Muu

Apocalypse

Overview

She is the Lord Inquisitor of the Sanctuary of Truth and the highest officer of the Divine Kingdom's enforcement institutions. She was initially the Lord Deity's childhood pet, but over time, she evolved into a formidable ally. After transforming into a humanoid form, she became the only Demi-Aster in Mirren's history.

Chapter One

(Era of Frost Veil 18130–Present) It was a snowy night. Earlier memories were blurred, but I recall the bitter cold winter and everyone securing their doors against the wind.
Soon, I ran out of food. After starving for two days, I finally passed out by the roadside.
I thought I would never wake up again, but I opened my eyes to find my limbs warm under a thick blanket.
In a dimly lit wooden cabin, a nearly-extinguished brazier crackled softly. Despite the wind seeping through the walls, it felt like heaven.
Regaining consciousness, I found a slender elf before me. She must have rescued me from the snow.
She spoke in an unfamiliar language. Then, as if remembering something, she searched her worn bag and pulled out a half-eaten dried fish, offering it to me.
Embarrassingly, I was starving and numb from the cold. I bit her hand hard, drawing blood, and choked on the tough fish.
As I coughed uncontrollably, she panicked and started patting my back.
I wished I could tell her that slapping my back wasn't helping. Unable to communicate, I endured her well-meaning but harder slaps. She was such a caring child.
She teared up as I finally coughed up the fish. With a sigh of relief, she gently touched my head to comfort me.
She enjoyed boasting, and I found out from her later. Whenever she needed a favor, she'd remind me of this story.
"Her bleeding hand left scarlet stains on me. I'll never forget that vivid hue.
A soft voice soon came from outside. Though unclear, it hinted at a gentle lady speaking.
Later, I found out she was the girl's mother, who I began to see as my grandmother. She was likely reminding her daughter to go to sleep.
The girl hastily turned off the light and mumbled a reply. Then, she held me tight in her arms, ignoring her bleeding hand. I licked her hand, trying to stop the bleeding. She started muttering to herself.
I shifted slightly and saw her clearly for the first time. Despite others' opinions, she was incredibly beautiful to me.
Her small face was a bit dirty, her large eyes still red from crying, her thin shoulders shivering slightly, and her ears red from the cold.
Her tight hug made it hard to breathe, but her warmth was everything to me in that moment.
She was my master, Lillia, the Gate of Heaven. That was when my memory began.

Chapter Two

Our cottage is in southern Fontiera, near the sea in Miheal Town.
My master's family, originally an Orccodro house from Fontiera now called Kurokami, was estranged from the main branch. This allowed my master's father to marry an elf, a match local customs would have otherwise prevented.
Elves were once deeply discriminated against in Fontiera, including my master.
Kurokami Eiji often came home angry and took it out on both grandma and my master. One time, as he raised his cane at my master, I bit him hard. It was the first time I saw fear in his eyes.
Though I was injured, I learned that bullies target the weak and avoid provoking those who fight back.
My master is kind and beautiful; I'd always protect her. People said my loyalty to her was my only way to survive.
My master and I weren't sheltered like greenhouse flowers. The family home felt empty after Grandma's death.
It was a warm afternoon when our frail grandmother fell asleep in the rattan chair by the door and never woke up. The light in our home went out.
After Grandma passed, life grew harder for my master and me. The beast showed no love to her, and even finding enough to eat was a struggle. I started thinking about how we might escape together.
I remembered Grandma's stories of Yarve, her homeland—a place of gentle Elves, filled with endless forests and rivers, where the Heartwood sheltered every child.
I often imagined escaping to Yarve, where a better life awaited us. A place that would embrace both mistress and servant. But we had to plan our journey carefully.
Time was running out; we had to leave soon—who knew what he might do next? How should we prepare for the journey to Yarve? I was at a loss.
I knew my master longed to leave this home too. We needed to gather money, a map, a seaworthy vessel, and perhaps weapons. What else? Back then, I wasn't as clever; contemplating our escape often made me doze off.
Each night, I'd often fall asleep deep in thought. But one night, just as I was dozing off, I was jolted awake by a loud clatter.
I woke up to see my master in an oversized purple bag, looking like it was walking by itself, topped with a straw hat. She quietly picked me up and headed outside.
The chilly midnight wind made me shiver, yet our hearts burned hotter than any flames.
"It's no wonder you're my master," I thought. "I should just stick to sleeping soundly."
After Grandma's death, my master planned to go to Yarve. She overheard Kurokami Eiji plotting to sell her and stowed away on a ship to Ciaran that night.
Originally, she planned to go east from Fontiera across the Sea of Nia and then south to Yarve through the Zinew Archipelago, but no ships in Fontiera were capable of that.
With trading ships coming only every three months, we took a ship from the eastern bay to Ciaran first. It was a detour, but better than being sold.
We had no idea about the war ravaging the land. With Ciaran in turmoil, how could an underage elf and a small dog safely get to their dream home?
In 18134, the Era of Frost Veil, we began our quest for our homeland. No one could have predicted it would alter the history of the Celestial Sea!
We could never have predicted the vast experiences ahead, from Fontiera to Ciaran and Yarve, spanning 29 years.

