Star Sky - Protostar

"Great tree, you have a mortal intruder sleeping on your branches. I ask that you surrender him to me as I need to surrender him to Yneas." The tree laughs and covers the ground with leaves. "I will never surrender to you this intruder unless this intruder surrenders himself." Sterling shakes his head in disbelief. "Please, do not make this hard for me." But the tree does not and tells Sterling to go away. "Quiet! The mortal is sound asleep." Sterling commands the tree to surrender the mortal once more, but the tree was firm. "Why you old sacred tree!" Sterling cusses and kicks the tree. The tree is enraged and growls. Yneas hears the tree and immediately gets to the place.

Yneas touches the tree and speaks with it. "Great Tree, what is wrong? Did someone hurt you?" The tree looks at Theia and was relieved to see that she was still asleep even after she growled. "He kicked me!" The tree points to Sterling. "Why would you kick Theia's sacred tree?" Sterling bows his head and explains. "He has the mortal and I asked him nicely to surrender the mortal, but he does not. He argues that the mortal is asleep, and that he would not surrender him unless the mortal wanted to." Yneas signals Sterling to leave the tree alone. "Forgive me, Great Tree. I apologize for Sterling's behavior. I was the one who ordered the mortal to be surrendered, but I honor your wishes, for our goddess' sake."

Sterling hangs his head in shame. He remembered that the tree was Theia's sacred tree. "I do not know why you consented to a mortal to be in our realm, but if it's our goddess' wish then so be it." Sterling then walks away from the tree. "Not sorry!" The tree exclaims and trips Sterling with his roots. "Ow! Alright, already! I am sorry!" Sterling exclaims. The tree laughs and voices out. "Good! This mortal is my friend. Do not disturb!" Sterling shakes his head and tells Yneas while he walks away. "That tree has gone mad!" Yneas sighs and sits near the tree trunk. "I am glad that you found a friend."

"Mmm, happy? I am happy. Very happy that I have someone to tell stories with." Yneas smiles at the Great Tree. "I am happy but please, do not show major prophecies, or favor what the mortal wants, unless our goddess gives her permission." The tree laughs once more shaking the ground, covering Yneas' foot with leaves. "This mortal needs no permission. Speak with the mortal once she is awake and ready."

Yneas follows Sterling shortly after. "I guess you are right. That tree has gone mad." Sterling then reasons out. "I kicked him because the mortal is sleeping in the place where our goddess used to sleep! He can't just place a mortal on our goddess' spot!" Sterling returns to his watch while Yneas froze. She looks at the Great Tree and remembers what he said. "The mortal must be Theia." She gasps and returns to the Great Tree. "I want to speak to..." The Great Tree hushes Yneas. "I said, when awake and ready. Now, she is asleep and definitely not ready. Come back after three days or more."

Theia was asleep for three days. Yneas returns to the tree, but the tree turns Yneas away. When Yneas was far from sight, Theia opens her eyes. "She visited and wished to speak with you. I told her you were asleep." Theia yawns and stretches. "She? You mean, Yneas?" The tree affirms. "It's alright. I just woke up and I am hungry. I need to go to the sacred hall but... I do need to ask her, otherwise if I go there right now, my overseers might think that I am an imposter." The tree puts Theia on the ground. "Hmm, I will produce fruit that you can eat. That solves your first problem." Theia laughs and embraces the Great Tree. "Aw, I missed you, my friend. I wonder what fruit will you produce?" The tree laughs, covering Theia with his leaves. He then concentrates and in one of his branches, a ripe fruit appears. He then picks it with one of his branches and hands it to Theia.

"Oh! Thank you. I thought you could not bear any fruit?" Theia asks before she bites the fruit. "I guess I could." Theia bites the fruit and as she swallows, all her memories with the Great Tree flashes. It was there where she took Yneas and confessed how she felt. Theia was shaken that she almost dropped the fruit. "Are you alright, my goddess?" Theia looks at the tree. "Your fruit, my memories with you." The tree was silent. "Forgive me, my goddess. I didn't know that my fruit would bring up such..."

Theia picks up the fruit. "It was bittersweet." Theia utters as she continues to eat the fruit from the Great Tree. "I almost forgotten them. The pain has swallowed me whole. I might have said goodbye to my heart." The Great Tree cheers Theia. "You have tears, it means you still have your heart." Theia smiles at the tree. "Well, technically, yes..." Theia gives the tree a hug and thinks of what she was going to do, but as she was, Sterling has already thought of a way on how to bring the mortal down. He has asked help from his fellow overseers and they bound Theia, taking her away, out of reach from the Great Tree.

