CELESTIAL PACT
Chapter one: Let the Stars Guide
"Seems like everything's coming togheter.."
A soft voice sounded. Her amber eyes gazed upon the moon with a soft sigh. Was that finally the time?''You seem worried about that as always..They are ready to take that on. Especially Kashmir.."
She turned around. A familiar, foxian figure stood behind her, in as always elegant and flowery Kimono. Hashiro, goddess of dreams came closer to her, standing now arm to arm."Kashmir...It was his dream to guide but...This is just not safe Hashi...he's too young"
"Ah...Raito...he really took a lot from your brother didn't he?.."
Raito looked away, as Hashiro fixed rings on her braids in an unusual to her, gentle way."Maybe you're right..we shouldn't keep her waiting...at least let's hurry before she falls into the wrong hands.."
The day started off as usual. School's been busy as always. Amy walked around lost in thought, overthinking. Recently, some of the weird dreams she has been experiancing for quite a long while started to appear more often. She couldn't also pass on noticing same two strangers always being suspiciously close wherever she went. Where did they even come from? What a headache... All of her issues surely didn't come close to what was waiting her next. Of course, a test. As Amy was about to sit near the classroom, she felt dizzy. Like really dizzy, like if she hit her head against something. It could be a right choice to splash own face with a cold water to thaw out. As Amy entered the school 's bathroom...she fainted. These weird images again...light.. screams..gut feeling of betrayal. What was happening? When she woke up... everything went back to normal. However, Amy felt a weird object in her pocket. She inspected it closely. Where did that stone come from? Regardless, she needed to head back to that damned test, didn't she? Right after it, she was approached by two other students. These weirdos, who have been watching her it seems."What's the matt-HEY!"
Amy yelled out as one of them, a swift, darkskinned boy reached into her pocket and inspected the stone briefly. After that, he nodded at the other girl and while handing Amy back the stone, he reached his other hand towards her."Name's Kashmir. Nice to finally meet you, "New Star".."
A...what .."
He tilted his head. The other girl stepped up. For a while, Amy thought she was sick because of how Pale she was."Dahlia. We are Truthkeepers."
Amy blinked few times."...What."
They both looked at each other and started to whisper between eachother. As they were about to show the way to her, Amy has already left towards the school's patio."Who are these weirdos..."
She muttered to herself while walking. Amy held the weird stone tightly. For some reason, she felt..connected to it. She heard footsteps behind her, upon turning around Amy faced these two again. She let out an annoyed huff. A moment later, another weird thing occured...Chapter two: Into the unknown
Amy never saw something like this. The creature...looked dead, yet it showed so much wrath at the same time. She quickly looked around. How come nobody else has noticed that? She took a quick step back, just to see these two "weirdos" again casually jumping into the combat with that thing. From the one side, it was wrapped by strong ivy vines and pinned to the ground, when on the other side it was getting blasted with..stars? What the hell was even happening? Upon defeat, the beast turned into a dust. Literally."That one wasn't so tough eh?" Kashmir fixed up his bandana proudly.
Dahlia quickly turned towards Amy to explain what has she just witnessed."Titans. Elemental beings who act like animals...fighting them off is the only option, because their brains do not understand that-...ehh nevermind..." She shrugged and looked up and down at her.
Amy blinked few times while looking at them both."How did no one saw THAT?" Amy finally spoke up.
Kashmir chuckled quietly and Dahlia let out a sigh. As if it was a most obvious thing out there."Well...let's say the world you know is the only half of the ENTIRE world. Like...Imagine two slices of an apple..They both create a perfect "Fruit", in this case world..tsssk howeveeeer...."
"However...during last start of the New Era, our goddess was betrayed..thus making the border instable. Mortals do not see these things, yet beings from immortal world can in fact interact with the mortal one..thought it is obvious because other students didn't see your small camouflage." Dahlia added.
What does she mean by that? As they were talking, she started to scratch her head...then she felt it. Her ears were now pointy. And...She had WINGS?...What the fuck.
The Truthkeepers looked at her. Kashmir held his laugh slightly again."And going back to you, as it seems YOU are the reincarnation of the goddess! Epic isn't it?" Kashmir tried to come out as positive.
As Amy was about to add something, Dahlia pulled out a tarot card. After whispering a few words, she threw the card and it turned into a small rupture-like portal. She reached her hand towards Amy."Shall we?"
Without any confidence, she gently grabbed her hand and got pulled into that. Upon arriving at their destination, which was a small village in a forest themed domain, Kashmir started talking more about...whatever was happening."Now you will meet my aunt, Raito. She is..a goddess of nature. Don't worry tho, she's chill! I know a vision of facing one of the gods may sound scary but y'know.. we are demigods, so we are on their side after all..oh and Dahlia..She's a witch"
A witch? Demigods? Gods? All of that sounded like some kind off book she used to read in her free time. Or fanfiction maybe. They stepped up into the shrine. Amy, while looking around saw something unusual. All the worshippers were like a big family, working togheter. Finally, they approached Raito. Her amber, Hawk-like eyes stuck onto her. Raito really did look ethereal. Her braids decorated with golden rings and ornaments, her crown resembling deer antlers..Her entire outfit was a mix between someone royal and a casual hunter. After a while, the goddess smiled.We've been waiting for you...dear Amy..
<....>
Steps. Pretty steady ones. A figure opened heavy doors, her raccoon-like tail wagging in excitement"Boss?"
Another figure, standing in the darkest part of the room slightly turned towards her. Despite his icy cold gaze, he slightly nodded, letting her speak."They...they found her...Can we execute the plan now? Pleaseee.."
