The crackle of the fire filled the silence.
Somewhere between the sound of her words and his feelings for Kai, Torin had frozen, wide-eyed. He didn't answer. Leaving the surroundings to answer for him, a bird chirped once in reply, sharp and questioning. Leaves rustled overhead as a whipping breeze threaded through the trees, brushing past their shoulders like it, too, had been listening.
Out of confusion, Kai asked, "Torin, did you hear me? I said, "Oνομά μοι Καελῆνα. This is who I am. I remember everything so clearly, and I'm excited.
Still nothing. He just stared at her like his own ears were deceiving him.
Kai grew irritable and smacked her knee as she shouted, "Torin!"
"I can hear you; I'm not deaf, but you are doing a bilingual thing. One minute, you're speaking English, and then, like, the last part comes out something else," Torin replied, his brow frowning.
"Wait, code-switching?"
Torin threw his hands up. "Of course, you know what it's called."
"Sorry, I've only said that name in Greek, so I didn't notice. I told you these memories feel like they just happened. I don't even have to think about a time; everything is just so clear to me, even before my birth. I feel like I have been around for Enos, just snipping in people's business.
"Well, water has been here since the beginning of time; maybe you have memory powers. Anyway, let's say it slower this time. What's your name?"
"My...Name...Is...Kaelena. How's that? It sounds like Ka-Lee-na."
"Oh, that's a nice name. Okay, enough playing around. Tell me. Oh, and even the messy stuff people don't know.
Before she starts, Kai mentions once again her real name is Kaelena, then begins explaining: In the realm of Greek mythology, a time predating Kaelena's birth, existed a place where humans relied solely on the Gods, devoting their lives entirely to every whim of the divine beings. However, there were moments when the Humans challenged the Gods.
On most occasions, humans grew more confident, foolish, curious, and reckless as time progressed, seeking to conquer all, seeking to conquer the Gods themselves. Time and time again, the Gods punished those humans who attempted to rise above, rule, and control them—a battle more ferocious and enduring than the Gods' conflicts with the Titans. Sometimes, the Gods would be so frustrated by the ongoing cycle that the Gods decided to reset humanity, wiping the human race of its hate and wicked thoughts. Despite their efforts, the world continued this foolish cycle, finding ways to leave hints and knowledge for the next generation, allowing humans to persist in their evolution. Fate seemed destined for further turmoil in the current era, with the gods at war with each other once more.
"That's all I'm telling you. On that note, I'm not getting too deep in history," Kai giggled. "That has nothing to do with my story, and it's not about the war between humans and God. This is better. It's a Deity-on-Deity conflict. I'm telling you everything, so make sure you grab some water, use the bathroom, and settle in. Yeah, you, hurry back."
To start, this isn't a prophecy thing, more like intuition, desperation, and a high-stakes decision. Kaelena's story begins with a warning no one listened to. The past, quietly preparing to reach forward. A rip in time, opened by a name long forgotten. Plans of fire. Of empires falling. And a future too horrendous to have hope. Her story begins as a gamble, born of desperation and good intent.
And when you talk about time and change, only a few have been around to witness. The Sun shines light on all things during the day, but shifts to the Moon and Stars, who witness what is meant to be kept in the dark. Even the Earth around us bears wounds and scars that tell stories of countless battles, but none know as much as the omnipresent Water. From the bodies dumped in creeks and lakes to the battles and secrets held at sea. The drops of rain that washed away evidence of blood, to the clouds that block the view of the sun. Water is everywhere: It's in the air, moisture, humidity, and clouds. It's under the earth, in the ocean, in every living thing; most living things are made of an extremely high percentage of water. Not to mention, it all recycles constantly through evaporation, condensation, and precipitation. Everlasting, in fact, the water we drink today is the same ancient water from millions of years ago.
That being is Thalassa— theh-LASS-sah, a primordial being; she is the sea itself. Although few have seen her in this form, she rarely takes it. Thalassa is beautiful when she takes the shape of a humanoid figure. Thalassa emerges as a colossal figure. Her form is fluid, constantly shifting between human and aquatic features. Thalassa's skin shimmers with an iridescent blue-green hue reminiscent of sunlight dancing on ocean waves.
