1 An Origin Tale

Tales tell of a young woman born of sea-foam. For the storm's blazed, winds howled, and the ocean raged. But it was the Sun that found the young woman. It fell so deeply in love with her. Shining its brightest rays, it parted the raging storm clouds. The Sun guided her safely to shore, where she was named after the land, Cytherea. The people of the land found the maiden unconscious on their shoreline, her hair be blessed by the Sun; a beautiful golden blonde. The Ocean, enraged and jealous of her, cursed her with skin burned a soft blue, and always frigid to the touch. Enigma surrounded this queer stranger, who now was in an even more queer land.

As the years went on, the people knew they heard the Sun whisper to her, professing its love to her. Many feared what her presence could bring, and just as many revered her and her connection to the Sun. For this, the people built the grandest temple atop the grandest mountain. There is where she resided. It was there the people praised her, prayed to her, and brought gifts of sacrifices to her and the Sun.

Alas, this poor maiden be confused, for she did not know why the people did such. She followed what the people wanted of her, for she knew they would keep her safe. But, her memories remained missing with the angered wind from all those years ago. She did not understand why the people of the Isle looked at her so differently. She knew not why they looked at her as if she weren't human, but as a Goddess. She bled the same red as them and she aged just like them. Which, the years aged her so gracefully.

Her body of a young maiden grew to that of a vixen. Her seductive looks drew many from lands far away to meet this Goddess of Beauty. The locals hated these travelers and that name, for she be the Consort of the Sun.

Lecherous men tried their hand at getting a taste of the woman, to which they always failed, and the young women went to her to pray for a beautiful face, a beautiful body, and an equally beautiful husband.

There was a certain curious group of women that occasionally visited her from Mount Cynthus in Delos. They called themselves the Maidens of the Moon Goddess. They taught her the true wonders and true beauty of the female form. Something so beautifully meticulous and wondrous that it deserved the blessing from all the God's.

The locals, xenophobic in their ways, hated these women. For their Goddess of the Moon was in rivalry with their God, the Sun. They began to spread rumors about Cytherea and her illicit activities with the Maidens of the Moon. Many believed she was betraying the Sun. Because of this, the people that once revered her, came to scorn her. They swore they heard the Sun whispering to her less and less. The Sun's love turned sour. Their land was now shrouded in permeating darkness. The Sun smiled down on them less and less.

The Wind and Tides made themselves known more and more; distinct traits of Cynthus, Goddess of the Moon. Everyone pointed their fingers at Cytherea. Because of her, they lost the grace of the Sun, whom they relied on for their farming prosperity. The winds destroyed their fields, and the tides too untamed for fishing. Wise men from across the sea once said, ignorance brings chaos. And Chaos was brought. The people's fear precariously fed off of their ignorance. Cytherea was also just as blind as the people of the Isle. She never heard voices of the Sun, nor did she hold the powers everyone thought her to. She was but a lost sailor at sea, who lost her memories with the waves.

Out of anger, the people became more violent with their sacrifices. Hoping that in harming its Consort that they would bring back the good graces of the Sun. They used her blood to bathe the sacrifices. Her blood, her tears, her body slowly became the sacrifice. The people were slowly killing her over an omnipresent being they could not prove the existence of.

During a particularly strong typhoon, the Maidens of the Moon made a visit. For their Goddess whispered untold horrors to them that begot Cytherea. Upon seeing her weak, nearly lifeless body the Maidens openly wept. They became stricken with grief at how this woman was treated by the people who once looked up to her as a Goddess. The Goddess of the Moon was also known for her Temple of Maidens, which served its purpose to protect women.

They begged for Cytherea to join them so they could secure her safety. But in her weakened delirious state, all she could utter out was, "Why?"

The oldest and wisest of the group let out a humorless chuckle, "But why not, my child? You've been through plenty of hardship. Please, let your soul calm and your body rest."

