Our world and the Land of the Gods have both changed considerably over the years. And while I am many, many centuries old, I was not, in fact, alive during the time of the gods. Nevertheless, my Seer powers give me insight into some things from the past that many do not possess, and I have combined that with firsthand knowledge from my lifetime to compile the following list of facts that should help put some things into perspective.

Please keep in mind, however, that understanding evolves, truths are always coming to light, and things shift as destinies unfold.

In the Beginning:

Many believe the Primals created the air, lands, seas, realms, and everything in between. After all, little is known about the beginning, and it was better that way for the people to have faith. Easier. Safer. The truth was far more complicated and dangerous because every new beginning carries the risk of a new end.

Our beginning started when there were only stars made of raw, unfettered essence, and it remained that way until Orsus, the largest and brightest of them, erupted. The explosion sent power rippling out, creating barren lands and mountains where nothing but vast emptiness had existed before.

In the millennia that followed, stars began their descent to the no- longer-barren realms. Some fell in areas where great winged creatures ruled the skies, and others in lands separated by vast bodies of water. Those stars buried themselves deep in the soil created by Orsus, feeding the land as the land fed them until they rose to walk as the Ancients.

With their eyes full of all the colors of their beginnings, they were beings of absolute power, neither good nor bad, but they were not welcomed by the great winged beasts who ruled the sky, and their battles nearly destroyed the realms until a shaky truce was established. Peace came, but during that time, ten of the Ancients began to dream of what was

to come. They saw the truth in absolute power. It would inevitably corrupt. In their attempt to prevent this, the ten created the first Primals, thus splitting their power with shared bits of their energy among offspring who were designed to be beyond needs and wants to ensure that there would always be untainted balance.

Peace continued, and conception began as the Ancients created beautiful elemental beings and nightmarish creatures birthed from the darkest, deepest parts of the realms. New Primals were created from the ground, and others entered Arcadia for their time of rest. During this time, they never even considered fighting or killing one another, and procreation was purely for the sake of multiplying. Primals gave birth to gods, and the lands flourished harmoniously, but those ten Ancients still dreamed. They knew what was coming.

Some could claim that the downfall of the Ancients and what was to come started with the young Primal of Life and his insatiable curiosity. It was he who created the first beings of duality, solidifying the truce between those who walked and those who ruled the sky. It was he who created the mortals—not in the image of the Primals and gods, but in the way of the Ancients, who were born of stars.

The development of the mortals wasn’t as restricted as the Primals. The young Primal of Life wanted them to have what they did not: free will. And with that came the capacity to feel emotion. So, as time passed, and Primals and gods interacted with the mortals, they became more curious and then enthralled by all the things the mortals felt.

They became more like them.

The Ancients were not as bonded to the mortals as the Primals were, but nonetheless, they delighted in them. You see, for eons, the Ancients saw the beauty in everything, but they were as old as time itself, and no matter how benevolent or balanced they had been, they began to see only the harsh cost of unbridled creation. As mortals reproduced and spread, crowding the lands and destroying more and more of what came before, the Primals themselves became more mortal-like, eventually developing free will and the ability to care deeply—and nothing is more powerful than the ability to feel and care.

Many of the Ancients started to view their creations, from god to mortal, as selfish parasites. Realizing mortals could not coexist with the land, and that the Primals were becoming unbalanced under the influence of the

mortals, the Ancients decided to take back what had been given. They decided to cleanse the realms. But the Primals rose, working alongside the mortals, and the Ancients fell. And while some went to places of rest, others remained behind to ensure balance, becoming the Arae—the Fates.

And evolution continued.

The first Primal fell in love. And the Arae started experiencing emotions, as well. This worried the Fates. They feared those feelings could be used as weapons, so they intervened, hoping to dissuade others, and committed one of their greatest mistakes.

They made love the Primals’ true weakness.

But it was too late by then. Another Primal had fallen in love. And another. Eventually, the Primals began feeling other emotions. Joy and sadness. Excitement and dread. Hopefulness and bitterness. Empathy and jealousy. And, of course, love and hate. They began to live, and like with all beings that have choices, some became corrupt, uncontrollable, and obsessed.

