Table of Contents
<aside> Introduction
The ‘Key’ — Iris — is the lone star who is predestined to be sacrificed in an eternal samsara; the ceaseless cycle of life, death, and rebirth, bearing the burden of the constellations’ karma as one’s own sins — all for the sake of bestowing salvation in stead of the stars that cowered at the prospect of losing their places in the night sky after descending to the ground. Out of pity, ‘God’ — the creator of this cycle — granted her the blessing of losing her memories upon rebirth.
‘God’ forged two false stars, both of which were tasked to guide the Key and ensure the continuation of the samsara, yet they were fatally flawed in design, as neither could lose their memories of each cycle. The two guides Astria and Esper accompanied Iris on her journey, time and time again. They raised her, mentored her, protected her, and in turn learned to possess an ego of their own — but the ending of each journey was always the same. The false stars, who could not interfere with her fate, would witness Iris meet her end as she was thrust into the Eye of Eden, accumulating karma until her dying vessel was inevitably swallowed into the red shard.
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<aside> Silencing
Upon the nth turn, Astria, who sought to end this eternal samsara, broke through a fissure in the Eye of Eden. They entered the dark room — a void that only reflected nothingness. In which, they saw their so-called ‘God’ standing before them. The false star, in the presence of their creator knew that they were powerless, yet they did not halt as their hands wrapped around the ‘God’s neck; their hands began to crack upon contact, light bleeding out from the numerous fractures. It barely registered as their throat was slit; a seal was implanted, which dictated that oneself must never reveal what transpired in the dark room. Astria was spat out of the dark room and returned to the samsara.
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