The Tales of Celestia

Chapter 9: The Door

The night before the comet appeared in the sky of Celestia, Kaelthaz and Zarisa woke from their simultaneous dream again—this time seeing a large door beneath the earth of Tataros.

"A door," Zarisa and Kaelthaz whispered simultaneously, their eyes wide open, awakened from their sleep in their separate chambers.

That night, Kaelthaz and Zarisa rose from their beds in an instant and met at the base of the volcano, driven by hope and a renewed sense of purpose.

"For the first time in forever, I feel a call of destiny," Kaelthaz said, his voice breaking, tears threatening to fall.

"Maybe this is our destiny," Zarisa replied, her voice steady with determination. "We were prepared for this day—I can feel it. We will leave this place. That door... it's our escape from this godforsaken land. Let us find it at once."

"If we are leaving, we can't abandon our creations. We should bring them with us," Kaelthaz said firmly.

"I agree," Zarisa nodded. "We can't leave them purposeless in this land as we have been."

With that, Kaelthaz and Zarisa raised their hands. Kaelthaz absorbed all his darklings, wolves, ravens, and bats into himself, while Zarisa absorbed her emberfolk. Their powers surged within them, stronger than ever before.

"Now, how do we even find the door?" Zarisa asked, a hint of doubt in her voice.

"Close your eyes. Look back at our dreams," Kaelthaz said. "What do you see?"

Zarisa closed her eyes, focusing on the visions that had haunted her dreams. "I know it's in Tataros. The land is the same—the silence and bareness of the atmosphere are unmistakable. But where in Tataros? I have never seen this place before."

Kaelthaz joined her, channeling his dark magic to share her vision. "Look closely. What do you see?"

"Lava!" Zarisa exclaimed. "A pool of lava surrounds the door... but how? There's no place like that in my volcano. And the roof—it's made of shadow crystals like those in your palace," she added, her voice filled with wonder.

"Look at the intricacies of the door," Kaelthaz said. "It's forged from both shadow and hardened lava. Do you see it?"

"Yes, I see it," Zarisa replied, her voice trembling with realization. "Would that mean..."

Before she could finish her thought, her eyes widened. Zarisa and Kaelthaz broke free from their shared vision and looked at each other.

"Does this mean..." Zarisa began.

"Yes," Kaelthaz confirmed. "The door doesn't exist yet—but it will. We are going to forge it with our powers."

Suddenly, a fiery light emerged from within Zarisa, while a shadowy glow began to radiate from Kaelthaz's chest. The light took shape, forming a man of fire and a woman of shadow floating before them.

"Who are you?" Kaelthaz asked, his voice filled with awe.

"We are your creators—a fragment of ourselves," the woman said reverently. "I am Azura, the Primordial Goddess of Darkness."

"And I am Taros, the Fire Prince," the man added. "This place, Tataros, is named after me. My mother and I created this land, and both of you, from our essences."

"So, you are the reason we are trapped here? You created us in this desolate place. But why? Why leave us to live and die without purpose?" Zarisa demanded, frustration evident in her voice.

"That was not our intent," Azura replied softly. "Before you were created, my son, my husband, and my daughter lived together in peace. But tragedy struck our family, forcing us into this place. This is an alternate universe. You and I were not meant to exist here."