Orpheus: The Bard of Eterna
Once upon a time, in the city of Eterna, infamous for its boundless beauty and exuberant flora, lived a young poet named Orpheus. Orpheus was gifted with an enchanting voice that held the power to entrance even the most stone-hearted person. His voice was said to transform the gloomiest skies into a celebration of colors at the first light of dawn. But the feather in his cap was his ability to weave magic through words, which earned him his title, 'the bard of Eterna.'
Orpheus visited a charming meadow at the edge of the city every day, where he found his inspiration to pen the most soulful verses. A beautiful lady, named Eurydice, inhabited the meadow. As expected, her beauty was celestial, her grace, ethereal, and she had a charm that was inescapable. Orpheus's heart longed for her, and his lyrics impersonated his passion. His poems, drenched in love and longing for Eurydice, echoed through the hills and valleys, making even angels weep.
One day, as dusk wrapped the city in its pink and scarlet hues, a counsel of the city's most powerful men was convened. The city was cursed by a constant looming darkness that led to its slow demise. The counsel believed that only Orpheus's enchanting voice could save Eterna from the impending catastrophe. So, Orpheus was tasked with journeying to the Underworld, to implore Pluto, the God of the underworld, to lift the curse.
Orpheus, driven by a sense of duty and the love of his people, accepted the challenge. But his heart seized at the thought of being away from Eurydice. Amidst tears and promises of return, Orpheus left for the dangerous journey to the Underworld.
In the Underworld, after overcoming treacherous paths and deadly creatures, Orpheus, filled with despair and longing, sang his heart out to Pluto. His haunting melodies and the raw emotions conveyed through his verses moved Pluto and his wife, Proserpina. They agreed to lift the curse, but with one condition: Orpheus had to travel back to the world above without once looking back to ensure Pluto's promise had been fulfilled.
Elated with the news, Orpheus began his journey back. But as he ventured further, doubt crept into his heart. He started questioning Pluto's promise. After a long battle with himself, he yielded. Unable to bear the suspense, he looked back, breaking Pluto’s rule.
As soon as he turned, darkness enveloped Orpheus. A shrieking wind swept him and dropped him back in Eterna. The curse had not only persisted but had intensified. But the curse's weight lightened at the sight of Eurydice waiting for him. Filled with guilt and regret, Orpheus confessed his failure.
Meanwhile, the city's condition deteriorated rapidly. Eurydice, heartbroken yet determined, decided to rectify Orpheus’s mistake. She charted the dangerous path to the Underworld herself and pleaded Pluto to reconsider his promise. Moved by her courage and determination, Pluto agreed to remove the curse.
When Eurydice returned, the skies had cleared. The city adorned a vibrancy like never before. As the citizens celebrated, Eurydice and Orpheus reunited. Orpheus’s guilt dissolved in Eurydice’s forgiving love. Their love sparked brighter, their bond, deeper, and Orpheus’s verses more profound.
Even today, Orpheus’s tales of love echo in the valleys of Eterna. After all, it was his love for Eurydice and Eterna that brought back the city from the clenches of darkness