The tree growls as he tries to grab Theia from them but he fails. Theia grunts and thinks. "Ugh, I didn't know that the pain is this excruciating as a mortal. What is this binding spell?! A mortal does not need one! Grr! Fuck you, Sterling if I had my hands on you, I swear I will turn you into dust!" But because she was aching, she said it out loud making the other overseers remove their binding spell. "Sterling, let her go. She is right, a mortal does not need to be bound, it will be excruciating for them." The other overseers speak as the tree was shaking the earth.

Yneas was alarmed and ports to the Great Tree. "Please stop, calm down and tell me what is wrong?" The tree focuses on where Sterling has taken Theia. "Theia!" The tree screams Theia's name with all his might like he was in danger. Theia gets on her feet and tells Sterling. "Release me this instant, you fool! What have you done with my tree?!" Theia exclaims. Sterling immediately removes the binding spell and kneels before the mortal. The other overseers do the same. Theia runs towards the tree enduring the pain she had from binding. "Ugh." Theia grunts and notices blood has come out from her mouth. "Great Tree..." Theia focuses and continues to run towards the tree.

When Theia was near enough for the tree to notice, he immediately grabs her with his roots and transfers her to his branches. "My friend, what have they done to you?" Theia asks while she was catching her breath. "Shhh, my goddess, it is you who I am worried about. You are bleeding, what have they done to you?" Theia smiles at the Great Tree and loses consciousness. The tree was enraged and screams Sterling's name. Sterling appears before the tree and kneels. "I am sorry. I did not know. I did not know that she was our goddess. I swear... You... you could have told me." The tree crushes Sterling with his roots. "What have you done to her? You made her bleed? Did I not tell you that I will not surrender her unless she wanted to surrender herself to you? You disrespected me; you disrespected her!"

Theia wanted to stop them from fighting because they were too loud, but she was too weak. Yneas was shaken. She looks at Sterling and tells him. "What have you done?" Sterling apologizes sincerely keeping his knees bent while his face was on the ground. They continue to exchange words, while Theia manages, "Stop..." The Great Tree obeys and everyone else stops talking. "You need healing, my dear goddess, should I give you to them?" Theia refuses and calls for Kradde. Kradde was busy taking care of his child that time, but Theia was also important to him. He leaves his child for awhile when he has put her to sleep and attends to Theia.

Everyone in Theia's realm could not believe what they are seeing. The dark element came before them and cradles Theia. "I am here, my dear. Close your eyes, I will take a moment, but you will have to suffer." Theia nods and prepares herself. She knows that the pain would be more than what she expects as she is mortal, but to her surprise, there was only a little pain. She smiles as soon as she felt that her wounds were treated. "I see. You have turned into a mortal. You and Atropos are into something, I know. I have no objections, so long as you do what is right. Take care, my goddess." With that Kradde leaves. The Great Tree was filled with much questions. "You and Kradde are friends?" Theia stretches and smiles as the pain was gone in an instant.

"Yes. He is my friend. I am part dark elemental." Everyone kept quiet. The Great Tree then bravely asks. "So, it was you who came and killed your overseers, devastated the land and..." Theia affirms. "I did tell you, but it seems like it was not important to you. You said that this is my realm, why should I be kicked out of it?" Kradde's healing has restored Theia's energy. She remembered what Atropos has told her, but she did not want to return to the High Spires yet. "My armband is returning." Theia thinks as she looks at her left arm. Not long, she is clothed in High Spire clothing. The Great Tree then bows before Theia, because the once mortal has become a goddess.

Sterling remained on his knees and so with the rest of the people. Theia then decides to speak. "I am not sorry for what I have done. The truth is that I was satisfied. Killing my own overseers felt so good that I want another round of it." Everyone swallows hard and they start to shake in fear. The Great Tree mourns as he readies himself for another sight of bloodshed. "But no more. I am in control. I just need to see every significant prophecy as my vision has been clouded by the High Spire council." Theia then walks to the sacred hall but no one dared to move. They knew how angry Theia was, the last time she has set foot on the sacred hall. It was on that place that she saw her beloved having sex with someone else. They wished that she would not go berserk like what had happened the last time.

