The Shattered Constellations Between Stars

345 CY in Asnexis Neons

One of the core rules the constellations were given was simple: never interfere in the lives of the Genosians. But over time, some of them grew bold, thinking that with the creator absent, they could do as they pleased. That’s exactly what happened with the Constellation Peacock, the God of Lust.

True to his title, the Peacock was a lustful being, though it wasn’t always like that. When he was first named, lust hadn’t been something that defined him. It wasn’t part of his nature—until he started watching the Genosians. Day after day, he observed them from above, engaging in all kinds of intimate acts. At first, he didn’t get it. Why did they seem to enjoy it so much? What was the appeal?

His curiosity grew, and soon enough, it became all he could think about.

“What are they doing?” he mused to himself one day, watching a particularly passionate scene unfold below. “And why does it look like… fun?”

It wasn’t long before the questions started eating at him. He wanted to know what it was like, if it felt as good as they made it seem. So, he turned to his fellow constellations, seeking answers.

He approached the Constellation of the Great Demon Hound, one evening, hoping to find some understanding.

“Care to indulge me?” the Peacock asked, trying to mask his eagerness. "I want to see what all the fuss is about."

The Hound, lounging in his usual state of regal indifference, simply raised an eyebrow. “Indulge you in what, exactly?”

“These acts the Genosians engage in… Lust. I’ve been watching them, and I want to know why they do it.”

The Hound scoffed, his Red eyes narrowing. “We’re constellations, Peacock. We don’t need to lower ourselves to such base instincts.”

With no help from his peers, the Peacock did the next logical thing—he descended to Nelion, the world of the Genosians. Taking on a form more beautiful and alluring than anything they'd ever seen, he began to explore his newfound desires.

He didn’t care who it was—man, woman, it didn’t matter. As long as they were willing, he indulged his curiosity, and before long, that curiosity grew into something else entirely.

At first, no one noticed. He moved quietly among them, living out his desires. But then, there were consequences. His lustful escapades resulted in the creation of beings who were part constellation, part Genosian. Demi-gods. The Genosians didn’t realize what had happened—they simply saw these new offspring as unusually gifted humans.

But the other constellations knew. They were furious.

“You’ve crossed a line,” the Constellation of the god of Divine Judgment, snarled when the Peacock was summoned to answer for his actions. “You weren’t supposed to interfere!”

The Peacock just shrugged, unbothered. “I’m not hurting anyone. Besides, they enjoyed it.”

“This isn’t about enjoyment,” the Owl, God of Knowledge, said gravely. “You’ve created something unnatural, and you know it.”

But the Peacock didn’t care. Lust had consumed him, and no amount of scolding from the others could make him stop. He’d gotten a taste, and that taste had turned into a hunger.

“We’ll give you one last chance,” The Goddess of war, Maiden warned, her hands twitching in irritation. “Cease your interference, or face exile.”

The Peacock’s only response was a smirk. “Exile me, then. It won’t change anything.”

And so, they did. The Peacock was cast down, exiled to the forest of Tivera, where his powers were drastically weakened. He couldn’t transform or travel freely as he once had, but even in exile, he found a way to get what he wanted.

Once every celestial year, his lustful energy surged just enough for him to indulge—just enough to feel alive again. And when that time came, he made sure to enjoy it to the fullest.

At the northern part of the forest

Len crouched low in the dense undergrowth of the northern part of the forest of Tivera. His eyes scanned the area, searching for any sign of the elusive Bramble fowls. These flightless birds, with their two clawed feet, three eyes, and a mix of red, brown, white, and black feathers, made their nests in the thickest part of the forest. He knew they were both edible and safe to eat—their meat rich and flavorful, often compared to turkey or chicken.

He wasn’t just after their meat, though. Their eggs, nestled in the open nests, were prized as a high-protein delicacy. If he could capture one of the birds and gather some eggs, it would be a satisfying haul, especially without having to rely on Drac.

Len had set up a simple trap: vines tied in an open knot placed just outside the nest. If the bird stepped in the loop, the knot would tighten, lifting it off the ground. From there, Len could easily knock it out and claim his prize.

He’d been waiting for a while when one finally appeared. He held his breath, eyes locked on the fowl as it slowly made its way toward the nest. Just a little closer and—

“Len! Len!”

The shout rang out, loud and unmistakable, from behind him. He clenched his teeth, willing himself not to move or respond. The bird hadn’t bolted yet, maybe it hadn’t noticed—

“Len! Where are you?”

