'Cytheria and her kinsmen drew lots of adoration from their people. They all had their own respective lands. Paxos fell to Cytheria, she was known to be the First Higher God to exist. The Goddess of Life, Light and Wisdom. She breath life to Cythera, given its light and collected wisdom for the people. The Queen of the Gods, She of Throne, Giver of Life, Wife of Oikos and Mother of All. Cytheria was able to control the light, gives life with a thought and dreams.
'The Paxosians worshipped the First Higher God, collecting the wisdom that they find and teaching others of the knowledge. Paxos has sacred temples and libraries that was told to be used by the First Higher God. Paxos is known for having well known scholars.'
Excerpt of Cytheria and Paxos, written by Scholar Kaion.
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๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ slept.
As her body slept, her mind was not. She had awaken for eight years ago, awaken by the sounds of screams echoing in the lands.
She knew a war had happened and she had no choice but to listen to the screams of agony. Three years of war until something dark grew, darker than the corrupted minds she had felt familiar.
Caelleria had died, well her body did but her mind did not. She had slept for years but before waking up, her body had regenerate in the place where she hid.
She could almost taste Cythera's death. The land was dying, the people have not heed her warning.
She may have died but her mind slowly gave her memories back, even though it has many missing parts.
The bird that guarded her, known for the golden feathers and large wingspan than most birds do.
He called himself Phenikas.
He had guided her mind while her body grew and healed.
Phenikas have told her how he guarded a sleeping body, recovering what was once destroyed.
He also, somehow knew her name. The time she awoken, she had heard a name. Caelleria.
It sounded melodic and beautiful when Phenikas says it. From what Phenikas has told her, they were trapped in a cave and in the recent years, it has opened and Phenikas flew outside and saw Cythera again.
'A group of men has a plan to enter the cavern, searching for you.' Phenikas said in her mind, Caelleria only saw darkness but Phenikas gave her an image. Five men and a woman walking, but it disappeared quickly into the dark.
'Have you heard their plans to do with my body?' She thought to herself, knowing that Phenikas could hear it. No matter how she forced her mind to move her body, it did not.
She wanted to move, itched to walk or scratched the damn itch in her shoulder. As if Phenikas heard her thoughts, landing beside the used to be a cot, that turned into a some sort of a cocoon of her body and rubbed his beak against the itchy part.
She mentally sighed in relief. 'Thank you, Phenikas.'
'You are welcome, Mistress.'
Phenikas moved slightly before leaning to rub his feathers against her leaf covered body.
'What would I be without you, Phenikas.'
'An itchy corpse.' He answered nonchalantly.
Caelleria wanted to laugh but her body betrayed her.
'Aren't you supposed to be watching from the outside?'
'The men have already went to the woman's village. The clan elders have forbidden the people from visiting this cave.'
Caelleria would have snort if she could. '
'Anyone going here would be foolish enough. You alone could strike down a man if you wanted to.'
Phenikas was strong, she knew he could kill a person with his claws and beak alone. He was big for an eagle.
'I only attacked if provoke.' That was his usual response to the statement.
Phenikas was a big help for Caelleria, he often teach her the Cytheran languages. How he learn these languages was beyond her.
Caelleria wasn't naรฏve, she knew her purpose with the help of her slowly regaining memory.
The people have abused mother's gift to them, asked for countless of help only to destroy it, again and again.
Mother may be kind hearted but father was not. Oikos was not to be trifled with, he was very protective of his wife and daughter. If he could have his way, he would have destroyed the people in the world but his wife would be angry at him. He can't afford to anger his wife.
It's been long when she last saw her parents, Oikos, protective of his wife's emotions as she was easily to hurt erected a barrier between the people and his people, establishing a new rule: do not meddle in human affairs.
Yet, here she was.
A woman who has the power to meddle in human affairs.
The only reason that her father haven't snatched her back as she wanted him to was because his wife begged him not to. She was told to help the humans find their way, as her mother said.