Her hair flows as an ever-moving cascade of deep blue strands interwoven with seaweed and adorned with tiny, bioluminescent creatures that pulse with soft light. Her eyes are vast and deep, reflecting the depths of the sea, sometimes changing to a stormy gray, other times a calm blue. Her arms are long and graceful, ending in webbed fingers that can command the currents with a mere gesture. Draped across her shoulders and wrapped around her arms were strings of pearls and coral. Thalassa's human features end at her lower body, which melds seamlessly into the sea, as she and the ocean are the same, and she cannot stray too far away. When she spoke, Thalassa's voice was a harmony of crashing waves and whale song, powerful yet soothing. When she moves, schools of fish swirl within her.
Being present since the beginning of time. One day, Thalassa got a bad feeling. With the past events a cycle and only worsening, she foresaw a being so powerful he would destroy not just the Realm of Greece but many others and potentially destroy the relationship between Humans and Gods forever. Knowing this, she called on Selene— Suh-LEE-nee, with whom she had a good relationship. Selene is the Titan/Greek goddess of the moon. She's a beautiful, radiant figure who drives a chariot across the night sky, guiding the moon as it travels from east to west. Her presence lights up the night, and she's closely associated with the moon's cycles and the mysteries of the night. Selene had pale skin and long white hair with a glowing crown. She wore a long white gown that danced as she rode her chariot across the night sky. Her eyes are grey, pure reflections of the moon.
Thalassa had also called on her close relative, Oceanus— OH-shee-uh-nuhs. Oceanus is one of the twelve Titans who stayed in Greece when the Titans were being branched off to different realms. Oceanus embodies the vast, encircling river surrounding the Greek world and is the source of all of Gaia's (Earth's) fresh water. Oceanus was one of the few Titans who didn't have a physical body, though the way he acted, it was envisioned that he was an older man with a very long beard.
With those trusted assembled, Thalassa explained the stormy feeling she experienced, presented her theory, and began to tell the solution to help with the aftermath. However, Poseidon— puh-SY-dun, one of the three main Olympian gods, is known as the God of the sea, earthquakes, and horses. Suddenly, he decided to intervene; he noticed the shift in the waters and found Thalassa, Oceanus, and Selene having a meeting in which he felt he should have been included. Thalassa didn't like Poseidon's approach, but quickly recognized a position perfect for Poseidon since he wanted to be nosy.
Before they could continue, she had to control Poseidon after he heard the future threat. Poseidon's reaction almost ruined everything before it could even begin. He urged that they tell Zeus and the others of the danger so they could stop it beforehand. However, Thalassa roared at Poseidon to stop acting like a child who runs and tells everything it hears.
"It has already been decided, and telling Zeus, who is overconfident and hot-headed, will do nothing but make things worse," Thalassa said.
Thalassa addressed the assembly, her voice calm yet carrying the weight of wisdom and knowledge. She revealed the startling solution: to create a being unlike anything ever seen. The room fell silent as she elaborated on the limitations they faced. Her Primordial siblings would oppose any attempt to duplicate or recreate a being similar to herself with its own consciousness.
As you know, Chaos created powerful beings known as the Primordials, but all that power had to be contained. A Primordial being is bound by one purpose—by one duty. It is not just a job they do; it is what they are. Again, Gaia, who is Earth, cannot stop being Earth. And Nyx, who is Night, cannot stop being night. So, imagine if one were to go off alone and create a replica of itself with a mind of its own; that replica wouldn't inherit a duty of its own. It would be like making an extra Earth with no air or water, no day or night. A planet that is nothing but ocean, sounds beautiful and powerful, but without structure, without balance, and without purpose. And that's just the surface of the issue.
What Thalassa intended was far more dangerous. She planned to shape a being from a piece of herself, a living replica with a mind of its own but still the full strength of a Primordial and none of the restrictions. A free entity, like the Olympian gods, capable of making its own decisions. Of choosing to create... or choosing to destroy. This new being would be untethered, unchecked. Others would see that as a threat or, worse, an opportunity.
