DEAREST

PART 1: FEAST OF WAR, Ch. 2

2

Occultist theories warn humanity of an unfathomable power that is not of this world, residing on a plane beyond the human world, the universe, and omniscient supreme beings.

In this plane, called the Crystalline Dimension, there is a type of energy that, if mastered, can manipulate most of what we know. However, this power cannot exist by itself, and its origins come from a magical gemstone, a blue opal no larger than a human eye. This opal is the main piece of the Lightning Scepter, a magical scepter that, in the hands of its bearer, it becomes a powerful weapon.

The Crystalline Dimension was protected by Adelheid, the Goddess of the Lightning Scepter. It is possible that, in the distant past where you can find this Dimension, a period of peace existed. The Goddess was protected by a Legion of Angels, a group of warriors whose leader was Rosier, better known as the Platinum Knight. Apparently, the Crystalline Dimension was then a utopia, a perfect place that lived in harmony. What happened there during the course of that period of peace, what they did there, or how long it lasted, remains a complete mystery.

Even among deities, ambition crept, and, without anyone foreseeing it, the Dark Forces threw all their strength on the Crystalline Dimension, which sank into the Force's darkness ever since. What happened to Goddess Adelheid, her Legion of Angels and the peaceful life that went on in the Dimension?

That story, its drastic conclusion and this questioning, is told to each heiress of the von Einsiedel family. In fact, this theory about the Crystalline Dimension wouldn't be known at all if it weren't for the efforts of our family.

Avid scholars, the Einsiedel belong to one of the oldest branches of occultists in history. Our family has dared to carry out experiments that others would only dream of, although that hasn't only led to incredible results, but has also caused the misfortune of being rejected by the occult society.

Envy, ambition, heresy, shamelessness, we the Einsiedel have survived that and more. Social acceptance has been, for centuries, the last of our priorities. I see it this way: would you really care about the harshness of "social acceptance" if a mysterious Goddess and her magnificent knights had granted you magical powers only because she favored you?

It seems that this is exactly what happened. An entry in a personal diary tells this almost unbelievable story, where a young Atavist called Juna, the first Atavist who lived in the Bachassau Castle, dedicated her life to explore the Crystalline Dimension after mastering the ability of Astral Travelling. I guess what happened next can be easily fathomed. She woke up in the high crystal halls, and, in an audience with the Goddess, she was given part of the power of the scepter in exchange for her loyalty and protection from planet earth, allowing her to leave the place without any problem.

It seemed to be the works of a fair and kind destiny. Not only Juna, but the rest of the family was put on the right track, and, with fervent loyalty and devotion, they sealed this destiny, dedicating themselves forever to the mastering of the occult sciences.

But, I wonder, why would the Goddess want the loyalty of a simple child from earth? The first Einsiedel do not seem to question it at all. It may be that the Goddess sensed the danger that was coming and seized the opportunity as soon as she saw it. There is no other way to explain why she would be so friendly to an unknown young girl despite the suspicion she caused on her warrior.

Actually, it is not known what happened next, before the dimension plunged into darkness. It's just that, one day, twenty-five years ago, the scepter appeared without its main piece. Nothing more and nothing less. But, since it was us the Einsiedel who found it, we took it as a divine sign. That's why today's devotion is stronger than ever, and, tonight, the maids are preparing more candles than usual, the air is scented, all the halls are clean and ready, and it is the first time in our family history that our entrance to the castle is open to something that is not Einsiedel nor is it devout.