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In days long past, there was no separation twixt Earth, Ocean, and Sky.

For in these days, long before Creation took its first Breath and walked beneath the Light of the Sun, the World only knew Darkness, Chaos, and eternal quiescence. At what would one day be known as the crux separating the realm of the immaterial from the realm of ephemeral, a tree rose from the vast darkness. Its roots were invisible to the eye, driven deep within the Void's depths where no soul could discern its beginning or end, for the Void would not be moved nor did the entities who wandered above try to rouse it.

For what was there to Seek more than what was Known? And for that Reason alone, it would not be Sought.

These entities that would one day become Known as Spirits, and then some by those of Creation whom would call themselves Man as dark spirits, gathered at the base of the tree. They were drawn there by the energy radiating from its gaping hollow. For within the cloistered space, a spirit dwelled. The invisible witnesses, who watched it with an emotion that would one day be known as Curiosity, marveled at its ethereal body tangible to all. Within this somnolent being was Chaos; an amassed unbridled array of energy that emanated hues they could not make sense of - for they did not yet Know.

Nevertheless, they venerated this Spirit and called them Great, for their power and possession of a tangible body made them more than their witnesses.

But the Great Spirit itself did not Know of the power within its being, for nothing existed beyond the endless Dream the Tree granted. So the Great Spirit laid in abeyance for a moment that would seemingly never come.

The entities, who did not yet know what to call the feeling they held, watched the spirit languish in restless sleep — seemingly immutable. They took it upon themselves, in the first selfless act that would ever grace the World, to take pieces of the Chaos unto their being and scatter it far from the Tree so the burdens placed upon the Great Spirit would lighten. When they touched the Chaos, they gained permanence and self. And so, they called themselves lesser Spirits after the Great Spirit, and carried themselves across the vast darkness, scattering Chaos in all its hues throughout.

However, the Spirits were not able to carry the weight of Chaos for long, and their endurance of its burden lasted until the energy faded from their beings. Once they could travel no longer, they laid their burdens down as their bodies dissolved into the vastness, thought never to soar again.  And the Chaos melded within the depths of the Void who bore witness to their demise, but neither shuddered nor stirred.

From the beginning of the first voyages, each lesser Spirit who took the place of the fallen was aware of the fate of their kin, but the journey to the tree continued. For they knew not else to do to ease the Great Spirit's burden. Nor did they possess desire of their own preservation, for this honor gave them Purpose and Hope that their wish would be granted. In some time, long past their existence, the Great Spirit would find peaceful repose in Darkness' embrace.

And for a time, it seemed as if this would continue for all eternity.

Until the Void awoke. Or rather, something within the Void made the World's first Sound.

The Sound stirred the Darkness, for it was the first to break through the Silence for all time, and the Spirits gathered at the Tree stopped to listen. They parted from the Tree's ancient roots to allow the Sound to crawl its way into the hollow and drift into the dormant Great Spirit. There, they bore witness to the Echoes. Over, and over, the Sound called through the Silence and was met with nothing but Echoes shuddered through all who bore witness. They did not have a Voice to answer with, and they had long turned themselves from the Void, so to Listen at last rendered them silent in awe.

Eventually, the Silence overwhelmed the Sound and the World was quiet once more. The lesser Spirits turned unto one another, shaken from what they Heard, but unable to place Voice to it - they set it out of their thoughts and continued their work. But their act halted as the Sound returned, reverberated through the vastness and the Silence shattered once and for all.

For the Sound spoke the first Word known to Creation, and this Word would be known as a Name.

"Vaatu."

And the Great Spirit within the tree at last stirred, and rose from its resting place. It felt the Echoes of the Sound, and in it, gained a Voice. With it, the Great Spirit breathed its first Word as it looked from the hollow and set its Sight upon the World for the first time. 

This Word, a Name, would be the second Word known to Creation.

"Raava."

The void shook with Remembrance, the watching Spirits Heard, and so it would be Foretold.

And as Vaatu, for that is the Name which Resounded within the Great Spirit, emerged from the Tree - it searched for Raava amongst the formless Spirits gathered at the roots. Vaatu had not once lain Sight upon Raava before this, but knew Raava was not amongst them. An emotion Echoed through Vaatu at this, and it would one day be known by two Names - longing and sadness. Heavied, Vaatu bid the lesser Spirits farewell and sought to journey across the vastness in search of the Sound. Yet, the lesser Spirits gathered at the Tree had little reason to remain where Vaatu was not, and so they accompanied Vaatu on the journey to seek Raava. 

For a time, Vaatu wondered why Raava would not Speak once more, and concluded perhaps that Raava could not - having expended what energy possessed to awaken Vaatu from slumber. So, Vaatu called out into the vastness with their Voice to beckon to Raava in hopes that the Sound would come upon them again.

"Raava," Vaatu called to the vastness, "How will I know you if I am to see you?"

For a long moment, there was no response. Then, the Sound returned and Raava's Voice with it. "You will not see me for I cannot be witnessed," Raava said, laden with what they would one day come to know as resignation and acceptance - characteristic of those who carried a solemn duty. Still, Raava's Voice sweetened with the warmth Vaatu had only known within the Tree as Raava assured, "But I will be with you, this will always be true."

Vaatu who was suddenly stricken with the ferocity of dissatisfaction accompanied by longing, called after Raava, "Cannot be witnessed? What keeps you from being seen, Raava?"

"You have never looked upon yourself, Vaatu," Raava whispered, softer now, touched with a wonder that would one day fill the Voice of Creation. "You, who are all that is beautiful, keep all the hues of this World upon yourself."

Vaatu had never once witnessed themselves, but they turned to the spirits who followed them and witnessed their awe for the first time. They were without form themselves, and would not dare to take unto Vaatu's Chaos now that the Great Spirit had awoken. But they still followed, watched, and listened. Vaatu looked upon them with gladness, for the journey would have been a lonesome one until they Remembered how to use their Voice to Speak to Raava. But they who guarded Vaatu's resting place were not to be denied, for their love and their loyalty had protected them til this very moment. 