She could not bring this to anyone else's attention because Thalassa warned Poseidon that if the other Primordials or gods, particularly Zeus, learned of her plan, they would desire to create their own champions. This premature competition could derail the true purpose of her creation. Instead of defending the Realms, the new being might be forced into rivalry with other champions, who may not have the same agenda. The cosmos wouldn't survive a clash between multiple "Unhinged Primordials."
Thalassa eased their mind by telling them her creation would help not only with the future threat but also with the aftermath. She told them that so much destruction would come forth that the humans would no longer look at the Gods as protectors. This child was to be made as a benevolent gesture aimed at providing humanity with relief, offering a chance for a better and longer life, and hoping that it would lead to greater understanding and wisdom and foster a more harmonious society. This would be her duty. On the other hand, Thalassa was well aware that if her child fell into the wrong hands. There lingered the possibility that there could be more sinister motives, using the promise of her child and its powers as a tool to manipulate mortals, fostering dependency and subservience.
"Something that will always be within reach but can never be obtained by force. Immortality!" She whispered.
The ability to give immortality also comes with negativity. Extending everyone's lifespan could lead to overpopulation, straining available resources, resulting in competition, conflicts, and environmental degradation. It may serve to maintain dominance over mortals, reserving long life as a privilege for those deemed worthy, perpetuating a hierarchical structure between gods and humans.
Thalassa turned to Poseidon with trust because that is where his job comes in, seeing that he wanted to be involved so badly. To defeat the future threat, Thalassa had to create a being like no other, but she had to make the power of that child safe.
"The Untold Story of a Primordial, Titan, Two Gods and an Amazonian."
Done with explaining, Thalassa was ready to begin. She left the official name to the others but said that her child would be "The Fountain of Youth!" Powerful water with the abilities of immortality and much more. Destruction or Life. Weapon or Cure.
Thalassa separated a piece of herself. The process started similarly to the process of creating different realms. However, this was a small potion, no bigger than a watermelon. It contained the abilities and memories Thalassa possessed. She poured the separated water from her hands into a crystal vase made by Selene. Thalassa told them that she would not be a part of the remaining process as a precaution, so no one but those present would know the truth. She explained that the illusion would be created to seem that the child was that of Oceanus and Selene.
After pouring the puddle of water, Thalassa pushed the vase toward Selene before disappearing. Left in the hands of Oceanus and Selene, they decide to help Thalassa create a child with the best opportunity of defeating such a powerful foe. So, on their own accord, they also added portions of themselves to the vase.
Oceanus grabs a piece of himself, adding fresh water to the vase. So that not only could the child rule the sea but over fresh water as well. Selene cut her finger and added a drop of her blood. Selene then took the crystal vase holding Thalassa's and Oceanus' water and flew to the moon. As the moon phases from new to full, the puddle of water soaked up and absorbed the moon's energy. Before this being could be born, Oceanus knew he had to find a way for it to survive until it could reach maturity and master its abilities.
He had to hide this being from Zeus and those who would not allow such a being to exist, for it was unknown what it could be: Primordial, Titan, God, or something far beyond. As time passed, Oceanus made a way to protect the young being, and with a third full moon, Selene approached Themiscyra— them-ISS-keer-uh with a request for a brave Amazonian to give birth to her and Oceanus's child. But the crowd of strong warrior women remained silent.
Oceanus was a Titan, ancient and vast. The Amazonian women, as fierce and battle-hardened as they were, had no idea what bearing a child of such a being would mean for their bodies. They feared that carrying a child born of Titan essence could tear them apart from the inside out, or worse. End their lives before the pregnancy ever reaches its midpoint, failing the Gods and potentially leaving the task up to another sister, putting them in harm because of their failure.
