[Ethulai]

Tenebrae
[Latin: 'darkness' also 'The Tenebrae' is the Latin name for the Keres; female death-spirits]

Standard: shine, teeth, claw edit
Common: hair, tail, fur (long)
Uncommon: pupil, tongue, ear, fur (short)

█ #240100
█ #400000
█ #760C0C
█ #A22A2B
█ #0E0E0E
█ #1A1A1A
█ #242424
█ #929292

[3/3 Breeding slots]

[Theme song: Erase You - Dj Shadow ft. Chris James]

Won in a Impress Me hosted by high noon.

[Ethulai]

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[Ethulai]

THE BECOMING
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[ m o o d s o n g ] Ｍａｎｔｒａ▶

In the beginning there was the vast and unfathomable multiverse. How it got there, how it came to be and the complexities and intricacies of which are never to be known by the likes of you and me. Let us simply agree that it exists and that we are not equipped to understand it. That is a story for another time, another place, and undoubtedly another dimension.

Direct your mind instead to this particular galaxy, this particular planet. [x]

Infinitum begat Caelestis. Infinity birthed Space.

Caelestis grew as children do and evolved as the best of us do over time, though time was not a concept back then. Things just were. Caelestis was aware of the various curiosities within themselves and observed everything, knew everything.

At some point the decision was made to separate certain parts of themselves and let them do as they may. Thus we come to one of Caelestis' many experiments, the planeta made up of Terra, the soil and Caelum, the sky (or atmosphere if you will).

Astrum. Our planet.
x

Terra and Caelum were not self-aware at first. You could say their physical representation was the only observable thing about them. A large, round floating sphere in the endless abyss. Consciousness came slowly. Consciousness of each other even slower though after they learned to communicate both claimed there was always some vague awareness. Attachment followed consciousness and once the bond was fully in place they were inseparable. Terra and Caelum enjoyed each other's company for eons. They shaped each other. Their bond grew closer still. Then, like Caelestis before them, they started to yearn to create something of themselves.

Terra and Caelum begat Tenebrae and Lux, Chao and Ordo.
The Earth and Sky gave birth to Darkness, Light, Chaos and Order.

The children of the planet Astrum were different beings to their makers. For not only did they have dominion over darkness, light, chaos and order, they could also shape themselves into any form. The first children of Terra and Caelum raced upon their mother, flew in the midst of their father. Sometimes they would expand so large that when they wrapped Terra in their embrace they obscured her. Other times they would shrink until they were mere specs and float weightless through Caelum, challenging their father to find them amidst his wide expanse. They were content for a while until they weren't. So?

x
Terra and Caelum begat Nox, Dies, Ignis and Aqua.
The Earth and Sky gave birth to Night, Day, Fire and Water.

Terra and Caelum created the perfect mates for their children. Chao and Ordo were instantly drawn to Ignis and Aqua, for they complemented each other just so. Ignis fed Chao's destructive impulses, Aqua understood Ordo's need for contentment. Tenebrae and Lux felt differently to their siblings. They preferred each other's company to that of their chosen mates. Nox and Dies tirelessly chased them, but it was to no avail. At some point they became so frustrated that in defiance they decided to chase each other instead.

Ordo and Aqua begat Ver, Aestas, Autumnus and Hiems.
Order and Water gave birth to the seasons - Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.

Ordo and Aqua felt strongly that their 'family' needed to expand. There was so much potential, but it had to be carefully nurtured. So their children were birthed apart - each child only active every so often while their siblings were dormant. Chao, seeing that his brother had achieved something he had not, immediately coaxed Ignis into creating their own offspring. As much as he adored disorder, he still wanted balance. He was also competitive and jealous.

Chao and Ignis begat Inundatio, Siccitas, Nigor and Vertex.
Chaos and Fire gave birth to Flood, Drought, Blizzard and Whirlwind.

