Several decades before "Day One"...
Location: The Country of Despiratia.
"Is everything ready, Priscilla?" A short man in a golden robe walked briskly through the passage of a temple.
The flames of candles placed on the holders swayed every now and then, as if threatening to go out at any moment.
By his side, matching the man's strides with ease, was a taller lady also wearing a robe, though hers was grey.
"All preparations have been made, Seer. The materials are set on the altar. Only your presence is missing," Priscilla answered softly with great respect. It was clear this short man called "Seer" was an important figure.
"We've prepared long for this, Priscilla. All we've done for the past century, every single thing, has led to this moment. Today, we shall call forth God so He may look upon His creations." The Seer gave a hearty laugh.
The end of the long passage finally came into sight. A grand scene unfolded as the two individuals stepped into a large open space filled with people, numbering in the hundreds or even more than a thousand, dressed in white robes.
The space was hexagonal in shape, spanning a diameter of more than a hundred meters.
Each white-robed figure held a candle burning with a bluish flame in their hands as silence suffused the entire space, as though some spiritual presence intervened. High above, amidst the field of stars, a blood moon shone down its ominous light on everyone who had gathered that day.
The appearance of the two individuals caused the congregation to turn their heads in their direction for a brief moment before returning to their normal positions.
At the very center of the hexagonal space stood a great altar.
Short steps led up to the wide platform upon which the altar was erected, and on that platform stood a towering statue of a man bound by innumerable scarlet chains.
The sculptor of this statue had to be someone whose name was worth leaving in the history books; a genius rarely seen in decades. Whoever had carved this figure had created the personification of the apex human body, a physique so beautiful yet screaming of power.
The facial features of the statue were left unshaped, leaving its face a blank slate. The True Demiurge Order believed that God had no face. Giving one to Him was considered sacrilege according to their teachings.
The short man dressed in gold, the Seer, walked up the platform and stood before all the believers, ready to address them on this sacred night. Priscilla had not followed him but remained just outside the passage they had come through.
"On this night, my brethren, we fulfill a prophecy written ages ago. On this night, children of Desire, we call forth our true creator. As the blood moon reaches its zenith, the world shall bear witness to the birth of our Savior..."
Words of promise and incitement filled the air. Just vows of a new and better age for mankind, of blessings and revelation. Each word fed the faith of those gathered beneath the blood moon, awaiting the descent of their so-called "God."
"Bring in the sacrifice." The short man thundered when the excitement in the air had reached its peak. The believers were now chanting in a strange tongue, their bodies swaying to the rhythm of the sound they made.
The believers parted, giving way for five figures to walk up to the platform where the Seer waited.
At the center of the five figures was an individual dressed in a simple black silken gown. Her face was covered by a thin black veil that hid her features. From the way she carried herself, there was no questioning who she was.
By her side were four women leading her up the platform. They didn't follow her beyond the steps. What was about to happen no longer concerned them. Their purpose had been to present the Carrier, and they had fulfilled the role bestowed upon them.
"Come to me, O Carrier." The Seer stretched out his plump hand toward the veiled girl in black.
The girl took calm strides as everyone watched with bated breath. When she finally reached him, she stretched out her pale hand, one that had likely never known hardship, and clasped his lightly.
"You know what must be done. You know the purpose for which you were born. Your entire life has led to this moment, O Carrier. Without you, our calling will not be answered. You are the key, O Carrier. You are the way, O Carrier. You are the conduit, O Carrier."
And in that manner, the believers began a new chant, their tone soft yet ominous.
You are the key, O Carrier. You are the way, O Carrier. You are the conduit, O Carrier.
While their chant continued, the Seer placed both hands on the edge of the veil and lifted it.
Since her birth, with the exception of the four women who had served as her caretakers, this was the first time the Carrier's face had been seen by others… or so they believed.
Gasps echoed as the chants faded into silence. The sight they beheld was difficult for their minds to comprehend, but even in that confusion, they knew what they saw was beauty… not the ordinary kind, but one truly deserving of the word. Unfortunately, she was still a juvenile, no older than fifteen.
"May the 'Calling' commence," said the Seer, whose gaze had transformed into something else… something lecherous as he moved closer to the young girl, his plump hands reaching for the straps of her gown.
Four tall men stepped out from the congregation and climbed the stairs, walking toward the Carrier with measured steps.
Everyone watched with deep reverence as the gown fell from her body. She shivered slightly as the biting wind of the night brushed against her bare skin, her figure already showing the traces of womanhood.
Saliva trickled from the Seer's mouth, the obscenity in his eyes growing more evident as he stared at the child's exposed form like a pig.
"Begin!" The Seer's voice rang out as the four men grabbed hold of each limb of the girl.
She didn't try to fight back. Ever since she could remember, she had always been taught that this was her purpose–her destiny. So, what was there to fight about? She should be thankful that she was bestowed this opportunity… but she wasn't. She wanted to resist, but a part of her couldn't.
Then, a scene of profanity unfolded on that platform. A scene that many would find hard to describe. A scene so disturbing that one would question whether this still aligned with their purpose.
"Blasphemy! This child isn't pure!" The aberration that called himself Seer squealed like a pig as he struck the empty-eyed girl across the cheek.
"Who dares taint the Carrier of God?! Who dares?!" The anger he felt quickly spread through the crowd as their murmurings grew louder. No one had any idea what was happening.
"This girl isn't a virgin! This girl knows the touch of a man!" The Seer stood up, his little manhood fully exposed, as he grabbed the girl by her throat.
"Impossible! It can't be!" The four women who had brought her to the platform exclaimed at once, their bodies collapsing to the ground as the sound of weeping filled the air.