And what the Ancients had dreamed so long ago continued to play out despite their interference. The balance of the realms grew increasingly unstable as the Primals fought amongst each other, but they were always nothing more than skirmishes—never all-out war.

Never anything that threatened the very fabric of the realms. Until now.

First on our journey of discovery, let’s start with the Ancients…

Note: Some of this information was given in the glossary, but if you did not use that before accessing this file, it’s reiterated and expanded upon here.

Ancients:

Fallen stars that created the realms and rose to walk the lands, eventually splitting their power into creations of their flesh—the Primals. As time wore on, they became fed up with the way the Primals, gods, and mortals took care of what had been given to them and decided to cleanse it all. The Primals joined forces with the gods, mortals, draken, and their ancestors—the dragons—to battle them.

Arae/The Fates:

The Fates, Ancients who remained behind to ensure balance, made of pure eather, just existed for the longest time. Eventually, they took mortal form. They worried about what they couldn’t predict and the unknown/unseen possibilities. But nothing worried them more than unbalanced Primal power. They wanted to have something in place in case a Primal needed to rise but there was no Primal of Life to Ascend them.

Obviously, one foresaw what was to come, but none foretold that the very thing they created would bring about that which they tried to prevent.

Enter the Star diamond: a conduit powerful enough to briefly store and transfer embers both volatile and unpredictable in their raw and unsheltered state. It was unearthed from deep within the Undying Hills, and removing the diamond made the land uninhabitable. The Arae erupted half the mountain to find The Star, and the heated rock and gas irrevocably changed the landscape.

Created by the flames of dragons that used to inhabit the realm of the gods long before the Primals could shed joyous tears—which also present as diamonds—it was the first of its kind and known for its indestructible strength; irregular, jagged beauty; and silver sheen.

It’s actually a petrified Ancient.

None but the Arae were supposed to know of its existence. While The Star has many uses, possibly the most important is the storage of embers for a transfer. But only an Arae or a Primal has the kind of power needed to force such a thing.

After the events surrounding Sotoria (detailed below), a Fate gave The Star to Kolis, but it is unknown who or why. He used it to trap Eythos’s soul and kept it at the top of a gilded cage made of the bones of the Ancients.

Sera eventually rescues it, sets Eythos free, and then uses it to store Sotoria’s soul.

Now, let us regress just a bit and speak a little more about the Primals, shall we?

Primal Gods/Goddesses:

Appearance: They look like mortals, but their preternatural appearances vary.

Abilities: Only ten Primals can tear open the realms. Some Primals can taste emotions. All Primals can shapeshift. They can be bonded to draken in their Courts and are thus able to call on them in times of need. Most draken see it as an honor, but some Primals force the bond—like Kolis. They have the ability to heal and can sense magic. They are able to gain access to memories during feeding. They can shadowstep, which is using eather to will themselves wherever they want to go. If in the mortal realm, a Primal’s essence can affect the moods and minds of mortals and the environment.

They can also power electricity.

Biology: Shadowstone won’t kill them unless they have been weakened by love. The bones of the Ancients can put them into a years-long stasis if used to wound. It was always believed that Primals could not have children with mortals. They age like mortals until about twenty years in, then the process slows to a crawl. Primals can go quite some time without nourishment, but if they go too long, they become, well…primal and primitive. It takes a lot to scar their skin, and salt must be added immediately to make any ink stay. Primals are virtually endless. The minute they are born or Ascended, their essence begins to change them. They can light fires and move incredibly fast, but it’s powered by will and not thought. Bone chains and cells can hold a weakened Primal. They will go into stasis if the body is overwhelmed and it needs to heal or recharge; if they do, roots grow and cover them for protection. When Primals fall in love, they develop a graeca, which is a word in the old language meaning love or life.

Governing: Each Primal rules a Court in Iliseeum with lesser gods who serve them (Attes and Kyn shared the Court of Vathi, however—more on the Courts later). Each Court is a territory within Iliseeum with enough land to allow the Primal and their gods to do as they see fit. Every Primal has enough power to do whatever they like, but some always want more, and there are always consequences for their actions. Primals cannot make demands of or touch the Fates; it is forbidden in order to keep the balance, though the Arae cannot see the fate of a risen Primal, either. Even speaking of going to war with the King of Gods would be to invite conflict and mean a sentence in the darkest parts of the Abyss. When the Primal of Death takes a soul, no other can touch it.

