"Wow time really flies huh. In a little under a week you'll be 10 years old," Eva said as she floated in Aurianna's room. The two of them were currently alone. Of course guards remained outside Aurianna's room but they wouldn't come inside without her permission.
As Eva continued casually floating across the room she eventually made her way to Aurianna's bed, where she was currently laying on.
Aurianna had her hands resting behind her head looking at Eva with a worried expression as she floated above,"I'm sure news that I'll be the next Saintess has gotten out."
Eva swiped her hand as if to brush away Aurianna's anxieties, "I wouldn't think about something like that too much. I'm sure you're kinda ready now."
"What do you mean by kinda?" Aurianna grumbled.
"Well you haven't fully mastered all your subjects. And you expect to be ready? Don't make me laugh," Eva smirked smugly.
"What's more, if you didn't secretly place some points on charm rather than intelligence, the time period to master the subjects would have been shorter!!!" Eva yelled at Aurianna who immediately avoided eye contact with her. Turning her head away slightly.
"Well beauty is my ultimate weapon, any person would bow before my beauty," Aurianna had a gleam in her eye.
Eva slapped her forehead in frustration, 'I can't believe she said something so pathetic with such pride…'
Before Aurianna could continue thinking so highly of herself Eva interjected, "While your beauty may be great, without strength others would want to take you for themselves."
"That's why I have the strength to protect myself," Aurianna declared as she conjured up a gun in her hand.
Eva rolled her eyes, "Good job showing off that you can conjure skills without chanting the name." Upon getting shamed Aurianna lowered her hand, the gun disappearing.
Eva continued, "What if you meet someone stronger?"
"Then I'll definitely do all that is in my power to run away," Aurianna answered without a hint of shame
Eva clapped, a satisfied expression on her face, "Well then. Seems all the time I spent teaching you wasn't wasted after all."
"Well I only learn from the best don't I," Aurianna shrugged.
"Don't flatter me child," Eva smirked.
Once Aurianna was done chatting with Eva she rang a bell. A few seconds later a doll dressed in maid attire walked in the room, having very stiff movements.
"Do serve me a cup of tea," Aurianna ordered as the robot left and later came back with a pot of warm tea as it poured a cup.
"Princess!! There are rumors that a prophecy said that you'll be the Saintess!!" Catherine barged into Aurianna's room as she yelled.
"An herbal blend with fresh blue lilies, how lovely," Aurianna praised as she drank her cup of freshly brewed tea, completely ignoring Catherine.
"Princess…" Catherine was now standing awkwardly at the door, unsure of what to do after getting no response of any kind.
"Is that such a surprise? Only a beautiful person like me could be the Saintess, wouldn't you agree?" Aurianna said with a twisted grin.
"Yes, I would. It definitely won't be a surprise," Catherine nodded her head in agreement.
"But I heard all Saintess' die early. And I don't want my miss to die," Catherine said as tears streamed down her smooth brown skin.
Aurianna just looked at Catherine as she smiled, 'This child's soul is so pure that my eyes hurt to look at her... I wonder…was I like her before around this age? Full of innocence and life….'
Despite her thoughts Aurianna didn't know how to respond to her genuine concern for her safety so she simply didn't.
She decided to change the subject, "Have you prepared the dress I asked of you?"
Catherine's eyes widened slightly, surprised by the sudden question, "Yes I have."
"Good," Aurianna said as she sipped some more tea.
"From now on things are going to get spicy. I'm itching to get into a fight," Aurianna mumbled with a sinister smile plastered across her face which made Catherine shudder slightly.
________
In a beautiful land filled with flowers and floating little people there was a pink haired woman sitting under a tree. Her name was Paige, the Goddess and she was currently watching the human world through a screen.
She yawned lazily, a bored expression on her face. She would often look to see if anything interesting was happening but sadly, like usual, nothing of the sort was occurring.
As she felt the peak of her boredom was near, the sound of heels clacking caught her attention. All of a sudden, the peaceful serene environment she had been surrounded by became twisted. The bright sky transformed to one of seemingly endless darkness, all the grass and trees suddenly withered around her.
Paige sensed something was wrong as she raised her to meet a pair of different eyes staring at her. One which was golden and the other which was rainbow coloured.
