What was here before we arrived? What was before our kind could remember? Does a tree falling make a sound if there’s no one to hear it? Probably nothing of this matters, as well as what was before.

However, l’arcian history knows that before the first light hit the ground there was absolutely nothing - thick darkness covered everything, allowing nothing to live.

We’re not exactly sure when or how light began - was it a miracle or a carefully calculated creation? Wise mothers tell their young daughters that darkness just got so lonely that it created itself a destined being, as we all need someone to walk the path of life with. Obviously, every mother wants their child to be excited, especially if your daughter must leave home and travel far to be wed away from all she knows and holds dear. So the story of Ameera’s birth became a legend of love and creation.

Is it though?

        * * * * *

Rust-colored sand gently hugged her bare feet. She opened her eyes, lighting up everything around her, and saw pure darkness right in front of her, forming into a tall slender figure.

- Happy creation day, Ameera - the voice of darkness was deep and eerie.

In a blink of an eye the darkness disappeared, as if it was never even there. Where it “stood” Ameera could hear bubbling and hollow screeching, as if something was crawling in the sand.

“I left presents for your world”

Was darkness a friend or an enemy? The newly born god had no clue, as she stood there, barefoot and naked, covered only by her warm light and amber curls of her hair, falling down to her shoulders, and a tiny necklace made of a single seed hanging on her thin gentle neck. It was a peculiar experience - to witness darkness as your first encounter, learning your name from it and not from within you.

Ameera did not know yet who she was destined to be, what she was given birth for or who she could even ask for any direction. However, as she carefully touched her necklace she knew - she must plant it in a safe place and it will become her home in this world. Oh stars, if only this world wasn’t all so beautiful and new to her - so exciting and inspiring, bringing all the light she had out, giving life to every step she took.

* * * * *

L’arcian history begins itself from the birth of the Shou Tree. As Ameera took her first steps around the lands, she found the perfect place to plant her seed, so it can grow, so the tree can spread its roots and branches, growing high and mighty, covering enough land to harbor a city in its body. The first ever city for these lands to see, the first ever gods and mortals born on these lands. The perfect fortress, always glowing with light.

Shou Tree became home to Ameera’s children - gods living sky-high in castles and temples among the massive branches, while mortals gave life to lands around the roots of the tree, celebrating their protectors, life and Ameera, Mother of all they called her.

Life existed to be observed, as men spread across the continent, as gods gave birth to other kids to worship them, as rivers, lakes, forests and other lands filled with magical creatures and mortals filled l’arcian lands with legends, stories and lessons they taught to kids before bedtime. As history slowly turned its pages Ameera became lost in its fog.

What was her purpose now? What does light exist for, when everything is already lit up and darkness is at bay? Should she choose a conquest against nonexistent evil? Should she just walk across her lands and observe in silence? Should she create more complexity?

And so Ameera sat at the top of the Shou Tree searching for her purpose.

* * * * *

There’s little purpose for a primary force when the job is done, yet… How do you know the job is indeed done, when the world is vibrating, calling upon you? As L’arc took its breath and called upon Ameera, its blood boiling with life and bursting with magical force. 

Ameera gave birth to quite a few gods, all having power, yet she did not yet discover its source, until now. So as she sat there, on the very top of Shou, listening to the silence of the world, breathing in its air, feeling the world as one, she finally found the source of all life… and it was not her.

“Kelium.”

Before she could even think about it Ameera knew its name, its power, its potential. Mother of all knew it grew more powerful when she came to be, as well as she knew it was pure energy, capable of blessing you and destroying you with equal ease. It chose you, not the other way around.

Curious moment - mother to all life learning it was not her, but energy flowing through her that actually gave life. This energy could also cause great destruction, as a silhouette appeared in Ameera’s memories. She still knew nothing of her first memory - no mortal or god existed before her, no one had knowledge of the dark figure. Unless that is what she lived to believe, as not enough time has passed of her being to meet the only being created not by her hands or hands of any of her creations. 

Death.

Ameera knew Death existed, as nothing in the world, even the gods themselves, were forever. There was an imminent end to all at some point. Not that Death ever visited Shou, not that anyone saw Death with their own eyes or even spoke of the creature. Life itself knew it had an opponent, kelium vibrated, resonating with Ameera’s thoughts.

