SHINE BRIGHT
~x~
"For the first forty days, a child is given dreams of previous lives.
Journeys, winding paths, a hundred small lessons-
and then the past is erased."
~x~
It felt like a dream at first- the kind that you immediately forgotten after waking, but still left a mark, an imprint that stayed with you for the whole day, neither good or bad. Or perhaps it was a memory- the one that kept nudging at your mind when you saw something that looked familiar, but was never strong enough to show fully, leaving only a path of bread crumps to follow- that is, if you wanted to. She was no stranger to confusing dreams or broken memories- after all, everything was a constant remainder of past long lost.
So she ignored it, as she always did, because the past was of no interest to her, the times too troubling and traumatic, too full of pain and everlasting bitterness. She had a purpose on this pitiful world- it was her job and at the same time her only source of amusement. A bit cruel and perhaps more than cold- but nature always was like that.
Over the years, it grew stronger. It kept buzzing in her ears, like an irritating insect; a mosquito that she couldn't properly swat away, and it the initial annoyance soon gave way to a headache born from frustration. It made her tense, and more than just a bit short-tempered.
Frustration gave way to wrath.
She seized the reigns of Winter that year, and unleashed a massive blizzard that swept all over the Northern hemisphere, causing death and suffering as she propelled it forward, her eyes just two chips of ice, her hair a furious wind that followed after.
It was year of 1968, and children were too afraid to come out on Easter Sunday to look for brightly coloured eggs. Later she heard that Bunnymund- the blind fool of a Pooka- blamed Jack Frost for the deed. It made her annoyed- as if that silly child would find it in him to do that; the winter spirit's heart too soft for the harsh side of his season. But there was guilt too- after all, even if that round idiot was the boy's Father, he belonged to the Nature- and she always had a soft spot for those spirits.
But despite all that, the feeling didn't loosen- if only, it now persistently hammered at her consciousness, pressing on her mind relentlessly, before she finally understood what it was, and what it meant.
Because there was only a one being that had the power- the sheer, uncomprehending power, to affect her in that way.
It was summoning, all the time. She had been trying to get her attention, to call her gently- but Seraphina was too stubborn, too mortal in her reacting.
And she had been ignoring it for nearly a decade.
Once she came to that realization, she immediately winced, her shoulders tensing- and the feeling changed, giving a sense of disappointment and scolding, making her feel like a chastised child. But it was too late to regret her actions now; instead, she needed to look forward to the meeting.
Because She was connected to all- and if Seraphina was being summoned, there must have been a very good reason for it.
~x~
There was a place on Earth, where no other, apart from her, ever set their foot. The ground pure of anything that might disturb it, the very ground sacred and forbidden to all who had no understanding of the world's order. It was the very heart of the planet, the location unknown to all whose beliefs would hurt it.
And while Bunnymund certainly took his part in shaping the world, even he wasn't allowed to even come close to what resided on this hidden island.
The Tree of Knowledge; roots touching Underworld, the crown brushing against Heaven.
The Tree of Life; from the ground to the very top, each ornate and elegant branch dedicated to a living organism, iridescent leaves hiding golden blossoms, hinting a possibility of growing a fruit- which so far never happened, but when it did, it would be Seraphina's duty to nurture the sapling that would grow from the seed, and then find another world to plant it.
It was the World Tree- a being that was connected to all living on the Earth, both physically and spiritually, for She held the keys both to creation and afterlife. The Great Goddess- one of the very few that still remained in the Universe.
Seraphina shivered as her eyes swept over the enthralling beauty, faint breeze causing the leaves to tingle as if they were made from fragile glass, the sweetest, most soothing scent enveloping her in the warmest of embraces.
The very air breathed with life.
"All-Mother," she whispered, coming to a kneel before the great tree, bowing her head in shame "My Lady- Gaia," she murmured to the soft grass "I have not heeded your calling. Please believe me, it was not my intention."
She was ashamed, but she wasn't afraid. She could never be afraid of Gaia, for The Goddess showed her only kindness and understanding; she cradled her weak and unconscious form, she rocked her like a babe when she nearly let out her last breath. And Seraphina knew that it was that kindness- the pity of a young and childless Goddess- that saved her life that night.
