Vulthuryol

Rebirth: a new or second birth, the passing of the soul at death into another body either human or animal

Water was crucial to life. Vulthuryol had seen it every day he observed the world. The rains that made the plants grow, the ocean and lakes that housed fish, the oasis in the deserts providing for the weary travelers. As the son of the god of Water and the goddess of Spring, he saw it his duty to veil over life in its many forms.

It was not unusual to find him swimming in the depths of the sea, a piece of the night sky gliding and riding the invisible currents; other times he was in the desert, a mirage guiding a thirsty traveler to a hidden source of water only to disappear moments later; maybe he was trailing alongside a river in the forest surrounded by glowing dragonflies.

What he loved the most, however, was to observe dragons interact. It was no secret that his existence was lonely so it brought a sense of comfort to watch how hatchlings played or two friends hanging out and having fun. Of course it was not always peaceful, sometimes he watched the battles that happened in the land, warning the generals of the possible outcome or burying the dead afterward so they would return to the soil.

And then Emperors started to happen.

Part of them were his fault, he never considered something like this would happen to those he buried, truly. Part of them were an accident but horrifying nonetheless. It was not long before fearful clans started to hunt down Imperials and destroy their bodies so no abominations would rise from the ground.

He dedicated a lot of his time battling the loose monsters but as others took that duty, he slowly shifted his efforts to offer sanctuary to the fleeing dragons, all over the land he prepared hidden spaces for them to avoid their deaths.

It was one of those times, when he was guiding a group of Imperials to safety, when he came face to face to the extreme the hunt had reached.

They were being chased by a young god and he was desperate. Seeking his Father´s protection, he made the escapees dive into the water after him. They were close to the water´s depth when spears of light pierced the water, sinking into the bodies of the Imperials and taking out most of the group.

Filled with despair, Vulthuryol launched himself behind the sinking bodies, with claws and magic outstretched. They did not deserve to die! He was determined to give them a second chance!

He saw their spirits start to leave the bodies and tried to bring them to him.

What a big mistake that was.

It was like a bolt of lightning going through his body, the pain paralysing him. The bodies quietly hit the bottom and so did he, raising a cloud of sand in the darkness.

Something was wrong, something was oh so wrong. He couldn’t move. He couldn’t see. He felt how his body started to twist agonisingly. Something attached to him, burning painfully against his back. What was that? Why was it there? More things were attaching themselves burning him hurting him someone make it stop it hurt it hurt it hurt they were all in pain they didn’t want this to happen they tried to scream but there wasn’t a voice they were too many voices it was too loud it was too quiet they wanted it to stop there were too many too many thoughts it was too loud what was happening where were they who were they it was too much too much they needed to hide needed to go deeper deeper to the darkness or they would find them... who? who who would find them? why why they were wrong wrong? the water would hide them it would protect them they needed to go deeper deeper so they could see they saw too much they saw what was coming they didn’t want to it was confusing they didn’t know they didn’t know they had to know

They went deeper and deeper until there was sand against their claws (they? Why they? How many were there?) and laid there for so long (long? What was that? How much time did they spend there? Who spent there? Who were they? How many?), trying to pry the answers out of their mind (mind? Minds? Was there one? Or multiple? What did that mean?).

The pressure of the water on their body was reassuring (or was it terrifying? Part of them wanted out out but another part wanted to hide to be safe) and slowly

oh

So

Slowly

Their minds started to untangle (but something was wrong so much was missing so much was mixed erased smashed together), it was an overwhelming and long process until their thoughts (elven, there were eleven of them, all of them thinking, all of them
scared, sad) were clear (or as clear as they could get). They didn´t even manage to speak to each other before their body (oh how it ached to move it it was so wrong) started moving, spurred on by who had been Vulthuryol (he had to protect them, had to make it right) until they reached the darkest depths, where no light could reach them (they barely remembered the glowing spears that had been their demise but the fear remained).

It was there, in the darkest abyss, where the Emperor hid for many years, merely trying to make sense of the mess their minds had become. Sometimes, a lone dragon would find them and, if they were not too scared of them, they would offer them a fortune.