Crimson and Gold

Saria woke up washed up on a shore.

Behind her was the never-ending vastness of the ocean.

In front of her was a tall cliff surrounded by dense exotic flora Saria had never seen before.

Atop the cliff stood a tower. Its gilded dome roof was open on one side, revealing the big lens of the telescope.

The sky above the most magical. Its dark canvas was filled with stars and galaxies shining brightly with vibrant colors. Reds, pinks, and blues clashed, creating breathtaking patterns.

The warm breeze soothed her skin as she slowly climbed the stairs.

The scene at the top of the cliff was no less serene than below it.

The observatory was right at the center of a lush garden. Cider trees, berry bushes, and colorful flowerbeds were arranged harmoniously in between the areas paved with colorful mosaics.

Each trail led to the center of the garden, which was occupied by the observatory and a gazebo below it.

It was there that Saria spotted another person.

A woman dressed in a flowing, pearly white dress was sitting on the white bench of the gazebo. Even though she was turned with her back, it was clear that her attention was completely consumed by the sight on the other side of her brass telescope.

Caught in the garden’s atmosphere, Saria didn’t notice when she accidentally stepped on a dry branch, notifying the woman of her presence.

The black waves of her hair flinched as she turned towards the source of the noise.

As their eyes met, Saria froze in her steps, bewildered.

“You came,” the woman’s gentle voice reached her. “I was waiting for you.”

Astesis got off the bench and, in a few light steps, walked over to Saria. She clasped her hands in hers and beamed a smile that could bring entire kingdoms to their knees.

The Aelius Empire held countless depictions of the Goddess. Frescoes, statues, paintings, and even murals scattered around the cities. They always showed a mature, dignified woman. Someone who instilled authority in everyone with her presence.

The woman before Saria appeared as a completely different person.

She looked to be the same age as her, maybe even a little younger. Full of warm, youthful charm, making Saria feel like she was in the presence of a childhood friend rather than a Divinity.

In all of Astesis’ appearance, the thing that struck her the most was her eyes.

Not golden-blue like on the frescoes, but crimson, much like her own. Except there was also a golden ring present at the edge of her irises.

There were even some traces of Shahrezi blood in the Goddess’ appearance.

“You need to change your artists…” Saria eventually blurted out and immediately wanted to throw herself off the cliff.

Fortunately, Astesis didn’t take offense to her words. She widened her eyes in surprise, then suddenly giggled beautifully. “What an interesting thing to say.”

Saria groaned, but dared not say anything else. She allowed Astesis to pull her towards the gazebo.

“I’m sure you must have a lot of questions,” the Goddess said as they walked.

“Just one.” Saria sat on the white bench and locked eyes with the woman sitting next to her. “Why me?”

“Because I need someone I can trust,” Astesis answered honestly.

“Wouldn’t Lysandra be more suitable then? She had been your follower for a long time. She’s devoted, driven. I can’t imagine anyone else being better for this than her.”

Anyone close to the Princess knew how important faith was to her. She was the only one in her family still paying respects at the Temple during holidays and regularly donated offerings.

It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that she was the only reason the Oracles hadn’t cursed Octavius out of the throne.

Lysandra’s spirituality was even more important in her personal life.

Being the sworn follower of Astesis not only connected her to her late mother, but it was also the source of her strength.

To Saria, it felt unfair, almost cruel, to be chosen over her.

“Lysandra is exactly why it had to be you,” Astesis said. Her expression grew serious, her voice sounded heavier. The matter was clearly weighing on her.

That made Saria immediately anxious.

“There has been a… shadow over Lysandra ever since she was little. This shadow makes it impossible for me to see her clearly and, as a result, I can’t protect her.” Astesis continued. “I can only puzzle things together from watching those close to her.”

Saria frowned, hearing the words. “You said that this shadow had been with Lysandra since she was a child. If you’re taking action now… does this mean she’s in danger?”

The Goddess didn’t answer, only looking at the starry sky with an unreadable expression.

Every second of her silence made Saria’s heart grow heavier.

“I don’t know,” she answered after a while. “That’s why I need you to be my eyes in the mortal world. I need you to stay close to her and protect her when I can’t.”

“If this is the only reason you have summoned me, then it was completely unnecessary. I would have done that even without you telling me this.” Saria admitted.

