The Labyrinth of Negrastir

New Beginnings - Part I

I shut my eyes as soon as I opened them.

A blinding light surrounded me from all directions as I kept falling into the unknown. But it was over in the blink of an eye.

I was floating through the fast-moving clouds one second, only to make contact with the ground the next.

The earth beneath me was a stark contrast to the ethereal realm I had just left.

The wet soil, still saturated from the recent heavy rain, felt soft against my exposed feet.

Standing up, I scanned the area, taking in the sights and sounds around me.

A ring of towering trees surrounded me in the heart of an impenetrable forest.

The dense canopy of mighty, gnarled trees and wilted thickets cast a shadow over me, intensifying the enigmatic atmosphere.

Where in the world was I? In the past?

Or stuck in a cursed glade – a forsaken land known only by the Heavens?

I could almost hear the whispers of forgotten tales carried on the gentle breeze. That was how hushed it was.

Just as my father said it would, the portal teleported me to the bygones.

But why was I the chosen one? What set me apart from the rest of our people?

I was nobody. I was just Hera.

Among my father's troops, there were gallant men of various ranks. Each of them displayed their unique mastery in their own way; some had mystical powers, and others were blessed with exceptional swordsmanship.

With such impressive individuals around, I couldn't help but question why someone as ordinary as myself was chosen.

In my state of confusion and mental absorption, a sudden, intense pain shot through my chest as I moved forwards.

With a grimace, I glanced down at my blood-soaked clothes and realised that a deep slash on my chest was the source of my bleeding.

Although not life-threatening, the wound sent waves of stinging pain and pulsating throb through my body with each heartbeat.

I clenched my jaw, determined to keep myself from groaning as I swore through gritted teeth.

The slash was the least of my concerns. My mind was preoccupied with something else entirely.

While trapped in the portal, a strange voice broke the silence and addressed me. It warned me that with each passing day in the past, my soul would fracture and ultimately cease to exist.

Unless, of course, I fulfilled my purpose.

However, I had no idea what awaited me in this strange place or the reason I was here at all – singled out among a sea of brave troopers.

I was... I was just Hera.

My deceased mother gave me that name, our servants said. It means a lot to me, my name.

Seeking solace in her fading heartbeat as a newborn, I had nestled against her bare chest and found comfort in its rhythmic cadence slowly fading.

That's when she gave me the name Hera. Not long after she did that, she departed from this world.

It was a rare occurrence to witness an immortal dying. It had never happened before and, as far as I knew, would never happen again.

The Heavenly Fathers avowed that this was her fate. They urged my father to accept his loss and find solace in me instead.