" let the stars seal our fate. "

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kalons featured:
constantine
eden
tapestry
bellum

[trans]

in a place many solar systems away from earth, in a humble system of planets and suns seemingly unaffected by the world around it, lies on the fourth planet to the sun, the kingdom of innari. nestled in one of the milder regions of the planet, the kingdom stands tall through thick and thin, a landmark and a sign of innarian glory, culture, and achievements. over many millennia, the people of innari have prospered and found great success and accomplishments, and many a time have been envied by their neighbors for their unnatural ability to thrive through thick and thin, despite being seen as very weak and materialistic by other kingdoms.

innarians are, however, mostly known for their deep connection to the sun, while their closest neighboring kingdom, the sularians, are known for their connection to the moon and stars. there has always been a rivalry between the two kingdoms, though only in recent years has it mellowed out, and both kingdoms have enjoyed a long period of peace. to further this relationship, the two kingdoms agreed that their respective priestesses and their entourage were welcome into the other's kingdom whenever they pleased, and they must share any information they receive, if vital to both kingdom's longevity.

both the innarians and sularians respect the celestial priestesses, believing them to be chosen by the gods themself and it is, by written law, a crime to question them and their visions and prophecies without probable cause. the celestial priestesses spend very little time outside their strictly monitored and highly secure monasteries, learning the ways of a priestess as a youth, and eventually becoming the next priestess. as adults, priestesses duties often kept them at the monastery with little to no free time. being a priestess is an important task, and as such, it is normal for them to never leave the monastery. most townsfolk and even the high-ranking members of society dont know what they look like, and only a handful have seen the priestesses without their hoods and traditional garb.

for many centuries, the kingdoms had been at peace, however the real trouble only began to arise in recent decades. monsters from an unknown origin began to terrorize the two kingdoms, and invaders from beyond the planet's bubble of comfort threatened the whole system of colonies within their solar system.

the war truly begins at the destruction of the innarian monastery. fueled by increasing tension and spurred on by their people, the matriarch of the invaders completely destroyed the innarian monastery, and sparked a rage in the innarians. however, without their priestess, they could do nothing without risking the whole kingdom's safety. without the visions of the sun priestess, everything was a risk. the matriarch, content but not completely satisfied, set out to do the same to the sularian's. before she could, however, word got out that the sun priestess had survived, and there was a hefty reward for whoever found her. determined to squash the innarians, the matriarch set out to do just that; find the young priestess, and destroy the last of the innarian's hope.

the priestess, now on the run, is where this tale truly begins...

[trans]

foot steps. shouting. mocking chants. the sound of crashing, the place you once called home burning in a burning hot magenta blaze─

you gasp, clawing at your chest wildly, before your eyes focus on the room around you and you realize, im safe, im okay, nothing's wrong, im here, im alive, and as your eyes slip shut, you can pretend, just for a moment, you're back in your bed at the monastery, with its too many pillows and absurdly soft silk blankets and elegant drapery around the top, with a big, stained glass window to the right that you woke up to every morning, and you're not in some dingy inn all by yourself, still in your priestess robes, face and hands covered in dirt and the place you called home blasted to kingdom come. for a moment...

and then you remember. and that moment is gone.

while you groggily look around the small room you had gotten with some of the last gold coins you have left, you drag your hands down your face, willing yourself not to cry. if you cry, you know that you wont be able to stop, and you cant... cant cry here. you're supposed to strong, you have to get home, you have to... you have to get back to the monastery, to innari. that's your goal. that's all you have to do right now.

as you stagger to your knees slowly, you try to focus on breathing instead of having to face all the people outside, of the fact you're on the run and basically homeless, of the knowledge that even if you went back to innari, there would be nothing to go back to. you do what your mom always taught you, count to ten and breathe out, count to ten again and breathe it; count 5 things you can see that are blue, count 4 things you can feel/touch, count 3 things you can hear, and count 2 things you can smell; counting on your fingers until you run out of numbers (or fingers) to count on. and you find that, somewhat, it's easier to breathe, but you still feel awful.

as you turn the knob to leave the small room, your things collected in the cloth sack you had managed to swipe before you were violently torn from everything you've ever known, you feel the pressure in your head increase, but you choose to ignore it, bearing a grimace as you move to leave the establishment. you paid for one night; you have no desire to stay any longer. however, it seems fate had other plans, because before you can get to the door, someone tugs on your dress. you whip around and come face to face with a tall, burly kalon, many scars all over their face and shoulders, and an eye patch over one eye. in short─terrifying.

