The Tales of Celestia

Prologue Chapter 8: Celestia

Celestine fell to her knees, overwhelmed by grief. But then, a surge of power coursed through her, bright and unrelenting. She screamed, "Father!" as the spear and harp of Arthaz floated toward her, their light intensifying as they came to rest in her hands.

Suddenly, her mind filled with visions—of the past, the present, and the future. The weight of her father's power overwhelmed her, and she began to disintegrate.

In her final moments, the intangible presences of Verseya and Ga-Eywa surrounded her, their voices reverberating across the void.

"Arthaz has failed," Verseya said solemnly. "He chose you as his successor, but because of his failure, your bloodline is cursed. The balance has been broken due to Azura and Taros' absence. Good and evil will now coexist in every being. Yet from this curse, I grant salvation: every century, a descendant of your bloodline will rise to wield the power of light and creation, protecting the universe. Their cycle of sacrifice will continue until the destined one brings ultimate salvation."

Ga-Eywa's voice followed, calm yet commanding. "Celestine, you are alone now, and this isolation makes your powers unstable. But out of your sacrifice, a new world will be born—a world forged in your likeness. It will carry both your light and Arthaz's curse. Let go, and let creation guide you. Taros and Azura are safe in another dimension, creating their own world. One day, your paths will cross once more."

Celestine's tears fell as she processed their words, paralyzed by the truth. Her grief was eased only by the knowledge that Taros was alive and safe.

With one final breath, she surrendered herself to the power within, allowing her essence to scatter across the cosmos. As her light faded, the seeds of a new world began to bloom. Celestine's essence, brilliant and uncontainable, began to spread across the void of the cosmos. Her light radiated outward, illuminating the vast emptiness, each fragment of her being pulsing with energy. The celestial palace, their once-proud sanctuary, began to tremble as her essence merged with its foundations.

The North Chamber, positioned at the apex of the palace, was the first to react. Its massive door swung open with a deep, resonant groan, as if the chamber itself had been awaiting this moment. From within, a powerful gale erupted, rushing out into the void. Celestine's essence flowed into the winds, her shards glowing with an ethereal emerald light. The air swirled and spun, forming towering mountains that reached beyond the clouds. Whirlwinds filled the skies, carrying Celestine's essence into every peak and valley. Flying creatures of all sizes emerged, their wings glinting like polished jewels as they soared across the skies. Tiny, winged creatures, delicate and intricate, buzzed into existence, while majestic, winged beasts roared from the mountaintops, claiming their domains in this new sky.

The East Chamber, resting on the palace's right side, followed next. Its intricate glass doors opened with a crackling sound, as if the waters themselves were shattering through a barrier. Celestine's essence, tinged with a brilliant tangerine hue, poured through the doorway like a torrent. Streams of water cascaded outward, forming vast oceans that stretched endlessly across the horizon. The waters churned and surged, carving out islands and intricate coastlines. Each drop of Celestine's essence birthed life within the waters—schools of radiant fish swam through the growing depths, while immense krakens moved silently in the deep. Rivers wound through newly formed lands, weaving intricate patterns that would shape the lifeblood of this world.

As the waters settled, the South Chamber, the chamber of crystal and earth, began to awaken. Its ancient doors creaked open, and a heavy, earthy force spilled out into the void. Celestine's essence shifted again, this time glowing with a vibrant crimson light. Large boulders and rock formations rolled through the doorway, drawn by the pull of her energy. They collided, shattered, and merged, forming vast, sprawling valleys rich with fertile soil. Lush forests sprang to life as trees stretched skyward, their branches covered in glimmering leaves. Vegetation of every kind flourished, carpeting the land in green. Creatures followed—the slow crawl of reptiles, the thunderous steps of magical beasts, and the soft patter of four-legged grazers. Birds of the forest sang sweet melodies.

Finally, the West Chamber, destroyed entirely by Taros' attack except for its door, which remained sealed with dark magic, did not open. Instead, it manifested in the western part of this world. Dark clouds gathered around it, pulsating with malevolent energy. The air crackled with storms stretching from the ground to the heavens, forming an impenetrable wall of darkness. This region, cloaked in chaos and mystery, remained untouched by light, its secrets hidden away. Thunder roared, and lightning streaked across the skies as if delineating the boundary between light and shadow. To this day, no one has dared to traverse its ominous landscape.

At the center of this newly formed world, a brilliant pillar of light began to rise. It was unlike anything the cosmos had seen—a tower forged entirely from Celestine's purest essence. Its base shimmered with veins of gold and white, spiraling upward into the heavens. The tower radiated warmth, a beacon of hope and power. From within its glowing heart, a throne took shape, its surface smooth and gleaming like the sun itself. On this throne, a single figure appeared—Celestine's reincarnation, Lucian, the first light-bearer, the symbol of peace and harmony, the guardian archangel of this new creation, the enlightened one.

Lucian, his form both human and divine, held Arthaz's spear in one hand and the harp in the other. His eyes, glowing with the power of Celestine, scanned the world below him. He raised the golden spear high, and his voice echoed across the lands, carrying with it authority and purpose:

"Rise, my friends."

At his command, three radiant shards of light appeared before him, each glowing with a distinct hue. The first was emerald, vibrant and full of life. The second was tangerine, deep and serene. The third was crimson, fierce and untamed. The shards pulsed with energy, spinning rapidly before flying off in different directions, drawn to their destined domains.

The emerald shard shot toward the Northern Sky Haven, merging with the winds and mountains. From the swirling energies emerged a figure of grace and strength—an intellectual and compassionate woman. Her form seemed to merge with the wind itself, her every movement leaving trails of calming breeze. This is Aurelia, the Wind-Weaver, the goddess of the sky and communication.

The tangerine shard traveled to the Eastern Aqua Clan, diving into the oceans and merging with their depths. The waters churned, and from the waves emerged a passionate and empathic man. His robes glimmered like the surface of a tranquil sea, and his eyes held the mysteries of the deep. This is Kaius, the Wave-Weaver, the god of the oceans and intuition.

The crimson shard descended toward the Southern Earth Eden, embedding itself within the fertile valleys. The ground shook, and from it arose a childlike figure, her youthful form belying her immense power. She possessed grounding aura and practicality. This is Sienna, the Terramancer, the goddess of earth and stability.

Together, Lucian and his three friends stood as the first rulers of this world, which would come to be known as Celestia—a world of light and tri-elements. Celestine's sacrifice had given birth to a new creation, one born of light and goodness but also touched by the shadow of her curse.