Prologue
A long, long time ago, there was a land called Elementia where magic and miracles were part of every day life. This peaceful land was occupied by many different kinds of creatures that were part of their respective races called Elements. Even though the races differed in characteristics and culture they lived in harmony with each other. Each element had what in this day would be called a leader, or rather an ancient descendant, called a nymph. History indicated that in ancient times the one true god zanzarino, after birthing the world, created the nymphs to rule over and protect the land and its occupants. Nymphs, although allegedely being the leaders of Elements, are rarely seen and seeing one is considered a huge blessing, or a catastrophic curse.
The number of the original nymphs was one hundred(100), however currently, the races that exist in Elementia are 99 along with their nymphs. The 99 sisters were said to be very close but there are no records of the 100th nymph. No sightings, no rumors, nothing to indicate what happened to her.
Elementia had never experienced war. The suffering and loss of war was an experience unknown to the Elements. The nymphs being the kind hearted creatures they are along with the ideals they passed down to the people of Elementia were enough to secure peace in the world.
However it would not last long.
The Truth And The Shadow Witch
As time passed, strange things begun to happen all around Elementia, cruel things. Disappearances of people and creatures, destruction of land and bad weather were just the beginning. People unsure of the cause of those phenomena, started to be suspicious of people from other races. Not knowing the true origin or meaning of those events , people from the same Element gathered together trying to find a countermeasure.
The first thing each Element tried was the use of white magic, the only known magic of Elementia. White magic is the essence of good will and hapiness. It is most powerful when people are in peace as it was said to be a gift from the nymphs. Each Element's people and creatures tried to use white magic spells to counter the effects of this unkown phenomenon but it resulted to nothing. Strange things kept happening.
With magic of no use and the suspicions of other elements, people of each element tried calling out to their respective nymphs. The frightened, powerless and unexperienced people had no choice but to consult and seek assistance from their leaders. However no matter how much they shouted, cried and prayed, no nymph appeared in front of them.
Days became weeks and weeks became months and things were only getting worse. Peaceful days were over and death and suffering crawled their way into people's every day lives. Things were still veiled in mystery. Noone knew who was the perpetrator and to what endgame they operated.
Sightings of shadow figures were reported more and more. People were desperate, trying to find even the slightest ray of hope and escape this situation. It was then when it happened. A voice. A dark yet warm sounding voice from a woman was heard from everyone all around Elementia. It was a calling, an invitation of a sort to every person, creature and animal to stand by her side. A certain place and time was engraved in their minds. People of course were unsure if they should answer to the invitation but the situation being as it was the had no alternative choice. So the people from all 99 elements ended their hiding and went outside. Afraid, yet hopeful for the first time in months they made their way to the promised place.
The place they were headed was inside a forest filled with all sorts of trees and plants overflowing with life and light. It was a sanctuary for wild life and if you followed a certain path you would arrive in a shrine devoted to zanzarino and the nymphs. A beautiful marmble building of unkown origin said to be the birth place of nymphs. Usually it was forbidden and almost impossible to enter, yet the invitation called them there. Obviously it was not possible to gather every single person and creature from each element there so a small team of around 5-6 people and creatures was chosen from each element to attend, they were all elite soldiers or leading figures of their respective elements.
Since their destination was the shrine of the nymphs, they were somewhat hopeful while at the same time wary of the other elements and the voice. As they were reaching the forest their positive thinking was slowly but surely decreasing. The sanctuary they remembered was nothing like this. The trees were dying, hardly any animals were showing, no light was escaping through the thick fog and an eerie atmosphere surrounded them. It was hard to breathe and life itself seemed to die the further they walked into the forest. After a couple hours of walking they finally arrived. They couldn't see well, the fog was thick but it started dispersing. By they time they were able to see, they wished they couldn't. The shrine was destroyed, the lake in front of was more like a swamp and the worst of it all were the sight of young women held in cages.
The fallen elf from the Entropy element stumbled and made a desperate sound with a cracked voice. Everyone from from all elements immediately turned their sights on him. You see the elves were higher beings than most creatures in Elementia said to be aids to the nymphs. The fallen elf had commited a crime and was exiled from the realm of nymphs before being picked up by the Entropy Nymph and given sanctuary to the entropy community. So basically everyone was aware that the fallen elf was familiar with the nymphs. Their voices were immediately stopped after hearing the two words that came from the fallen elf's mouth. "The Nymphs!". A vast amount of emotions flowed through everyone present in the sight of their leaders, their goddesses being caged. But before they could think or act--
"Welcome, proud warriors."
