Star Warden 2: RQ Interlude 2

 

Destiny

Princess Kaguya waved as she watched the Stormsong lift anchor and left port. Seeing Sam Bailey head off to meet this contact from the Argent Templars. She would normally go with him but duty called her elsewhere. First to her sister Reiko and then to the Enchantress who had more information to share with her and her alone.

Reiko was simply catching up, they made sure to take time to speak to each other while she was in Camelot. They were eating in one of the castle's pavilions carved from one of the larger branches of the tree. Her sister was showing more visible signs of pregnancy. A part of her was envious that she did not have a child growing inside her, but she did not let it damper her joy to see her future nephew. She wondered what the child would grow up to be like. He would be the first emperor born from a bloodline outside of the Empire, normally that would cause scandal and outrage among the imperial court. The same outrage her mother becoming empress consort inspired leading many of them to join Daimos's attempted coup against her family.

Fortunately, she doubted this would be a problem. The surviving nobility was either young themselves or came from the outer edges of the Empire. Many of them had fought the Minotaur Horde and dealt directly with the problems in the aftermath. Making them much more pragmatic and flexible than their snobbish and dogmatic counterparts in the home islands. Granted even the surviving nobility from the islands were much more pragmatic now thanks to the Dark Lord's invasion.

Kaguya had always hated politics, the backstabbing, manipulation, and hypocrisy. It is why she never wanted the throne and why her father did everything to keep her out of the halls of power. She wished that the lords would work together and better the nation rather than jockeying for favor in the Imperial Court. In a way, her wish was granted, just not in the way she would ever want it.

The conversation shifted when Reiko asked if her sister and Sam would ever have children. Kaguya answered that the day would come when things were safer.

“We are the safest we could be,” Her sister said. “I do not mean to pressure you sister. But Sam is human. He does not share our lifespan.”

“I know. But after the events on Ramia, I am even more fearful for my future offspring. My fears would ease if the children were on a world outside of his reach.”

The events of Ramia were still strong in her mind. Creating a nightmare she spent a few nights reliving. She was with child and spending the day with Sam while their young son was in her arms. Then without warning a flash of light put the valley to the torch and everyone was dead in an instant. She woke up in a panic screaming for Sam and her children.

Reiko gave her a comforting touch on her arm. “Perhaps Samuel will learn of such a world when he returns. Then you'll have plenty of time for children. Kira will not let her representative be denied that just because of war.”

Kaguya smiled. “He will. Fortune has shined upon us even in these dark times. If allies exist in the greater cosmos then so is there a safe place to raise our children.”

“Just remember to come up for air once in a while when you are making children. Even heroes need to rest.” Reiko began to giggle.

Kaguya was not amused. “You are incorrigible.” Reiko switched into a full-on laugh.

The two moved onto more cheerful topics before she left for the Silver Spire. Instead of the lake and gazebo, she was guided by a will-o-wisp to an area deeper in the mountain. Leading her into a massive library lit by other wisps creating eerie yet beautiful lighting all around her.

The Enchantress tapped her staff on the ground and soon cyberspace took over altering the environment. The library expanded, the ceiling disappeared, and in its place a transparent dome with a grand view of space. Various individuals dressed in colored robes and hoods were going through the books. Kaguya was distracted by the sight that she didn't see that the Enchantress changed outfit as well and was dressed in a pure white robe.

She was brought over by the Emissary to a window and pointed to the planet below. Aetherium before it was cracked into floating islands. Other towers were sprouting from the surface, rocket craft flying, and ring structures surrounding the world. The sun was surrounded by various devices, which the Enchantress explained drew energy and matter from the star for various uses.

“Where are we now,” she asked.

“The Grand Observatory. Where the College of Sages once congregated. It was a society of scholars created for one purpose. To aid the mission of the Celestial Emissary.”

The room changed to one of white stone. Six faeries dressed in white robes, one of them being the Enchantress herself.

“She looks.”

“Like us?” Kaguya nodded. “That is indeed us or rather me.”

“Me? This is the first I have heard you address yourself with a singular pronoun.”

“A product of my time as a Cardinal. We were the Emissary's inner circle and led the order when she left or died. We were taught to think of ourselves as limbs in the body of the Emissary. To work as one rather than as individuals. My fellow Cardinals only spoke with singular pronouns when among each other.”

“I see. But how do you still live after all these years?”

“There was once a time where Faeries were immortal. We never died as war and disease were unheard of. Only when we made room for new faeries did we fade away and take up new duties in the universe. Sometimes that meant giving up our physical bodies to join our spirits to the Weave or Dreamscape.”

