Flames of the Spirit

Many years ago, human were still apelike and were adapting to their new world. Some females were foolish and took the fruit of a harsh tree that in order to lessen the symptoms of pregnancy. But the fruit made them lose their voice and eventually killed them. But those who took the fruit in small amounts, became immune and it changed them. They begun to have an alteration in their voices. As did the females after them. They could manipulate their voices to attract mates. The songs they sang would put the males into a trance. This new breed became Sirens.
Another breed, started around the same time as the Sirens. Foolish youth would partake in a ritual that they believed could enhance maturity. They would go on a quest to find the fire lizard. A venomous creature that lived along the volcanoes at the time. The creature's blood was toxic and burned the hands of any who touched it. It could spray out a venom that could melt the skin. These foolish youth would attempt to eat the animal, thinking it could give them the creatures power. Little did they know, their descendants would soon have this power. They would become the benders. Those who controlled fire at their will. They could take fire from any burning item and use it to defend their tribe. Both men and women gained this power and it soon became embedded into their genes, to where they could create fire out of thin air. The human race was extinguished beneath the 2 new breeds. Other races of the 2 breeds developed. Similar to our own races. But there were still no normal, powerless humans.
These benders and Sirens lived together. Peacefully at first but as history goes, one bender wanted power and the Siren/Bender war begun. It lasted 30 years until both sides made an uneasy deal to keep out each other's way. The Siren's claimed islands and the Benders claimed the main lands. This pact lasted thousands of years, every now and them, small scuffles would break out due to Sirens calling benders out to them to breed. A Siren and Bender, if mated, would bring forth a blue. A rare bender that could bend blue fire. However the down fall of these mutations was that when wet, they could not bend. A normal bender could still bend as long as his hands were not wet but when a blue entered oven the shallowest of water, their fire would not work. So these Blues were treasured and frequently kept as trophies by their fathers or if stolen, by their spouses.
Only 1000 years ago, a bender woman had a child and as the child grew he did not develop the ability to bend. He was considered an outcast and was unfortunately killed along with the mother who was thought to be diseased. But when more of these non-benders were born, people started to wonder if it was just a missing gene. For years, these non-benders were outcasts. But when a non-bender was captured by a Siren, they produced a Blue. The non-benders were then accepted and deemed Humans. They populated the world and soon out numbered the Benders. The benders and Sirens were now the minority and were outcasts. Some Benders were kept as slaves and were treated poorly. Sirens were called evil and hunted. When they rebelled a horrible span of wars broke out called the Bender Wars. This 200 year span of fighting devastated the planted and nearly wiped all Sirens and made the Benders extremely rare. there came a time when Blues were extinct and became a myth.
Now, in the current year, Benders are still a rare sight. Humans have rebuilt and similarly resemble our time of the 1700s. However the people speak more like they do in our 2000s and have clothing that looks like jeans. Blues are still considered a myth and humans still hate Sirens and kill any at the first sight. With Benders however, they are just hated. But people predict that they will soon become extinct as well. A vicious change has occurred in Benders. They become like a rabid dog, burning anything in sight and going on a killing spree. This can happen at any point in a Benders life time. People call this faze, NOVA. Since the Bender usually burns out and implodes. there is only one record of a Bender becoming a Nova and being able to control it. He was able to heal with his fire and could control it to where it would not burn. Some say it's a myth, just like the Blues but some think it could be possible.