The Foreign Beauty that will forge an empire across the stars
Lady Shura
Lore
Among a sea of warring worlds, Nineveh sits as a lone utopian paradise protected and favored by the Divinities. Its citizens - the Nivians - lived in peace and prosperity, oblivious to the chaos looming beyond their walls.But the gods are fickle creatures; A simple slight can turn their kindness into wrath.Many cycles ago, in the small town of Kenaan, a young babe was brought before the Oracle as part of the Nivian ritual. The parents of the young girl hoped she would be blessed with a simple, happy life; they certainly did not expect the pivotal prophecy given to their daughter:“She will catch the eye of a powerful king and through their union, they will forge an empire beyond the stars.”The news quickly spread and the small town rejoiced at what they thought was good fortune. Everyone vowed to care for the girl, believing it was their Divine duty to raise and protect the future queen.Showered with love and adoration, the girl blossomed into a beautiful, soft-spoken lady with a heart of gold.
One fateful day, the Nivian King Naveno visited the small town. Upon hearing the prophecy through the townsfolks, he immediately sent for the girl and asked for her hand in marriage.Though her parents were concerned that the overly pious king was only marrying their daughter out of ambition and obedience to the Divinities, everyone else welcomed this budding love affair with glee. Surely, this was the Oracle's words unfolding before their eyes!The townsfolks convinced the girl to accept the King’s proposal, eager to see the promise of greater prosperity come to fruition. Naive and feeling indebted to her people, she agreed. What was not to love about the king, after all? He was handsome, enigmatic, and revered by all. She ought to be grateful for all this good fortune!Naveno returned to the citadel with his soon-to-be bride. He quickly arranged for their nuptials, eager to sanctify their union and take the promise of the gods into his own hands.Alas! The preparations were marred with unease when the Nivian King received an unexpected visitor – A Shura envoy had unceremoniously arrived before the court, offering exuberant gifts to Naveno. The foreign emissary explained that the Ashura King Martis sought revenge against his rival, Gatotkaca, for driving back and scattering one of his strongest warbands. Unfortunately, because his clan was Descended from a banished Divinity, Martis was denied all direct paths to Gatotkaca’s homeland.Martis knew the Nivians protected a gateway to the heavenly worlds. The Ashura King was not one to take concessions but his thirst for vengeance drove him to compromise just this once.Unsurprisingly, Naveno denied the request. He was familiar with the Shura Clan’s savage nature; Had it not been for the protection of the gods, the blood-thirsty warriors would have probably raided his kingdom a long time ago. Moreover, the Nivian King was disgusted by the assumption that his piety had a price.The Ashura King would not take no for an answer. He continued to send envoys, each bearing greater treasures than the last. But Naveno remained unwavering in his resolve.After several attempts, the Emissary lost his temper and spoke ill of the Divinities and the Nivian King in his court. Naveno had always been a proud man but he hid his hubris and contempt behind his faith.
But on this day, Naveno’s facade cracked. With one swing of his sickle, he beheaded the Emissary, spilling blood on sacred ground – an unforgivable act to the Divinities even if it was done in their name.His wounded pride still unsatiated, Naveno ordered the head of the Emissary to be shaved and sent back to Martis. His advisors cried out against this heinous act but Naveno threatened they would meet the same fate if they tried to stop him.Naveno rested peacefully that night, blissfully unaware that he had sealed the fate of his entire kingdom with his foolish act.
On the day of the royal wedding, the Ashura Army, led by their formidable king, descended from the heavens. The Divinities had withdrawn their protection from Nineveh as punishment for Naveno’s arrogance.The Nivian King watched as his kingdom burned to the ground. Barely any of his people survived the slaughter and those that did lay scattered across dangerous territories, their fates unknown.Martis eventually reached Naveno’s throne room, his anger fueled further upon discovering that the gates to the gods had been severed. Seeing no point in keeping any Nivian alive, the Ashura King attacked Naveno.Naveno put up a good fight but he was no match for one that has conquered 3,000 worlds. In the end, it took every strength Naveno had left to even sit on his knees, his whole body beaten and battered. Martis loomed over him, relishing his victory before delivering the final blow. But just as he was about to strike, the girl from Kenaan intervened. Dropping to the blood-stained marble floor, she crawled to the Ashura King and kissed his feet, begging for him to spare Naveno’s life.Now, Martis was no stranger to beauty; his harem was made up of the most gorgeous women in his clan, all of whom happily catered to his whims. Moreover, they were not allowed to consummate with outsiders lest they sully their proud bloodline. Even the king was beholden to this rule.Yet the girl’s golden eyes were so striking that the Ashura King was left in quiet awe. They had a warmth and shimmer within them that drew him in completely.She was quite voluptuous as well. The women of his clan were tall, sly, slender creatures with flawless symmetry and form. They were perfect in every way.Too perfect, perhaps… Too cold, too calculated. The Nivian girl had a figure that roused his most primal instincts; the softness and size of her curves were a feast to the eyes.Unable to resist such a delectable forbidden fruit, the Ashura King offered the girl a deal – A life for a life; For as long as she serves him, the Nivian King will not die by any Shura’s hand.To seal their pact, Martis demanded her birth name. The act would strip her of her identity and, in time, she would lose the memory of her roots. She would forget her home, her family, and even the king she was sacrificing herself for…The girl tearfully agreed, forever binding herself to the Ashura King’s will.To make sure no one else would speak her name and free her from his control, Martis ripped out Naveno’s tongue and left him to wander his fallen kingdom in misery and anguish. The Ashura King then snuck the girl back to their clan, intending to toy with her to his heart's content before discarding her.But something unexpected happened – Though heartbroken by her tragedy, the girl remained kind and gentle to the ruthless king. As he slept, she would sing him lullabies that helped quiet the demons that tormented his psyche.Slowly, the Ashura King fell in love with the girl, much to his chagrin.So a legend is born…In the top-most tower of the Shura Clan’s fortress is a secret garden, built by the greatest architects across the universe (Martis rewarded their hard work by slaying everyone and having them fertilize the grand facade they built with their own hands). The soldiers often spoke in whispers about hearing soft cries and lullabies emanating from the walls near the king’s quarters, calling the mysterious girl “The Lady of the Shura Clan”.
