⚖️ Lyra's Lament ⚖️
The Goddess of Balance - The Web of Deception
"To keep the balance is sometimes a trapeze act."
You know her as Lyra, the Goddess of Neutrality. The one who holds the scales. The one who ensures neither order nor chaos achieves absolute dominion.
But what if balance requires deception?
What if the goddess who appears most neutral is the one pulling strings in secret?
The Rescue
Lyra returned to the Eleven guardians who had refused to sacrifice their emotions to Sapphrine's Grand Keeper's Staff.
Albis, their leader, had everyone ready.
Lyra: "I am glad to see you trusted me. You will have everything you need on the other side of this portal. Xanther is there. We have prepared homes ready for each of your families."
Albis: "How can we ever repay you?"
Lyra: "Oh, you will find a way, I am sure." (She smiled.)
Albis: "Thank you again." (He nodded before being the last to walk through the portal.)
The portal closed.
And Lyra let an evil smirk come across her face.
The Confrontation
Lyra: "I was expecting you earlier, my dear Sapphrine."
Anger resonated off of Sapphrine—the first emotion she'd felt since sacrificing her ability to love.
Sapphrine: "What are you doing? You are not to interfere in my business."
Lyra: "What do you care? I took your rebellion away. Now you can revel in your perfectly dull society."
Sapphrine: "Dull?!?! We are NOT dull!"
Lyra: "Are you not? You have no love. You have nothing left. You are just a cold-hearted bitch, Sapphrine."
The Guardian Queen's staff began to glow.
Sapphrine: "I will teach you that I am not dull."
Lyra: "Ohh, it looks like the little crystal queen has kept her anger. You know that is dangerous to keep unbalanced emotions?"
Sapphrine growled. She cast her most powerful spell against Lyra.
A bright light of celestial fire consumed Lyra.
When the fire faded...
The emerald-eyed goddess just laughed with wicked intention.
The Revelation
⚡ The Truth of Power ⚡
Lyra: "You are going to have to do better than that if you wish to destroy part of Aldorian's Soul! Shall I return the favor and use his magic against you?"
Sapphrine felt fear for the first time since she shed her feelings to the orb.
She knelt before her Goddess of Neutrality.
Sapphrine: "Forgive me for my brash actions, Lyra."
Lyra: "There is always a humbling effect to realize you are not as powerful as you think you are, isn't there?"
Sapphrine just growled and looked at the ground.
Lyra: "That is so much better. Now I have a mission for you."
Sapphrine: "What can I do for you, my Goddess?" (Without looking up.)
Lyra laughed.
Lyra: "You can aid me in the shattering of Nexus."
The Conspiracy
Sapphrine: "You want me to help you destroy your home?"
Lyra: "Not really. I want you to break it, not destroy it. Minor difference."
Sapphrine stood up.
Sapphrine: "Right. Does Renaldo know?"
Lyra: "No. It is our little secret. I just have plans, and they cannot happen until this happens."
Sapphrine: "And just why should I go against Renaldo?"
Lyra: "Oh, well that is simple. You want Clandareth locked away? Where he can't bother your people any more? Let me tell you the plan."
Sapphrine: "I am listening."
And so the conspiracy was born.
The Goddess of Balance, manipulating the Guardian Queen.
The shattering of Nexus was not an accident.
It was Lyra's plan all along.
The Truth About Lyra
Lyra is not merely a goddess. She is part of Aldorian's Soul—forged from fragments the primal god of Neutrality took from his own essence.
She wields power beyond what most realize. Power enough to withstand Sapphrine's strongest attack without effort. Power enough to use Aldorian's magic directly.
But more than power, she has plans.
The Eleven guardians saved and sent to Xanther. The manipulation of Sapphrine. The conspiracy to shatter Nexus. The promise to lock away the corrupted Guardian King.
All of it serves a purpose. All of it part of a web of deception.
To keep the balance is sometimes a trapeze act.
But what if the one walking the tightrope is also the one who cut the safety net?