Each race and creature had one or more affinity with an element of mana, the energy that flows within every being in Gaia and gives them life. Each talented one of each race had a chance of developing a variation of their best element.
For example, the kinds of Elves which were one of the most talented races in the magic department: the Noble Elves had an affinity for Air and their talented ones could develop one of the variations, generally Lightning; Their cousins, the Wood Elves were better at Water, Earth and one of its variations, Plants.
The Dark Elves were an exception because they didn't have a connection with normal elements as they were part of the Dark Races, which were all connected with Darkness at some degree. The Dark Races were formed of Zombies, Werewolves, Vampires, Dark Elves and Demons, their power growing in this sequence.
The Dwarves had all affinities with four ellements except water, their talented ones generaly especializing in variations of air like gravity, and the unique fusion of fire and earth, lava. They were rarely seen, as they lived under the surface, in volcanos or mountains; one of the reasons for it were their biology: they were made of pure stones or cristals, depending of were they lived or their lineage. This made them stronger and allowed them to forge their weapons and technology. The other reason was to hide from Dwarf Hunters; because their bodies were made of rare stones and cristals, it was more easy to hunt and collect them from their corpses than search for new mines or steal them from enemies or rivals.
Fairies had an affinity with all elements, and they were the most powerful humanoid races in magic, rivaling the Demons, and lived longer even than Elves. Their talented ones could develop all possible variations of their especialized elements, and until some centuries ago lived in isolated floating islands that frequently changed locations. Because of that, they were a reserved race and had a close relashionship with the Mermaids and Seamen, and also lived in unison with nature; some of the fairies say that they are direct descendants of Gaia, the living-planet, but nothing is confirmed.
Mermaids and Seamen had an affinity of Water and Air, their talented ones having an affinity of Lightning and Storm, the fusion of the two basic ones. They were the most strong physically after the Orcs, as the pression of the seas streghted their bodies since their hatching.
The Orcs had a talent in magic only greater than humans, but their magic talented ones, called Shamans, generally have a fire or earth affinity, and the ones that weren't shamans used mana to streghten their corpses even more.
Magical Creatures were animals with an abnormal level of mana mastery, most of them having a mana mastery much higher than fairies and Elves. These powerful ones were inteligent and could offer a contract with other races, giving their power in exchange of obedience or favors, turning the individual in a Witcher. They didn't have a particular affinity, similar to humans, but much more powerful. They lived in the wilds that had a high mana concentration, and their powerful ones influenced the environment: a Magical Creature with an ice affinity turned the surroundings in an artic ice, for example. The most powerful Magical Creature known are the Dragons, and also the first one of them.
And finally, Humans. They had all affinities and could develop all their variations in theory, but the lack of mana and short lifespan turned this chance almost impossible. The Fiamma Clan was an exception, as in their golden age they were feared even by the most powerful demons in the Orient. But nowadays, things are starting to be dark for all humans, including this clan.
__________/ _____ / __________
In year 1203 After First Catastrophe (A.F.C), first month of winter, 24th day.
In the Ocidental Continent, much more known as the Occidens Continent, in the southest part of it, lived a very old clan,the Fiamma Clan. In the south, seasons were inversed, so midyear was winter instead of summer, and this was the current time for them right now, as snow started to fall in the ceillings of buildings. If someone from Earth would look there, they would see a majority of constructions very similar to the Incas, Mayas and Aztecs Empires,the rest of them similar to a fusion of the greek and european medieval one. This was because the origin of the clan of being nomads, always integrating cultures from different nations to their own, making a new one.
In other seasons their territory was filled with warm colored plants and a fertile soil, despite their blessings coming from a fire godess.
They were Héstia's loyal servants since they were nomads in the desert, and even if it was millenias ago and way before this nem calendar, they still had features almost identical to how it was, maybe because of the blessing or because they married almost only within themselves and with the locals, that were similar to them.
The original and most pure Fiammas had black skin as well as red hair and eyes: the most pure and most powerful someone was, the most these traces would be seen.They were also more strong than normal humans by birth, and had a Fire affinity with magic, sometimes mastering his most powerful variation, Sun affinity.
In the peak of the tallest mountain, right at the center of the territory and surrounded by the valley bellow with minor buildings, was a major construction with a Maya design carved directly in the mountain. Inside the building, servants and employees hurried with their tasks, especially women; they carried clean cloths and hot water to the stairs, that delivered feminine screams of agony, fueling the anxiety of everyone.
A woman in specific standed out because of her appearance. Even if she used her long and dark red dress like all other women servants, she had white skin and blonde hair tied in a bun, revealing her subtle pointed ears of an half-elf, that indicated her outsider origin. She also had a gold brooch similar to a flame on her left chest, pointing her high rank between the servants. Her green eyes in her nervousness made them seem like real emeralds as she climbed the stairs without carrying anything.