The four offspring of Chao and Ignis were as unique as those of Ordo and Aqua but in an entirely different way. One never knew when they would appear and in how many places at once. They were unpredictable, to the never ending delight of their parents.
Ordo and Chao were pleased, but felt their siblings should contribute to their expanding lineage. They beseeched their sisters to accept their chosen mates but it was to no avail. They would not be swayed. So they turned on each other in desperation, feuding seriously for the first time since their creation. Their spilled ichor mingled and gave form to three new beings.

Chao and Ordo fought, their ichor begat Bellum, Pax and the dual-natured Incubus Somnium.
Chaos and Order clashed and their spilled blood combined and created War, Peace and Nightmares/Dreams.

Chao and Ordo were fascinated by their creations and observed them intensely, wondering what would become of their mingled essences. As one can imagine, Chao was most invested in Bellum and thus Ordo in Pax but they both did not know what to make of the being that had control of both dreams and nightmares. The introduction of Incubus Somnium triggered every deity to forcibly sleep.

Things started to fall out of balance. No one appreciated being vulnerable nor could comprehend the images and experiences of their slumbering subconsciousness. Bellum and Pax, the youngest and most affected by their nearest kin, turned on each other in their confusion and fought, even more viciously then Chao and Order had before them. The battle raged for an insurmountable length, even during their compelled slumber and across the expanse of Terra and Caelum both.

They tore so viciously at themselves and each other that they were unmade and remade across a multitude of eras, their elements splitting, breaking, crumbling, tearing, fracturing - all across Terra, all throughout Caelum. Ordo and Chao requested their ancestors help them contain their wayward children.

Caelum's mighty form separated Bellum, Pax and Incubus-Somnium from each other, and forced them as far apart as possible on Terra's form. Terra broke herself in three places and swallowed her descendants, trapped them deep within her core. However, their previous unmakings, their fractured former selves were still apparent across Caelum's and Terra's expense and drew the attention of the previously uncaring Terebrae and Lux. Everything Terebrae touched dematerialised. Everything Lux touched animated.

x
x
The sisters were both fascinated and repelled by their new power. They were both at a loss of what to make of their new abilities. By chance one day they decided to see what would happen if they combined an unmaking of Bellum and Pax with ichor from both of themselves. You could say the sisters were the first scientists. What followed was a sight to behold. Living creatures of every variety, every size, every classification. Living and Dying, forming and continuing the circle of life, evolving, changing and creating more of themselves. Never to share the eternal essences of their makers but formed to ensure balance and continuum in their own way.

Bellum and Pax, Tenebrae and Lux combined to make Flora and Animalia.
War and Peace, Darkness and Light together created plants and animals.

Terra and Caelum seeing what their children had wrought, freed the three previously trapped siblings and gave them dominion over all the creatures on Terra's form, strictly forbidding Bellum and Pax to interfere with one another, and Incubus Somnium from ever again forcing sleep on their kinfolk. Balance had finally been restored.

And so here we are, even more eons later a thriving planet with so many fascinating places, occurrences and living things. Worshiping the deities we know but never truly able to understand such a differing existence. Be thankful, for they are the reason we exist.

[Ethulai]

THE SIBLINGS
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[m o o d s o n g ] Ｈａｌｃｙｏｎ﹢Ｏｎ﹢Ｏｎ ▶

Let us focus now on the two original sisters, Tenebrae and Lux. As mentioned in my previous tale, these two were inseparable. They were alike yet complete opposites which created a form of harmony that tempered and strengthened their relationship. At first they were forces, slaves to their core natures without a greater understanding of what was beyond their sphere. Following the final battle between Chao and Ordo and having assisted in creating the living (and dying) creatures and plants on Terra's soil, their evolution began.

Fascinated that the creatures they had co-created bore physical bodies Lux and Tenebrae became the first psychopomps. Their first few attempts at creating physical bodies for themselves met with disaster. As time passed they became better skilled at this aspect. Yet for the longest of time they could not hide their divinity.