“Did we commit a sin of some heinous nature to lose this gift?”

“I would not be so quick to accept immortality as a gift. For even the greatest fruits will wither as the joys of the world fade. Those faeries who lay with the Tuatha would give birth to the elves who would know aging and death albeit slowly. If a Faerie was born from the union they too would soon learn of entropy.”

“Wait elves,” Kaguya asked.

“Yes, those we call Milesians. They are the product of the union between Faerie and the Tuatha. Some are born with wings.”

The realization hit her at once. “Doctor Daimos was a winged elf?!”

“From your descriptions that would appear to be the case. But he is not the subject of this meeting. There is something I wish for you to see. Observe.”

In came a faerie woman also dressed in white but with accents of gold and purple in her clothing. She wore a tiara of prismatic gems and wielded a silver and gold scepter topped with a winged star. Covering the shaft was a collection of celestial runes, it appeared to be made from wood but the hum of electronics could be heard.

Her hair was white with silver and gold flecks, her eyes were purple on purple just like Kaguya's. This was Queen Guinevere the Emissary during the reign of King Arthur. Before the Fall, before the great heresy that would doom the Tuatha.

The Enchantress focused on the staff. “That is the Ultima Scepter it has gone by many names one of which is the Holy Grail. It is the symbol of your authority and what is needed to fully awaken as the Emissary.”

“Fully awaken?”

“The magic you have used is not the full breadth of your powers, Your Radiance. Some of it you have discovered on your own. But there is much more at your disposal as the Emissary. It was the duty of us Cardinals to aid you and If necessary raise and train you. To teach you about your past lives. It is a great regret I was unable to fulfill my duties until now.”

“What or Who is the Emissary truly? For years I was taught it was a servant of Kira sent to guide and aid the people.”

“Only partially the truth. You are a servant but not to Kira.” The Enchantress waved her hand and a starless void surrounded them. Slowly the first stars began to form.

“Long ago before the first human or the first faerie was born. There was The Creator, the Source of All Things, and from him came the Celestial Beings, the angels, the spirits, and the Powers that Be. They were given thoughts and will and tasked to work together to execute the creator's plan for the universe.”

The Angels enforced the laws and dispensed justice, the spirits constructed the stars, the planets, and laid the groundwork for life. All guided by the Powers those who knew the creator's vision and executed it to the letter. One of the Powers was named Lucifer, the brightest and fairest of them all. He desired to make his own universe, seeing himself as more worthy to rule and to create.

However, the power to create was beyond him, as he and all creations were forbidden from touching the primordial darkness. For only the Creator could purify it and imbue it with light, and goodness. Lucifer used the power of persuasion to trick the Seraphim guards into letting him pass the gates and touch the pure primordial. Thus he was dammed.

Kaguya's vision changed and she saw a golden meadow surrounding a circle made from immaculately carved marble. In the center of the circle was a pool of pure white liquid, it was primordial energy, refined for the use of creation.

“The Well-of-All Stars,” said the Enchantress. “The source of creation.”

“Wait. The Codex also has a Well-of-All Stars,” stated Kaguya.

The Enchantress nodded. “Like an artist's signature. The Well-of-All Stars exists in all universes. The one in the physical universe was used to create the Codex. This one before you is the in the Celestial Realm.”

Even though this was a virtual recreation she could feel the serenity coming from the well. Its sheer beauty caused her to shed a tear.

The roar of thunder and cracking of lighting turned her head southward. A mass of primordial matter came stumbling forward. She could hardly recognize this walking abomination as Lucifer. Only a single remnant of his fair form, a pair of black bone wings, remained nearly buried by the tar-like substance that was his skin. He sent dark tendrils into the well. Corrupting the waters from a bright white to a dark gray. As he polluted the waters with pure darkness he slowly drained the power of creation into himself.

“THE POWER IS MINE! LET THE UNIVERSE SUBMIT ITSELF TO MY AMBITION! AS I ASCEND TO THE THRONE ABOVE ALL!”

A flaming angel with six wings rocketed in and let fly a barrage of arrows. Tendrils were severed and the body was pierced with shafts of holy light. The moment Lucifer turned his “head” the last arrow flew through and severed it from the neck by sheer force. Lucifer's head fell into the pool and his body tumbled in after. The concentrated holy energies caused the body to explode damaging the well and the field along with it. Sparks of dark energy flew into the sky and blanketed it with dark clouds.