She just finished to inform the Patriarch-Consort about the labor of the Matriarch, but it was clear he had other priorities while he was writing something in his desk peacefully.
- I am just finishing this and soon I will come to see her and the baby - he said without bating an eye on her.
As the memory of the short interaction made her fists clench tight, she hurried her feet and entered into her Matriarch's chambers.
The painful scream became more intense as she opened and closed the dor behind her. A lot of female servants ran around the room, with their tan or black skin standing out against the white sheets. On the right end of the huge room, a king sized bed was full of fresh blood, as a woman contorted her hole body in it.
She had pitch black skin and curly hair like a living fire that were covered in sweat and all over the place. Her eyes were also like a living flame, but were closed tightly from the pain that washed over her. She almost had no fat in her as she looked like a living mummy. Her huge belly covered some of her facial expressions, but the blond woman knew about the obvious pain she was going trough.
She got closer to the poor woman while the female servants aroud her oppened the path for her to cross. Soon, the Matriarch seemed to receive some brief relief from the contractions, as she could finally breath deeply and look at her new visitor.
- Alice... you came...- said the black woman - did you... find Aidan for me?
Her breath was heavy and frail, as the blond woman called Alice answered her:
- No, Matriarch. The boy vanished and with all the preparations for you in the mansion, I couldn't dispatch anyone to search closely for him.
- I see... I wanted to... nevermind. - the woman seemed gloomy with her response, but didn't said anything about it anymore - What about my husband?
- Patriarch Consort Robert was busy with some personal duties, he said he will come after finishing them. - Alice said while clinching her teeth.
The Matriarch had a similar reaction as her jaw seemed to clench hard from annoyance.
- That Empire Dog! He must be.... writing for them announcing...my death at labor. Why did I...marry him...
'Because you didn't have a choice'- Alice thought, remembering the event from years ago.
__________ / _____ / __________
Thirteen years ago, Mansion of the Fiamma Clan
After the end of the last war that lasted more than a century, The Matriarch lost it, and almost everyone that she loved with it; her parents, her brothers and sister and even her lover were all gone, leaving a clan nearing its fall as her last memory of them.
But thankfully, Alice was there for her. Even if she was part of the Elfic Empire in the past, that didn't mean that she hated her; on the contrary, they became best friends. Besides that, what happened was in the past.
The Matriarch tought breefily about their curious past where Alice tried to kill her during the war, and couldn't help to chuckle. Good times, indeed.
She was still trying to cling in old good memories on her golden and red throne, when Alice stormed inside the throne room filled with gold, white and red decorations.
Seing that they were both alone in the room, Alice droped the honorifics as her anger grew more:
- Is it true, Iruna? - she standed right down the throne with crossed arms.
- What are you talking about? - Iruna replied tiredly
- That you accepted that bastard's proposal of engagement. Is it true?
Iruna sighned, looking at the window with a blank expression
- Yes, it is.
- Are you CRAZY?! His clan is a vassal of the Elfic Empire, and he killed THOUSANDS of our men and women! What would your parents say if...
She was cut short when a red aura came to life and surrounded her, leaving her lungs out of breath. Iruna was now letting her rage take physical form,wich was rare to her as she was a very calm person.
- DON'T talk on their behalf like this. UNLIKE you they would UNDERTAND ME THE MOST!
Alice seemed to start feeling dizzy, and as fast as it came, the red aura seemed to dissapear completely as she gumsped for air. Her friend seemed to have an apologetic look, as she reached Alice that was on her knees.
- Sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you. Is just that... everything seems to be falling apart, and I can't deal with it.
Looking closely, Alice could see her red eyes and swollen face, and just couldn't be mad at her friend that needed to grief almost all her loved ones at once.
- I am sorry too, Iruna, I shouldn't doubt your judgment. But I still don't get it. Why you accepted so quickly? The old skeletons from the Council probably didn't agree.
Iruna chucled swiftly at her friend's remark.
- Of course they didn't, but I had a very convincing way to show my point, I will tell it to you too.
Iruna pulled Alice to the ground, as they both sat at the stairs of marble under the throne.
- I just became Matriarch, and none of my relatives are alive. I need to have a baby girl and I need to start to try now. I am only twenty and suposedly a very long time, but I can have only boys at first, like my mother did. Also, his achievements on the war made clear that he has a lot of magical power, and you know that having baby humans as sorcerers is turning into a very difficult task even in the clan.
- But you could still marry a local from the clan that has a high magical power, the other High Families will not be mad?
Iruna smiled bitterly at her naivety, shaking her head
- You are right, It would be better to do it as they also have a decent amount of Fiamma magic blood in them, but I never showed the letter of proposal to you, so you would not undertand. In the letter they demanded for me to marry one of the options they chosed as compensations for the war damages, otherwise they would exterminate our clan and put whoever they want on power here.
Alice went paler than normal at her words, and soon the shock was replaced by anger.
