Stars within the Gloom
Once upon a time, in a realm where reality and magic blurred, a kingdom rested under a blanket of darkness. King Orion ruled Eternis, a land cloaked in eternal night without stars or moon, an endless span of darkness.
All the kingdom's life was not as black as the sky. Bright phosphorescent flowers carpeted the land while luminous trees stood as powerful beacons cutting through the gloom. The creatures of Eternis evolved glowing eyes. Life thrived, yet, it yearned for a lighter existence.
King Orion and his subjects desired what they couldn't have - starlight. Tales of the sky, filled with countless twinkling stars, were passed down generations. They spun stories of a mesmerizing moon who watched over the world while they slept. But these were mere tales as no one had ever seen such splendor.
Orion was not an ordinary king; he was gifted with magic. His bloodline held powers, each generation inheriting a different psychic ability. Unseen visions, speaking with the mind, bending elements, the gifts were diverse. Orion had the rarest of the Eternis Dynasty - the capability of creation.
Orion wished to create what his kingdom lacked and dreamed of. To bring the stars to the sky. Kumaris, the wisest of the kingdom, forewarned that such creation demanded unimaginable sacrifice. Orion, fueled by longing, was prepared for any sacrifice.
Orion's creation ritual began on the peak of Mount Luminara. He channeled his magic, using every ounce of strength he possessed. He reached into the core of his being, where creation magic dwelled, and pleaded it to make his dream a reality.
The magic responded. A swirling vortex of pure energy erupted from his hands. Orion focused it upwards, pushing it towards the black sky. The energy dissolved into countless dots of light. It was working. Orion's heart fluttered with joy, but a fierce pain suddenly struck his heart. The sacrifice - it was his life force.
Orion fell to his knees, weakened yet unyielding. He kept feeding his life force into the creation, more dots appearing in the sky. His vision blurred, but he didn't falter. Soon, a gasping breath was his last, Orion died a hero. Kumaris found him, a peaceful smile on his cold face, underneath the sky lit by stars. Orion's sacrifice had become the first starlight for Eternis.
The king’s death brought sorrow to Eternis, commemorated by the tears of its residents. Yet, every night, they looked up at the newly made stars, the life-force of their king in tiny specks of light. Inside their mourning hearts, they celebrated Orion's final act of love for his people, fulfilling a dream they had learned to forget.
King Orion's sacrifice birthed an unparalleled beauty, an eternal reminder that resided in Eternis's sky. It became a symbol of hope, resilience, and auspiciousness for his kingdom. A story of bravery and selflessness passed down generations, and his deeds filled their stories, under the starlit sky he created.
As centuries rolled on, the kingdom evolved under the starlit sky. Orion's story became a beacon, as the stars became their moonlight, nourishing them with stories, lighting up their darkness. The residents of Eternis lived their days in the light reflected from their king's love.
Meanwhile, under the starlit sky, close by Mount Luminara, the luminous trees always glowed brighter. It was as if the creation magic had seeped into their roots, gaining life from the magic-ful soil. Among these glowing wonders, one tree stood out. It was the tallest among them all, glowing in radiant golden light, as if holding a star within its bark.
It was said that King Orion's spirit resided within the golden tree. Its light radiated gentle warmth, exactly like their king's compassion, brightening the land even on the darkest nights. Indeed, a piece of King Orion lived on, shining over Eternis, under the stars he created, his sacrifice illuminating the kingdom, his love living on forever.