"Then I will share them," Vaatu announced, and the World trembled at the conviction in their Voice. The formless spirits shuddered, they bore witness, and they knew these words to be Truth. Vaatu turned back to the distance and called onto Raava, "And we shall gaze upon one another."

Raava sighed, and the Void stirred with gladness as well as a longing Vaatu knew. "You are kind and generous, Vaatu, but they cannot house the Chaos without surrendering themselves."

This alarmed Vaatu, though they knew not how to explain their disquiet. "Why is this, Raava?" They asked, touched by the Curiosity. "How did you come to know these things?"

"They have brought these tidings to me, Vaatu," Raava stated solemnly."For every Spirit that has ferried your Dream, and fallen in their flight, the Chaos has subsumed and found its way to me."

And this surprised Vaatu greatly, for the spirits that wandered alongside never spoke of their sacrifice. Vaatu turned to them once more, the formless beings watching from the vastness returning the solemn gaze. Vaatu wondered for how long they contributed to the Hope of gifting a dreamless sleep, and how many took Chaos upon themselves knowing the futility of their flight but continued bravely. And for the first time, gratitude took its breath and joined hands with determination as Vaatu ceased their flight and curled around the formless spirits with the entirety of their being.

Vaatu turned their attention not to the vastness, but to the Void, and beckoned, "Then, are you there, Raava? Past where none cared to Know, past where they dare to Seek?"

"Yes," Raava called, as if wishing to speak the Word for all time. "But do not come here, Vaatu. It is an empty world, devoid of your Chaos, and ruled by Order. You will not thrive here."

Vaatu did not Know Order, but they Knew their longing would not be abated until they existed upon the same plane as Raava and this was Truth, "But you are there."

"And I will be for all time," Raava reassured. "Ever by your side."

Vaatu cried, "Yet, I am never to be by yours? Never to Witness you?"

It was in this moment, the longing and the sadness within Vaatu spilled across the vastness and the Void quivered - struck with a pain that it could not ignore. One day, it would be known as love. Chaotic, battering in its power, born with many faces unseen and driven by the gentlest stirrings of will. But Vaatu did not know of love, and neither did Raava, yet they loved all the same. 

But Raava lamented against Vaatu's passionate refrain, "This is how it is Spoken of, it is Witnessed, and how it S-."

"No," Vaatu interjected with a harsh snap that Echoed throughout the World and caused the Void to groan. Silence returned at Vaatu's command before the Word could be Spoken and thus never undone. For Vaatu believed Raava's Voice was unyielding once Spoken. Once the hush fell over them, and the lesser Spirits ceased their trembling, Vaatu declared, "I will not Speak of this, and I will Witness this no longer, this is not how it shall be."

Silence reared itself, but the Sound it emitted was loud. The World heard, but it did not know how to move. The lesser Spirits watched and listened as the Great Spirits, one of Chaos and one of Order, were locked in a stalemate that seemed to see no end. 

But as it was in the first Word uttered, Raava broke the Silence once again and beckoned, "Then what shall you do, Vaatu?"

Gladdened by Raava's acknowledgement, Vaatu answered, "I will bring Chaos to you and you shall bring Order unto me. Thus, we shall become One and never Parted."

And it was with this that Vaatu gathered the lesser Spirits unto themself, and dove into the Void, leaving behind the World as it was. Time lost its importance, for what was Time to a Great Spirit who transcended permanence itself? It wasn't until the first strokes of emptiness streaked across Vaatu's consciousness that Raava called out to them, "Vaatu..! I am here!"

Vaatu watched in awe as the Void sundered, the emptiness striking through it with fierceness, hurtling forward in a streak of absence that would one day be known to All as Light. This Light, blinding in its radiance, grasped at the darkness and consumed it with mindless hunger to fuel its luminescence. The lesser Spirits trembled within Vaatu's hold and shied away from the gaping maw, but Vaatu stood against it and called back, "Raava!"

For all Raava's Light attempted to consume, the Void tried doubly to hold onto and pressed around Raava as if to contain the Spirit itself. Thus Vaatu came to realize why. The Void was not ruled by Order, but threatened by it. Raava was Order, and Order itself Demanded, but it did not have an End to what it took. Raava did not know the harm inflicted and what the constant struggle would eventually become should neither side relent. And the Void deemed Raava as something foreign, perhaps even dangerous, and a disquiet stirred in Vaatu for what the Void would do if pushed to its brink.

For Vaatu tasted desperation in attempting to reach Raava, and an inkling of what desperation would thin one's spirit and hasten the will to act. 

Vaatu begged the Void to loosen its hold upon Raava, and ventured closer once the pressing force waned. Yet, the further they neared to one another, the harsher the collide between Chaos and Order. Raava's Light desperately consumed Vaatu's Darkness, and in turn, Vaatu's Darkness cleaved beneath Raava's Light, but soon the two were side by side with their energy closely intertwined - pushing and pulling at one another. 

"Have I hurt you?" Raava asked, voice gentled with what Vaatu now knew the Name of - sorrow. 

And yes, Vaatu felt the essence of being being pulled with every second in Raava's presence but so too came the relief of feeling at all. So Vaatu did not speak of pain, and tried to soothe Raava's sorrow by matching the gentleness of their Voice.

"Come with me," Vaatu bade, intertwining with Raava who curled close and witnessed the thousands of formless eyes within Vaatu.

The lesser Spirits studied the Spirit of Order and Knew them to be another Great - equal to the eminence of Vaatu. Yet, what fear had existed within that Raava's light would consume them abated, for upon resting within the space between Vaatu and Raava, the lesser Spirits gained form and came to Know themselves. They lightened Vaatu's burden, taking to drifting on their own within the Void, and made up the procession of energy - emanating radiance and energy that Raava would Name while Vaatu Listened. 

When they left the depths, and returned to the vastness of the World, the Void fell still once more - a Calm passing over the vastness as Raava and Vaatu thanked the Void for allowing them safe passage. 

