The Tales of Creation, the scriptures where the process for the first human’s birth was depicted.

Thousands of years ago, the First Maquia ended, with the six triumphant gods settling their lands as they saw fit.

Paraiso, the hollow marsh.

Idhir, the melting mountains.

Mirel, the frosted meadow.

Dodon, the mist islands.

Ihilia, the scorching sands.

Arhontissa, the highland forest.

Of course, a god isn't really a god if they have no believers. So they made humans.

Paraiso made humans from clay.

Idhir made humans from iron.

Mirel made humans from ice.

Dodon made humans from seafoam.

Ihilia made humans from sand.

Arhontissa made humans from wood.

The resulting humans were different, and, even when their original characteristics had blurred with the passage of time, they were known.

Paraiso’s humans had orange eyes and blue hair.

Idir’s humans had purple eyes and brown hair.

Mirel’s humans had black eyes and white hair.

Dodon’s humans had blue eyes and gray hair.

Ihilia’s humans had silver eyes and red hair.

Arhontissa’s humans had green eyes and black hair.

One could more or less conclude how strong a god’s influence is on its land based on the number of humans with both characteristics.

For example, Charlampia barely had humans with both characteristics: Velvet eyes were blue, yes, but her hair was orange, not gray. Madam Dorna and Nebura had gray hair, but their eyes weren’t blue. Only Viroa had both.

For Arhontissia mages, on the contrary, Velvet had seen several with black hair and green eyes. From the Queen, to Igern, to Creftalia. Nereus also had black hair.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

And what about Permafrost, one may ask?

There is no life on Permafrost. There has never been.

Shaking those thoughts from her mind, Velvet returned Nebura’s gaze. “Is that all you want? You have already opened your Esca, are you maybe thinking about your future generation?”

Honestly, with all Velvet had going on, purification almost didn’t bother her.

She would choose miasma purification over being under a mountain of dismembered corpses every day.

Nebura scoffed. “Not at all. But I’ll let you figure out the real reason. Now, stop me again and we will be having a problem.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t.” Velvet didn’t move aside, making Nebura do the effort on changing her path again. “You gave me all you could offer anyway.”

Nebura stopped at that, wanting to retort to Velvet’s words. She was just too good at pressing people’s buttons! Even as a child!

But she refused to compel and give Velvet the satisfaction, walking away.

Velvet looked at her go, smiling all the time. Once Nebura was out of sight, and very far away, she chuckled a bit to herself.

She didn’t say anything, just took a quick peek at whatever Nebura had exploded before going back to the cabin.

Slowly taking off her clothes again to go back to sleep, since it was barely past midnight, she hummed softly a song.

“Velvet?” Hyde said, worried since she didn’t talk during the whole trip back.

“Hm?”

“Are you okay?”

Velvet laughed.”That fate thing you spoke about didn’t work, like, at all! Dianthus was nowhere to be seen.”

“I’m not referring to that.”

“Oh, yeah, of course. I am more worried about falling asleep. I might just trigger Lothrigern to feel something.”

“... If your mental state is shaken, not even using Andras’ name is safe.”

“I know, I know.” Velvet waved her hands, throwing herself face down on the bed.

“Velvet.”

“Hyde, I’m not stupid nor suicidal, I won’t try anything dangerous.” Covering her body with the blankets, and closing her eyes, she fell asleep.

…

Opening her eyes a few minutes later, she found herself in the darkness of her dream. This time she didn’t speak, planning to just wait it out.

She had told the truth to Hyde. She had no intention of triggering Andras with her current mental status, and the same was for the other things.

Losing her mind to corruption wasn’t on her list of interests, after all.

Even so, she took her time to look around, trying to see if anything was different, but, on a surface look, everything except the chained man was pitch dark.

Hm, his hair is red. Could he be related to Ihilia? Velvet thought, since she didn’t want to speak, in fear of causing something.

Ihilia was the first true deity to fall, losing to Idir and starting the Second Maquia, while Dodon was the second, falling under Arhontissa, starting the Third Maquia.

Why start, and not end?

Easy, that was because, until only one deity remained, war was never truly over. Luckily for humans, gods were eternal, and possessed all the time possible, meaning that their moves took a long time to start, and, until the conflict escalated past the point of no return, humans barely felt the war.

Currently, they were in the year 375 of the Third Maquia.

Velvet barely knew anything about Ihilia, only that she existed. Maybe Idhir’s archives held more information, since they were the one that defeated her, taking the war spoils.

Will calling Ihilia’s name have any effect? Possessed by a dangerous train of thought, Velvet licked her lips.

Since she didn’t know anything about that goddess, she wasn’t sure if she had any relation with Andras or Lothrigern, but she was sure that those two never appeared in any non-mage scriptures.

I should see if I can access the Mergifari’s library… Hm? Something slithered behind the darkness, making her feel the sensation of being watched.

“Lothrigern?” She asked first.

Velvet didn’t know what she preferred, really. The hands that ripped her flesh until feeling bone, or the beautiful but death-flag carrier.

Nebura got me in a mood, at least Lothrigern is nice to look at… for a few seconds, at least. Maybe less.

She felt fingers pressing on her lower neck, which slowly got dragged towards her chin, lifting it, apparently checking something.

Unable to see who was the one doing that, and feeling her face get turned slowly side to side, Velvet spoke again. “What are you searching for?”

“A coward’s mark.” Lothrigern’s voice sounded. “Fate corruptor.” He seemed to find whatever He was searching for, sliding a finger on Velvet’s cheek, as if he was trying to scrub a dirty spot. Or scratch a cat’s face.

“Hm.” Happy for receiving a non threatening, no harmful answer, she pressed. “Fate corruptor?”

She heard Lothrigern sigh, before feeling again being watched. “Find out on your own. And get stronger, you don’t have time.”

It’s not my fault being in a support Paradigm… “I’ll do that.”

Did that mean that Lothrigern wanted something from her or the dream? Was she safe from Him?

Just as she thought of that, she felt Lothrigern’s fingers leaving her face, and His presence slowly disappearing.

Could it be a trap? She wasn’t sure.