Aqua is a Kirin tribe leader, known for using water magic to observe the other nations from a great distance. Revered as a wise-woman and oracle, her insights and advice primarily originate from observation and information rather than some mystical ability. Easily upset by surprises, even more upset by the apathy of others. She is determined to find and root out those responsible for the war.
“What are they doing? Resting on their haunches when there’s work to be done, useless fools. Fine, I’ll do it myself!”
Among the Mirakami Kirin, sometimes one develops the ability to manipulate water magic. Such was the case with Aqua, who was able to look into one pool of water and see something happening around another pool of water some distance away. With practice, she learned how to direct this water-vision to see through specific water sources and at greater distances. At first through lakes or rivers, but eventually to small ponds and even sources as little as a bowl on a table half a continent away. She used this ability to watch for threats before they could reach her tribe.
She had never used her ability to spy on anyone’s private life. Then a friend, worried her mate was unfaithful, asked her to spy on him. It was the first time she had considered using her powers in that way. It would not be the last. When others heard about how she was using her power, more came for help for similar issues. These requests slowly changed into ordinary advice requests until Aqua was known far and wide for her wisdom.
One day, while scouring the waterways for a lost child, Aqua saw something odd. Resting on the edge of a river was an Alicorn. For a while, she simply watched him, having never seen his like before. Then he turned towards the water, facing her directly as if he could see her through the water. After initially panicking and severing the connection, she grew interested and began searching for him.
It took time to track him down; he was apparently avoiding her. Once she knew where to find him, she would spend time observing him. He lived alone, wandering wide and staying far from others. Once she worked up the nerve to see him in person, he tried to dismiss her, but she was persistent.
He revealed his name, Ormyryx. It was a name she only knew from myth. The eldest Alicorn, sometimes known as the Pricetaker. A figure who could grant any wish, for a price. Intrigued, she asked to know the secret history only he knew; he told her the price was more than she wished to pay. She insisted, and he relented. Over the years, he would tell her of the civilization that thrived during the first Alicorn age and how it ended. The two grew very close, and although Ormyryx would leave for years at a time, he would always return to her when he felt the need for companionship.
One day, while they watched the Unicorn Solarflare exploring an ancient ruin, Ormyryx became agitated. His discomfort grew as the Unicorn entered into a secret chamber. When she touched the spear embedded into the stone within, he leaped up and ran. Aqua chased him down, but he was terrified of something. He said only that the Unicorn had opened a door, and Calamity was on the other side. Then he flew away and did not return.
Aqua watched the now Alicorn Solarflare for several months, but she seemed not to know what she had done. Although she kept an eye out for Ormyryx, she saw him only rarely. She did what she could to find this door he had spoken of or the Calamity behind it, but found nothing.
Then the King of the Sunbound was assassinated. The attack on the Conclave had no logic behind it, no sense she could see. So she followed the surviving assassins and discovered they were changelings. Aqua didn’t think the guilds would have the nerve to take such a risky mission, but perhaps she knew less than she thought she did. She turned her attention to them, trying to find the one who sent the assassins in the first place. Although the Isles of Hives was itself easy to locate, the Quorum continued to elude her.
The building war did not concern her at first, thinking it was distant politics. But then something strange happened. The Twilight Lands grew wild; several Kirin tribes were cut off or vanished into the mists. The few who managed to get out of the inhospitable valleys spoke of deadly monsters and paths that no longer went where they should. Aqua turned her powers towards finding the Kirin still lost within the Twilight Lands, but located few of them.
The other Kirin tribe leaders wanted to remain out of the fighting; the war did not concern the Kirin. But Aqua knew better; the Kirin’s peace was not to last if the tribes did nothing. Ormyryx’s Calamity was out there somewhere, and the world was turning towards chaos. Aqua set out in person, leaving her home for the first time in many years to take a more proactive role in the conflict ahead.