In the beginning, there is no sight, only sound.
There is no touch, only sound.
In the beginning, Gloriana heard only the sound of Ameytria’s creation.
It filled her and gave her being.
The sound pervaded all endless corners of the Void.
Before all else, there was sound.

Gloriana heard her Mother speak:
“Child, come to be.”

And so she was.

Gloriana looked upon her Mother’s radiant figure
and She spoke to her:
“First born, live thusly:
with an open mind,
open eyes,
and a willing heart.”

The Mother touched Gloriana at each of these points;
never did thoughts of these tenants leave her.

The Mother closed her eyes and exhaled softly.
Beneath the Two, a world sprang to life, a rolling sea of grasses, flowers, trees, oceans, rivers, lakes, and all manner of creatures to fill them.

Gloriana gazed at the marvel about her and understood
all to be good.

“Care for this, love, and it will never fail you.”

The Mother stepped forward to a grove of trees.
She placed Her hands on each one as She passed, and from it stepped forth Her Child.
They gathered at Her feet.

To Gloriana, She said:
“You will teach them what I have taught you.
Explore, discover, learn aught you can.
We will meet again, and I will be here, always.”

She disappeared, and Gloriana did not feel uneasy.

A woman stepped from the earth born and said:
“First born, we await all you have to teach us.”

She extended her hand and Gloriana took it in her own.
“I am called Eleanora. Let me be your right hand.”

Gloriana nodded, turned, and spoke to the Children:
“Our Mother said to me three things:
live with an open mind,
open eyes,
and a willing heart.”

Gloriana and the earth born constructed a great tower to reach for their Mother’s domain.
They coaxed the trees to form a clearing and asked of the earth and mountains to form a large structure, the Grand Spire.

Life under Gloriana’s watch in the Spire was peaceful and she saw that what she did was good.

In this, she was satisfied.

Many ages passed, and her Mother came to Gloriana at night in her sleep.

To her, She said:
“Daughter, you do well. You tell them of My name and guide them as My hand.
Take your closest to go with you to the Enclave.
There you will find trees bearing pearls.
You will take only one, hold it in your hands, and lie on the ground for three days
and three nights.”

Gloriana awoke the next morning and gathered Eleanora, her right hand, Ismene, the Scribe, and Argus, the Forerunner.
Arriving in the Enclave, they saw the tree-pearls and Gloriana took one from the branches and lay herself on the ground, as she was bade.

Eleanora sat by her left side, and Ismene and Argus, her other.

Three days and three nights passed, and on the last night, the tree-pearl shone brightly in Gloriana’s hands.

She exhaled softly, her last,
and a large tree with silver pines grew swiftly around her body, encompassing it.

The three wept for loss of the First born, and Ismene and Argus left for the Spire.
Eleanora remained four days, questioning Ameytria for taking her beloved.

Eleanora felt a whisper in her ear and the air grew cold and still.

“This is how She rewards the Faithful? Taking what they hold dear?”

The whispers clouded Eleanora’s mind and vision, and she felt her heart turn to stone.