Behind the darkness of the starry night, Solstice City seemed so quiet. The waves that never tire of hitting the rocks, singing ancient songs that only those with deep souls understand. The salty air surrounds every corner of the city, carrying stories of the hidden sea. A sea that is so deep, not only in its meaning, but also in all the secrets it contains.
There was a young man named Leander Connan, a young painter who lived in the city. Since childhood, he has been fascinated by the sea since he was a child. Not only because of its beauty, but also because of something deeper, something that he could not understand with an ordinary mind. He often walked along the beach, painting what he saw, but there was always one picture that he painted perfectly, a mysterious beautiful woman with long jet black hair and a blue diamond mark on her forehead, her eyes like the depths of the ocean and her face full of feelings that he could not define.
That night, Lean sat in his small studio at home looking out at the beautiful sea. The blank canvas in front of him was waiting to be filled as always. However, he felt something was different tonight. Like voices calling him, a soft whisper flowing from the direction of the ocean.
With trembling hands, Lean took the brush and dipped it into the deep blue color. The first strokes felt so natural, as if this hand was no longer his, but belonged to something greater. Slowly the body of the beautiful woman appeared on the blank canvas, she lay on the rocks with her long black hair hanging down touching the water. The beautiful gaze of the woman's eyes seemed real as if she was watching Lean paint, the details of the painted body and the beautiful colors were clearly visible on the canvas. The final touch added a blue diamond mark on the woman's forehead.
When the last lines were formed, a ray of blue light shining from within the painting spread, seeping out of the canvas. Lean was surprised and stepped back. The light grew brighter, and in an instant, the sound of the waves that were usually only heard from a distance now filled the room. Something moved on the surface of the painting, like waves overflowing from the deep sea.
The painting began to move, Lean was mesmerized and could not move, his eyes locked on the painting that was now more alive than just a picture.
And then, the figure appeared. As if formed from water and light, the woman's figure slowly rose from within the painting. Her long hair flowed like endless waves, and her deep eyes radiated a soft yet enchanting blue light, her naked body covered by her long hair looked perfect just like what Lean had dreamed.
The woman opened her eyes, looking at Lean with a sharp but loving gaze. "I... am finally free," her voice was soft, yet deep, as if coming from the depths of the distant sea.
Lean was still stunned, could only whisper, "Who... who are you?"
The woman smiled slightly crookedly. "I am Celestia, the goddess of the sea who sleeps in your painting."
The man felt that something very big had just begun, something unexpected, even to his own destiny. He might not know what would happen next, but one thing was for sure—his old, quiet life was now over, and he would never be the same again.
Lean remained silent, his eyes wide open as if he was seeing a hallucination. But, the woman or entity that now stood in front of him—was not an illusion. Her long hair moved like the ripples of the sea dancing under the moonlight, and the water flowing around her feet seemed to form a small ocean that continued to flow, even seeping into the wooden floor of the studio.
He couldn't look away, captivated by the woman's beauty and presence that was so all-encompassing. "You... from the painting?" Lean asked in a barely audible voice, still unable to believe what was happening before him.
The woman nodded slowly, her smile perfectly painted on her face.
Lean swallowed, still trying to make sense of it all. "But... why? Why me? Why this painting?"
The woman stepped closer, as if her movements were so light, like waves that could not be held. "Because, you are a rare descendant. There is the blood of the gods flowing in your body, blood that has been lost for thousands of years. That is why I can live from your drawings—because the art you create has a power that even the gods of the sky cannot understand."
The woman raised her hand, looking at her palm, which seemed to be enveloped in blue light. "Your blood connects the mortal world to a higher world—with a power unseen, profound and eternal. I, who was once the Goddess of the Sea, am part of that world."
The sound of the wind flowing outside the studio began to change, growing louder, like the sound of crashing waves. Lean felt something threatening, something far greater than just this extraordinary encounter. "What is happening? What will happen to this world?"
The woman lowered her head, as if sensing the tension hanging in the air. "My presence in this world is not without its price. When I was resurrected from the painting, the world began to tremble—especially the sea. I was born from a very powerful element, and if I do not return to my place soon, this ocean will swallow more than we can imagine."
Lean felt a heavy weight on his heart. "But you… you can't just disappear like that, can you? You live because of my painting."
The woman looked at him with eyes filled with pain. "My life is not a simple one. I have been trapped in a canvas for centuries, and though I may rise from your painting, I remain bound to a higher world. Something is preventing my freedom—something very powerful. If I do not return to my place, this peace will crack, and the sea will rage, drowning the world I have protected."