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Lilyth was a child born of misfortune. Her mother was a brilliant woman, who’s life was cut short through a tragedy. Their father, heart broken, fell ill and followed his beloved into the afterlife. And so Lilyth, at the young age of 1, became an orphan in a single month.
Life as an orphan never really bothered her. The villagers of ????? took care of the young baby out of pity and respect for her parents, who were a beloved part of their community. She grew up happy. They grew up loved.
Young Lilyth grew to be a curious child. A rather odd little one who asked the strangest questions.
“What did the world look like before gods?” “Do we go somewhere if we die?” “Can gods die?”
One question that interested her the most was one no one had an answer to.
“Who was it that made the world?”
Some people told young Lilyth that the god of Creation and Miracles, Spoke, created the world. Some say it was the god of Chaos, Ash, who spawned the world. Little Lilyth would ask, and ask, and ask again, and they would never get more than vague answers.
So she pondered, and wondered, and decided one day. They would seek the truth herself.
When she was finally of age, old enough to travel, she set out to find the answers she was looking for.
She wandered from land to land. From the hot desert kingdom of PMC to the frozen wastelands of Solstice. They sought every bit of knowledge they could find.
Then, something happened. Something that changed her life forever more. They found the altar.
It started as a typical, normal day. They woke up, packed her travel tent, and continued exploring. She was in a more forested area this time, a jungle forest. The villagers who lived near this jungle warned them of the dangers of wandering in, citing how no one who goes into the forest ever comes back out. This however, didn’t deter them. If anything, it simply made her more curious.
As they walked further and further into the thick green biome of the jungle, they started to make note of some strange symbols on the ground. They didn’t quite notice it at first, most of the symbols being covered in roots and mud, but it was there. Curiosity peaked yet again, she followed the symbols.
It took them about a week to finally find where they led, but the majestic sight that greeted them was worth the effort.
There, beyond the dark green leaves that clouded her vision for days now, was a temple. Pillars or prismarine held the quartz and prismarine roof, with patterns made out of gold and silver decorating it. The temple shone faintly in the sunlight, adorned by gemstones in a rainbow of color. Multi Colored birds perched themselves on the rooftops and railings of the temple, looking at home within it, giving the temple even more color. Honestly, it looked as if a rainbow came through and splashed the building.
Mystified, the young traveler walked closer and entered the strange building.
Inside she was even more stunned, as the tiled marble floor shone pristinely without a single speck of dust (It made them wonder who even came out here and had the time to clean it? Last she checked, the closest village was a week away). The walls were made out of quartz, and had these artistic depictions of birds etched in them, giving it a lively and free feeling.
The architecture was something she only saw when visiting the temples of other gods, so they knew that this must be a temple for a god. The question is, which god?
Questions burning, they explored the temple. Finding rooms filled with riches (in which they took none, as they had no interest in them) rooms with books (this made their hand twitch but they forcefully held down their urge to learn, for fear of doing something she was not supposed to do) and finally, a pair of doors that led to big room.
The room was filled with vegetation, birds (parrots they think?) And two pools of water on either side of the entrance that reached the other end of the room, making a path. At the end of that path, was an altar with a book.
The book was sandwiched between two giant statues that were kneeling, holding jugs that poured water into the two pools. Even more, the room seemed to glow softly in a mysterious way, despite being fully enclosed. It fascinated Lilyth even more.
Cautiously, she approached the book and read its cover.
‘The Tome of Origins’
Immediately, she was hit with a multitude of emotions.
Happiness and elation, because this may be it, the Answer she was looking for.
But years of experience also filled her with caution, suspicion. She was no longer that foolish young one who wandered the world with no care in the world, she had close calls a few too many times because of that.
Still, she couldn’t help but reach out…
A hand(?) stopped them.
“Now there, touching random objects doesn’t seem very smart, even for a mortal.”
Startled, Lilyth took a few steps back and stared in muted awe of the person in front of her.
Before them stood a being. They looked like an ordinary human at first glance, wearing a black robe with a hood that obscured their face and body, lined in bright purple linings around the edges that gave the cloth a glow.
But the being in front of them was no human.
Humans don’t have skin that’s seemingly made out of shadows and pitch black darkness, nor did they have glowing purple eyes, reminiscent of an enderman. One look at this person, and Lilyth knew who he was.
Immediately, they kneeled in deference. For the being before them was the God of Knowledge, of Truth and Sun, Vitalasy. The god they worshipped the most.
Looking at the human in faint amusement, Vitalasy told them to stand up, in which they immediately straightened themselves.
With a puzzled yet elated look, Lilyth asked the god why he was there, and what this place is.
The god simply said that he was fulfilling the request of an old friend, “as for this place, young mortal, it is the Temple of Origins”.
He explained that this place was a special place in which an old god resides, and that the tome they were about to touch before was a dangerous artifact for a mortal.
Because the tome held knowledge no mortal can withstand with their fragile mind.
...And yet.
“Is your thirst for knowledge strong enough for you to ignore that risk? Is sating your curiosity really worth your life?”
Without even a single thought, they said “Yes.”
They have travelled the world for this knowledge, it's no longer just a goal anymore. It’s turned into their dream, the reason for their being. To turn back at the finish line would be an utter disgrace of the person she is today.
Seeing the human’s determination, Vitalasy felt a little impressed. After all, he was the god of knowledge, he can definitely appreciate the human’s desire for it. In another world, perhaps the mortal could have been his keeper.
Shame that she’s about to die. Well, he did warn them.
The god made way for the mortal human, watching as she stepped forward towards the altar. For a moment, he wanted to stop her, but he had the Knowledge that doing so wouldn’t change their decision.
She stood in front of the altar, took a deep breath…and touched the tome.
Then Lilyth’s mind-
S
H
a
t
T
e
r
e
D
RISE
Gods
And
FALL
Worlds
B
R
O
K
E
N
and
C
R
E
A
T
E
D
.
Time
Removes
All
.
There amongst the crashing waves, Lilyth saw.
Her …
H
O
M
E
?
A kingdom of
Sorrow
JOY
Loss
New Beginnings…
And
she
knew.
….She would love this place more than she would love her life…
Her kingdom.
Her Family…
There was once nothing.
A lifeless
empty
V
O
I
D
Until there,
a god was born
And the god saw them
Lilyth wasn’t the first person Vitalasy had to warn. Many unfortunate villagers and adventurers wandered into this temple, only to be consumed by greed and fall to their hubris.
But this time, something happened.
The human woke up.
Sensing this, Vitalasy returned to the altar room and saw a sight he never expected to see.
“Well, I never thought you would come out here yourself, Oh great Original one.”
“....well, no one ever survived long enough for me to notice them, so….”
“Well, what do you plan to do with them?”
“Well…
“It’s been awhile since I had a priest.”