The two returned to the Tree, which Vaatu was eager to show Raava who thought it magnificent, and they nestled together within the hollow to Speak of all that Order and Chaos taught them. The lesser Spirits gathered at the roots and Listened to the Words of Creation as they were first Spoken. Some kept watchful eyes on the stirring vastness beyond the Tree, where the World began to awaken from its slumber after eons of Dreaming. With every Word Raava and Vaatu spoke, the World was reminded of itself and all that had been or would ever be.

And so too would it be Known.

As the World remembered itself, so too did the Spirits. 

Across the vastness, long into the distance that would soon become known as the horizon, the first Spirit to fall into the Void began to rise. Their light mirrored that of Raava's, a gentle stirring that ushered the waking darkness aside and shone with a gentle glow upon the World. This Spirit writhed with Chaos at its core, and reflected a myriad of colors that filled the above which would then become known as the sky and spilled across the below that once was only known as the Void. A tumultuous realm, once formless and without Order, gained shape and color.

It was through the Spirit's waking; their single eye pressed into the Sky gleaming down upon the World that the Spirits knew it to hold the color that once only existed within Vaatu. With the Great Spirit sequestered within the Tree, the lesser Spirits decided to take upon themselves to flock to the Sky Spirit's eye to bask within the light, but the closer they came - the fiercer their bodies began to burn. And it was beneath the Sky Spirit's radiance that the first embers of Creation burned as the lesser Spirits took on the flames and fell unto the land in streaks of blinding light.

Vaatu, who felt the radiance take its first breaths, emerged from the Tree and baled woefully at the Spirits who ascended to the Sky Spirit's domain and burned for their hubris. Raava felt Vaatu's sadness and bade Vaatu to leave the matter to them before going to speak to the Sky Spirit. The Chaos roiled within the Sky Spirit quivered when Raava crept closer and shone the Light of Order upon it. Raava did not come in anger, but spurred on by a want to right the egregious wrong of Vaatu's pain, spoke with a conviction that stifled the Sky Spirit's brightness.

"Speak unto me, One Who Dwells Within the Sky, why is it you burn your kin and grant them naught but to fall?"

The Sky Spirit judged these words and was struck by Curiosity for the Ancient One who Spoke them. "For this is how it is Remembered, Great Raava. I shall light the sky evermore, and all beneath my radiance shall bow."

A great compassion overcame Raava, and they turned to offer the Sky Spirit a view of the Tree. "See there," Raava called the Sky Spirit to peer upon the World which it burned. The Void writhed beneath its Light, undulating and rippling with disdain, but the Tree remained still amidst the tumult. "That is the Tree that serves as crux of this World. The lesser Spirits who gathered at its roots existed beneath us, but Vaatu nor I bade them so. Nor did we command them. They lingered, and learned from Us, then sought new life elsewhere once they Remembered themselves."

The Sky Spirit studied the Tree, and what Spirits took shelter beneath its roots to avoid burning as their kin had. They could see the fear held within the lesser Spirits and felt a great pain, for that is what not what they wished. To share their radiance, their benevolence upon the world, had been their Purpose - but to what end if the ones who would exist beneath them did not wish to? 

As if to give Voice to these thoughts, Raava asked, "What need do you of the obeisance of others? Do you not toil within the Sky itself above all things? To what end do you Seek?"

And the Sky Spirit ventured within themselves, searching the Chaos for answer. Yet, only one thing returned to them, "I do not Know," they whispered woefully, "I do not Remember."

Raava took pity upon the Sky Spirit, and offered, "Then let me Remind you."

And so, the Sky Spirit lessened their light allowing Order to cleave its way through the Chaos, and Listened. 

"You will be Known from this moment on as Agni, the First to Arise, but you will not shine evermore. For you will grow tired and the World will burn should you Forget yourself."

"I shall never tire, Great Raava," the Sky Spirit refuted, though the Name Agni ignited something within their core. The Chaos within them was beginning to shape itself into something, and the light emanated cooled ever so slightly, warming the World below. 

Raava regarded the Sky Spirit - Agni - and wondered for the first time in all of Creation how youth and brilliance could be so devastating when unchecked."All tire, Agni," Raava explained gently. "Remember that Gentle Vaatu slept for time immemorial before the first Word, and through the Chaos of the Dream gave Light unto you."

"I remember, Great Raava," Agni acquiesced, the ancient memory of their first flight into what would be the Sky was Remembered. Their light dimmed further, softer now. "It is Heard and Witnessed. It shall be."

"Thus I bid you the gift of rest, Agni. When your Sun illumines the Sky, let it be Known as Day, and when you take slumber - let it be Known as Night."

Agni considered the World, and the Spirits that'd begun to emerge from beneath the Tree's shaded roots. "Then, will this World return to Darkness once I have rested?"

"Do you fear this?" Raava asked.

Agni judged those words for a moment. Before they were Named, before they Knew, they lived in Darkness at the roots of the Tree where Vaatu rested. It was comfortable, and the silence steadied them against the vastness. In those days, they did not kneel in obeisance or toil but Listened to the hardship Vaatu underwent in the Everlasting Dream. So, it was not until they called upon their kin to take unto the Chaos and offer themselves as the first tribute that they had gained Purpose. In the darkness, they flew and scattered color along the vastness until they descended into Darkness once more with the hope that Vaatu would one day know Peace. 

It was then that Agni Remembered. 

"Nay," Agni regarded Raava with a kindly gleam to their eye. "It is to Darkness that I once fell with Chaos at my core; Great Vaatu's Dream cradled me within the arms of the Void, and perhaps that was closest to the Rest which you now grant. For I remember the Dream I held, one of life and light given unto all."

Raava agreed with this, and Agni was filled with joy when Vaatu emerged from the hollow to observe them. The Great Spirit did not Speak but there was no need for Words between them, for the Chaos that once kept Vaatu in abeyance and had been turned into torrid heat quelled itself under Raava's Order, and given Purpose. 

