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Nothing happened at first, and Eythos believed Kolis had accepted his decision to maintain the balance. Eythos even met his Consort, Mycella, during that time, and life was normal. Good, in fact. But, in reality, a clock was counting down.

Kolis spent the next several decades attempting to bring Sotoria back to life, though he couldn’t visit her in the Vale, at least not without risking the destruction of her soul. After years of searching, he realized there was only one way to accomplish what he desired. Only a Primal with the power over life could restore Sotoria’s. So, he found a way to become that.

He was successful in trading places and destinies with his twin, though nobody but the brothers know exactly how he accomplished it. We only know it required the Star diamond and some powerful magic. Regardless of how it happened, the act was catastrophic. It killed hundreds of gods who served both and weakened many Primals—even killing a few and forcing the next gods in line to rise from godhood to Primal power. Many draken were also killed, and the mortal realm experienced earthquakes and tsunamis as Kolis’s actions offset the balance. Many places were leveled, and pieces of land just broke off, some forming islands while others simply sank.

Eythos knew immediately why his brother had done it. He’d warned Kolis not to bring her back, stating she was at peace in the next stage of her life, and that it had been too long. He warned that if he were able to do what he planned, Sotoria would not return as she was. It would be an unnatural act and would upset the very unsteady balance of life and death.

Still, Sotoria rose, and as Eythos warned, she was not the same. She was morose and horrified about what had been done to her. When she eventually died again, Eythos did something to ensure that his brother could never reach her. Something only the Primal of Death could do. With the aid of the Primal, Keella, Eythos marked Sotoria’s soul—making her destined for rebirth. Meaning, her soul would never enter the Shadowlands to be judged. It would, instead, be continually reborn, over and over. Her memories of previous lives wouldn’t be anything of substance—if she had any at all. Eythos hoped that would bring the poor girl some semblance of peace.

As centuries passed, Kolis kept up his search. He knew she would be born in a shroud because of what Eythos and Keella did, so he continued to look for her in the mortal realm.

Both Eythos and Keella paid dearly for what they did. Kolis grew to despise his brother and vowed to make him pay. Eventually, he killed Mycella while she was pregnant because he believed it was only fair that Eythos lose his love just as he had. To add insult to injury, Kolis also destroyed her soul, ushering in her final death. Losing her took a piece of Eythos that he never regained.

Kolis destroyed all records of the truth—both in the mortal realm and in Iliseeum. It was then that the Primal God of Death was no longer depicted in artwork or literature. He went to great extremes to hide that he wasn’t supposed to be the Primal of Life, even when it became apparent that something wasn’t right. He started losing his ability to create and maintain life. The destiny was never his to wield, just as that of the Primal God of Death was never Eythos’s.

When Penellaphe’s prophecy emerged, Eythos took it upon himself to thwart his brother’s plans and hopefully restore balance at some point. Even after the shifting of destinies, Eythos retained some of his ember of life. Just as Kolis retained some of his ember of death. So, when Ash was conceived, part of that ember of life passed on to him—just a flicker of power. Not as strong as the ember that remained in Eythos, but enough. Eythos took that ember from him before Kolis could even learn of its existence, added it to what remained in himself, and put them both in the Mierel bloodline. He hid it where it could grow in power until a new Primal was ready to be born—in the one being that could weaken Kolis. Then, he made a deal with the King of Lasania and gave the mortals and his son at least a chance to do something. To stop the fallout of what Kolis did—the unnatural climate, the Rot, the destabilization of the balance.

Unfortunately, Kolis eventually killed his brother and used what was left of his ember of death to seize his soul. When Eythos died, it severed the bond between him and his draken and upset the balance even more. So, even though Ash was born to Ascend and assume the role of the Primal God of Death, it wasn’t entirely his. Not to mention, his ember of life now lived in a vulnerable mortal vessel with an expiration date.

In addition, because the state of things wasn’t natural, no Primal was born after Ash. Seraphena has the only ember of life in both realms. She is why life continues. And if she dies, there will be nothing but death in all the kingdoms and all the realms. She has become what Eythos was always meant to be: the Primal God of Life.

MYCELLA †

Primal of Death’s—Eythos—Consort

Court: Lotho to The Shadowlands

Hair: Deep, red wine color.

Eyes: Silver.

Facial features: Rosy-pink skin. Oval-shaped face. Strong brow. High cheekbones. Full mouth.

Habits/Mannerisms/Strengths/Weaknesses: Ability to read emotions.

Background: Family came from the Court of Lotho. Used to tell Aios stories.

Family: Husband = Eythos †. Son = Nyktos. Cousin = Aios. Had an aunt or uncle from the Court of Kithreia.

MYCELLA’S JOURNEY TO DATE:

After Eythos told his twin that he would not interfere in Sotoria’s soul journey, he met Mycella, and she became his Consort.

Sometime during the decades that Kolis searched for a way to bring Sotoria back to life, Mycella conceived Nyktos/Ash.

Kolis took his revenge on his brother by killing her while Nyktos was still in her womb—somehow, he survived, which is why they call him The One Who is Blessed. Kolis then destroyed her soul, ushering in her final death.

KOLIS

Primal God of Death turned Primal God of Life

Court: The Shadowlands to Dalos

Click here to see a full-size image of Kolis by Jemlin C.

Click here to see a full-size image of Kolis’s crown by Creatively Agnes.

Hair: Golden. Nearing shoulder-length.