It was the same voice, the voice they heard in their heads a few days prior. They looked up. They saw a beautiful woman standing in the ruins of the shrine. They didn't know what to think.
"For starters, let me introduce myself. I am the Void Nymph, or I used to be." -- everyone was buffled. There is no void race, no such element. A void nymph?
" I understand you must be in loss. I am here, standing in front of my sisters and their representatives to tell you the truth of our past and make a proposition afterwards. So please, hear me out."
The people were angry, their nymphs were inprisoned, suffering, some people thought about rushing in to help but they were immediately stopped by others from their elements. The shadow figures lurked around the trees, behind the cages. They understood. They had no choice but to listen. They stopped and looked to the so called nymph.
"I understand you must be scared and angry. Bad things happened to people you love and your peaceful days were disrupted. Just like mine."
The mood suddenly changed. The woman claiming to be a nymph seemed angry unlike before. The people listening to her story had no idea what she was talking about.
"Oh, I see. Even though you worship your nymphs it's not like you actually know them. My bad. Let me start from the beginning. At the start there was nothing. Our father zanzarino was the absolute entity, a whole being. But he was lonely. There was nothing but he wanted something, anything. So he thought about creating worlds, but there was still noone around. Then he thought about creating other beings, thus came the idea of nymphs. I was the his first daughter. The Void Nymph. I have no race, my attributes are nothingness, emptiness and destruction, but at the time i neither know about it nor care. After me, he proceeded to create my sisters one by one. I was overjoyed. I loved my sisters. all 99 of them."
The people started to realize. The connection between this woman and history of the nymphs. She is the 100th nymph. The one noone knew about. So the paid close attention to her story.
"We were something like a happy family, me, my sisters and our father. Each of my sisters had a different personality, different attributes and different rule over nature. As our father created more and more, like spoiled kids we thought of having more and more room to play. It was around then that I started to realize that I was not the same as my sisters. All of my sisters had the power to create. Not on the scale of our father but still, they ruled over an aspect of nature. Life and death, fire and water, light and darkness etc. But I was different. I could not create. I could only erase. A gap started to appear between me and my sisters and that gap slowly turned from a difference to jealousy and hatred. I could not comprehend why I was like this. Why I couldnt be with my sisters. the final nail in the coffin was with our father's final work. Right before going into slumber--he was tired after all--, he created lesser beings, creatures of every kind, animals, people. You. I understood what your existence meant for me. Since I cannot create and can only bring nothingness to the world, my sisters forbid me of going anywhere near you and in return them ever again. My love for them had faded away and it was replaced by pure hatred. If I couldnt be with them, they might as well stop exist. But at the time, I had no experience of war so i was driven away by my 99 sisters' powers combined. The history books never mentioned me. I was not an existence of this world. So this is the real story. The truth. Now that you know about it, I should tell you my proposition as well. The true reason I called you here."
The people now knew, every fiber of their bodies was scared, but also very, very angry about their nymphs. They knew they owe their very existence to the nymphs and they know that the Void Nymph was their enemy. But how could they possibly defeat her, even when the nymphs themselves couldn't.
"The reason I called here is very simple. I don't know if you have realized it but the nymphs that are here are just 87."
The people were surprised. They hadn't realized that. Some nymphs were free, that was their ray of hope.
"Well don't be too excited. It's not like if they appear they could do anything. The nymphs that I have not yet found are the Purple, Grey, Amber, Auburn, Green, Red, Queen, Light, Blue, Golden, Black and Turquoise. These 12 nymphs. If you help me find them I will ensure your survival and well being."
"The chosen people standing there were surprised. They effectively held the survival of everyone around the world in their hands. Would it be correct to abandon the nymphs for the people? But the nymphs are responsible for their very existence. They were unsure. They couldn't look up anymore. The decision was too big for them.
"What will you do with them when... if you find them, Void Nymph?" shouted the fallen elf.