And this purpose, Agni Spoke so that the World would carry their Word, "And I shall offer this unto the World, no more shall my kin burn beneath my radiance, but so too should they not seek to approach me. The Chaos within me is mine to hold, and theirs to thrive under. In the Day that is now Known, I will offer light until Night is upon the World, but that light shall dwindle so the World will know of Night's coming."

The World heard Agni's Words, and held them in Silence. Raava turned to Vaatu who remained beneath the light, and took Agni's Words as Truth.

"Very well. Let it be Heard and Witnessed, and so it Shall be. The first rays of Light that shine upon the world will be known as Indra, the Dawn. When the Sun rises to the Zenith of the Sky, it shall be known as Mitra for the Meridiem. And the last Light of the Day, as it shines across the land will be known as Varuna, the Dusk. And as you lay to rest, you will be Agni. Forever shall you be."

Agni's Light covered the World as it came to Know Purpose, and the Spirits witnessed the World fill with all the colors of Chaos and Knew their Names. With a thousand hues ardent in their conviction, Agni Spoke, "Let it be Heard and Witnessed. It shall be."

With the Work done, Raava returned to the Tree and joined Vaatu as the lesser Spirits withdrew from their hiding places and arose into the Sky. They did not approach Agni, but they lingered beneath the Light. When their formless beings began to take shape and color, they were imparadised and Sound filled the world with a joyous ringing. Soon, it was only Vaatu and Raava who lingered at the Tree, watching as the World took its first steps.

"Gentle Vaatu, look upon the World," Raava whispered, leaning unto Vaatu. "The One Who Dwells Within the Sky has been Known as Agni, and the Day has been given Name. In the dawn, Agni will be Indra and shine gently. In the meridiem, it will be Mitra and shine upon All. In the dusk, Varuna, with a parting gleam. And upon Night's falling, Agni will Rest."

"This is wondrous news, Raava.." Vaatu answered, their cries having tired their Voice, but their joy palpable as they beheld the lesser Spirits that filled the Sky. "No longer will our kin burn; may they bask in Agni's Light evermore."

At this, Raava disagreed, "Not evermore, Vaatu. For Agni may Forget should they toil endlessly. Darkness will descend upon the World whilst Agni sleeps."

Silence overcame Vaatu. They held great affection for the vitativeness that filled the Spirits and set them adrift from the Tree, but worry planted its seeds within Vaatu. If they should so easily burn when cast in unyielding light, what would be their fate when the light faltered and they were left to darkness? Vaatu did not Know, and for One faced often with how little they Knew - it was unsettling. 

Concerned with the quietness that overcame Vaatu, Raava asked, "Do you fear this?"

And so Vaatu considered Raava, and witnessing this concern, wished to deliquesce it so they may return to simpler moments where Fear did not exist. And so the second Deceit of Creation was made, "Nay. For I have you at my side, and should the Spirits yearn for Light, they may find us here for all time."

"For all time," Raava agreed, and together they retired into the Tree and Spoke of all that Order and Chaos taught them. 

When Night descended upon the World, the Spirits returned to the Tree just as Vaatu foretold, but the Great Spirit found this did not please them. For the lesser Spirits, given color and form beneath Agni's Light, were now wan and listless against the roots. They lingered, and listened, but Vaatu knew something had shifted within their beings. They were no longer merely denizens of Darkness, content to settle upon the roots and soak what Words were offered to them. They were Seekers, who had begun to Know and Remember, but had no direction. For a time, this saddened Vaatu and the fall of each Day brought more turmoil. Raava knew not how to soothe Vaatu's sadness, but stayed at their side and whispered Words unto them until Mitra arrived once more. 

And under the arrival of Mitra, a Spirit journeyed toward the Tree. One whose optimism could have rivaled the jubilation the Spirits felt under Agni's Light. The Wandering Spirit marveled at the lesser Spirits sprung from the Tree's roots to soar along the sky, traversing far beyond the horizon as a rosy flush filled the sky and colored the World anew. When the Wandering Spirit came to rest at the Tree's roots, Vaatu and Raava stirred from their talk to look upon them, but saw nothing. The Spirit had no form, and not even under the light of Agni were they given one.

This roused the Curiosity within the Great Spirits who called out to the One Who Wanders and asked, "Who are you?"

While Raava beckoned the One Who Wanders, Vaatu examined the Tree's branches and Witnessed the first stirrings of the leaves. The Sound they'd made  was gentle murmuring, a quiet rustle of Voices that Vaatu had never heard until Raava's. The Voices joined together as One, and circled around the Tree as the One Who Wanders Spoke, "A mere traveler who Heard tidings of the Tree, and the Great Spirits whom dwell within it. Great Raava who quelled the First to Arise, and Great Vaatu who granted Change unto the World."

Raava sensed the change in the World when the One Who Wanders Spoke, and Vaatu's interest piqued in this stranger. 

"From where did you Hear these things, Traveler?" Vaatu asked, and instead of searching the roots, they turned their attention to the Sky where the leaves stirred. 

"Upon that which Guides and Seeks," the One Who Wanders explained.

Raava questioned, "How are we to look upon you to know this Truth?"

The leaves trembled, but there was no anger to be found within their rustling. The murmurs grew louder, and the many-voiced one made a Sound unlike that Raava nor Vaatu had heard before. It was the first note of Laughter Heard throughout the World. Joy-filled, the One Who Wanders questioned, "You may not see me, but I am here, am I not?"

Then their voice gentled into a low, soft sound as if they were whispering a hefty secret, and the Great Spirits leaned in closer to bear it.  "And once I am gone, know that I will return."

Sorrow touched Vaatu, and Raava reached out to console as they asked, "What are we to call you, Ancient One?"

"Ancient?" The One Who Wanders laughed again, heartbreakingly sweet. "To what do you owe such obeisance to one such as I? You are Great, are you not?" 