Her words ended up being much harsher than she planned. The unease in her heart made her want to rush back and pull Lysandra into her arms.

Once again, Astesis let her bluntness slide. Her lips curved in a faint smile that seemed to hint there was more to the story that she wasn’t letting on.

The gesture was small, barely noticeable, so Saria—too occupied with her own thoughts—never had the chance to notice it.

“That shadow,” she asked suddenly. “Is there a way to get rid of it?”

Astesis shook her head. “I’m not sure. We would have to know what caused it in the first place. It’s not something that she was born with, that’s all I know.”

“That isn’t much to go about, but I’ll look into it,” Saria declared. “For now, I’ll be keeping an eye on her.”

“Good,” the Goddess smiled. “Before you leave… There’s one more thing I have for you.”

Astesis stood up and pulled Saria with her. “A small gift, to help you with this task,” she said and placed a featherlight kiss on her forehead.

As the Goddess’ lips touched her skin, Saria felt a weird, tingling sensation spread all over her body. It felt… ticklish and warm. It was invigorating and comforting.

Even the anxiety in her heart grew weaker, less painful.

Saria took a step back and instinctively touched her forehead, as if trying to see if there was anything on it. “Um… Thank you?”

The previous youthful charm returned to Astesis’ eyes. “You’re welcome,” she laughed lightly. “Please, tell Lysandra that I haven’t abandoned her. I’m always watching over her.”

***

Saria resurfaced with a splash.

Her lungs, taken over by a searing pain, were desperately craving air. Her head felt dizzy. At first, she couldn’t even tell where was up and where was down.

She felt overwhelmed and disoriented, and just when she was about to fall into the water again, an arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her back to her feet.

“I got you,” Lysandra whispered with a relieved sigh.

After excruciatingly long minutes of waiting for her lover at the shore, she was finally back in her arms. Safe and sound. Back by her side.

“Hold onto me. Don’t rush,” she kept instructing while caressing Saria’s back.

“Drink this. It will help with the dizziness.” Asteria handed her a bowl of another mixture.

A refreshing scent of mint wafted over, soothing the nausea twisting Saria’s stomach. The clean taste with just a hint of sweetness was exactly what she needed.

“Thank you,” she said, breathing heavily.

As she finally straightened up and raised her eyes, she felt a cool, gentle hand caressing her face.

“What is this?” Lysandra asked, staring intently at something between her eyes.

Not sure what she meant, Saria looked at her own reflection in the water.

There she saw a mark emitting warm bluish-gold light.

Three diamond-shaped stars, aligned vertically between her eyebrows, stopping right at the verge of her hairline.

Her skin was still tingling from the kiss Astesis placed there before her departure.

“Asura’s Mercy,” they heard the Oracle answer, then explain. “It’s a very old and very powerful protection spell. To receive it from the Gods, it’s one of the greatest honors one could receive.”

Saria rubbed the reddened skin between her eyebrows. “What’s so special about it? Will it make me immune to the blade or magic?”

Hearing the slight hint of cynicism in her voice, the corner of Asteria’s lips twitched.

Over the years, she had gotten used to people downplaying the Gods and their power. In the end, it was human nature to doubt and mock what they didn’t understand.

Once faced with the Divine Might, their attitudes were always the first to crumble.

“For each star given, you will have one chance to cheat Fate. One chance to escape the death that was destined to you,” Asteria explained patiently.

She took a heavy breath, then continued. “Fate is a very prideful thing. It doesn’t like being changed or manipulated. Those who try to go against it suffer experiences worse than death. Even Gods aren’t immune to the consequences.

“For a God to allow you to change your Fate not only once, but three times is an act of great trust and hope placed on you. You mustn’t treat it lightly.” Asteria warned. “Our Lady is taking a terrible risk by giving it to you.”

***

After Saria recovered from her meeting with the Goddess, it wasn’t time to return to Aervelis just yet.

There was still the matter of the final piece in her memory loss journey.

This time, when Saria got ready to enter the trance, Lysandra was right with her. They agreed to it a long time ago, and Asteria had nothing against it. Merging their consciousnesses wasn’t difficult, nor did it require any extra effort.

Once everything was ready, the Oracle began the séance.