An asteroid hurtled towards Galbar at astonishing speeds, guided by an unseen hand towards the zodiac stones. Then, it woke up. She woke up. Ceres was.
The asteroid cracked in two, revealing her form, clad in earthen armor. Her skin was of the same ethereal, starry substance as her creator.
One of the asteroid shards was pulled back by the force of the stars, bound to it. She pulled it towards her, reforming into the war hammer, Libra.
The other shard glided towards the ocean, pulled by both the stars and by another unseen Galbaric force. It slid into the sea without splashing and began to grow. Massive fins escaped from the rocky shell. The large head of Xuanwu, the turtle that binds the celestial and telluric, emerged.
For countless years Ceres traveled completing her creator's pattern.
She captured an owl and caterpillar before encasing it in divine power, flying from the Zodiac Stones into the far reaches. Upon reaching the depths of the stars, she unleashed the owl, reborn as Cailleach. The great owl would absorb cosmic dust into her feathers, and then remold it into new lesser bodies such as meteors. She then freed the caterpillar, causing it to fragment into thousands of blue-winged butterflies. They would capture dust in their wings as well to bring to the great owl.
Returning to the zodiac stones, she created a guardian dog as tall as a human adult, Procyon, to protect the surrounding region. Those who touch his golden fur and embrace its divine power have their hope strengthened.
Finally, Ceres landed on the peninsula in the southwest of Toraan. It was the first time her feet had planted themselves on the ground. It was a new experience.
Pushing past that, she created the last of the zodiac animals. It was a simple animal, a newt. It had jet black skin with red and purple streaks. They could generate small bursts of heat or static, and they had very mild anti-mana properties.
Satisfied that her task was complete, and with no further instruction, she decided that she would remain in this region for at least a year or two.
The asteroid cracked in two, revealing her form, clad in earthen armor. Her skin was of the same ethereal, starry substance as her creator.
One of the asteroid shards was pulled back by the force of the stars, bound to it. She pulled it towards her, reforming into the war hammer, Libra.
The other shard glided towards the ocean, pulled by both the stars and by another unseen Galbaric force. It slid into the sea without splashing and began to grow. Massive fins escaped from the rocky shell. The large head of Xuanwu, the turtle that binds the celestial and telluric, emerged.
For countless years Ceres traveled completing her creator's pattern.
She captured an owl and caterpillar before encasing it in divine power, flying from the Zodiac Stones into the far reaches. Upon reaching the depths of the stars, she unleashed the owl, reborn as Cailleach. The great owl would absorb cosmic dust into her feathers, and then remold it into new lesser bodies such as meteors. She then freed the caterpillar, causing it to fragment into thousands of blue-winged butterflies. They would capture dust in their wings as well to bring to the great owl.
Returning to the zodiac stones, she created a guardian dog as tall as a human adult, Procyon, to protect the surrounding region. Those who touch his golden fur and embrace its divine power have their hope strengthened.
Finally, Ceres landed on the peninsula in the southwest of Toraan. It was the first time her feet had planted themselves on the ground. It was a new experience.
Pushing past that, she created the last of the zodiac animals. It was a simple animal, a newt. It had jet black skin with red and purple streaks. They could generate small bursts of heat or static, and they had very mild anti-mana properties.
Satisfied that her task was complete, and with no further instruction, she decided that she would remain in this region for at least a year or two.