A few hours had gone into Trisphyras first night. The starfall had eventually died down and people in Arthuria had been able to go back to sleep. Elora and Tasar laid in their bed sound into their meditated state, as elves don't sleep like normal humans do. The baby laid in her cradle, glancing all around her. A strong illuminating light came down from the sky and slowly landed on the balcony. The light shifted and turned, taking the shape of a tall woman dressed in a white silk dress. Her hair was long and almost floated around her head and shoulders. With silent steps, she entered the room looking at the couple resting in the bed. Trisphyra noticed someone was close and gurgled. The woman turned towards the cradle and a wide smile spread across her face. She approached the cradle and peeked into it. It was almost as if even the baby was struck by the woman's ethereal beauty and stared at her with big eyes. She reached down slowly, caressing the child's cheek with her fingertips. The baby giggled and grabbed her index finger. A flash lit up the entire room as their hands touched.
Elora blinked in confusion, waking up from her state of rest. Her eyes grew wide at the sight in front of her. The woman laughed at the little baby. It was a heartwarming laugh and it echoed as if it came from another realm. Trisphyra giggled, and Elora's heart skipped a beat. Her baby's first laugh. She slowly stepped out of bed and took a few steps closer, not believing what she was seeing, "Luna'Celesia?"
The tall woman looked up at her and her body got filled with a warmth she'd never felt before. She realized now what was happening and knelt down to the floor, whispering a prayer of respect.
Tasar woke up. The first thing he saw was his wife on the floor with a strange illuminating woman looking down on her and then bending down to pick up his newborn child. He immediately grabbed the dagger at his desk and rushed towards her.
"Darling, wait!" Elora exclaimed. She rose up and grabbed his arm holding the knife, stopping him in his tracks. He looked at her in confusion. She let out a chuckle as she tried to hold back her tears of awe and told him, "My love, do you not see who it is?"
Luna'Celesia picked up the baby from her cradle. She was smiling as tears were pouring out from her eyes, glimmering just like the starfall that had happened just mere hours ago. Her otherworldly laughter filled the room once more as she swayed Trisphyra around in a playful manner. The little one squealed in excitement. As they played, the baby started to glow just like the goddess and magical shimmer appeared where their bodies made contact.
The couple watched in amazement. It was clear now that this child was special, not only to them but to the gods as well. A heartbreaking thought appeared inside of Elora's head, perhaps Trisphyra's true mother wasn't her, but Luna'Celesia. The child had been a gift from the goddess after all. She and Tasar had tried for so long without any luck. It was only when they turned to her that Elora suddenly got pregnant and the church confirmed her suspicions. However, she'd never considered that the goddess would come to claim the child. Her heart broke in two.
Luna'Celesia stopped her playtime and looked at the parents, resting the baby against her chest. They both bowed immediately.
"You need not bow before me on this day, Tasar and Elora of Lathalas." Her beautiful voice was as calm and soothing as the rolling waves on the moonlit shores. Elora dared to meet her gaze. The goddess's eyes were almost as bright as the moon herself, with glittering stars all around.
"Lady Luna'Celesia, goddess of the moon, we are honored by your presence. We thank you for giving us this beautiful child." Tasar uttered. The goddess walked towards them and handed the baby to Elora. As she touched her daughter, the pain she usually feels for a few weeks after giving birth suddenly disappeared. Luna'Celesia let go of the baby and the light and shimmer that had illuminated within her died out from the tiny body, but the glittering that Elora had seen in the goddess's eyes could now also be seen in her daughters. She almost lost her balance in shock.
"I give you this child as a sign of my gratitude to your devotion and how you use my wisdom to aid this world. I hope you will use it to guide her as well."
"My goddess, the glimmering… what magic have you bestowed on this child?" Elora asked. The deity smiled, "That will be for her to discover."
She looked down at her daughter, now with a new perspective. Was she really capable of raising the child of a god? Trisphyra was cooing at her with big eyes and her heart melted. She wanted to do right by her, that much was certain.
"Tasar Lathalas, son of Shaerra Jocan and Quildor Reygolor. Your bravery in battle has not gone unnoticed. Therefore, I will grant you one of my swords, the Silver Dancer."
She touched the dagger in his hand and it reshaped itself into a longsword with a white blade and silver guard. Runes were engraved on the fuller and at the end of the pommel was a moonstone. Tasar grabbed it properly and was astonished by how light the blade was. Luna'Celesia nodded approvingly and he bowed, "Thank you, my lady. I shall wield it responsibly."
"Of that I am sure. I must leave you now. I bid you both farewell. Take good care of the little one."
She slowly merged into a ball of light and flew out of the balcony, back up into the sky. Tasar and Elora followed and watched as the light disappeared, now noticing the sun that had started to rise by the horizon. Tasar hugged his wife and child, "What a wondrous night!"