With that, they swept her away to their Temple during the full moon. The following morning the people burned down Cytherea's temple, and the Sun shone down on them once again. The fortune of the people came as a misfortune to poor Cytherea.

During their travels, many nymphs and minor Gods laid eyes upon Cytherea and fell madly in love with her. Hushed whispers and muted desires were like a melody to her. The Maiden's knew not of what was going on in her head and the things she was hearing. They would listen to her mutter back responses to the voices she heard and they grew anxious. In her dying state, she became delirious.

The following night, the Maidens tried setting up camp in a clearing in the woods. A beautiful body of water surrounded a beautiful mansion. It was carved from the finest wood from the finest craftsmen. A shrine to the God Aion.

They've sought refuge there before, for their journey takes merely two days. A very particular procedure is to be followed. They approached the lake and the ferryman appeared. He wore a black robe that appeared to be an endless void. His face was also cleverly concealed with the shroud. His hand reached out and he uttered his infamous phrase, "Where's your key?" His voice croaked and his breath wheezed out, death and life seeping out with each syllable. One of the Maiden's handed him a shiny gold coin.

The boat only had space for two: the ferryman and one passenger. One by one the Maidens crossed the body of water. Last but not least, Cytherea. She boarded and the ferryman said to her, "Watch your step." She haphazardly took a step into the dingy boat and sat down.

It waded lifelessly through the mysterious body of water which be uniquely amethyst in color. She became so entranced with the water. Its beautiful hue held so much mystery. So many secrets. She'd never seen water be anything but blue. A quiet lullaby sung to her from it's deepest depths.

"Don't fall in."

The ferryman drew her attention from the water and she looked at him.

"You will suffer."

She cocked her head to the side, "What do you mean?"

"You'll become worse than a God." His weak voice now held such absolute power in that moment.

But like Icarus to the sun, the water wanted her. Her cursed destiny lie within the bottom of the lake. Everything began to shake. Clouds darker than black manifested in the sky. The air was sickly sweet and too thick to breathe. She struggled to gasp for air, her hands clung to her throat, "H..Help..." Her nails bore deep scratch marks. Anything, anything. She sought after any sensation. Everything, everything dulled too quickly. She clawed more at her throat hoping to feel something, anything...

She grasped onto the side of the boat but in her weakened state she slipped off its side and made contact with the water.

"I warned you."

The water crawled up her arm like an army of ants and began to engulf her.

She was pulled into the water. The purple lake held an entire life of its own. Mysterious and full of secrets, she heard it talking to her. It unlocked the mystery to her memories that were long gone. It reminded her of all the power the people gave to her. It beckoned her to feel the pain they inflicted on her again. One, two, three, hundred, thousands of voices rang in her head. A deathly screech rattled from her ears to her brain.

She gasped for air, but nothing came. The water was slowly sapping the life from her. Reminding her of her violent past and painful present. Who she was before held no relevance, but who she is now is everything.

A life of pain, misery, and pseudo affection manifested so deeply into her bones. She felt the power thrum in her veins.

And just like that, her heart beat its last.

Her body fell out of existence and then back in. A corporeal form she no longer had. The water no longer screamed at her and suffocated it. It caressed her and loved her. Loved her like no other.

"Make them suffer." It told her.

And suffering she did.

The Temple of Aion held much mystery. Aion a God lesser-known, a God of time. He only permits those with a pure heart to enter his abode. For those tainted could corrupt and ruin what little power he held.

Cytherea held a heart of malice and regret. That, in turn, manifested deeply into her dying state. It transformed her from human to monster. Perhaps this allowed her to hold the power of a God.

Ever since, all that fall into the lake is consumed by her. Her bitter life full of misery and unknown made her crave the memories of others. To which Aion feeds from this. His temple is far more than just a place of prayer. His temple was a Key to time missing its Lock. To which Cytherea was that Lock. Together, the two feed on memories and souls. Tempting all the venture into their house of time with a promise to change their past.