It was not Gaia's goal to do that- because the All-Mother believed in balance, and always aimed to preserve it. And so she offered none of her miraculous abilities- no healing. And perhaps that was why, when Seraphina pulled through her own strength, she had chosen the woman as her avatar.
But despite all this, Gaia was a goddess- and the powers that She possessed echoed through Seraphina's being, as it were those powers Gaia gifted her, that made her Mother Nature- and being so close to them made her feel every inch of her body more clearly than ever.
The Goddess offered her the usual greeting- soft whisper carried through the leaves, encircling her, fondness and love warming her soul. And Seraphina knew she was forgiven, because as cruel or as cold as she was, she was Gaia's child- and Mother loved her children, even if they had faults.
"All-Mother..." she looked up. Gazing at the gnarled yet ornate tree bark, she could almost see an outline of a figure- which was very unusual for the goddess.
"...You are worried," she murmured, her fists clenching slightly on her forest-green dress. Sudden fear settled in her heart- what could have happened for The Goddess to be so concerned?
The wind stilled for a moment, and there was a deadly silence- and that scared her way more than anything else. The usually clear pond that bubbled quietly in front of the Tree's great roots stilled as well, and his reflection turned dark- and Seraphina leaned forward, looking inside, apprehensive of what exactly Gaia wants her to see.
Two pair of red eyes and long black cloak was all she saw, before she wrenched her body back in disgust, hiss of anger and hurt escaping her from behind clenched teeth.
"Mage!" Seraphina spat, mistrust and age old terror shimmering behind her stormy eyes. She gazed up at the Tree in disbelief, confused and hurt. Did Gaia forget the Mages of Atlantis? Those power-hungry and arrogant mortals- did she forget how they tried to put shackles on her, in arrogant attempt to control the energies that made up the Universe?
No answer was coming and it made her snarl, going as far as to disrupt the surface of the pond- but as soon as her hand touched the water, she gasped at the soul-wrenching pain that ran through her body as a poison.
Seraphina cried out and jumped away from the pond, actually attempting to scramble away from it in fear. She could feel herself shaking. And yet the surface was as clear as ever, innocent and harmless.
"..W-what was that..?" she found herself whispering, eyes wide and terrified.
"A look into the soul of Tom Marvolo Riddle."
That only made her other sentence die on her lips, as she stared up at Gaia, who actually took on a physical form and spoke to her.
There was another level of beauty to the Goddess when she presented herself like that, for she was Nature and Life, and there was nothing in the world that could be more beautiful than that. Her face was permanently set in youth, her great eyes being the green of a sapling. Her nose and full lips representing perfection, and the rest of her body so well done that it would be the forbidden fruit in the dreams of every healthy male. The branches now seemed to grown from her head, giving her an image of a magnificent crown of hair. Plump thighs returned to roots again, before disappearing under the ground.
"...It's vile," Seraphina whispered, gazing at Gaia "It's like a sickness. Even the-"
"The Nightmare King?" Gaia completed softly, her expression soothing "Yes. The former general still has a shard of light inside him," two large wooden hands were gently placed on the ground before the roots "But Tom Marvolo Riddle..."
Her eyes were sad and mournful as she gazed at the image of the man- no, monster, as there was nothing human in that pale face, the cruel, merciless gaze in his unnatural red eye making Seraphina shiver. She could never see herself even remotely pity the creature.
"Some of my children have done it before," Gaia murmured "But they never..."
Seraphina gave her a glance before looking back down at the image.
Done what..?
Gaia's hand hovered over the image, before she sighed and leaned back.
"He is too far from me now- he severed any ties he could have with the world. He cannot be helped now." She looked at Seraphina, her face serene. "He had shattered his soul- shattered it so carelessly, in the vilest of ways, that even Death shies from his presence."
Seraphina's face went white, as she stared at Gaia in sheer disbelief.
The Goddess hummed and said nothing more. One of her large hands was gently caressing the green grass, and smile started to play on her lips as under her care, small, almost frail looking flower started to grow, its bud tiny, yet glowing light blue. Seraphina couldn't still get her tongue to work, and so she resigned herself to watching it in careful curiously.
"...Tom Marvolo Riddle, turned from a wounded man, into a deadly plague," Gaia whispered, her hands nurturing and gentle as she coaxed the plant to strengthen, and blossom "Where others failed him in life, he used those failures as an excuse to turn into shadows." She looked up, straight into Seraphina's eyes "And from shadows to a sheer, inky darkness. Even the Nightmare King, for all the destruction and suffering he caused, would come short when compared to what Tom Marvolo Riddle will become."
