Born in a family of wealthy merchants and tradesmen that have gained much economic power in the Western region, Sapphire Glimmer certainly had everything at the tip of his fingers - luxury, riches, the best of everything possible. His father, and those descending in their noble bloodline had the spirit of traders running through their veins.
Except him.
It was not the fact that he had not a drop of his ancestors' economic-influential blood, but the fact that he disliked the path that seemed to have been thrust before him by his parents, who both expected him to follow in his father and elder siblings' footsteps and one day take the wheel in their enterprise. Thus, after weathering through clashes of ideals and wills with his parents and siblings, he fled home in search of a better destiny for himself - a brighter future.
His passions had always been turned towards education, and he spent more time learning about various lore and knowledge than the trading principles his tutors endlessly inculcated into him. He journeyed further West, using what trading skill he possessed and the resources his mother had almost grudgingly given him to make his way around. Eventually he found his place in a scholars' guild devoted to researching and studying various lore and magitech workings. He found himself fortunate, for the guild was part of a much larger organization - a collaboration of mortal minds working for the Celestial Exalts responsible for building a prosperous society for the West.
Fate seemed to smile at him and his decisions, for his excelling performance and devotion in his study of advanced magitech principles attracted the attention of the Celestial Exalt serving as their overseer, and offered him to dine with some of his colleagues. There Sapphire Glimmer presented his ideas and theories to the other Celestial Exalt scholars, all of whom becoming deeply interested in what he had in mind.
Days passed and he was eventually given permission to continue his studies in the Amethyst Arbor, the center of academic study in the Western region in terms of magitech and lore advancements. He was accompanied by his Celestial overseer, and together they entered the massive manse. As he stepped forward and had a clear view of the workings of the Arbor, his heart and mind flooded with emotions that made tears flow from his eyes. With such knowledge and marvels now at his fingertips, what more could he still ask for?
"Interesting thoughts, young man, but what if these marvels and knowledge had not been intended for you to receive?"
As a curious female voice whispered gently on his ears, Sapphire Glimmer felt the world around him move slower than usual. His surroundings eventually distorted and from a huge magitech artifact in front of him opened a rift into what seemed to be a starry night sky, and out came a woman of serene beauty and grace.
"Fate wishes you a pleasant day, Sapphire Glimmer." the woman said. "So, answer my question - what if this was not meant for you to have?"
"I... I do not know..." Sapphire Glimmer said, his welled-up emotions receding faster than the sea tide. "This... this is what I had dreamed of myself long ago, this is why I left home, I..."
"To achieve a brighter future for yourself, dear boy, I know. We have always known." the woman replied, like as if it was the most casual thing to do. "But your place lies at a different path than what you seem to see now. Let me show you..."
The surroundings around them completely became consumed into the starry night sky and he felt as if he was floating in mid-air. The woman waved her arms gracefully and a massive tapestry of sheer brilliance spread all around them, with fine threads and weaves running smoothly like floaty clouds. Here and there perched a spider-like automaton of sorts, running through the weaves and secreting the same elegant threads that make up the entire majestic loom.
"Welcome to the Loom of Fate, dear Sapphire." the woman said. "This is where we strive to maintain the balance and order throughout Creation, for without balance and order - or even, without serenity - " she held a hand against a certain part of the loom, and it seemed to ripple like the surface of water, resonating harmoniously and creating a delicate disturbance. " - There is bound to be chaos."
Sapphire admired the beautiful workings of the Loom. It was secondary to his interests to appreciate beauty and elegance in everything, and he also strives to inculcate such intricacies - trifles as it may seem to some - in his works.
But is his calling really not for building greater wonders of Creation?
"Would you not appreciate it instead if your knowledge were to be put instead in maintaining harmony and beauty in what you do?" the woman asked him gently, pacing around the delicate weaves and lightly stroking the spiders running through it.
It was then that he understood: there was still something much deeper than just gaining the knowledge - the happiness, the joy of actually creating something great or the contentment of seeing the great wonders as they are remain in its splendor are worth more than any tome's worth in Creation.
"If it would retain the glory of these wondrous workings and of Creation in its entirety, then by all means, I humbly accept such a responsibility." Sapphire Glimmer said, bowing before the woman.
"Excellent, Sapphire Glimmer." the Maiden of Serenity replied, approaching him, raising his face with her hands and kissing him gently on the forehead. "Stand proud, then, Chosen of Serenity, and bring joy and harmony to Creation with your knowledge and the continuing glory of these artifices!"
With that she slowly vanished, and Sapphire Glimmer's surroundings returned, only this time he realized he was glowing with a faint blue aura, the Mark of Serenity now glimmering on his forehead.
"Ah, so it has finished, then?"
It was his Celestial overseer, who apparently had kept his eyes on him the whole time. The Celestial Exalt laughed and made a move to remove something from his face. To Sapphire's surprise, the Exalt's face peeled off and vanished, revealing another face within it, this time with a mark that he now recognized as the Mark of Journeys - a fellow Chosen of Fate.
"My name is Tammizushun, Sapphire, and it is through Fate that our destinies are woven together into this day." he said, crossing his arms. "So... shall we begin your duties here in the Arbor?"
