We are taught that all living things share one inevitable truth—a thread that connects us to the world, the universe even. A thread that connects us to our mothers, our fathers, brothers, sisters, and even the earth beneath our feet.… Even that, that truth, the final embrace that comes for everyone, was denied to me. I felt the warmth leave my body, the light shatter into darkness yet there was no embrace of death. I waited but it never came… -C
"Before there were stars, before the moons, even before this very forest, Xa'el, there was only the Void." Rizané's voice was soft, almost reverent, as she gazed upward. The gentle sway of the tree branch beneath them mirrored the rhythm of her words, her cadence steady and deliberate, as though she were unraveling an ancient truth.
"The Void was a place of absolute nothingness, yet paradoxically, it contained everything within it. No Ro, no life—nothing but the Void," she continued, her gaze shifting to the twin moons. They hung low in the sky, their silvery light filtering through the dense canopy of leaves, casting dappled shadows that danced around mother and son.
Xa'el listened intently, his legs swinging slightly over the edge of the branch. His small hands clutched the bark beside him, his wide, curious eyes fixed on his mother's face as she spoke.
"Then one day... BOOM!" Rizané exclaimed, her voice suddenly rising, her hands spreading wide. Xa'el flinched slightly, then giggled, his tension breaking like the silence of the forest.
"The Void exploded, and from it, Aether was born. The explosion of light was overwhelming, piercing the silence of the Void. Aether and the Void clashed fiercely, and from their tumultuous conflict, the elements were born."
Xa'el's giggle faded, replaced by awe as he imagined the scene. He tilted his head, his thoughts racing to piece together the story. "Why did they fight?" he asked, his voice tinged with wonder.
"Ah, Xa'el, the Void and Aether are opposites, yet they are also connected. Like the shadow and the light, they cannot exist without one another," Rizané explained, her voice taking on a somber note. "Aether sought to create, to bring life and order to the chaos of existence. But the Void—our ancient ancestor—knew that creation could not endure without balance. For every light, there must be darkness. For every life, a death. So, they fought, each trying to shape the world in their image."
Her eyes flickered with a golden light as she continued. "Their battle wasn't one of hatred, but of necessity. And from their struggle, the elements were born. First came Fire, a symbol of change, igniting the cosmos with its unrelenting energy. Fire was Aether's gift, a spark of creation that filled the void with light. But fire alone could not create a world; it consumed too quickly. The Void responded, cooling the fire with Air, spreading its influence far and wide, tempering the chaos with balance."
Xa'el leaned closer, his small fingers gripping the edge of the branch as he listened. "And then?"
"From the cooling air came Water, quenching the flames and giving birth to the first signs of life. Water nurtured, it healed—but it also eroded. Aether and the Void agreed that something stronger, more enduring, was needed. So, they shaped Earth, solid and steadfast, to bear the weight of creation and destruction alike. The four elements were born of their harmony and conflict, each representing a piece of the balance that ties us all together."
Rizané paused, her gaze distant as if she could see the story unfolding before her eyes. "But Aether and the Void's work wasn't done. They needed more—something to connect all these forces, to bind them together and give them meaning. And so, from the heart of their battle, they created two final forces: Aether's crowning jewel, Life, and the Void's shadowy counterbalance, Death. These energies flowed through all things, uniting them, shaping them."
Xa'el's wide eyes reflected the faint light of the moons. "So the Void isn't bad?" he asked hesitantly.
Rizané's lips curved into a gentle smile. "No, my little moon. The Void is not bad. Without the Void, there would be no rest, no peace. It is the quiet at the end of a long journey, the stillness that allows us to heal. The Void is balance, just as Aether is balance. Together, they created Ro, the energy that flows through all things—through you, through me, through this very forest. And it is through Ro that we connect to the shadow and the light, to the Void and Aether themselves."
She reached out, brushing a strand of hair from Xa'el's face. "This is why the awakening is so important. It is our connection to the Void, the shadow of our ancestors, that allows us to find balance within ourselves. It is not just a test, Xa'el; it is a way to become part of the greater whole. Without it, we are incomplete."
Xa'el tilted his head, his curiosity reignited. "But what happens during the awakening? What does the Void do?"
Rizané hesitated, her smile faltering for the briefest moment before she regained her composure. "The Void doesn't 'do' anything, my little moon. It simply reveals what is already within you. The awakening stirs the Ro inside your soul and shows you your truest self. It is a reflection of who you are and who you can become. For some, it is a moment of great joy, of discovery. For others, it can be... more difficult."
"Difficult?" Xa'el asked, his brows knitting together.
She placed a hand gently on his shoulder, her touch warm and grounding. "Every shadow elf carries a piece of the Void within them, Xa'el. The awakening draws that piece to the surface, forcing us to face it. But you must trust in yourself, in the balance that flows through you. You are strong, my little moon. Stronger than you know."
Xa'el nodded slowly, his thoughts swirling with images of fire, air, water, and earth, of light and shadow, of the Void and Aether locked in their eternal dance.
"And Liria?" he asked after a moment. "She's doing it too, right? Will it be hard for her?"
Rizané smiled, though a flicker of doubt crossed her eyes. "Liria is strong too. You will both face the awakening in your own way, and the forest will guide you."
As the two sat in silence, the stars above began to shimmer faintly, their light twinkling like distant echoes of the story Rizané had told. The shadows around them deepened, the forest settling into its nightly rhythm. Xa'el leaned against his mother, his heart a mix of wonder and anticipation.
Rizané's gaze returned to the moons, her golden-ringed eyes reflecting their light. She whispered a silent prayer, her voice carried away on the soft night breeze. "Vezulon, Lunzaré, watch over him. Guide him through the shadows and into the light."
Xa'el, unaware of her whispered plea, closed his eyes, his thoughts filled with the images she had painted for him.
Rizané whispered a final prayer, her words carried away by the wind. "Let him see the light of the moons again, and let the shadows guide him safely back."
The night remained still.