As Theia opens the door, the memory returns. She takes a breath and remembers what Atropos and Kradde has told her. "I must savor the suffering for there is joy in it... but what joy can there be?" Theia's eyes water as the past flash before her eyes. There the truth is unveiled because this time, there was no anger clouding her judgment. Before she could open the door, she hears Yneas voice begging Idmir to stop. "Idmir... Please... Stop... I am tired... I am so tired... Why don't you just take my life? I can't betray my goddess over and over again even if I don't have any feelings for any of you." Theia hears a slapping sound and when she opens the door, Idmir was fucking Yneas like crazy.

Theia closes her eyes and feels the energy. There she sees beyond the hours before she could open the door. Each of her male overseers took turns in forcing their organs inside of Yneas and when the males finish, the females who were angry with Theia took their turn. "I now know why I killed them. The ones I killed are the ones who raped my beloved." Sterling was an exemption, for he was young, and he refused to make love with Yneas, but his refusal has got him a remembrance. It was a permanent scar on the right side of his face. Theia takes a breath and concentrates. She gives life to the hall and there she envisions all the significant prophecies. When it was finished, Theia walks away from the hall. "That was it. Everything that Atropos showed me was everything. She did not omit anything." Theia then realizes that Atropos just wanted peace for Theia.

"Atropos, you... I am going to disobey you. You have to cover up for me for doing this!" Atropos then appears before Theia. "Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha." She laughs deviously. "Atropos! You startled me, and what is so funny?!" Atropos takes a breath and tells Theia. "Doesn't it feel good to learn the truth?" Theia was not in the mood for jokes. "I am not going to return to the High Spires! You... You!" However, Atropos continues to laugh and tells her. "You can live here for all you want, but not outside, there you will be banned." With that Atropos vanishes. "Wait! Atropos! What is that you just said?!"

Theia then remembers what Athena had told her that the top five gods are privileged than the other High Spires. "I see. I can stay in my realm as long as it is my realm. The Goddess of Time has her own realm and so with the Goddess of Love and the Goddess of Wisdom. That makes sense!" Theia tells herself. She returns to where her overseers were and she takes a breath. She notices that her overseers have not moved one bit. "What should I tell them?" She thinks as she gets closer to them. The Great Tree notices Theia and humbles himself before her. Theia feels that The Great Tree was expecting for her to spill blood once more but she does not. She smirks at the idea and hugs the Great Tree. "It's alright." She tells the tree. She walks close to Yneas and tells her with a flat tone. "You and I have unfinished business." Yneas was going to beg for Theia when she voices out. "Leave us!" All the overseers obey and disappear out of Theia's presence.

"Dear goddess..." Yneas utters. Theia pulls Yneas off the ground and hugs her. "I missed you." She gently tells Yneas to her ears. Yneas swallows hard, although she was fearful, she could not help but be turned on when Theia has spoken to her ear. Theia lets out a breath as she knew there was nothing Yneas wanted but her death. "It seems like you have given up. I told you to wait for me, but I guess, I have no place to return to." Yneas tears starts to flow. "Forgive me, Theia. I... I was weak... I have no excuse, please, dear goddess... I..." Theia wipes off Yneas tears and gazes at her. Theia manages to smile at Yneas while she held Yneas' left side of her face. She leans closer to Yneas and kisses her.

"I don't know if I still love her. It seems like everything that I have felt for her has faded." Theia thinks as she continues to kiss Yneas. Yneas gasps for air as Theia has parted her lips. "My goddess..." Theia manages a smile and takes Yneas to the house that she has built in her realm. The place was neat as Yneas has kept it as how Theia has left it. "Oh, I didn't think that my house remained clean and unchanged." Yneas smiles at Theia. "I kept it this way, dear goddess. I always hope for you to return..." Theia explores her house and there she remembers every memory she had with Yneas. Her house was kept secret to everyone, but Yneas. This is where she spent special moments with Yneas. She smiles as she remembers.

Theia motions Yneas to stay with her and Yneas obliges. "Thank you for keeping our home." Theia tells Yneas and Yneas blushes. "Ah, well, it is the least I can do for us." Theia tries once more to kiss her beloved and remembers all that was good, but still she had no feelings. She had no passion, nor lust. "What has happened to me?" She asks herself. Yneas clings to Theia and tells her, "I love you, my goddess. Please, forgive me." Theia returns to the past where she told Yneas that she never loved her. "I am a part dark elemental and I loved her. I was so in love with her. How can all of that fade?" Theia asks herself. "I should still love her."

