*IC Book written by Beth Pope*
In the barren wastelands of Knex stood three great pillars.
Eros, a lone archer, stood upon the first. He had climbed to the top of it with purpose, using his courage.
On the second pillar stood a writhing mass of shadows which obscured Eros’ vision of what lied beyond it.
Standing upon the final pillar, unbeknownst to Eros, was an angel named Psyche who had clumsily fallen there by chance.
In the face of darkness, Eros knew only how to push forwards, and so he plucked a bolt from his quiver and nocked it in his bow.
Psyche, who lacked the courage to face the abyssal mass before her, turned her back and instead looked outwards at the vast emptiness of the landscape.
As she stood on the edge of the pillar, Psyche whispered through her golden teeth “Is anyone there?” But there was no answer, for her voice was too quiet to be heard.
Eros, then, unknowingly sent his arrow flying through the shadowy mass and directly into Psyche’s heart. As his arrow pierced her flesh, and light poured from her wounds, illuminating the darkness.
The tangled mass of shadows was completely destroyed by Psyche’s radiance.
Now that the shadows no longer distorted his vision, Eros was able to see clearly again.
He laid eyes upon Psyche who was now crouched down on the final pillar, with his arrow stuck in her chest.
He saw her beauty, and the overwhelming brightness of the Ichor that flowed from her being.
Eros leapt from the first pillar to the second, as he got closer he was confused, as he could see an expression of joy painted on Psyche’s face.
He then leapt from the second pillar to join Psyche on the final pillar.
He took the wounded angel into his arms, thinking her to be on the brink of death “How is it you are smiling? My arrow has pierced your heart, and now your light escapes you.”
Psyche then answered “I smile because without your arrow, I would have stood on this pillar alone for all eternity. Now that you have pierced my heart, the beauty of my light can rain down freely upon this land and eradicate the darkness of this world.”
Eros helped her stand, and together they looked out into the barren wastelands before them. He tried to pull the arrow from her chest but she stopped him.
“Leave it there, for if you were to remove the arrow that binds us, all of my light would quickly fade, and I would vanish with it.”
And together they stood on the pillars of eternity.