Whelp, I am just ashamed to show my face in here. Every time I "come back", I end up disappearing instantly, and it all boils down to the little thing that gave me the fire to write as Astarte... A desire for freedom.
It was something I didn't have, freedom, back in my old home, and my greatest way of tasting it was through writing as Astarte. Her antics, her personality, the way she was unpredictable. It was all so lovely to me, such a breath of fresh air to my soul.
It pains me to say, I don't think it is so anymore. I love her, and I love Divinus and all the characters in it (I mean, who can forget all the adventures we've had? The years we've spent together?), but I just can't keep writing this character, I can't get myself to bring her back as she should be.
Those of you who joined Godspeed noticed the vast difference in my characters. While Astarte has always been my character, and she's always been unpredictable, Aella was much more calm, collected and serious. It reflects my growth as a person, the things I desire in life, and I believe even that has changed lately.
I don't know your names, or your faces, I don't know your dreams, but is it not true that we've been a part of each other's lives for a long time, is it not true that we will remember and cherish, with so much nostalgia, these little characters and stories we've told here?
I've derailed my own post long enough. I want you, my friends, to know that I want to keep sharing words with you. I want to keep building worlds by your side. And so, I want to offer you my full support in this coming iteration of the Divinus series. Do you need graphics done for the wikia? I can do so. Do you need to talk to someone about ideas for characters or arcs? I'm always available for you guys. Please do ask me for help if you need it, and I will do my best to support you.
Also I might create an entirely new character when the new Divinus comes around. These last few years have been so hectic yet so dull for me, so I really want to bring some color back into my stuff, yeah? :)
Sup, I am bout ready to get this started. Since posts are kinda on the slow side, I'd like to ask permission to post double, triple, quadruple posts. Is that alright? Of course, I'll wait a couple days between each post just in case.
Also excuse me if my writing is whacky, I'm taking the rust off and trying out my new wheels (my new laptop). Hopefully by getting back into my beloved Divinus I'll rekindle my creative fire back to its height.
Flashes of white, purple, yellow and lavender fill my vision; my consciousness is then covered in a haze that could only be related to absolute darkness.
.
. .
. . .
It is the skull-splitting pain in my head that awakens me, and as I open my eyes, with my vision blurry and my mind in disarray, the first thing that I see are the blades of grass swaying to and fro with the breeze, with the horizon behind them and the blue early morning sky above all.
But those things do not catch my attention. I struggle to my feet.
Most of my wooden armor was missing or damaged beyond repair so I quickly strip out of whatever remained on my form and stared at my left wrist, where a crude message had been carved and scarred onto the sensitive skin.
‘KILL THE TRAITOR’
A chill went down my spine and I felt a tightness in my chest. My vision goes red and I start breathing rapidly and grunting as my body threatens to lose its balance.
“GGGRRAAAAAHH!”
I roar as I turn and smash my fist into a tree.
I take a few deep breaths and calm down. I look at the tree I just punched and admire the cracked and splintered surface my fist left behind and then look at my fist. The skin covering the knuckles was gone and I could see the cracked bones underneath. I felt no pain, however, as my eyes caught sight of something far worse.
Behind the tree I’d just punched was a large battlefield… Or should I say, a graveyard. It extended for as far as the eyes could see, overflowing with rotten blood, ruined soil, mutilated bodies of both men and beasts. Flies roamed in swarms, and now that I was calm and was more collected, the smell hit me.
I was lucky I had nothing to eat for a long time.
I do not remember much of what I did next, but now I am here, in an inn on the outskirts of a town somewhere in this gods-forsaken World. The woman sitting in front of me across the table takes a big swig of her ale and sets the mug down loudly.
“So, y’want to join m’team, heh!”
She said in a foreign accent to mine, before looking up at me with a smirk on her face. She was short, and I was tall.
I looked her up and down slowly, at least the parts I could see. She wore the thick calluses on her hands proudly, and the way her lean muscles threatened to explode into action at any time told me all I needed to know. We both were strong.
I nodded my head.
“You’re a quiet one, I like you,” She said, sobering up, “and we do need more hands if we wish to head up north. You’re in. Got weapons?”
I nodded my head again.
“Good, and armour?”
I shook my head no.