[trans]

"can i help you?" you ask, politely as you can manage while they stare you down, and you try to be discreet as you swallow the thick lump in your throat at their growing smirk.

"that's the thing; i do think you can. y'see, word on the street is there's a pretty little priestess running around, and there's quite the bounty for her head, y'know? and i've got kids and a family 'n all that, and... i think you may know her. a lass from innari─ring any bells?" they say, glancing at you expectantly, like they can read the panic you feel and peer into your mind and know that you know you've been caught.

"no, i dont." you say, slapping their hand away and smoothing out the crease left from their grip. "and i have somewhere to be, so i'd appreciate it greatly if you─" as you go to leave, they grip your wrist in an iron-tight grasp, and you practically fume out of your nose and ears, a scowling fixating itself on their scarred face.

"unhand me. now." you demand, though how you're acting is a lot more confident than you feel. you feel tiny, vulnerable, and you just want to leave, because people are starting to stare and some are even getting up from their seats. the ball of panic in your chest starts to rise even faster, and you barely stifle the urge to throw up.

"dont think i will, miss. i think you know exactly why im here, and i also think you're going to be coming with me─" they trail off as a loud thud echoes throughout the main floor, and you watch as the kalon's grip slackens and they drop to the floor unceremoniously, knocked out cold. you rub at your wrist with your other hand while your brain tries to catch up with your body, and you feel like you're in another world until someone touching you on the shoulder jerks you out of your stupor.

"huh?"

"i said, 'are you alright?'" a voice says, and you turn to see a trio of kalons standing where your accoster once stood, the middle one holding out their hand, poised as if ready to provide comfort on command. or smack unruly kalons upside the head with the giant tome, pressed against their chest with their other hand.

"i-im fine. thank you for asking, and for... taking care of that. but i do think i must be on my way─" you're quick to say, not wanting to stay any longer.

"wait!" they say, and you pause, not sure why you even did in the first place. "before you go, just listen... please?"

"..." after a moment of thought, you give in, crossing your arms with a huff. "..oh alright. but be quick about it. i-i have somewhere to be."

"i know. now, let's get out of here and talk somewhere else, yeah?" they flash you a smile, and you flick your gaze elsewhere to hide what you're thinking. eyes are the windows to the soul, as they say. still, you nod, and follow them, albeit reluctantly, out of the establishment.

"before we get to the real good stuff, i'll introduce myself. i am eden, moon priestess of the kingdom of sulari, and─" you quickly shout out, 'wait', and she stops in her tracks, looking at you curiously. "did i say something?..."

"no, no! oh goodness no─i just... the old... the old moon priestess. what happened─" eden looks down at her feet as you say that, and you fret endlessly within the confines of your own mind. what happened to elicit such a reaction? what happened to the old priestess? where is she? is she okay? is she even alive?

[trans]

"she's dead. the matriarch..." she doesnt say more, but you feel like you know all she possibly could've said. somehow you were lucky to escape with your life, but others... they werent. and that was just how it was. but it didnt sting any less, knowing someone you'd worked with since you were just a kit, who was like a second mother to you and also a mentor, was just. gone. and you never even got to say goodbye or see her one last time.

what? "im sorry." you say, voice quiet as you struggle to digest this new information.

"it's... no, it's not okay. but i've accepted it. we have accepted it. besides, it's best to look towards the future, not dwell on the past. come along now, we have not a moment to waste. i'll explain everything along the way. i promise."

you dont know whether you trust eden completely, but... do you really have any other choice? these thoughts run through your mind as you follow behind her, feeling a lot like you're walking straight into the lion's den. at least, you think dismally, you have the company of others as you head towards what feels like certain death.

"as i was saying... i am eden, and this is tapestry and bellum." she smiles as she says this, pointing to each of them once she calls out their respective names. the tapestry fellow keeps his gaze off to the side, but gives a nod of recognition upon hearing his name. the one named tokyo waves excitedly at you, and you wave back, tentatively, offering a small smile in return.

"constantine, former sun priestess of the kingdom of innari. pleasure is mine." you return politely, still looking ahead as you speak.

"ah, so you're the runaway priestess i've heard about. quite the talk of... everywhere, really. feel good to be popular?" eden teases, and even though you know she's just trying to lighten the mood, you feel yourself grimace, mouth pressed into a thin line.

