After earth had flowered and life crawled from the sea, humankind was born. Not all of the elementals were pleased with this new creation. The children of fire rebelled, declaring war on Heaven and humankind. Forced to cohabit with the mortals, the other elementals withdrew—the fair folk to the hills and wild places of earth and the merfolk to the depths of the sea. Over the centuries, the children of fire have grown strong, while the children of the sea have declined in numbers and in magic. In recent years, a tentative alliance between merfolk and humans has subtly altered the balance of power. Yet the children of air, forbidden to interfere directly in mortal affairs, have continued to exist apart from both their fellow elementals and humankind. Or mostly apart. There are those among the angels who, in their zeal or frustration, cannot resist becoming involved in the lives and affairs of humankind.
