A Life Unveiled

"What are you talking about?"

Aquarius simply pointed over her head. "It's just like I said. You're a star. A heavenly body." She spread her hands out over her crossed legs.

Astraea stared disbelievingly at Aquarius. "Then what am I doing here?"

"Well it's actually a pretty simply story. 'Watching from up above, the star grew curious of the human world, fell in love with a human, came to earth, blah blah blah.' You know how it goes."

"No, I don't." Astraea crossed her arms over her chest, eyeing the monk in front of her that seemed to find everything else in the room interesting but her. "Aqua, tell me about my previous life. You seem to know more about me then I ever will."

Aquarius shook her head slowly and rose to her feet, meeting Astraea's eyes with saddened ones. "I'm sorry, I made a promise and I can't break it, not when it'll hurt you."

"Fine, I'll figure it out for myself. Let's see, in my last life... alright about that I really know nothing. But in the one before that, I was a star."

"THE star," Aquarius interjected quietly after a pause.

Astraea glanced briefly at Aquarius, hoping that maybe she was wearing down whatever it was that was keeping the monk quiet. "I was... the star. Was I important? I might have oversaw the rest of them, guided their movements, I was their..." at this Astraea's voice faded away and she looked to Aquarius hopefully.

Aquarius seemed to hesitate, fighting some internal debate. "Alright, you weren't just THE star, you were the goddess of all the stars. You had been governing the heavens since the dawn of time. From what I heard you worked close with fate, placing prophecies and putting hints about the future in the movements of the stars. Your sister is the goddess of the night, and I'm pretty sure your mom is the moon. You were never the brightest star in the sky or anything, but everyone knew which one was you cause you never moved and all the other stars circled around you, and plus no matter what the skies were like at night, you could always be seen even if the rest could not. People gave you lots of names over the years, all pretty much meanin the same thing, "eternal star," "god star," "guiding star," etc etc. It wasn't until you came to earth that some of us found out that your real name was Astraea, or that you were even a woman. Yeah so that's pretty much it."

Astraea was quiet for many minutes, absorbing this new information. After a moment she spoke up. "But, what did you mean, 'fell in love and came to earth?'"

"Well..." Aquarius stammered. "See, that's the part I can't tell you about. Anything dealing with your last life, I can't say a word. But your life as the star goddess, heck sure I wasn't told not to say anything about that."

"Who told you not to tell me these things?"

"I... can't tell you. I'm sorry."

Astraea sighed in disappointment. "You're just like Libra. She refused to tell me anything either."

Aquarius seemed to perk up at the mentioning of Libra's name. "You mean that scrawny purple skinned gnome? Oh man if she didn't have div over me... ugggh! Just one I'd like to nail that midget. She's too goody goody. So she talked to you too eh?"

"She's the one who gave me all this armor and the dagger. I'm really indebted to her for being so generous."

Aquarius suddenly laughed. "Oh boy, you got it all wrong hun. She was just holdin all that stuff for you. All that you're wearing, it's *yours*, no one else's."

Astraea blinked in surprise. "So that means... Libra knew me in my past life too."

Aquarius nodded and was about to say more, when a loud and familiar sounding poof rang through the air, causing her to jump back like a startled cat. "You witch, you've been spying!?"

The cloaked figure pulled back their hood to reveal the slim face of Libra. She bowed deeply in the direction of Astraea, then turned to Aquarius with a scowl on her face. "Yes Lady Aquarius, and it seems most prudent that I ask you to end this discussion here and now."

"Why?" Astraea asked, stepping forward. "This isn't fair to me. I want to know who I am!"

Libra turned to Astraea. "My Lady, you have already learned all that is necessary. You were the goddess of the stars, now here on earth and free to do as you please. That is why you came here in the first place, to learn about humans and the world you have spent an eternity watching over. Please understand my Lady, you have wished for nothing more then to spend some time away from your weighty duties, to enjoy your time here on earth and pass as a normal human until the day you decide to return to the heavens."

Astraea watched Libra for a moment, as though letting it all sink in. "I.. suppose that makes sense. But why do I have a life before this that I'm not allowed to remember?"

Libra sighed sadly. "The reasons behind that I cannot tell you, for I am obligated just as Aquarius is, to tell you nothing of the life you led before this one." At this statement Libra glanced meaningfully at Aquarius. "But please, my Lady," Libra continued imploringly. "Forget this past that you cannot remember. What is it? It is nothing to you. You are Astraea, Goddess of the stars, and you have a life ahead of you here that you can make into anything you desire. Is it not that which should really matter?"

