In stark contrast, her sister Ventris, the so-called "blessed daughter of light," had fallen further into her own delusions of grandeur. Ventris had begun to see herself as the only true deity deserving of worship, believing that her divine heritage made her above the mortals.
She grew resentful of the humans who did not revere her as she felt they should, her arrogance becoming more pronounced with each passing year. In her eyes, they were nothing more than fragile creatures, beneath her and undeserving of anything but her contempt.
She often thought to herself that the pitiful humans should worship her, for she was the one born of light, the one who could wield the power of the heavens. As she continued to fuel her own sense of superiority, she became more isolated, lost in the belief that her power and lineage made her a goddess far above the reach of any mortal.
Solaria had always been meant to be her sister's support, the hand that would guide Ventris when the God King, Asura, would eventually step down and leave the reins of power to one of his daughters.
The plan had always been for the two of them to work together, to balance each other out, Ventris, with her powerful light and strength, and Solaria, with her wisdom and compassion born from the darkness and void. Asura had believed that through their shared rule, they could create a kingdom of balance, where both light and shadow were honored.
However, as the years passed, the God King began to witness the slow, steady corruption of his eldest daughter. Ventris's cruelty and her growing arrogance made it clear that she was no longer the ruler he had hoped she would become.
She had fallen too far into darkness, but a different kind, a darkness of the soul, one that saw mortals as nothing more than pawns to be crushed underfoot. Her sense of superiority had reached dangerous levels, and the God King knew that she could not be trusted with the fate of the humans, the very beings they had once sought to protect and guide.
With a heavy heart, Asura made the painful decision to strip Ventris of her right to rule over the humans. He handed that responsibility to Solaria, believing that her pure heart and her unwavering compassion would bring a sense of justice and peace to the world. The God King hoped that by giving Solaria the power and authority over the humans, Ventris would be forced to learn from her sister, to see what true leadership was, a leadership rooted in love, not dominance.
But for Ventris, the God King's decision was nothing less than a betrayal. She saw it as a public dismissal, an indication that her father no longer believed in her potential. Her anger burned, and she could not comprehend why she had been chosen to be cast aside in favor of Solaria. She had always believed that she was the one most deserving of the throne, the one who was meant to rule. To her, her father's action was not a lesson, but a rejection, and it twisted her heart further toward hatred and resentment.
Instead of learning from her sister, Ventris grew more bitter and vengeful, viewing Solaria's ascension not as a chance for growth, but as a mark of betrayal. The very sister who had once been her closest confidante, her support, was now seen as an obstacle, the reason for her fall from grace. In Ventris's eyes, Solaria had stolen what was rightfully hers, and that wound festered, feeding her cruelty even more.
This was the fracture that began to deepen between the two sisters, a divide that would shape their destinies in ways neither could have foreseen. While Solaria, with her light and compassion, sought to lead with justice, Ventris, consumed by her feelings of betrayal, turned further away from the path of righteousness, making her eventual descent into darkness all the more inevitable.
Enjoy your reign in the shadows, sister. But know this. Every shadow will eventually fade, and when the light rises, you'll have nowhere to hide."
A hundred years had passed since King Asura left, believing the peace of Oreath was secure in her hands. He had left her to watch over the realm, certain that her guidance and compassion would see the world flourish. And it had. The planet had thrived under her care, the people were content, and the lands flourished with prosperity. Solaria had kept the balance between mortals and gods, ensuring peace at all costs.
But now, everything she had worked for was under siege, and the very sister she had once loved had shattered the fragile peace.
Ventris had been planning for over a century, biding her time in the shadows, feeding off her bitterness and resentment. She had waited, watching, and now the time for her retribution had come. The screams of the innocent echoed in Solaria's ears, piercing through the darkened corridors as the sound of battle raged outside.
Her loyal angels, those few who still remained true to her fought valiantly to protect the mortals from the wrath of her sister's army. But it was a losing battle. Ventris had caught them off guard, her sudden attack throwing them all into disarray. Even the angels, with their grace and power, found themselves struggling in the face of the unexpected assault.
Solaria's breath hitched as she pushed forward, her heart heavy with guilt and fear. Her sister's cruelty had been years in the making, and now that cruelty was being unleashed on the very world she had worked to protect. Would the humans survive this wrath? Would she be able to save them, or was it already too late?
But she could not stop now. She had to get to them the humans, the innocent who had looked to her for salvation. She couldn't let her sister's madness destroy everything she had built.
5 hours before....
The moonlight streamed through the grand windows of the master bedroom, casting a soft, silver glow upon the couple as they lay entwined in peaceful slumber. The room, situated at the highest point of the God King's castle, was bathed in the quiet serenity of the night. The intricate tapestries adorning the walls, woven with ancient symbols and rich colors, seemed to shimmer in the ethereal light, as if reflecting the bond between Solaria and Aurelius. Their wedding had been a grand affair, one that resonated throughout the kingdom, echoing in the hearts of every soul on the planet.
Solaria, the goddess of darkness and void, lay beside her beloved, her platinum-white hair cascading over the pillow, a stark contrast to the golden curls of Aurelius. His handsome face, even in sleep, had a certain intensity to it, as if the weight of the world rested gently on his chest.
He, too, had been born with a divine heritage, a crown prince and transcendent, now elevated alongside Solaria to reign over the planet. Together, they had become the King and Queen of Oreath.
