There wouldn't be a moment that would pass me by;
Not now, not ever again.
I look to the event with anticipation;
A sense of victory washing over me;
This time, I knew, it would be right.

"How many times?" He still doubts.

I answer with a hollow chuckle;
A caress of wind, a decaying flower;
They'd be scattered soon.
"As many as it takes," remains my only answer.

Together, we remain, cursed;
Shells, empty, hollow;
Strewn on the ash fields.
Each breathe a burning gasp;
Faltering, wavering;
I remain at my weakest point -
He at his strongest
But together -
Not another moment will we let pass.
Burning in the ember fields of eternity; the ash is all that binds us.
X'ysahtu

X'ysahtu, the land of the "Living Trees".

Once it was a place of great life, brimming with countless cultures and
entities who survived alongside the spirits. It was a world that held its
connection to nature as something most precious. The spirits of the trees,
plants, water and sky took pleasure in looking after their wards. To them, life
was the greatest gift - and it was something to be cherished always.

When the worlds collided, and life ended, it was only the spirits of X'ysahtu
who remained. Their charges died in the impact, wiped out by a war ages past
that caused X'ysahtu and Reavia'et to crash into one another. Now the surface
of X'ysahtu is marked by the eroding ruins of a long-dead race.

Whoever, or whatever, came before is lost. Forgotten through the passage of
time.

But the spirits still thrived. Their connection to their planet allowing for
them to save it from dying. It was from their presence that the ashen fields
were created; a permanent ring binding the two planets together and keeping
both from being destroyed.

Over the centuries the spirits continued to thrive, and slowly, life returned
to the ruined planet of X'ysahtu. But it only survived in the form of small
feral birds and fish, the larger creatures were not able to survive when the
atmosphere collapsed all those centuries ago -- and evolution was not in their
favour.

So the spirits watched over their small wards. Kept the rivers safe, the skies
clear. And the ashen field intact.

For them, this new life, would be protected at all costs.
That night of the Eclipse in the Inner Dimension, a rift opened within the
ashen field. A portal that ripped through the glue between the two worlds and
deposited the cubs into the turmoil of "The Between".

The spirits could sense this new life, and desperate to protect it, sought to
bring them safely through the fields. But they were not the only ones who could
sense these cubs. There were the creatures upon Reavia'et who thirsted for them
as well.

Within the ashen field, the cubs were separated. Some were led to the
prosperous world of X'ysahtu, others were taken to the infected lands of
Reavia'et.

They would only know those who ended up upon the same planet as them; the
others nothing more than blurred memories of the chaos of the ashen field.
Faces, names, nothing of consequence would remain in their memories.
.X'ysahtu.

Being raised by the spirits is a thing to be respected, the honour of being
chosen by them a blessing. X'ysahtu is a planet that is brimming with plant
life, vast riverscapes and oceans, and filled with a primal sentient force. The
spirits are always watching, always aware.

While the spirits may protect those that live in their world, they also
understand the need of balance in life; so an anti-life was necessary.

Though its original state is unclear, the anti-life exists in a form not unlike
an earthbound spirit. A shifting mass of volatile energies that is able to
shift between the corporeal and incorporeal worlds. It is a beast, large and
with a visage that molds itself to the form most suitable for taking down its
intended prey.

The spirits once controlled the beast. Were able to keep it in balance with the
world. But the anti-life grew aware of itself, and it desired freedom. Craved
the power to prowl and kill wherever, and whatever, it pleased. It devoured the
spirits of the A'stua Forest and the malicious power within it grew to such a
level that the other spirits were unable to regain control of it.

It is the only threat upon X'ysahtu.
But it remains the greatest.

When the cubs arrived on X'ysahtu they were greeted by the spirits and the
ominous, stifling, presence of something else. The spirits swept the cubs away
to a place of safety -- the Ark'tou; the white fields of the western jungle.

It was here that the cubs were watched over and raised by the spirits who were
curious about them. It had been centuries since the last time they'd seen life
larger than their fish or birds. And life like these cubs was alien to them.

They had never seen creatures who had Elemental Mutations that were both
beautiful, but dangerous. The spirits could not understand how the cubs could
be so in tune with their Elements, but so chaotic with their bonds to them.

If they could not find a way to decrease the danger of the mutations, these
cubs would be a risk to the life of X'ysahtu.

Some spirits wished to remove them from the world. To send them back to the
ashen field and let the creatures of the Reavia'et claim them. For surely such
dangerous beings would only aggravate the anti-life further.

Others wished to find a way to help them. To keep these cubs safe not only from
the anti-life, but from themselves.

