The Gift of the World Tree
Long before man built the highest skyscrapers or launched ships into space, there were the Elementals. These elemental beings, born from the wind, fire, water, and earth, held sway over the natural world. Their dominion was immense and invincible, and they ruled over their respective realms with unquestioned authority. The story predominantly revolves around two of these Elementals; Aquila the air spirit, and Ignis, the fire spirit.
Aquila, ethereal and passionate, commanded the skies while Ignis, vital and vivacious, wielded the fire's heat. Both had been on the world long before humanity, initially living together in harmony and unity. However, through millennia of existence, they grew apart, their perspectives twisted by their isolation and power.
It tightened fast into rivalry, overshadowing the original harmony. In the pursuit to establish their superiority, they clashed violently, their battles shaking the very foundations of the world.
Amidst this chaos, a new entity came into existence - humanity. They were frail, lacking the Elementals' raw, unfettered power, but they bore something unique - empathy and consciousness. Amid the destruction surrounding their existence, they mourned the loss, sought unity, and worked towards restoring harmony.
And mostly, they respected the World Tree, a colossal tree that touched the clouds and roots kissing the core of the earth. They believed it to be an embodiment of life itself, and it was the closest thing the humans had to a deity. But to Aquila and Ignis, it was but another plaything in their game of power.
One ghastly night, amidst their reckless fighting, the World Tree caught fire. Its incredible flames burned like a beacon amidst the darkness, alerting all of the catastrophe.
The Humans, seeing their deity aflame, pleaded with the two warring elementals. They begged, cried, seeking to prevent the World Tree's doom, but to no avail - Aquila and Ignis were too engrossed in their battle.
Then, something unexpected happened. A small human child defied their fear and went straight to the flaming tree, rain-bathed, wailing, trying with their small strength to douse the flame. And their effort, although insignificant in comparison to the calamity, sparked something in Aquila and Ignis.
They watched, transfixed, as the child fought the fire single-handedly. It was the most heroic act, the purest show of empathy, they had ever seen.
The blazing World Tree, now more a pyre, gasped its last breath and released a wave of energy. The shockwave was too powerful, throwing the child off and knocking them cold.
The child's heroic act mirrored back at Aquila and Ignis their reckless vanity, pulling them out of their ego-entrenched warfare. They touched the lifeless body of the child, guilt washing over them. They realised the true destruction they had caused, recognised the humans' respect for life.
In that moment, they decided to rectify their mistake. With unity long forgotten, they combined their powers. Aquila brought forth the mightiest rain clouds and Ignis, reversing his nature, controlled the fire, dousing the flame. The World Tree, although charred, was saved, and the lifeless earth around it slowly regained its green.
To the fallen child, they granted their spiritual energies, giving them unprecedented command over fire and air. They deemed the child the first Elemental Human, a beacon of harmony and unity, influencing the next generations.
The child woke up, imbued with newfound power, greeted by the sight of a charred but surviving World Tree. The humans, seeing their saviour awaken, alongside Aquila and Ignis, celebrated their first victory over destruction, the child being the symbol of balance and harmony.
To this day, the descendants of the Elemental Human, laced with powers of fire and wind, share a deep bond with the World Tree, protecting and nurturing it. The World Tree stood tall, a reminder of unity and the destructiveness of vanity.
This tale, passed down across the generations, serves to remind us of the importance of balance, the beauty of empathy, and the need to respect life in all its forms. What had been a rivalry transcended its bounds to be an understanding of the unity and harmony that hold the universe together.