In a white marble hall lined with red velvet carpets, a grand chamber towered as its centrepiece. The silhouette of an elderly man appeared behind a golden veil, looking down towards a young woman with beautiful black hair who knelt before him.
Suddenly, a hoarse voice sounded out from behind the veil, "Seraphina, have you completed what I have asked of you?".
Stroking his beard, a slight smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
The young woman shot to her feet and held out her hand, 5 white crystals appeared at the tips of her finger.
"Emperor", she said hesitantly, "The 5 crystals have been imbued with Celestial power. However, I fail to see why these are required. I had hoped you would be so generous as to enlighten me".
Her voice was shaking as she dropped back down to one knee, her entire body quivering from nervousness.
"Seraphina", the old voice chuckled, "You are one of my most trusted aides and I have raised you like my own daughter, you need not be so formal".
Seraphina closed her eyes and pressed her lips into a straight line. She relaxed and questioned again, "Emperor, I thank you for your kindness, however I am merely an aide. I should not speak so casually with his imperial highness".
Letting out a sigh the emperor, Caelum, looked down at Seraphina.
'Such a serious girl, so devoted to her duties she forgets the man that took her in when she was found wondering the Celestial realm, maybe this duty was too much for a 19-year-old woman to handle after all'.
He thought to himself, watching her nervously glance around the hall.
Inhaling a breath of cold air, the emperor rubbed his temples before speaking, "Very well, you have asked about what the use of these 5 crystals have, correct? While I cannot tell you everything, I will tell you what I can".
The emperor slumped back into his throne, running his fingers across his knee.
"Those 5 crystals are to be sent down into the Mortal realm".
Gasping, Seraphina looked up shocked, "The Mortal realm as in Earth! What use could those fools possibly have for such power, they do not even have the ability to wield Celestial power", she boomed back at the emperor, seemingly forgetting who she was talking to.
The emperor smiled but felt a faint trace of anger flare in his stomach.
'At least she's becoming more comfortable, honestly such nerve to shout at me if anyone else heard they'd have her head on a pike', the emperor laughed to himself.
"Seraphina, it's not that they don't have Celestial power, it's that the Celestial power in their realm is spread so thinly they need a huge influx of power to begin to utilise it correctly. That's what those crystals are for, once they have been sent, they will seek out a suitable vessel and that selected mortal shall be able to wield Celestial power".
Seraphina scrunched her nose in disgust, "But why? Why do those mortals need to wield Celestial power. They start wars and pillage over a minor disagreement, they change what gods they worship every 200 years without a second thought. Giving it to only 5 of them will undoubtedly lead to extinction if it falls into the wrong hands so why!", she screamed furiously.
The emperor scowled and a sudden a wave of pure white covered the room, Seraphina fell to the floor panting frantically, clutching her chest.
"Girl, I have said I will speak with you, however I will not tolerate being disrespected and screamed at while I sit on this throne, is that understood!", the emperor said.
Withdrawing his intent, he calmed back down and lectured, "I cannot tell you why we are sending these crystals yet, however it has been done every 1500 years without fail and this time will be no different".
Scrambling to her knees, Seraphina bowed so deeply she was almost lay down again, "This one apologises for her rudeness your highness, your infinite wisdom shall guide us as it has done for the past 1000 years. I beg you for your forgiveness", regret lined her face, she was panicking, it was clear as day.
The emperor rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands, "Very well you may leave, report back in 2 hours with the crystals and we shall begin the ceremony".
Seraphina stood up, bowed again and bolted out of the room; her face soaked with sweat.
The emperor sat alone behind the golden veil with his head in his hands.
'Alas the girl is still volatile, struggling to keep her emotions in check and the prejudice against mortals from the residents of the Celestial realm does not seem to be fading rather its deepening. This old man certainly has a lot of work to do if the Mortal Realm is to progress'.
Staring at a scroll in his hands, he muttered to himself, "Madam Aurelia, leaving this before you passed certainly has complicated things".
As this was happening, a boy was sat gazing out of a window in his classroom on Earth, looking about as bored as if he was watching paint dry.