“A shame, at least I see you’ve got furs for the cold,” She says as she admires the bear furs protecting my body from frostbite, “We’ll get you some armour on the way there. Could you repeat your name for me, girl?”
I look at my hands, remembering how quickly my injuries healed and stare at the message on my left wrist again. I caress the scars with my fingers and feel the hair on the back of my neck stand on end.
“My name…” I muttered, my long blonde hair serving as a curtain between me and the woman. Flashes of memories I did not recognize filled my mind for a moment, and then I lifted my gaze and stared the woman right in the eye, “My name is Seraph.”
Behold! My first post after 84 years of hiatus! Although this doesn't feature Astarte directly yet, I hope you guys enjoy the introduction to the new Astarte-related plotline. I accept suggestions for when this could take place and, as always, I CRAVE COLLABS, MATEYS. HMU.
Our new character, a young human woman named Seraph wakes up with only a few memories on the outskirts of a large battlefield and with a message carved straight onto her wrist. Everything's shrouded in mystery thus far, but more will be explained in the next post (whenever that comes, hehe)
After spending quite a few weeks with no internet connection, I thought to check in here. Please send me a PM once this "new Divinus" goes into the Interest Check phase, I'd love to participate in the future! I don't even mind it if I end up having to play a simple mortal due to being late. Just remember to let me know, ol' friends.
Also, I think one of the problems with Divinus in general is its biggest strength. It's too good of a sandbox. Once you play it out and achieve the things you wanted to achieve, there's little point in continuing to write. Maybe we could add some sense of purpose to the new iteration? Like, all Gods arrived at the new world after escaping from some insanely powerful/destructive event/faction/entity? Could hint at the need to build up the new world into something capable of defending itself against this threat. Or maybe the Gods forget about the threat and it eventually comes back later to mess things up.
Just a way to add an endgame to things, a place where it'd feel good to end the greatness that Divinus always is.
So I've finally managed to chase down a one-way ticket outta Hell. I apologize for my inactivity (I know I've been apologizing for it the entirety of these last 2 years, sorry for that as well). I still have a few months to kill here in Venezuela, which I'll spend with old friends. It's safe to say that you probably won't see me around until November or such, as I'll likely have settled in my new home by then.
I'm happy to finally have my future in my hands, but it's been quite tough getting to grips with leaving everything I've known behind and every moment that passes I realize more and more that I'm gonna become a male version of Starfire pretty soon, hehe.
I'll probably pop by a couple times a month, so shoot me a PM if you need to contact me for whatever reason, as always.
@Eviledd1984, one thing worth mentioning is that I think humans already have a primitive sort of intelligence, they just don't know how to speak or anything complex. Only one so far knows how to make fires (and that's p far in the future, like 50 years after the arrival of the gods). Also, it's safe to say that the number of humans walking around is pretty low. 20 years after the arrival of the gods, the number should be at around 200 total humans with small tribes of 30-40 humans being nomads.
How unfixable. How unmendable. How broken was existence that such series of events were fated to happen? For a moment Aella had grasped the faint glimmer of hope that the possibility of peace - however tense - brought with it. Not anymore. The glimmer turned to sand, and the sand slipped through her fingers.
She was useless, Aella realized, for a person who wasn't able to protect her family was no better than the soiled earth beneath her feet.
The Winged Goddess watched from above as the Fae performed their last march, their first and last sacred journey through the Frontier. Even as she watched, many keeled over and died, becoming dust that mixed with the dunes. Some succumbed to infection, but many simply lost the will to go on.
"Oh, you poor, poor beings..." She muttered, keeping her hands on her chest over her heart.
The only one that noticed the sudden shift in the Frontier was the most broken of them all. It was subtle, but a hazy sight had appeared over the horizon. They looked like palm trees. The broken king looked around until he caught sight of the one responsible. A being not unlike a star in plain daylight watched over them from the sky, flapping two large, beautiful white wings. The sight lasted no longer than a few seconds before the figure vanished. The sight on the horizon, however, did not vanish. It was an oasis.
So it was true, Aella thought with a sigh as she observed the ashes over Mount Pervanon. She had mourned from the moment she heard the screams and wails, but she didn't want to believe it. She didn't want to see it. Her sister was dead, the very first she had spoken to in this new world. Why did it have to be her? Such a free, naive spirit... Aella wiped her tears away and bit back a sob. She still had to find Larwen. She could feel him, but his essence was weak and frail, deep below.