It was by way of mistake the spirits found a permanent reprieve from the
Mutations. A spirit accidentally bonded itself to one of the cubs, causing the
spirit to grow inside the WoR's soul, and sprout a physical manifestation of
itself on the WoR. It became so interwoven with the cub's life force, that it
was unable to disentangle the bond.

But this bond had a positive effect; it nullified the dangers of the Elemental
Mutations on the planet of X'ysahtu. Made it so the mutations would not cause
harm to any of the plants or waterways on the world. While the mutations
remained harmful to the Raveen itself, and the other cubs, it would no longer
be a threat to X'ysahtu. (Or any plants, earth, water, they would come into
contact with later in their lives.)

This discovery was enough reason for some of the spirits to voluntarily bond
themselves to the cubs. Forever tying their destinies together.

Yet it not only kept the planet safe, it also allowed for the spirits to
communicate with the cubs and teach them the culture of the world. They raised
the cubs in their world as if they were one of their own; teaching them the way
the spirits sought balance in all things, and how to survive upon X'ysahtu.

Balance in all things is not merely a balance between life and death; it is a
balance between emotions, intents, and knowing the difference between one's
'want' versus their 'need'.

To survive on X'ysahtu one must feel one with the planet.

The cubs, through their bonds with the spirits, would have been taught how to
move and live within the world without upsetting the anti-life. Without
destroying life needlessly. Fish and birds were only killed when other food
sources were not available.

The cubs would have survived off the lush plant life - so much more filling,
and nutritious than the plants found within the Inner Dimension. Meat was not a
necessity for survival, and only ever seemed to be eaten when the plants of
X'ysahtu were in their slumber state. (A time when the plants would not be in
bloom, a 'season', if you will. Somewhat like winter, just without the cold and
frost. It was a period of time when the plants were hibernating, only to regrow
in the next shift of the seasons.)

Culture demanded that once one was old enough, entities would be put through
trials of X'ysahtu to find their proper place within the makeshift "tribe" the
cubs were adopted by. When they were teens they were sent out on their own, to
the borders of the A'stua Forest, with only their bonded spirit to help them
surive.

It was here that they would be judged by the anti-life.
Here that they would either blossom into adults, fully accepted by X'ysahtu.
Or here, that they would die.

At the border of the A'stua Forest, there presented itself the added danger of
one's own arrogance or curiosity. For if the teachings of the spirits hadn't
taken by now, then a balance in emotions would never be properly achieved. Two
teens came to the border, and allowed their arrogance to lead them into the
rotted forest of the anti-life.

They were killed. And the spirits mourned their passing.
But they understood. Their teachings had not taken with these two, and for it,
they had died.

The other Raveens would have felt a sense of loss, but through the teaching of
the spirits, would know how to deal with the pain and grief and how to let any
negative emotions go before they could evolve into anything dangerous.

Once one passed the judgement of the anti-life, they were given the decorations
they wear now. The symbols of adulthood that was once used by the long-dead
race that used to rule X'ysahtu.

In the eyes of the spirits, they were one of their own.
One with X'ysahtu.

Three years after passing their "judgement", surviving the trials of the
planet, a portal once again opened within the ash field. And it was one such
portal that need not be entered or passed willingly through. For the second it
open, those Raveens who came from the Inner Dimension were taken away.

Leaving the spirits, and X'ysahtu, mourning the loss of life once again.
While they may have grown up eating plants over killing creatures, this does
not mean the individuals who were chosen by X'ysahtu are weak. By no means are
they. Those who grew up on this world are instead trained in the arts of
living alongside nature, and only taking of life when it was truly necessary;
and when it was, they were great hunters.

For the birds and fish that exist on X'ysahtu are not like the ones that roam
the Inner Dimension. They are fast, quick, and equipped with defenses that
could have easily killed the Raveens. In order to survive they would have had
to have been experts at stealth and moving through the wilds without
disrupting the flow of nature.

In the Inner Dimension there are not many plants that can be eaten to fill a
Raveen's stomach. But these Raveens are bonded to spirits, and could easily
survive on a diet with very little meat.

Climates don't seem to affect these individuals too much; their bonds with
their spirit seeming to protect them from nature -- and in turn, protecting
nature from them. Even away from X'ysahtu, this "precaution" from the spirits
remains intact.

They would have known each other quite well. Those upon X'ysahtu grew up
together, in a makeshift little "pride" or "tribe". They would view one
another as family, as brothers or sisters, or even something more.

Being so young when they were separated from their birth parents and birth
world, means they only remember their time upon X'ysahtu. Only know the family
the spirits gave to them.