She didn't answer him. He lowered his head to meet her gaze, "Are you not happy, my love?"
Elora looked at the baby in her arms, now radiating something far more powerful than she'd ever dared to dream of. "I am happy, but I am also frightened."
"What do you mean?"
"The gods have sensed her, does that not mean the evil ones as well? Those that would wish to cause her harm?"
"My love, she is only a babe."
"Yes, I know, but I can feel the magic in her now. Oh, Tasar, it is powerful." Tears began pouring down her face. Her husband held her tight. She sobbed, "I don't want our child to meet the same threat that-"
"That caused my mother's death." He added. She didn't confirm but Tasar knew that was what she meant. His mother's demise had been caused by a heretic order that hunts down and kills those who they believed to be imposters or false prophets of the moon goddess. The order has of this time essentially been wiped out but it broke his family apart. Rumors had said the order had been spotted again but hasn't been confirmed yet.
He stroked the back of his wife and tried to comfort her, "My love, you must not think like this. You know how strong you are. You can protect her."
They got interrupted by a knock on the door.
"My lord, Lady Lixiss has arrived at the front gate.
"Let her into the hall." He ordered and tried to make his wife look up at him.
Elora dried her tears. Sensing his concern, she simply nodded, confirming that she would be okay. He kissed her, "This is a joyous occasion. Let us celebrate it."
A woman's voice could be heard from down the hall. Tasar and Elora had changed into their respective steward attire. As they came to the top of the stairs they were met by a familiar sight. Lixiss, a shorter elven woman with slightly darker hair than Elora, were roughhousing both Navarre and Rhangyl whilst Ameria and Kaylin watched in amusement. The guards also seemed to enjoy the spectacle. Lixiss was dressed in a red paladin attire with her hair set up in a high ponytail. Her combat training shined through as she easily knocked out both of the two young elves on the floor.
"Well, I see you haven't improved shit." She said teasingly while dusting off her hands. Rhangyl laughed, "It is not all who can have paladin training, aunt Lixiss."
"Not with that attitude, boy."
"Lixiss!" Tasar chanted. She looked up the staircase and grinned, "Well, if it isn't my sad excuse for a brother-in-law?"
"If you keep beating up my sons they will not remember a thing I taught them." He exhorted.
"Ha! Doesn't seem to be that much to begin with."
They met halfway across the stairs and embraced each other. Tasar smiled, "It is good to see you, I hope your journey went well."
"There aren't many people in this new kingdom of Zeppala that would dare touch a group of paladins yet, that's safe to say."
"I'm glad to hear it. Lord Thurian is a wise leader."
"Sister!" Lixiss ran up the stairs and hugged Elora.
Despite being more than two hundred years older, she was a lot frailer compared to her paladin sister. Even her hugs hurt her a little. Lixiss smiled, "You okay? I can imagine last night was… different." She turned to Tasar again, "That starfall was because of the baby, right?"
Tasar gasped, "You saw it as well?"
"As far as I've heard that shit was seen all across Emteria."
Elora froze. All across Emteria? Tasar rushed up to her, "It was a sign of celebration from our beloved goddess. It was a delightful spectacle."
Lixiss' eyes went from Tasar to Elora, "Yes, very." She surmised, clearly noticing that something was off. "So where's the little runt?"
"She is sleeping in our chamber. You got here quite early." Elora answered.
"I wanted to see the baby first." She joked but her older sister wasn't amused.
"My love, why do you not show Lixiss our daughter while the children and I prepare for our other guests."
She nodded in response, "Follow me, dear sister."
They walked through the hall once more. Lixiss stopped by the portrait of their brother. "Don't tell me Idril is gonna be here." She snorted.
"Lixiss, our brother has been invited here just like you."
"Oh, how convenient of him. He's never bloody there for any of our other events."
"He is not devoted to our goddess the same way we are. He explained to me that he sees no point in it. Cyran does but he still does not always attend either."
"That's different, at least he has a legitimate reason to not be there."
"Little sister, we can not expect all of our family to follow the same path as us. They must be allowed to find their own destiny."
"Always the wise one, aren't we?"
Elora proceeded to open the door to the chamber and showed her sister to the cradle. The baby was sound asleep. Lixiss suddenly hesitated, as if she sensed something. Elora watched her intently. They exchanged a look. As she walked up to the child and had a look, she smirked, "I thought I sensed the presence of my goddess."
"She came to us last night." Elora tried to keep her composure.
Lixiss grabbed her tight, "Luna'Celesia came to you?"
"She wanted to meet Trisphyra. She said she holds great power inside of her."
"Elora, you need to let Viessa take a look."
"Always the first to run to our big sister." A male voice appeared at the doorway.
"Idril!" Elora ran up to him and gave him a warm embrace.
Lixiss sighed and muttered, "Hello, brother."