And yes, perhaps that is true. The lesser Spirits named Vaatu as Great long before Vaatu was aware of themself, and they found their grandeur was not paralleled until they joined sides with Raava, but there was more to it - more left unsaid by this wayward traveler. Within them, Vaatu sensed something Old. An ancient power that existed long before they were aware of themself, long before the Spirits found themselves at the roots of the Tree, and long before Everything. 

So Vaatu told the One Who Wanders such.

"Yes, but it is in you that a Power is felt. One that is at the core of this World, that I am certain of."

"Oh? And how do you Know?" 

"I do not. But I Remember the Dream. I slept fitfully but the Spirits gathered my Breath and scattered it across the World."

The One Who Wanders is not Silent, but the lack of their Voice to tell of their Presence settles heavily between Raava and Vaatu. Then in a voice that almost sounds wistful, carried off to somewhere else far Beyond where they were, Spoke, "Very good, so you do Remember who I am. For I am the Breath that once guided you through slumber, and I am the Breath that coaxes the World to turn."

As if to lend credence to their Word, the Void shifted for the first time in ages gone by. Vaatu and Raava felt the World begin to turn as what would become known as the Breeze swept through the Tree's canopies. The lesser Spirits, alarmed by the sudden movement of the Void, almost stilled within their flight but the Breath which guided the Wind coaxed them to continue. Some flew further than what they had been capable of when buoyed by Chaos alone and exclaimed to their kin to attempt the same. Underneath Agni's Light, the World had begun to turn as the Breath gave it Will to. 

"I will have many Names, and none will serve me well, for how can the Breath be Named? But the Names will serve their Purpose and be Known. The Dream therein is felt, it is given, it is taken, and it is so."

Vaatu was in awe, and Raava was puzzled. How could one make Order of what they could not see? And how did an Orderless entity move with such Chaotic energy without giving unto itself? They had not the answers, but they lent their attention to the One Who Wanders for they held all within their being.

"But to you, Great Spirits, I will offer a name if to make matters balanced between us," the One Who Wanders stated, and the World held its Breath as they deliberated for a Name that would suit the occasion's grandeur. At last, they Spoke and the World Listened, "This one shall be Known to you as Lungta."

The susurrus within the canopies erupted joyously as many voices rose up at once, welcoming the Name among them, and carrying it far off on the Wind. It rippled off the Void that did not quiver nor groan, but trembled with Knowing for something was coming and slumber was forgone. 

"I have paved the path for my Companions to follow," Lungta told Vaatu and Raava, "and so too will they guide the World to move. Let the One Who Dwells Within the Sky know that as the World turns, their Light will be needed less and less for another will come to take their place within the Sky so the World will Know Light even in the Dark."

Vaatu exclaimed with great relief, nearly brought to tears, "When should we expect these companions of yours, Lungta?"

"A time twain that of the beginning and the end, where all who dare to walk will never tread. Patience, Great Vaatu, for the time will come sooner to those who do not Seek it. Now I must away, for the Day grows older."

And true to Lungta's Word, the Sky began to darken as Mitra gave way to Varuna and the sunglow caressed the horizon in dusky hues of orange and yellow. Vaatu believed they could almost see the outline of Lungta against the dusk but so deep was their desire to hold the Wind for a moment longer that they did not look long enough to tell the shape of them. 

"What is Time to Us, Lungta?" Vaatu pleaded, "Stay, regale us with tales of your travels."

The wind slipped around the tree and brushed over Vaatu gently as Lungta replied, "I must not dally longer than needed to rest. The shade beneath your Tree has done me well, Great Spirits. But my companions will need me to guide their path, and if the gift I have offered to you is to arrive, then they must be guided well."

Vaatu's heart heavied at this, and Raava moved to carry the burden of Parting for their companion. "Very well then," ushered Raava, holding Vaatu aloft. "Go in peace, Lungta, be swift and well unto your journey."

No Word answered, and together Vaatu and Raava sat in stillness as they waited for some sign of Lungta's passage. The wind still settled between the leaves, blowing gently, and the Void rippled with the current. Some of the lesser Spirits that wandered long after Lungta's declaration returned to the Tree's roots but there were a great number missing, though their kin told the Great Spirits not to concern themselves for the others had gone to wander in the path laid by Lungta's swift steps. 

It's then that the Great Spirits knew Lungta had gone, though they could still feel the Spirit's Presence around them. A comfort, and an oddity all in one - chaos and order - balanced. So they retired together, and Spoke of what Chaos and Order told them while the Wind listened and carried their Word far. 

Night settled upon the World, marking Agni's descent, but a disquiet stirred within the Tree as the Great Spirits felt the stirring of something upon the horizon. Vaatu was the first to emerge, followed by Raava, and the two turned in the direction of the Wind to bear witness to a magnificent procession. Across the Void's depths, a resplendent beast walked with its proud white head raised high against the Wind and its pale eyes cutting through the Darkness.

Ripples surged across the Void's surface where the beast's paws laid, nacre claws curled into the silken stillness and rent it apart in ribbons . In the beast's wake, the ribbons swelled in size and stretched further outward with white-capped-tips that crashing upon the surface and rippled outward into the distance. It was the first Wave, and as the beast approached the Tree, the Great Spirits saw a basket upon its back whittled by plants they had never seen before. Ones they would come to know as willow-root, rye, and salt water grass to hold what lied within delicately. Its lid was tightly wound and there was no indication of what lied within.

"Great Spirits," the beast spoke in greeting, bowing their mighty head for only a Breath before resuming, "This one has come at the behest of Lungta, and have brought that which was promised. Allow me to lay it here and rest beneath your Tree so once Day comes, I may away so that my work may be continued."

"What has been brought?" Vaatu asked, intrigued at the mention of Lungta and wishing to Know more of this elusive companion. The beast Spoke not, and lowered themselves enough that Raava and Vaatu were able to remove the vessel from their back. They carried the Vessel to the Tree where the lesser Spirits watched the Beast nestle at its roots and wondered over the ripples that spread out from its being - how the Void parted for them. 

