It is said that before Yaweya the Wise forged the Opal Kingdom, before the Flawless Aeon, even before the very lands of Eme were shaped by Erumenae and Lianah- there was nothing but the Eight. Donelia and Fenaneo, the twin Guardians; Chaia of the Winds and Night, and her consort, Azath of Fire and Light; Erumenae of Earth and his consort, Lianah of the Waters; the Mother, whom we do not name out of reverence; and the Father, whose name we now dare not speak.

But this was before any knew Their element. The Eight came together, in order to fashion something with which to share Their time and talents. The mortal realm, the universe They created, each supplying Their own facet to reality, and at the same time, joining Themselves to it.

And thus they created Eme, entwining their powers together. Lianah provided the waters upon which Erumenae's lands rested. Azath's flame bade the new creation grow; Chaia's night gave it rest. Donelia and Fenaneo ensured that all was ordered and harmonious between the opposites; the Mother and Father bound it all together, the power of the Eight.

And when the first creatures and men walked the face of Eme and made their way through its untouched lands, discovering and creating of their own accord, each of the lesser Six had Their own favorites that They held close in Their thoughts. The lesser Six would grace favored lands in various forms reserved for the mortal realms- similar to dragons, or serpents, but the form of creatures completely unknown to humankind. The creatures of the earth, and the farmers, woodsmen, and healers were beloved to Erumenae; He walked among the green places. Lianah bestowed Her favor upon the creatures of the seas, and those who worked in the rivers and oceans, and traveled among them; the dead, also, were Hers, and the burial rites and those who performed them. Azath traversed the barren, hot places, and very dear to Him were the creatures, and the firehandlers and smiths, and also those who strove to lead men. Chaia's chosen were the creatures of the sky, and the musicians and artists and artisans; she walked the high places and the skies themselves. Donelia and Fenaneo roamed only in men's minds, constant at the Gates of the Realms; they loved the spirits, and the mystics and scholars. The Mother, too, took as Her own the hunters, and was everywhere. There was no war, for this was the dawn of the Flawless Aeon. All shared the fruit of their labors with each other, man and God alike.

But the Father had his own machinations, and did not like sharing his power. Unbeknownst to the rest of the Eight, he sowed seeds of contention amongst the men of Eme, causing factions to spring up. Great groups of men journeyed across the waters and lands of Eme, and the fighting between the guilds and new nations of men was fierce. Taking the sides of their chosen, the rest of the Eight began to fight amongst Themselves as well, throwing both the mortal and eternal realms into chaos. Finally, the Mother saw the conflict for what it was- a ploy for the Father to gain ultimate power over both realms. In Her grief and anger at the betrayal of the Father, She became the embodiment of vengeance: a warrior, fueled by loss and rage. The rest of the Eight prepared to band together to cast the Father from the eternal realm, but before They could do so, the Father fled to a place of his own devising. The lesser Six rejoiced in Their victory over the Fallen God.

Yet their joy was short-lived. The damage had already been done: mankind's unity had been scored and finally cracked from the pressure, and had divided itself into four kingdoms spread across the globe, each with its own patron deity. It soon became apparent that the Fallen God, instead of simply hiding forever, was asleep and projecting himself into the mortal realm. Since his power was greatly diminished, he could not project himself fully; he used a human host, an unwilling and unknowing mortal, and he would guide this host's actions. Occasionally, his power and control would reach a peak, using the host as a fuel, of sorts- then, he could assume a form similar to what he traditionally used in the mortal realms. The Mother, her fury unslaked, decided that the Fallen God's influence would not prevail over the mortal realm unchecked. She, too, entered into slumber, and would elect an avatar of her own with equal powers- as a blessing, not a parasite, unlike the Fallen God's "gift".

Continually, these avatars have been chosen by the Warrior and the Fallen God, even to this day. Usually, these avatars are seen only as exceptionally good or exceptionally evil humans. In the rare times when both avatars are present at the same time, each always seeks the other. One will always die at the other's hands.

Few remember this story; even fewer believe it.