Habits/Mannerisms/Strengths/Weaknesses: Primals do not need blood unless severely weakened. They rarely, if ever, enter the mortal realm

—some go more often than others but are aware of the consequences. It is not easy for a Primal to sense a viktor. Rest: for some, it’s sleep; for others, it’s like retirement. If they do not wish to go into stasis, they can choose to enter Arcadia, which prompts a god to be Ascended in order to take their place as the Primal. If they take their true form in anger, they become something else—a personification of the rage. Intense emotion can force physical shifts…thinning skin, causing eather to glow different colors, etcetera. Primals can see or sense what another is thinking/feeling during blood exchanges—some are more skilled at it than others. Primals cannot feel the presence of others as strongly while in the mortal realm. Using eather weakens them until they complete their Culling. Primals rarely die; if they do, it creates a ripple effect that can be felt across the realms. The only way to stop that is for the eather to go to someone who can withstand it.

During the time of Seraphena and Nyktos, these were the ruling Primals:

Nyktos: Primal God of Death, ruled the Shadowlands.

Kolis: False Primal God of Life, ruled Dalos.

Attes and Kyn: Brothers—twins. Primal Gods of War and Accord and Peace and Vengeance respectively, ruled Vathi.

Embris: Primal God of Wisdom, Loyalty, and Duty, ruled Lotho. Maia: Primal Goddess of Love, Beauty, and Fertility, ruled Kithreia. Keella: Primal Goddess of Rebirth, ruled the Thyia Plains.

Hanan: Primal God of Justice and the Divine Hunt, ruled Sirta.

Veses: Primal Goddess of Rites and Prosperity / a.k.a The Eternal Goddess, ruled the Callasta Isles.

Phanos: Primal God of Sea, Earth, Wind, and Sky, ruled the Triton Isles.

I mustn’t leave out the other gods…

Gods:

Gods either serve a Primal of a Court or become a Primal themselves at some point. While still with a Primal, they cannot leave the Court they were born into without express consent of the ruling Primal. If they do so without being allowed, defection is punishable by death—the final kind.

During the time of Poppy and Casteel, these were the resting gods:

Aios: Goddess of Love, Fertility, and Beauty.

Bele: Goddess of the Hunt.

Ione: Goddess of Rebirth.

Lailah: Goddess of Peace and Vengeance.

Penellaphe: Goddess of Wisdom, Loyalty, and Duty.

Rhahar: The Eternal God.

Rhain: God of Common Men and Endings. Saion: God of Sky and Soil / Earth, Wind, and Sky Theon: God of Accord and War.

Appearance: They appear as mortals, but some have eather that glows in their eyes.

Abilities: Gods cannot shadowstep like Primals can. Only the strongest can hide their appearance from others. Mist and eather are extensions of their will. Some can use compulsion. Some can dig into the mind and read memories. Some can project thoughts. Powerful gods can detect magic.

Few—but some—can shift forms. Some are able to gain access to memories during feeding like the Primals can. Only the eldest and strongest gods can power electricity.

Biology: Shadowstone to the brain or heart will kill them, but if they’re stabbed elsewhere, and the blade isn’t removed, it can paralyze them. If they are even nicked with the bones of the Ancients, it means instant death. All gods need to feed, but feeding from a mortal does the same for them as taking from another god. Gods can go long periods without food, but it will eventually devolve them. The Culling brings them into maturity, slowing the aging process and intensifying the eather within them. Their blood is a glimmering bluish red.

Habits/Mannerisms/Strengths/Weaknesses: Seeing a god in the mortal realm is not unusual—they get bored or are there to carry out their Primal’s business. When gods kill mortals, they usually leave the bodies as warnings. Gods find mortals fascinating.

Related: Deities are the third-generation descendants of Primals or the children of gods beyond that. Godlings are the offspring of mortals and gods. Elemental Atlantians are the closest and purest descendants of the deities. Many believe that changelings—like me—are the resulting offspring of a wolven and deity pairing, though there is room for argument there. Perhaps it’s just having those bloodlines somewhere in the ancestry.

And those are just some of the bloodlines descended from the gods.

