A bit over a thousand years ago, the land was different. This was before Amalin changed its na. It used to be the Summit Kingdom. It got its na from the nearby mountain range that was said to be one of the wonders of the world.
In those tis, strife was far more common. The Summit Kingdom engaged in warfare with the southern tribes. All over the world conflicts sprouted from people’s different beliefs. If you didn’t worship one nation’s god, then you were deed a heretic.
The gods of chaos often sent emissaries—usually angels—to dispose of groups that opposed their rule. Summit eventually reached a complete split. There were those who aligned themselves with Alia, and her church was rapidly growing.
In those days, she’d descend to help with border conflicts and provide welfare for those engaged in chaos. However, there was one other goddess that the region believed in.
Edith—Goddess of the Black Rose—was not originally completely aligned with chaos. She was a part of the neutral faction. Typically, she had little involvent in her followers. She allowed them to practice necromancy and all other forms of magic.
Another factor that only a select few knew about...She was actually the sister of Goddess Alia. The two had been birthed at the sa ti, sharing in the sa space from a young age.
Of course, the mortals could not know what it truly ant for gods to be siblings. It was like they were born from the sa fragnts of divinity. One represented light and healing. The other one represented darkness and decay.
If it wasn’t for their hair and eye colors—along with their choice of outfits—none would have been able to tell them apart. Despite the two of them being from different branches, they rarely had conflicts. In fact, it was said that the two shared a loving relationship of siblings.
But this relationship wouldn’t last. Edith sent down an angel of her own to help with the conflicts of her followers. It was Edith’s most trusted and beloved right hand woman—Cinder.
The angel was originally aligned with chaos, but she found companionship in Edith. Eventually, that bond turned into sothing unbreakable, and she abandoned her previous role. Originally, the chaos aligned elder god had allowed her departure.
However, a thousand years ago, sothing changed. The chaos god secretly bore a resentnt towards Edith and the angel. Although there was conflict in the world, nobody could guess what happened next.
The god of chaos made a pact with the Demon Lord of Pride. They aid to spread destruction and famine across the lands. Four of the strongest demons ascended from the demon realm into the present day Alia capital.
Pride, with his boundless strength. Gluttony, with her endless hunger. Greed, with his endless avarice. And lastly, Wrath, with her endless destruction.
While Edith and Alia were disposed, the demons destroyed their capital, laying claim to the city. The sect of followers from Edith who practiced necromancy betrayed their goddess. The capital was seized in less than a day, and the king in place beca no more than a zombified king of the undead.
Of course, it didn’t take long for Alia and Edith to receive the news, but Alia couldn’t act imdiately. She had already given her followers a promise. She had to stay on the border for at least a day to pass along the blessings.
Naturally, Edith didn’t follow any order. She could act freely, so while Alia’s hands were tied, the Goddess herself arrived in the destroyed capital with her angel. Flas of war were spread everywhere. There were no screams of the dying. Everyone in the capital had perished in just a few hours.
By the ti Edith arrived a blood red scene was presented, and the blood moon floated high in the sky. The only living beings other than the demon occupants were the cult leaders of the undead who had betrayed their rulers.
Edith couldn’t just do nothing watching the scene. She aid to buy ti for her sister to arrive. At the very least, Alia had provided Edith with an army of angels for her to command.
What followed was the most brutal display of warfare this world had ever scene. The forces of chaos tead up with the forces of demons and cultists. Edith’s neutral force tead up with the forces of light.
Cinder stood on the battlefield with the resolve to turn against her previous master. Modern history recorded the event and said that an angel from Alia’s forces beca a hero on the battlefield, but that was not accurate. The one who reined atop all of the other angels was Cinder herself.
She led a group and destroyed the outer forces of undead in her rage. It was said that on that day she had transcended an angel, possibly even becoming a lower deity. She killed so many demons, and in her final battle, she was felled by none other than the Demon Lord of Pride himself.
In a sea of corpses over a ruined capital, Edith was engaged with the other sins. Yet, when she turned her eyes, she saw Pride’s sword spear through Cinder’s heart. She watched the blood pool from the girl’s mouth, and before her eyes went blank, Cinder had smiled at Edith, giving her final farewell.