"I will kill them". Blunt, without any stutter. Immediate and desivive. The Void Nymph proclaimed.
"Also please don't call me Void Nymph. I despise this name. I go by the Shadow Witch now.
It was hard breaking. Can mere people have such a big decision to themselves.
"Please, look up everyone."
"Raise your heads. "
"You are all proud warriors."
"Born and raised in Elementia."
"Look her in the eyes."
"No matter the hurdle, always keep walking."
"You have the right to decide."
"Don't comprimise, act according to your will."
"Never give up."
"There is always tomorrow."
"So, stand up."
"And show that even the weak can fight for what they believe in."
The people that had started to lose hope looked behind them and saw a bright light, 12 different colors and their beloved leaders standing there. The 12 free nymphs had appeared. However the predicament had not changed. And the reason for that was simple.
"The nymphs have the responsibility to protect the people from their elements. This responsibility was entrusted to us by our father and the reason is simple. If a nymph dies, so does everyone from the race they rule over. Without the attributes of an element's nymph, the people, creatures even animals and plants that share that attribute cannot survive." said the red nymph.
The people did not know about this. Not only the nymphs were responsible for their survival, but without them they could no longer exist.
"You saved me the trouble of searching for you." said the Shadow Witch and took out a tablet with a symbol on it.
"Where did you get that?" said the light nymph.
"So, that's how you defeated our sisters." said the Purple Nymph.
The atmosphere around the shrine got heavy. Even the normal people there could tell that tablet was dangerous. The 12 nymphs were cautious, afraid and angry. They knew. with that tablet, the Shadow Witch could defeat them. But they could not fall, for if they did, the world would be destroyed. It was at that time that something strange happened. Most people from the ones gathered in the shrine started getting hectic and a melody begun to be heard.
A few moments earlier, in most people's heads they heard something. It pained them terribly but they understood. There was no other choice.
The 12 nymphs nymphs realized what was going on.
"No! Stop it! Not that! Why are you doing this?"
The melody was coming from the imprisoned 87 nymphs. In their weakened state, they could comprehend the situation and made a choice. This melody was a chant passed down to them from their father that said, -in front of great peril, when you chant this melody, in exchange for your life the right path will be shown-
"Noo! I won't let you!" shouted the Shadow Witch. "Shadow soldiers, stop them!"
Suddenly, a great light lifted the fog and destroyed the shadow soldiers. The caged nymphs knew that it could not defeat the Void Nymph but it could help their sisters escape and give them a chance in the future. Even if they have to sacrifice their lives.
"I won't forgive you, me and my new race, the new element, the underworld will defeat you!" The Shadow Witch screamed as shefled in fear of that light.
After the light stopped, 12 tablets appeared in front of the nymphs. The tables held great power. Those tablets were called the Nature's Mark and each tablet respectively is The Mark of Entropy, Death, Gravity, Earth, Life, Fire, Water, Light, Air, Time, Darkness and Aether.
The 12 Nymphs were very sad. They were about to lose most of their beloved sisters.
"Don't let our sacrifice be in vain. Avenge us and be free once more." said the Electric Nymph.
That day the 12 Nymphs and their 12 Elements fell in grief. Millions of people, creatures, animals, plants, trees, lakes and stars disappeared. However the real battle had yet to start. So with that promise in mind they set out to gather their forces and get ready for the ensuing battle.
The Elemental Marks And The Trials
Days past, time to grieve the fallen friends, family and loved ones that perished in what became later known as the shrine incident. Everyone, from every remaining element was called upon the meeting place of the holy city of Zanzanshington by the nymphs. When everyone was gather in the meeting place the nymphs stood in front and spoke.
The oldest of the 12 nymphs, the Nymph Queen put the 12 tablets on display and said:
"The 12 tablets represent the 12 races. Each of these tablets contains an Elemental Mark. These marks choose one worthy to bear the title of Master of an Element. However not everyone can be chosen. Great power and responsibility is bestowed to the one that becomes the leader of an element. To become the Master, hard fought trials are required. The trials are ever changing, different ones for every element, but some aspects stand. To become a master you have to be strong in battle, trusted by the members of your element, respected by friend and foe, being knowledgeable about the attributes of your element and be able to lead them to the rightful path. The Mark is not just proof that you are able to lead your element. It also gives the power of evolution. The ones who are are the true holders of marks, can unlock the mysteries of the attributes of their respective elements. Improve, evolve and upgrade the aspects of the elements, which is why only a true master can handle it since it can cause great change or ruin."