"I am not sure anymore." Theia utters. "I don't think that I love you. I... I am sorry. I am not the same Theia that you used to know. Perhaps you are right. I returned, but never truly did." Theia starts to walk away from Yneas. "Please, my goddess, let me make up to you." Theia turns to Yneas. "Your words are not enough for me, Yneas..." As Theia opens the door, Yneas pulls Theia and kisses her. Theia was taken to the past. She did not want to dig into Yneas' past without her consent, but her magic worked on its own. "No, I do not wish to see." Theia tells herself, but the past continues to replay. Yneas never loved anyone but her. She was loyal to Theia, but it was Theia who could not accept that Yneas is having sex with others. "I can't forgive you." Theia utters, making Yneas stop what she was doing, breaking her heart. "I am sorry, but I can't. Burn this house. I do not wish to see it standing when I return."

Theia disappears without another word. She returns to her palace in the High Spires and starts drinking until she drops. Atropos appears before Theia as she could feel her pain. "It is better if you killed her." Atropos utters, testing Theia. Theia was enraged and collars Atropos. "Why you! Take that back! Take it back!" Theia bellows. Atropos laughs. "I will not. It is true. Kill her. You should be the one to burn that house not her. You will break her even more with what you have said. Do you enjoy hurting her? Is it pleasurable seeing her suffer?" Theia turns berserk and fights with Atropos. She hurls with all her might her elemental innate, but it does nothing to Atropos. "Do not be foolish, air nomad. You are Number Two ,but you are weak. I wonder why?"

Atropos continues to provoke Theia in order to bring out the darkness within her. The High Spire council see Theia fighting with Atropos, but Atropos signals them not to interfere. "I just want to see what she can do." Atropos utters. She then places Theia in her void. "Come, Goddess of Prophecy. Show me what you got." Theia was supposed to be in control of her dark magic, but again, she has gone out of control. She hurls several skills to Atropos, but Atropos easily counters each of her attacks. Theia was frustrated and releases everything that she got. Atropos smiles and ports them to Theia's realm. "Finish what you have started, Theia." Atropos tells Theia.

Theia felt strange. She clenches her fist and once more starts severing her overseers. And it felt good. She has so much relief from what she was doing. Yneas was mourning at Theia's house. She could not make herself do what Theia has ordered. When she gets outside, she could hear people screaming, there she sees Theia on a killing spree. Yneas' heart was pounding. "I must burn this house down. I should hurry... But..." Yneas could not. It was where all her memories with Theia was. That was their house; their home. She shakingly conjures magic and focuses to launch it towards the house.

Theia was supposed to be hunting Atropos, but being in her realm changes everything. "Stop! Stop what you are doing!" Theia tells herself but she has gotten out of control. "Kradde, help me! Something has happened to me; I can't control myself." Kradde remembers the time she treated Theia's wound. "My mistake. I was in a hurry in treating her so that I could return to my daughter. The dark element inside her has gone overboard because she could not accept the past. She needs to accept it otherwise; the past will destroy her, and a renewed self who is out of life will take over." Kradde thinks. When he gets to Theia, he sees Atropos. "What have you done, Atropos?" Atropos bows before Kradde. "I know that it was too much for her. She needs to release so I brought out the monster. Was I wrong?" Kradde smiles at Atropos. "No, go home. I will take care of Theia."

Kradde appears before Theia and speaks with her in an ancient language. Theia was just watching herself, thanking Kradde for responding to her call. Kradde then sends a message to Theia, "Do not stop yourself. Let her be. She needs to resolve things on her own. Release, it is the only way to recover who you are." Theia looks around and sees Yneas who was about to release a force to destroy the house that she built for them. She closes her eyes and remembers what she said to Yneas. "Burn this house..." Her berserk self ports to Yneas. "Stop. I won't let you." Yneas was startled that she releases the force accidentally, not towards the house but towards Theia. Yneas swallows hard in fear for her life. Theia laughs. "Is that the best you got?" She taunts. Yneas' heart was beating fast. "I am going to die. I am going to die in her hands. Good riddance, it is what I want, and what I have always wished." Yneas closes her eyes and conjures a stronger force.