The effects were imdiate. Cracks ford in the heart of Edith. Before that day she had seed mostly apathetic. Even though, Alia knew different. Nobody had truly seen her display any vivid emotion.
Yet, when the tears poured from her eyes, the Edith that everyone knew had disappeared. In that instant, she used a forbidden magic—a magic that would be despicable even by so mbers from the chaos side. With the exception of Cinder, the goddess consud all of the souls of her own angels. In that mont, she had seized the strength to truly be classified among the elder gods.
The price of losing her loved one was too much to bear. She had beco the black rose, swallowing the entire capital into a sea of darkness. By the ti Alia had arrived, it was too late.
Her sister was no more. Edith had successfully claid the lives of three of the demon lords with pride using so unknown thod to escape. The lives of the cultists were entirely wiped out. She had exhausted all of her resources, but the cost was too great.
When Alia arrived, the only thing she could see was Edith on her knees holding in her arms the fallen angel.
A glimr of hope shone in the eyes of Edith when she saw Alia.
"You can save her, right!?"
Alia felt sick to her stomach. Edith had been tainted by so much miasma it made Alia feel light headed. But more than that, there was the deepest regret in her heart. If she had only arrived sooner, maybe she could have changed this outco?
With a deep seated sorrow, Alia looked over her sister. "I am sorry. The rules of order forbid it. I cannot interfere with the death of that angel, and even if I could, it’s not within my power. You should know that the blade that struck her is no normal blade."
Edith chuckled as she parted Cinder’s hair. "I knew you would say that. You’ve always been this way. So, how long are you going to cling to order? Who is responsible for what you see before you? Are you saying that you couldn’t be here because of a promise? Why? Why couldn’t you co?"
Alia couldn’t stand to see her sister in such pain. She walked forward and tried reaching out her hand.
Edith swatted the appendage away uselessly. "Don’t. If it wasn’t for this woman in my arms, I would strike you down, too. You’re no sister of mine."
It was unknown where Edith vanished, but she took the corpse of Cinder with her.
Alia healed the landscape and brought about a new light in the kingdom. She tried to tell her followers that it was Edith who solved the problem of the demons, but with Edith gone, they had all started looking towards Alia as their leader. The history books recorded Alia’s victory, and a new era of peace was ushered in.
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"But, this doesn’t explain why you don’t act now." While tears filled the eyes of Esalda and Alfa, Hikari stated the pressing issue.
"That one is much easier to explain. The chaos of that day was not only inflicted upon Summit Kingdom. Other Kingdoms were effected by the result. A council of Elder Gods imdiately punished the god responsible. Then they made a new rule of limited intervention. Besides from a few blessings, we are not allowed to act on this world."
Hikari placed a hand on her chin. "So, is your sister now seeking revenge?"
Alia shook her head and looked off into the distance in sorrow. "I have no idea what she plans to do. But, I have a request for you. If you do find her, please don’t kill her. I know she has committed nurous cris since that day, and I’ve not been able to confront her. But, I would like a chance to speak with her at least once more."
"Why should I follow that command? What makes you think I have the capabilities to kill that woman anyway?"
"You’re right, this is just a selfish wish, but I hate seeing her like this." The goddess looked towards the two sisters. Then, she finally turned back towards Hikari. "If possible, would you take these two with you on your journey? I will bestow them my blessing."
"Is this your attempt to watch so that I don’t do anything?"
Alia sighed but she smiled slightly. "You’re right. Does this make horrible?"
Hikari chuckled under the other goddess’ gaze. "You’re a shrewd woman. However, let make one thing clear. I am under no obligation to follow any commands. I will engage with any situation how I see fit, but you are lucky. I don’t play by the rules of this world. In another situation, I might’ve even tried to do what you’re doing now."
Alia’s eyes lit up and she grabbed Hikari’s hands. "Thank you. Even though I cannot predict what you’ll do, I will choose to have faith…" She looked towards Esalda. "Much like my followers have chosen to have faith in ."
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