She was saying it with a sombre conviction, and Seraphina had no problem believing it to be the truth. Gaia always hinted she knew more than Seraphina could ever hope to know- but the former star had no idea how deep that connection to fate run.
"...Mother," she looked at Gaia "What do we need to do? What do I need to do?"
"There is only one way to fight darkness, and that is to bath it with light- or burn it away." The centre of the flower glowed more brilliantly than ever, and Seraphina bit her lower lip watching it. This was a soul that Gaia was growing. But never before she saw a soul that looked like that.
"The Storyteller will give a shard of his story, and it will foretell the coming of a child; one that will have the power to stop Tom Marvolo Riddle- but only if he will know his destiny from the very beginning, and prepare for it."
Seraphina could feel her heart plummet. "...He will never know," she whispered hollowly, well-versed in the behaviour of mages "He will never know until it's too late."
Gaia nodded, her face solemn.
"Yes," she said softly "He will try- and die trying." She cupped the bright soul in her hands, her expression softening, as she looked at it with love.
"...I can't stand by, and do nothing- We, the spirits of the Earth, we can't afford to do nothing." She breathed gently to her cupped hands and the light of the soul got stronger, shining like the brightest of star, and prompting Seraphina to squint slightly. "It was supposed to be a new soul, for the Chosen- one untainted by the living- but such souls are so young and inexperienced- not possessing the strength necessary for this task."
And then she spoke directly to the soul, making Seraphina rear back in shock.
"Shine bright, Child of Light- Shine bright, Last Light, and stand once again against The Darkness that threatens all that Was, all that Is, and all that Will Be."
"Him?!" she gasped, her hands twitching as she was half-tempted to lunge forward to snatch the soul out of Gaia's hands, in hopeless attempt to shield him from the responsibility thrown on him so suddenly. "But- I thought-!"
That he returned to the stars, to the cold cosmos he was born from. Seraphina stared at the great Goddess, feeling sick. "You- you want him to return? As a mortal?!" she narrowed her eyes, suddenly furious.
"Mother! You can't trap light in physical form!"
"Not to trap," Gaia whispered "But to free." Her eyes were suddenly sad as she gazed at Nightlight's soul; the very boy, the brave and kind elfin child Seraphina remembered from her own childhood, the loyal companion and knight of the Lunaoff family- and suddenly Seraphina was wondering if there was something she didn't know. But whatever it was, Gaia wasn't forthcoming.
"I am entrusting the soul to you," she continued softly, before depositing the light in Seraphina's hands, closing her fingers over it gently "Look after him. Protect him. And when the time is right, follow the wind."
Before Seraphina could protest, Gaia already melted back into the trunk of the great tree, leaving her alone in serenely calm clearing. The Mother Nature exhaled shakily, before cradling the soul closer.
She couldn't go against Gaia's orders, as mild given as they were.
~x~
A week gave way to months, a year gave way to decades. Seraphina couldn't help but follow Riddle's life, his Unbelief leaving her invisible and unnoticeable to his senses. And it was actually terrifying, how much he reminded her of the monster her father used to be- but far more bloodthirsty and far too relishing in the suffering of others. She could understand now, why the Goddess washed her hands off him. Because while Seraphina did see her fair share of tyrants among mankind, they had nothing on the sheer evil that stood before her.
She found herself worrying for Nightlight. It was one thing to fight against fear that gained sentience; it was whole another thing to fight against corruption of everything worth. She didn't doubt his light- but what about his spirit? What about his heart?
Could they really bear the guilt if both were broken, after all is done and finished?
He didn't deserve that. He deserved peace after the millennia he spent doing his duty, forced or not.
But despite all her feelings on the matter, she stood a silent watch as Tom Marvolo Riddle- or Lord Voldemort, as he started to call himself- murdered and tortured, and continued to spill blood of the innocent, of children even-
And silent tears fell down her cheeks each time an unnecessary life was wasted, the fact that they were mages and mortal no longer important. She wondered if Gaia knew- if she could see what Seraphina did, and if it was a way to punish her. After all, Gaia cared for all of her children- something that Seraphina didn't share.
