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Quoted

Beauty has always been the most important concept in the outlook of the elves. It became the yardstick for everything - actions, clothing, philosophy. According to Niall, a single point of view on where there were elves, and why beauty has become such an important race for him, was not in those days. Elves just lived in a beautiful, wonderful world, the beauty surrounding them, they themselves were fine and there was no one and nothing, who would disrupt this harmony.
The world was perfect. Somehow (here Niall especially scathing towards their ancestors) elves knew that the world was only 350 years in age, and this knowledge they had was enough for them.
Elves mastered the world around them, and increasingly they began dating phenomenon, disfiguring his (Niall with his characteristic irony vividly describes the shock of elves from the first meeting with a wild troll). The more elves learned of Sarnaut, the more monstrosities they found.
Not all of them being encountered were terrible - we know that the elves treated the Aviak with great compassion, and some have found a special charm in the cold beauty of lamia. And even then the elves began to attempt to change the nature, to regain a sense of naive and fascinating ideal world. Thus began the Battle of Beauty.
Niall believes that his ancestors were doomed to lose in this fight. The farther they advanced in the study of the world, the more enemies they made. And so many inevitable compromises. And the main compromise became an alliance with Junes.
June - The first human tribe encountered elves. Elves looked at Junes in a distorting mirror: people were apparently very similar to them, but were not, according to the elves, just as lovely. But it was a potential ally in the fight against the ugliness. Elves were able to instill their ideals to the June, become their mentors and taught magic, which they were very skilled in.
Everything changed when the elves and June first encountered with the Dragons.

Dragons were fine. Amazing fusion of grace, beautiful birds of prey, ice-cold confidence and unprecedented power. Ideal. Masters of the world. There was only one problem: these owners killed the elves, Junes, Aviaks, trolls - all. And elves saw only one explanation to this: Dragons profess the same principles that they did themselves, destroying everything that does not quite live up to their ideal of beauty. From the standpoint of the Dragons, elves - Ugliness.
The Union of elves and Junes cracked. Junes did not want to become victims of Beauty, they wanted to live and rule. Junes declared war on the dragons. Elves could not be their allies along the way - all their philosophy, all their life principles demanded from them death in the name of Beauty. But the whole race can not so easily commit suicide. And elves found another compromise (the last compromise in their history, according to Niall).
Elves - one of the most magically gifted races in the world. Even in those days there were many known magical secrets that to this day are the secret knowledge of the Great Mages. A way out of this situation was found - the elves decided to change and become like dragons, to become just as beautiful.
By 1900, everything was ready for the change. Houses of elves became magical incubators, where the elves had to undergo a series of changes that would make them equal to the Dragons. Not the same but equal: living even longer (average lifespan of an elf changes to equal 150 years), do not fade with time (aging off - it spoils!), More nimble and strong (main weapon was magic for elves and not physical strength ) and most importantly - the cruise. Flying Dragons truly fascinated ancient elves, and their main dream was an opportunity to gain wings. The changing magical process was supposed to take about 200 years.

Thus, appeared the new elves. Not everything went as planned: lifespan doubled, aging occurred a few months before death, and the wanted wings only allowed a low hover above the ground. There is no doubt that a process of correcting the changes by running it again, sooner or later, the elves would have reached all the goals. But the need for that has disappeared: the world has changed. Junes destroyed almost all Dragons, but their civilization died from a mysterious curse. New human races began to explore the world. And elves once again were the most beautiful creatures on Sarnaut.
But most importantly, changes affected not only their physiology, but psychology changed the elves as well. The death of the Dragons, the most beautiful beings in the world, proved that beauty is not the purpose of life and the reason for the survival of one and the death of others. Its not it, and Power: Junes, the winners of the Dragons, also died.
What is left? Yes, nothing. No, nothing in this world that would give the right to life. Anything can happen, everything can be lost. So the only purpose - just live and take from life all that it can give. So, the concept of life for elves had become Pleasure - as the only worthy goal for a mortal.
Elves began life anew. They tried to forget the past and succeeded. In his "Chronicles" Niall said that the history of their race began in 2100 again. The past was a half-forgotten dream of a happy child. Elves awoke and began life almost from scratch. "That is why in the history of the world and stories of elves there are so many blank spots - complains Niall. But that's all we have, and no one could tell you about the past more than the ancient elven manuscript in my library, of which so few. "