Chapter 1

Lian stood in a forest on the banks of a creek. The trees stood tall and proud. Their leaves rustled in a gentle breeze. Small woodland creatures moved around him like he didn't exist. The whole environment was in motion yet the water was undisturbed. The creek was still when the rest of the world moved. No moss grew on the rocks protruding from the water. There wasn't a single hint of fish. The water was crystal clear. The grey and white pebbles that made up the creek bed were jagged and sharp.

Lian easily hopped onto a rock that rose above the surface of the water and perched on it. He studied his reflection, his head cocked to the side curiously. He patted at his messy disobedient black hair, holding it flat to his head. He giggled and made faces into the water before removing his hands from his head. "There's nothing wrong with the water," he whispered to himself, "Well except for the fact that nothing lives in it, but that's how it's always been." He rolled his eyes, "I've been around for hundreds of thousands of years and nothing has happened." He shook his head, "But everybody acts like the apocalypse is right around the corner."

Lian's tone turned mocking as he continued "The water is dangerous! The previous god of the sky and sea can corrupt you! Take over your mind and force you to commit atrocities!" He giggled and lowered his hand into the water. The moment his fingers came into contact with it the creek began to move. It started to flow the way a creek should. The movement didn't catch his attention. He was lost in his own mind, muttering his thoughts out loud under his breath "It's been years. I'm pretty sure that if the previous god of the sky and sea even exists he'd have done something by now. And even if he does exist, I'm sure if I was actually in any danger from him he'd have done something."

He started mocking again. "Father! Father! Fix him! His connection to the sea can be broken right?! Please! Father! Father! Father!" He giggled again, "It's always 'Father' this and 'Father' that."

"Arkos'mii'lian!"

Lian jumped and stopped giggling abruptly. He pulled his hand out of the water and it grew still again. He got to his feet and shoved his hands nervously into the pockets of his slightly oversized black and gold hoodie. He hopped back to the bank of the creek and took a few steps away from it. He swallowed. His gaze darted around, taking in his surroundings in quick sweeps.

A very large muscular man forced his way through the underbrush, stepping out onto the banks of the creek. A prominent scar stretched from his ear down to his chin on the left side. His blond hair was neatly combed backwards and his gray-blue eyes were cold and hard. He was followed by two others: a young man with a similar but leaner build and a young woman.

The man's gaze raked over Lian. His expression changed from calm disapproval to unadulterated rage jarringly fast. He grabbed Lian's arm and pulled it out of his pocket.

"Ow!" Lian cried out. He glared up at the man for a moment before quickly lowering his gaze. Every muscle in his body tensed as he waited in silence.

"Mii'lian. Why is your hand wet?"

Lian swallowed, "I...I put it in the creek." He looked up and quickly added, "I didn't mean to, Father. It was an accident. I slipped on the bank and had to catch myself!"

His father harshly ordered him to be silent.

Lian flinched and lowered his head submissively, "I'm sorry, Father."

His father continued, "Why don't you ever listen, you imbecile? Even punishment has stopped working with you." His grip tightened on Lian's arm.

Lian breathed in sharply but didn't say anything.

"You should be in class! Instead I find you traipsing through the woods, disrupting your mother's serene creation with your arm half submerged in a river!"

"It's a creek. Not a river." Lian muttered.

"Silence." His father hissed. He shoved Lian's arm back to him.

Lian took a half step back, "I'm sorry, Father."

"For uncountable years you have disobeyed me, endangered your family, and caused chaos and fear wherever you went."

Lian glanced at him but didn't lift his head, "Technically it's been four hundred and eighty three thousand nine hundred and seventeen years nine months and twenty five days."

His father backhanded him across the face.

Lian cried out. He stumbled a couple steps sideways and touched his face. A red mark in the shape of his father's gauntlet appeared within seconds.

"If you step out of line again, you will have to deal with the consequences."

Lian swallowed hard, past the lump that formed in his throat. He nodded and apologized again.