What about the others that came about then? Since the draken resulted from a partnership between a Primal and the dragons, I propose we begin there.

Draken:

A very long time ago, dragons existed in both realms—even before the Primals and gods in the time of the Ancients. When the Primals and gods came to be, Eythos befriended the dragons. He wanted to learn their stories and histories, so, being powerful, young, and impulsive, he offered to give them mortal form so they could communicate. Some agreed to the dual life

—the first being Nektas—and those descended from the first became known as the draken. Nektas and Eythos then went on to create mortals.

Here is some more information about the draken…

Appearance: They look mortal in their god forms—outside of fine ridges on their skin that resemble scales. These scales appear on different places of the body at different times depending on how close they are to shifting. Other times, the draken look like dragons: spiked tail, horns, wings, frills around the head, eyes with vertical pupils, and scales that feel like leather. All draken’s eyes were a brilliant sapphire blue until Kolis shifted the balance. After, they turned blood-red. Once Sera came into her power, they turned blue again.

Abilities: They know when the Primal they are close to has been wounded and can always sense the Primals. Draken are immune to the changes a Primal’s essence forces upon those around them. They can gravely wound the Primals but cannot kill them. Like the Primals, draken are virtually unending. Their fire burns through anything.

Biology: They have acute senses. Draken spend the first six months of their lives in mortal form, and then shift, typically remaining in their draken forms for the first several years—the shape they’re most comfortable in.

They mature like a god for the first eighteen to twenty years, then hit a growth spurt in their draken form. They compare shifting to shedding too- tight clothing. Reproduction is complicated, and centuries can pass without a fledgling being born.

Habits/Mannerisms/Strengths/Weaknesses: In their teens and early twenties, they can be killed by a blow to the head or heart, just like a god. Many draken lost their lives when Kolis falsely became the Primal of Life. Draken are not always entirely aware of their surroundings, often leading to furnishings and those around them getting knocked about—though I often wonder if they do know and simply choose to seem oblivious. For most, bonding to a Primal is a choice and a point of pride. The bonds don’t automatically transfer—when their Primal dies or goes to Arcadia, the bond is severed. Draken are forbidden from attacking a Primal but not members of their Court. Hunters by nature, they will eat just about anything— including gods and mortals. Bone chains have no effect on them. Only draken—and those who have Ascended—can enter the Vale. Their young can sleep through anything—even a war.

Culture: Draken do not have ceremonies for their dead as they know they’ve moved on. When possible, one close to the deceased burns the body within hours of the death, and each mourns as they see fit. Mating is very much like mortal marriage but isn’t entered into lightly, as the bond can only be broken by death.

So, what about the wolven, our other dual-natured?

Wolven:

Kiyou wolves were wild, fierce, and loyal to their packs but driven by instinct, survival, and pack mentality. Everything was a challenge for them, and many didn’t survive very long. The kiyou were on the brink of extinction when a Primal—most believe it to be Nyktos—appeared before the last great pack and asked if they’d protect the gods’ children in the mortal realm. In return, the Primal offered them human form so they could communicate with the deities and have long lifespans. He asked—didn’t demand—and it was not an agreement of servitude but rather a partnership. Some kiyou refused as they didn’t trust the Primal, and still others simply wanted to stay as they were.

Once they were of two worlds, they formed bonds with the deities. Those bonds were instinctive and passed down through the generations. Eventually, however, Elemental Atlantians began outnumbering the gods’ children, and the ties eventually shifted to them. The wolven numbers were severely impacted during the War of Two Kings, which is why they are so adamant about regaining land now.

Not all Elemental Atlantians or wolven are bonded. For those who are, while they cannot read each other’s minds, the bond allows them to sense one another’s emotions. If an Atlantian is wounded significantly, they can draw on their bonded wolven for strength. If one of them dies, the other is weakened but will survive. The Joining changes those things slightly, heightening all (see more below). Given the reasons behind the partnership in the first place, the bond means the wolven must obey and protect the Atlantian(s) in all things, even if it means the wolven’s death—nothing supersedes the bond. While Atlantians are not required to give their lives for their wolven, most bonded would.

What else can I tell you about the wolven?

Appearance: They look like oversized wolves in their true form and run hotter than normal.