Too late. The Bramble fowl froze, its three eyes scanning the surroundings, then bolted, disappearing into the undergrowth.

Len turned slowly to see Suli landing beside him, looking around like she hadn’t just ruined his entire plan.

“There you are!” she said, her face lighting up.

He glared at her, his frustration barely contained. “What are you doing?” he hissed.

Suli’s face faltered for a second before she caught on. “Wait… did I—?”

“Yes,” Len groaned, nodding toward the now-empty nest. “You scared it off. Now I have to wait for another one. This’ll take forever.”

“Oh, uh, sorry,” she mumbled, rubbing the back of her head sheepishly. “Didn’t know you were… you know, hunting.”

Len just sighed and shook his head. “What are you even doing here?”

“I finished inviting everyone,” Suli whispered, trying to sound useful. “Thought I’d come see if you needed help.”

Len looked at her, surprised. “You’re done already?”

She shrugged. “Guess they weren’t too hard to convince.”

“Well,” he muttered, “I don’t need your help. Especially since you just let one go not too long ago.”

Suli chuckled, a little embarrassed. “Okay, but I didn’t know one was there…”

“You could’ve guessed,” Len grumbled, “since I wasn’t answering you.”

Before she could respond, the sound of rustling caught both their attention. Another Bramble fowl emerged from the bushes on the opposite side, completely unaware of their presence.

This one, however, wasn’t in any hurry. It scratched at the ground, pecking at insects, then started running around in circles, far from the nest and the trap.

Len and Suli exchanged a look of disbelief, both sweat-dropping at the odd behavior of the bird.

“What is it even doing?” Suli whispered.

“Apparently, it’s having the time of its life,” Len muttered. “Guess we’re waiting until it tires itself out.”

They sat in silence, watching the Bramble fowl tire itself out. After what felt like ages, the bird finally seemed to lose energy. It wandered toward the nest, but instead of heading for the trap at the front, it detoured around to the back, hopping right into the nest on top of the eggs, and promptly fell asleep.

Both Len and Suli starred in exasperation.

“So,” Suli whispered, “what do we do now?”

********************************************************

Len still crouched low in the dense undergrowth of Tivera, his eyes locked on the Bramble fowl. The bird, with its colorful plumage of red, brown, and black feathers, pecked at the ground not far from where he hid. Its three eyes blinked lazily, oblivious to Len and Suli's presence.

Len had to catch this one.

Suli hovered quietly above, her eyes scanning the scene. “You really think this plan will work?” she whispered, her wings barely making a sound.

Len didn’t look up. “It has to,” he said, his voice tight with concentration. “Otherwise, we’ll be out here all day.”

Suli nodded and moved into position. “Let me help,” she suggested. “I’ll circle above and try to guide it toward the trap. Just stay ready.”

“Fine,” Len replied. “Just don’t scare it off this time.”

Suli flew up and began to circle slowly. Her movements were careful, designed to create just enough distraction without spooking the Bramble fowl. Len adjusted the trap’s position slightly, making sure it was well-hidden among the vines and leaves.

The Bramble fowl, still unaware, continued pecking at the ground, inching closer to the nest. Len’s heart raced as he watched. Suli’s circling above had the desired effect—the bird was moving closer to the trap.

Len held his breath. Bramble's foot hovered over the trap. When it finally stepped in, Len pulled the vine tight. The snare tightened around the bird’s leg, lifting it into the air with a startled squawk.

The Bramble flapped wildly, clearly panicked. Suli swooped down, her feathers rustling as she helped subdue the bird before it could fully escape. “Got it!” she called out, securing the bird with deft movements.

Len hurried over, his hands working quickly. He grabbed the flapping Bramble and, with a swift but careful motion, knocked it out. The bird went limp, and Len let out a deep breath.

“Nice work,” he said, giving Suli a grateful smile. “We’ve got it. Now let’s get those eggs.”

Suli landed beside him, looking relieved. “I didn’t think we’d pull it off with the way it was acting.”

Len carefully collected the eggs from the nest, placing them gently into the padded pouch he’d prepared. “We made it work,” he said. “Let’s head back before anything else decides to show up.”

As they made their way through the dense undergrowth, Len glanced at Suli. “You did good. Thanks for the help.”

Suli grinned. “Anytime. Let’s just hope the rest of the day goes as smoothly.”

Together, they walked back, their prize safely in tow, feeling a sense of accomplishment despite the long and challenging day.

