Princess of Sheris -The Rose

It had been years since she set foot in the temple, yet everything remained exactly the same as she remembered it. The burgundy, gold and midnight colours were as vibrant as ever and there was still the eeriness of being inside the Forbidden Temple of Megami. She knew she had to be in the temple though, and Innocence, scared as she was, knew she had to keep to her mission.

There was movement in the corner of her eye, and she looked to see her eldest dragon sister scurrying beside her. She felt movement on the other side, and saw her younger dragon sister there. They appeared to smile to her, beckoning her on. Innocence carried on, losing sight of her siblings several times as the great shrine to Megami came into view. Eventually the pair disappeared altogether.

Fear grew inside Innocence. She once again wished she was but a normal girl, going through college and trying to make ends meet. But she knew that she was too deep in to be normal.

She approached the shrine and bowed down, afraid to offend Megami. This was, after all, the most beloved Queen of all Sheris, the Guardian, the Goddess, and her Mother. Innocence owed her many thanks, but was never able to give them to her.

“My child, why do you humble yourself?”

Innocence was startled to hear the voice. She looked up to see a beautiful, great dragon in front of her. The dragon’s serpentine body surrounded the entire sanctuary, her grey scales glistening the pale light. Innocence was in awe at what stood before her.

“My child, my beloved daughter, why do you fear me?” It was truly Megami, Innocence saw, as the dragon spoke. She opened her lips to reply, but couldn’t.

“Raine, why are you so afraid?”

Innocence fell to her knees, but was raised back up by a force she couldn’t see.

Megami stared deeply into Innocence’s eyes, and Innocence saw a kindness so immense that it took away all fear from her heart and soul. “You know why you’re hear, my daughter. I know why you are here. It is so unfortunate, however, that we cannot bond. You have to save Sheris.”

Innocence nodded. Suddenly, her eyelids became heavy, and she felt Megami’s claw dig into her chest. There was pain, but the pain was ecstasy, as if some great gift was being given to her. Blood fell down her dress, pouring down in a torrent, and Innocence fell to the ground, near death.

Megami stood over her, leaning in until her nostrils nearly touched the deep, fatal wound she left on her daughter’s body. Inside the wound formed a diamond, the diamond that Innocence was searching for and never thought that she would find. The diamond was in the shape of a half-bloomed rose, moving and growing with every second. As Innocence appeared to draw her last breaths, the power of the Diamond de Sli performed a miracle, and started to repair the broken flesh and bone around itself. Innocence’s breathing returned to normal as blood was replenished immediately, and her wounds were healed. She awoke from her unconscious state to see her very own flesh and bone healed before her very eyes, a feat that not even a master healer could’ve performed otherwise. Megami smiled a weak smile, and nuzzled her daughter.

“If only I could hold you close again, Raine.”