Shining Stars

Faster…faster…

I gripped my reins tightly, silently urging Stella to go even faster. The forest sped past me in a blur of green and brown as the mare leapt over fallen branches and bramble. I glanced up at the sky. The sun was setting just behind heavy clouds. Would I be too late? Would Arlott be able to protect Mila?

I glanced behind me. I couldn't see any sign of Gusion or Aamon. But that was okay. Those two, especially Aamon, were powerful. They could dispatch the knight easily.

But…

The knight had mentioned he was catching up to his comrades. I swore, angry at myself. Did they decide to act the moment Aamon left the village? I knew…I knew what Mila's fate in the game lore was, why didn't I just insist on taking her and Arlott with us?

"Faster, Stella, please," I pleaded. Sensing my urgency, she sped up, leaping over more branches and logs.

It felt like an hour had passed before Stella broke through the tree line surrounding the village. The sun had set by then, and the light of the moon and stars lit my way. Up ahead, the village appeared dim, with only a few lights coming from the windows of the cottages.

I rode Stella towards Mila's little cottage. "Mila!" I screamed.

Not even Arlott was here.

"Lady Diana!" I glanced behind me. It was the mother of the little girl I had tended to yesterday evening at the village's banquet.

"Where are Mila and Arlott?" I demanded, not even bothering to dismount.

The woman was out of breath. "Mila," she panted. "She was bringing bread to the acolytes at the church. Knights of the Church of Light came to the cottage and attacked Arlott, dozens of them! I think they're fighting out in the forest! Some…some went after Mila—!"

Before she could finish, I urged Stella down the cobbled streets and towards the village church. Its spires rose over the skyline ominously before me. Several people leapt aside as Stella charged through the streets and through the village square. The church slowly came into view.

A dozen knights were gathered at the steps leading to the church; gathered over a limp figure on the ground, blood flowing freely from the wound on her head…

"Mila!" I shrieked.

The knights spun around, their weapons raised. Stella charged towards them. I held tightly on to her reins as she rose on her hindlegs, striking down knights with her forelegs. I realized belatedly that I didn't have a weapon with me.

As one of the knights brandished a morning star at Stella, the mare gave loud neigh of fury. She dodged the morning star, ramming into the knight with her head. As the knight fell, I reached down and drew his sword from his scabbard.

I pointed the sword at the remaining knights, silently praying they would have the good sense to run. I didn't know how to wield a sword.

"Leave!" I snarled. "Leave that innocent girl alone!"

One of the knights charged towards Stella and me. The mare swiftly greeted him with a well-placed kick to the chest. As the knight flew backward, another stepped in to take his place.

"Cease and desist, by order of the Church of Light!" the knight snarled.

"Screw you!" I urged Stella on, and the knight went flying across the square, falling to the ground in a clatter of armor.

The other knights immediately ran. Ran to get backup, I assume. No matter.

I hastily dismounted and ran towards the limp figure on the ground. "Mila!" I shouted as I knelt beside her. I carefully turned her, so she faced me. My breath caught in my throat.

Her eyes were closed. There were bruises on her collar, on her neck, on her forehead, and her cheek. My mind started firing off with different differentials. Blunt force trauma to her shoulders, to her chest…

I gently cradled her head in my hands, and my fingers came away bloody red. Blunt force trauma to her head…

Oh god…Oh god.

My fingers trembled as I gently placed them on her neck…

No pulse.

Oh god.

"No, Mila," I breathed.

I was too late.


Aamon rode as though possessed by a demon.

Gusion urged Comet to go faster, to catch up with his brother. Dammit, Diana, he thought. It had taken Aamon less than a moment to dispatch the pompous knight. By then, Diana and Stella had had a good head start on them.

Gusion gripped his reins as his stallion leapt over branches and bramble. Despite the dark, the horses' footing was sure and true, and minutes later they burst through the tree line surrounding the village.

Aamon rode towards Mila's little cottage. It was dark, and empty. No signs of Diana, Mila or Arlott. "Dammit, just where on earth is she?" Gusion said.

"This way," the duke said, urging his horse down a dimly lit street.

Of course, Gusion thought. Aamon can track the Heart of Anima. He can track Diana, wherever she is.

