For Aster, when death came, it felt surprisingly warm and comforting. Life as a Saintess had been unbearably cold and empty. To die by poison didn't feel odd, though it was unquestionably strange. Ordinary poisons had no effect on her due to the Holy Shield that protected the Saintess at all times. And yet, after 120 years in stasis, she could only feel thankful to meet death. Besides, as a Holy Maiden, she knew that she had fulfilled her duty and that another would soon be born in her stead, when the time was right. And so Aster's sight slowly dimmed till only darkness surrounded her and everything became nothing.
Above, the Beings of Light watched the life force of their child slowly dim.
"Aster", the Beings echoed, "For your service we shall grant you what you so fervently desire."
"We shall grant it to you.", the voices continued to echo.
As if reacting to the mandate of the Beings, a golden string invisible to any of the inhabitants of the mortal world slowly made its way out of Aster's heart and rose towards the sky. Above, a single rain drop fell from the heavens and on touching the golden string, vanished with it. The golden string reappeared above a lake with crystal water and floated towards the palm of a mysterious Being. In the lake, small luminescent fish swam excitedly, seemingly hungry for the golden object.
"Nyra." the Being uttered.
On hearing the word, a black serpent lurking in the depths of the lake swam up to the surface.
"Take this one where it desires.", the Being whispered, as the black serpent swallowed the golden thread and disappeared back into the depths of the lake.
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Below, thousands of miles away from the Holy Seer's Temple, before the shrine of a forgotten god, an old couple prayed fervently to be blessed with a child. In the sky above them, a comet blazed past the dilapidated shrine leaving behind a serpentine trail before it vanished.
As the couple left the shrine, they heard the faint cry of an infant, seemingly hidden amongst the shrubbery.
"Martin,", the old woman said, gripping the arm of her husband, " Listen."
The couple rushed towards the source of the sobs, pushing aside the underbrush.
"Look! Martin!", the old woman exclaimed with shock, pointing at a swaddled infant that now lay quietly on a bed of dried grass and twigs. "Perhaps the gods have answered our prayers!"
Her companion knelt down slowly and picked up the child.
"Someone might be looking for her Martha." he whispered quietly.
Parting the hair away from the little child's face, he let out a gentle smile. "Who could have left her here?", he muttered.
Back in the Holy Seer's Temple, the cold body of the Saintess Aster began to convulse violently as if being possessed by an otherworldly force. The eyes of the Saintess opened suddenly as if alive, as one pupil turned grey.
"At last, I've managed to come here.", the lips of the Saintess uttered. A stiff hand jerked up, towards the grey eye.
"An eye for a life.", the Saintess uttered, letting out a maniacal laugh.
"Nevertheless, this will do.", the voice continued out of the Saintess' lips, which slowly began to turn blush with the colour of life.