Astraea nodded, if not a bit sadly, in understanding. "I guess you're right, Libra. I have good friends, amazing fighting sills, and everything here on this world is so wonderful and new." Astraea smiled at this. "I really do love it here. Do.. I have to go back any time soon?"

Libra shook her head and smiled. "My Lady, you have governed the heavens since the beginning of time. A well earned vacation is what this is. Take as much time as you please. However, when the time does come for you to return, you will know; for the stars are always calling to you, and that call will only become much stronger as the need for you to return grows greater. Even now you can hear them, can you not?"

Astraea nodded slowly, understanding dawning on her face. "Now that you've named it, I do hear them. I could always feel something special about the stars, but I never knew what it was. It's so soft too, almost like far-off singing." A peaceful expression fell over Astraea's face. "Thank you, Libra."

Libra smiled and bowed deeply. "I am always at your service, my Lady. Now, was there any destination that the two of you were planning to travel to next?"

"Why, so you can follow and spy on us again?" Aquarius asked sourly.

Libra giggled. "Oh hardly, my paranoid friend. I am simply inquiring with concern for Astraea's training. She still has much left to do, am I correct?"

Astraea nodded and sighed. "I'm only level 12. So where are we going to next Aquarius?"

Aquarius glared openly at Libra before turning to Astraea with a lighter expression. "Fort," she announced. "Or Fort Mordu to be exact. That's where you'll wanna be for level 13 and up."

Libra nodded her agreement, then turned to walk down the staircase. "If you will excuse me, I'm afraid I must purchase needed supplies. You will forgive me for not wishing you a safe journey at the gates."

Astraea smiled and waved. "Don't worry about it. See you around, Libra."

When the sorcerer had disappeared down the stairs, Aquarius slid her pack off her shoulder and kneeled down to take an inventory of their supplies. She looked up though when she left a light hand on her shoulder.

"Aquarius, is everything alright? You seemed very.. abrupt with Libra."

Aquarius sighed and looked down at the floor guiltily. "Sorry you had to see that. I don't know... whenever I'm around her she just gets under my skin. But we've known each other a long time, too much history together I guess." She rose after a moment, slinging the pack back over her shoulder. "We're good for another run."

Astraea nodded with understanding, respecting Aquarius' wish to not delve into her relationship with Libra. The two travelers made their way down the old wooden staircase, coming out on the mainstreet to find that the summer afternoon had waned into early evening, large clouds rolling slowly across the sky from the east. "We'd better hurry," Aquarius observed, eyeing the darkening sky with worry. "I'd rather get there before it gets too late and beat this storm before it gets over us. Plus I wanna take a hot bath and eat some better food." She grinned at Astraea.

Astraea smiled at the suggestion. "Sounds good to me."

At the edge of the massive gates Aquarius stuck her head out hesitantly, watching the open area for a few moments. "Looks clear," she muttered, waving Astraea to come up behind her. "Stick close," she warned, stepping onto the road. "This place is always crawling with people killers this late."

Astraea gulped nervously, her form immediately fading out as she moved stealthily behind Aquarius. They'd traveled a few paces outside of the gates when Aquarius straightened up and looked around once more. "Well I'll be, there's no one here. Come on Astra, let's run."

A blurred movement out of the corner of her eye caught Astraea's attention and she quickly jumped back, crying out in pain as the sharp dagger sliced into her upper arm. "Aqua!" she shouted as she scrambled over to the side of the road, one hand on the wound which now overflowed with warm red blood.

"Ugh!" Aquarius grunted as she parried the blow from a giant hammer with her staff, its wielder covered from head to toe in heavy armor and their face covered by their helmet, save for the wide grin which could easily be seen beneath it. "Astra! Run!" she yelled as her staff managed to land a glancing blow on the attacker. "There's still one more! Run!"

Astraea yelped suddenly in pain as her wounded arm was roughly grabbed and held behind her back, a cold blade pressed against the side of her neck.

"So pretty thing, how much money will I get off your dead body?" a raspy voice hissed in her ear.

With a strength she didn't know she had in her Astraea rammed her head backwards, crushing the nose of her attacker. He cried out in pain and stumbled back, giving Astraea the chance to turn around and draw out her dagger. She moved to attack, when a familiar voice called out.

"NO! You'll die!" Aquarius panted as she and her opponent faced off on the other side of the road, both dirty and bruised, but neither one looking as though they were ready to fall any time soon.

Heeding Aquarius' word Astraea ran up the road, stopping after a moment to look back upon Aquarius with worried eyes. "But what about you!?"

