#asterope

During the Titan War, the Archivists discovered that titan blood can lead them to other realms. Each titan’s blood type leads to a specific realm. The Archivists and other celestials built portals doors in order to explore these realms. They capture realm denizens for study and experimentation. One such being placing bipeds from their home realm to another to see if they can adapt to their new environment.

In the aftermath of the Titan War, Asterope mourns for the death of their son, Virgil (Collector), at the claws of the last of the titans. Despite her and her partner, Rigel (Collector’s father) protected, other celestials wanted to capture and to preservethe last titan. Rather having the murder of his son be kept preserved, Rigel slayed the titan. As punishment for slaying the last living titan and breaking the oath of preserving species, Rigel was executed.

Grief stricken and full of rage of the deaths of her son and partner, Asterope had enough of this realm and its injustice of her race. Asterope Infiltrated the archives where the portal doors and titan blood vessels were being held. She destroyed the blood vials and doors with the exception of two. One that leads to the human realm and the other that Asterope picked at random out of grieve and to escape through.

Seeking solace, Asterope travels in the realm she learned knows as Xadia. While resting under a tree on a hill, she was awoken by a horned toddler with white and violet hair. Asterope was baffled with the sudden appearance of the toddler. As she was thinking what to do next, she someone running up the hill towards her. The being, named Aaravos, introduced himself as father of the toddler. He’ve been looking for his child for almost two hours after she manage to escape their home through an open window. He thanked her for keep his daughter safe and leaves.

But this wouldn’t be her last encounter with him and his daughter.

As the years passed, the Asterope grew close to the pair. Aaravos was curious about Asterope, he never seen anything like her before. They meet often to discuss anything from magic to the world events. The Asterope played in the Leola’s games with her friends. Asterope saw Leola ’s heart was warm and opened, which she reminded her of her late beloved son. She formed a motherly bond towards the daughter and vowed to protect her.

The relationship between Asterope and Aaravos blossomed into romantic. The two  confessed their love for each other and kissed. The two later married and moved in together. Leola was happy to have a mommy.

For the first in a long time, she has never been at peace. 

Aaravos and Asterope, wanted to give Leola a little sibling. They planned to created one with blood spell, due to their biological being too different to make one. They finished the spell with cutting their hair and have it wrapped around Ari’s embryo. They have no idea when Ari was gonna emerged from his cocoon, but they hoped that Leola and their baby will come best of siblings.

One fateful day, out of compassion, the Leola gifted humans Primal Stones and taught them magic to aid them in their suffering. However, this act was witnessed by a dragon. But it was no ordinary dragon, but Anak Araw the dragon prince. he reported her to the cosmic order for giving magic to humans and disrupting the order.

While Asterope was away, Leola was playing with her friend outside. Anak Araw and one member of the Startouch Council came to take Leola to cosmic justice. Aaravos heard Leola’s friend calling for help and rushed outside. Leola’s friend told what happened. Aaravos immediately fled to the heavens.

 Aaravos arrived to the heavens was Leola was frightened. He demands why Leola was brought before cosmic justice. The council reveal that Leola broken the cosmic order for giving magic to humans and sentenced her to death. Aaravos pleaded with them for mercy, but the only mercy they could offer was that he could die alongside her. He opted to comfort the terrified Leola as she was cast out from the heavens.

When Asterope returned home, she  couldn’t find Aaravos or Leola anywhere. Suddenly, a bright light appeared in the sky. The light was hailing towards the earth at an excessive speed. The light crashed far east from Elarion leaving a crater in its center. Not too long after, Asterope noticed a second light heading towards where the previous light crashed. She fled towards the crash site to investigate. 

As she got closer through the smoke, she heard crying. 

Aaravos’s crying.

She landed and ran towards Aaravos’s silhouette in the smoke. There, Aaravos wept over Leola's remains.

She failed again.

She once again failed to be there to protect her child…to prevent like this from happening again. 

She too cried along side him.

For 100 years, Aaravos wept over Leola's fallen remains and the crater she left behind. Humans and elves heard his cries from the Sea of the Castout. They would see him from far, but not daring go near him. Not even Asterope wouldn’t dare tried to move Aaravos from… Leola. 

Asterope was too in her own grief. She occasionally returned to their home and cleaned the house. When she returned for the first time in weeks, she cried on Leola’s bed. Shouting how she’s sorry that she wasn’t there to protect her, that her father crying and her sibling was never gonna get to meet her. She would cried herself to sleep.

One night, The Merciful One descends from the heavens and materialize behind a grieving Aaravos. With a toddler in their arms, They approached him, put a hand on his shoulder, and consoled him by saying:

 "We are, all of us, stardust, held together by love for an instant."

Aaravos was silent.

The Merciful One continued, “It’s time to move on of the child you lost and focused of your child who yet to be born.”

They presented the toddler to him.

“You only have a fraction of your former power, not’s enough your child to grow healthy.”

Aaravos stared that the toddler.

“What are you saying..”

“Your child won’t be born for centuries. By the time your child is born, they’ll be a young adult that would able to share their energy with the child to help them grow.”

Aaravos stand up, the first time in a century.

“You can’t be serious.” Aaravos voice rose in anger.

“I may not have given a mercy you desire for Leola, but I’m giving a mercy for your unborn child.”

Aaravos stared at the toddler, then back at the Merciful One. He wanted to rage, to lash out at the cruel irony, but deep down, he knew... they were right. 

Aaravos reached his arms out towards the toddler. The merciful one given them into his arms. The Merciful One vanished as subtly as they had appeared, leaving Aaravos standing alone with the small child.