A Journey Unwanted

[Realm: Uhorus]

[Location: Galadriel]

[Western Outskirts]

There, seated upon a smooth stone at the edge of a gently flowing river, was an ethereal woman whose very existence seemed to stand apart from the rest of creation.

Long hair, blue as an endless summer sky, flowed gracefully behind her, each strand softly outlined in gold as though kissed by the light of the hidden sun. Her eyes possessed the immeasurable depth of a tranquil sea; they seemed impossibly gentle. White robes draped elegantly around her figure, woven with golden threads. Resting proudly upon her head were magnificent golden antlers, neither decorative nor imposing.

Beautiful.

No...

Beauty alone was an insufficient word.

She possessed an otherworldly presence that no ordinary measure could describe. It was not merely her appearance that captivated the eye—it was the serenity surrounding her, a majesty that made the world seem gentler simply by existing besides her.

The melody that had guided them this far drifted softly from her lips.

Every note flowed into the next; it seemed to carry neither urgency nor sorrow, but it was filled with hope.

It did not seem like the loud, defiant hope of warriors charging into battle. It was gentler than that.

The river besides her reflected moonlight. Its waters remained astonishingly pristine despite the calamity consuming the world beyond this sanctuary. No black corruption floated within it, and no Abyssal filth tainted its banks. The gentle current came peacefully as it continued its journey through the forest.

On either side of the river stretched thick woodland, opening only here into a wide clearing bathed beneath light.

That clearing was filled with life.

Towering Astrothians occupied the outskirts with remarkable restraint.

Enormous wolf-like beasts stood silently together, runes glowing across their dark fur as they watched over the area. Nearby rested massive red serpentine Astrothians, their enormous bodies coiled beneath trees, their slit eyes peacefully half-closed. Great avian Astrothians perched among high branches with wings folded neatly against their bodies, while leonine creatures lounged comfortably in the soft grass.

Mixed among them were ordinary animals.

Entire packs of wolves, families of deer, bears, foxes, owls, rabbits and birds of every size. Creatures that by every law of nature should have feared one another. Instead, they coexisted; predators rested only a few paces from prey.

The wolves paid no attention to the deer grazing nearby. The bears lay peacefully beneath trees while birds landed fearlessly upon their backs. Even the Astrothians, beings powerful enough to terrify warriors, simply watched over the clearing with contentment.

None hunted or fled.

The song seemed to erase fear.

It was as though for the first time since the Abyss had descended upon the world, life simply existed. Life without terror, panic and death looming over every passing second.

The group found themselves standing silently at the edge of the clearing.

No one wished to disturb what lay before them.

"Wait..." Mirabella’s eyes slowly widened. "...That’s..." Recognition surfaced almost immediately; it had been a long time and only a brief encounter. Yet some faces refused to be forgotten. Before she could finish voicing the thought—

"That was the woman with Mikoto a while ago." Agatha quietly completed the sentence, her emerald eyes never leaving the blue-haired woman.

Mirabella nodded slowly.

"Yeah, that’s her. Telluris... wasn’t that what Mikoto called her?"

Agatha gave a thoughtful hum. "I believe so. Telluris."

Astrid glanced between the two younger girls, curiosity replacing some of the awe upon her face.

"You two know her?" Neither answered immediately.

After another brief look towards Telluris, Agatha calmly shook her head.

"No." She chose her words carefully. "We only met her briefly some time ago. It was before those Ancestors attacked the capital." Her gaze lingered upon the woman by the river. "She happened to be travelling alongside Mikoto."

Mirabella folded her arms. "Honestly, I barely remembered anything about the meeting except that she introduced herself as Telluris."

Agatha nodded once. "And the only thing that truly stayed with me was her name." She looked towards Astrid. "It was the name of one of the Divine Beasts."

Astrid blinked thoughtfully before she could respond.

"She isn’t merely named after a Divine Beast!" Cor’nella’s tiny voice suddenly sliced through the quiet atmosphere.

The abruptness startled everyone, and all eyes immediately turned towards the fairy. Her usual smugness had vanished entirely; her tiny wings had gone rigid. Her gaze darted anxiously between Telluris and the others.

Even her normally confident posture had shrunk.

She looked nervous, genuinely nervous and almost frightened.

Before anyone could question her—

"Ah..." A soothing voice reached them. "...Human visitors." It was soft, warm and gentle enough that it almost blended naturally into the melody that had only just ceased. "...And accompanied by one of the children of Isadora."

Only then did everyone realise the singing had stopped. Their attention snapped forward, somehow without producing even the slightest sound Telluris now stood before them.

Gone was the distance between the riverbank and the forest’s edge. She simply was there, still smiling gently and carrying that same peaceful expression.

Not a single one of them had seen her approach.

"G-Great Telluris!" Cor’nella nearly stumbled over her own words as she hastily flew lower. Her tiny hands clasped together. "F-forgive us for trespassing! I-it wasn’t our intention to intrude. It’s just..."

She struggled to finish.

Telluris simply smiled.

"At ease." Her voice carried no authority, yet everyone instinctively relaxed. "Child of Isadora..." she regarded Cor’nella with warmth. "I hold no anger towards you." She inclined her head ever so slightly. "Nor towards any of your companions. There is no need for fear."