"I'm sorry, Therrisa. I'm sorry I couldn't save you." A man's voice was heard from within the crowd.
The congregation quickly grew silent and parted, allowing whoever had spoken to come into view.
It was a young boy, perhaps seventeen or younger. He wore a robe similar to the other believers, but unlike them, he held no candle. In his hand was a scarlet dagger that pulsed like a living heart. Veins crept from his wrist and latched onto the blade.
"Who are you?!" The wrath in the Seer's voice could be felt by all, but the boy ignored him. His tear-filled eyes were fixed solely on the girl, whose void-like eyes stirred with life the moment she saw him.
Only a fool would fail to understand what was happening, and the Seer was no fool. He also recognized the dagger in the boy's hand. That dagger was what made his heart tremble.
"So, it was you!" The Seer squealed like the pig he was but did nothing more. That dagger should not exist. It was said to be nothing more than a myth told to deceive fools. Yet, before his very eyes, that fairytale blade pulsed with life.
"I'm sorry, my love. This is the most I can do for you," the boy uttered.
"Stop him!" The Seer had realized the boy's intent, but it was already too late.
Tears streamed down the teenager's face as he plunged the dagger into his own chest.
Everyone screamed in horror, scrambling and shoving to escape as the boy's body began to change. A horrifying change, it was.
His form wilted, drying up like a leaf as he aged a century in a second. For several moments, the frail old thing stood there on his two bony legs.
"I love you, Therrisa." And with that, he became dust. The terrifying dagger crumbled with him, vanishing into nothingness.
Those words had been a faint mumble, still drifting through the air to the ears of the girl whose eyes were now lifeless, tears trailing down her cheeks.
"My God! What has he done?!" The Seer squealed in horror. He waited, holding his breath as if expecting something to happen.
Nothing happened. Absolutely nothing.
"Huh?" Everyone shared the same bewilderment as nothing occurred. Every single person here knew the tale of the scarlet blade; they had all expected something, anything, to happen. But nothing did.
"I love you too. We shall reunite amongst the heavens as each other's star. In the field of countless stars, I'm yours and you are mine."
The Seer turned to look at the girl whose throat was still in his grasp as she uttered those words without a single trace of emotion.
___
Hours later…
"The King should not involve himself with the business of these lunatics. They've existed for centuries. There is no end to their kind." One of the knights sighed as the five of them entered into the temple, passing the hall and now taking the passage that led to the altar.
"True but today is said to be their biggest gathering. If we could capture their leader and a few other important figures among them, his highness believes that would set an example for the rest after showing them the consequences of their unorthodox ways." Another knight responded.
They walked through the passage in silence, only the sound of their footsteps could be heard colliding softly with the stone floor.
Finally, they got to the end. In preparation, all of them had unsheathed their swords, holding them tightly within their grasp ready to welcome whatever they met, their other hand putting their pitch torch in front of them. It was a cohort of fully armoured knights against a bunch of lunatics, there wasn't really much to be afraid of.
But there was. There was absolutely something to be afraid of.
"My God!" Nearly everyone exclaimed in horror at once. It was literally a bloodbath.
Brutally ripped body parts, innards, limbless bodies, headless bodies, severed heads… bodies and bodies and bodies just gruesomely flung around. It was an obscene sight of inhuman slaughter.
Despite being experienced knights who had seen the horrors of war and bloodshed, they still couldn't stop themselves from bending over and vomiting their entire contents out.
"Protect us, O dear God!" One of the knights said as they all stepped towards the altar.
They couldn't go back until they had a grasp of what had gone on here. This was just too much. Too many questions would be asked and they needed to have some answers to give.
"Spread out but stay within sight." Another knight commanded.
"Over here!" The knight who had decided to check the platform called out to the others.
"What is it?" Another asked, turning in the direction of the knight that had called for the other.
"Come and see for yourself. My God! What in the devil's name had gone in this accursed place."
"What is that?!" They all exclaimed together when they climbed onto the platform.
Six bodies lay on the platform, five of them didn't even have a complete body. Their bodies were missing so many parts or were either disfigured so much that no one could even recognize them.
The only body that was whole seemed to be the naked body of a female. Her body was entirely covered in body.
But none of this was what struck terror in the hearts of these men that has seen the worst of humanity. It was what had torn its way out of the stomach of that female.
A baby lay motionless on the floor beside its mother, its umbilical cord was still connected to its mother.
"It looked alright. Is it alive?" One of the knights asked.
"Why are you asking me? Go ahead and check for yourself." No one moved… until the knight that had discovered the baby took a step forward.
He got up close to the baby and brought his pitch torch close to the bay so that he could see it clearly.
"It's a boy." He announced.
"Is it alive?" They asked.
"I don't think—" He never finished those words because at that very moment, the eyelids of that infant lifted up. It gazed straight into the eyes of the knight.
For a moment, the knight saw a field of stars.
*****
"Andrew, are you awake?" I heard a melodious voice sound softly by my ear. My eyes peeled open, allowing in the dim light of the moon.
Turning my head slightly, a beautiful face came into view. She was so close that I could feel her warm breath on my skin as she called out to me.
"Yes," I answered, still unable to take my gaze off her beautiful face. With her gorgeous eyes staring so deep into mine, I couldn't stop my heart from racing.
"Have you been dreaming?" she asked as she raised her left hand to gently caress my cheek.
"I don't know," I replied. I wasn't sure. I couldn't remember if I was actually dreaming. I couldn't understand anything at the moment. The only thing I could truly comprehend was the warmth from her palm resting on my face.
"Why don't we go outside?" she offered, and all I could do was nod lightly.