The tall and slender elf smirked at his sister as he hugged Elora, "Always so happy to see me, Lixiss."
A shorter and much younger elf squeezed in behind them, "Can the two of you just get along for five minutes so we can have some time to actually enjoy the moment?"
"Zaos!" Elora went and hugged her next brother, the youngest of all the Lathalas siblings. He rolled his eyes and patted her on the back, not being very fond of physical touch, "Yes, it's good to see you too, sister."
Idril stepped forward and placed himself at the opposite side of the cradle, looking at Lixiss with a smile, "Now, what is it our oldest sister needs to see?"
She gestured at the baby, "You're so enlightened, why don't you find out?"
He gazed down at the infant sleeping, wrapped around in her blanket. He pondered on his sister's words. Then he reached out his hand and held it above the tiny body. A faint light appeared from his palm. All of the three siblings leaned in for a closer look at what he was doing. Elora wasn't alarmed, she trusted her older brother's abilities, even though some were considered too unorthodox for their church.
"Are you detecting anything?" Zaos asked curiously.
"There's a strong underlying, magical essence resting within her, but what it is I cannot say for certain."
"It is Luna'Celesia." Elora answered.
"The goddess came to see her last night, Idril!" Lixiss explained, "Do you know what that means?"
"Well, the baby was a gift from her. I assume she wanted to see the fruits of her labor." He acknowledged.
"Question is…" Zaos wondered, "Was the magical essence there before or after Luna'Celesia came to visit?"
"Elora." Idril removed his hand and looked at his sister. She averted her gaze. Her brother could always see right through her. "This baby is as much yours and Tasar's as it is Luna'Celesia's, but this powerful essence comes from her. We can only speculate what that will do for this world."
"Are you seriously saying we should feel threatened by a child?" Lixiss hissed.
"Not of her, but of the dark forces that might wish to extract the essence she carries. Luna'Celesia is a powerful goddess, her magic is essential to all life in this realm, corrupting even just the slightest piece could prove useful to those aligned with evil and chaos."
Elora picked her baby into her arms. Trisphyra mumbled in satisfaction, waking up from her sleep. The room had gone quiet. She looked around with big blue eyes, taking in all the new faces. As her eyes landed on her mother she smiled and chuckled ever so slightly. Elora's jaw tensed as she turned to her siblings, "I will not let anyone harm her."
Idril remained cold in his voice, "I do not wish to sound blunt, sister, but your magic has not been the same ever since you settled here in this city. Your healing spells may be excellent but what can you really do to defend Arthuria let alone your family?"
"Do not dare quest-" Elora tried to interrupt but Idril just kept going.
"You have been away from the field for decades. Do you even know what is out there?"
Lixiss shoved her brother into the wall and held him there, "Unless you wanna get kicked out, I suggest you shut the fuck up, brother."
Unfazed, his eyes went from Lixiss to Elora who seemed devastated. He sighed, "I want to protect my family just as much as you do, but lying will not help. We have all sensed it. The darkness is on the rise. Perhaps that is why your goddess gifted you this child, Elora."
"You know an awful lot about this, brother." Lixiss pointed out, "Have you been medling where you shouldn't?"
"You think I would conspire against my own flesh and blood?"
"I know you always looked down on us for our devotion, perhaps you wish to ruin it all?" She pressed her hand harder against his chest. He grunted in pain, "It is true, I have never seen the point in your godly devotion, but I do understand they play a role in this world that is essential to us all."
"Lixiss, let him go!" Zaos ordered. She did as he asked even though she was still clearly upset. Idril took a deep breath and adjusted his clothing, giving his paladin sister a piercing stare, which she happily returned.
There was a sudden knock on the door and everyone turned as a guard opened it. His eyes were wide and he was panting heavily, "My lords, you're needed in the courtyard!"
"What is it?" Elora asked.
"Something is happening outside, in the sky!"
Other guards were rushing in the corridor behind him. The siblings nodded towards one another and followed. Elora held her baby tight against her chest. The child could sense everyone's nervousness and she wriggled around, starting to get more fussy.
"Hush, my love. Everything is alright." She whispered.
They all descended down the stairs where Tasar and the children were gathered with even more guards. Elora searched her husband's eyes, they were filled with worry. Kaylin ran up to her and grabbed a firm hold of her dress. She didn't have to say anything. She only needed to look and Tasar rushed to open up the front doors. A strong wind flung them out of his grip. Leaves and dust bursted into the hall and swirled around everyone inside. A loud, thunderous roar filled the air, sending a chill through their spines. Little Trisphyra began crying and Elora pulled her even closer, hiding the child's face in the nape of her neck. Ameria and Rhangyl took a protective stance on each of their mother's side. Lixiss was the first to walk outside, Tasar and the guards followed closely after. Idril gave Elora one last serious look, before he too made his way into the courtyard.