Several people leapt out of their way with exclamations of surprise upon seeing the duke. They rode through the village square and stopped in surprise.

Diana was sitting on the ground before the church steps. She was cradling Mila gently in her lap, her head bowed over the unconscious girl's face. Around them were the bodies of unmoving knights.

"Diana!"

Diana looked up as Aamon swiftly dismounted and made his way towards her. There were tears on her cheeks, and her eyes…They looked haunted.

"A-Aamon," Diana sobbed. "I—I didn't make—make it. Mi-mila…she…she's…"

Aamon knelt beside her and brushed his fingers lightly against the girl's neck. His brother's gaze met his, and Gusion felt the wind knocked out of him.

Mila was dead.

Gusion dismounted his own horse and slowly made his way to them, the enormity of the situation weighing heavily on him. How had this happened? Where was Arlott?

"Why…why would they…" Gusion stammered as he stood before his brother and Diana.

"Be-because she helped Arlott," Diana said bitterly, more tears streaming down her face. "All for that, they decided…decided that…she had to die."

Aamon was silent. But Gusion could see a quiet rage burning beneath his brother's ice-cold stare. "I think…I think they waited until you'd left, Aamon," Diana breathed.

Aamon didn't reply, his eyes fixed on the dead girl's face.

"Ar—Arlott," Diana said.

Gusion and Aamon glanced up. Arlott had entered the village square. No longer was he wearing his cloak and eyepatch. His demonic left eye seemed to glow in the dim light of the square. In each hand, he held his lances, their sharp blades soaked with the blood of the knights he had killed.

"Mila," Arlott whispered as he slowly made their way towards them. "What…"

Diana looked up at him, tears streaming down her face. "The knights…" she said. "They—they waited for her at the church. I…I got here too late."

Arlott's expression was unreadable. He strapped his lances behind his back and gently knelt in front of Diana. He lifted Mila's body into his arms, his mismatched eyes lingering on her face. "My fault," Arlott whispered quietly. He glanced upwards, towards the spires of the church. Without saying a word, he started towards the church steps.

Aamon stood and helped Diana up. At that moment, the loud clatter of armored feet filled the square as dozens of knights rushed towards them, weapons drawn at the ready. In their midst stood a man wearing golden armor, with twin swords strapped to his back.

"Go with Arlott," Aamon said to Diana and Gusion as he strode forward to meet the knights.

"What are you…" Diana began.

"Halt!" the knight in gold shouted as Aamon quietly approached them. The knight pointed a sharp blade at Arlott's retreating back. "By order of the Church of Light, take no step into the church, half-breed."

Arlott ignored them as he continued climbing the steps towards the church doors. Aamon strode towards the knight in gold, his expression unreadable. "By whose orders?" Aamon asked, almost lazily.

"By order of the Church of Light!" the captain declared. "Stand down! We have no quarrel with you, commoner. We are here to eliminate that half-breed demon spawn!"

"Oh?" Aamon said, a dangerous edge to his voice. Shards of slight slithered around him like deadly serpents, and the knights immediately pointed their blades at him. "Was the execution of the girl necessary?"

"Anyone caught aiding and abetting spawns of the Abyss are enemies of the Church!" the captain declared. "Step aside, bastard!"

Aamon narrowed his eyes dangerously. "You must be misinformed," he said. "As the Duke of House Paxley, and of Aberleen, I, alone, am judge, jury, and executioner in these lands. You dare issue such orders at me?"

"Duke…Paxley?" the captain stammered, thrown off guard. He composed himself quickly and drew himself up to his full height. "The Church's orders are absolute!"

Aamon narrowed his eyes. "Then, for taking the life of my subject, your death shall be my judgement." Faster than the eye could blink, Aamon Camouflaged himself and charged towards the soldiers, nothing more than a deadly shadow.

Gusion placed a hand on Diana's arm as his brother rushed towards the knights, shards of light hovering about him. "Let's go," Gusion said, turning her away from the hell his brother was about to unleash.

"Aamon," Diana said, trying to turn back towards the fighting.

"Will be fine," Gusion said as he led her up the church steps.

Then the screaming started.


I tried to drown out the screams of the knights as Gusion led me up the church stairs. The lore had always depicted Aamon as the perfect nobleman towards his friends and allies, and a hellish ghoul towards his enemies on the battlefield.