Abilities and Biology: Wolven can heal fast, thanks to quickly replenishing blood. They have extended lifespans—some have even lived as long as I have. Only wolven have keener senses than the Atlantians. They are vulnerable to any wound to the heart or head. Wolven can sense unrest, vamprys, and Primal emotion.

Culture: Scars are revered and never hidden within their culture. Public displays of affection are commonplace.

Habits/Mannerisms/Strengths/Weaknesses: They will do anything to protect their homes and families. Wolven have their own language. Most find clothing cumbersome. Gods hold a special place in their hearts since one made them of two worlds, which is why they feel honored to be in the presence of a child of the gods. No wolven has ever ruled—their pack instinct is too strong.

The Joining: It’s an old tradition, not done much anymore, when a bonded pair extends the bond to the Atlantian’s partner, thus making the wolven duty-bound to both Atlantians and tying all their lives together. It requires an exchange of blood by all parties. The ritual can become very intimate and include sex, but it does not have to. It is not to be entered into lightly, as the blood bond goes all ways. If one dies, the others die, as well. It doesn’t work with mortals—all parties must have at least some Atlantian blood. The ritual must be done in nature with all participants naked. Vows are spoken, and blood is exchanged—the strongest of the party drinks first from the others, then they drink from each other; lastly, they drink from the strongest. An Atlantian blade is used to mark the center of the chest near the heart for those without fangs needing to draw blood. The blood is taken from the wolven’s throat as it is a conduit of sorts, a bridge to link the lifespans, and then blood is drawn simultaneously from the strongest partner to ensure they hold the lifespans of the others and become the base.

Other: It takes many decades to raise a wolven; therefore, it’s normal for siblings to be born decades apart. It takes wolven at least two decades to gain control of their forms. Young wolven are very accident-prone in their alternate forms, and if injured, they must shift as soon as possible to avoid permanent damage. At a wolven wedding, only the wolven can dance around the fire—or their Liessa. Wolven are relatively healthy, but a few diseases can fell them—the wasting disease that took Elashya and her grandmother, for one.

Now, let’s delve a little bit more into what Kolis did to Eythos and what the consequences were…

The Shifting  of Fates:

The story begins with a mortal named Sotoria…

Kolis, the then Primal of Death, used to enter the mortal realm. Those who saw him cowered and refused to look him in the eye. On one trip, he saw a beautiful young woman picking flowers for her sister’s wedding. That woman was Sotoria.

Kolis watched her and immediately fell in love. He was utterly besotted with her and eventually stepped out of the trees to speak with her. Sotoria knew who he was—back then, mortals knew what the Primal of Death looked like since his features were captured in paintings and sculpture. She fled, and the chase ended in her falling from the cliffs.

Despite dying young and much too soon, she accepted her fate, and her soul arrived in the Shadowlands, passing through the Pillars of Asphodel and entering the Vale within minutes of her passing. She did not linger. She was at peace with starting the next stage of her life.

Decades after her death, Kolis remained obsessed with bringing her back and being with her. Eythos, the then Primal of Life, warned him that he shouldn’t pursue it, but he didn’t listen, and knowing the Primal God of Life had the power to do what he wanted done, Kolis found a way.

Only he and Eythos know exactly how he managed to do it. One will never speak of it, and the other isn’t here to tell. We do know that it involved the Star diamond. Kolis was successful in trading places and destinies with his twin. The act had catastrophic fallout, though, killing hundreds of gods who served both Courts and weakening many other Primals—even killing a few, thus forcing the next in line to rise from godhood to Primal power. Many draken were also killed, and the mortal realm suffered devastating earthquakes and tsunamis. Many places were leveled, and pieces of land just broke off, some forming islands while others sank.

Eythos warned Kolis not to bring Sotoria back, saying she was at peace, and it had been too long. He said if Kolis were to do what he planned, she would not come back as she was. It would be an unnatural act and upset the already unsteady balance of life and death. Still, Sotoria rose, and as predicted, she was not the same. She wasn’t grateful that Kolis brought her

back; she was frightened, unhappy, and horrified by what had been done to her.

Kolis couldn’t understand why she was so morose, and nothing he did made her love him. No one knows how long she lived the second time, but she eventually died again. Some say she purposefully starved herself.

