Ra'ga the Valorous

Coastal Italian skies blazed red with fire as they often did these days. Though, perhaps they were red with blood; Xael had been tormenting all of earth's creatures, human and plottie alike since his banishment within the planet's core, and with little regard to native life, it could be hard to tell. The tyrannic diety's conquest began in the human-named country of Mexico, where the first Pyro plotties were sighted. With those newly-recruited fire beings under his thumb, Xael scattered them all over the globe, manipulating their gifts to bring the rest of the world under his control. One such platoon of pyro plotties he encamped at Mount Etna under tight surveillance. Or, so he thought. On the rare occasion, a brave few pyro plotties would manage to slip away from Xael's encampments, escaping to freedom in unlikely places. One such brave family of pyro pondies crept their way down Mount Etna, the only home they had ever known, and fled to the Mediterranean coast. They found a marine village of other pondies, who hid them from Xael's gaze. The fire deity rarely looked upon the planet's waters, though. So long as the pyro plotties didn't surface, they would be safe.

In time the fire plottie refugees formed families. One, of a refugee and a native marine pondie, had two children. The firstgrown, at the request of the refugee parent, they named Beilam, "Hope", praying their child would have a better life than they did. The younger child, named by their native parent, they called Anee'ga, "of the Water," celebrating the pyro plotties' integration to the sea. Together, the children grew inseparable in their watery home, never knowing the bondage their predecessors did, but curious of what lay beyond the sea. Tempting fate became a favorite pasttime, as the young sprouts explored shallower waters. In their exploration, they found a sea slug they named Dam'ra, "Blue Fire," due to its coloration. They visited their new pet every day, slowly venturing closer and closer to shore as they played. One day, curious Beilam ventured onto shore on Anee'ga's dare, his very first time entirely on land. And, his first time he discovered his fiery power. Intrigued, the sprout began experimenting on the coast, quite literally playing with fire, albeit sans a juarod. But fire nevertheless, that drew the eyes of Xael. 

Mount Edna exploded violently, its inhabiting deity thrilled to find a new toy to play with. Beilam, foolishly flaunting his powers, was plucked from his home, and forced into Xael's service. His origins were questioned, of course, the deity thirsty for a potentially untapped supply of pyro plotties. Beilam resisted questioning at first, but such a young sprout stood no chance against a god. Xael opened volcanic vents throughout all of the Mediterranean, destroying countless settlements of pondie plotties. 

Anee'ga, meanwhile, still close to shore himself, was occupied grieving his brother, oblivious to the destruction being wrought back home. Beilam was gone, all because of his childish dare. It was his fault. It was all his fault.

Water bubbled and boiled around Anee'ga. Fear. Fury. Raw, untamed grief overwhelmed him. Anee'ga's parents had hated the gods- Xael for enslaving them, and Jauraw for not stepping in. But the rest of his village had adored the Sun Goddess. In a desperate plea, Anee'ga reached out blindly to a goddess foreign to him. 'Jauraw... if you exist... if you hear me, please... help me to fix what I've done. Help me to save my bother. Help me save my kin.'

Jauraw did indeed exist, and she indeed heard Anee'ga's plea. She whisked him from his home, from Xael's searching eyes. 'I hear you, young one, and now you hear. No longer are you of the water. I bestow upon you this gift, a jaurod. You will be my champion, my champion of Fire. In time, my champion, you will send Xael back to the earth's core from whence he came.'

Anee'ga vanished that day, born into Ra'ga, a new identity as Jauraw's champion. She personally trained him as the blooming warrior honed new power, keeping him from Xael's sight. His answer was not immediate. It took years of preparation and training, but Jauraw vowed she would keep his family alive and well until his time came- the only thing cooling Ra'ga's patience. Even so, he stole brief outings back to his home shores. Dam'ra still lingered there, his only remaining friend, and last link to those he lost. 

Coastal Italian skies blazed red with fire, even darker crimson than they once did. These days, Xael ruled the whole earth. Or, so he thought. When one measly, stringy pyro plottie stood in rebellion, the deity bellowed in laughter, kicking up yet more lava and flame. But Xael's hautiness proved to be his downfall when Ra'ga, channeling all the power of Jauraw and her gifted Jaurod, sent him crashing back to the earth's core.

Ra'ga did free his people, and the earth from Xael's torment. Though proclaimed a hero, he was too ashamed of what he had done to remain with the ra'bin. Ra'ga vanished to the countryside, as far from known volcano sites as he could get, and lived out most of his days in solitude as Jauraw's champion.