Long ago, life came from the waters. The skys had been empty at the beginning of creation. Where there had been many forms taking shape in the depths of the oceans, only one being dragged his way out of the waters. He struggled against the frothy swells of the ocean, rolling in the mix of air and water until he could take the air into newly formed lungs. When he could breath the air, he crawled onto the shores of the first continent. Heavy and unable to move, the elemental lay in the Sun, filling with heat and warmth.
As the warmth of the merciful sun filled him, so too did awareness and knowledge. What had been liquid and cold, turned into warmth and sinue. Bone and blood started to course through the limbs of the creature basking in the sun.
With shaking awareness, Teramo reached towards the sun with thanks, he could feel that an ancient power had taken pity on him. The Sky father and Sun mother had taken in this one soul as their own. He became one of the first beings, with yellow eyes, obsidian feathers , and an arching neck for grace. From his limbs rushed fourth black talons, from his mouth the curve of a gold sharp beak. This was the first sacred form, the spirit form.
In this form, Teramo joined the Sky and Sun mother and soared to all the corners of the world. Over many centuries he perched on the highest mountains and often came back to the edge of the sea. Many more beings had come from the seas, but their shapes were different. They were legged and furred, or scaled and hard. His least favourite were the Rastorae, who were many legged and many eyed with hard shells, that preyed on many other creatures of the land.
But there were none like Teramo. None had pleased the Sun and Sky, and they had until then not thought to make another child. One day when Teramo were killing more of the pestilent Rastorae, the Sun mother found herself with child. As it was with her beginning, the child burst forth from the light of the sun, golden rays cascading like liquid gold, plummeting to the earth.
Where the Sun child struck the earth a crater bloomed into destructive existence. Mountains were pushed upwards and land sunk into the oceans. Teramo was struck down by the force of the sun child's arrival and when he regained his senses, he called out to the Sky Father and Sun Mother. The sun mother was weak, and begged Teramo to check on her child.
Teramo flew as swiftly as his wings could take him to the blackened centre of the cavernous crater scored into the surface of the continent. Curled up was a form he had never seen before. It had no fur, but for red gold curls from it's head. Long slender legs stretched out from it's body, and graceful curved arms. Teramo could not help but admire the curve of a hip, the smoothness of the great expanse of skin. The being awoke, turned her delicate head and opened her orange red eyes. Soft lips curled into a smile at the site of Teramo, she knew him, had heard his voice from inside her mother's womb.
At the sight of her gentle smile and red eyes, Teramo fell deeply in love. For decades Teramo watched and stayed loyal to the daughter of the sun. The daughter was called Domina, for she was raised above other creatures. She taught them many wonders, to build, to make, to harness fire. As she passed through the world teaching the many creatures of Beluvial, they all saw her form. Many elementals gave up their forms, becoming as she was. Soon, there were many who looked like the woman born of the sun.
Teramo begged the Sky Father for one last form, he loved the sky and could not give it up, but he begged for a form that would allow him to be with the Fae woman he loved. Domina begged the Sky Father not to grant Teramo's wish. " Without the Skys in his wings, with out the clouds and the high mountain air, my Teramo's heart will break and he will not love me anymore." She wept in front of the sun.
"Then he shall have both daughter." Whispered the Sun mother, who loved her children. Teramo fell from the skies and crashed into the dirt and soil. His body twisted and he cried out. The conversion was painful as he had given up elemental form. Limbs stretched out, his feathers dropped from him leaving skin that was gold brown, his hair was jet black and fell to his waist. Like he had found Domina, she now found him and gazed on his masculine form. But Domina's back had been smooth, Teramo had kept his wings. Tucked against his back were the obsidian feathered wings.
From the moment Teramo opened his yellow eyes, he was husband to Domina. Through many years of lovemaking came many gifted children. And many of these children, bore the feathered wings of their father. It is still a topic argued over drink on cold nights in front of the fire, as to which child of Teramo seeded the Children of Storms. Some say they have the volatile nature of Merado, some say they have gentleness of Despacia, some say they came from the predtory Eclipsa so was always ready for war. But all know that like the first being Teramo, the Oehesa cannot be without wind and sun. And so were born the stormfolk of the Strefalla continent.
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