Err of Aquarius

Prologue

An angel as tall as trees and as bright as a thousand suns escorted three children to a library.

It was as beautiful as it was handsome. Their face was neither feminine nor masculine, but instead was a heavenly blend of both. Two of the four wings of the angel were as black as night, the others as bright as day. A ring of light sat above their head, hovering there and suspended by some magical power the angel had mastered.

Its feet never met the ground, the four large wings in its back never flapped. The divine being just hovered there, guiding the three children on their route.

Two of the children shared her features, having only a sliver of the radiance their mother had. They lacked wings and a halo and the powers it had, but their eyes were like twin stars.

One of the girls had eyes of sapphire that were as cool as undisturbed ocean water. She dressed in similar gold robes to her mother, though she kept tripping over the long dress. Eventually she got tired of them and ripped the dress shorter to match her sister's dress. Her hair was braided into a long tail of gold that spilled over her shoulder.

The girl who stood beside the first child had eyes as violet and hot as lightning. Her eyes flickered from face to face of the crowded streets that parted for them like a river of gaping fish. Her dress was made to be shorter, and it had been pleated in a fashion she would soon be known for. Her blonde hair was cut in a way that swayed over her shoulders in a neat bob. She hung close to the third child, a boy of dark skin.

Unlike the others, he sported a horn from his skull. A single stub that sprouted from his left dome. His hair was freshly cut short, and he wore shimmering green monk robes with a gold belt around his hips. His left arm was mechanical, a peculiar sight for a child of seven. His eyes were two emerald gems that had a hue of gold to them. His eyes hung to the ground, sweeping the tiled stone in front of him; a small pebble leapt across the ground in front of him, being tossed by some invisible hand that tossed it over and over.

When they reached the library, an old woman with hair as white as her robes bowed to the four of them. Her face was home to the many valleys of old age, her eyes as kind as her smile.

Her knees painfully touched the ground as she stooped. "Blessed morning your Radiance, Emperor Haethora," she said to the Angel. "And what a lovely day to see you, crown princess, Aquarius," she said to the lie eyed girl, "princess Gemini," she greeted the violet eyed girl then the sad faced boy. "And my! Lord Heir Janus. It's a pleasure to see the four of you."

"The pleasure is ours, Librarian Esposa." The Emperor's voice was a symphony of heavenly tunes that made you forget she was speaking to you and not the heavens playing their tune for any mortal's ears.

"Of course, your Radiance." The librarian stood up slowly. She took the hands of the young princesses, being gentle with their adolescent hands. The violet eyed princess, Gemini, took the hand of Janus. Her eyes called his and he smiled for a minute. A hum of static was shared between them.

"I see you are aware of how aura works," the librarian said to the children as she led them inside. The emperor had to wait outside, being too tall for the double-door entrance to the Library. Instead a platoon of sharply armored knights marched behind the children.

The library was a fresh gold everywhere it could be. The floor, the walls, the railings for the upper floors. All of it was the gold of Haethora's empire. Thousands of scrolls lined the shelved walls, filling all but the top floor of the library. There were a total of three floors, each hoarding the knowledge on magic spells and advanced sciences. Several artifacts, or magical items, were on display in cases of glass. Only a few lay around outside of their display, awaiting an owner to claim them.