His father turned to the young man that had accompanied him, "Daria'lis. Take your sibling and make sure he gets to the Gods' Palace. And cleans himself up."

Daria nodded, "Yes Father." He grabbed Lian's arm and dragged him away.

The young woman nodded to their father, turned around, and followed the two of them away.

Lian stumbled over the roots and underbrush as his brother dragged him through the forest. He didn't speak until they left the woods and were walking along the beach towards a city. He glanced out at the ocean to their left, "It's not like the water is poisonous. Why is Father so bent out of shape?"

Daria instantly responded, "Father has told us multiple times to stay away from it. And it doesn't have to be poisonous to be dangerous."

Lian rolled his eyes, "Usually when someone mutters under their breath they don't actually want you to tell them all the reasons why their statement can't possible be accurate."

Daria took a deep breath to continue speaking but their sister shook her head. He exhaled instead.

Lian glanced at his arm, "You can let go any time now, you know?"

His brother shook his head, "You're going to run off and get yourself into trouble again."

"I will not!" Lian insisted defensively, "When have I ever done that?"

"You've done it to Father multiple times." Daria responded coldly.

"He's different," Lian muttered.

"Daria, let him go," their sister ordered.

Daria tried to argue but she interrupted him and repeated her command.

Daria hesitated but let Lian go.

Lian pushed his sleeve up to his elbow and rubbed at the red spot that covered his wrist and lower forearm. He obediently continued to follow his two siblings home.

All of the buildings of the city were built with white marble. The cobblestone streets were pristine perfect white. The Gods' Palace was easily identifiable by it's gold plated rooftop and the large silver gate that separated it from the city. The gate was carved in a manner to resemble a rose bush and the latch required two hands to be able to open. All the buildings of the city had bright polished silver roofs.

More humans walked through the streets than elves. They were the only two races to live in the city. Lian got multiple ugly looks, mostly from humans. Most elves didn't look at him. If they did it was with guarded sympathy.

"Why does everyone get up in arms when they see a human and an elf in a relationship when the gods they worship as the heads of the pantheon are a human and an elf? Who happen to be married? And are our parents?" Lian asked, not for the first time.

"Mother and Father are gods," Daria explained, "They're different."

Lian stared at him for a second and muttered, "I'm not even gonna bother explaining how backwards that logic is."

His sister put her hand on top of his head and put the finger of her free hand to her lips. She shook her head when Lian looked up at her.

He sighed and nodded. However he did give his older brother a mutinous glare.

Lian preoccupied himself with looking around. They were nearly at the gates of the palace now. The palace sat on a hill along the northern side of the city. The entire city could be viewed easily from any balcony of the palace. The courtyard was a beautiful garden with trees and various other plants that Lian knew next to nothing about. And in the center of the courtyard was a white marble basin filled with crystalline water that glowed softly silver. Flowers that only bloomed when the moonlight hit them floated on the surface of the water.

"How come we have a giant pool in the middle of our courtyard but any other kind of water is forbidden and dangerous?" Lian asked accusingly.

"It was a gift from The Dead Mother," Daria snapped defensively, "And it's not water."

Lian gave his brother a defiant look and leaned over the water, "It certainly looks like water."

Daria rolled his eyes, "That's because it's not meant for us. We can't draw on it's power."

Lian raised his eyebrow, "None of us have tried touching it." He made no attempt to touch it however. He walked away from the basin and stood next to his sister with his hands shoved into his pockets.

Daria stared at him, "That is strictly forbidden!"

Lian nodded, "I know." He started to walk away, towards the palace. "I was just saying that literally no one has ever tried touching it," He snapped over his shoulder.

Daria jogged after him, "The Dead Mother warned Father that to touch the water would drain away every bit of power and destroy the soul. Anyone who touches the water gets no afterlife. They're destroyed forever."

Lian was unimpressed, "Did The Dead Mother tell you that personally? Or was that Father again?"

Daria glared at him, "Mii'lian. I was there when she told Father."

Lian nodded like he was just now remembering that detail, "Oh yeah. I forgot. You get special treatment for being Father's favorite son."

