It was a night like any other. Except, perhaps, for the twin full moons sitting high in the sky; an event that happens twice every year like clockwork. The larger moon, Fyra, was a beautiful ocean blue. Which, considering it was covered in a planet wide ocean peppered with small archipelagos, only made logical sense. Fyra’s smaller twin sister Tourmalix was a deep ruby red, owing its coloration to the heavy cloud coverage above its surface. Occasionally, the clouds part long enough to see the ground below, baring its malachite surface for all to see, but never long enough for more than a glimpse. As it was the shortest night of the year, it was Tourmalix’s turn to be in front in the cosmic dance above as it would be Fyra's turn on the longest night. Hanging against the backdrop of mountains in the distance, only scattered purple rays illuminated the small villages below, broken up by the peaks of the Blacksteel Ridge.

One of these rays highlighted a scene that was taking place in Windsburrow, one of the circular villages below. In one of the houses on the inner ring, a mother was giving birth. Normally, that would be no cause for excitement. However, the woman giving birth was the chief’s wife, Ten’fi’des, so naturally all of the important people were present: the chief himself, Valdrei’ix, the head village doctor and midwife, Na’gen’na, the archbishop, Vendatai, and the chief’s son, Kai, along with the village blacksmith, Zei’hafi, Ten’fi’des’ good friend. “Just a little bit more, just one more push,” encouraged Na’gen’na. “You can do it, come on!” “I can’t do it. I’m trying, but I just can’t!” Ten’fi’des panted. She’d been in labor for nearly half a day, beginning at twilight’s dusk, each hour compounding the sense that something was very wrong in Na’gen’na’s mind. There was nothing more that she could do for Ten’fi’des other than relieving her pain though her nature magic and bolstering Ten’fi’des’ mana reserves with her own. Something was resisting her magic, fighting against every spell she wove.

Perhaps if she had cast it sooner, the baby would have been born by now. However, it is always better for a birth to happen naturally, and by the time she had realized something was wrong, it was too late. The unborn child’s magic was unstable. A wild, chaotic flow of mana that refused to stabilize, drawing in as much as it could from the body that had given it life in an attempt to calm itself. The problem was that Ten’fi’des’ magic was only making it worse, her magic amplifying whatever was happening with the child inside of her. “....I….I can’t do it…..I don’t-” “Save your strength, Tenfi. Help will be here soon, just hold out until then.” Valdrei’ix cut off his wife before she could finish her sentence. He had never once let go of her hand throughout the entire process. One could even see unshed tears in his eyes as he attempted to reassure his wife, though they both knew that his words rang hollow. If she lost much more mana, she would likely die, and if the child’s mana didn’t stabilize, it would likely die too.

“I don’t have….much time left…I don’t think I’m going to make it…Please, promise me that….that you’ll find happiness…without me.” “D-don’t leave me mama!! I-I don’t want you to go! I don’t want to say goodbye. P-please stay here with me…” With tears coming from his eyes and snot from his nose, Kai begged, throwing his arms around his mother’s torso and hugging her, trying to take comfort in her warmth. “We don’t always choose when we get to say goodbye,” Ten’fi’des started, her voice growing softer with each moment that passed, “Sometimes it's slow…..and sometimes it hits all at once…For me…it just happened to be now.” She smiled down at her son and continued, her voice so soft that Kai had to put his ear directly in front of his mother’s mouth to hear the slightest whisper. “I love you Kai…You are, and always will be…..my beloved son.”

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Standing behind her was Zei’hafi, softly shedding tears, cradling Ten’fi’des’ head. “I’ll miss you, my friend. It won’t ever be the same without you.” With that, Ten’fi’des smiled, closed her eyes, and let out her final breath. Her heart stopped beating not long after, and without its comforting rumble, Kai sobbed even harder, grasping his mother even harder and willing her to come back with all his soul. Valdrei’ix’s tears finally started to fall. Na’gen’na pulled back, frustrated at her inability to save a life, the life of her friend and chieftess, and the life of her child who’s inner fire was starting to burn out. Vendatai, having been clasping his hands in prayer, solemnly closed his eyes and offered a prayer for the recently departed, “May her soul fly its way back to you and join you among the endless stars. May her soul sing with you and join you in your unending choir. May her soul take your hands and join you in your timeless dance. Fly straight and true, sing loud and clear, and dance with the beauty of a thousand suns.”

It was, at this moment, that the twin moons finally reached their zenith and brought forth a miracle. A ray of purple light hit a passing cloud and had its trajectory bent just enough for it to shine through the building’s open window and onto the body of Ten’fi’des, or rather, onto the child she was carrying. Everyone’s eyes widened in shock, but none more than the healer’s who, through her fading connection to Ten’fi’des’ body, felt the fading storm that was the child’s mana finally calm and the dying embers of her soul rekindle. “Quickly!!” she shouted, “The child still lives. If we hurry, we can still save her.” Her, for the unborn child was a girl. Valdrei’ix and Ten’fi’des had always wanted a daughter along with a son and were ecstatic when they heard the news from Na’gen’na several months into her pregnancy. Eyes shining with the barest spark of hope, Valdrei’ix let go of his wife’s hand and lifted his son off of her now cooling body. “No!! Don’t take me away from my mama!!” Zei’hafi, quickly stepping over and putting her hand on Kai’s head, assured, “No one can ever take her away from you, Kai. The memories that you shared will be with you forever. However, your sister still has a chance, and we need to step back and let her take it. You can say your final farewells later, but not now, not when your sister’s life is at stake.” Her words calmed Kai long enough for Valdrei’ix to hold his son tight and step back to give Na’gen’na room to work.

She poured her magic into Ten’fi’des’ body and forced it to contract, the storm that was the child’s magic having calmed and offering no resistance. Everyone watched with bated breath as Na’gen’na forced the unborn child out of her mother’s body, pulse by pulse, inch by inch, until she was in Na’gen’na’s arms and was bathed in the light of the twin moons for the first time. Her cobalt black fur was slick with fluid, and her stubby tail ended in a silver tip. Her long ears poked out from the sides of her head and faded into a deep blue. What was most surprising, however, was not that she didn’t share any coloration with her parents, her father’s cobalt blue or her mother’s desert sand. It was the fact that she possessed features that had not been seen on any kobold for centuries.. On her arms were crimson scales, covering them like gauntlets while her paws were similarly armored up to the middle of her calves. And, barely visible due to the coloration of her fur, were small purple scales ringing her closed eyes.

All those present were in shock, though none more than the archbishop. His dark eyes filled with religious reverence and he immediately knelt in prayer. “O goddesses above, we are ever grateful for your blessing. May the heavens above shine down and grace us with your mercy.” The others tuned out his words as the child opened her golden eyes and looked out into the stars above. “Tour,” Valdrei’ix whispered suddenly, “her name will be Tour.”