Reaching For The Stars

Prologue

1880
Orvieto - Italy

The stars. Ever shining, sparkling, and glowing down on the earth. Shining beacons of wishes and dreams. The guides of sailors. The wonder of men. The trusted companions of all that bask underneath their gentle light. It would show the way to those that are lost in the dark. There is magic in the stars that touch the hearts of those that look up. To those that wish to see beyond their imagination.

But even the stars could not help.

There was nothing left. All vanished from the minds of humans. Their minds went to other Gods and Goddesses. It left her and her family with nothing more than traces of what once was; their own memories. Everyone had faded except for two and soon to be one. No one remembers. Every human forgot them and if they did remember, they were fleeting thoughts to most.

Artume looked to her father. Once mighty ruler of the sky. His body was fading away, sparkles of brilliant blue left his body. His final moment in the world before he went to have his rest. She would remain as the last window into the past. A past she could hardly even remember so far have they fallen since the rise of the Romans.

"To walk alone... nothing crueler."

"Be at ease, father. Do not worry about me. I will find my way."

"Had I known the stars would curse you to walk forever alone, I would have not granted it to you, sweet child."

"It's fine," Artume whispered, giving her father a smile as she held the corporeal hand, feeling it slowly fading away. It wouldn't be long before she could not feel his touch anymore.

"No, it's not. Do not make light of this. The sole Goddess left of our ancient people. To have none of your kin to accompany you. I cannot forgive myself. May you find a place, Artume."

The once mighty God Aplu looked at her with a wishful expression. The parental shine in the dull and failing eyes gave way to regret and fear. It was the last thing Artume saw. The final pieces of his body dissolved into blue sparkles, floating away toward the dark night sky. Her eyes, pricked with tears, follow them as they dissolve into nothingness.

It was for the first time after thousands of years she was alone. There was nothing more of her ancient people aside from passages in history books, the few buildings scattered in Italy that serve as tiny reminders. Everything has passed into obscurity. The mist of time shrouding the once great realm of the Rasenna Gods.

Artume let her gaze travel around the holiest place of her people. It held nothing aside from a cliff that withstood the test of time. A small cluster of old trees that are descended from those that held the shrine of Selvans, the one that faded first. The amphitheater where their capital resided, gone.

As she rose to her feet again, she went to the far side of an open plain. The sounds of the city of Orvieto filling her ears. She wished they remembered their ancestor's believes. That the humans remembered her sisters, brothers, parents. To make them not fade. Yet they forgot them thousands of years ago. Only their will made them carry on but that will eroded over time.

She stopped at the top of a small hill, crouching down to touch the grass. The memories of her temple that stood here flooding her mind. Humans coming to her, praying, making offers and sacrifices. All of it gone and buried deep within the ground. Nothing remained of her own temples, all gone and taken by the winds of time. By Roman influence or through the forgetfulness of humans.

A breath left her, rising to her feet once again. It didn't matter anymore. Their time has passed long ago. Despite her once powerful visage and power, she is now relegated to be an obscured deity. Her powers would make the other Gods laugh. All she has left is the stars. Their guidance and magic. With little choice, she started her journey. Taking the steps forward to a new future, leaving her homeland and past behind. There was nothing left but broken, hurtful memories.

With her hand, she took her silver sparkling hair and tied it in a long ponytail while it turned black. She changed her traditional garbs to those of human clothing with the style of this day and age. Artume didn't know what she will find. What things she has to do to find her future. But she will see to it that her father's last wish will come true.

She will seek a new home.