While Lucifer was slain in body his essence fell into the physical universe, sin, death, and evil, now existed but with it came free will. Soon the shadow of the fallen angel would wake up in his new creation and find it filled with nothing but pain, devastation, and sorrow. As a final punishment, he would not find peace or despair, he would feel only pain forevermore. The universe he created would be only an ugly mirror to the beauty that is the true universe.

Filled with hate, envy, and never-ending suffering it swore revenge on all that was good and holy. Lucifer was dead no longer an angel or spirit of creation. It became a new force that would be known by many names, Hell, Tartarus, the Underworld, and more importantly the Abyss. Soon it would corrupt its exiled fellows into demons, dark spirits, eldritch abominations, and many other twisted and evil things. Eventually, it would raise mortals to do its dirty work with the vilest becoming a Champion of Darkness itself.

To ensure the children of God would always be inspired to strive to do good and aid them against the Abyss. An agent of the Powers that Be would be sent. One angel volunteered to give up its station to aid all mortals in the long war. The angel was made up of two interlocking wheels covered with eyes and two wings at its sides. The Powers that Be, the cosmic entities that would be known as Kira, Cerena, and Mira among the mortals. Empowered the angel to be one of them before sending them into the well.

The message was clear to the faerie princess. “The Emissary. Is one of the Powers, one of the Celestial Powers. One of the gods is me.” She looked at her hands as if she was seeing them for the first time. The Enchantress put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

“Enchantress. What does this mean for me?” The virtual environment disappeared and the old dusty library returned.

“That you are now taking the steps to your true destiny. To awaken to what you truly are, a force of restoration. You were sent here not to wage war but to heal the body and mend the spirit. To keep the faith with the aid of a mortal champion. The Celestial Emissary is to support the people in their struggle against darkness, despair, and evil not just in the physical but in the spiritual.”

The line about the mortal champion caused her to panic as she spoke. “No. I intended no deception! If I have drawn Samuel unknowing into a cause against his will. Then I shall renounce my power.”

The Enchantress in a rare moment of levity chuckled. “No. Rest assure you committed no deception knowing or unknowingly. The path was laid out and the choices were yours and his alone. I only give you greater context on the path you chose. Would you forsake it now that you know the truth?”

The Princess shook her head. “No. I would not forsake this path. I only seek to not remove choice even if these events were to a degree predestined.”

The Enchantress said. “Yes, but it was not so direct as you think. The only thing that could not be foreseen was how the Champion of Darkness was to rise. Not a demon or a possessed warlord but an AI. One who chooses of his own free will to lead the dark forces.”

“But Daimos seeks conquest and domination. The Abyss seeks the end of all things,” said Kaguya.

“The Abyss is fractious and capricious. None truly knows what it will do to achieve its aims. If its aims have not changed. There may be others who seek the be the Abyss's Herald or Daimos has already acquired its blessing.”

“And if he has?”

The Enchantress spoke ominously. “Then it is imperative you fully awaken and reunite the Cosmic Ring. For the dark one will have far greater, and far more devilish resources to call upon.”

It was subtle but she saw the Enchantress shudder. Whatever the future held was clearly unpleasant. Kaguya would face it regardless. It was her duty and she knew it well. While she may be higher in the Celestial Hierarchy than expected. Nothing in the grand scheme had changed. She was not a god or an angel in her eyes. She was simply a very blessed woman who would do her best to spread good in the world.

She would soon leave the Spire and return home. When Sam returned they had a joyous reunion. She relayed the information she had learned while they held each other close under the covers.

“Wait. If Queen Guinevere is one of your past lives and I'm descended from her and King Arthur's second son. Are we Aragorn and Arwen here?”

“It appears we share similarities to them. I find it fascinating that we have a greater connection than we first believed. Perhaps all of this, our meeting and marriage were truly destined. Do you believe in Destiny?”

“Not something I really think about. If it was destiny then that's that and If it wasn't well then well I'm not worse off.”

“I find it romantic. The seed of ancient royals growing into a new form to once again defend the galaxy from evil.”

“With two twists. 1. Daimos isn't our son, at least I hope not. 2. We are going to live to raise our children. I found a place where we can.”

He informed her of Elpis describing it as a faraway little framing world. Her eyes light up as she looked at him with pride and relief.

“I knew you would do it. You always come through.”

“Screw you, Daimos. I will have my children!” A crude thought she noticed. Closer to Sam's way of expression but it matched her feelings perfectly.

Tomorrow she would need to speak to her sister and make plans to move her to Elpis along with the children and families at Camelot. But tonight, she was in the mood to work on her own family plans. Something Sam was equally enthusiastic to help her with.

Interlude 3

Interlude 1