They were taught the language of the spirits, a primal language that didn't
have fully defined words and seemed to rely more on the bond of empathy all
living things have with one another. But they did learn to speak as well, the
spirits somehow able to teach them the language of the Raveens -- although it
may not be as good as others who grow up around adults of their own kind, and
these Raveens are likely to have unusual accents or ways of speaking.


(Additional Note: Through their bond with their spirit, they are able to see
the Tree, River, Cloud, and Earth Spirits that live in the Inner Dimension.
Entities which are, mostly, only visible to the Coraz and Azamas. But the
Spirits in the Inner Dimension look different; having a simian appearance
whereas the spirits of X'ysahtu had undefinable ones.)

Words they would know:  (This language is unique to the area these Raveens were on, so others
would not know it already.)

X'ysahtu - "Living World" or "World of the Living Trees"
Reavia'et - "Devouring World" or "World of the Parasites"
A'stua - "Dying"  (A'stua Forest = "Dying Forest")
Ark'tou - "Safe Land"
Measu'aa - "Ash Field" or "Turmoil" (the boundary between the two worlds)

Xa'htu - "Brother"
E'sah - "Sister"
Ytyua'h - "Family" or "Tribe"
Xsa'ou - "Friend"
Osau'r - "Spirit" or "Formless Being"
Treeko'ra - "Anti-Life" or "Malicious Beast" or "Horrible being" (insult)

Toru'et - "Help!"
Tra'etu - "Danger!"
Ar'ke - "Safe" or "Trust" (Ark'uah Tu'e = "Trust me")
Unari'ia - "Home" or "Place to live"
Ut'iri - "Yes"
Ney'et - "No"

Daur'e Xu'ka - "I am..." (male form)
Daur'e Eu'ka - "I am..." (female form)
Ja'u ta'uma? - "Who are you?" or "What's your name?"
Usathuar'et - "Leave me alone" or "I'll go it alone"
Ushu'ar - "Leave"
Klo'kahur Sa'u - "Inexperienced" or "Weak hunter" or "Someone who is in the
way"
Vah'ur Tak'ue - "Great hunter" or "Great friend" or "Someone of great worth"
Xa'meia - "Love you" or "You I Love"
Uta'e Hau Htu N'xu - "Be at Eternal peace" or "May you rest safe now"


Mena'h Xa Tuha'nen - "Greetings to you" or "Life shines upon you" (Formal
greeting)
Kuralae Ys Nue'n - "Goodbye" or "May life watch you" (Formal farewell)
The WoRs of X'ysahtu.

X'ysahtu's names;

1. (Sunset/Bluefire) ~ "Emnai'a" meaning 'brightly burn' or 'burnt in bright'

2. (Moon/Tide) ~ "Autox'et" meaning 'flowing dust' or 'flow of earth'

3. (Fate) ~ "Kemaal'a" meaning 'destiny rift' or 'rift in the fate'

4. (Forest) ~ "Jiaysah'a" meaning 'walker of spirits' or 'spirit walk'

5. (Life) ~ "Miua'a" meaning 'breathe anew' or 'life breath'

6. (Were) ~ "Skealu'a" meaning 'fanged hunter' or 'one who bites'

7. (Steam/ND) ~ "Tosnuba'et" meaning 'touch of ghost' or 'ghostly one'

8. (Flower/Crystal) ~ "Yienn'et" meaning 'rough petals' or 'with sharp edge'

9. (Nightmare/Dream) ~ "Kubalu'et" meaning 'crossroad" or 'sign of choice'

10. (Oil) ~ "Neyahta'a"  meaning 'sliding dark' or 'slithering in dark'.

-

(Aragonite) ~ "Nevos'et" meaning 'cracking earth' or 'fragile rock'

(Rainbow) ~ "Abraul'a" meaning "captive colours" or "spectrum of light"

(Burial) ~ "Tabrosu'et" meaning "bone grave" or "buried with bones" (deceased)
(killed by Treeko'ra during teen years, was with Kelaun'et)

(Water) ~ "Usanii'a" meaning "with the tide" or "lost to the tide" (deceased)
(died when earth spirit was ripped from her by Treeko'ra in her early adulthood)

(Cloud) ~ "Mibarau'et" meaning "dreamer" or "thoughts that float" (deceased)
(killed by being lured into the ashen field by unknown entity)

(Rock/Metal) ~ "Kelaun'et" meaning "unbreakable" or "sturdy and unmoving" (deceased)
(killed by Treeko'ra during teen years, was with Tabrosu'et)