Chapter Three

Ciaran was vastly different back then. Death loomed everywhere, forcing us to prioritize survival. Master, still young, would have been viewed as a baby in Yarve. Our former allies, the humans and Orccodros, had returned to their old ways, robbing and plundering.
Yarve had become a spiritual home, yet the reality clashed with Grandma's tales of kind Elves. Back then, I believed survival hinged not on morals or noble blood, but on power and the reputation forged from the bodies of our enemies.
In 18163, we finally reached Yarve, where Master nearly cried. Instead of hospitality, we faced strict interrogations. The Elves, shaken by defeats against dragons, had lost faith in their Queen, leading to infighting. Many even joined Melidie's revolt.
Melidie ultimately burned the Heartwood. We weren't powerful back then; names like Melidie and Maiyee loomed large. We accepted the frisking. The maritime prohibition forced all Deryas to undergo scrutiny before entering Yarve, and without relatives to claim us, we were deemed hostages, sent to Hiliyath as potential leverage.
Grandma only remembered her name, Teresa, and her identity as a Calrissian (High Elf). As hostages, we underwent months of etiquette classes to gain credibility before they deemed us ready. They attempted to brainwash us about duty and race, but I saw through their lies. Shortly after leaving Melaxi port, I tied up our captors, and had there been no voice of reason among them, I might have fed them to the sharks.
The journey to the Zinew Archipelago would take several days. Just as I began to grow bored, Master revealed a water bag containing the legendary Elixir of Vitae. We had long coveted the Heartwood and had stolen plenty of the Elixir while in Yarve. With it, I could attain a human form.
To my surprise, it tasted bitter. But when I first transformed, I looked fabulous, much to Master's chagrin. She was still prepubescent, so she poured more Elixir down my throat until I returned to my original form. I was still taller than her, but I learned to crouch to avoid her ire. This problem resolved itself half a month later.
Master celebrated her 70th birthday, and I officially became her Locke, a title conferred upon me despite my confusion over its significance. Upon landing, we discarded the two Elves at the dock, as Master expressed her desire to visit Hiliyath for something she sought.
In that moment, I saw her newfound confidence. She was no longer the baby Elf fleeing home; as the Child of Destiny, it was our duty to end the chaos. Jancis posed our greatest challenge, and thus, the Godslayer War commenced.
Twenty years later, we vanquished the Abyss, conquered Elgron, divided Yarve, and ultimately destroyed Hiliyath. Though they were enemies, I admired figures like Maiyee and Danni, who fought for their beliefs. However, differing views led us to transform them into Asters.
The old age concluded as the banners of the Gate of Heaven spread across the world, heralding the dawn of a new era. Yet, restoring order proved far more challenging than destruction. Even Master needed assistance, leading us to select capable individuals to establish the Sanctuary of Truth.
Within this new authority, many emerged as formidable figures. While tasked with various duties, I became regarded as Master's spokesperson, though to me, she was irreplaceable. I began editing The History of Mirren and Facts of the Gate of Heaven, the latter being the project you're currently working on.
Master grew impatient managing the world, especially as she struggled to give birth to Claire, prompting me to take on more mortal affairs. My bond with her deepened, and my understanding of order expanded beyond the Seven Sacred Asters. For nearly 2,000 years, I rarely left her side.
As you can see, I am now the Lord Inquisitor of the Divine Kingdom, overseeing all law enforcement. Even Claire isn't as significant as I am!

Historical Notes

About Lord Deity:
According to records, Lord Deity's father was Kurokami Eiji, an Ocatzian noble from Fontiera, and her mother was the High Elf Teresa.

Locke:
Locke, the "Heaven Watcher" (Era of Rebirth 22001–Era of Frost Veil 794), inspired an ancient weapon forging method. Elves select and nurture their weapons from childhood. Upon adulthood, a master or elder grants the weapon its name, reflecting their hopes for the elf's future.

Kurokami Eiji:
Kurokami Eiji (18071–18163, Era of Frost Veil), Lord Deity's father, was a pirate in the Zinew Archipelago and Yarve in his youth, amassing great wealth and becoming the Kurokami family's nominal ancestor.

Sea of Nia:
The Sea of Nia spans eastern Fontiera to western Ciaran and is Mirren's largest ocean, named by the navigator Icaruth. His family revered Yetannia, the prophet, seeing her as the water deity. The sea is nearly as vast as Ciaran and teems with dangerous sea creatures.

Seven Sacred Asters:
Lord Deity dispatched her Seven Sacred Asters to enforce Sanctuary of Truth rule. Elma in Luketon, Istar in Silvertree, Hebo in Hol, Meredith in Heron, Hilda in Esimia, Rosalind in Rockarmor, and Justy in Sunnyhill, Ankara.

Sea Ban Decree:
In 18091, after Cariblue fell, Elf Queen Maiyee recalled Melidie from the western dragon front and ordered the Elves to retreat to the Ful Mountains, abandoning Ciaran and leaving Safaril Kingdom exposed. The weakened Elves questioned Maiyee's authority, and the Sea Ban Decree closed sea routes, ending their involvement in the alliance. Elves sent hostages to reconcile with the dragons, and scrutiny of Lost Elves increased, leading to many wrongful convictions.

Hiliyath:
Hiliyath, the "Fog City," was the Dividraggon Kingdom's capital and northern political center. Despite the wars in Ciaran, Gilliat remained untouched, earning the title "Harbor of All Things."