Others think she might have started living again and fought her captor, despite his power.

Callum says Eythos killed her that second time.

I have yet to see more that confirms one way or another.

During the time of that second death, Eythos did something to ensure his brother could never reach her—something only the Primal of Death could do. With the aid of Keella, the Primal Goddess of Rebirth, he marked Sotoria’s soul, which meant she was destined to be reborn and would never pass the Pillars. Her soul would continually come back, over and over, though her memories of her previous lives wouldn’t be anything of substance—if she retained any at all.

Because of what Eythos and Keella did by marking her soul, Sotoria would be reborn in a shroud (as you know both Poppy and Sera were, the most Chosen of the Chosen). Kolis knew this and continued looking for her in the mortal realm. Even entombed, he searched, using his power to extend his will. What Eythos and Keella did wasn’t perfect, and some might argue it was worse than what Kolis did, but it was the only thing they could think to do to keep her safe.

Both Eythos and Keella paid dearly for what they did. Kolis grew to despise his twin and vowed to make him pay, eventually killing Mycella— Eythos’s Consort—while she was pregnant. He did it because he believed it was only fair that his brother should lose his love just as he had. He also destroyed Mycella’s soul, bringing about her final death.

Losing her destroyed a piece of Eythos.

Kolis also annihilated all records of the truth—both in the mortal realm and in Iliseeum. That was the start of the Primal God of Death no longer being depicted in any artwork or literature. Kolis went to great extremes to hide that he wasn’t supposed to be the Primal of Life, even when it became apparent that something was wrong with the balance of power. He started to lose the ability to create life and maintain it. The destiny was never meant to be his, just as the powers of the Primal God of Death were never meant to be Eythos’s.

It took centuries for the powers to wane, and by that time, Eythos was dead—killed and captured in the Star diamond by his twin—and Kolis had mastered other powers, creating the Ascended and Revenants as a way to prove he could still create life.

The fallout of what was done was far-reaching. Despite Ash being born into the role of the Primal of Death, what his uncle did reshaped his destiny and caused the balance to shift even more toward death—the end of everything in both realms. And while it should have taken several mortal lifetimes for the destruction to be absolute, it had already started. Two Primals of Death were not meant to rule, and that was exactly what happened because, at his core, Kolis was the Primal of Death, not the Primal of Life.

Before his death, Eythos took it upon himself to give Nyktos and the others a chance for salvation. He placed an ember of life in the mortal Mierel bloodline, as well as the flicker of power that had been passed on to Nyktos at the time of his birth. Once done, he just hoped for the best. Still, the unbalance of power progressed in its destruction and caused the Rot, continuing and intensifying when Sera was born because it put the embers in a vulnerable vessel with an expiration date for efficacy.

The bits between Sera realizing that she was the true Primal of Life, Sotoria’s soul being placed in the Star diamond, and Penellaphe Balfour being born are a bit hazy, but I gain additional information all the time and will continue updating my files as I am able. What we do know is that Poppy is finally aware that she is descended from Sera and Nyktos and is thus the Primal of both Life and Death. And we can suppose that Sotoria’s soul will come back into play as Isbeth has awakened Kolis—I mean, have you seen pictures of Poppy and Sotoria? There is definitely an uncanny resemblance there. Regardless, things are about to get very interesting for us all.

Forgive me for jumping back there and then surging forward again. I’ll try to get the story’s timeline a bit more on track linearly.

Where were we? Ah, maybe we should tackle the Ascension. Ascension in the time of the gods meant something entirely different than it does in our time.

Ascension:

Originally, the act of Ascension required the blood of a mortal to be drained from their body and then replaced with a god’s or Primal’s blood. The mortal completing the Ascension was not always guaranteed, however (more on that later). Those Chosen in the time of the gods were born in a caul and always carried some Primal essence within them, which allowed them to Ascend.

The Rite existed then and was an honored tradition. The Chosen—third sons and daughters—crossed into Iliseeum to serve the gods. They were then given a choice of whether to Ascend and become immortal or not. That all changed when the power shift in Iliseeum happened. Kolis took away the Chosen’s free will and brought them to Iliseeum to be treated as objects

—used, traded, toyed with, and ultimately tossed aside. If they were Ascended, it wasn’t like it should be. Either Kolis used the blood of the gods in his Court to transition them, making them what we know now as the vamprys—dark-dwelling near-immortals with an insatiable thirst for blood; or his twisted essence coupled with their mortal death made them into something not alive or dead, turning them into what we know to be Revenants.

