Eleanor's Ascension-a heavenly event that joined worlds and blurred the lines between gods and mortals. The grand ball on this, the last day of celebration, was a tapestry sewn from threads of magic and intrigue.
In this Absolutist system, borrowed from the mortal realms by the founding gods, authority flowed like a river of stardust. The Founding Gods, long gone but their legacy enduring had crafted a governance structure that mirrored the mortal courts. And at the heart of it all stood the king, his Authority of Monarch unyielding.
The gods, garbed in their splendor and resplendence of the heavens, mixed and mingled beneath the soft glow of chandeliers. Divided by age and power,
Half-gods: Those who had ascended but not yet shed their mortality. Their divinity pulsed like a hidden star, waiting to burst forth.
Fake-gods: Immortals who had tasted the nectar of godhood. For them, there was time in plenty, always tasting yet never gratified.
True gods: Ancient beings, their immortality etched into the very fabric of creation. Each held an authority, a special uniqueness that not even brothers or sisters could unseat.
Whereas the gods despised any being beneath the realm of a fake god, they could do little but bear with it, as at this party, not only half-gods but mortals too were invited by the king.
Eleanora, the heir, stood at the center. Her gown shimmered—a constellation caught in silk. She watched as the gods twirled, their steps echoing cosmic rhythms.
But it was the stranger who captured Eleanora's attention. A Celestial beauty, her silver hair cascading like moonbeams, her pale blue eyes holding secrets. She wore a gown of pristine white, its fabric whispering of forgotten constellations. Her cheeks bloomed with a rosy hue as if kissed by dawn itself.
The beauty approached Eleanora, her hand outstretched. "May I have this dance?" Her voice, like wind chimes in a forgotten garden, sent shivers down Eleanora's spine.
Eleanora hesitated. She didn't recognize this ethereal creature, but something in those eyes—ancient and knowing—pulled her closer. She placed her hand in the Celestial's, and they stepped onto the polished floor.
Their dance began—a waltz that defied gravity. They spun, skirts billowing, their movements fluid and precise. The Celestial's touch was electric, igniting Eleanora's skin. They glided past mortals and gods alike, leaving whispers in their wake.
Around them, the hall held its breath. The chandeliers flickered, casting fractured rainbows on the walls. The music swelled, rising to meet their steps. Eleanora forgot her duty, and her identity and lost herself in the rhythm of the dance.
The Celestial leaned closer, her lips brushing Eleanora's ear. "Do you know who I am?"
Eleanora shook her head, heart pounding. "No. Who are you?"
"Names hold power, but you may call me Lyra." replied the celestial.
As they spun, the Celestial slipped her hand between the folds of her gown. She brought out a delicate necklace-a slender silver chain bearing one gem in the shape of a star. "For you," she breathed, laying it upon Eleanora's neck.
Eleanora touched the pendant, feeling its warmth.
"Lyra?" And, she let go of Eleanora's hands and bowed down in courtesy as the dance ended.
"Please keep the necklace on you every time," She said. "And have it checked if you find it suspicious." She said smiling and then disappeared into this air without a trace.
The ballroom's enchantment lingered even after Lyra vanished. Eleanora clutched the necklace—a star-shaped gem that pulsed with a quiet energy. Lyra's words echoed in her mind: Have it checked if you find it suspicious.
"Your Highness?" Finnian called out her name bringing her out of the state. "What are you thinking about so much that got lost in your thoughts?" He asked.
"Finnian do you sense anything from this necklace?" She asked him showing him the necklace which was donned around her neck.
"No. But where did you get this from?" He asked.
"From the lady with silver hair," she answered. Then she sighed and said "Never mind, Let's go now. I'm tired" She complained while sulking.
"Just bear it for one more hour" Finnian convinced her by his words but from the look on his face, it was evident that he was enjoying watching her in this way.
"Damn you!" Eleanora swore and then walked away from Finnian, beaming at the look that Finnian had when she left him-like that of a sad puppy.
Though she was not sure what the future had in store for her, the time they spent now was enjoyable to her. She was just unaware of the sad fate which the future had stored for both her and Finnian.