"no, actually, it doesnt." you mumble into the crook of your arm, unable to hold back the biting tone you had used on others who poked fun at you, back when there actually was a monastery with people to be mad at or laugh with everyday.

"im sorry, i should've known that's a sore spot, after the whole... thing. for what it's worth though, i feel you. havent had a day of good rest since... forever. haha." she laughs, but it's not genuine, more deprecating than anything, but you cant force yourself to physically comfort her. you offer her a sympathetic glance instead, and she smiles, just a little.

"well, enough of that depressing garbage. it's time for an adventure!"

"w-wait just a second─an adventure?! i never─" you're stopped when eden grabs you by the hand and pulls you forward along with her, laughing in a much more sincere, prettier way.

"what, never gone on an adventure, princess?" she teases, racing forward after bellum, a sighing tapestry following behind the three of you shaking his head and failing to hide his own laughter.

wind whistling past you, three other kalons not trying to capture or kill you, and a nice scent of early autumn breeze, you feel yourself forgetting all the troubles that plague your mind for at least a moment, and allow yourself to laugh, giggling madly as eden looks back at you periodically, fingers intertwined tightly with yours. you havent felt this carefree in... way too long. too long to remember. and as the path ahead of you grows darker, you find yourself no longer scared of the challenges it will present you in due time, knowing that, at least, you're not alone. this time, you have friends, and a lantern, and no longer will you cower and wait to be saved.

and for a moment, just one... you can pretend everything is alright again.

[trans]

many days are spent traveling on foot, ransacking abandoned cottages or homes on the side of roads or half-charred by the matriarch's flames, and passing through towns along the way, not yet exposed to the matriarch's seething rage. many times you contemplate stopping and just. never starting again. whats the point, if there's no home to go back to? what's the point, if that evil, fire-breathing demon has captured your city and burned down the place you lived in your whole life? what's the point of anything?

but eden is always there. and tapestry. and even bellum too. they're there, and they remind you there's still something on this world for you, there's still people to fight for, things to do, places to see, and you cant abandon it all because of what has already happened. the past is just that─the past. if you dwell on it, you'll only suffocate yourself in what cant be changed. and somewhere deep down, you know they're right.

excursions with people looking to turn you in decreased as the four of you went from town to town, never staying long enough to be recognized but just enough to get a few nights of well-earned rest. you never went back to the same town twice, especially after a close call with members clearly under the orders of the matriarch to hunt you down were in one of the town's you'd been staying at. (you shudder at the memory, recalling the brisk air of six am stinging your cheeks while the four of you caught a carriage out of town.)

life seemed to come to a stand still, with no moves being made from your side, innaria and sulari's side, or the matriarch's side. it seemed like everyone just... stopped. you werent sure what you even could do, really.

it's only until eden eventually gets up and asks, "what are we doing? we shouldnt be standing around, we should be... should be doing something─something to save this world!" she says, loudly, and it echoes in the quiet of night. you understand where she's coming from, but you just... dont see what four people, one who hasnt even seen a sword in her life, could do to make the matriarch's tyranny end. it was all... hopeless.

hopeless.

as you go to sleep that night, you reflect on that word, on what eden's been saying the last few hours, days even, and wonder if you should do something─take that step forward and lead the path to rebellion. then you remember what the matriarch is capable of, and it cows you back into submission.

[trans]

you should have known the peace would not last forever. you should've, and yet... the calm before the storm... it made you forget, somehow, everything that was going on around you.

it started with a newspaper article. a headline that talked about your home land. a headline that talked about things you had never imagined. a headline that made you want to throw up when you picked it up and read the cover.

MATRIARCH TERRORIZES INNARI ONCE AGAIN: CITY CRUMBLES IN HER WAKE

you cant read any more after that, throwing it to the ground like it's infectious and running off to... wherever it is you're running off to. you dont know, you just. you have to get out of here, of this dumb town, away from these dumb people, and... breathe. breathe, breathe, breathe. breathe, constantine. breathe.

your thoughts race, your heart even faster, and you struggle to get air into your lungs while you weep openly in the middle of a forest just outside of the town you were staying in. you just want to go home but, is it even possible anymore? will it ever be possible? you want to believe it is, but you find yourself doubting it more and more as time passes, and innari seems to move on without you.

you just...

