Five Imio

The Arafir spent the next few decades riven with strife. Their feats of engineering only created more lethal engines of death that were soon in ruins. Their medicine couldn't staunch the loss of life. The whole species was rotting from within.

At this time, there were five great Imio who were reckoned as the wisest, most just and most deadly of all Imio. Their pronouncements were rarely questioned or challenged because all could see that the judgments were fair and none could stand against them. They knew well the hearts of the Arafir and they despaired, for they were all the children of their god and they could never unite unless some tyranny greater than themselves threatened. Perhaps the Five Imio might become despots and crush the Arafir under an iron fist, but even if they were strong enough to put down all contenders, the corruption of power would soon turn them against each other. A better way had to be found.

Thus the Five Imio hatched a monstrous lie. They told the Arafir that one lone god had managed to survive the Silence. It was weak now, hiding somewhere in the world, but it was enslaving the minions of its former enemies and sending them after the Arafir, the one race it knew it could not subjugate. The attacks were sporadic at the moment but as the god regained its power it would soon move openly against them and without Khotia by their side, they could not hope to prevail.

The Five proposed a bold plan. The Arafir would split up into four large armies and each would head off in a different direction, searching the world for the hidden god. Each group would be accompanied by one of the Imio, who was not there as a "leader", but merely an "adviser". They would collect intelligence and direct the search. The fifth Imio would remain on the Enria plains to defend the homeland, co-ordinate the efforts of the armies, and provide logistics and support when and where they could.

A few border incidents were manufactured to convince the skeptical of the threat and soon the whole of Arafir society was united the Great Hunt. On the final day as the armies prepared to march away, the Five Imio stood together and clasped hands. Each knew that they would never see any of the others again. The Arafir would only survive in conflict. Each army would have to constantly find a new enemy to attack and conquer for without an external threat to unite them, the Arafir would collapse on themselves.

The horns blew, the armies parted, and a world was bathed in blood.