I tried to look back over my shoulder, but Gusion caught my chin in his hand and gently turned my face away. "You've seen enough death for one night, Diana," he said gently.

I nodded and wiped the tears away from my face as we followed Arlott through the church doors. There were no acolytes tonight. Or maybe they all fled at the sight of the knights? Inside the church, it was dim, the only light filtering through the domed roof above the altar. Moonlight poured through the dome, bathing the altar in an almost ethereal glow.

Arlott gently laid Mila's body on the altar, underneath the moon and stars. Gusion and I stayed behind him. He wrapped an arm around my shoulder in comfort.

Arlott cupped Mila's cheek with the palm of his hand, a faraway look in his mismatched eyes. I watched as he slowly removed the necklace he wore, the necklace, I realized, that was the twin to my bracelet…

Mila's gift to him.

Gently, oh so tenderly, Arlott laid the necklace on Mila's chest and brushed the back of his hand against her cheek.

It is said, when light shines through the dome, you'll see flowers of gems blooming for people of pure hearts…

The moonlight seemed to shine even more brightly. At that moment, flowers of varying colors and shapes sprouted beneath Mila's body before our eyes, their petals unfurling like colorful gems under the starlight.

So it hadn't just been for cinematics. It was true.

"How couldn't it be?" I whispered, staring at Mila's body, "when you have such a pure heart."

Outside, the screaming of dying men stopped.

Footsteps echoed behind us. I turned.

Aamon walked through the church's double doors, the hood of his cloak drawn up to hide his face. Blood splattered his cloak and his boots.

"It's done," he said simply as he stopped beside Gusion and I.

Arlott glanced towards the duke. "Thank you," the lancer said, his gaze turning back to Mila.

We stood silently around Mila, like a frozen tableau. High above us, starlight continued to filter through the dome, bathing Mila in its gentle glow.

"Look, Mila," Arlott whispered. "The stars are shining for you."


The surface of the lake was still, like a mirror that reflected the moon and stars in the night sky above. The wind blew softly around us, carrying with it the scent of flowers and cinnamon. White flowers carpeted the grass around us, and in the light of the moon and stars, they seemed to shine.

I stood beside Mila's open casket as Arlott and Gusion began to dig.

"I'm sorry, Mila," I whispered to her as I gently cupped her cold cheek in my hand. My eyes felt hot.

"Whatever for?" Aamon's cloaked figure appeared close to me. He stood beside Mila's open casket, hood drawn over his face to hide his eyes.

"I knew," I whispered, turning to Aamon. "In this game…In the lore, I knew Mila would…I knew they would hurt her, for helping Arlott." I angrily wiped the tears away from my eyes. "I knew, Aamon. I knew, and like a fool, I didn't do anything else. I thought…I thought the title of the duke would be enough to deter those savages. I thought warning Arlott would be enough."

Dammit, I couldn't stop the stupid tears from falling. I didn't want to cry, not in front of him, of all people.

"I'm so stupid," I said, looking up at him. "So stupid, so naïve. So—"

Aamon reached out and drew me towards him. My eyes widened in surprise as I felt myself falling against his chest. His arms were around my shoulders, holding me tight, as though to keep me from falling apart.

"Not your fault," he murmured against my hair.

I was undone.

The tears began flowing in earnest, try as I might to stop them. "If anything," Aamon continued, leaning his chin on my head. "I am to blame. As duke, the safety of the people is my responsibility. The Church of Light is not without its radicals." His arms tightened even further. "That they slipped into the duchy…It infuriates me."

I looked up at him, not caring how much of a mess my face was. The wind blew harder, pushing the hood of his cloak back. A streak of dried blood smeared his cheek, but he neither cared nor noticed. Reaching up, I brushed it away with my thumb, before gently pulling away from him and turning back to Mila.

I looked up at the sky, at the moon that shined high above.

And prayed.

I wasn't a particularly religious person in my world. But in this world where fiction was reality, where silent gods from my world reigned here…

I prayed to the moon. I prayed that Mila would be happy, wherever she was.

The stars shone even brighter as the moon looked down on us.


Arlott refused to let anyone help him shovel the soil on top of the casket. He scooped each shovelful of dirt with care, gently letting them fall into the grave. I threw a handful of flowers on top of her casket as the soil fell over her.