Daria shook his head, "Father doesn't play favorites. You don't listen to him. There is a difference. He's just frustrated with you."

Lian opened his mouth to make another scathing comment but noticed Seth'ius standing in front of the double doors that led into the palace and closed his mouth. He lowered his gaze and mentally prepared himself for the punishment that was coming.

Daria told their father everything that happened, and his own interpretation of what Lian said. Lian attempted to correct Daria and clarify what he actually said but their father silenced him every time. Lian was told not to interrupt his brother and that he is already in trouble as it is. His father warned him that he didn't want any more trouble if he wanted to see anything but the walls of his room for the next week.

"I'm probably going to be locked in my room for the next week anyway." Lian muttered under his breath.

Daria continued filling their father in, "Mii'lian intended to touch The Dead Mother's Pool because he thinks it's just water."

Their father turned to Lian but before he could say anything Lian leaped to defending himself, "I had no intention of touching it! I was just saying that none of us ever did!"

"Be silent, Mii'lian!" their father roared. He drew on some of his godly power and began to glow bright blinding white. His eyes turned opaque white and the ground trembled beneath their feet.

Lian quickly closed his mouth and lowered his gaze. His chest tightened in fear. He stepped down one step. After a couple of deep breaths he apologized, "I didn't mean to speak out of turn, Father. I apologize."

Their father reached out towards him.

Lian squeezed his eyes shut but the pain he expected didn't come. He lifted his head in surprise and watched as vines and tree branches wrapped around his father. Both of the man's arms were trapped at his sides. The vines lifted him about a foot off of the ground.

An elven woman with long brown hair and green eyes threw the doors to the palace open. She strode calmly and confidently down the steps until she stood on the same step as their father, "Inside, you three. Your father and I need to talk."

Lian nodded and hurried around her and into the palace. The other two followed more slowly.

Their father snarled, "Nissa. I command you to put me down." The plant matter set him down on the ground but did not release him. He twisted and turned but couldn't get free. "He needs to be punished. He needs to learn to accept things as they are-"

Nissa interrupted him, "You mean as you tell him they ought to be, Seth'ius?"

Seth'ius ripped free of her branches and vines and grabbed her by her throat and lower face, "Silence, Elf. This is how things ought to be. And I will not allow Arkos'mii'lian to be possessed by that demon you called a friend." He shoved her to the ground and stormed into the palace.

Nissa calmly got to her feet and brushed herself off. She stared out at a singular mountain in the distance. The mountain was obsidian black, but the lava that had colored it's slopes had long since stopped flowing. She took a deep breath and entered the palace.

Lian relaxed and breathed a sigh of relief as his father closed his bedroom door behind him. He pulled his desk chair over to the window, "Eleven days? It's been worse."

He opened the curtains. Black cold iron bars blocked his window. He wasn't bothered by it. They had been there since he was little because he had developed a habit of sneaking out of the house at night to go to the beach. And well...his father hadn't approved. He opened the window, "Let's let some air in, shall we?"

He glanced over his shoulder at his, slightly ajar closet door and sighed. He walked over to it and pulled the door fully open, "C'mon, Buddy. Father's gone. You can come out of the closet now."

A bright red furred fox lifted it's head from it's paws and met his gaze. It had intense green eyes. Three scars in the shape of claw marks ran through the skin above and below it's left eye. Lian didn't actually know if it could see out of that eye. The fox defiantly put it's head back down.

"Really?" Lian squeaked indignantly.

The fox ignored him.

Lian crossed his arms over his chest, "Fine. I'll go sit at the window by myself then. Enjoy your nap."

The fox gave him a short sharp yelp that sounded akin to "Fine."

Lian turned away from the closet dramatically, "Fine." He flounced over to his chair and flopped onto it. He rested his arms on the window sill and set his chin down on his elbows.

He jumped in surprise as the fox laid it's head on his lap. His eyes narrowed, "Oh. Now you want attention? Now that I'm not giving it to you?"

The fox yawned broadly.

He smiled and patted it's head.