But there was always something terrible and bitter about seeing all the blank eyes, the faces set in expression of terror or pain for the rest of the eternity. And Seraphina suddenly couldn't bear it, fleeing to the forest, before she fell onto the ground and wept, learning compassion at least, a little light her only companion in darkness.
~x~
It was year 1979, and it was then when a gentle breeze caressed Seraphina's cheek, making her look up. She was tired- near exhaustion actually, as she spent years around the globe, waiting, hoping that the child would be born soon. The season's fell out of her control, making it colder and colder each year- and Bunnymund blamed Frost, while the Moon gazed down at her in disapproving gaze.
Seraphina wondered if the Tsar knew what she will be doing soon; she wondered if he had any idea whose soul she carried in a locket around her neck. It was hard not to run away from the moonlight; but even harder to not to run from the Guardians and her father, both sides sorely focused on the happening on the British Isles.
She gave sneers of disdain to both, when she met them, and was desperately praying they couldn't see the stress in her face.
Bunnymund has changed so much, it was... disturbing. And disappointing. Where was the renowned scholar, the great scientist and inventor? Centuries in the company of others and he turned into a savage.
Toothiana... from Warrior Queen, to a bumbling fool, such difference as children's belief changed, and the Sister of Flight let them, sacrificing part of her heritage for something so fickle.
North was a case all by himself, once handsome daredevil becoming a fat old man.
But Sanderson... her only friend on this whole world. So stressed from his duties, always constantly on move, falling asleep from exhaustion. She could see the circles under his eyes, and she could see his body- once firm and full of lean muscles- now sagging and squishy, as his job caused him to gain weight and loose his fit form. She resented him for it- for not taking a better care of himself, for following the round fool. But the star pilot was always like that, always holding the Lunaoffs in high regard.
She did not spare a glance to her father.
Following the wind- and thank the stars, finally- she let it guide her towards a ordinary looking house- but once she gotten closer she realized it hidden in secrecy- and that surprised her, because that basically worked on a similar way like belief. Where did they learn to cast magic like that?
But even more surprising was the couple in the house.
"I know you two," she whispered as she watched them, the red-headed woman sitting on a couch and stroking her slightly round belly, while her husband was playing with her long hair "You oppose him. You aren't afraid to fight him."
Knowing who was to be Nightlight's parents made all the difference, and Seraphina found herself relaxing, relief flooding her. These two will do anything to protect their child, and they will love him, Seraphina was sure.
And so it was without hesitation she opened the locket and coaxed the bright soul out of it, cupping it gently before kneeling and bringing it close to the woman's pregnant belly.
"The stars will watch over you, brave Light," she whispered, as the soul carefully latched onto the unborn vessel inside, settling comfortably in its new body "May your path be without hardships."
She straightened and turned to leave.
There was nothing for her here anymore.
~x~
It was amazing how quickly things can turn for the worse. Seraphina was now trapped between cold anger and disbelieving terror, as the rat of a friend let a monster into the home of the very people he sworn to protect. She was in half-mind to wring his treacherous neck- if she didn't managed to see the tell-tale sign of grinning shadows snapping at his legs, relishing in his fear.
"Seraphina, my dear," a voice behind her drawled, leering yet fond "I certainly wasn't aware we are to cross our path tonight."
The woman curled her hands in fists as she turned her face half-way, cold, blank expression meeting the smug face of Pitch Black.
"Your work, I believe." She sneered, looking back towards Pettigrew, who was now curled near the porch, sobbing his heart out "Looking for a bit of tragedy, thrown in the usually package?" She could feel cold fury shimmering under her skin. Her father- the idiot- he had no idea what did he caused right.
"What the mortal does is not of my concern," Pitch waved his hand in dismissal "All this 'dark lord' business... it really brings back memories."
"Ah yes," she hissed "There is nothing like a fond memory of being a murderer. And we can't forget 'ripping families apart' thing- after all, that one is your favourite." She turned and left immediately after, ignoring his scowl and miniscule flinch. She knew that the Nightmare King wanted her to regard him in familiarity- albeit in more than disturbing way- but what he did, what he just caused-
The house behind her exploded in sickly green fire, making Pitch curse as he slunk back into the shadows, and Seraphina only paused, closing her eyes in pain and hollow resignation.
The day the Riddle will destroy the world, that day she will make it known, who had just tipped scales in the Dark Lord's favour.