Grey

Valkyrie

Overview

A steadfast and devoted Valkyrie who ushers in valiant spirits from the mortal realm to the Heavenly Realm. She forges the Heavenly Army and commands the legions in conquest of neighboring star sectors under Sarah's leadership. She has spent her entire life, from initial resolution to later bewilderment, on this long interAster journey.

Chapter One

(Era of Rebirth 204–Era of Frost Veil 18092) During the Ancient War, endless human-demon conflict caused devastation. Amidst the war, Jancis created Gray, the Valkyrie of Souls.
Gray's mission was to guide fallen warriors' souls to the Heavenly Realm. This angel admired their resolve and believed their noble souls should ascend to a greater battlefield, free from their physical forms.
While selecting warriors, Gray saw kingdoms fall and countless deaths. This deepened her devotion, knowing only by guiding these heroic souls to the Heavenly Realm could they find true peace.
In this process, Gray also met one of her few friends, Thilude.
Thilude, the angel of fate, existed long before Gray. She wove and oversaw the complex web of destiny as ordered by the gods.
Gray and Thilude met by chance, but Thilude insisted their encounter was destined and unchangeable. Gray believed her.
As they became friends, Thilude revealed her true nature, often teasing the strict Gray for fun and speaking in ways that seemed clear but were actually obscure.
"Innocent and upright Gray, you guide heroic souls to the Heavenly Realm… but are they truly free? Perhaps they are still trapped, deeply entangled in the powerful currents of time."
"I don't quite get you, Thilude. Proud souls freed from their mortal fetters will only shine brighter."
Whenever Gray showed her naive side, her friend would smile and flutter away.
"What did she see in me?" Gray didn't know, nor did she think she needed to. Such a mysterious fate was best left unexplored.

Chapter Two

Gray had a piercing gaze that could see the hidden radiance of souls within mortal shells, using it to judge their resilience for the Heavenly Realm.
Gray would test the chosen warriors, sparring with the Warborn Eidolons to witness their souls clash and ignite into brilliance, feeling her own soul grow hotter and brighter.
The Heavenly Army, chosen by Gray and tempered over millennia under the Archangel's command, became brave and invincible.
Led by Sarah the Archon of Angels, the divine-guided army eagerly ventured into the vast Celestial Sea to cleanse and conquer those who disrespected the divine.
The expedition reached Lyridae, favored by the War Wraith Gaeastarve, across the Celestial Sea.
As the Heavenly Army arrived on the planet, they faced a hostile landscape: barren earth, tempestuous gales, and warring Titans of Wornak on the desolate terrain.
The Wornaks halted their battles and united with the luminous Unbidden Guests to besiege the Heavenly Army on the world.
With mighty force, they wielded colossal steel axes, each blow aimed to shatter Gray's blade, while spears rained down, piercing Gray's allies.
The Wornaks, warriors born of battle. Yet, the Heavenly Army advanced with steadfast zeal.
As the unending war ended, Gray, tired, decapitated the final Wornak. Searching the empty wilds, she found no signs of life.
She and her forces, their spirits forever entwined with the remnants of "war", indelible.
Ultimately, Lyridae fell, the Archangel presenting its Astral Core to the Devine, signifying the war's long-awaited conclusion.

Chapter Three

After the war with the Wraiths, Gray returns to the Heavenly Realm in glory.
Yet, even with glorious victory and the gods' renown in the Celestial Sea, the long war left its mark on Gray.
This diligent angel now harbors a sliver of doubt: Is it truly meaningful to fight?
During the millennium-long expedition, she witnesses countless warriors fall, revive, and fall again. Despite their initial faith, the endless battles turn them into mere war machines.
But isn't she the same? By the end of that grueling battle, she had forgotten about honor and was fighting purely on instinct to survive.
Even if she chose to erase that memory through medical treatment, her body had already imprinted the war, making fighting an instinct.
After that, Gray continued her daily training. Until one day, her old friend Thilude, whom she hasn't seen for many years, comes to her.
Years have passed; while their appearances remain mostly unchanged, something between them feels different.
Thilude stands quietly before Gray, an old friend, without teasing or bantering this time.
Nostalgia and sorrow linger in the air as Gray vaguely understands Thilude's presence.
She comes to announce Gray's fate.
"Where is the battlefield?" "
Gray asks her old friend, and without a word, Thilude hugs her, spreads her wings, and departs.
After Thilude's visit, Gray receives the final order—to wipe out the rebels in the human world.
"This time, can I find the meaning of fighting?"
The valiant Valkyrie leads her army once more, but she never returns victorious.

Historical Notes

Warborn Eidolon:
Led by Gray, the Warborn Eidolon army marks Jancis' first venture into new powers by reshaping resilient souls for warfare. As long as a soul and its vessel in the temple remain intact, the Warborn Eidolon can be reborn. That is how the Heavenly Army has endured in its battles against Wornak for millennia.

Thilude:
The Destiny Weaver, an angel who oversees the intricate threads of mortal destinies for the divine.

Gaeastarve:
The War Wraith Gaeastarve (Unknown – Era of Rebirth 2437) embodies the essence of war. She was one of the most powerful Wraiths in the Celestial Sea. Gaeastarve fought a legendary battle with Jancis before the world was formed The epic battle left the Lyridae Galaxy in ruins. The God of Elements seized the Genesis Furnace from Gaeastarve, using it to replace the lost Magma Law and complete his Circle of Elements. With the Genesis Furnace, he created Mirren.

Lyridae:
Created by the War Wraith, this is a galaxy of chaotic, war-torn planets. Lyridae is one of them. The climate here is erratic, as if all calamities coexist here. Such a planet might make one question its necessity, but there is no doubt that Gaeastarve poured their heart into its creation. This fascination might explain their keen interest in Jancis, who created Mirren. After all, Wraiths are born with curiosity. Eventually, the Astral Core of Lyridae was fused with the essence of fire by Jancis to forge Sarah's Artifact—"Glory". This scythe resonates with Celestial Sea, allowing Sarah to continuously draw its energy.

Wornak:
Wornak, in the Ayan language, means "War Zealot". This race worships the War Wraith and dwells on Lyridae. Wornaks are distinguished by their dual ocular placements—front and back on their heads—and their enormous frames, with adult males towering around 15 meters. Masters of the giant axe and spear, they are born warriors. Their nature is as chaotic as the War Wraith they worship, leading to frequent duels over minor quarrels until the loss of an arm quells the conflict. A frenetic race beyond logic indeed. Their society is sparse, organized into familial units scattered across the land, rather than forming communities. As war machines, they are endowed with prodigious strength and regenerative capabilities. A Wornak's battered body can heal over time unless its head and heart are destroyed.