god you hate saying it but, really, what is the point anymore? you have nothing. your home, your friends, the people you called your family, your city; it's all been ravaged and left to pick up the pieces as the matriarch keeps coming back to terrorize innari, and eventually, some part of you knows sulari is next. and it kills you, because you never could have predicted this, and that's the one thing priestesses are supposed to be good at. they're supposed to know these things, so the kingdom can prevent them from ever happening.

but you didnt. you didnt see it. and you failed them. you failed... everyone.

your anger grows, however, you soon realize that it's not entirely your fault─the matriarch, she did this. she ruined everything you've ever known, and continues to do so. and you just cant... cant sit around and stand for it! you cant. you have to... you have to do something.

you get to your feet shakily, face sticky with tears, and make your way back to the inn you were staying at, anger now pulsing through your veins and the thoughts of a rebellion in your mind. an uprising of the likes of which the matriarch could never predict, and couldnt hope to stop.

and as you tell the others this, despite your previous confidence, your only hope is that the four of you have a chance.

[trans]

it's hard, at first. things go so slowly, you often ask yourself if it's even worth it. if you should even bother anymore. but the others... they keep you grounded, keep you sane. they remind you what you're all fighting for, and why it's worth it, why this is the right thing to do, even if they too doubt it sometimes themselves.

you're not much of a people person, or an anything person really, so naturally, eden fits snugly into the role of leader. she becomes the face of your cause, paving the way for the budding of a rebellion, and does most of the talking during public speeches. tapestry is her bodyguard, of course, but also helps bellum with the less on the field activities, like figuring out where they'll go next, learning where the matriarch's goons will be, understanding maps; things like that. you want to help more, but you cant do anything without your circlet, so most of the time you just pass out fliers or assist your friends if they need it.

one day, while you're helping bellum with some statistics and mathematics work, you hear eden starting her speech, and peek out of the tent you've huddled into to watch. it'll only be for second, you just... want to see what it's like. despite being one of eden's companions, you didnt watch her public speeches. you were nervous you'd be recognized by someone and get the lot of you thrown in jail until the matriarch could pick you up, or worse, and you never really felt like part of the group enough to attend.

she moves her hands around wildly as she talks, goes on about the matriarch and how city after city is being burned down by her or claimed as apart of her empire. she explains how the situation with innari and sulari could happen to anyone, could be happening to someone right now, and unless they took a stand, the whole planet would become just another fodder planet for the matriarch to conquer and then step all over, discarding and destroying when she no longer finds use out of it. she has a way with words that both inspires and terrifies, and you can definitely see why people would listen to her. you wonder where she learned to talk like that, and find yourself staring, leaning against one of the poles of the tent longer than you mean to, heart beating fast when, during a break in her speech, she shoots you a glance and winks, flashes you a smile that makes your chest ache (in a good way).

you hear a cough, and spin around to see bellum staring at you with a knowing gaze. as you return to the table, more papers than before scattered about and the kalon's scribbly chicken scratch writing covering a page of just one of many notepads corner to corner, bellum turns to you, looking like they want to say something.

"you like her." it's not a question, it's a statement. but you dont say anything in response, shocked by both the calmness of bellum as they say it so easily, and because you dont know if that's honestly entirely false.

"i dont know." you decide to go with, shrugging noncommittally. bellum just shakes their head and chuckles under their breath.

"you're in deep; dont drown yourself trying to swim back up." they return to their work after that, silent except for the sound of them writing on various documents and maps and papers, and it's almost like that whole conversation never happened.

"yeah." you decide to say, boldly, more bold than you've ever been with anything, and you kind of regret it, but you also dont. bellum doesnt look your way, but you see a tiny smile cross their face. you think you smile back, chest aching even more than before and heart racing circles just thinking about her.

