In the first years of the Age of Silence, the hero was once more reborn as Selene Seastar, named Protector of Kasimir and a Knight of House Nyland. A fierce warrior with a heart of Bahamut's silver scales, Selene dedicated her life to the protection of the realm and its people. She spent countless years fighting on behalf of Nyland and Kasimir, winning numerous victories and ensuring the line of Nyland held firm. Raised by a member of House Nyland after her family's untimely demise, she grew up with the future duke, Jorik Nyland, her best friend.
The two embarked on what would be their final journey together, sailing to the Republic of Arnes where Jorik would marry his long betrothed sweetheart, someone Selena revered and adored like a sister. The voyage was filled with joy and anticipation, Jorik and Selene spent much of it reminiscing about their shared childhood adventures, and looked toward the future. Jorik had already begged Selene to be godmother to his children, to train them, to which she was only too happy to accept.
Unbeknownst to them, the ship's captain, one who Selene had ventured with time and time again, was also a smuggler by trade, carrying hidden and dangerous cargo in the hold, artifacts from the Age of the Goddess. Among these relics was a cursed item linked to Torog, the Crawling King. This artifact, a relic of unimaginable dark power, lay dormant until the rocking waves of the sea along with overly curious sailors woke it from its slumber.
Torog, torn from his long rest in captivity, reached out to locate this relic. His eyes quickly moved from the relic to the glimmering noble soul that was aboard the galleon, a soul the Crawling King would never mistake for another drove him into a frenzy. Furious at the Heroine for the actions of her past lives, lives she had no knowledge about, such as the death of his greatest champion Zorath the Shackled, which ultimately led to his defeat, he sought vengeance.
Slipping the confines of his divine prison, Torog whispered into the artifact, using it as a medium he called out and awoke a creature, a mysterious and terrifying Aboleth, a primordial terror from the time before the gods, this would be his instrument of vengeance. As the Sea Serpant sailed under a moonless sky, the waters grew unnaturally still. Selene sensed something amiss and descended into the hold. Finding the artifact, it began to glow a sinister light. Selene drew her mighty blade, a sword of pure sunlight, in attempt to destroy it. Before she could, however, the Aboleth struck, rising from the depths with an unmatched fury.
The creature's psychic screeches filled the air, causing sailors and Selene's fellow adventurers to clutch their heads in agony. Tentacles lashed out, smashing through the ship's hull and dragging crew members to the dark waters. Selene leapt into battle, fighting valiantly as she always had, her blade of sunlight piercing the creature's flesh. Even though she was able to wound the unnamed terror, even her divine blade struggled against the might of this ancient foe. Jorik drew his own blade, fighting by her side. The Aboleth's wrath was relentless. It snatched up Jorik, lifting him into the air. Selene's eyes locked with his, filled with a silent plea and a desperate farewell, the Aboleth ripped him in two before her eyes, his body falling lifelessly into the darkened sea.
Torog's dark influence permeated the air, filling Selene with despair. Her party, friends she trusted with her life, were torn asunder one by one. The ship's captain, a friend but the smuggler who unwittingly unleashed this horror met a gruesome end, his body feasted upon by Chuul in service to their Abolethi master. As the last of her companions fell, the Aboleth could finally turn its full attention to Selene. It leapt from the sea with a burst of water, slamming onto the deck of the ship, there it wrapped her in its tentacles before rolling back into the water. She struggled fiercely, her blade flashing and carving its flesh, but the creature's strength was overwhelming. It dragged her into the depths, the cold water closing around her. The creature slammed its tentacle down hard, shattering her sword arm, it clutched the hilt of the extinguishing sunblade, greedily taking its trophy of victory.
In her final moments, as she struggled against the suffocating darkness, Torog's voice echoed in her mind. "You are but a fleeting spark," he mocked "and I will drown you in despair." Selene's breath ran out, her vision faded. Juts before she drowned, Torog enveloped her soul, dragging it into a realm of eternal torment. For over a century, she was subjected to unimaginable pain and suffering, her soul twisted and ripped apart by the Crawling King. Yet, in the darkest depths of despair, a golden light began to shine. An unknown force, pure and radiant, pierced through the shadows of Torog's domain.
"Selene" a soft, warming, reassuring voice spoke, "Your light is stronger than this darkness, even in the depths of pure despair you have not faltered. Free yourself from the Crawling King's prison, he cannot hold you. The world needs you, your friends need you, I need you." the voice spoke, calm, resolute. It was everything Selene needed, with all her might she fought back against the hold Torog had on her. His fury was insurmountable, he would do everything he needed to keep a hold on his ancient foe. Unable to hold back the tide of light, Torog was overwhelmed, his scream echoing through the multiverse. "You have been, and always will be, my First Chosen, Selene, no matter who you were before or who you will become after." these words were the last thing Selene had heard, but they were powerful, reminding her of her purpose.
The divine light shattered Torog's hold on Selene's soul. With her torment ended, she was allowed to pass into the afterlife. There, she rested, until her bravery was once more required by the world, to become the shield of those who had the promise to bring about great change to Arameia, born to a small farming family as Mira Sunbringer, a young woman who knew all she wanted, and needed to do was take up a sword and head off to a world brimming with need for heroes.