In the forest

Nabi darted through the forest, his wings a blur of light as they caught the sun’s rays. The dense canopy overhead filtered the light into a dappled mosaic on the forest floor. As he glided between the trees, his focus was sharp. Today, he needed to find the perfect ingredients for Nyx’s meal.

His keen eyes caught sight of a cluster of vibrant mushrooms growing at the base of a fallen log. Nabi hovered gently above them, inspecting their rich, earthy colors. “These look promising,” he said to himself, reaching down with nimble fingers to carefully pluck them. He tucked the mushrooms into a small, sturdy pouch he carried for such finds.

Continuing his search, Nabi navigated through the undergrowth with ease. The forest was alive with sounds and movement, but he remained focused. After a bit of searching, he spotted a patch of lush, green vegetables hidden among the ferns. He landed lightly on a nearby branch, peering down at the vegetables. “Well, look at these,” he said, his eyes twinkling with satisfaction. “Just what I was hoping to find.”

He gently gathered the vegetables, adding them to his pouch alongside the mushrooms. “Not bad for a morning’s work,” he murmured, glancing around at the forest he’d come to know so well.

With his pouch now full, Nabi prepared to head back to Drac’s cave. He took one last look around, feeling a sense of accomplishment. “Time to get these back to Drac,” he said, settling his pouch securely. “Let’s see if these ingredients make a difference.”

He soared back into the sky, the forest below a blur of greens and browns. As he approached the cave, he let out a soft, appreciative sigh. “Hope Drac will be impressed,” he said to himself, feeling a mix of anticipation and satisfaction.

Landing gracefully outside the cave, Nabi adjusted the pouch and took a deep breath. He was ready to present his finds. “Alright, let’s see if these mushrooms and vegetables are up to Drac’s standards,” he said with a determined smile, stepping inside to deliver the fresh ingredients.

At another part of the forest

Guerim fluttered through the dense forest, on a mission to gather materials for Nyx's clothes. His translucent wings beat softly as he maneuvered through the underbrush, his eyes scanning for the perfect materials.

“Alright, let’s see what I can find today,” Guerim muttered to himself, his voice barely a whisper against the forest sounds. “I need something both durable and comfortable.”

He came across a tangle of vibrant fibers clinging to a fern. “Ah, Silken Fernweave,” he said with a smile, admiring the shimmering, soft texture. This would be perfect for creating delicate garments. He carefully collected the fibers, storing them in a small satchel.

As he continued his search, Guerim spotted some sturdy, leather-like vines wrapping around a tree trunk. “Verdant Leathersilk,” he noted, feeling the material's toughness. It would be ideal for making durable shoes. He gathered a few lengths of the vine and added them to his collection.

Next, Guerim found some glinting, iridescent strands woven into a cluster of low-hanging branches. “Glimmerstrand,” he said, eyes lighting up. The subtle shimmer of these fibers would add a touch of elegance to any outfit. He gathered these strands carefully, ensuring not to damage their delicate beauty.

Finally, Guerim discovered some flexible vines that, when processed, would turn into a soft, pliable material. “Tendrilleather,” he decided, pleased with its versatility. This material would work well for various clothing pieces. He wrapped up the vines and tucked them away.

With his collection of materials complete, Guerim flew back toward Drac’s cave. As he approached, he said to himself, “I hope these will be just right for what we need.”

Arriving at the cave, he spotted Drac and called out, “Drac! I’ve got the materials for Nyx’s clothes. I hope these are what you were looking for.”

Drac looked up from his work and walked over. “Great timing, Guerim. Let’s see what you’ve got.”

Guerim laid out the materials on a flat rock. “I’ve got Silken Fernweave for the soft, delicate parts, Verdant Leathersilk for the more durable items, Glimmerstrand for some decorative touches, and Tendrilleather for versatility.”

Drac examined each material with a discerning eye. “These look excellent. The Silken Fernweave will make a lovely gown, and the Verdant Leathersilk will be perfect for sturdy shoes. Glimmerstrand will add a nice touch of elegance, and Tendrilleather will be great for the rest.”

Guerim’s wings fluttered with relief. “I’m glad you think so. I wanted to make sure Nyx had something truly special.”

Drac nodded approvingly. “You’ve done well. With these materials, Nyx will have some wonderful new clothes. Thanks for your hard work.”

Guerim smiled, feeling a sense of accomplishment. “No problem, Drac. I’m happy to help.”

With that, Drac and Guerim set to work, eager to create something beautiful for Nyx.