She forced her heart to calmness and dived to the foot of the Mount, entered one of the many caves and walked, letting her own aura light up the way.
It was a while.
She'd followed the path without faltering, and found a great chamber where the very stone had been pulverized through what was no doubt an impressive show of strength. Aella gave a somber nod as she felt the remains of Seihdhara's lingering essence, reaching toward her as if not wanting to let go. Aella closed her eyes tightly and shook her head, then walked deeper into the cave. It wasn't long until she found a trail of essence mixed with ichor. It was Larwen's.
She found him much deeper in the cave, stuck to a cold stone wall thanks to the sword impaling his chest. Ichor poured from his wound. He was in danger. Aella's eyes widened and she flew to him.
Larwen felt the presence of a familiar god, one of comfort and kindness, but he did not move his head to look at her. To ashamed, too guilty to ever look upon her face once more. He knew she flew towards him, and his voice came out weakly, "You should not be here, Aella. Just... Just let me die." His blood, his ichor, it flowed softly from the wound that would not heal, as it shouldn't.
Aella had no words. What could she say, that it'd be okay? That the death, the murder, of their sister was something they could eventually leave behind? No. Aella sniffled and took hold of the sword. She gripped it tightly and, in a moment of weakness, saw a scene she'd replayed in her mind over and over again. Her brother's child, a corrupted young god, coughing up his own ichor and looking up at her in confusion, gripping the blade of the sword stuck through his gut.
She blinked the vision away and pulled the sword with all her might, releasing Larwen. Immediately, she dropped the sword and went to Larwen's side. Her armour faded away and in its place was left her silk dress as she helped him sit and let his head rest against her chest.
"Larwen, I... What happened?" She asked softly, her voice steady despite the tears she was shedding.
Larwen gasped as the sword was drawn from his flesh, and with a clang cast to the side. To his great shock, Aella had done what he had not wished, and began to help him sit. To this, Larwen shrank in size, his large horns disappearing entirely. He now stood roughly the same size as Aella, his head becoming more like a human's, his unsightly mouth replaced by that of lips, his sharp teeth becoming flat. His skin tone remained the same however, except for the wound, it now glowed a soft white. Larwen now looked as a human did, but very skinny and with eyes that glowed a pale white.
He felt her embrace, but Larwen did not feel as if he deserved such a thing, but she did need the truth- that much he could give. "A mistake... A terrible mistake. I had not wanted it to happen like that, I only wanted her to be more like..." Larwen began softly, "She came into Pervanon searching for a Fae, one dear to her, she thought I took it. I took many Fae, but not that one. I... I told her she would be punished for coming uninvited, for our siblings and nephew had gotten away from me. I asked her.. I asked her if she would take on perfe- my corruption. She refused of course, and in a moment of anger I... I summoned a ball of corruption to hand, then grabbed her. But... I reeled away as my flesh touched hers, I saw but your face and the memory that haunts me. Only then did I realize I could not go through with it. But it was too late..." A deep sadness echoed throughout his voice, "She took my act as aggression, and impaled me with that sword, sending me to the depths. I could... I could feel it consume her...somehow it jumped to her, my corruption. I felt her die. Felt her become nothing... and it was all my fault."
Larwen went silent for a moment, then finally said, "I am a monster Aella."
Aella only responded by holding Larwen close. It was very quiet, and then she sobbed. Once, twice, and she began crying as quietly as she could. Even as she cried, she wrapped her wings around the two of them.
Larwen could not comprehend why she held him closer, why she wrapped her wings around them, he was a demon that did not deserve it. But he could feel Aella begin to cry, she tried to hold it back but still it came. This, more then anything, both saddened and pained him greatly. He at last spoke, his voice again but a soft whisper, "I am... I am so sorry Aella. I will never be able to forgive myself... Your pain and grief, it should have never been allowed to exist." He stated while silent tears streamed down his face. "You should let me go... I am not deserving of this... I am a monster Aella. I am to be hated, not..." but his voice broke to silence and he Larwen did not move.
"S-Stop saying that...!" She said and sobbed, resting her face against the top of his now hornless head, "Stop, just... Stop, Larwen. I don't care if you're deserving, I don't care if you're a monster. I want to be here, with you, as we mourn for our sister together." She whimpered and let go of Larwen. As she did so, she shifted her position and ended up sitting on her knees and bowing her head down, "Please don't say you'd rather die, I don't think I could take losing you, too..." She said and sobbed, putting her hands against the stone ground.