Caelleria couldn't break her mother's heart of the news of corruption and abuse they have given to her mother's gift to them.
The last time she saw her parents was, they were fighting. Caelleria grew tired with the chaos the people have created. Chaos was nothing but a cycle. She knew that very well.
She knew better to anger her mother. Mother and Father perfectly balanced each other.
Cytheria could give life whereas, Oikos could take it.
It was how they became the perfect symbol for the Higher Gods.
Cytheria was a perfect loving mother, emotionally capable and her voice was soothing matched with a beauty that no woman nor goddess could match. Oikos was a serious, cynical but protective of everything, dark and quiet. He was attractive too, a beauty that he could use as a weapon.
People were too blinded by his looks to notice the power he wields.
That was all she remembered and what Phenikas told her about her parents so far.
But she never forgot her promise to the Cytherians.
Tired and angry for all their abuse, Caelleria awaits for the day she judge their fate.
Her body may be asleep but she knew. She knew that, the people have ignored and continued to wreck havoc to the lands. She could hear the Huntresses cry for help, Caelleria was impressed that the Huntresses still believe in the Higher Gods.
For most people were not.
The only uncorrupted land was this cavern, it was full or purity and life, anyone could enter here would immediately feel bliss.
Caelleria instinctly used her sense, her ability to stretch her sense that far was astounding. She heard every footsteps, breath and life within her radius.
If only she could move her fingers to manipulate the landโthen her senses came to a barrier.
A barrier of sorts, clouded by the awful silence. A man so quiet, she question if it was alive at all. Her instincts told her to be wary, as she had not once met a person who was quiet in her past life.
She had to know who was it.
'Phenikas, let me use your eyes.' She asked the golden falcon.
'I'll be your eyes, Mistress.'
How she learn to share mind with a bird, she'll never know. What Phenikas saw, she also saw it too. It came to an instinct, she just somehow knew how.
Phenikas launched himself from her and flew to the outside of the cavern, it was dark, the night has fallen. The stars have arrive, the only beauty left untouched.
Phenikas flew faster than any bird in Cythera, he reached to the imposing figure and perched himself on a branch, ruffling his feathers until he was comfortable.
He may be big and golden but he knew how to conceal himself from prying eyes.
He watched as a group of feather covered people converged in a fire in the middle, laughing as they tell tales and stories. Some of their feather friends knew Phenikas arrived, flapping their wings in acknowledgement.
The people took it as a sign, they grabbed for their spears and looked for the possible threat looming behind them. They didn't saw the golden eagle sitting on a tree, once the flapping stop, the warriors fell in ease, taking it as a sign of safety.
"That was the sixth time it happened this month." A woman said to the group.
"Some of the people think it's the bird that looms in Andania."
"Or just some squirrel rustling the birds, they're probably hungry."
Phenikas didn't need to stay any longer, feeling the Mistress' tiredness beginning to arose. So he flew away from the group and went to the largest house in the town. The Clan's Elder Hut.
Circling the house for a spot to perch himself in, Phenikas found a perfect place for him to settle himself. A hole big enough for him to see the room, he saw the group of men that arrive with a woman, standing in the presence of the Elders.
The woman was not with them.
"We have told you that Andania is not safe for you, Your Highness." The Elder that sat near the middle one said.
The golden haired man that stood in the middle of the group, clenched his fist. "Nothing is safe until we find the cause of this problem and rectify it."
Rectify. Rectify. The words clung to Phenikas like poison. The golden haired man found the Mistress a problem that needs to be rectify. That word disgusted Phenikas.
He ruffled his feathers in aggravation and puffing his chest in anger. The puny man dares to touch the Mistress.
The man needs to be... rectified.
"A problem caused by your doing." Another Elder said.
Phenikas agreed to the notion, out of anger.
"We have no disagreement on that, but let us fix the problem. People are dying, lands are dying." The stupid man said.
"No." An Elder woman said, shaking her head. "We cannot allow people like you, enter our lands, especially entering a sacred place."
