Nebula Gravis

[ClockworkAngel]

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The white-haired man snapped out of his memories and looked up at the door to the hall he was within. He felt a presence outside. Finally... She had come...


[Lillith - Ciniria City]

Lily looked at the deslote city laying before her. Centuries ago, this was a hub of wealthy people trading all sorts of merchandise. Now it was a dark, ruinous ghost of a city, where only the foul and dark-hearted dwell. She walked it's streets, perfectly aware of those watching her movements, waiting for a chance to strike, however, she felt an unease from them. It was as if they were reluctant to come near her. This feeling increased as she neared the cathedral in the distance.

She finally reached the cathedral door, but rather than enter, she made her way around to the back. She found a tall wall rise up to meet her, but scaled it with little trouble. She landed in a dark cemetary, tombs littered about, many crumbled and worn to dust. She ventured forth to the back of the cemetary, where she found the tomb the Cult of Umbranox had told her of. It's door was open.

She walked in and surveyed the walls, noticing the runic carvings. She made her way over to them and found, to her surprise, that she could read them, but, to her frustration, most of the words were worn away and could not be read.

"-eth. For with this, a new terror shall be born unto the world, of darkness and of ice. And with her the world shall rise or fall, this angel of the netherworld, born of the g-" ... ... "r the name of Lillith, and forever will she walk in the shadows of the w-" ... ... "les of the Sun, and when the Lord of the North obtains a he-" ... ... "s shall be released. Then the fate of the world shall be d-"

"... wonderful." She muttered. She turned and faced a dark staircase decending underground and made her way over to it. She proceeded down the stairs and came to a long hallway. The smell of blood filled her nose and she saw a severed arm, some weeks old, lying nearby. The tattered robe nearby told her it was a member of the Cult. Probably from their first attempt to enter the tomb. She payed it no more heed and continued down the hall. She felt some malevolent, watchfulness as she walked down the hall, but strangely, it felt warm to her. None of it's malevolence aimed at her. This tomb was inviting her in. It wanted her here.

That was when the cold broke in. A freezing sensation as if she had just been submerged in icy water. There was something else here. Something far more powerful than anything she had ever met. Even the creature of shadow in the Shadowed Forest paled in comparison to this. But again, it did not seem to harbour any ill intent towards her. She continued down the passage before coming to a large, open hall. She stepped into the light that radiated throughout the room and saw, standing before her, a tall man with long, flowing, white hair, and golden shackles about his wrists and ankles.

"I've been waiting for you." The man said, a cold, blue gleam in his eyes.
"I know you." Lillith said. "How do I know you? I cannot quite place you."
"No, I didn't think you would. All those years ago, your memory was disturbed by the Goddess of Spring and his mind games. Eruditio Lacus. He thought it better that you wander the world, unaware of who you are. He was afraid it would bring about the end of the world. And if you read the carvings upstairs, you would know he might have been on to something."
"Who are you?" Lillith asked. The man smiled, but it was a cold smile, void of genuine emotion.
"I am the man that needs your help. I believe you hold the key to unlocking the shackles that bind me to this mortal world. With your help, I wish to release them and restore my power and my position in this world. And I am sure you will help me. You owe it to me after all."
"Owe? I wasn't aware I owed anyone anything." Lillith said, staring quite coldly at the man. He smiled that cold smile again.
"Oh, you owe me. I, the one that helped bring you forth into this world? Do you not owe the man that gave you life?"
"..." Lillith fell silent. A surge of information just shot through her head. Memories unlocked, recalled. She gasped loudly as she suddenly remembered a faint trace of her old life.
"... You're... the Deity of Winter... God of Ice and Lightning, Stiria Gelumorsus... You're powers were sealed by the union of the God of Spring, Eruditio and the Goddess of Summer, Procella. Procella bound you in the Sun Shackles, forcing you to live as a mortal and locking your powers away, never to be removed again. You are also..." Lillith stopped. She felt a faint flicker of warm emotions welling up inside her and she hesitated before speaking again.
"Go on." Stiria said.
"... My father." Lillith spoke softly. The white haired man nodded, before walking over to Lillith and placing his hands on her shoulders.
"And with your help, I can free myself of these shackles and regain my position once more. And when I do, there will be a place for you at my side, along with your mother."
"My mother... I don't remember..."
"She protected you once already. She warded of the Dragon of Shadows from the Shadowed Forest when it attempted to hunt you or it's prey. She has been watching over you ever since you entered her realm."
"... Cinis?"" Lillith said, her eyes turning wide. Stiria smiled.
"She has been trying to help me, but alas, she cannot directly interfere with the mortal world that much from her position. She made it known to the Cult of Umbranox, her devout and loyal followers, where the tomb that bore your name lay. She got a message to me that you would be coming here. That was enough. Now that we have met, we can take action. For in my mortal form, there is nothing stopping me from interfering with this world, but I have not the power I had before. Procella once claimed that I would be no more powerful than an average mage with these shackles on, but she underestimated me. I am far stronger than she would believe."
"So... What do we do now?"
"Now, I think the continent of Verviridus should be our port of call. There, we may be able to unlock the rest of your memories. It was Eruditio that sealed them away. Maybe in his realm, we can unlock them. But first... There is a small town, north-east of here, named Itzal. It's people were once great and I enjoyed watching them greatly. In my last correspondance with Cinis, she told me something was going to happen there. I wish to find out what."
"I see. Well then, let's get going Itzal isn't too far away from here after all."
"Indeed." Stiria replied as he walked passed Lillith and left the hall. Lillith watched him leave, then shook her head and followed after him.