Grima stared into the Eternal Well. It was a melting pot of all souls, lives lost through the sword, famine, sickness, misfortune, or time itself. One strand merged with another, others split into an infinite thread, like a spider's web. Her ethereal hand dipped in, gently pulling one out of the swirling cacophony of lights and watched as it split and trickled back in. Making a fist, all the rest of it escaped her grasp like dust before dripping down again.

So frail. And to imagine that from these wisps rose the heroes that disposed of her not once but twice, it was baffling. Where did these souls store the strength and bravery that wielded the Falchion? There was no mass, no constitution, no form. Countless had died to her claws and fangs. How could such formless things lead to the great power behind them? They were not the firstborn, they were not the ones who lived and spoke with the gods. Their petty ideals and individualistic goals stood before them, drawing lines of strife.

And yet they persisted, taming the wilds to their demands. Conquering foes greater than themselves. Somewhere within them was a power, a strength unexplainable.

She sought to understand it, to perhaps claim it for herself even. But there was a disturbance in her mind, breaking her away from the tranquility the Eternal Well had provided.

"Naga."

To her side, the shape of a woman appeared. "You have been staring into it for some time." Clothed in soft green light, her shimming white dress stood in contrast against her own dark and ghostly form. "I am… concerned for what your presence here entails."

"I am powerless in this state," she spat, or tried to. "My strength may have begun to return to me, but I have enough only to give myself physical form. There is nothing of me to fear."

"But your thoughts are of your own volition, are they not?"

"I do not have to share them with you." She breathed and turned her head away. "You could take them by force if you wanted. I am in your realm, after all. In fact, you already know, don't you?"

"I would prefer that you share it, for to hear and understand it from your own lips is more powerful."

Grima stared her in the face, "Are you here to belittle me? That your champion once again triumphed and toppled the power I held?"

Naga blinked, her face remaining serene. "That was many years ago, Grima. And given time, all things are capable of change, much like how you have thought of humans as of recent, is it not? You wish to learn from them"

"Hmph." Her gaze returned to the Eternal Well, the souls swirling and spinning, meeting in the center and disappearing into the soft green light. "I find myself jealous. Such small frames, capable of so much. And of myself? What have I achieved besides failure?"

"Your goals have been to tame humanity, that they obey you or die," her voice spoke again, calm and frustratingly unreadable. "It is only natural that the inhabitants of the world would defy you."

"But it confuses me to no end. Our powers are not enough to snuff out the other's flame. Even now, your full strength can never fully extinguish me. And yet when wielded by a human your strength is magnified." She tried not to shake with rage. "But even when I took a champion for myself, I was unsuccessful. I want to know why. What strength lies in humanity? There is something I do not understand, and I must know."

Silence rippled across the glowing waters. But slowly, Naga drew close and Grima slowly drifted herself away in response. Seeing the movement from her, she stopped and spoke. "You wish to walk among them, do you not?"

"... It would at least let me seek an answer. But this is a land that despises my existence, as you know," Grima growled deep in frustration. "Even if I were to venture into this land, I would be cut down and returned here without question. I must wait to grow stronger, but my patience wears thin in this madness."

"... What if I were to grant you a portion of my strength? What would you desire to do with it?"

Grima's form twirled, narrowed eyes boring deep into her. "Do you so brazenly believe me to be a fool? To fall for such a lowly trap?"

"I am offering a trade, Grima. I can grant you strength to bolster your human form, to protect you from mortal danger as you tread the earth, but I cannot give it to you freely. In exchange, you will not interfere with the affairs of man beyond that which we are called to."

Of course it was too good to be true. She did not expect her full strength to be provided to her, but she did not need it. Just enough for her form to be protected, and perhaps to dispose of those who would seek to cross her. And it was not as though her own powers would not return to her over time, letting her remain young in the eyes of man.

"I cannot simply refrain from tampering with the course of history. I am walking among man to learn - communicating is thus tantamount and implied."

"That is also true." Naga's eyes fell closed for a moment before opening again. "Then I instead pose you this. You may not strike someone down until they have sincerely proven themselves a threat to your physical self and moved to draw your blood. You must learn to negotiate and cooperate with humans."

Grima's head tilted forward, eyes still locked on hers. "And if I were to overstep myself?"

Naga's lips were thin. "You will not be able to."

"So I will be forced to passively watch as the landscape around me is warped by man." It would give her the ability to see man during times of peace and trial. Perhaps that is the best method to learn.

But that was not enough. What if her ruse failed? What if she had to defend herself? But with her power taken away from her, she was unsure of what options remained. "So my power is sealed away, but what of my form?"

Naga's gaze blinked, but betrayed nothing else. "You want your eyes, don't you?"

She took a breath. "That would be desirable, yes. To be used with discretion, of course. I doubt I will learn much if all know of my true self as I would not be seen as a human."

At this Naga made no reply. Instead her hand reached out, and a soft glow emanated from her and began to flow over in trails of green. "I shall give you that concession, then. Become human, and walk among them."

Green mixed with purple, and Grima let her own magic wash over her together with Naga's. A soft glow enveloped the mist and haze around her, and flesh took its place. On the back of her right hand was her own sigil, a face of six eyes sprouting from a coiled string shaped that was shaped like a wishbone. With a soft breath, her red eyes - all six - opened upon her face, the extra pairs running down her cheeks.

With one last look at Naga, the extra eyes closed up, skin hiding them as if they were never there. Turning away, she stepped into the waters of the Eternal Well. The souls of humanity within swirled around her body, and she let the old magics of a long forgotten god take her.

A/N: Just testing the waters :) Leave a comment if you like the concept so far!