Aquarius managed a successful blow to her opponents torso before she glanced back at Astraea. "Don't worry about me! Just run!"

Astraea didn't need to be told twice and faded away into the evening shadows as she sprinted away from the city, one hand tightly gripping the cut on her arm as blood fell from her fingertips. In a moment she was immersed in a countryside of golden fields, an old wagon trail as her only guide. 'Aquarius, please be safe,' she prayed as she ran on.

* * * * * * *

"Feh, looks like it's just you and me boys." Aquarius spit a drop of blood from the edge of her mouth and moved her staff into a defensive stance. "You're gonna find yourselves wishin you'd picked different girls to go after. Come on!"

Both thugs rushed her at the same time, their weapons swinging viciously before them. Aquarius expertly dodged the barbarian's hammer and instead swung at the assassin, cutting through his attack and landing two successive blows on his torso, making a final roundhouse sweep with her staff and leg, both which connected soundly with his head. The assassin fell to the ground and lay there motionless.

Aquarius grinned and panted from exhaustion. "Fire creeps don't stand a chance against me," she swore proudly.

Suddenly though he world went black as she felt a heavy blow land against against her ribs then back. She fell to the ground moaning in pain as she struggled to push herself back up. Her staff was roughly kicked out of her hands as another stinging blow was dealt to her legs, breaking through the bone in her right one. Aquarius cried out and choked back the tears of pain that wanted to fall. Clenching her teeth she rolled over slowly to face her attacker. The barbarian from before stood over her, grinning down at her broken form. "I might follow the same element as you bitch, but I'm a hell ova lot stronger then some puny elf." The man laughed cruelly.

Aquarius painstakingly wiped away a trail of blood that trickled from the corner of her mouth with her free arm, the other wrapped protectively around her broken ribs, her eyes defiant and burning with anger. But before she could retort or move the barbarian slammed his booted foot against her throat, pushing her her roughly back down to the ground, which left her gasping and coughing for air.

"Not only am I gettin paid for this, but I'm gonna enjoy killin a loudmouth like you," he jeered, and Aquarius' eyes grew wide. He raised the giant hammer over his head, preparing to bring it crashing down on her, when suddenly a voice called out.

"Stop."

The barbarian and Aquarius both looked over to see a cloaked figure standing in the middle of the road, a familiar face surrounded by shocks of blue and purple hair escaping from beneath the hood. Libra stepped forward and held up a gloved hand.

The barbarian grunted and let up his strangling hold on Aquarius with his foot, placing the head of his hammer on the ground next to him.

"You've completed your end of the contract," Libra continued. "I want to finish this one."

"But I haven't killed her yet," the barbarian protested, moving to take up his hammer again. "You should jus let me finish her off, make it worth my time workin for ya."

Without blinking an eye a bolt of lightening flew out of Libra's hand and struck the barbarian, sending him reeling across the road. She stepped carefully over the man's stunned form, turning cold, gold eyes on him. "Know your place servant. You shall be paid in full, regardless of whether or not you kill her. I want that pleasure."

Aquarius coughed several times, struggling to sit up despite the pin from her broken leg and the many shattered ribs she had gained from the blows of the barbarian's hammer. "Libra... you bitch... why?" she choked out, scooting backwards as Libra stepped closer to her.

"You've become an obstacle to my Lady's happiness Aquarius. You are telling her too much and risking awakening her old memories. Only with you dead and out of the way will she be able to live her life the way she was meant to."

"She deserves to know the truth!" Aquarius yelled, followed by a fit of coughs that left her moaning in pain.

"You are wrong my friend. She made a mistake the last time and we must do everything in our power to make sure that does not happen again. She became too human, too weak. My Lady is a goddess, not a woman who's heart can be so easily swayed. She will have her way and spend time here, but she MUST return to the heavens and take up her rightful place. Nothing shall interfere with that this time."

Aquarius' eyes suddenly grew wide with understanding. "This has all been your idea! She never wanted this, you manipulated her!"

A smirk alighted on Libra's face. "When I presented my Lady with this solution she gladly accepted it, knowing that she had made a grave error and wished to correct her life by doing so."

"No..." Aquarius choked, shaking her head. "She was so sad and vulnerable, but she still had hope! You twisted her mind and made her give up! What the hell is in this for you??"

A slow smile spread over Libra's face, cold and unfeeling. "The satisfaction of watching you suffer, my friend." She raised a gloved hand, sparks of electricity crackling in her palm. "Die," she commanded as a blot of lightening leapt from her hand and struck Aquarius in the chest. The monk cried out loudly in pain before slumping over to her side, unmoving.