Ch. 1 - The Cosmic Bargain
In the beginning, there was only Void - not mere emptiness but a profound absence that held within itself the seeds of all possibility. It is unknown if this primordial void was of the living, of the dead or of the nothing. From this primordial nothingness, in what the eldest elven scrolls call the base moment. Our world emerged like a dream taking form.
First came the waters, endless and eternal. Providing the rhythm that would become the heartbeat of creation. For an age uncounted, the world remained thus - a vast ocean pulsing with potential. Neither hot nor cold, neither dark nor light.
One fateful day when the concept of day was unknown, came the Living Void. A being from the void or a being itself the void is unknown. A being of such ancient power that the laws of nature defied understanding. It gazed upon the waters and claimed them with a thought. "This is mine," it declared, and reality itself seemed to bow to its will. For an eternity, the Living Void brooded over its domain, content in its solitude.
But fate had other designs. For the empty world caught the eye of SingBonga, the eternal god. SingBonga was surprised to find the world already claimed. With divine pride tempered by wisdom, the god approached the Living Void.
"Leave this realm," SingBonga requested, voice resonating across the waters. "I will shape it into something magnificent."
The Living Void paid no heed. It had bowed to none before and would bow to none now. Not even to the gods themselves. Its indifference was absolute, its presence immovable as the foundations of reality.
SingBonga was not a god of violence but one of peace and tranquility. "Name your price," the god offered. "Anything within my power to grant shall be yours." But the Living Void remained lost in its own vast thoughts. Caring nothing for divine bargains.
And so SingBonga settled upon the waters. Raising lands from the depths with divine hands. To pass the ages, the god began to nurture life. First came the plants - tiny green things that grew into mighty forests. Then came the beasts of land and air. Each one a new wonder. Yet still, the Living Void remained unmoved. Its attention fixed on nothing and everything.
Until one day, in the warm shallows of a newborn sea something caught the Void's unfathomable gaze. A creature small and crimson, darting through the waters with liquid grace. For the first time since the world's birth, the Living Void showed interest. It’s attention focused with the intensity of a cosmic hunter.
SingBonga saw this and understood. "This mefish," the god said, "shall be yours. And all its kind that follow if you grant me stewardship of this world."
Without hesitation, the Living Void nodded its agreement. Yet it would not fully depart. Instead, it would remain as a guardian, protecting the world from the chaos of the outer void while keeping watch over its precious mefish.
SingBonga, seeing the nobility and power within the Living Void, bestowed upon it a name. The NoraCat, the destroyer of evil. The god also spoke of another guardian, WellDog, the protector of all that is good. Though none living have ever laid eyes upon this mysterious being.
To this day, the NoraCats still walk among us - not mere creatures, but living embodiments of that ancient Void. Bearing within them the power that once claimed dominion over all existence. Their immortality and tremendous power serve as testament to their origin, for they are not simply named after the Living Void. They are it’s direct descendants. Bearing fragments of its primordial essence. But of WellDog, no trace remains. Some say it was merely a story. Others believe it departed with its divine master and still others whisper that it watches from somewhere beyond our sight. The truth of WellDog's existence remains one of the world's deepest mysteries.
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"Teacher, is any of this true?" The young human's eyes were wide with wonder and doubt.
The elf teacher smiled, watching a NoraCat prowl past the classroom window. It’s ancient eyes holding secrets from before the dawn of time. "Some say these are merely stories to explain the existence of the NoraCats' power. Others believe the NoraCats' very existence proves the truth of the tale. After all, how else could one explain such immortal creatures of such tremendous power?"
"But what about WellDog? Has anyone ever seen it?"
The teacher's expression grew thoughtful. "I nor anyone I have met have seen a WellDog but there is a story. A story of the ancient lands where WellDog resides. Whether it's myth or mystery, that's for you to decide."
"But you're so ancient! You should kno...."
"How rude!" The elf's ageless face showed mock offense. "You shall know that 1,296 years is considered quite young for an elf. By your standards, I've barely reached my late twenties." The teacher paused, glancing again at the NoraCat outside. "Though I will say. In all my years, I've never seen anything quite like a NoraCat. This one has been following me most of my life but it always stays at a distance.
A mysterious being. A timeless friend. Why does it keep following me.”