The Empire used her as a spy and assassin for decades, and her hatred for them only grew more when she became one of Iruna's underlings. Now, she wanted to teach a very painful and long lesson to that damned Emperor!
- I chose Robert because his clan was the least loyal of the Empire according to my Intelligence Squad. They are too ambicious, so any offer of the Empire to get rid of me in the long run would not be better than having one of them as the Matriarch's Consort and father of the heir.
- But... what if it doesn't work, Iruna?
The new Matriarch looked at her with dead eyes, which puzzled her. But before she could ask why, she got her answer:
- I don't have much more to lose anyway.
__________ / _____ / __________
Back to the present
After remembering the past, she didn't want to say anything about it, wanting to focus on her friend's well being, she asked to a old woman that was between her friend's legs:
- How is the labor going, Councelor?
- Not good. The servants called me quite late, so is difficult for me to heal her - the Concelor of Health answered - even with my healing magic she doesn't stop bleeding. The baby also seems to be on the wrong position. Tell her I need to turn him, and to prepare herself.
Alice nodded, her worries worsening at the news but trying to hide it. She told Iruna about the baby's situation but kept silent about the bleeding. Her friend needed to focus on the baby and stay calm.
The Councelor turned the baby in Iruna's belly, causing a scream even more potent them the others while a faint red aura started to emit from her at instinct, and it was getting stronger.
- EVERYONE, PROTECT YOURSELVES WITH MANA! - once everyone obeyed the old Councelor, she turned her look to Iruna-MATRIARCH, YOU NEED TO PUSH!
An more inhuman scream came from her mouth, similar to a roar. The red aura became even more thick, and soon everything in the room was covered by it.
- I CAN SEE THE HEAD, PUSH!
Another scream gutural like the last one echoed, and some weak servants were starting to feel dizzy at each more push.
The red aura started to look like a huge flame, becoming orange and yellow. All the weak ones got further away from it, trying to stay conscious, as even the stronger servants were feeling nauseous and weak.
- All servants, GET OUT! - Alice finally said, sensing that the aura was still getting stronger as cold sweat ran down her forehead just like the counselor.
- You are doing okay, now only the legs. PUSH WITH ALL YOUR STRENGHT!
A final roar and push ended the agony, but only silenced reigned. Iruna tried to lift her heavy head but failed.
- Why them... are not crying? There is something... wrong with my baby?
- Not at all, Matriarch. Some babies don't cry when they are born - she said while wraping the baby on a white sheet and standing up - Congratulations, it is a healthy and pretty baby girl!
She handed the baby to Iruna, that couldn't stop smiling from the sight in front of her.
The baby had a very subtle tanned skin and locks of curly red hair that seemed to dance like fire. She opened her eyes that were just like her hair and when she saw her mother and heard her low singing, she smiled and giggled, showing her toothless mouth.
- My little angel is perfect - Iruna said and Alice agreed , while the Councelor nodded and hurriedly came back to her position between her matriarch's legs.
Her relieved expressions went shocked when she saw her patient's state. Alice stared her carefully, and when the Councelor- midwife noticed it, she became gloomy and shook her head at her.
Alice became even more pale, while Iruna seemed to not pant anymore as she spoke, as she enjoyed her new and last gift.
- She will be called Helena. It means "torch", just like her hair. I hope she will also guide our people with her light at the darkest times.
- Why are you talking like that? - Alice's voice was shaky, and her friend smiled at her sweetly
- I know I am going to die, Alice, I'm not an idiot who doesn't know about blood loss symptons. Please don't cry and hear me out.
Alice nodded, holding back her tears. She wanted to attend the the final wishes of her Matriarch and friend, at any cost.
- Please tell Aidan that I love him, and I am sorry for abandoning him. Say to him that it wasn't Helena's fault, I was already sick before it. Can you tell him?
- I will. Something else?
- Yes, some more things. I want to thank you for your friendship and trust. You always was like a little sister to me, more so after I lost my family. And please, try to get back in touch with 'him' when you can. We were such a good trio in the old days...
Alice agreed, even not knowing if she could do it. Yet, she promised she would try.
- Be sure to take care of Helena like your own daughter. I only trust you- after confirming that Alice got everything right, she continued- I need to tell something only to you.
Alice leaned her ear next to Iruna's lips, as she whispered something for quite some time. Her expression didn't change, though it seemed that she became more serious.
- You will find what you need there. Show to her when she's ready, will you?
- I will. Thank you for giving me a good life, Iruna.
- I should thank you, Alice. I love you my friend.
- I love you too, Iruna
She wanted to say a lot more, but Iruna simply stopped moving with a smile on her lips, as her eyes and hair lost their bright. Strangely, the kid's hair also had this effect, becoming reddish-brown while being cuddled by Alice.
She started crying loudly, and like some clue to do it too, Alice started crying together, but with much more silence.
- I know it, little one. It hurts, doesn't it?