1 Prologue

𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐧 𝐕𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐧

𝕿𝖍𝖊 Crown Prince of Naros walked in the Great Library with a scholar on his trail. He strode with purpose and authority among the halls of portraits of each Higher Gods of Cythera.

Each Gods with roles and positions. Beautiful portraits that scholars have preserved flawlessly after all those years even after the wars.

The Prince had the intention to learn the conflict that was happening in Cythera. He had grown desperate that he found himself snorting at the idea of him reading the ancient tomes that the scholars have perfectly hidden to preserve its purpose.

To teach people who their Gods was.

They hid it where it's perfectly safe from people who did not care for such beliefs and would willingly vandalize it—like the Prince himself, not that he would do something atrocious but he didn't have a choice, he had to learn about the Higher Gods.

The Scholar opened the room where a perfectly laid tome rested on the table, untouched. "Your Highness," he bowed and shut the door behind him.

The Prince sighed, never believing himself to be considering this idea. The Prince never grew up to be such a believer, if such Gods existed where were they? Why hide when they could rule over the people they sought to create and protect. They had the power to do so.

The Prince sat down and leaned back against the chair, looking at the ceiling before closing his eyes. "If our lands aren't dying, I would never consider such thought." He mumbled, rubbing a hand on his face before pushing himself from his position and stared at the leather covered tome in front of him.

He caressed the intricate designs on the cover before flipping it open gently. The first page was the words of: The Seven Higher Gods of Cythera.

'𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘱𝘪𝘥', he thought to himself.

He ignored his skepticism and continued turning the page, not bothering with introductions and all. The Prince skimmed the irrelevant part so he could get this done quickly.

'Cythera was named after the Queen of the Gods, Cytheria...'

Flipped.

'Cytheria is known to be the First Higher God to exist. The Goddess of Life, Light, and Wisdom. She breath life to Cythera, given its light and collected wisdom for the people. The Queen of the Gods, She of Throne, Giver of Life, Wife of Oikos and Mother of All. Cytheria is able to control the light, gives life with a thought and dreams.

Cytheria created Cythera, giving life to people and it's wildlife. The Queen of Gods have gotten bored of ruling alone, so she created the other Higher Gods, then followed by the Lower Gods. She gave them each roles to sustain its people. Cytheria is also known for the light halo she emits. Cytheria found Oikos when the darkness first arrived and they both fell in love…'

The Prince stared at the illustration of a sun colored hair of Cytheria, wearing a white long dress with flowers on the hem of her dress. Cytheria was a tall figure in the illustration, he wondered if that's how tall she was if she was real.

The image was beautifully drawn but somehow, it felt blank to him like it wasn't enough. A gold circlet that rested on her forehead with flowers protruding from the top, bracers covered her forearm that shone gold. A tall staff with a round blue crystal that shone with the light, vines wrapped at the crystal perfectly that blended amongst the staff. What captivated the Prince was not the beauty, her eyes. Violet eyes. It was beautiful.

Underneath the illustration was the words Cytheria, Queen of the Higher Gods.

The Prince shook his head and turned the page, Oikos' strong face stared at him with haunted dark eyes.

'Like Cytheria, Oikos was created once Cytheria was made. The God of Death, Decay and the Unseen, also called as Darkness. Where Cytheria gives life, her husband takes it. He is the darkless to Cytheria's light. The God of Unseen, Harbringer of Death, Husband of Cytheria and Father of All. Oikos can manipulate the darkness, takes lives and controls nightmares.

'Him and his wife, they balanced each other. Life and death. No Higher Gods questioned the couple's power. It is said Oikos hated people who commit suicide for he finds it insulting and disrespectful for him and his wife. Like Cytheria, Oikos is known to have a dark halo made out of smoke.'

The image of Oikos was stunningly dull yet imposing. A tall figure with pitch black hair and beard, the man stood with a crows looming over his head. A well built man, covered in dark tunic with gold trimmings, ornamental clasps on waist and a long sword at his hands, darkness sweeps underneath him. The man's eyes were hauntingly pale. Written underneath the illustration was Oikos, King of the Higher Gods.

There was a second image of him but in an armor, a crown laid atop of his head with three pointed tips on the front and smaller ones on each side, a black chest plate that was sleek and covered with intricate symbols that followed the shape of his body. The shoulders were protected from metal pauldrons, glowing gold like Cytheria's circlet was. The bracers were made from the same material and are decorated with the same motif, the waist piece looks like it's made from leather but it may be also metal, it's a skirt that split in the middle with trousers covering the legs and boots. This time instead of a long sword, a bardiche that red lines glow from the body while at his other hand was a battle axe.

The Death Himself. It said underneath.

The Prince continued to admire such beautiful made armor that he knew the God of Death didn't need it at all.

