The world had changed; it had changed and changed and changed again in the course of the years that numeric had stayed in hiding, travelling on the breath of whispers and constant winds of the changing sea. Too often, change had brought violence with the rise and fall of gods, destruction of civilizations and forests. Nymeria had taken to the wind, the smoke, the air to become a part of the world and to embrace the nothingness for a time. She had been born of air, fire and darkness, crafted by the gods and set loose upon the world- and using that innate power had given her the opportunity to become more and somehow less in the grand plan of the world.

But it was time to rejoin the living.

It was under the new moon four years since her disappearance that Nymeria descended from her hiding place; a hot summer breeze carried over the seas that met its peace where the forest met the sea. Stepping from where a moonbeam cut through the mists, she took a cleansing breath and sighed. The air was heavy with humidity and a fresh scent that was green, alive, beckoning to those that would wander into eh forests seeing refuge and safety. Aromatic moss and night-blooming flowers tinged the air with a heady perfume that for all the world smelled of paradise. These forests seldom offered such things as paradise and safety to mortal man, and it was in this vein that Nymeria had come here, seeking to be amongst her kind and those that knew the power of the elements.

Nymeria was all starlight and water, eyes glittering a pale blue that was brought to stark contrast with snow-white hair and pale skin, a moonbeam brought earthbound, and in the forest, painfully obvious for her lack of camouflage. Legs weak as she adjusted to having to support her weight on the uneven ground after so long. What had changed in this time that she had not noticed, the sins of the past had been forgotten, indeed, but what did that mean for her?

With a wave of her hand, a gown of spun light and smoke wrapped around her form, allowing free movement through the forests as she moved towards the city and back towards a life she had left behind years ago. Back to a land of magic, man and misgivings.

On more than one occasion, Serafina found herself feeling the urge to hunt outside of her usual grounds. The forests around the port of Vilpamolan offered ample animals and even the occasional hunters, yet the scenery grew tiresome. Even the forests surrounding Kurayo in Parvpora bored her, as they had served as her hunting grounds during her time with Nemesis and Celeste. Feeorin was a bit different, at least, in the creatures that roamed, and would occasionally offer her a sweet escape from the monotony of her regular routine.

The goddess chose to roam in her human form, opting out of shifting into the large, jet black wolf that was her other half. Her nostrils flared as she tipped her head back, eyes closed, inhaling the moonlit scents of the forest. The flowers and foliage blended together into a pleasant aroma, but an aroma that was easily distinguishable from the scent of her prey.

Serafina’s eyes snapped open as a new scent wafted to her, her irises burning crimson with hunger. The scent was something unknown to her – it smelled ancient and new all at once. It smelled of fire and magic, and something she couldn’t quite place. The crimson faded from her eyes as she furrowed her brow, turning in the direction of the scent.

She no longer sought something to hunt – the scent she caught piqued her curiosity to the point where her hunger was forgotten. She followed the scent, until before she found where it had come from. When the origin came into her sight, she felt a bit of confusion. This woman, or whatever it was that seemed as a woman, smelled of the gods, very faintly, yet still. She seemed to be heading towards the city, but Serafina couldn’t just follow her. She held no fear of this unknown being.

”You are not a god, yet you smell of them. Who are you?” she called from a fair distance behind the woman.

The change came upon the forest as quickly as a change in the winds, the air stilled, and the life fell quiet as Nymeria made her way through the woods towards the town. The silence could only mean one thing, a predator was loose in the woods, and it was actively on the hunt. There was little in this world that frightened the forest as a whole more than an apex predator. Nymeria knew this, had recalled the rush that such power had given her; when the jungles had obeyed her in such a way. To be the largest, most powerful cat in the pride that sparked fear in all those that were smaller and more edible. It was intoxicating. 

From the woods came a blonde woman dressed to kill, but there was something different. The eyes were predatory, watching the edges of the forest before finally settling on her. ‘You are not a god, but you smell of them. Who are you.’ This was a funny question, one that would clearly be asked by someone with the knowledge above that of mortals would ask. A predator. A god. She melded with the darkness, appearing behind the other woman as to not be at a disadvantage. 