The castle, once a bustling home to gods and angels alike, was now quiet, save for the soft breaths of the sleeping couple and the distant whispers of the night. But beneath the calm, there was an undercurrent of sadness that permeated the air, a bittersweet emotion carried by every soul in the kingdom.
In the grand halls below, the angels sang, their voices rising in harmony, filling the castle with both joy and sorrow. Their song was one of celebration, honoring the union of their Queen and King, but there was also an aching undercurrent.
The God King, the one who had watched over this world for eons, had left. His departure had been a monumental occasion, a decision that none could have ever truly anticipated. Yet, in his infinite wisdom, he had entrusted the reign of Oreath to Solaria and Aurelius. He had left for a small vacation, taking a step back from the world he had built, trusting that the couple could continue to guide the kingdom with love and compassion.
But even as the angels sang, tears fell from their celestial eyes. The God King's absence left an unfillable void. He was the cornerstone of their existence, the one who had crafted their world, and without him, the angels could not help but mourn the loss. Some had whispered in the dark corners of the castle, uncertain of what the future would hold. Would the world continue to thrive under Solaria and Aurelius' rule? Would the balance they had worked so hard to maintain remain intact?
In the quiet of the master bedroom, Solaria shifted in her sleep, her face softening as she nestled closer to Aurelius. The weight of the moment, their marriage, their new roles are never far from her mind. She felt the peace of the night wrap around her, the safety of her love and the quiet hum of a world at rest. But deep down, there was a knowing, nagging feeling that things were changing, and she couldn't help but wonder if their reign would be as peaceful as they hoped.
The sound of the angel's voices drifted into the room, their sorrowful melody mixing with the soft rhythm of Aurelius' breathing. For now, they were safe.
As the weeks turned into months and the seasons shifted gently across the land, peace continued to reign over Oreath. The once-chaotic planet, rife with conflicts and suffering, now flourished under the stewardship of Solaria and Aurelius. Life had woven itself into a seamless tapestry of love, growth, and harmony. Aurelius, as the King, spent his days moving between the bustling cities and tranquil villages, strengthening the bonds he had with his people, ensuring they were never far from his reach. He had worked hard to maintain the relationships his father had begun with the mortals, and as time went on, the love they had for him only deepened. His golden-blue eyes, now a familiar sight in every corner of the kingdom, were full of warmth and understanding, qualities that the people cherished dearly.
Aurelius' family had also grown in these peaceful years. His mother, Queen Abella, and his father, King Barbarus, had welcomed four more children into their lives: three brothers and a sister. Aurelius adored them all, his heart swelling with pride as he watched each of them grow. The eldest of his new siblings, a brother named Eryndor, showed promise in the arts of diplomacy, while his sister, Aris, was a brilliant tactician, her sharp mind already beginning to shape the kingdom's future. The other two brothers, Jorin and Leith, were strong and capable warriors, showing a fierce loyalty to their family and their kingdom.
With his siblings, Aurelius felt the familial bond that had always been a part of him despite the weight of his title, despite the responsibilities of his reign, his family remained his greatest joy. They laughed together, trained together, and celebrated milestones in one another's lives. Life felt complete.
Zervas, too, had recently become a transcendent, a moment that filled Aurelius with immense pride. The once-young boy who had been taught magic by the prince himself had now reached the pinnacle of mortal achievement, becoming one of the rare few who transcended humanity's limitations. Zervas' wind affinity had grown stronger than ever, and he had proven himself time and again as both a protector of the people and a devoted friend. The two of them, Aurelius and Zervas, shared a bond akin to brothers, one forged through countless moments of triumph and struggle. Zervas' ascension to transcendent status had been a truly proud moment, not just for himself, but for the entire kingdom, as it marked the rise of another hero among them.
While Solaria and Aurelius had their hands full with their duties as King and Queen, there was never a moment they didn't cherish together, their love a constant in an ever-changing world. Even the angels, who had once been so mournful at the God King's departure, now found peace in their work under the leadership of the young rulers. They had come to see Solaria and Aurelius not as mere inheritors of their father's kingdom, but as true rulers in their own right, each bringing something unique to their reign.
And so, the kingdom thrived, a world of peace and prosperity that seemed untouched by the passing of time. But even in these moments of serenity, Aurelius couldn't help but feel a sense of unease deep within him, a quiet whisper on the wind that something was shifting in the distance, an unknown force that threatened the calm. Still, for now, life went on as it always had. The world was peaceful, and the people were content. Aurelius could only hope that, for a while longer, it would stay that way.
That night, as Castle Asura floated in its serene stillness, a sudden, violent explosion shattered the peace. It came from far below, reverberating high in the tallest tower of the castle where the couple resided. The sound of it was akin to thunder, its tremors strong enough to shake the very foundations of the ancient fortress from where it hung at the edge of space. The ground beneath them rumbled, and the skies below seemed to darken in the wake of the catastrophe.
Aurelius and Solaria rushed to the tower's edge, their eyes widening in horror as the devastation unfolded below them. From their vantage point high in the heavens, Skylight City, once a gleaming jewel of the Barbarus Kingdom, was now little more than a smoldering ruin. The expanse of destruction stretched across the planet's surface, they saw a massive impact wound on the planet below, far too large to be natural. It stretched across the land like an open wound, miles wide, the earth cracked and scorched, burning with an unnatural intensity.