He read the other Higher Gods roles, Mereia was the Goddess of Nature, Protection and Wildlife, Boeotikan Huntresses were deeply loyal to the Goddess of Nature. Amyris was the Goddess of Love, Birth and Divination, everyone's favorite God. Rydas, the God of Music, Arts and Beauty; Kellonia's favored God and Sephria, the Goddess of Justice, Order and Balance—if the Prince was a believer, he knew where to pledge his fealty to.

'Mereia, the Goddess of Nature, Protection and Wildlife. The Huntress. First Sister of Cytheria. Protector of All Creations. The Third Higher God. Known to have the mighty wolf companion, Silvane.

'She was talked on protecting all Cytheria's creations, the Goddess was given Boeotika as a gift from Cytheria for it reminded her of the wildness that she had. The Goddess is able to control animals, grow flowers and excludes the ambiance of purity.'

Mereia was the favored Goddess of the Boeotika as they were surrounded with forestry and wildlife. A lithe yet strong looking female stared back at him with fierce red hair with green striking eyes. Mereia was a woman that looked wild yet somehow managed to keep her sophisticated look. She wore a light green dress that flowed at the hem like an upside down flower, a tall silver wolf stood beside her like a friend. Strapped behind her back was an intricate bow influenced by the aesthetics of nature.

The art was titled, Mereia, Huntress of Wild

Bastien turned the page and his breath was caught in a hitch.

'Amyris, the Goddess of Love, Birth and Divination. The Lover of All. Second Sister of Cytheria, the Fourth Higher God. Mistress of Sensuality and Pleasure. The Enchantress. The Eyes of the Future. Twin Sister of Rydas.

'Known for her ability to change her looks based on the individual's desire. No one truly knows what the Goddess looks like. The Eyes of the Future can able to see the possible outcomes of the Futures. Cytheria gave Naros as a gift to Amyris. Naros's favored God.'

Desire. That's what he could say about the image of the Goddess in the paper. Or portraits. The name of the drawing was Amyris, The Temptress. Fitting, he thought. They were a lot of illustrations the Goddess had, apparently the artist's vision of her changes vary. The only that haven't changed was the pale pink dress she wore that clung to her body like a second skin, the Prince was amazed at the details the artist added, the curves of the woman, the swell of her breast was nearly coming out of the thin straps of the dress, a dark pink circle in her breast was slight teasing the artist. Erect and aroused. The drawing emitted sensuality and sex. The Goddess' hips were thick enough for him to grab on as he pounded in her—

"Kerre!" He cursed in Narosi. He felt like a child on the beginnings of finding pleasure of one's body. He flipped the page as he ignored the sensation he felt from a fucking drawing.

The fifth Higher God, Rydas.

'The God of Music, Arts and Beauty. The First Brother of Cytheria, the Fifth Higher God. The Voice of the Higher Gods. Creator of Harmonies and Melodies. The First Artist. Twin Brother of Amyris.

'Known for the ability to enthrall someone with his voice, like his sister Amyris. The twins were a sight to see, both appreciate the beauty of life. He is a known artist in the Higher Gods, Rydas is also the Voice of Gods. He often tells stories about the Higher Gods that Cytherians were quickly to be engrossed with it. Cytheria gifted Kellonia to Rydas, creating and spreading beauty in all things.'

Rydas had stood like he knows his allure and knew how to use it. His blonde hair was long and the tresses were around his shoulders, blue pale eyes like the oceans of Kellonia. He had a slightly brown highlights, a smirk etched on his face and he was surrounded with people. Rydas wore the most luxurious tunic that the Prince have seen. At the full body portrait was a sketch of a weapon, a polearm Glaive.

Bastien flipped the page, finding the god irrelevant.

'Sephria, the Goddess of Justice, Order and Balance. The Judge, Jury and Executioner. Third Sister of Cytheria. Sixth Higher God. Commander of Cythera. Great Lady of War. She of the Mountain. The Enforcer.

'Known for her strategic skills in war, Sephria serves as the strickler for law, firm believer in Balance. Skyrias favored Sephria due to her beliefs in balancing the scales. Sephrias is Oikos's second command against their enemy Gods, the Gareas, bringing countless of victory to Cythera.'

The Prince would swear fealty to the Goddess of Justice, if he were a devotee. He stared at the image of Sephrias, Bringer of Justice, a brown haired warrior stared at the side with a stern look, all serious and commanding. A double bladed Polearm that was perfectly aimed at the side. She looked like the artist drew the image while she was in mid war, a snarl etched on her face as she faced towards the unknown enemy. He realized all of the Higher Gods were tall, taller than any humans he'd seen in the sketches.

And lastly the seventh Higher God... the Prince turned the page to see it—𝘣𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘬.

He blinked as if he couldn't believe his eyes that a page was ripped. Not even an image left to see, to admire.

Who would rip a page from an ancient tome?

No scholar would do that to their precious books. The Prince continued to turn the pages, seeing other Lower Gods and the long history of the Higher and Lower Gods but he didn't find the missing page in the book.

The Prince gritted his teeth and slammed the tome harder than he intended to.

Who was the seventh Higher God and why would someone rip it.