Sapphire glimmer laughed, put on his spectacles, then replied, "Let's do it. I'm ready."
Except him.
It was not the fact that he had not a drop of his ancestors' economic-influential blood, but the fact that he disliked the path that seemed to have been thrust before him by his parents, who both expected him to follow in his father and elder siblings' footsteps and one day take the wheel in their enterprise. Thus, after weathering through clashes of ideals and wills with his parents and siblings, he fled home in search of a better destiny for himself - a brighter future.
His passions had always been turned towards education, and he spent more time learning about various lore and knowledge than the trading principles his tutors endlessly inculcated into him. He journeyed further West, using what trading skill he possessed and the resources his mother had almost grudgingly given him to make his way around. Eventually he found his place in a scholars' guild devoted to researching and studying various lore and magitech workings. He found himself fortunate, for the guild was part of a much larger organization - a collaboration of mortal minds working for the Celestial Exalts responsible for building a prosperous society for the West.
Fate seemed to smile at him and his decisions, for his excelling performance and devotion in his study of advanced magitech principles attracted the attention of the Celestial Exalt serving as their overseer, and offered him to dine with some of his colleagues. There Sapphire Glimmer presented his ideas and theories to the other Celestial Exalt scholars, all of whom becoming deeply interested in what he had in mind.
Days passed and he was eventually given permission to continue his studies in the Amethyst Arbor, the center of academic study in the Western region in terms of magitech and lore advancements. He was accompanied by his Celestial overseer, and together they entered the massive manse. As he stepped forward and had a clear view of the workings of the Arbor, his heart and mind flooded with emotions that made tears flow from his eyes. With such knowledge and marvels now at his fingertips, what more could he still ask for?
"Interesting thoughts, young man, but what if these marvels and knowledge had not been intended for you to receive?"
As a curious female voice whispered gently on his ears, Sapphire Glimmer felt the world around him move slower than usual. His surroundings eventually distorted and from a huge magitech artifact in front of him opened a rift into what seemed to be a starry night sky, and out came a woman of serene beauty and grace.
"Fate wishes you a pleasant day, Sapphire Glimmer." the woman said. "So, answer my question - what if this was not meant for you to have?"
"I... I do not know..." Sapphire Glimmer said, his welled-up emotions receding faster than the sea tide. "This... this is what I had dreamed of myself long ago, this is why I left home, I..."
"To achieve a brighter future for yourself, dear boy, I know. We have always known." the woman replied, like as if it was the most casual thing to do. "But your place lies at a different path than what you seem to see now. Let me show you..."
The surroundings around them completely became consumed into the starry night sky and he felt as if he was floating in mid-air. The woman waved her arms gracefully and a massive tapestry of sheer brilliance spread all around them, with fine threads and weaves running smoothly like floaty clouds. Here and there perched a spider-like automaton of sorts, running through the weaves and secreting the same elegant threads that make up the entire majestic loom.
"Welcome to the Loom of Fate, dear Sapphire." the woman said. "This is where we strive to maintain the balance and order throughout Creation, for without balance and order - or even, without serenity - " she held a hand against a certain part of the loom, and it seemed to ripple like the surface of water, resonating harmoniously and creating a delicate disturbance. " - There is bound to be chaos."
Sapphire admired the beautiful workings of the Loom. It was secondary to his interests to appreciate beauty and elegance in everything, and he also strives to inculcate such intricacies - trifles as it may seem to some - in his works.
But is his calling really not for building greater wonders of Creation?
"Would you not appreciate it instead if your knowledge were to be put instead in maintaining harmony and beauty in what you do?" the woman asked him gently, pacing around the delicate weaves and lightly stroking the spiders running through it.
It was then that he understood: there was still something much deeper than just gaining the knowledge - the happiness, the joy of actually creating something great or the contentment of seeing the great wonders as they are remain in its splendor are worth more than any tome's worth in Creation.
"If it would retain the glory of these wondrous workings and of Creation in its entirety, then by all means, I humbly accept such a responsibility." Sapphire Glimmer said, bowing before the woman.
"Excellent, Sapphire Glimmer." the Maiden of Serenity replied, approaching him, raising his face with her hands and kissing him gently on the forehead. "Stand proud, then, Chosen of Serenity, and bring joy and harmony to Creation with your knowledge and the continuing glory of these artifices!"
With that she slowly vanished, and Sapphire Glimmer's surroundings returned, only this time he realized he was glowing with a faint blue aura, the Mark of Serenity now glimmering on his forehead.
"Ah, so it has finished, then?"
It was his Celestial overseer, who apparently had kept his eyes on him the whole time. The Celestial Exalt laughed and made a move to remove something from his face. To Sapphire's surprise, the Exalt's face peeled off and vanished, revealing another face within it, this time with a mark that he now recognized as the Mark of Journeys - a fellow Chosen of Fate.
"My name is Tammizushun, Sapphire, and it is through Fate that our destinies are woven together into this day." he said, crossing his arms. "So... shall we begin your duties here in the Arbor?"
Sapphire glimmer laughed, put on his spectacles, then replied, "Let's do it. I'm ready."
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