"We will just check if whatever we are looking for is there." Stupid Man said, being vague for the reason he has come for.
"Allowing you, an outsider, enter the Andania will show weakness to our people. Our own people are not allowed inside and to let you enter it would be a great insult to them." The Elder said.
"Then we will enter when no one watches." Stupid Man argued, calmly.
"We have allowed your brother, Theodoros enter our lands but we won't allow more people to venture Skyrias."
Phenikas could almost hear the gritting noise the Stupid Man does. "Cythera is dying, we have protected Cythera from Tesseria, we may have defeated those bastards but we all know we just stalled the war. Let us protect Cythera once again."
"Protect it from what?" The middle Elder asked, then adding, "The only protection we need is from your ignorant king and his corruption."
"Death." It was only one word but it made the Elders hushed. He elaborated, "We all know the myth, when Cythera is dying, judgement comes."
"Ah, the skeptic prince has read the prophecy." One of the Elders have said without any humor in it.
"I'm still a skeptic, just being open to other ideas." He said curtly, as if the idea disgusted him.
Phenikas observed the Stupid Man wearing a black chestplate with intricate gold patterns, matched with trousers, black boots and gauntlets. All looking intricate and royal.
Stupid Man was a prince, a higher threat to the Mistress but that won't stop him from striking down a puny human.
Somehow the Stupid Man's words have impacted the Elder's decision, Phenikas knew that the Stupid Man knew he had them.
The Elders started to speak in their own language, Phenikas understood every word. Everyone was too scared for the judgement coming that they would let outsider break their tradition and law. Some would argue that they have accepted their fates and had to keep the traditions up or it would be for nothing but majority of them were worried for their young.
"The Elders have decided, you visit once the fire in the sqaure have been extinguish." The middle one declared.
Phenikas rustled his feathers, deciding to strike down the Stupid Man. He didn't fear the companions because not one would suspect his attack later.
"There you are," a hard accent said beside Phenikas, it was the woman who guided the men.
Phenikas craned his neck to the side and cocked it. Observing. Not even afraid that a human managed to sneak behind him, he knew he could strike down the woman.
The woman was few feet away, wary and curious. "I wondered where you were, you weren't at Andania." She spoke in her native language. She stared at the golden feathers that Phenikas had. "Majestic creature." She stated in awe.
Phenikas didn't give her an inch of reaction, she didn't deserve it.
"I know what you're doing." She said, slowly inching towards Phenikas' still body.
"Protecting whatever's inside Andania, we've been watching you." The words may look like threatening but the way she said like it was their duty to guard them. Phenikas and the Mistress.
"The Naros Heir is safe, trust him. Let him go to Andania." She asked, as if knowing the power Phenikas has.
She plucked a feather from her bracers and held it in Phenikas' claw. He didn't even realized that the woman had gotten too close.
"I am Panthea, one of the Guardians who watches the cavern." She said, lowering slightly in a bow. "The Skyrians knew what hides in the cavern, that's why we agreed to let the heir's brother explore the cavern." She explained, Phenikas knew some of the Elders knew what rests in the caves. He was glad the Elders still believe in the Higher Gods, for some of the people have forgotten them.
"The Prince may be skeptic but a bit of guidance, he may save Cythera." She held out an arm as if letting herself to be used as a perch.
Phenikas did not indulged her. She did not deserve it.
She sighed and dropped her arm. "Skyrias is ready for judgement, Golden One. I just hope she picks a better choice. We have accepted our faults. I think it's time for her to wake up." She bowed and did not move, Phenikas saw her neck, a gesture of submission.
Phenikas look back to the hole and saw no one in it. He had to go back, he felt his Mistress grew tired and fell asleep, her mind quiet.
Phenikas did a vertical take off, his huge wingspan spread in the dark sky, returning back to his Mistress. He looked down and saw all the people of Skyrias looking at him in knowing looks and acceptance.
It was this moment, Phenikas realized that the Prince was a pawn.