The words were spoken so gently that distrusting them felt strangely impossible.

Mirabella watched the exchange carefully.

("She’s every bit as calm as she was back then...") Her brows furrowed. ("But Cor’nella is as terrified as she was last time too.") Her eyes returned to Telluris. ("Is this woman really...")

She could not finish the thought.

Affiliation with Mikoto meant very little now; that alone was not enough to earn trust.

Astrid stepped forward before anyone else could speak; she bowed politely.

"Forgive our intrusion, Great One." A warm smile accompanied her respectful greeting. Though internally her thoughts were far less composed. ("I can’t sense anything...") Not mana, aura or divine energy.

The woman before her felt strangely empty.

But—

("Why...?") Astrid maintained her smile. ("Why do I have the overwhelming feeling...") The sensation crawled beneath her skin. ("...that if I even entertained the thought of attacking her...") She never finished it.

Because somehow the answer already felt obvious.

("...I would never even get the chance.")

Telluris’ smile remained unchanged.

"Worry not." She slowly spread one arm towards the skies. "This place..." Her hand gestured towards the circular opening in the Abyss above. "...was always meant to become a beacon."

Moonlight spilt through the gap as though emphasising her words.

"A light, a refuge, a place visible to those brave enough to continue resisting this calamity." Her gaze settled warmly upon the group. "So that those willing to fight might find it."

Agatha stepped forward slightly; unlike the others, curiosity outweighed hesitation.

"How did you accomplish this?"

Telluris answered without hesitation.

"A reversal of causality." Silence followed; every member of the group wore nearly identical expressions of confusion. Telluris merely smiled patiently. "As Divine Beasts..." She folded her hands neatly before herself. "...each of us was granted a unique gift. It is not magic; it requires no mana. It simply is."

She turned slightly, gesturing towards the peaceful gathering behind her.

"I wished to create a place where they could feel safe."

Only then did everyone truly look again.

The wolves, deer, bears and the Astrothians were sleeping peacefully together. The enormity of that alone nearly eclipsed everything else.

Mirabella, however, had focused on something entirely different.

She narrowed her eyes.

"Hold on." Her gaze fixed squarely upon Telluris. "You’re saying you’re actually one of the Divine Beasts?"

Telluris answered almost innocently.

"That is correct."

Mirabella blinked. "...Huh?"

Even Agatha looked momentarily caught off guard.

After several seconds—

"So..." Agatha slowly spoke. "You truly are the Beast of Beginning." She searched Telluris’ face. "The strongest among all Divine Beasts?"

Telluris neither looked proud nor embarrassed; she simply nodded.

"That is one of the titles I have been given." Silence settled once more.

Cor’nella looked ready to faint.

"H-Hey..." She quickly fluttered between Telluris and the others. "You two shouldn’t question her so casually!" Her tiny hands waved frantically. "Do you even understand what this means?"

Mirabella answered immediately.

"I think it means..." Her blue eyes narrowed. "...she waited far too long before deciding to help."

The words struck the clearing with startling bluntness.

Cor’nella visibly paled.

"A-Are you insane?!"

"Mira..." Astrid quietly warned.

But as Telluris gently lifted one hand, the conversation stopped immediately.

"I understand your frustration." There was no offence in her voice. "I truly do." Her sea-blue eyes slowly drifted upward, towards the untouched stars. "Yet for one such as myself..." Her expression softened almost imperceptibly. "...intervening is not nearly so simple."

Mirabella refused to look away.

"And how exactly isn’t it simple?" Her tone remained firm. "You’ve got power people compare to the Gods themselves." She gestured towards the sanctuary around them. "If you’re really that strong, then why sit back while the world’s falling apart?"

Telluris met her gaze without resentment.

"There are bindings placed upon my existence." Her answer remained calm. "To interfere upon this scale..." She looked once more towards the opening in the skies. "...already carries considerable risk."

Then she smiled again.

"But..." She gracefully turned towards the riverbank. "I believe the riverside offers a much more comfortable place for conversations such as these."

Without another word, she began walking; every movement remained elegant and quiet.

The group watched her for a moment before slowly following.

Astrid exhaled softly.

"I never imagined that a Divine Beast would be responsible for all of this." Her gaze remained fixed upon Telluris. "The greatest among them, no less."

Mirabella folded her arms. "Hmph. Doesn’t impress me much if she only decided to become useful now."

Agatha glanced towards her.

"Perhaps we should hear her reasoning before reaching that conclusion."

Astrid nodded thoughtfully.

"I agree." She looked towards Telluris once more. "Typhon has always been described as a Divine Beast who interferes more freely. But Telluris..." Her expression became contemplative. "The stories portray her differently. They place her alongside the Primordial Gods themselves. " A small smile appeared. "I simply never expected that she would choose a humanoid form." Her eyes lingered on Telluris. "She’s remarkably beautiful."

Mirabella groaned. "Oh, come on." She shot her sister an exasperated look. "Don’t start swooning over her too, sis."

Astrid laughed softly. "No promises."