Chaos is the principle opposed to order, and thus represents to some extent the extreme of magic as opposed to the extreme of science; Arcadia as opposed to Stark. In The Longest Journey, the forces of Chaos are threatening the twin worlds. However it would seem that it is a necessary part of the Balance, as without some element of Chaos, nothing would ever change.
Vestrum Tobias says that magic can invite Chaos, endangering the Balance as science never could. As he tells April the story of the creation of the Balance, he says that mankind's misuse of magic and science threatened to bring Chaos upon the Earth, as had happened elsewhere on other worlds. Benrime Salmin complains that the Vanguard's actions are inviting Chaos in Arcadia by destroying people's faith in the Guardian. Tun Luiec tells April that Chaos Storms are "weapons used by the dark lords of Chaos to hunt and destroy those strong in the Balance." These "dark lords" may simply be enemies who invite and represent Chaos such as the Vanguard, or perhaps they are related in some other way to Chaos itself.
April and Chaos[]
- According to several of the prophecies recited by the magical races, April is one who will "fight Chaos, only to unleash Chaos on the innocent".
- Cortez tells April that she senses Chaos more keenly than most, that fighting it is instinctive to her and that she will know what to do. (This may be how she 'knows' to use the Talisman of the Balance on Gordon Halloway.) He also says that by her very existence she is keeping back the tides of Chaos, and that her presence will help others to face it.
- When April asks Abnaxus about fighting Chaos, he tells her it can only be fought by 'those ordained by the Balance'. "To oppose Chaos one must return order to that which has been affected by Chaos, and thus reduce its powers." He claims the Veil which hampers the Venar is created "in Chaos, by Chaos, with Chaos...to keep the future hidden."
- The Banda Elder describes the Gribbler as a creature of Chaos. During her Bak-Baar, the spirits tell April that her mind and her spirit are her weapons against it.