Aella's words broke Larwen further, she had a heart full of kindness and love, and he had pierced it with an arrow through his actions. He did not object as she let go of him, and he too sat on his knees, his now human like hands resting on his thighs. To the side of Aella now, he watched with a downcast expression, slowly looking up. "That you would be here... with me...I...Thank you..." He knew not what else to say, and his voice fell silent. More then anything he wanted to comfort her, to hold her, but Larwen no longer considered himself worthy of even looking at Aella. For he had killed their sister, even now he wished it were not so. Such were his thoughts, they drowned him in agony, no relief would be had except time and time was quickly catching up to him.
She didn't know how long they were sat there, mourning, but eventually her tears had dried and she found herself emptily gazing at the ground, where a puddle of the luminiscent tears had gathered. A shake of her head later, she cleared her throat and stretched her wings. "Huh-" She began, pulling out a map from thin air and handing it to Larwen, "... I convinced Regulus to offer a chance for peace. You stay within the territory outlined on the map and he promises not to attack. The territory is all you have now plus the oasis that I gave you." She said, wiping her face.
"I'm not sure if it still stands after this... I suppose we'll have to wait and see." Aella sighed and embraced herself. "It feels so cold now without the fire..." She muttered while shivering.
The silence lasted for what felt like an age, a period of mourning, Seihdhara's death would haunt him forever. He looked upon the map that Aella handed to him, seeing the outline of the Anathema's. Where once this might have angered him, he no longer felt anything but an emptiness that ate at him. His taste for war died with his sister, Regulus' offer might stand, but that did not mean his other siblings would also agree to it. This he knew. More surprising, was that Aella had convinced him that peace might be an option. She had went through so much... and Larwen had thrown it all away.
Larwen instinctively raised a hand towards Aella, but paused, then retracted it. "I no longer have the will to wage war Aella, or to take any mortals, or to spread what I am. This peace...I wasted it. Once again, I am sorry. You have been too good to me, and I have given you nothing but heartache and grief. Her fire.. It will always be there, Aella... you just have to search." Larwen said softly.
Aella looked at him and shrugged half-heartedly, "Peace is never wasted, Larwen. There's still hope, we can still find it, but..." She bit her lip and shook her head, then stood up and offered a hand to Larwen, "I like this new appearance of yours much more, Larwen. You have eyes now." She said and forced a warm smile to her lips.
He felt the truth behind her words, peace was not possible now, not for him at least. He knew she stood up and offered her hand, and at last Larwen looked at her. His guilt festered like a bad wound, even seeing her brought about him pain, for her eyes told him more of how she felt then the smile that pursed her lips. Such a warm smile, but one that felt forced, one that looked at him like everything would be alright. Larwen knew it would not. His very act had scarred him, Aella, all the gods. They would never look at him in the same light again, he was now a cretin of the lowest order. Larwen bade no move to take Aella's hand, no matter how much he wanted to. "Aella...Your eyes tell me the grief behind your words, the sheer agony I have inflicted upon you. I am unworthy to touch you, to look at you. I...I.. should leave this world. My presence would only cause more pain to you. Telum will be coming for me now, I wish not to have you hurt more." Larwen finished, looking down at the ground once more.
Aella forcefully grabbed Larwen's hand and in the blink of an eye, they were back at the chamber with the Tree they had both created. There, she let go of him and pointed at the Tree, "We created that together, Larwen. That beautiful being wouldn't exist if not for us. Don't you think you're turning a blind eye to the good in you? The potential you have to create?" She pursed her lips and after a moment, she gently put her hands on Larwen's cheeks and made him lock eyes with her, "I am a monster too, you know. These hands that you seem to enjoy are also responsible for the deaths of so many Gods... And if someone like me can change their ways, then you can try to as well. Remember, brother, only you can decide who you are."
"Accidents happen and they're painful, but pain is a natural part of any life..."