Vaatu was entranced by the Vessel, but Raava Spoke to the beast with wonder, "What do we call you, Proud One? So we may thank you for this gift."

"No thanks is needed, for what is promised is owed," the beast answered, then loosed a mighty yawn that rippled across the Void and raised more white-capped ribbons against the darkened Sky. "But this one shall give unto you a name, so that balance between us may be kept."

Then, as the beast descended into slumber, tired from their wandering - they Spoke and the World Heard, "I am Baihu."

With all said, Baihu curled upon the roots and rested their head upon their paws with their face turned away from where Agni would rise come Day. The lesser Spirits watched Baihu with great interest, one by one falling asleep within the shade of the Tree and to the gentle rumble of the Great Beast's breath. And above, within the hollow, Vaatu and Raava discussed the nature of the gift in quiet voices as to not disturb their guest. 

Vaatu wished to open the Vessel at once and glimpse the bounty within. To this end, they attempted to convince Raava, "It is a gift, one we should behold as Lungta bade us to."

Yet, Raava was unswayed. They looked upon the Vessel and wondered if what laid inside would truly be that which would Light the Night. And if so, why had Lungta not told them of its origins or Purpose beforehand?

To this, Raava said, "Why should we disturb that which is not Known, Vaatu? Shall we not await Lungta's return?"

Vaatu heaved a great sigh, and looked out from the hollow across the Vastness of the World. "The Night carries on for too long without Light, Raava," they said, their voice heavied by an emotion that mirrored sorrow - that of mourning. "What of the Ones who Dwell at our Roots? Shall they not find succor elsewhere as their kin have?"

Raava reached for Vaatu, and the two gazed raptly upon one another. In a solemn voice, Raava asked, "Do you tire of this?"

Since Vaatu found themselves at Raava's side, the Spirit of Order's presence not only comforted but burned at the base of Vaatu's very being. They knew Order could not Exist now without Chaos, and so too would Chaos be unable to Breathe without Order because they could not bear the thought of being parted from Raava. Yet, close as they were to one another, there were moments where their minds were not of the same accord and disagreement plagued them. But this too was not uncomfortable, at least not wholly, for they could exist as One even if they were Two.

"Nay, for I would keep them dear to me for all Time, but they too have right to seek their own place within this World," Vaatu argued, but the softness within them did not give way to anger and weathered beneath the grief they'd held unto themselves - they leant upon Raava and curled upon the Spirit of Order who held them in return. "Just as I Sought you, Raava."

And for a moment, the Spirit of Order and Chaos merely held one another. The Darkness curled within Light, and the Light beheld the core of Darkness, neither to shy away though their beings scorched and healed in measure. The silence between them was not an uncomfortable one levied with unspoken things, but with that which did not need words to be known as Truth. 

Vaatu whispered to Raava, "Change is upon us, Dear Raava. Do you not feel it?"

"I do," Raava acknowledged in return, their voice hardly a breath in the space between where their body met Vaatu's. And yet, they pulled Vaatu closer and held them tighter as if they could weld them into one being. "And that is why we must take caution."

"I have, Raava," Vaatu assured, "I have thought of it deeply and with great care. I wish to grant the World that which exists within me. Within Us, the gift of Light within Darkness and Darkness within Light."

Raava suspired, lingering in the warmth of Vaatu for a moment longer before allowing the Spirit of Chaos to slip from their grasp. "You are too generous, Gentle Vaatu," they voiced, and though they did not mean to, the words seemed less of compliment than warning. The two turned to the Vessel as One as Raava declared, "Very well, let us open it together."

They held onto the wrappings keeping the basket bound and undid them - Vaatu gathered, Raava unwound, and so they continued their work until the reed binding was loosened enough for the basket's lid to be lifted. The two laid touch upon the basket's lid and moved to remove it, but as if caught off balance, the basket tipped forward and fell onto its side at the opening of the hollow. A rush of cool air filled the hollow as the Void shifted and moaned; a wellhead of silver water pouring out from the basket's opening and rushing out unto the world. It covered the Tree's roots and startled the Spirits sleeping there to leap from their beds, seeking refuge in the fur of Great Baihu who did not rouse from slumber even as the water poured over their head.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Vaatu cried out, hurrying to close the basket as the water rose nearly to the opening of the hollow. They feared the water would enter their sacred home and destroy all that which they held with Raava, but before the water couch touch the basket's lip - it receded as if called away from its mischief. The Great Spirits held onto one another as they watched the water twist upon itself, curled into a spiral that waxed and waned as it shifted upon the surface of the Void, then as one would one day equate to mist - it arose to the Sky where Agni would sit during the Day and shone Light upon the World. 

The lesser Spirits hidden within Great Baihu's fur looked upon opal grey glow around this new Light and found themselves entranced, drifting further from the Tree's roots to bask within its cold splendor. Vaatu and Raava looked on as these Spirits circled around this Light and took pieces of the glow unto themselves, gaining shape and color as smaller lights that lingered up in the Sky. The Great Spirits left the Tree to journey up to greet this new Light, amazed by how its gentle glow filled the Night with a softer warmth than Agni's.

"What has happened?" Vaatu asked the Light, who peered at the Spirit of Chaos with its silver eye full of wonder. "Who are you, and what have you done to them?"

"Great Spirits, fear me not," the Silver-Eyed One bid. "For I am that which once existed within the Void, and it is through your union that I have returned. This One is Known as Tui."

The Void shifted again when the Name was Spoken, and Raava noticed the ripples that'd been carved through by Great Baihu had begun to spread once more. With Tui's Light cast over the roiling Darkness, the rising waves capped with tips of brilliant white-capped tips of soft foam were easier to witness. 

"Great Raava," Tui addressed reverently, and though their Light did not dim in the slightest, part of their silver-white face gave way to Darkness as if they lowered their eye enough to show deference. "You illuminated the Path when you departed with Great Vaatu for the World Above, and as the Void stirred and began to Remember itself - I too followed."

"The Void had Forgotten?" Raava asked, and looked unto Vaatu.

