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/Chapter Three: Elvia Nymphatius.../ The world was fashioned long ago by an all-powerful deity whose name is unknown. He created the land, the plants, the sea and one living form. He called her Priscaz, a sage to guide all the peoples to come for she knew all. Then he created a barrier between light and dark and upon doing so, he created two new beings to guard this power – two constantly rivaling men by the names Lucius and Nen. Next to come were the three goddesses of the elements: fire, water, and earth. Then the protectors of war, life, death, and peace. Finally, upon finishing his task, he created creatures – animals – and magical folk, elves, and humans as well. Diversity was the key to his master plan, and his world was completed. Once the people were well off, he lastly created the sun and the moon to move across the skies and bring light to the world. Many years passed, and all was well, until the goddess of fire, Candice, fell sick. Her body was abnormally cold and she finally came to rest after a long struggle. It was then that fires went loose around the world. The fire filled mountains and boiled the rocks inside and explosions plagued the people. Rival to fire was Amadahy, the water mistress. With great love for the world, she wore herself out attempting to cool these fires and with an exhausted last breath, she, too perished. They lived then in the realm of the dead, forever united with their sister Desdemona, protector of death. When the water loosed itself around the world it created lakes and streams like veins all over the land. Seemingly a blessing, soon floods troubled the land, and rainstorms both powerful and timid. But the balance was restored. However it was not in the Creator’s plan to have his firstborn children to perish and it caused him great pain to see those two die. The Creator then decided to create vessels for power in the humans and elves of the world so that if too many of his firstborns perish, the world will still be bound together, no matter the pain of loss he might feel. Hundreds of thousands of years passed. No more of his children perished and the Creator was thankful. He finally lay down to rest for a few millennia and left charge over the other gods to Nen, the god of darkness, as long as he left things as they were. “Nen was obedient to the Creators’ word,” Naiya gave a small smile as she said this. “and did not disturb the peace of the world. He hardly used the power the creator left him and was respected by all. But Lucius was jealous of his power and began forming an army of his own. Followers of the light gathered at the sight of his power, blinded by his light and seeing only purity. They praised him as a god. “Eventually, Nen became aware of this army above all armies – the Fighters of the Light, they called themselves - and came up with a plan. If the firstborns created close followers of their own, then they might find the vessel who would be heir to their power and train them. Then the firstborns could have some slight chance of defeating this enemy, as their apprenticed ‘venyia’ - as they were called in the olden tongue – would have more celestial powers than the humans and the elves. “ “But,” Braeden interjected quietly. “what of these... vessels for power? Are you one of such, being an ‘Elvia Nympha’... Nympha-whatnot?” Naiya smiled slightly and continued, staring at the crude ceiling. “Yes, I am one of the vessels, accurately called elvia, since I was told I used to be an elf. The word has since then been translated into the modern language as nymphatio for males who are transformed into vessels of power, and nymphora for females. Almost a decade ago, when I was ten, I was living here with my best friend Pyralis and Nen, the god of darkness. After two years, he had us do some strange ritual and we got our powers. I don’t know much about it: as I said before, I have no memory before I was ten years old.” “Where is this Pyralis you speak of? And where might I speak to this Nen?” “Oh. She’s coming... Before you so rudely trod into our territory, she was calling the villagers to an aboveground cave upstream. She ought to be swimming her way downstream soon.” “And this Nen?” Naiya looked away, her eyes filled with sadness. It was then that Braeden noticed something different about her. “Y-your hair – it’s different.” “Oh? Did it fade already?” She held some of her long hair before her eyes and looked at it. “Okay good. ...Whenever I use my powers I am reverted to the new body Nen gave me to carry my powers. The blue hair, the blue eyes, they’re part of my celestial powers. They fade after I loose the will to fight or just basically calm down and stop using my powers, I go back to normal. The blue represents water. ” Naiya flicked her now dark brown hair from her newly dark brown colored eyes. "Ah, finally." When dinner came at long last, it was a grand procession. Ten or so servants carried platters of steaming hot food, and tables danced down to the floor from some unknown place - possibly the high ceiling. Naiya smiled as Braeden tensed in shock. It was all normal to her. He wondered how long he’d be here, if he could ever return home, or if he’d be able to adjust.