Larwen looked up at the tree, it felt larger then ever before. He let Aella touch him, her soft hand gentle, and when they locked eyes he looked deeply into her own, "A... monster?" Larwen whispered, he could not wrap his head around the Goddess in front of him capable of murdering gods. Though she did have a point, his potential was there, but he felt as if he could no longer reach it. "I can feel it inside me... the memory that haunts my dreams, it wants me to do something... I know not what." Larwen paused, then continued, "This pain...If I had known...I would never have hurt her. It should have been me, Aella. I should have died..I will try...for her. For you."
Aella smiled and closed her eyes, resting her head against Larwen's chest, being careful not to disturb his healing wound. "Thank you for trying. As for the memory, I'm afraid I don't know what to say about that. You'll probably find out what it is you have to do in due time."
After a long while of Aella resting against him, Larwen wrapped his arms around her in an embrace. He still hated himself for what had been done, but the pain of not being able to hold her, outweighed the pain of doing so. "I know not what is now in store for me, but judgement will come in one form or another. I ask that you do not defend me when it comes, Aella. Telum was Seihdhara's child, his wrath will be great indeed. I do not want you to take anymore pain upon yourself when if it can be prevented. Please."
"I will not let him kill you, if that's what you're asking of me." Aella huffed.
"No...But he will seek vengeance upon his mother's killer." Larwen sighed, "I need to leave Galbar, Aella. For Time. Time to heal... For everyone... it's the only way to avoid more violence. More pain." And to this Larwen knew the truth, for he could not be more despised now. It was only right he go into exile, to find solitude and a sense of purpose beyond his corruption. His thoughts turned to the Zalsarix and his children, to the Perfected Ley and Fae. To Maeve. Larwen would have to abandon them, their father, to a world that would hate them. He could not take them with, for he knew not where his journey would take him.
"I-" She wanted to say he was wrong, that he should stay, but that would have been too selfish and naive. Larwen was speaking the truth and even if she didn't like it, exile was the only way he'd be safe for now. "I... Understand. I will be waiting for your return. Send me a message every once in a while, yes? To know you're okay."
To this Larwen gave a tight squeeze and asked, "I need you to do something for me... Collapse the entrance to Pervanon. Thought it pains me greatly, what I have created in the depths of this place should be forgotten. Please, will you do this for me?"
Aella nodded and looked at the Tree one last time. "No one will ever see this garden we've created, huh? I will do it."
"Thank you Aella... This garden was never meant for anyone else but either of us... Take the seeds from the tree, plant them across Galbar. Let them grow. I know Telum will not listen to me, or the others, and I do not ask them for forgiveness, but, let them know what happened here. If...If you ever need me, speak my name and I won't be far." Larwen stated, then pulled away from Aella, looking at her beauty one last time, smiling ever so softly as he did. His voice came as a soft whisper, "Goodbye... my love." And Larwen vanished from the garden of Pervanon, from Aella's sight, to a distant place far beyond Galbar.
His exile had begun.
From the blackness of Pervanon, where Larwen had sat impaled into the stone wall, there was naught but silence. Until the blood of Larwen stirred, for his ichor had not yet dissipated, and when Seihdhara's sword struck him, it did far more then wound the God. It broke apart of him, shattering it into the rock where it began to leech out like blood from a fresh wound. It pooled with the essence of Larwen, subduing the golden ichor, dominating, mixing, and growing, savoring every bit of the meager amount left behind. There it continued to gestate, to think, and its first thoughts were of pain, but not its own.
Vines of black matter erupted from the mass, interconnected and forming large claws as they touched the stone.
Then another arm.
A leg followed, strong and sturdy.
Then another leg formed.
It rose from where it at knelt, standing as tall as Larwen had.
It's head formed from the black mass, twisting into a foul visage.
Flames then erupted from it, bright and hot, the creature coming to life in perpetual agony.
Aella watches over the Fae as they venture into the Frontier and shifts things around a bit so that a small oasis ends up close to them.
She then goes to Pervanon, sees Seihdhara's remains and bites back tears. Eventually she goes deep into Pervanon and finds Larwen, impaled to a wall. She helps him out of the predicament and they talk and mourn for a long while, with Aella finding out that Seihdhara's death was an accident.
Eventually, Larwen tells her that the only way forward was with him seeking self-exile. After a heartfelt goodbye, he leaves. Now Aella has been left with the task of making the entrance to Pervanon collapse.
Unknown to anyone, the blood that had flowed out of Larwen's wound and pooled in the depths of Pervanon became an Avatar.
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