Paige quickly bowed down as she looked at the figure, "Greetings High God."
Before her was a person covered entirely by darkness. All she could see were the High god's eyes, mouth and outline which had a feminine frame but she couldn't say the High god was male for sure. The High god had no visible or noticeable physical features. To make it worse no one in the god realm had ever seen the High God's true appearance. For all they knew the feminine shape could've been a ruse or just a form the High God preferred being in. It didn't mean they had to stay in that form or even if it was the true one.
Paige trembled as the darkness gave her a suffocating feeling behind her throat but she couldn't turn away from the High god's gaze.
"How have you been Paige?" A male voice sounded as it was directed at Paige.
Paige clenched her fists, trying her best to calm her nerves as she responded, "I've been well High god."
"Could you do something for me?" The High god asked as it stared at Paige, a wide smile plastered its face.
"And what would that be?" Paige asked curious about the task the High god was going to give her.
"I would like you to make that child Aurianna Vanluad of the Sandeph kingdom the Saintess."
Paige trembled upon hearing the High god's words.
"Oh, you don't like her? Is it because she's more beautiful than the goddess of beauty!?" the High god said in a mocking tone, with a piercing gaze.
Paige gritted her teeth as she heard the High god's words. Ever since that child Aurianna was found, people compare her beauty to that of her, the goddess of beauty! Some even said she was more beautiful than her, jealousy soon found its way into Paige's heart. She had secretly wanted Aurianna to be killed or suffer in the worst ways possible.
If it wasn't for the High God appearing before her just now, she may have gone after Aurianna herself. Whether it would've been through a vessel or directly.
"If there's actually a child more beautiful than the goddess of beauty then you don't deserve that title," the High god said with an evil grin.
"I can make you more beautiful," hearing those words from the High god Paige raised her head up as tears flowed down across her face.
"Don't cry, don't cry, I can make you more beautiful all you have to do is make that child Aurianna the Saintess and turn the whole kingdom against her," the High god said as he smiled at her
"Why are you so concerned about this human?" Paige asked, wondering the motive of the High god. Why would the highest ranking of all the gods in this Realm would be concerned about some mere human.
"My matters do not concern you, so just do what I ask and I shall make you more beautiful," the High god threatened as it glared at Paige causing her to tremble.
"Yes High god," Paige replied as the darkness that once covered her space disappeared as the peaceful environment returned once more.
Paige laid there as she thought of the high god's words and tightened her fist, "I don't deserve that title, why would you say that?"
She laid down in the grass as she closed her eyes and remembered the time she first met the High god.
Humans are a bunch of hopeless people who sought out to believe in something, someone. So they created a statue of an extremely beautiful goddess and called her Paige.
Due to their unyielding beliefs Paige came into existence. She blessed the human kingdom with prosperity and good health in return for essentially birthing her. However that all changed when she chose a human to be the Saintess. Everyone called her a kind soul and a messenger of the goddess which made her proud. But the people had stopped praying to her and were always asking the Saintess for things instead of her. While some still prayed to her most others neglected to do so. Their fate shifted from Paige to the Saintess.
After a long time Paige couldn't take it anymore and went down to talk to the first Saintess about this matter.
"Are you serious?" The Saintess asked as she glared at Paige.
"A goddess is jealous of her people, loving me more than her!?" The Saintess released a chuckle, speaking in a condescending tone, "That's a fun sight to see."
"You don't understand! Without their faith I can't have the divine power to help the humans!" Paige retorted, a frown embedded on her.
"You don't need to worry, I'm the Saintess. I can protect them. What's the need of a goddess like you?"
Paige looked on in confusion, "Huh?"
The Saintess had a thoughtful look on her face as she gazed at Paige, "What do you even do as a goddess? Sitting all day just looking pretty?"
Paige's eyes became cold as she looked at the Saintess. "I see... You'll regret this, I swear to you," Paige mumbled, fading away silently.
"As if. I have the spirit god by my side, why would I be afraid of a mere goddess? What's more I think I can even become a goddess myself," the Saintess sneered as she walked away.
Paige entered the God lands once more. Making her way to a house, where she walked into a private room. She slumped to the ground, a defeated expression on her face. She looked on at a screen, on it showed the human kingdom. Being a Goddess and all, she didn't need sleep or food, so she just sat there, watching for 100 years.
