The Goddess of Iryzium has returned to the dying world after being imprisoned by the Oppressor for decades. She has an important task for her three most faithful angels – they must restore the Faith, Hope and Love to the world or the Oppressor will return and destroy everything they hold dear.
“The World has been broken,” Zia said, the melodic tones of her voice hanging in the still, golden air. Specks of warm light hung suspended around her graceful throne. It was saddening to see such small specks of virtuous power. The events of the Great Devastation had taken a toll on the mortals of her world. Many no longer believed that they were protected and watched over. The Goddess of Iryzium regarded the three angels before her. It was time to put things right.
“You have each been given a task of vital importance,” she continued. “Iryzium’s inhabitants have suffered enough at the hands of the evil Oppressor. Now that I have been released from my prison, we must rid the world of His taint. Search out his underlings, destroy his Pillars of Destruction, and give our people their lives back.”
The angels nodded fervently. She knew how hard it had been for them, helpless to aid the mortals while their Goddess was locked away. Without Zia’s heavenly power to give them strength, they had been stuck in the Heavenly Realms, unable to travel to the mortal planes, unable to perform miracles.
“Do you each understand your tasks?” If they failed, the Virtues of Faith, Hope and Love would be difficult to restore to the mortals. If the mortals no longer followed the Virtues, Zia may as well say goodbye to her powers. The Oppressor would end up winning. She could not allow that to happen.
These three angels had great responsibility placed upon their shoulders, but as the heavenly embodiments of the Virtues, there was no one better to undertake the tasks.
“I will travel to the place where there is the least amount of trust in you,” the first angel said. Faith placed a hand to her heart. “I will show them your wondrous powers, Goddess Zia. I will help them battle against the Oppressor’s minions. I will restore their Faith.”
Zia nodded. “Blessings go with you, Faith.”
The second angel also placed a hand over her heart. “I will go to the most hopeless of places in Iryzium,” Hope said. “I will show them your grace and justice, Goddess. I will prove to them that you have returned, that you are determined to rid the world of the Oppressor. I will restore their Hope.”
“Blessings go with you, Hope.”
The last angel clasped both hands in front of her chest as Zia’s gaze came to rest on her. “I will travel across all of Iryzium, searching for those who feel unloved and those who find it difficult to love in such a dark world. I will show them your compassion, Goddess. I will show them that your light will penetrate even the darkest hearts and bring life back to a dying world. I will restore their Love.”
“Blessings go with you, Love. Your task is the hardest of all. Broken hearts are difficult to mend.”
Zia spread her hands and focused on the faint sparkles of light, forming them into three pendants imbued with Virtuous power. Each one settled around the neck of an angel. “I give you what power I have,” she told them. “Use it wisely to aid the mortals and to show them their Goddess has returned.” She slumped a little in her throne. Only two or three specks floated around her now. Crafting the pendants had left her drained. She would be in dire straits if the angels could not complete their tasks. Without the Virtuous power coming from the mortals, she was very vulnerable. Time was limited. The Oppressor would not remain so weak for long.
“Go, my angels. Mend Iryzium. Return light to our world.”
In a blaze of golden light, the three angels disappeared, beginning their journey to the Mortal Planes. Zia closed her eyes. There was nothing else she could do for now.
Keep an eye out for the next three starters – I’ll be writing about the adventures of the three angels!
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