He frowned."For now..Keep an eye on her..and them all...we cannot risk just now..."
A crow let out a loud caw, as if it agreed.Chapter three: To hunt or be hunted
"So...you may wonder what REALLY is going on here hm?" - Raito asked, crossing her arms.
"I mean...all that betrayal stuff blah blah blah...but who even she WAS? You don't even recall her name!?" - Amy shook her head.
The group exchanged glances in silence, Dahlia breaking the silence."That's the point..her deeds speak off more than her actions...some claim she never revealed her name..some claim otherwise; that she did so, but the history just forgot..."
So weird. Even gods, who were surely alive at that moment cannot recall her name?"Regardless...your destiny is to fix the border of our worlds...Sadly we, gods and especially THEM shouldn't be able to cross it so smoothly..while leaving mortals totally unaware. There are more and more weird titan outbreaks. Which equals into natural disasters or plagues. Of course, all of that wouldn't be needed if-" - Raito let out a sigh. "..If he didn't betray us. Some legends say, that he was driven by wrath and envy...some lesser ones claim big sorrow taking a huge part in it..We will never know, as around 16..or 17 years ago he absolutely isolated himself.
Oh, another nameless deity, how great. She took a small glance around, just to catch an eye contact with a crow sitting on the frame of the shrine's window. Maybe it also yearns for attention from the nature goddess?"Back to the topic. Go take a small stroll to meet up with Hashiro. There is a thing she can help with...or to be more specific a soul to seal safely..we cannot allow Amy to lose it." - Raito turned around to fix a golden bow hanged on her wall.
That's it. Just a casual talk with a goddess Amy didn't even knew exist. More like a teaching from an aunt. Dahlia nervously fixed her witch hat.After a cup of tea and some rest, Truthkeepers set off. Luckily road wasn't too far, maybe like half an hour from Raito's spot. Amy felt like incoming days will remind her on how much she actually enjoys her rest. And private space...right now she surely has little to no of it.
"Sooo...who even is that Hashiro we speak of?"
Kashmir chuckled, letting Dahlia speak.A goddess of dreams...do not get to cozy around her..unlike Raito, Hashiro can really be passive-agressive around half-bloods...Not sure why, maybe something up with the previous era, she took a part in that war where Faceless Goddess died after all."
Not the answer she wanted to hear, to be honest... As they kept on walking, Amy felt a cold gaze upon her. But who? It was just only the three of them. Maybe she's just paranoic or tired? Oh, there it is, Hashiro's shrine. Unlike Raito's this one really stood on who's the boss around, not bonding with the worshippers. All the maidens kept standing in front, nervously watching as the Truthkeepers were taking up steps. And here she was, gazing at smoke from her incense. The goddess didn't even turn around to greet them."What do you need from me?" - she asked in a cold, annoyed tone.
Kashmir just gently pushed Amy in her direction, as she was nervously looking through her pockets for that damned rock. Hashiro finally turned around, her ears down as she looked at the stone."I see..Guess Raito just had to send me there, hm?
She took the soul from Amy's palms and without elaboration whispered few prayers. Nearly instantly giving it back in a form of a necklace shaped into a star."Better don't lose it, I won't make you a new one...right you'd be dead too possibly. Ah right...the games. Prepare some wood from the southern part of the forest and get ready for crescent night. I mean it's just some bullshit of Trixie, but if you win she can help you... Now go, I don't have time.." - Hashiro walked away.
Could've been worse...But about the games..Walk again..Hooray.
"Uh...what motivated you to take a part in all of that, again? " - Amy tilted her head.
Kashmir looked at her, as if he waited for that question."I really want to achieve something great y'know? To be remembered...and be like my dad. He took a part in the new era's beginning. I wish there was more credit for his doings...Anything to not be erased from the rememberance of others." -He got mesmerized in this thoughts.
Dahlia didn't look as excited to explain."Changing my fate.."
That's it. No explanation. That fantasy world surely was wacky, in the books all of that magic wasn't so scary... They kept on walking. They were getting close. Then...a laugh. And a gunshot."What the..." - Dahlia pulled out her scepter.
Kashmir loaded his bow. Amy just looked around nervously. In the exact moment she turned towards the laugh once more, a figure stood in front of her. Her bright green eyes staring right into hers. The most surprising part about her were her raccoon features."Hi!" - She smoothly grabbed her necklace. - "Nice decor! Mind borrowing me it?"
Amy quickly pushed her away, grabbing the stone on it."F..fuck off!"
The girl laughed again and looked her dead serious into her eyes."You don't seem to understand, do you? We need it."
Then, she pushed Amy. Right into a pile of activated fireworks."AMY!"
Dahlia was about to run up towards her, but she was too late. They have already exploded....
Nothing happened. Amy sat on the ground confused. The girl vanished, appearing in other corner once in a while."Maybe a small game will cheer you up?" - she asked elated, while aiming gunshots at them.
An absolute chaos started. She kept attacking from all sides, just as if she multiplied. Dahlia was quick with her moves, creating a star shield with every move enemy made. Opponents elated laughs only grew louder, until Kashmir stopped everything."Do not focus on her attacks!"
" HAVE YOU LOST YOUR SHIT??" - Amy yelled out.
"No, I mean LITERALLY. She seems to be a demigod of trickery, her main source of power is our foolishness!
She looked at Dahlia. Dahlia looked at her in same confusion. In the same time, everything froze in place, and the girl came back." No, no NO! Who do YOU think you are to just ruin the fun. Maybe you are the one LYING?" - She loaded her gun, a real one this time.
The team took battle stances again. Suddenly, another voice emerged. A calm, masculine tone."Luna..we talked about this..." - He waved with his fan.