No matter what form they took, Lux would appear with luminous silver horns that most creatures could not bear to look at due to the intensity of their light. Tenebrae manifested antlers of shadow that appeared sentient as they would constantly twist themselves into different beams and points upon Tenebrae's crown like writhing snakes.

[Ethulai]

THE RIFT
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[ m o o d s o n g ] Ｄｅａｔｈｂｅｄｓ▶

Throughout the eons Tenebrae and Lux had been both advocates and adversaries of one another which was to be expected as, naturally, they were polar opposites. Yet they both needed each other, for without darkness there can be no light and without life there can be no finality.

The more they explored and interacted with the creatures upon and within Terra, the more they grew protective of their core natures and domains. They would one day be in harmony and the next rage at one another, each sister convinced that she knew better, ruled better, was wiser and of more importance.

The sisters would often take the forms of Terra's creatures and experience what life or death meant from the perspective of various flora and fauna. While Lux rejoiced in these practices, Tenebrae found herself increasingly bitter and burdened as death was not an easy mantle to bear.

No matter how heated their debates or clashes were, they still respected and loved one another so deeply and fiercely that they never crossed any boundaries. Perhaps they would have continued along this path had not someone gotten in the way.

It was jealousy that caused the sisters' final downfall and sealed their fate.

There was a particular evolved species on Terra's form that equally fascinated both sisters. They were a type of highly evolved carnivorous mammal that had named themselves Kalons. Both sisters agreed that they wanted to study this particular animalia in depth but they wanted to be incognito, having not yet ever made the decision to reveal their divinity to the creatures they had dominion over. They practiced changing their forms until Lux was able to hide her glowing silver horns and Tenebrae her antlers of shadow.

Tenebrae and Lux then went about infiltrating Kalon society and often spent quite a lengthy amount of time with the creatures. Sometimes they would even stay for years, until questions started being asked about why they did not appear to age. Once suspicion was raised the sisters would return to their divine forms and spirit themselves away - they preferred to avoid awkward situations. It was also difficult for them to understand emotion, thought and logic from a mortal perspective.

Dynia was a young Kalon who had the ability to truly charm any other living creature to do his will. He had discovered this talent as a young kit and unfortunately this had been indulged as he grew. It had made him into a selfish and manipulative character who believed he was entitled to anything he desired. This greedy, narcissistic core was well hidden by the persona he had perfected on the surface - charming and caring yet fun-loving and full of joy.

When Dynia laid eyes upon the two sisters one day as they were wandering together through the forest, he wanted. Lux was soft and pretty and he wanted. Tenebrae was proud and beautiful and he wanted. There was never a question of choice for the young kalon. He would have both.

He worked his charm upon the Terra-formed deities. He was kind at first, interested in their thoughts and feelings, showed just the right amount of attention to both, never put a paw wrong. Then he slowly worked on gaining their attention, a fleeting touch here, a hopeful glace there, when the other sister was distracted. He started paying more attention to one then the other and the next time he came across them he would do the opposite. He invested the help of other kalons to separate the sisters so he could spend time with one of them alone. Lux and Tenebrae, so immature so unknowing in the ways of mortal communication and manipulation could only do exactly what he had planned. They both found themselves developing deep and confusing feelings for the young mortal male.

Dynia, the master manipulator, had both sisters wrapped around his paw for quite an extensive amount of time before they eventually realised that he was playing them both. Still, instead of focusing their anger at the proper culprit, they turned on one another and broke what had been a deep and abiding bond and initiated a war that would change their fates forever.