“You smell of wolf and the gods, who are you?” It was as bold as she dared, knowing well the smell of the wolves in power. The dark one had been such as she, hadn’t he? Nymeria let her power rise slightly, defensively, watching for any indication of increasing danger. “My name is Nymeria; I once served the sacred flame in the Ivory Court.” The words tasted strange; it had been so long ago, a different lifetime, a different land. Somewhere in the distance, a bird squawked, decrying the fading danger, as the wolf had turned its sights on other prey. The nightlife was returning as the two women faced off. 

When Serafina’s question was answered with another question, it took her by surprise. She remained silent, only tilting her head to the side. This woman – this being – could smell the scent of the gods upon her as well. She could feel the surge in power rise around the woman. She did not find her to be a threat, but there was something about the surge in power that furthered her interest in who this was. Fortunately, she was not made to wait long as they chose to reveal their identity, at least in part.

The name did not strike a chord with her in familiarity, but the words of power and realm following did just so. That explained it – she was a fallen, one that had come long before Serafina’s time. This explained why the scent had drawn her attention so easily.

Though known for her ire and rash decisions along with crude sarcasm, Serafina was not rude. An introduction was in order. “This explains much. You are one of the fallen, one who came before myself and many others. I am known to some as the Infernal Queen, and to others as the Temptress. My name is Serafina,” she said, leaving off the surname she had taken on from Nemesis at the time of her change. ”I smell of the gods because I am of the gods, and I smell of wolf because I am of the wolves,” she added.

Serafina studied Nymeria for a moment, her eyes fixated on the visage of the fallen one before her. “Tell me, why have you returned, after what has surely been a long time?” she asked, curious as to what would awaken one of the fallen from their eternal slumber. There was no opposition in her voice, no intent to bring a fight, but it was clear that the goddess would not let down her guard that easily. Power was ever at the ready, should this Nymeria prove it was necessary – but thus far, such had not happened.

Nymeria watched the goddess with intent, eyes glittering in the moonlight as she took her measure, goddess of what, she wondered. The borderline accusation came as a surprise, “I am not one of the fallen,” though was that true? The words rang false; despite their ambiguous origin, she was not confident the term ‘fallen’ applied. Serafina, she had heard the name whispered on the winds in the whore houses, debaucherous parties, and at times of demise. Taking to the wind had allowed Nymeria to learn, the be part of the world greater than herself, and that had allowed her to study the changes. These changes. Temptress, the Infernal, the damned. She knew better than to openly cross the goddess, but there was so much more to the birth of this power within herself, that the goddess had been wrong.

Nymeria stood tall, “I was the familiar of the one you speak of, the lost one. Her arcane power came to me when her body was consumed by the flame. I have never held such a mantle as you, nor would I presume to take such a thing on. That which you smell is the remnants of what was, though that goddess is no more.” Her voice was calm, her voice even and smooth, as each word balanced on the edge of a sword between tact and escape. Wolves, fucking wolves, why was it always wolves when it came the the gods?

She inclined her head just enough to acknowledge the other, tilting her head in thought. “I have not been asleep; I have been in my element, observing. Watching and waiting for the time to return to the land of the physical. Too often, mortals cling to the thoughts of yesteryear and ideologies that need to be rid of. These preconceived connections of me to my makers, for there were two, tainting the life I wished to live.” Prohibiting her best life, the long-reaching grasp of darkness and flame poisoning all it touched.

Best left for dead, those rotting corpses that had been so consumed with power that their essence devoured them.

No, This was better. She could be herself above and without the taint of those that bore her power from the elemental plane. She could be Nymeria, as she had always meant to be. A powerful sorceress driven by flame and air and all that consumed the darkness. The bringer of light. This would be her new life, her new path forward. “I came to reclaim that which is rightfully mine, the life that was stolen from me.” The words rang true, power coursing through them. 

Serafina tilted her head as Nymeria told her she was not, in fact, one of the fallen. It seemed to strange for her to say such a thing – the scent of the gods was so strong from her. However, as she went on to explain that she had been the familiar of one of the fallen, it began to make sense. A familiar to a god would, of course, carry their scent – but would it be that strong? It was a curious thought for Serafina to dwell upon, but best saved for another time when she was not face to face with someone, or rather something, that had once held such power – and perhaps still held a great amount of that power, even if it were hidden deep away. “I see,” she said softly, her words rather calculated.

She listened as Nymeria began to explain her sudden reappearance in this world – though from the sounds of it, she had never actually left. She had let herself be absorbed into Revaliir itself, absorbed into her very element, for lack of a better word. “No truer words have been spoken on the affairs of mortals, I do believe,” she agreed.