"The trials will be held individually in each element's land." Said the Purple Nymph. "The time we have been given is short. They have to begin immediately and we have to be ready to battle as soon as possible. Us, the nymphs, have reached a decison. Under normal circumstances the nymphs are not allowed to meddle in Elementia's affairs since we hold too much power here. However, this time is different, own of our has declared the will to fight us and intends to annihilate us which is why this time we will take part and guide the new master of each element to battle. We will try to deal with this situation swiftly so we can return to our peaceful and free days."
The people were worried, but they knew that this battle would decide their survival, their very existence. They were determined to do whatever it takes to take back their right to live.
As the people were returning to their lands, the Elemental marks made a decision. The time for battle was nigh and the right to become a master rested to everyone, however the trials had to start right away as the fate of the whole world depended on it. So the decision was to choose the most worthy individuals for trials. The sign that someone was qualified was different for each element but they shared a similarity. That was the glowing of a particular color within them. For entropy pink, for death purple, for gravity orange, for earth brown, for life green, for fire red, for water blue, for light white, for air azure, for time yellow, for darkness black and for aether turquoise.
The ones chosen were roughly 6 per element. Those brave warriors had the right to enter the trials to become leaders of their elements.
Those selected, are now knowing as the creatures of each element. For example for entropy those ones were the purple dragon, the lycanthrope the maxwell's demon, the abomination, schroedingers cat and the fallen elf. Same was for all other elements. The ones picked, held their heads high and each one of them went to their trialing grounds in front of their nymphs to start the trials.
After many hardships, the new masters each exited the trials ready to face the Shadow Witch. The first masters of elements where the noble dragons. Strong, smart and kind. Each dragon was already respected by everyone and noone was opposed to the concept of the dragons leading. them.
Conclusion Of The Battle And The Upcoming Struggles
The strongest and bravest warrior of each element gathered ready to battle. The effects of the chant that the 87 nymphs sang were about to end and the Shadow Witch was about to be free again.
As soon as Elementia's forces gathered, with no delay the attack started.
The battle was fierce. The nymphs' help had ended when the new masters were decided. With the dragons' power combined they defeated the Shadow Witch and sealed her away forever.
The victory belonged to the people of Elementia and the brave creatures and their leaders the dragons would be praised for generations after generations.
It seemed like peace had returned to the land. It was not to be though. People that learn about war once, will never forget about it. The dragons, the first masters of the elements, although strong and smart became greedy after the victory. There was no longer a common enemy to unite them and the spoils of war were a lot. Lands that belonged to the gone elements became the cause of strifle among leaders and people. People were free, but that freedom allowed them to want more and more. They were not satisfied with just the things they acquired and seeked more.
Struggle between the elements leaders escalated and the dragons were about to declare war against one another, but then something happened. The elemental marks that had previously chosen them stopped giving them power. It was apparent what that meant. The dragons were no longer recognized as masters.
At that moment the 12 nymphs descended and made one final speach.
"Since our sister the void nymph is gone, our interactions with the people of Elementia are finished. We will continue to protect the land and the attributes of elements each of us is responsible for but we will not interfere with your decisions from now until something world threating appears again. We understand your predicament and decided to come and relay to you the prophecy passed down from when the elements were created. It is said that the one true master of an element will befriend the nymph, defeat the dragon and make him their subordinate, be respected and followed by the rest of the element. So wait. Wait until your true leader appears."
With those words the nymphs disappeared once again and returned to their realm. After that the struggles never stopped but there was a relative balance between the elements.
Years passed and the dragons had stepped down as masters. The elements had started to descriminate against each other and the situation was getting worse. It was at that moment when something incredible happened. The Elemental Marks shined. They shined for the first time since they were in the presence of the dragons when they became masters. People realized the meaning of this light. The new chosen ones had appeared. Trialist were chosen to challenge the dragons and become the new masters of the elements.
There was hope once more. When the new masters are decided they will lead their elements in order to attain stability and balance once more!
