Deep within the Shroud, in an era before most would think about lived a lone Elezen woman of the Wildwood variety. Her hair as black as the night sky and eyes of bright sea blue was both a sight to behold, and a monster to deter from. For in this era she is what many would consider...

A Witch.

Xyla was her name. And she had nothing to do with the civilians. In fact, her offer was to help those who needed it when and if they were brave enough to ask. She had magical powers of a variety of elements and could see into the future faintly. Yet it is for these reasons that people do not approach her as commonly as most would say.

Some say she would take your firstborn for her work.

Others mention of a man who pissed her off and had his face melted off.

Yet one truthful and unheard voice mentioned...

"She just wants to be left alone..."

Xyla was abandoned by her family from all ties after she predicted her mother's death so accurately. They accused her for her mother's timely demise. Yet all she said was "I told her about the rock...I warned her..." And it went unheard. So she fled to the forest where she would find her place among solitude.....

----

One day, a young Elezen man with fair skin, amber eyes and white hair stumbled upon the home of Xyla on his trip. He called out as he noticed the hole in the rock formation. "Hello? Anyone in there?" hoping to not be rude. This young man was the young Varthamith Von Netowa. A man who sought to get away from the Shroud due to his research being ignored and not funded. Research on how to extend life beyond normal means. 

He didn't hear a reply so he tried asking again.

"Hello? Does anyone live here?"

...And a reply came through in a soft, gentle yet seductive manner. "Xyla lives here...and you are?" she didn't show herself yet. Instead she opted to hide in the shadows. The Elezen male replied back with a smile "I am called Varthamith. You can call me Varth for short. Tell me...why do you live here?" hoping to see the woman that tied to this voice. 

"I live here because of those who don't understand my brilliance..." to which Varthamith replied "...I'm looking for a place like that myself. Mind if I take a break here?"

Has he had no idea who Xyla was? Maybe he cared not for history as he walked through the hole and found himself in a dark tunnel. At the end, a single door blocked off the rest of the cave and on the other side, he would widen his eyes in awe and surprise. 

The interior of Xyla's home had a variety of magical items, reagents and even a small table in the center with a single glass ball for her scrying. The back room covered in a light purple drape as the candles around emanated in a purple glow. Xyla slowly emerged from the back as she stood there just about Varth's height. To see the woman before him brought his rose to a rosy red fire. Never had he seen an Elezen woman this pretty before, and one who was living in a cave no less. He wanted to speak but Xyla had the first word as she giggled.

"Are you love struck with the face of a witch?"

Varthamith shook his head. "N-no! A witch? Blasphemy! Witches are old and have warts on their noses. You are...just beautiful." admitting to her what he saw there. Xyla smiled as she sat down in her chair. "Well isn't that a nice compliment. So you wish to stay here then? I could use someone who can help me gather and buy reagents. I'm running low on Mythrite Sand for one of my dolls." offering a simple delivery service to stay in her place.

Varthamith asked "Dolls? You...make them?"

Xyla then reached in from the back to pull out a life size mannequin doll without hair or any other features. It looked so real otherwise. "Yes. My little dream is to one day make an artificial being act real enough to socialize with the populace."

It's when Varth had a moment of relief as he thought his ideas were insane. "For a moment, i thought I was the only one with insane ideas. I'm currently researching on ways to create immortality in mortals. So far...no one has funded my research." admitting it to her face, Xyla humbly motioned him to sit. She sat on the opposite side, peering into his eyes with a light smile. Varth had a hard time trying to focus. He was captivated and drowning in her eyes. Her hair was vast like the night sky. Then, she laughed.

"You ARE in love with me already! Oh you are such a foolish one!"

Varth didn't know if it was an insult or not, but he countered it with "And what if I am? You don't seem too irked by my plans..."

Xyla smiled and replied...

"Neither did you."

Xyla was a Witch of the Shroud.

Varthamith was a man of high magical intelligence

It was natural that the two would find some comfort in each other

Yet even fate is cruel to the kindest of souls

---

Varthamith had been taken away by the citizens of Amdapor after tracking him down. Performing illegal arts he no longer practiced. Xyla tried convincing them but her words fell on deaf ears. No one ever listened to the witch. It was hard to imagine that she of all people offered to take his place, yet they cared not.

