Gazing down at Origin I see my people, my creations hammering at stones with rocks, chasing animals with wooden spears, and a select few already discovering fire.

I take a look further seeing many of them have already died and their spirits wander Origin.

I begin enacting the additional function I had for the Star River.

As I turn my attention to it, I see the various fire elementals flying and floating about.

I gather them together until their all in one place including those that feel down to Origin.

I begin adding more fire to them compounding then condensing over and over again.

I grab a few strands for the star river weaving them into their bodies tightening and holding them further together.

I further mix it with their bodies, even adding a core of the star river’s unique substance in the middle of their beings.

Their bodies far more human-like and intricate with flow thick threads of golden star fire hanging from their heads as hair, I move on to their minds.

I give them a large amount of intelligence, critical thinking skills, a strong sense of duty and devotion.

I strengthen their link with the Star River making so they can sense its condition and they weaken when they move too far away from it, like a proverbial chain.

I give them telepathy, telekinesis, gravity manipulation, as well as increased control of fire and light.

Looking down at them, completed new and improved I give them their instructions.

“I modified and altered you all to be guardians of the Star River, for it is of extreme importance.

It will soon be functioning as a new afterlife for those that have died.

It will suck loose spirits into it, then burn away their memories and ego before depositing them into a new available body.”

After speaking to the fire elementals I rename them Starborn.

I turn away observing my favored races as they struggle against monsters, beasts, and the elements.

Perhaps it is time I guide them.

……………………………………………………………………………………………....

I stare out at my surroundings as I walk towards the nearest tribal settlement.

The massive trees half the height of mountains block out light from the star river barely any passing through their thick massive long branches. The grass on their bark sways back and forth in a passing breeze as I continue deeper inwards.

The lush green grasses come up past my navel as I wade through them.

Various plants hanging from the canopy in my way as I push them aside.

Erratic echoes of various birds, animals, and monsters ceasing as I hear yet another cry of an animal as it dies.

Only for the echoes to resume again soon afterward, like white noise.

“I knew everything would be bigger, but this is ridiculous, did I really make everything so grandly large compared to the races?”

My incarnation comes to the outskirts of a tribal village as he sees a thin small frail human woman in her late teens get tossed out of the village by a pair of thick burly men.

Yes, I chose to incarnate as a human first, despite having created the regals first, I have some kind of strange affinity and familiarity with humans, so I chose to incarnate as one and visit them first.

More importantly, this woman clearly needs my help, she won’t survive long if she is left alone in the wilderness, especially on an empty stomach.

The pair of men dressed in tanned hide and tooth necklaces turn away from the girl before heading back into the village of tents made from various pelts and straw huts.

I walk up to the woman getting a fleeting glance from an older woman stirring a clay pot over a fire of hot coals.

Neither of us will are welcome here.

I attempt to help up the girl only to be brushed off.

I crouch down near her to talk to her before speaking.

Ethereal Incarnate speaks a touch of care in his voice, “I just want to help, you won’t survive long out there in the wilderness without help.

I can guide you to another tribe one less… Aggressive.”

Frail Woman, “Oh ho, and why would you do that?

Hmmm, I’ve just been ousted by my own tribe, banished, for what stealing a leg of quail from the chieftain’s son, no not even his son but his son's wife.

Ha, and you want to help me out of the kindness of your heart, ohhh how noooble, and pray tell how far away is this mystical village that no one has ever heard of?”

Ethereal Incarnate, “You’ve never heard of another village outside this one have you?”

Frail Woman, “No. No one has. Everyone says this is the only village out here that we alone are the only living beings in this realm besides the monsters that lurk within the forest.

Who are you anyway?”

The woman lifts her face off the ground where she has been laying though out the entire conversation.

When she sees his face her questioning glare turns into a blank wide-eyed look.

Ethereal Incarnate responds, “Eth, and yours?”

Frail Woman answers, “I love you.”

I may have gone a bit overboard when I was sculpting this incarnation.

Ethereal’s Incarnation responds, “Even if you say that we only just met. There's no way I can reciprocate your feelings, at least not yet.”

Ethereal’s Incarnation smiles and offers his hand, as the frail woman takes it, she states, “I’ll follow you anywhere.” Her eyes wide and sparkling as she stares at him.

Ethereal’s Incarnation simply grunts and says, “Good.”

We start traversing through the forest towards a village of the Trones Tribe situated around a large mountain.

As nightfalls we make camp, the frail woman sitting down next to me as her long black hair hangs over her face flickering light of the fire reflecting off her pale skin.

She sits down next to me on a log and speaks, “My… My name is Ori in case you were wondering.”

“Ori it’s just a little longer we should reach there in another day or two.”

Ori answers, “Are you sure? Not to be disrespectful Eth, but why exactly are you helping me. I know I’m not much to look at.”

“And why does that matter when you see someone in need of help you should help them it’s that simple.”

Ori, “But why when there is no benefit?”

“Who said there needs to be benefit, you help a person cause you care about them, its the right thing to do.

If everyone always helped each other for only benefits, then this world would be doomed from the start.

Yes, benefits are nice, but its the love for wealth, power, and pleasure that often leads to peoples downfall.

It’s all too easy to let love for such thing cloud your mind, and corrupt you.

Morality exists to uphold civilization, without it, it all too quickly crumbles into dust.

That’s why Ori won’t you be my Oracle?”

Ethereal’s Incarnation places his hand on Ori’s shoulder and gives her the powers of an Oracle.

He fads into blue dust that blows away in the wind before swirling like a spiral like a ribbon into the sky.

Ori, “Huh? Huh… HUH?!”

The ground and air around her shake as Ethereal speaks to her his voice like thunder, but softer on the ears to more effectively communicate.

“That man was merely my incarnation an extension of myself.

I am Ethereal I created your people and this world.

I have given you the powers and authority of being my Oracle and hope you will spread my messages when I send you them via our link.”

A streak of light materializes like a path going into the forest.

“Follow the light it will lead you to the village at the foot of a lone mountain, there they will accept you and treat you well.”

Ori looked at the path before turn her head around her then to the sky, “Why, why me?”

“Because loyalty, and because you were cast out, you will be more sympathetic towards others, truly caring for them.

Teach what I taught you to others and help keep up the fires of civilization burning.”

………………………………………………………………………………………………

I watch the Ori as she makes her way in the morning towards the city, her body giving off a hint of my own presence keeping away beasts and monsters alike.

I watch Trones Tribe welcome her and place her in high esteem as my Oracle.

I even watch as she recruits acolytes, priests, and priestesses.

I watch as years later when members of her old tribe come knocking, angry after hearing about how she is helping another tribe commune with me.

I neat little trick I pulled off with her when I made her my Oracle…..

Whoever attacks her with intent to kill or harm her, has the whole world seemingly turn on them.

Plants, animals, predator and prey alike, even monsters as well as the elements all single out the offender and attack them.

Ori wasn’t the only Oracle I chose, I made several others each for one the races, for them to rally around as a connection to me.

Empowering the nations and peoples who have an Oracle as a Unifying force for their race, so that someday each race will their own nation.