In more recent times, the Rite became something very different. The vamprys needed a food source, one that wouldn’t be questioned, so they convinced the mortals to hand over their children to honor the gods. They even created an entire religion around it, forcing families to turn on each other if one refused to relinquish their children.

During the Rite, the Ascended take the third sons and daughters to feed upon. If they don’t drain them dry and kill them, they become Craven— though most are dead before they even learn to speak. All second sons and daughters are used to make more Ascended—this is different than the time of the gods, when the third sons and daughters were those Chosen to Ascend. However, the dirty little secret there for the vamprys is that Atlantian blood is required to complete an Ascension; therefore, the Ascended always have an Atlantian held as a prisoner to use for bloodletting.

All history of the Atlantians was erased within Solis, and the Ascended don’t tell people that it is absolutely possible to survive outside the Rise. A crucial part of their control is to create a rift between the mortals who have and those who don’t, causing the poor to turn their hatred on the wealthy and never the Ascended. They believe the Ascended are their direct access

to the sleeping gods and thus an answer to their prayers, therefore above reproach.

Let’s take a closer look at how Ascension ultimately became the start of the vamprys…

The First Ascension After the Time of the Gods:

Atlantian King Malec O’Meer fell in love with a mortal woman named Isbeth. When she was mortally wounded, Malec committed the forbidden act of Ascension in a bid to save her. He drank from her, stopping only when he felt her heart begin to fail, then shared his blood with her. While this should have created the first vampry, it ultimately turned her into a demis because Malec was much more than a King, and Isbeth wasn’t a third daughter. Malec was a god, and gods cannot Ascend mortals—in the traditional sense of the word.

After Isbeth’s Ascension, King Malec lifted the Ascension ban, and many others followed suit, making the first vamprys. As more were created, many were unable to control their bloodlust, thus creating the pestilence known as the Craven and decimating mortal populations. The Craven are created when a vampry feeds on a mortal to the brink of death—or to death

—but does not complete the process. Originally, this was thought to be the result of them not feeding the mortal their blood, but we have since come to understand that it’s the magical missing piece: the Atlantian blood—blood with the essence of the gods.

After Malec was exiled and subsequently entombed, Queen Eloana forbade Ascension again and ordered the destruction of all Ascended to protect mortalkind, ushering in disharmony between Solis and Atlantia. The Ascended in Solis revolted, thus starting the War of Two Kings and changing history. As I mentioned, Solis’s recorded history is very different from the Atlantians’ recorded history, and is full of lies, misleading details, and half-truths.

There are different kinds of Ascension.

God and Mortal

If a god Ascends a mortal, especially one who is not a third son or daughter, they do not create another god—a god can only be born—they

instead create a demis. Which is why it was always forbidden. Demis are things that should never be: beings with godlike powers who were never meant to carry such gifts and burdens. They are abominations.

God and Godling

If a god Ascends a godling, it results in a godling who lives. Most godlings cannot handle the Culling process because their bodies are still mortal. A godling must drink from a god during their Culling to survive. It’s not entirely clear if that is a full act of Ascension or just them drinking as a way to help the healing. If they do not receive the immortal blood, the eather will ultimately kill their mortal bodies—the Culling happens around ages eighteen to twenty-one.

Elemental Atlantian/God not yet through their Culling

This is Poppy’s situation—or at least part of it. She is an entirely different amalgamation of building blocks.

Atlantian/Mortal

If an Atlantian Ascends a mortal, they become a vampry. It’s the same as an Ascended Ascending a mortal, as Atlantian blood is required to facilitate the change.

Vampry/Mortal

If a vampry Ascends a mortal, they become an Ascended—a vampry— as long as they have access to Atlantian blood to complete the change. If they do not have Atlantian blood, the mortal becomes a Craven.

