Tivao stood on the ridge overlooking the vast expanse of Pangea before him, arms folded and silent. The moonlight reflected brilliantly off his waist length silver hair and the thick, silken fur of his six tails. His expression was serious, but thoughtful... icy blue eyes focused on something that perhaps only he could see.

At last he stirred and glanced back. "Strange," was the whisper that broke the silence. "Funny that I should have to recall the history of my damnable destiny."

He snickered at the irony a moment, then idicated a boulder nearby with a curt nod of his head.

"Where to begin. I suppose the logical place is to start with what I am." And he casually waved to indicate the long tails and the pair of silver furred fox ears that rose up the top of his head. "I am a Youko... one of the kitsune of the spirit world. My people were the chosen of the Earth Mother for thousands of years, so much so that they became the most powerful elementalists, capable of holding sway over the forces that make up nature. The creatures of the elemental planes were their servants as bid by Gaia and thus they were her messangers. A pretty honorable task, don't you think?"

Tivao turned easily and slid into a seated position in one motion. "It lasted for a long time, at least until the Great War broke out in the lands of humans. Slowly it drew other races in until it seemed that everything would be ravaged and destroyed. The Kitsune watched in horror and for the most part, stayed out of it. At least until they understood that not intervening would mean the death of much of the Earth. They couldn't bear the cries of pain Gaia let out, nor the mis-use of their elemental friends by magi that didn't know any better. Creatures of the forest were being slaughtered to feed armies, whole forests were disappearing. The druids were losing power to save them as Gaia weakened. So the Kitsune set out to halt the war pemanantly."

Tivao dryly chuckled. "They didn't know what hell they were about to unleash." his eyes unfocused again and he spoke as if speaking from far away. "It happened far before my birth. But the mistake is drilled in the soul of every Kitsune born. They used their greatest and most sacred power to call a force of pure chaos. They named it the Vindicator and it arrived in a storm, demanding a sacrifice in exchange for its deeds. Thinking themselves smart, they named the enemies of Gaia as its sacrifice."

His eyes closed and his voice drew tight. "The howl of the beast shattered the day and the sky grew black as pitch. It slew any that stood to fight it and grew only stronger. The armies were decimated within a day and those that survived drew back to their homelands and sealed themselves inside in terror. It worked... the wars ended. But what was left behind was a thousand times worse. Whole seas were poisoned with the corpses of the slain, fish died by the hundreds... killed in rivers thickened by blood. Many of the plains were so trampled that nothing would grow there again for a long time. It was a disaster and the Kitsune cried out at the damage."

Tivao grew silent for a while and frowned. "Gaia turned her back on her chosen and they were shut out of her realm. Later they begin to see the extent of this punishment as the females began to no longer have the ability to bear male cubs. Over the years the men died out and to survive they had to chose mates outside of their race... thus was the Kitsune tainted and with it, lost their sacred power."

Tivao sighed. "That's why the Matriarchy is around. Still Gaia had mercy on them and said there would come a day when a pure-blooded male would be born into the royal house and he would come to end the curse and guide his people back to the realms of the Earth." he snorted. "And guess who this little burden falls on?"

Tivao paused. "I am Tivanodil Crysalide Minhirath, Crown Prince of the Kitsune nation, bearer of the six tails of the elements.... and half of the people I'm supposed to be helping is trying to kill me. I think the Matrons are too used to their damn heavy fisted rule. They even re-called the Vindicator on me!"

Tivao scowled darkly. "I have to reclaim the lost power of the Kitsune before the Vindicator learns where I am. I'm so far from home now..." he got up and shouldered the pack that was by his feet. "I have a lot to learn yet, and must go now." he tilted his head quizzically. "Perhaps we will meet again someday."

And he stepped backwards, shifting until he merged with the winds about him and vanished in a gust of air.