Hestia's Wish [2019 ONC Longlist]

0 | Her Darkness, His Star

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What does it mean to be courageous? Is it to stand up to the person preaching immorality? Is it the motivation to bring up arms and defend one's home? Or is it being vulnerable enough to give your heart to another?

These are the questions that the Aithneans have asked themselves for the past two centuries. They can't begin to comprehend the meaning behind them because that very quality has been severed from their minds for far too long. It has forced them into a life of simplicity and uniformity.

In order to understand how the Aithneans lost the ability to be courageous, we must return to the bittersweet tale of the God of Darkness, Erebus, and the Goddess of Stars, Asteria. Their story has been passed down for generations as a harsh reminder to all that going against Fate's decree will bring nothing but sorrow. Their sin is a constant reminder that love cannot conquer everything. Like anything else, it is capable of being warped into corruption.

Erebus was once the darkness that floated between the mortal world and the Underworld. He had no place of belonging nor any prospects. His sole duty, as dictated by the Fates, was to ensure that the souls of the dead ventured forth into the Underworld where Charon the ferryman awaited.

However, Erebus grew tired of living in perpetual darkness; he longed to see beyond his gloomy purgatory. Like any other deity, his curiosity about the mortal world grew each day. He pleaded to the God of the Underworld to grant him clemency so that his wish could be granted. The God of the Underworld refused, knowing the potential danger of Erebus' ascension. Unbeknownst to the primordial deity, a seed of Chaos, the dark lord of all, had been planted inside his heart at birth. As long as he remained below the surface world, it could be contained.

On the other hand, if he ascended, then the world would be thrown into a time where light only exists to be snuffed out by its malevolent counterpart. No deity or mortal would truly have a place to call their own. Spirits would remain unjudged and those that deserved eternal rest would not receive it.

Consequently, Hades trapped him with divine coils as he did with the Ancient Titans. Other deities were able to freely roam the mortal realm, except him. but he was not. He felt as though Hades was purposely keeping him out of the mortal realm for sadistic reasons. Erebus didn't understand the extent of his confinement nor did Hades offer an explanation, which only stirred the seed of Chaos and increased his will to escape. He harbored feelings of resentment, that which only grew with each passing day.

Day by day, he expelled little wisps of his essence, known as darklings, into the mortal world. He quickly discovered that he gained the ability to send more of these darklings during the full moon. on full moon nights. The darklings would soar through the sky, seeking a suitable host to cling onto. They were unable to find anyone, and so, they took solace in the night sky, waiting for the right hosts to appear. Only then would they make their debut.

Days turned into months until Erebus finally ascended after releasing the last bit of his essence through the crevices of his enchanted cage. The air grew thick as fog surrounded the area. He expected to feel a flurry of new sensations but to his dismay, his ghostly body was incapable of even feeling the night's cool breeze. He glided through the dew-tipped meadows, feeling as though his purpose had been for naught. It wasn't long before a sparkling star amidst the thick white clouds captured his attention.

Upon closer inspection, it was a woman in a dark blue dress with shimmering blonde ringlets that fell down her back in cascading waves. Her body sparkled and glimmered under the light of the moon. She twirled and danced freely in the sky as she weaved the constellations into place. They gleamed under her gentle touch, never swaying from their position.

Erebus found himself mesmerized, unable to tear his gaze away from the ethereal creature above. And so, from that point on, he visited that same spot, hoping to capture a closer view of the Star that had left him breathless. His soul seemingly recognized her as his other half, as it claimed her as his Star.

Little did he know that the Goddess of Stars had also been watching him. She would often steal a glance at him for a brief second before resuming her work. There was a roguish mystery about him, one that she couldn't wait to decipher. His onyx hair hung loosely at his shoulders, the moon's light making it look as though it was dark green. Something about him exuded tranquility and made her feel at home, which made her greedy to experience more. He was her darkness.

One night, she gathered the courage to speak to him. She fell from the sky like a shooting star. They spoke about their past, duties, and hopes for the future. They quickly became love's hostage as he fell in love with his Star as she did with her Darkness.

Their love was consummated in secrecy shortly after, which led to the creation of the Zodiac. Their constellations took one month to draw and etch into the canvas of the night.

Their children instantly became possessed by Erebus' lingering darklings, as those with divine light in their hearts have the greatest potential to become the world's greatest enemy. The rupture in their constellations shook the earth and split it into two, tearing families apart and pitting nation against nation over the course of time.

The rapid change in morality forced the release of Chaos. He had everything: mortals to kneel at his feet, obedient soldiers to do his bidding, and seemingly endless amounts of power. He no longer needed Asteria, so he trapped her among the stars that she cared so tenderly for. The Gods of Olympus attempted to restore the balance and free Asteria, but by that time, they were too late. The Gods stood no chance against Chaos and his children, and were trapped by the very coils that were used to enslave Erebus in his wretched home.

Nyx, Goddess of the Night, who had been stalling the Zodiac's fall from grace, was the last to be captured. Once she was incapacitated, each star descended to Earth and claimed mortal lands for themselves.

Aries, the Celestial Ram, was the first to stake her claim on what is now called the Isles of Aithne. It's a hellish nation, surrounded by active volcanoes and scalding waters. Aries was once a protector of courage and natural leadership, but now she is nothing but a symbol of madness, lost to the Dark Lord.

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A/N: If you would like to read more about Erebus and Asteria, check out Volume 1 of the Fallen Star Series. You can find all the available books in this series in my "Ultimate Zodiac Collection" reading list!