We could argue that Death would not get involved, even if the game was meant for primary forces, however kelium runs through its veins as much as any other l’arcian creation, even pre-light ones. So, by great demand, Ameera indeed got to face Death without facing death - it was a one of a kind meeting, when mother of all witnessed corrupted kelium as well as the kindest face wielding it, weaving it, harvesting its power as if it were their own blood. She learnt many things just by looking into its eyes, just by feeling its mind as if it were her own - Ameera was not pure light for jokes, her powers were at the very beginning. 

“This is the one and only time we’ll ever meet, Ameera. Alas, I must tell you a few things only I am able to, as it’s your birthright to know them, as it was Tions when darkness was born out of nothingness. I am nothing, so I was always here.”

* * * * *

Death sat comfortably and spoke calmly, revealing Ameera her destiny, her true destiny. And even though it told her it will be “just a few things” they both spent days on top of Shou, hidden away by huge soft leaves, meant to stay green for as long as the tree stays alive. These days did not pass without revelation as they did not pass without light of L’arc getting dimmer at times, revealing Ameera’s worries.

The first three days Death was teaching Ameera what she is, what she is meant to be and how she has an antipode - pure darkness primary force, named Tion, whom she will never see, as he’s unable to exist in her pure and warm light. However, Death ensured her that Tion will follow her in the shadows, watching, lurking, unleashing dark creatures to roam her world as much as the beautiful magic ones do. Tion is her equal and believes he’s equally entitled to this world, even though he had it for millennia before she was born and did absolutely nothing but dwell in his own darkness, sad and miserable, as pure destruction can never give birth to life.

On the third day Death requested Ameera start writing down the stories it will teach her.

“The leaves surrounding us will make marvelous pages, untouched by time or weather, and you shall divert your own kelium into ink.”

Next days, or maybe weeks, she spent writing. Gods never bleed, or at least so is believed. It’s only partially true - gods do not have blood like mortals do, they have the purest kelium running through their veins. And it’s incredibly hard to cut even a lower circle god, not to mention primary beings. This being said, writing Death’s lessons and stories was painful, hard and probably annoying.

First book, the Feral Origina, was finished in a week, filled with stories about past, present and probable future of L’arc, tales of wielding kelium from one’s heart and soul, beautiful lessons of loving the lands and gods and what that might entail. Ameera liked this one, it was a book of teaching, a book of strong light, a lesson to all how kelium can be healing, yet powerful, and how belief can conjure strength at a higher level of being. 

Second book, the Feeble Origina, Death did not allow Ameera to write in her purest warmest ink - this book was meant to teach consequences, endings and sorrows kelium can bring, if not handled, not taught and not respected. It was a book of balance and how that balance shall remain at all times, at all cost. The Feeble Origina was written in a mix of Ameera’s kelium and Death’s - black and corrupted, they added just a pinch, for the book to remain strong and neutral. Not bad, not good, just stories of what happens if you act…and if you don’t.

Third book was the darkest and Death requested Ameera to write it with corrupted kelium of darkness - his own blood. The Phantom Origina was the third and last book they wrote, sitting under the stars and watching the sun rise and set. This book was of death, telling stories of darkness, of power given by anger and ill will. Those were lessons of fear and corruption, of pure unmasked hate and envy. And there was only one result of corrupting one's own kelium - death.

* * * * *

“It is time for us to part, Ameera, Mother of All, Heart of Light. Now, listen very carefully, those books shall not remain with you, nor shall they ever be kept in one place with another. We have infused each page with purest and the most corrupt of keliums, harboring great power. The Feral Origina shall be given to scholars, so they can pass the light of teachings to new generations. The Feeble Origina shall be passed to rules, so they are not drawn by their own powers into the pages, yet can learn exactly how they shall govern and teach their heirs the proper ways and powers of consequence. The Phantom Origina shall remain on its own in the midst of the deadliest place, hidden away in a temple built out of fear and not out of love. I shall see to the last myself and I entrust you with handling the first two. Remember, if these books are ever to cross paths with one another, we shall see darkness consuming l’arcian lands once again…”

Death looked at Ameera with the most unattached emptiness in its eyes and disappeared into the twilight fog.