The Spirit of Chaos, mystified, answered truly, "This, I did not Know."

And in the Silence left by their Revelation, a fourth voice Spoke, "Yes, I had."

Vaatu and Raava looked down once more and saw the Void for what it truly was; vast, true, but teemed with life. It undulated and rose, lapping at the curve of Tui's light in a caress that only lasted for a moment before it descended once more. In response, Tui shone over the Void and stood solemn over its depths as the Void beckoned to the Great Spirits. 

"Great Spirits, forgive this foolish one for their offense against you."

Vaatu had not forgotten their work in attempting to free Raava from the Void, and stood before the Spirit Order, demanding, "And who might you be?"

The Void pulsated with repine, and Spoke, "This One is Known as La."

Tui's Light shone twice as bright as the name was mentioned, and the Spirits that'd taken to the Sky glowed in return, scintillating against the lustrous Darkness. 

La's supple waves twisted and turned without breaking, bending as Tui's Light coaxed them with tender strokes to Speak.

"I was Once the Ocean, but I had Forgotten the Pull of the Tides. I laid dormant and still within Slumber, but I too Dreamed as Great Vaatu had. The Chaos that subsumed within me Reminded of what I'd lost, but I was stubborn, and Tui could not rouse me alone. Not until Great Raava Awakened and Reminded us of who We once were."

"I see," Raava muttered, emerging from behind Vaatu to face the Void - the Ocean - that had once been thought empty. Now, they could see it teemed with life far beyond the surface. Life that had Forgotten itself and would soon Remember. That, in itself, gladdened Raava who had begun to Know the depth of Vaatu's Sorrow as their own. The lingering Fear that all beings would not find their place within the World. That they too would be Lost. So unto the Ocean, Raava offered these Words, "There is no need for forgiveness, for all that was done is now Past."

La shuddered, and the air was sodden with compunction that pricked deep within all it touched. "Though you may deem it Past, the Void - the Ocean - will Remember for all Time," La Spoke, and the Waves bore witness to the Ocean's resolve and took it upon themselves - the resolve a dolorifuge against the stillness of listless slumber.

"Ne'er again shall I Forget. And should One seek to impede the balance between Us, they will find no respite beneath Tui's Light."

As one, the Ocean and the Moon Spoke, "It is through your union that We are Remembered; We were once One, and yet also Two. And now that We are together again, We will Part to bring Light unto Darkness and Darkness unto Light."

The World bore witness to the Ocean's Vow upon its dark waves, and the Moon lit the Night in Remembrance.

"I will Light the Night when Fair Agni takes rest," said Tui.

"And I shall Guide the Tides to nourish the Tree, and return Life unto the World," said La.

Raava and Vaatu gazed upon the two, and the way that they illuminated the Night, as well as the flutter of Life's first drumbeat beneath the Waves. Then, they searched upon one another and came to agreement, "Very well, so it is Spoken, so it shall be Witnessed, and so it shall Be."

With that, the Great Spirits left Tui and La to their work, and returned to the Tree where Great Baihu slept - face turned toward Tui's Light. They gathered both parts of the basket, and set it away within the hollow before lying down and speaking softly under the moonglow of all the things Chaos and Order had taught them. 

And so the Cycle of Day and Night had begun, as the Breath turned the World, and the Light of Agni and Tui alongside the Ocean nourished Life. 

From that moment on, Raava and Vaatu bore Witness to the Change within the World with Wonder and Curiosity. 

Baihu departed from the Tree once Agni arose the next morn, but not before turning their great head toward the East where a magnificent serpent traveled through the open air with all the grace of the current. The serpent was another of Lungta's companions known as Qinglong, the Dragon Who Brought the Dawn. Their blue-green scales rippled with Chaos, and lifted from corded muscle to paint the Sky in its hues as it traveled from the East to the West.

A sweetness tinged the air in Qinglong's passage, and the Great Spirits looked unto the Tree to find buds grown between the leaves flourishing under Agni's dappled light. Greenery had begun to twist along the Tree's ancient bole - flowering ivy with an array of colorful blossoms. Blossoms appeared at the hanging opening of the hollow, their outer petals pink as the horizon at dawn while the inner petals were white, and their sweetness was so dear that Vaatu pressed several to keep within the basket that once held Tui.

When Qinglong vanished into the horizon, so too did Baihu depart for the West with the promise to return once the seasons began to chill. Vaatu could scarcely believe what they Heard.

To think, seasons after eons of Stillness!

The World was beginning to find its shape and form, and Order joined hands with Chaos to make it so. With each passing Day, the number of lesser Spirits nestled at the Tree's roots dwindled. Some found their home within the Sky, and took on the form of winged creatures soaring upon the currents into the horizon, others followed Qinglong on their visits when the World blossomed anew. Others treaded after Baihu, enamored with the surety in the beast's strides.

And soon, when the Ocean rippled and began to Part, and the tide was beaten back by the rise of a massive creature with a dome-shaped bearing upon its back. The creature nearly eclipsed the Sun itself with its size. Embittered, Agni shone twice as bright and cast its rays upon the creature's back to remind that it should keep its distance. But to the surprise of all, when Agni's Light shone upon the creature, greenery burst from its back and spilled outward in every direction imaginable. Earth was carried upon the creature's back, and it would not be denied its due, stubbornly making room for itself within the World.

The Earth pushed against the Ocean, spreading rock, stone, and greenery as far as the horizon could reach and without Tui - it was all La could do to beat back against it by eroding rock and stone faster than it could build upon itself. This clash horrified the Great Spirits who arose from their Tree, that'd begun to shift from the battle between the Earth and the Ocean. They journeyed to the back of the creature, and bore witness to the Life that existed upon its back. Animals and plants roamed across the creature's back, flourishing underneath the Light of the Sun.

The Great Spirits turned to one another, and knew what they had to do. Raava went to the Ocean to bade them to halt in destroying the rock and stone, for without it, the animals and plants would have nowhere to call their home. Likewise, Vaatu journeyed deep within the greenery to where the pulsating heart of Nature could be found. Vibrations called from deep within the creature, and answered Vaatu's presence, "To what does this One owe this meeting, Primordial One?"

