The Spirits of the Double Caldera

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As all good chilcren know, the Empire lies upon the body of a sleeping Dragon.

Once upon a time, when the Empire was young and the Dragon slept more lightly, a Firebird saw the Empire and fell in love. The Dragon, loving her in return, wished her to join with the Empire.

So, he spoke to his friend the Sea, and the Sea gave of part of itself to make a home for the Firebird. The hot, red blood of the Dragon rose up through the cold, blue sea, joining Red and Blue and creating a nest for the Firebird. The secret, black deeps of the sea fountained up into the sparks and sun and sky, and the Black was fused with the White. Over it all lay the Green, covering the nest in a soft blanket for the Firebird.

Dragon was pleased, and the Firebird settled in her nest.

But Blue and Red and White and Black and Green now were together as none had been together before. They were joined, but lonely in their joining, as the nature of Each was incompatible with the nature of the Other.

Time passed, and the spirits argued amongst themselvs like men snowed in a too-small hut. Until one day, Evil Invaders came to the Firebird's nest.

The Evil Invaders turned the farmers off their lands and the people from their homes. They starved the children and beat the parents who dared to protest. And the Firebird wept to see her people treated so.

But, by chance, one farmer, and one inkeep, and one parent, and one child, and one pickpocket came together in hiding in a cave. And they were different in nature, yet united by circumstance. And they were five, as the Spirits were five. And they joined with the Spirits.

Now none was lonely, though still each could not agree with the other. Yet all agreed that the Evil Invaders must leave.

And so, the Five Bandits and the Five Spirits joined together again in a bond as yet unseen in this world and drove the Evil away.

But the Five who were mortal were slain, as sometimes happens with mortals, and the Five who were Spirit were again left alone.

And to this day, those Five can be found in the nest of the Firebird, lonely yet together, like five old men snowed in to a too-small hut.

Death in the Double Caldera

A hammer in search of a nail
Self-sacrifice for the common man
Oppresed people who need protection
Gou's golden ocarina -- lost
Take up the banner of the people