Once the wisest and most powerful Verge, Malthus was the high priest and leader of his kind for decades, a post he resigned for the greater good. His obsession with the origins of Myridian sent him on a journey of isolation from which he was forced to return due to the events of his time. He had spent years traveling, researching and gathering all information he could find about the Book of Ages, Myrandium. It was said to be the oldest book ever written, in archaic runic, and contained the secrets to Myridian’s origins, much prior to the first Merids we had notice of. He had been able to put together enough information as to have a clue of what to do to help.

There was a spell that could be performed in order to create heroes to fight the battles they couldn’t. It was not simple or easy, and the toll could be high, but it was the only way. The Verge’ ability to create was limited to what they could envision. And they were not creative people. So somebody else would have to take that part of the job. The painters from Craftsmir were the chosen ones. A soul was also required. Should it be worthy, it would not only be saved, but also become one with the flow of Starun energy around the planet. Were it not, it would be broken and doomed to eternity as a wandering shade.

I was the first volunteer to become the first of my generation. The king of Mithaurian back then. I would stand the trials. Emmarin, a blind painter was brought before me. His physical eyes were taken but he could see energy with the eyes of his soul. The first trial was inspiration. My aura would have to inspire him to paint the portrait of the better version of me. An ideal lion warrior. His paints and canvas were enchanted with Starun so they would never fade. The very portrait you used to summon me here was produced that day. Then Malthus conducted the following procedures…

The second trial was that of the spirit. A soul or a mind would not withstand the transformations of the body of the first. It would be crushed by the pain, anguish and fear, so it would have to be removed from the shell. It would take the power of seven Verge, each depleting a Crystal Rune, to detach the soul from the body, and keep it contained throughout the ritual. If we were to think of good and bad, from the perspective of the people of the surface, Starun’s energy is the good one. If the nature of the soul encapsulated by it is of a similar nature, they will merge and become one. That soul will imprint its register into the Starun flow all over the planet. What you have summoned is the exact version of me back then. All my knowledge and all my will, added to all each of me has learned as we walked the land as heroes. From this portrait you can summon as many of me as you like, provided you have the necessary amount of Starun and will. I can not recall my time within the Starun energy though. It is as if I was merely dormant.

The third trial is that of the body. While the soul is out, it takes another seven Verge, each depleting a Crystal Rune to morph the original body into what they read from the painting with all the power they can drain and deliver. There is a limit to what the body can resist, no matter how much Starun you imbue it with. If you demand more than it can take, it will collapse. If you do not ask enough of it, the unused energy and radiation might tear it apart.

Only by completing those steps the soul can finally be merged with the body, which will take the last seven Verge, and seven more Crystal Runes. Once the process is complete, the twenty-one Verge involved are completely drained. They need weeks, perhaps months of rest before they can perform the ritual again. But at least, a hero shall rise. Stronger and Mightier than any other. One of its kind. Along with its portrait it becomes the source. It needs to be fed with Starun in order to remain in the material world. If by any chance its reserve of energy drops to a minimum, it will use the last of it to deconstruct itself and merge with the Starun energetic flux, from where he can be summoned again by the same ritual you used to bring me here.

Malthus was the only Verge strong enough to stand and conduct every step of the ritual. He was the conveyor of all the energy involved, and it seems his descendant is up to the role now.