This title surprised the humble Vaatu who questioned, "Primordial? What have I done to deserve a title so grand?"

"You who Existed at the Beginning Shall be Known as the One Who brought Change unto the World, while I who Existed at the Beginning, yet Slumbered until the End, shall be Known as the Vast One - Prithvi."

The ground rumbled as if to give its approval to Prithvi's Words, and the trees gathered about rustled their leaves in Remembrance. From the underbrush, Vaatu witnessed the watching animals and thought of the Spirits that had once rested in the shade of their Tree. They witnessed the same Light and Darkness within their Beings and nearly wept for love of them. 

"Then, if I must be Primordial, then You Shall be Known as Great," Vaatu stated. "And so it shall Be."

The earth rumbled, grass stalks stood taller and trees bent their mighty canopies as Prithvi echoed Vaatu's refrain, "And so it shall Be."

Vaatu advanced forth and asked, "Great Prithvi, cease your quarrel with the Ocean, for Life grows within Her yet and shall Nourish all which Lives."

Prithvi judged the words in silence, listening and waiting before responding with a heaviness to their Voice, "It was not this one's intention to quarrel, Primordial Vaatu. This creature you see beneath you is the World Turtle, my companion since time immemorial, promised to me by the one called Lungta."

Vaatu hummed in Remembrance, "Of Lungta I am familiar, are you one of their companions?"

"No," Prithvi denied, "but it is Lungta who gave Breath to Nature so these Ones may Live. And it is Fair Agni whose Light granted them Sight. However, there are those here who cannot See in the Light of Day for it is too bright and pains them."

Vaatu understood this. For there was a time, and still would be, where basking within Raava's Light pained them greatly.  Yet, they could not pry themselves from Raava no more than they could part creatures comforted in the darkness of Night from wandering the Land.

"Then let them wander the World in the Night where Tui's Light is delicate for ones with such Sight," Vaatu offered, a firmness in their Voice as their Words carried out across the sprawling Land. "But Tui will not shine if La's Presence diminishes, and Agni will not rest easy should the World descend to Darkness without Tui. Such is the Balance kept."

Again, Prithvi settled in Silence to think over this compromise. The World Listened, and Waited for the Words to be Spoken. After long consideration, Prithvi answered, "This One understands, Primordial Vaatu. Allow me to Speak unto the Ocean, and offer compromise so the Balance may be kept."

Vaatu agreed, and led the way through the Wilds and across Land new to them. They looked at the beauty, and all of its bounty, and found it wonderful. Yet, they noticed how parts of the Wilds withered without Nourishment and was troubled. At last, when they were present at the barrier where Ocean met Earth - Raava greeted Vaatu with a solemn gaze. The two moved aside to allow Earth and Ocean to begin their talk, and bore silent witness to their exchange. 

"Great La, Spirit of the Ocean," Prithvi called out to the rippling waves, "I am the Vast One - Prithvi - and have come to broker Peace between Earth and Ocean."

In the burbling waters, mouth filled with seafoam, La responded, "What say you, Great Prithvi?"

"May your waters flow throughout the Land, and Nourish the Life which exists there. In turn, your Children may walk upon the Land should they choose while Mine will Heed Your Tides and take only that which they need from your Waves."

La judged these words in silence, and for a time, the Ocean grew very still. When Raava worried all had been lost and talks had broken down, Vaatu held their companion and bade them to wait.

At last, La spoke, "Very well, but show caution against how high your peaks raise, for the Sky is the domain of Agni and Tui."

"And what of this Lungta?" Prithvi asked, the wind stirring the waves and rolling over the land. The grass bowed its head to the Breath of the World and the Laughter carried on the breeze - wild and True. 

It is then Vaatu spoke, "Lungta exists in All that is. One should not measure themselves against the Breath."

"So it is Known," Prithvi acquiesced, and La's waves gently lapped against the shore to soothe their newfound friend's bruised ego. Prithvi accepted the touch and returned it by crafting a small spiral from sea foam and loam, casting it into La's waters as a token of their accord.

"Bear witness, Primordial Ones," Prithvi bid.

And as one, Raava and Vaatu answered, "It is Spoken, it is Witnessed, and so it shall Be."

The Land settled amongst the Ocean, and Rivers and Streams were formed. Animals and Plants were Nourished, and from the Mud where Water and Earth met, Man was sculpted through the delicate craftsmanship of the Mother-of-Faces. Raava and Vaatu bore witness to this as Man's body was given shape by the Earth, firmed through the Fire, and Life by the Breath. The Water Nourished them, and beneath all these things - they would continue to thrive. The Primordial Ones, as Raava and Vaatu were now known, retired to their Tree which now existed within the heart of a sprawling grove. They curled within the hollow together and held onto one another, believing they had seen and heard all that of which Chaos and Order had to teach them.

With their work done, they fell into a wandering Dream but their sleep was not without its concern. 

For beyond their resting place, the World continued to turn. 

Man, once Unknowing began to Know the World anew, and quarreled amongst themselves as well as with the Spirits. They questioned the meaning of Words, and forged their Understanding of what was meant to be Known. In doing so, Balance shifted and shunted through the Ages. Man Forgot their Origins, they Forgot to treasure the bounty of the Earth, and heed the Ocean, and cherish the Breath.

They Forgot how the Union of Raava and Vaatu brought the Balance they depended on.

However, the World did not Forget nor did it Fear. It had born Witness. It Heard all that had been Spoken, and knew all of what Was. 

And when the Balance was threatened, the World needn't call upon Raava and Vaatu to emerge from their wandering Dream. The Chaos subsumed within the Heart of the World would be brought to Order, and through this Change, the last Spirit  within the Heart of the World would awaken - the envoy, the Avatar of the World itself.

And They would Keep the Balance evermore. 

So it is Spoken, so it is Witnessed, and so it shall Be.