Primal not yet through their Culling/God

This is the case with Sera and Bele. Sera Ascended Bele, but she did not become a Primal. She received the Primal silver eyes and power boost, but she did not register as a full Primal. She could, however, challenge the Primal for authority of the Court, and become a waiting vessel for the Primal power should it need a place to go—which it did when Ash killed Hanan.

As I alluded to above, some one-off creations don’t entirely fit the mold of standard history. Still, it merits recording them here for posterity’s sake.

I mentioned them earlier, but let’s take a look at Revenants…

Revenants:

A Revenant, like a demis, is an abomination and something that should not be. It was Kolis’s experiment and crowning achievement, and he used his Primal magic to create them. It then became a pastime of Isbeth’s after Callum shared the process with her. For most Revenants—Callum and Millie aside—it takes a third child of two mortals, one who carries a non- dormant ember within them, death, and the blood of a god, King, or someone destined to become King. But not all third children have the trait that allows the transformation, and as we see with Callum and Millie, with the right set of circumstances, a first or second child can become a Revenant, though they are not quite the same as the others.

Kolis says the differences in Callum were due to intent and motivation. I think that may be true, combined with the power and circumstances of the building blocks used to create them. I’m sure we’ll find out more at some point.

After the Chosen become Revenants, they are no longer mortal. They have no soul. And they are completely impervious to illness or injury— including things inflicted by god power. They also don’t need to eat food or drink blood, nor do they need other comforts. They exist to please their creator.

The only way they can be killed is by the ingestion of draken blood, though it only takes a drop.

Now let’s review the Gyrms…

Gyrms:

Gyrms are beings created with Iliseeum soil and eather, which can be found in the blood of a god or the bones of a deity. There are different kinds of Gyrms. The Hunters and Seekers are mortals who summon a god in exchange for receiving their greatest desire. In reciprocity, they offer themselves to the god in eternal servitude. Once they die, they become a Gyrm, and their mouths are stitched shut to keep them loyal to the god or Primal they pledged themselves to. The Priests are considered Gyrms. If a Hunter or Seeker is destroyed and turned to ash, they go to the Abyss.

The Sentinels enter servitude by dying and refusing to pass the Pillars of Asphodel to have their souls judged. In lieu of possibly being sentenced to the Abyss, they become a Gyrm as a way of atoning for their sins. They serve for a set period of time and are more mortal than the Hunters or Seekers, retaining the ability to think. If they are turned to ash, they can either go back to the god they serve to continue their servitude or choose to go to the Abyss.

There are a few more things I’d like to go over here, but they are sort of out of context, so forgive me.

Dakkais

First, the Dakkais. These creatures were once pets of the Court of Dalos. While it’s unclear if any other Primals used them, Kolis was known for deploying them frequently. Dakkais are a race of ferocious, flesh-eating beings, rumored to have emerged from a bottomless pit in Iliseeum. They are as large as horses, heavily muscled, and trained like bloodhounds to sense and track eather. A wound to the head can kill them, and upon death, they turn to ash, much like the Gyrms.

Last, but certainly not least, the Viktors…

Viktors

Viktors are born with a specific purpose: to protect someone the Fates have chosen as destined to bring about significant change or serve a great purpose—even mortals destined for terrible deeds may have Viktors. Some Viktors are unaware of their mission and simply find themselves with their charges at the right moment, guided by the Fates. Others are fully aware and integrate themselves into the lives of those they are meant to protect. It is believed that only one Viktor is assigned to each individual, but this isn’t entirely true, as Poppy had both Leopold and Vikter—though at different times. Viktors cannot reveal their true nature or the reasons for their presence.

They live and serve much like mortals, and are mostly mortal themselves.

However, when they die, their souls return to Mount Lotho—home of the Arae. Upon recycling and returning for their next mission, they lose all memory of their past lives. Yet, each time they return to Mount Lotho, they retain those memories. Some are fated to eventually realize who they are and who they were sent to protect, even after returning to the mortal realm. Some, like Vikter Ward/Wardwell, remember everything.

I think this provides a good overview of the evolution of the Land of the Gods and the mortal realm. As I mentioned before, this is constantly changing, but I strive to keep a record of events and their consequences. I may not be an official historian, but I’m more than capable of keeping track of these things—though if you ask Poppy, Cas, or anyone else who’s read (and enjoyed) my entries, they might have a different opinion.