[Ethulai]

THE SEVERANCE
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[m o o d s o n g ] Ｅｒａｓｅ Ｙｏｕ▶

TENEBRAE'S PERSPECTIVE
For once when you tell me something I don't believe it
Pretence, all of the times beforehand
My heart battled with my head and won every time holding all aces
Curtained my eyes and was blinded to the truth behind your words
Hidden there yet obvious
I had thought we were based on trust not denial
But it didn't matter how many times I stumbled and broke
My love for you, sister, surpassed everything else and was steady
There is a sacred line you musn't cross
And you did
And as before
Thought I would still be here waiting
I had ceased in counting the hurts, there were too many
And my faith was finally, fatally drained
I watched you let slip and shatter this heart once again
And looked dismayed amongst the many thousands of shards
Wondering how I was to piece it back together
Already realising how cautious I would become again
Hating that I would repress myself deep within this form
And become a mere shadow of who I know I could be
You call to me across the world while I pace in circles
Trying to shut you out
Trying to shift through emotion
Asking myself how I allowed you to trap me again
Losing peace over a million unanswered questions
Feeling the difference this time, how far you've gone
Giving me strength to break from you.

LUX'S PERSPECTIVE
I withdraw
Feeling new low after our confrontation
Passive
Hating the weakness that's brought me to my knees
Hating you knowing me
After all that has happened
Submission
I'll never spar with you again
I meant no offence
But I've found myself
In the wrong again
They warned me
They said it would be too hard for me
I laughed and didn't change
I should have paid more attention
I question
Wandering what should be?
What's best for you?
What's best for me?
Why do you fight me?
Is it because you believe
I would never hurt you?
Is it because you know
I'm no threat?
Is it because you perceive me
As a fragile innocent?
I'll never know
You keep yourself shut
Don't let me close
Dodge the arrows I fire
Reach into your shadows
And slip away.

[Ethulai]

THE EXILE
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[m o o d s o n g] Ｒｉｆｔ▶

When the sister's discovered Dynia's deceit, they began what is known now as The Unravelling. Being unable to control the intensity of their emotions, being unwise in the way of mortals, their visceral and instinctive response was to try and destroy one other. Both sister's decided the most effective way to hurt the other was to strike at their very core.

They battled with the dark and the light first. Lux attempted to blind the darkness so the whole planet was illuminated. Tenebrae attempted to suffocate the light in a blanket of gloom. Both were equally as powerful so what resulted, to the indignation of Nox and Dies, was rapid switches between day and night, light and dark. There was no rhyme and reason to the previously well established 48 hour cycle. The whole planet suffered. There was panic, despair, confusion and complete disorder.

Still, the planet Astrum continued to exist even if it was an existence of suffering. No matter who approached the two sisters, and their fellow deities all did at one point or another, both Lux and Tenebrae could not be swayed from their destructive path. Perhaps emboldened by the non-actions of their family, they decided to defile each other's sacred purpose and thus sealed their fates.

The Goddess of Life desecrated death and the Goddess of Death desecrated life.

How does death defile life? How does life defile death? By making a mockery of their design.

Lux, previously the more temperate and empathetic sibling, now extended the life of Terra's creatures and created an army of undead to assist her in her war. Tenebrae, previously respectful of her sister's personification now prevented the creation of new life and seduced the living into dying before their time. Balance was obliterated.

Enough was enough. Caelum and Terra could not allow Lux and Tenebrae to continue. With the help of Chao and Ignis, Ordo and Aqua they bound the sisters and determined their fate. They had gone against their very natures. They had interfered with the natural design. They had broken every conceivable rule. There was no other choice. They had to be punished for the harm they had caused, they had to suffer to understand the depth of their depravity.

The fickle Dynia received immortality, on the surface a gift but in reality a curse.
The sisters were stripped of their divinity and thus their purposes.
Caelum and Terra now entrusted death and darkness to Nox, life and light to Dies.

Lux and Tenebrae received mortal bodies, the only kindness being that those bodies were of the creatures they loved best.

They still had their horns, but Lux's were no longer illuminated, Tenebrae's no longer made of shadow.

Finally, they were sentenced to unending reincarnation with no promise that they would ever be restored to what they once were.

[Ethulai]

THE LONELINESS
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[m o o d s o n g] Ｒｉｇｈｔ Ｗｈｅｒｅ Ｉｔ Ｂｅｌｏｎｇｓ▶

After they had been deposited into a thick forest by Ordo, who for once had no words of comfort for the two siblings, Tenebrae immediately turned to her sister;
"You did this to us," she hissed.
"We did this to each other," Lux replied, already feeling completely out of her depth.
"I want nothing to do with you, ever again," Tenebrae spat, and she walked away from the one being who would ever understand her.