During those hundred years she watched on as humans continued to follow the Saintess and by this time not one person gave her the proper respect she used to receive. Even the church neglected their prayers and practiced faith in her.
So what if she doesn't come down to fight battles for them? So what if she can't come down and heal their wounds? So what if she can't save them from pandemics!? That's why there's a Saintess, a messenger to help the people in place of her!
If a goddess doesn't get enough faith they'll lose all their divine powers. That's why they need the faith of the people to survive. Without that faith they'll slowly grow weaker and weaker until they fade into dust.
"Humans are truly selfish creatures," a voice could be heard beside Paige.
She turned around to see a person covered in a black shadow with an evil grin on their face.
"High god!! What are you doing here?" Paige asked, confused about the presence of someone like the High god in her space. What freaked her out more than the High God being by her was the fact she didn't even hear a sound or indication she wasn't alone.
"Do you want the humans to worship you again?" The High god asked as it smiled at Paige, a soothing tone in its voice.
Paige was silent for a moment. She didn't know why the High God asked her such an obvious question. She felt that it was a trap of some kind but as she looked away from the High God, seeing Humans bowing before the Saintess, she couldn't take it anymore. She gritted her teeth, hatred burning in her eyes, "Yes."
"Good good. First you must get rid of that intolerable person," the High God pointed at the Saintess through the crystal screen
"How? She has my divine power which is a promise between both of us that I couldn't hurt her, so I'm unable to do anything to her."
The High God released a light chuckle, "Who says you need to injure her?"
"Do you know how rumors work?" The High god added
"Simply spread rumors that the one who drinks the Saintess blood will live as long as an elf. Humans are always in search of a way to prolong their life. Especially the powerful ones. They wouldn't want to die. They don't have the long life of elves, demons and the other races. Give them this rumor and many would come for her life. Once done you just need to deprive all the human kingdom from its prosperity and let them suffer. With their Saintes gone and their land in suffering they'll surely come to you for salvation. Whenever they go astray you let them suffer and they'll come crawling right back to you."
Paige grinned as she listened to the High god's words. The idea was perfect!
"Thank you for the suggestion, High God. I'll do exactly as you say."
"Good child, you don't want to return to how you were in the past right?!" The High god words spoke tauntingly.
Paige in response trembled slightly in anger, biting the inside of her lip to try and calm herself.
She thought to herself, 'It's your fault this even happened! You were the one telling me to honor a Saintess...'
The High God tilted its head, "Something wrong Paige?"
She bowed her head respectfully, "Absolutely not! I promise I will never return to how I was in the past!"
Paige did what the high god said and even the Saintess came crying to her to save her life. How dare the Saintess come crawling to her after everything that happened!? She buried her pride and honor to ask for help after acting so high and mighty all those years ago.
Paige couldn't help enjoying the show. Those who believed in the rumor happened to be those most adamant in their belief in the Saintess. They were her so-called "Most loved followers." Those same individuals who hunted her all sought to kill her for eternal life. The goose chase was so entertaining to Paige, so entertaining in fact that she got snacks and ate as the scenes played out for her. After a week or so of hunting, the Saintess was captured and killed. Paige felt extreme joy at the sight. And the Saintess cried out with her last breath for Paige to save her but she denied.
As a goddess she was constantly bored so this was a lovely entertainment to behold. The wars, killings, distrust, and greed of these people gave Paige the adrenaline to want to mess more with the humans and let them only rely on her. She slowly twisted from a peaceful Goddess who simply wanted the people responsible for her birth to love and worship her, to doing anything for that affection and praise, even at the cost of innocent lives.
Gift for the bitch Goddess.
"Princess Aurianna huh? Such a pity that your life would end so soon. No one can be prettier than I, the goddess of beauty," Paige laughed, looking at the princess with scorn.
__________
"Princess, it's time," Catherine told Aurianna, before finishing with the preparations by placing a daint tiara on her head.
"Let's go then."
"Yes Princess," the group of maids bowed before they began to escort Aurianna across the castle hall leading to the ballroom. The gigantic doors serving as an entrance into the ballroom slowly opened, and all the noise that had been heard from inside previously quieted down.
