Small bubbles breached the water’s surface, a hint of giggling erupting into the air as each one popped. The Gezoan youth always favoured playing in the shallow waters, making competition out of nothing in playful jest with one another. It not only helped them to hone their abilities both beneath and above the waters but, enhanced their empathy for one another. If one struggled where another excelled, that Gezoan would aid them until they had a thorough foundation of understanding to place their roots in. From that, came the Gezoan rule that no one was above another; every member of the Gezogantu planet had a place and a purpose, and that purpose was to guide one another forward, and to leave none behind.
Thra’ma was one such youth. He was smaller than the other Gezoan of his age which often led to him falling behind in races, unable to control his breathing, and fighting to keep up. Whereas the groups he participated were large, much of his struggles went unnoticed for some time no matter how hard he tried to push forward. In his adolescence he met another small Gezoan from across the waters named Yr’si. As he sat on the bits of reef that dwelled just beneath the shadows, she emerged from the waters, staring at him with curiosity and sadness. She could see the pain in his eyes and outstretched her hand, not only to welcome him but, to offer understanding.
Yr’si was a deeply gifted Gezoan who could feel the emotions of others on a deeper level. Whereas all Gezoan were blessed in the ability to show sympathy and know empathy for their people, and other species, Yr’si could focus on the individual struggles and strains. Beneath the crashing waves, Thra’ma explained his woes in great detail, while Yr’si listened intently. Not only did she hear his plight but, she felt it as well, and marked it as being something similar to what she’d faced before she came across the waters with her own family. Yr’si was the youngest Gezoan amongst her tribe, and thus she faltered trying to keep up with the others. Despite the empathy of her people, and no matter how much they tried to include her, Yr’si was simply too small and too young to keep up. This sparked something within Thra’ma and he made a pact with the young Yr’si to ensure neither would leave the other behind in their journey forward.
As the two grew, Thra’ma pursued a Warrior’s path while Yr’si was more attuned to continuing her connection with nature and their planet. Thra’ma took up the trident as his weapon, sparring with the creatures of the deep that agreed to assist on behalf of Yr’si. Despite the different paths they’d chosen, the two still very much aligned. As Thra’ma’s determination to join his brethren stirred within him, Yr’si took quiet notice. While she was still small, she had become so in tune with the world that she could see the route to which Thra’ma would find his true success and happiness. Having discovered the Rift Port of their planet located deep beneath the blackened waves, she had become bound to its very fate, choosing to put much of her own life force into ensuring its stability. Having taken note of Thra’ma’s growing power, she imbued him with the ocean’s strength, its pressure to defend, its waves to wash away fear, its strength to push and pull all in its way, and its ability to overtake all. It was a slow process, as Yr’si would ensure, so that Thra’ma’s growth seemed more natural, and so she did not tamper with the Rift Port now under her guard. His fin-like wings expanded, folding closer to his body allowing for faster movement while their expansion granted him quicker twists and turns. His eyes could see further and focus at a greater distance that allowed him to perceive enemies and advance at a greater distance. His body grew in muscle and strength, allowing him to clutch his trident harder, throw it further, and expend it like a natural extension of his body. His teeth were sharp, growing in size and creating fear when necessary from their sheer size. He was able to join his brethren as a Warrior, swimming, defending, and laughing alongside them as he’d yearned for since his younger days.
Excitement grew within Thra’ma and he showed his newfound skills to Yr’si as often as he could but, he could not help but feel her growth had been stunted. Despite her persistence, Thra’ma could feel something in their connection had been disturbed. Yr’si explained the gift she’d granted to Thra’ma, because it brought her immense joy to see his happiness fulfilled. This pained Thra’ma but, on a level he did not quite comprehend. Yr’si explained that her growth had been stunted not from embracing Thra’ma and his joys but, from the spark of their home slowly fading. She had bound herself to the Rift Port that had been born deep beneath their world’s surface, used in rarity due to its location and increasing fragility since its birth. As their planet began to fade, so did their access for salvation, which Yr’si was confident could be found through the Rift Port. She further explained that those aligned with the planet felt it on a deeper level than other Gezoan. The reefs were beginning to become frail, exposed in the light of the twin suns that shone down upon them. Little cloud and rain had come in years, and Yr’si knew that not only was the time coming for their people but, herself as well, due to her deep connection to the planet.
Thra’ma would have none of it. He vowed not only to lead his people to a new life, on another planet but to do so by seeking the aid of other species, just as Yr’si would do with her strength. He would find a way to preserve the port, and stabilize it so that Yr’si could thrive, and that his people may escape to safety should the time come that the Rift was needed. His voice was loud and strong amongst the Circle of Li’dy; the Council that had ruled over Gezogantu since the beginning. Unable to be moved from the darkened depths of the oceans, Thra’ma would be Yr’si’s voice and explain to the Circle the urgency at hand. They could not deny the stirring of their planet, the receding waters and the pain now plaguing its people deep within, and Thra’ma’s statement only solidified that feeling. The Circle were not made of Warriors nor Diplomats, they were capable of empathy and understanding but, mostly geared toward their own as it had been centuries since any of them had interacted with another species. Thra’ma, determined to see Yr’si smile again, and to see his people thrive, took command, vowing not only to Yr’si but, to the Circle, and all of the Gezoan people that he would find them a new home, and it would be something far more beautiful than they could ever imagine.