It began like any other day. A young woman in her early twenties hurried through the cathedral's hallways, her lush brown hair braided into a single ponytail that swayed gently with each step. She wore Zenith's colors- a white dress adorned with golden-yellow trimmings. From time to time, she adjusted the glasses perched on her nose as she walked.
"I can't believe she's still in bed!" she muttered, visibly irritated. This was Sylvia, the loyal maid and caretaker of the saintess.
At last, she reached the entrance of a room marked by an unusually large door adorned with intricate designs. She came to a halt, her attention shifting to the two knights standing guard.
"I'm here to attend to the saintess" Sylvia stated briefly.
The guards, clad in white armor with golden accents matching the uniforms of Zenith's followers, nodded in acknowledgment, granting her entry.
Wasting no time, Sylvia stepped through the doors and entered a quiet, spacious room. The space was adorned with various ornaments and relics depicting the faith of Zenith. The faint scent of incense lingered in the air, while a few candles flickered weakly, their embers on the verge of dying out- evidence that they had likely been left burning overnight.
However, Sylvia paid little attention to these details. Her gaze immediately shifted to the queen-sized bed at the far end of the room, where a figure lay, seemingly fast asleep.
Sylvia frowned at the sight before her, irritation evident in her expression. She approached the bed with heavy, almost stomping footsteps.
Without a moment's hesitation, she yanked the duvet off the figure lying in bed, startling them awake.
"Young saintess! How long do you plan to stay in bed? It's already noon!" Sylvia scolded, her tone sharp and reprimanding.
Slowly rising from the bed was a breathtakingly beautiful young girl. Her golden-blonde hair, long enough to reach her waist, cascaded in gentle, scattered waves as she sat up. Rubbing her eyelids with a sleepy yawn, she finally spoke.
"Good morning, Sylvia," she greeted casually.
The words only seemed to irritate Sylvia further, as it was well past morning just as she had pointed out moments ago.
Taking a deep breath to keep her temper in check, Sylvia calmly said, "Young saintess, its noon already. You should be making your way to the Altar of Pyro for your prayers."
At Sylvia's words, the girl stopped rubbing her eyes. Her expression turned slightly more serious as she opened them, revealing a stunning pair of emerald-green eyes.
"Sylvia…" she began slowly, her tone suddenly carrying a hint of gravity.
Sylvia allowed herself a smug smile, satisfied that the young girl seemed to have finally grasped the seriousness of the situation.
But then-
"How many times have I told you to call me by my name when we're alone? It's Elaine!" she declared with a playful pout, clearly displeased by Sylvia's formal way of addressing her.
A vein throbbed dangerously on Sylvia's forehead. She was on the verge of screaming.
"Let's get you ready before the High Priestess has our heads, young saintess!" she snapped.
Before long, the duo entered the sacred hall where the Altar of Pyro stood.
Elaine, now thoroughly groomed by Sylvia, had her golden-blonde hair neatly styled into a braided, curled bun adorned with delicate golden embellishments. Gone were her night garments, replaced by a flowing white peplos with intricate golden trimmings. Around her neck hung a rosary bearing the symbol of Zenith- a radiant star.
One striking feature of her appearance set her apart from everyone else in the hall: she walked barefoot. With each step, a pair of silver anklets jingled softly, their delicate chime echoing through the sacred space.
'Ah… I hate this,' Elaine thought to herself as her emerald eyes swept over the gathered crowd, catching the many adoring and worshiping gazes fixed upon her.
Her life had changed drastically the day she was taken from the orphanage where she had grown up. The church had claimed she was the saintess, ordained by God, and though she was grateful for the life they had given her, a lingering doubt gnawed at her.
How could she not question it?
She was meant to be a saintess, a divine proxy, a herald of God- delivering sacred messages to mankind. Yet, aside from awakening the Solaris affinity, she had shown no signs of receiving visions or divine mandates. Such revelations were supposed to manifest almost every time she performed prayers at the Altar of Pyro. But despite countless attempts, she had seen and heard nothing.
'Let's just get this over with,' she thought, unenthusiastically stepping forward.
Stepping onto the platform that held the Eternal Flame, Elaine approached the large torch where the sacred fire burned- bright yet gentle, visible for all to see. She came to a stop before it and, as she had done countless times before, lowered herself to her knees.
With a steady breath, she began to speak.
"O Eternal Flame, kindled in the dawn of the gods, ever burning at the peak of divinity,
Let your sacred fire cleanse the darkness from our souls,
Let your radiant embers guide our path through the veil of night,
May we, your humble vessels, be purified in your holy blaze,
That we may glimpse the divine light and walk ever in your grace."
"Shed light upon this dark world," Elaine whispered- a final plea, a prayer meant to mark the beginning of her revelation.
But, as always, nothing happened.
She remained kneeling for a few more minutes, waiting in silence. Then, with a quiet sigh unheard by anyone, she rose to continue the rest of the ritual.
That was when she realized.
The grand hall, the gathered worshippers, the Altar of Pyro- everything was gone. The sacred space had vanished without a trace.
In its place was an endless abyss of darkness.
Fear gripped Elaine's heart as the world around her vanished into darkness. For a brief moment, panic set in- had she suddenly gone blind?
But then, a brilliant light flared in the distance, shattering her fears.
It was blinding, all-encompassing so intense that the void around her was obliterated in an instant. The sheer radiance forced her to raise her hands, shielding her eyes from its overwhelming glow.
Yet, as her vision adjusted, she finally saw the source.
A sun.
A literal sphere of raging, immolating flames.
The burning sphere of heat and light roared with an intensity that suggested unimaginable temperatures. A wave of searing heat washed over Elaine, reinforcing the notion that this was a force capable of incinerating anything in its path.
And yet… she remained unscathed.
Despite the overwhelming heat, her skin bore no burns, no pain. Instead, the warmth wrapped around her like a comforting embrace- fierce, yet strangely soothing.
'How odd…' she thought still wary.
Back at the Altar of Pyro, chaos erupted.
The moment the saintess had finished her prayer, her body had suddenly begun to levitate, rising into the air as a golden brilliance flooded her eyes. Gasps of shock and awe filled the hall, but before anyone could react, her voice rang out-only it was not hers alone.
It echoed, layered- one voice unmistakably her own, the other that of an older woman, deep and resounding with authority.
"When the Heir of Chaos, a being both cherished and abhorred by the heavens themselves, awakens upon his rebirth into this world, he shall be as an empty canvas. In his innocence, he may usher forth an era of peace and glory, bringing the world to its zenith- if shown the virtues of humanity.
But should he witness its darker inclinations, he shall cast the world into darkness, ruin and chaos ."