Everyone turned their attention. Aurianna stood in the doorframe, basking in all the eyes on her. Truly, this was a monumental day.
"Presenting: Princess Aurianna," a knight in golden armor announced before a trumpet was blown.
Everyone clapped and she returned the gesture with a dignified bow, lifting her gown as she did so. She entered the ballroom, an elegant stride in her step. A few tried to strike a conversation with her by giving her a compliment or happy birthday wishes but they were quickly shut down by a cold glare.
"She's so beautiful," a lady praised as she looked at Aurianna in awe.
She was wearing a midnight blue gown that was embossed with light blue highlights, her sleeves were cut short, highlighting her shoulders, as a pair of long black sleeves covered her arms. A large light blue bowtie was attached to the back of the gown while similar bow ties were tied to both sides of her long hair.
"The rumors really are true, the princess is like a goddess," another person murmured in the crowd
"Her skin is as fair as snow," another person chimed in.
"Her eyes are like gems, so exotic," another person commented.
"What a fair lady!" A man shouted from the crowd.
"Thank the goddess for blessing Queen Amber with such a beautiful child," another person commented as the Queen watched from her seat with a pleased smile. A compliment like that was wasted on a woman as useless as her, or at least that's what Aurianna thought to herself.
'She's not even my real mother anyway…' She scoffed.
But now that pleasantries were out of the way, the time for the party had begun.
Aurianna, having a cold smile on her face, started walking towards the King, who was standing. Behind him were all the other princes seated except for Vatium who was noticeably absent. There remained a chair for him however it was empty, and was on the end of the line of royalty. If it was intentional or accidental that his chair remained there as well as being off to the side was unknown, but Aurianna noted it nonetheless.
Aurianna was beaming from ear to ear. But it wasn't a sweet smile that one would expect from a girl celebrating her tenth birthday, it was quite sinister and almost unsettling.
"I hosted this party to celebrate my daughter Princess Aurianna's 10 birthday," King Girsal announced with a big smile.
All in attendance clapped once more.
"How do you like the party, Aurianna?" King Girsal knelt down and asked Aurianna.
"It seems interesting, I like it father," Aurianna said as she smiled.
"We have received a divination from our goddess that she would save us all from the wicked demons," King Girsal got up and announced.
"We all know how for centuries the demons have disrupted our peace and caused chaos in our borders, terrorizing our citizens and killing them. This is too much not only that the elves have also launched several attacks on us, the same goes for those foul beast people. That's why the goddess always blesses us with the Saintess to repel them with their holy light," the King monologued on.
'What a bunch of nonsense," Aurianna sneered as she looked at King Girsal with a mocking gaze.
'Why wouldn't they attack? You kidnapped their people after all, making them into slaves and yet you expect them to be quiet about it? I used to believe their lies but not anymore,' Aurianna thought to herself. She was trying her best to hide her annoyance. It wasn't very good though as King Girsal picked up on her sudden shift in energy.
"This is why when my daughter grows up she'll also help the heroes who will be summoned to repel the demons once and for all!!" King Girsal continued his speech, ignoring Aurianna's slightly bothered energy.
"Summon the hero?!" Someone gasped in shock.
"Is it really possible?" A person asked.
"It has been 500 years," another person muttered.
"This is marvelous, all hail his majesty King Girsal!!" The people praised joyously as King Girsal grinned.
Aurianna glared at the king, "Since when am I obligated to save you all from demons?"
Aurianna's words cut through the cheers and voices like a sharp knife. Those who had previously shouted praises and joy instantly ceased. Turning to gaze at Aurianna in shock, including King Girsal and the rest of the royalty.
"What do you mean? Aurianna, the goddess is blessing you to protect the people. You shouldn't be lazy. Do you know how many people would love to be in your shoes?" King Girsal scolded her.
"And who exactly said the Saintess should save people she doesn't give a fuck about," Aurianna scoffed, an angered look in her eye.
Dumfounded, he stuttered, "W-well Aurianna, the goddess said so."
Aurianna turned to look at the statue of the goddess Paige before her, raising her middle finger to her, "Well that bitch of a goddess can go fuck herself!"
If it was due to the silenc