That was the first mistake.
The second was her decision to completely seperate from her family by discarding every painful reminder. She broke off her antlers, ignoring the first physical pain she had ever experienced, and threw them into the wilderness before walking away.

Unnoticed by Tenebrae, Lux crept into the clearing she had abandoned and started combing through the underbrush. After hours of searching, she found her sister's horns. She held them close to her chest and started to cry.
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Oh how those first few years were filled with tragedy.
The sisters, previously protected by their divinity, had no idea how to survive as mortal beings...So they didn't.
Once Lux was so hungry she ate a whole bush of poisonous berries. The pain was excruciating.
Once Tenebrae drowned. She didn't realise her body was not equipped to breathe underwater.
Once Lux tumbled from the top of a high cliff side. That was a swift death.
Once Tenebrae was caught in a snow storm. No survival instincts resulted in her passing.
Each and every time they experienced the full pain of death before waking up in the same body, but whole and healthy in the original clearing where they had been abandoned.
Perhaps it would have been different if they had stayed together, perhaps they would have learned and grown together.
The reality was different. They were both so very isolated and alone.

[Ethulai]

THE FORGIVING
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[m o o d s o n g] Ａｎｃｈｏｒ▶

Hundreds of years passed. Both sisters found themselves often thinking of one other. Tenebrae, so proud and fierce in her anger, started to regret the things she had done, the words she had spoken. Lux began to wish she could be rid of her constant melancholia and yearned to be reunited with her lost companion.

Tenebrae was determined to find her lost sister but after such a long absence it was difficult for her to determine where she would be. So long she had led a half-life, always feeling incomplete and just existing instead of attempting to find any joy or meaning. Finally she had a quest. Finally she had a purpose. Invigorated by her decision she began her epic journey. It would be yet another hundred years before she would find her sibling, but she was determined.

All over Astrum I roamed
I did not sleep
I did not eat
Which meant I went through my lives rapidly
But I was done being cautious
I was done with my loneliness
I was done with my anger and foolishness
I just wanted her back...

Lux at first had carried her sister's horns around with her but every life she perished she would return to the original clearing but the horns would not. Each time she would have to go back to where she had most recently died and retrieve them. Eventually she decided to hide them within the clearing as she did not want to lose them. She knew she could not re-attach the horns to her sister's brow, but she wanted to transform them into something Tenebrae could be proud of, should the opportunity to reunite ever present itself.

A tribute. To her sister. To her darkness. To death. She started collecting interesting skulls, feathers, materials and adding them to the hollow tree where she had secreted the horns. She discovered she had a knack for crafts, and taught herself to be proficient at various skills - weaving, dyeing, sewing, painting, carving. She noticed a number of creatures placed great value on the metal Aurum and panned for the glittering nuggets in Aqua's tributaries. Apprenticed to both a blacksmith and a jeweler she learned to shape minerals at her will to make beautiful and intricate adornments. All this and more Lux learned and mastered. All to create the perfect gift.

Finally, when Lux determined that she was ready, she sat in the clearing with all her collected elements around her and all of her tools and set to work. Feathers, leaves, horns, bone, leather, Aurum and Tenebrae's antlers. Hours she sat there crafting, days and nights, weeks...and eventually before her lay a headdress fit for a Death Deity.

And there she waited...

...And there Tenebrae found her.

They did not even need to speak, they could both read the shame, guilt and sorrow in each other's gazes. Remorse was a feeling that was thick and tangible in their air.

They embraced.
They could not let go.
For the first time in over a millennium they were both at peace.

[Ethulai]

THE TRIBUTE
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[m o o d s o n g] Ｄｉｇ▶

Lux turned to Tenebrae and shyly held out her creation.
Tenebrae wept, overcome with gratitude, and reverently positioned the headdress upon her crown.