High above, the stars continued to shine.

Aamon and Gusion were silent, their eyes fixed on the casket that was slowly vanishing from view. A silent fury continued to simmer beneath Aamon's eyes, and I thought back to his words earlier. The lore had never delved too deeply into the politics of the game. I had no clue how Aamon ran things in the fief of the Paxley family, but…

He was a protector who cared for his people. His fury at one of his people dying, his vengeance towards the knights…

It all surprised me.

His gaze met mine, and I smiled sadly at him before turning back to Mila's grave.

Please, let Mila be happy, wherever she was.

"Look." Gusion suddenly said, pointing.

Arlott, Aamon and I glanced towards the lake. There, the moonlight seemed to shine brightest. And there, in the hazy light of the moon, the ethereal figure of a young girl ran across the surface of the lake, towards a woman with long silver hair, and moonlit silver eyes.

I watched, transfixed, as the young girl stopped in her tracks, hovering above the surface of the moonlit lake. She turned towards us and waved a cheerful goodbye. There was no mistaking the happy smile she wore. She ran towards the waiting woman who enveloped her in loving arms, before they slowly faded away amid the light of the moon.

A tear rolled down my cheek.

But I smiled.

The stars will always shine for you, Mila.


Dawn slowly broke over the horizon as Arlott dropped the last shovelful of dirt into the grave. His expression, though forlorn, appeared resigned, almost content. I fingered the bracelet Mila gave me as I slowly approached him.

"Where will you go?" I asked him.

Arlott was silent as he stared up at the lightening sky above us. "Around," he replied. "I will never go back to the Abyss, but I have no desire to aid the Lord of Light's cause, either. I will…go around. I will do what Mila wanted. I will see the world through free eyes."

I smiled at him. Aamon stepped in beside me. "Should you need it," the duke said. "The doors of Castle Aberleen will always be open for you."

Arlott nodded at him. "I will remember that."

"Don't be a stranger," Gusion added. "If you need anything, you know where to find us."

I couldn't help it. I stepped towards Arlott and gave him a tight hug. "Take care of yourself, okay?" I said, stepping back and offering him a small smile.

He lifted my hand in his, the hand where my bracelet gleamed in the light of the rising sun. "Take care of this," Arlott murmured. "It is a most precious gift."

I nodded. "I will."

Arlott gently dropped my hand. Without another word, he retrieved both his lances from the ground, and turned towards the trees. Gusion, Aamon and I watched as he slowly faded away into the distance.

He did not look back.


Stella nudged my shoulder with her muzzle as I approached her. She let out a soft neigh, and, to me, it sounded forlorn. Aamon helped me unto Stella, and I swayed slightly as I clutched at her reins.

"Perhaps you should ride with me," Aamon suggested as he eyed me critically.

"I'm fine," I said, tightening my grip on Stella's reins.

"You're dead on your feet," the duke pointed out. "You haven't slept, Diana."

"Neither have you and Gusion."

"Don't drag me into it," Gusion said as he mounted Comet.

I let out a breath. In all honesty, I was…tired. Physically. Mentally. Emotionally. But I didn't want to use that as an excuse. I sat straighter on Stella, and looked down at Aamon with what I hoped was a confident look.

"I told you, I'm fine," I insisted.

The duke raised an eyebrow. Stella gently bucked as though she wanted to get me off her. I held on to her reins, nearly slipping sideways. "Easy, easy," I murmured to her.

The horse nickered, as though she were berating me.

"It seems she agrees with me," Aamon said. "Come, Diana."

I sighed as I swung my legs over Stella. Aamon placed both hands firmly on my waist as he helped me off, taking the reins in his hands. He lifted me onto his stallion, Orion, and tied the ends of Stella's reins onto his saddle horn. I felt his warm chest against my back as he mounted Orion, felt his arms go around me as he took the reins to the stallion.

"You can sleep, Diana," Aamon said quietly as he gently nudged Orion into a trot.

"I'm fine," I repeated.

"Stubborn."

I smiled tiredly, as I leaned back against him, resting my head against his shoulder. "Look in the mirror, Your Grace."

And before I knew it, I closed my eyes.

And dreamt of a happy girl with smiling eyes, and strawberry blonde hair.