It seemed that there was a depth to this Nymeria that did not reveal itself immediately, and it was enough to keep her interest tuned towards her. The final words spoken held a power of their own. “This life that you seek to reclaim… what do you intend to do with it?” she asked. If the answer was something that piqued her interest enough, perhaps Serafina would offer her assistance, at least in the beginning. She wasn’t generally a selfish person, but life’s lessons had taught her that there was usually something to be gained out of helping someone – especially someone with as much power as this one seemed to carry. “Perhaps, if you can elaborate even the slightest, I may be of some assistance to you.”

Darkness, such as it was, was a pervasive element that more often than not tainted all In its’ sphere of influence. So consuming that between the shadow and the flame, Nymeria had Neve rethought of what would come after she had returned to the land of man. The question stopped the girl’s thoughts instantly, eyes flashing to the Goddess as she gave pause. What would come next, what life did she want? Nymeria pursed her lips before biting the lower lip in thought. “I do not…know.” Hers had been a life of servitude, and she had held a human form for less than three years.

What was it she wanted?

Nymeria moved to sit upon the trunk of a tree that had fallen in a storm of long ago, plush moss making it a soft enough resting place as her mind raced. She had come to this power; she had come to this world, at the will of another. To serve one purpose- to be a conduit of arcane power for the Goddess of fire, a fuel rod to ensure she burned eternally. It had ended in a back flash and a power vacuum that Nymeria herself had filled. She raked her hands through her hair as the life returned to the forest, night birds offering their songs, looking up as her tear-stained cheeks betrayed her feelings.

“I was created for a singular purpose, and now that purpose is gone. So I do not know what my future holds. I have this power outside of my realm, and I do not know how to use it. So, I suppose, learning what Rhylana did to me.” She mused, looking younger than she initially appeared, innocence tainted with bitterness and shadows. In all the journeys, no one had been able to define a purpose, something she had been watching. The mortals flitted through life with no idea of their purpose, heads up their assess if it were an ostrich in the sand. How was she to divine her own purpose?

“I wish to master my powers; for now, that is all that I know. To be more than the sum of my parts.” Her voice broke, the words too raw, too new. Damn the divine, damn the gods, how dare they toy with beings beyond their ken and manipulate the very forces of nature.

No surprise came to Serafina as it seemed that Nymeria was unable to answer her question right away. It was a loaded one to begin with, one that even Serafina could see herself struggling with if she was asked at the incorrect time. Asking someone that had only known existence as a familiar to the divine was almost cruel – how would they even know what there was to want?

As Nymeria found a sitting place on one of the fallen trees scattered around the area, Serafina stepped towards her. She kept a fair distance between them. She was still unsure of Nymeria, and she knew that Nymeria was still unsure of her as well. Thus, Serafina established herself a safe distance away, her eyes ever fixed upon Nymeria.

She listened intently as more depth was revealed, almost as though she were feeling out the answer as she spoke. It sounded like Nymeria housed at least a small amount of bitterness for the fallen deity that had created her, and it was infinitely clear that she had not been allowed to explore her existence beyond the purpose for which she had been created.

Finally, it seemed that Nymeria had fallen on a semblance of an answer. She wanted to be more in tune with the power she still held, which was a logical desire. Fortunately for Nymeria, Serafina held a bit of a soft spot for those struggling with newfound abilities, as she once had done the same over a millennia ago.

“If you wish to harness your powers to their fullest extent, I may be able to be of assistance to you,” she said after a moment of silence had passed when Nymeria had finished speaking. Serafina knew full well that there was a good chance Nymeria would decline her upcoming offer, perhaps even take offense to it. However, this wasn’t enough to stop Serafina.

“I have an establishment in this mortal realm, a bar and brothel, to be frank. It is located in Vilpamolan. One can directly access my realm from within there, with proper invitation. I am curious as to just how powerful you could become. Perhaps, you would accompany me to the Second Circle, and we can discuss further what I might be able to do for you? I can tell you a bit about myself, there, as well – so you know who it is you are allowing to assist you.” Serafina remained a safe distance from Nymeria, but her demeanor towards the former familiar had softened. “I have the world at my disposal, which means that you could, too,” she added. The promise of power wasn’t a bribe, but truthful – perhaps not the entirety of Revaliir, but Nymeria would have much at her disposal were she to allow Serafina to help her.