[trans]

the rebellion picks up speed significantly after a few months. all the hard work the four of you are putting into this is finally starting to pay off, and there's even word that a network is starting, linking different rebel cells together so they can operate as a singular force. it's impressive, but what's more impressive is people are starting to take action on their own. without even hearing a single one of eden's speeches, they form groups of like-minded people, tired with the matriarch's presence on this planet. it becomes increasingly popular to hear people speaking in hushed tones about the rebellion and its followers, some actually apart of it, others merely spectating, hoping it doesnt cause more trouble than there already is.

the peak of it comes when the matriarch actually comes to a town you're staying at, and the four of you are forced to lay low for several days, not leaving the house except for bellum, who, because they almost always stayed covered up or were in the tent making plans, would not be identified by authorities easily, if at all. the four of you eventually made it out without incident, but the event had left all of you shaken after seeing what had been done to the town in the matriarch's wake. you still shiver involuntarily just thinking about it now, over a week since passed, and wonder what lies in store for you and your friends.

there's already talk of protests, some peaceful some not, and getting ready for war and attacking the matriarch directly. eden's tried her best to quell peoples need for bloodshed and violence but to no avail; some people just cant be convinced. not that you blame them, not after all you and your friends have seen the matriarch do so far, but... it's too early in the game to do anything so risky yet. for now... followers are vital. the cause needs to gain a foothold and some traction before any major battle plans can be made or starting an outright war with the strongest threat this solar system has seen since... ever.

the four of you get by somehow. you're usually tasked with getting supplies and fending off particularly eager followers of the cause. you know they mean well, but drawing attention to yourselves isnt going to help anyone, and you've seen many times what the matriarch is capable of and will do to small towns, especially ones in the middle of nowhere, ones she thinks no one will miss or even remember.

each day, the due date for rebellion grows closer, and each day, you hope you have just one more day to savor with eden and the others before it all crashes and burns and turns into all out war.

[trans]

"watch out!" the words register after the wound does, and you fall to your knees, shirt rapidly growing red. you dont know what happened, you'd just been─you just─

suddenly there's hands on your face, and a tearful eden looming over you, saying things you cant hear. her mouth moves fast, but your brain works sluggishly, and you dont understand a single thing she's saying. you try to tell her this, but all that comes out is garbled nonsense that looks like it just made her more worried instead.

you grip her arm unnaturally tight as she helps you to your feet, eventually just picking you up, saying more things you cant understand, and carrying you off to who knows where. your brain floats in and out of consciousness for several moments before your eyes slip shut, and the world goes black.

---

you wake up, dazed and with a pounding headache, and you dont even attempt to sit up straight, just allowing yourself to lay in this nice, comfy bed, much different than how all the mattresses at these old, dingy inns have felt, and─wait.

where are you? what happened? what─

suddenly everything that happened up until you passed out floods your mind, and you sit up quickly, immediately regretting it when your middle protests, and you lay back against the mattress, rubbing at your forehead with a grimace. ouch.

"you're awake?" eden says, coming out of nowhere and peeking in from behind the door, and you jump (only a little!) before recognizing it's actually her, and relaxing significantly, looking more like a melted puddle of ice cream against the bed than a living, breathing being. you kind of feel like one too. you really hope you dont have a fever. that'd just be dumb. and sucky. you hate fevers.

"yeah, what happened?" you ask, mostly because you're curious, but also so you can keep a note of who to ask any willing witches around here to curse for you, because wow this hurts like a real... real something. it just hurts, alright? a lot. like a lot, a lot.

"the matriarch found us. well, her goons actually, but where they are, she's sure to show up soon after. tapestry's got a sprained ankle and cut his arms up pretty bad, but other than that we're. here. not okay, no, but. here. alive. and that's something, at least... right?" she asks, as if wanting you to validate her train of thought, and you nod, a small smile working its way onto your face.

"yeah. yeah, you're right. at least we're. all here." you say, just as a wave of nausea rolls over you and you nearly throw up all over the bed sheets and covers. gross. let's not, thanks. "some... more than others."

"very funny. i thought i had the sense of humor?" she says incredulously, mockingly throwing her hand against her forehead and feigning hurt. you laugh, and she laughs too, and it reminds you of the church bells at the monastery, and the clock tower bells, and tiny silver christmas bells. mostly those bells. nice, soft tunes, smooth, but with just enough pitch to them that they're unique.

"well... better leave you to get some rest." she says, quietly, and you look over towards her curiously. you want to say something, but decide against it, instead nodding.

"h-hey i..." she paused at the door, turns to you, a hopeful twinkle in her eye. you swallow thickly, try not to look as nervous as you feel. "thanks for─for saving me. and you know, not leaving me back there... it was─was really nice. of you. im... glad. really glad, and thankful! thankful too." you trail off, wringing your hands nervously, wondering if you said too much or not enough.

she smiles, then shuts the door behind her softly, quiet as a mouse, and whispers something through the door that you only just barely hear.

i am too.