There were no promises, no reassurances, no sacred text to guide them, no healer wise enough to predict the outcome, and no clear benefit to their people. Selena, the moon goddess, believed her Amazonian worshippers would leap at the honor. But there was no Honor in dying from pregnancy. If anything, it would make them look weak, and though they were warriors trained to face death, there was a difference between dying on the battlefield and being slowly undone by something growing within them. Immediately, the majority declined.
They were not cowards—only cautious. The Amazons were not forced, so Selena and Oceanus decided to search elsewhere. Yet before they could leave, one warrior stepped forward.
Astreona—pronounced ah-STRAY-oh-nuh— is a middle-aged woman dressed in black and gold armor, adorned with a flowing, see-through silk cape that trails behind her. She was tall and athletically built. A royal bodyguard to the Queen, her muscles bore the memory of wars, and her short curly hair framed a face both stern and striking. She had almond-shaped brown eyes, deep plum lips, and dimples that rarely softened her expression—but they were there, shadows of the young, innocent girl she once was.
Oceanus and Selene quickly thanked her, explaining they chose a humanoid figure to increase the chances of it having a physical form, unlike Oceanus or Thalassa. Having an Amazonian accept the offer was a bonus. It gives the future being a human appearance to fit in and hide, and provides a stronger body than the average mortal. The Amazonians were mortal women trained from the moment they could walk; their strength and speed rivaled some Demigods and made them attractive to others. Depending on the child's power, the body of an Amazon may bend but won't break.
Selene approached Astreona with a glowing, radiant crystal vase cradled in her hands. Towering over the warrior, she commanded Astreona to look her in the eyes. "Before we begin," Selene said gently. "I will be here if you need anything. But I must be honest with you, young warrior. I cannot promise you will survive this, and for that, I'm sorry. This is uncharted territory for all of us." Selene bent down and tilted the vase for Astreona to see, "Though it may look, feel, or even taste like water, it is much more. Even now, in this form, it is aware. It sees us. Hear us. It will remember everything from this moment.
What's more, once it is infused with your body, it will mix with the water within you... and in doing so, it will know everything—your life, your memories, even the parts you've forgotten or buried." Selene locked eyes with her. "Knowing all this... will you still proceed?"
Without hesitation, Astreona gave a single nod. "I've nothing to hide. My life is blade and discipline — if the child sees that, maybe it learns strength. Maybe that makes raising it easier… or bearable, at least. But I won't lie, my Goddess… I've never nurtured a soul, held a lover, or known softness. If I'm chosen for this… I will not flinch. But I will need your guidance. Knowing all of this, are you still willing to proceed?"
Selene smiled, and another Amazonian was instructed to bring a small bowl. As she did, Selene poured the water into the bowl. Astreona stared at the crystal vase; if anything, that was the most unbelievable thing here. As the last drop entered the bowl, she didn't understand how water would allow her to carry this child; she wondered what the being would even look like.
The crystal vase containing cosmic energy was made solely from pure crystals. Selene grew on the moon herself, and now, the vase was empty. Selene did something no one ever expected; she crushed the vase to dust and sprinkled it into the bowl of water.
"O creator of the cosmos, bear witness to the divine union of moonlight and oceanic might! From the lunar atmosphere, this crystal, a fragment of the moon herself, emerges bathed in the brilliance of cosmic energies. As the governor of the night sky, I, Selene, proclaim that this crystalline essence shall intertwine with the very fabric of this celestial offspring.
Under the benevolent glow of my silvery luminescence, this child, born of the sacred union between the moon and the vast expanse of water, shall be bestowed with unparalleled power. Its essence, a harmonious symphony of moonlit radiance and the boundless depths of the primal waters, shall surge forth with an unstoppable force.
May everyone here bear witness to this divine creation kept secret. To those who would challenge the child in its natural element, let it be known that they face a force born of a Primordial itself. And to those who embrace it with mind, body, and soul, know that you will never have to worry again, as you shall live forever.
Let this proclamation shake the realms in the name of the moon and the water's embrace, a testament to the divine legacy that courses through the child's veins. May it rise, a luminary force, guided by the moon's tender glow and the boundless strength of Oceanus, a living testament to the power that binds both earth and sky." Selene chanted.