The Light Helix

The Light Helix is the name of a Gastist legend, referring to the story of the titular helix.

According to the legend, there once was a lone traveller around 2500 TT who entered the city of Ibe-Jibin single-handedly carrying the defeated carcass of a meathawk. The people of Ibe-Jibin were inspired by the traveller's might, and thus encouraged the traveller to lead them into battle against Ajia. (At the time , Ibe-Jibin was a city in the First Empire of Gasta)

The traveller accepted, and so in the next month, the citizens went to battle against Ajia in a field to the north-east of Ibe-Jibin. At the other end of the field, the army of Ajia is said to have stood, but seemingly with two leaders.

As soon as the Ibe-Jibin army sounded a horn, and the traveller lead the charge. The opposing army's leaders then moved forward, but their army did not follow them. Suspecting that something strange was afoot, the traveller halted the advance. The leaders of Ajia's army reportedly began to glow brightly, then begin to hover, their trail forming a vertical helix of light.

The Ibe-Jibin army began to retreat in terror, but the traveller revealed a small mirror, and attached it to the front of a horse. The horse then ran towards the army, reflecting the light helix. The horse disrupted the enemy formation, allowing the Ibe-Jibin forces to push through, and win the battle.

Historicity

The mainstream view of the legend is that it is mostly untrue, or at best an exaggeration of historical events. However, some key details do line up with archaeological evidence of Forgotten-Era civilisations in modern-day Framjaria. For example, there are remains of shields inscribed with a helical symbol in a bright pigment.