Reclamation, that this goal is looking closer than ever.

Hemera and the Reclamation

Hemera loves the idea of the Reclamation. However, he is in two minds about its architects. For one, he hates the Ebon Dragon, for seeking to drown his light in darkness. However, he is proud of She Who Lives In Her Name, for striking a blow against the hated Incarnae as she was captured, even while not believing in her vision of perfect hierarchy. He also loathes Cecelyne, for forming the barrier between Malfeas and Creation. Adorjan he pities, for she is less than what she was. And Malfeas he both adores and loathes, serving him as King of the Yozis while loathing him for his senseless, mindless rage. It is currently unknown whether any Green Sun Princes or Akuma have learned his Charms.

Hemera's Souls

Light, Power, Glory

Progeny Count: 3:6:2

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• Helios, The Titan of Light, Third Circle Soul of Hemera

There is a tower, within Hemera, that is a vast golden pillar as tall as the Imperial Mountain, and upon the top of the pillar, which is Helios, lies a throne, which is Helios, and then a man upon that throne, who is Helios, the Titan of Light. Helios, The Titan of Light, is one of Hemera's Third Circle Souls, and his humanoid form is a figure as tall as the Imperial Manse, his eyes shining with blinding power. Once, he was a terrible opponent, in charge of bringing all forms of light to Creation, awesome and terrible in his glory, but then the Exalted cast him down, chaining him within Malfeas, and so, his glory greatly lessened, he seeks to have his revenge upon the Unconquered Sun that supplanted him.

• • Lucia, The Blinding Glory

Lucia, the Blinding Glory, is the Indulgent Soul of Helios, and takes form as a maiden with a face that is impossible to look upon, so bright is the light that pours forth from her eyes. She commands all sources of light, and can make them cease burning - however, she loathes doing so, for she hates darkness, and is loathe to venture into shadow, unless specifically commanded to do so by a sorcerer.

• • Astaroth, The Destroying Light

Astaroth, the Destroying Light, is the Expressive Soul of Helios, and his is the dominion over the light that scorches and blinds and burns. The light he emits is terrible, and focussed it is worse, able to set fires and blind eyes and burn exposed flesh. It as a cold sensation, the touching of his light on flesh, but that does not make it less terrible.

• Ultima, the Violet Star, Third Circle Soul of Hemera

Ultima, the Violet Star, is a star of violet light that shines halfway up the pillar that is Helios. His humanoid manifestation is that of a blond man with violet-glowing eyes, and a terrible glare, that fills all near him with knowledge of how infinitesimal a speck they are in the grander scheme of things. He can focus his glare, to turn it into a weapon that crushes the minds of his foes, for he does not fear anything, not even death.

• • Phaeton, The Star of the Morning

Phaeton, the Star of the Morning, once shone above the Omphalos in the early hours of the morning, a guide to travellers everywhere, until he was cast into Malfeas following the defeat of the Primordials. Phaeton represents the light that guides, and now uses his powers to trick and mislead, but can perform services for sorcerers if they please him, leading them to places or people they desire to find. He is the Defining Soul of Ultima.

• • Appolyon, The Star of Revelation

Appolyon, the Star of Revelation, represents the light of knowledge. He knows everything that is written down, and everything that at least two people know. His eyes contain everything known by two or more people, and it is terrible to look directly into them. However, many things elude him, including the secret of how to escape Malfeas, greatly frustrating and angering him. He is Ultima's Wisdom Soul.

• • • Helioi, The Burning Ones

The Helioi, the burning ones, are terrible creatures. Looking into their eyes, is like looking into an infinite whiteness, an endless field of blinding light that threatens to sear the soul away from the body. The wings that bear them aloft are tendrils of blazing, terrible light, which they may use to strike their enemies. Then, there are their blades, built of Malfean silver and blazing into fire as they strike. However, this is not the holy, cleansing fire of the Unconquered Sun, but horrid white demon-flame that continues burning until nothing is left of their victims.

• Aten, the Presence of Hemera, Fetich Soul of Hemera

The Aten, the Presence of Hemera, is his Fetich Soul, the heart of the Primordial. And thus, it is not a physical thing but an immaterial presence, a blinding whiteness that lurks on the edge of sight and takes human form when challenged to battle. Aten resembles a Southern man, with swarthy looks and wearing armour wrought seemingly of pure light, wielding a blade made of immaterial light - not that of the Unconquered Sun, but pure blinding glory and majesty, as inhuman as the Unconquered Sun's light is holy.

• • Horus, the Voice of the Aten

Horus, the Voice of the Aten, makes appearance whenever the Aten speaks, although he can still be summoned and bound by mortal sorcerers. He resembles a falcon-headed man, from the South, his eyes shining with incalculable light. He does not speak in his own respect, except when the Aten is speaking, in which case he says the exact same words, with the exact same intonation - he is the Voice of the Aten, and he usually fights with unnerving silence. He is the Aten's voice, and thus his Messenger Soul.

• • Shamash, the Power of the Aten

Shamash is the Power of the Aten, his strength and will, and thus is the Aten's Defining Soul. He is strong and stubborn, impossible to steer from his intended course as a result of the pride that defines him. He is the pride of the Aten, his strength of will and in battle. He is the sheer power and blinding brilliance of the Aten, and thus Hemera, and thus all light.

• • • Aquilae, The Heralds of the Aten

The Aquilae are the Aten's Heralds, spawned from his ichor. In their natural state they are eagles with plumage of brilliant silver, although they can take human forms, in which case their heads retain the shape of eagles'. They can focus the light that shines from their eyes into beams that sear and burn, terrible blasts of light that can swiftly slay mere mortals.