His crimes weighed heavy, and they decided to perform a public execution then and there. Xyla at this point was preparing to start a war. She was done with how others treated her, when Varth had been kind to her. It made her sick.

The day of his execution brought storm clouds. Waiting to rain on it all. The gallows were set and Varthamith was placed there with a bag over his head. Xyla managed to sneak into the crowd. Her time for revenge would come for the people...and yet she didn't cast magic. She didn't cast spells. Instead she tried one more time to convince the judge from ordering the execution to commence.

"Judge. Please, don't take the only thing I have left away from me. My...only happiness. If you take Varthamith from me, I will not hold back in my efforts to kill any and all of those who are here today." A threat. She was met with lances aimed at her throat. The judge stood there on the raised platform with a smug look. "Go ahead and try. You will only be met with the end of a spear. The law forbids any practice or ownership of taboo magic. Including any thaumaturgey. You would be at the gallows as well, but you are harmless."

Xyla lowered her head. "...You are right..But you are also wrong." her eyes slowly changed from their beautiful water blue to a pitch void black as she burst the area in flames, sending the guards back. Her eyes set on the judge as she fired a ball of flame towards him. It missed on purpose to hit the foundation, breaking the gallow and sparing Varthamith for the time. The Shroud did not welcome them anymore, and they had to make a getaway.

She took the bag off of Varthamith's head as they ran, making sure the rope went with it. "X-xyla...What are you doing?" he was confused. "I'm saving you, idiot! I'm not letting them take away what little joy i have left in this world!" a jump off a small cliff and a dash under hallowed trees and they seemed safe for now to catch their breath.

"I...didn't know you cared that much." Varth mentioned as she smacked his face. "Shut up! We need to leave the shroud. I heard of the northern lands. It will be hard, but i know we can make it there." but she was too tired as is.

"There they are!" a guard announced. The two dashed off as quick as they could. An arrow whizzed by them, then a few more. Xyla planned to hop off the waterfall and with her magic, she could make it like they hit the water too hard. "Jump with me!" she yelled. Varth was frightened, not wanting to but having no other option. So they jumped....

They fell...

And in the water they landed without major issues.

The guards wanted to make sure they were dead, so they ordered their men to search the area.

---

After a few more minutes, the two emerged from the water and climbed to an embankment. They caught their breaths and with time, they could finally be free. Xyla looked to Varthamith. Her voice gasping at each word. "W-we...Did it..." she chuckled."

Varthamith did not respond.

"Hey...Varthamith?" she tried to jostle him. No response.

"W-wake up. This isn't funny..." she tried once more, feeling his pulse.

Cold.

In that moment, as if the whole realm came to a sudden stop, Xyla was alone. Varthamith was dead. She turned him over, noticing the arrows in his back that she hadn't seen yet. He shielded her from each one that was aimed at her and yet he still managed to run until the end.

"No...please no..Varthamith you can't leave me...I...I don't want to be alone again...Wake up." she sobbed. Tears hitting his lifeless expression. Her cries of anguish alerted the guards who descended upon Xyla. Ready to kill her for releasing a prisoner.

They said on that day in the forest...the body of ten guards were reduced to ash. Armor broken and shattered from the ice...and flowers bloomed from where they stepped.

---

Xyla didn't dare return to her home. She simply went back to grab a few reagents and a small sphere she got as a present from Varthamith. The orb was cream and yellow colored that swirled within it like magic. The book about Voidsent was there as well. She took advantage of it, and decided against her own judgement to use these arts.

She followed all the steps in the book, used as much aether as her items possessed to reinforce it...and with a transfer of Varthamith's soul, she would bind his being into this realm through the sphere. His phylactery. 

It felt warm...The same warmth that she felt with his hand.

"Oh Varthamith...We can be together forever. Please. Rise up once more and let me hear your wonderful voice again...please."

Varthamith would rise again. Yet now he had half his skeleton. His body radiated with a cold blue aura. His eyes now husks with magical energy for pupils. He floated there, dressed in a regal robe. His voice was deeper but it was him. "I-i'm...a lich?" he wondered how before noticing Xyla. "See Varthamith? You have your immortality. We can still be together!"

---

It is here that all records of the two vanished from archives in Gridania. It is here that the tale ended and began this Era...and it is at this point that a man in dark black robes approached them and asked if they would join in their cause...