Valtreth: Dawning of a New Light
An otherwise quiet period of meditation and uneasy waiting was broken quickly for Azula Vivalde and Duchess Sidonie Kissane-McCloud of New Celest, their reveries interrupted by none other than the Supernal Japhiel. The Illuminator of Merciful Justice relayed to Azula and Sidonie visions of a great and terrible darkness, of a power that bespoke something more, and urged them to seek out the source of this darkness that so threatened the Light itself. Took they to the roads and mountains of the Basin of Life, along with others who rallied to their cause, until activity at a mysterious obelisk within the Skarch Desert was revealed.
The Illuminati of Gaudiguch had so been apprised of this obelisk as well, and sought to banish a Mysterious Presence that lurked within and about the obelisk itself, threatening dire harm to anyone nearby. Guided by a robed and shrouded Illuminatus, those of Gaudiguch divined a manner by which the Presence could be abated, and so it was after a clandestine ritual that the obelisk fell quiescent once more, and a way opened into the space beyond space.
Within, the group discovered a strange market of silks and cobblestones, along with the battered form of the Lady Terentia and the grievously wounded Lord Eventru. Terentia, battered from Her encounter with the monstrous Dreadform of Iklara, tersely ground out that Eventru had been struck a fatal blow by the creature and needed immediate healing. WIthout further ado, the pair vanished, instructing Lorina to seek the Bloom of Serenity and meet Them upon Eventru’s healing mound within Celestia.
All complied, and Maylea – and the Celestians – soon found themselves before Terentia once again. Maylea, grief-stricken, attempted to use Her bond with Her brother to save Him, though it proved to be of no avail. Eventru, weakened, murmured that He was not long to remain, and wished one final time to see the Song of His Heart, Lyreth, the Sidereal Prince.
No sooner had these words been spoken than a quiet song arose from the Temple of Lyreth, calling countless lyrebirds to the Basin of Life. Maylea instructed the Celestians to gather the birds within the Temple, that Lyreth might be reformed. After much searching, and no small amount of singing, enough lyrebirds were gathered into a rapturous flock that Lyreth was indeed able to manifest once more. Lorina quickly apprised Him of the situation, and He, too, departed immediately for the healing mound.
As the Celestians gathered a final time about the four Divinities, Eventru rejoiced, pale and wan, at the return of His love. This settled, he closed His eyes, deaf to the weeping of His sister and lover, oblivious to the silent fury of the Even Bladed toward the beast responsible. Lyreth, however, was adamant – He would not see His mate die, and so darted forward, taking Eventru’s hand.
The pair were set awash in a brilliant light, and when it cleared, only one form remained upon the healing mound.
Valtreth, Majesty of the Dawn sat up, regarding all about Himself with a strange, vacant recognition, and responded to neither mentions of Eventru or Lyreth. Choking upon Her grief, the Bloom of Serenity quietly welcomed the Dawning Lord to being, and departed. Terentia, meanwhile, tersely addressed Valtreth, and bid Him join Her in the Divine Havens to ascertain His intentions.
And so it came to pass that two Elder Gods departed the Basin of Life, and returned, reborn anew in the form of Valtreth, Majesty of the Dawn in a final act of sacrifice and love. The God found solace within the Resurgence of the Light among its Pantheon once more, though what aspects of His component beings He retains – if any – remain to be seen.
