Notes

They called her, the Ash Lord, for someone who was a nobody. Nothing shall be taken from her, for she had nothing to begin with.

However, there is always a beginning.

"Is there something you want?" asked the old lady. The little girl stood in silence, she knows nothing of joy -- never have she experienced it before. A victim, they said, war raised her to be an orphan. "I want to be like them," answered her, peering at the smiling kid on the other side of the window. She wondered what she has lacked, was it parents? Bloodline? Luck? None of the, was something she could understand. "Can I?"

With a stifled chuckle, the old lady ruffled the black-haired’s crown, even though it was never her responsibility to soothe her down. “You can. Do a good deed everyday, and one day, you will be just like them, dear.” -- full of happiness. Aware she is; a child is a child -- it was pointless to guide her at such age, she might have forgotten by the time she reached maturity.

It was better than nothing. She hoped the little one would relish her words as a legacy.

Since the time she was admitted to the orphanage, she fell in love with the old lady’s bedtime stories. She would kindly take them to the unforeseen land of dreams where they could find their last remaining solace, by the warmth of ember. It will not rot, should time marched against her, she would always be grandma’s beloved. She kept her heart true to her promise, even when the old caretaker has finally succumbed to death. The ravenette struggled to remain on her chosen path -- she learned what does it mean to be a good person. It paid of as she grew a beautiful bud, one that was generally liked by not just the orphans, but the townspeople as well.

The history began to turn the tide, there was a need to amass a large amount of people -- for the upcoming war. Adults, teenagers, even the younger ones, were submitted to the ranks. A number of higher nobles were decreed to hold a recruitment, which the orphanage was included in the list. Affinity was the only required aspect to pass the assessment, for they are nothing but orphans who lacked knowledge, and affinity to a certain element was a sight to behold. The jet black-haired girl -- who belongs to the name of Velia -- passed the requirement, along with a select few.

Her constitution scorched like a fire, and it bestowed her strength -- something capable of causing destruction.

It was an opportunity for many. The pay would be great, and it is worth the risk. For orphans, it was close to impossible to afford living by themselves. However, the lucky ones should be able to have a proper start in the society. Velia, on the other hand, had to convince herself which moral choice would keep her on track. ‘Do a good deed everyday,’ was a memento from the old lady -- taking form as an ideal. It took her days to decide, until she finally made a resolute answer.

Protecting the weak, is one sure-way to achieve it.

The black-haired took her time to study about what it means to protect. She was trusted, they adopted her into a family. Velia Elstride, is now her name. To stride towards the better, to strive against hardships -- and a life full of strife. She learned, ‘in order to gain, there must be a sacrifice,’ all cannot be saved. Although she tried to be a strong, independent individual, she was still the same old self -- she was naive. She had experienced it the hard way, the inability to save, and the feeling of powerlessness. Yet, she shall not falter to them.

To demons.

They constantly waged war against humans, aiming to overthrow the thrones, enslave them. Humans are nothing but lowly creatures, rumors said about what they were thinking. Some of the people are missing, perhaps captured by the demons. They was not -- by any means, weak. Yet, there were a lot of people who valued their own life above another. Just when there seems to be no hope, the Ash Lord was there to give them one.

She was bestowed what fate has promised her, it gave her the power to defend what is dear to her. Loved by her people, she was a ray of light -- passing through to gave them hope. To her comrades, she was a steadily-lit fire, she gave them passion and the strength to carry on. And to her adversaries, they know nothing but her mask, and trails of cinders on her wake.

However, there are times when she could not handle the underlying burden, she would seek refuge within the nature’s embrace -- far from civilization. But the sea was special, she was envious of how calming and enchanting it is. It does not show any weakness, raging and relentless. However, it was full of beauty, unlike her ‘flame’ which is inclined towards destruction -- which would lead to her own downfall.

As she was tired of the endless war, she began to desperately seek for a way to end it -- if it was possible. She captured one of the demons, and used him as a messenger, prompting them to hold a private meeting. Her plan was not for naught, she was granted an approval from the opposing side, and the demons know very well not to anger the Ash Lord. And without a doubt, she was not alone. Accompanied with her trusted knights, she know what might transpire during the encounter. However, what might seem to be a pointless discourse, soon turned out to be the turning point of her life.

They said, “It was your kind’s fault.” They exclaimed how they harbor no ill-wills against the humans and how it was humans who had started the massacre. She found it hard to be believed, after all, they are the demons -- it might be a carefully thought out scheme. “If so, then why did you not ask for a non-agression pact?” questioned her in disbelief. “We have, which none of you had acknowledged.” It was a smart move to resort to lie -- unless if it was not. Doubt aroused her, no matter how hard she tried to prevail. What if it was true?

Then, who else would be the demon, if not her?

There was no other way. It does not matter how incredulous she acted towards the statement, they gave her a proof -- may it be actual or fake. And it was enough to fuel her to snuff out the possible lie. Alas, there was no lie in the first place, except one from her kind. The investigation she held all on her own, revealed something she had never expected. It was true, what the demon had said.

The humans wills not for truce, they indulged themself in greed.

A revelation befell upon her; the true nature of human was never a benevolent one. She was in fact, a victim of her own kind’s doing. Superiority and self-righteousness stalked them ever since the rise of the humankind. They considered their own race as a gem amongst gems -- a special snowflake. It was unthinkable to her, she was naive to think there won’t be a time she would encounter the dark side of her own kind. Yet, here she is, at a loss.

She tried reaching out to the higher ranks, to the nobles, to the king, which none of them would listen.The kingdom reeks of corruption, and the Ash Lord -- no, Velia is considered to be a threat that endangered the ‘stability.’ It was for the sake of humanity, they said. The humans are weak, they need to expand, to reach for every corner of the world, and to gain supremacy. Unable to accept such a bizarre way of thinking, she was then marked as a traitor for committing heresy, for siding with the demons, for something she have never done. No one believed her, except for the ones by her side during the time she found out the truth.

Despite all the things happened to her, the love for her people did not change, even to the day where her execution take place.

Their expression was the same as she used to be -- full of hope, naive, and clueless. Ah, it was for these people she strived for, humans have always been like this; beings with the two sides of coin as one. Had she forgotten her purpose? It was to do a good deed everyday. Have she had it fulfilled? She might need to say ‘sorry’ to her beloved grandma. Her regret? The lives she had taken for something she could avoid. However …

She is one of them -- humans. Full of fault, sanctimonious, and powerless. She have to embrace her imperfection in order to fully understand, and it did. Although the feeling of remorse had clogged up her senses, it was their smile which gives her strength; it was something she treasured. And at last, she had a peaceful end. Inside a wooden coffin -- she descended towards the seabed.

A beginning, which seemed like an end.

What is it you were striving for? “My people”.
Why is it you strived for them? “Because of my promise”.
What was your promise? “To do good things”.
Have you fulfilled your promise? “I.. protected, by killing”.

There is a thin line between good and bad, this is why the nature does not discriminate -- the murderer dies, also the innocent. Just like what you did, it takes, and it gives.
“Life?”

Yes, the sea is vast, it is teeming with life, it feeds the living. Yet, it feeds off the life from them as well. We have been waiting for you, child. Your fervor, undying soul shall be preserved. It is a gift, and a punishment for what have you done. A raging wave you shall become; a gentle tide you shall evolve. Your past are now ashes-- worry not, for life begins in the sea.

Now rise, Daughter of the Sea.