Chapter 3: Names and the Passage of Time
Time was a strange thing. It did not move in moments or hours. Not for them.
For the ethereal being, time flowed like a river—sometimes slow, sometimes fast, sometimes rushing forward in a blur of change so sudden it was almost startling.
It had watched the world reshape itself. It saw the great lizards that once roamed the land wiped away in a single, fiery instant. It listened as the earth groaned in pain when ice swallowed the land, then sighed in relief when the frost receded and life returned. It saw new creatures rise and old ones fade.
And all the while, it had questions.
"Why does the sky change colors?"
The great being in the chasm stirred, her massive form nestled deep in the earth. She had been there long before the ethereal creature, watching, waiting. Her voice was warm, deep, like the hush of waves against stone.
"Because the light bends as it moves through the air."
The ethereal being twirled in the air, making little spirals of light. "Why does it bend?"
"Because that is how this world was shaped."
"...That's not an answer!" The being puffed, sending a small pulse of energy outward. "You always say things like that!"
A deep, quiet amusement rumbled through the chasm. "And yet, you keep asking."
The being huffed but did not argue. Instead, it turned its attention back to the world above.
"I liked the big lizards," it mused, weaving through the trees, its glow casting strange shadows on the walls of the chasm. "They had lots of teeth. And big feet. I liked the way they stomped around."
The great being shifted, as steady as the earth itself. "They ruled their time, but they could not change when the world did."
The ethereal being tilted its head—or at least, gave the impression of tilting its head. "Because of the big rock?"
"Yes."
"And then the cold came?"
"Yes."
The being twirled again, floating above the water. "Boom. Then brrr. Then everything changed."
A deep hum rumbled through the great being's form. "Yes. The world does not remain still. It changes. It grows."
The ethereal being pulsed softly. "Like me?"
A pause. Then the great being spoke, her voice gentle. "Yes, little one. Like you."
The being flickered happily and continued to watch.
And then, as time passed, something changed.
They saw them.
They were small at first. Weak. Fragile things with bare skin and uncertain steps. But they moved differently than the beasts before them. They worked together. They built. They crafted. They changed their world with hands and minds instead of tooth and claw.
The ethereal being watched them with fascination, flitting from tree to rock to water as the small creatures shaped the land around them.
"They're making fire," it whispered, its voice filled with wonder. "Just like what i can do."
The great being watched as the humans huddled around the flames they had kindled, their faces glowing in the flickering light.
"They have learned," she said, her voice filled with something almost like pride.
The ethereal being drifted close to her. "I think I like them."
The great being made a thoughtful sound. "They are small," she agreed. "But they are not weak."
The ethereal being pulsed brighter. "Maybe I should talk to them!"
A slow, rumbling chuckle. "Not yet, little one. They are not ready to hear you."
The ethereal being dimmed slightly. "Oh. Okay." But it did not stop watching.
"do you think they'll like me if i take their shape?"
"Maybe"
Time continued to pass, and the questions never ceased.
"Why do rivers move but lakes don't?"
"Because rivers are travelers, and lakes are homes."
"Why do some creatures stay in packs, but others stay alone?"
"Because some need others to survive, and some do not."
Then, one day, a new question.
"Why don't you have a name? The huma's have name's"
The great being was silent for a long moment.
"I have not needed one," she finally said.
The ethereal being spun around her. "That's silly. Everyone should have a name!"
"I am not 'everyone,' little one."
The being hummed, considering that. "Then I suppose I'll have to call you something." It paused dramatically. "How about The Big One?"
A deep sigh. The ethereal being liked that sigh. It meant she was thinking about swatting it away but wouldn't.
"Oris," she said finally.
The ethereal being brightened, spinning in excitement. "Oris. Oris. I like it! It sounds like the wind in the trees!"
Oris hummed in quiet approval. "And what of you, little one? Do you wish for a name?"
The being stopped mid-spin.
"Oh!" It had not thought of that. It had always been it, always been a flicker, a whisper, a thing without definition. A name was a shape, a meaning, a thing to call oneself.
It pulsed thoughtfully. "I want to be something that doesn't go away."
Oris's voice was warm, certain. "You are small, yet you persist. A flicker that does not fade."
She rumbled deep within her chest. "You are Ember."
Ember stilled, letting the name settle into itself like a stone dropped into water. Ember. A small thing, yet enduring. A spark that did not fade, even when the fire had long since died.
"...I like it."
It pulsed brightly, dancing around Oris's form in excitement.
"Now I am Ember!"
Oris let out a slow, contented hum. "Yes, you are."
And so, they waited. They watched.
And as the first humans took their first uncertain steps into the world, Ember knew—
The greatest stories were yet to come.
[END OF CHAPTER]