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A star awakens in a field of flowers...
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Alright. I've finally gathered the courage to post this thing.
This is the turning point of my story that may or may not ruin it.
I'm prepared for all the comments saying how I ruined a perfectly good fic by adding my own concepts to it.
But hey, my fic, my rules. Thoese of you who don't like it... Why have you read this far, anyway?
Oh, well. If this doesn't work out, I have a few more mushoku tensei stories I have been meaning to test out.
The next few chapters might not seem like Mushoku Tensei chapters. But they are. There will be four of them in total, with an interlude separating them.
As the title says, these chapters will be my interpretation of the creation of the Six-Faced World.
I hope you enjoy.
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I jerked awake, eyes filled with tears and body sweaty. My lungs seemed desperate for air, yet my chest refused to loosen. The heavy beating of my heart was the only thing I could hear, roaring with the fury of a galactic storm.
What happened? Why don't I remember anything? Trying to retrace my memories, I closed my eyes and concentrated.
"G̵͖͎͂͑̔͂̕ờ̷̰͔̽̈̑̋̇̚̕ ̶̨̔̑̔̈́̏̂̄͘͝b̵̰̦̳͉̟͇͓́̍̎͌̿̓̆ȧ̶̡͉̗̝͍̣͙͜c̴̬̈́̚k̵͂̀͑̕͝ͅ ̸͚͎̫͙̰̥͇̩̈́́̅̀̓̓͘͝͝ͅt̴̡̛̟͚̰̱̼͎̱̤͔̥̉̉̂͆̂̊͒͗̑ö̶̢̰͈̻̖̙̜́̐̅̊ͅͅ ̵̡̫̥͍̫̫̠̤̟͐͛̀̊ẗ̵̨̤̭́̌̂̌̄̅͜h̶̡͓͎͍̙͎̬͓̗̳̜́̒̊́͛̆͂̈́̂è̸̡͈̻̥́̓̆̇̏͛̄̇̐ ̴̛̗̰̬̰̞̻͑͒̈̔̆̉͂̿̍͝ḅ̴̛̥͚̝̻̯̇̓̂̕͘ͅę̷̺̠̺͈̱̟͕̖̯͒̇̏̊g̸̢̧̯̞̲̥̮̯͉͌̿̒̽̋̄̋̉̔̕ḯ̸̛̟̙̭͙͔͉̣̣͜n̷̢̧͊͗ṋ̵͕͙̳̠̭̼̒͐͛͊̏̍̽̀̉͝ḯ̶̥͐̇͊̈́̚͝n̴̨̟͍̭̳͉̔͜ĝ̵̡̼͖̻͖̰̞͕̼̐̾͋̈́̃̿͌̕̕͝,̷̨͚̦̮̻̪̞̱̗̗͆͌̄̓̍̒͋̕̚͠͝ ̵̛̤̈́̍̍́̐̽͜P̶̡̘͎̬̦̼̏͂̍̌̈̌͆̕͘͠ó̷̧̮̰́̌̈́͋͜ͅl̷̤̣̝̙̠̲̑̂̑͊͛̎a̶̛͔͕͈̳̻͋̓̔͊̈̊̄̈̍̋r̵͙̳̹̯̠̊̆̈͊͆̒͂̈́̂͋͜͝i̶̜̠̬̟̺̜͇̮̻͆̆̀ş̵̢̢̗̣̫̰͕͚̔̓̈́͊͊̐͂̋.̷̢̺̩̝̭͎͉͑͆̇̀̀̌ͅ"
My eyes snapped open in a fraction of a second, a scream on the tip of my tongue, yet I couldn't get it out. No matter how hard I tried, I forgot why I wanted to scream as soon as I almost did. Something was causing this irrational fear, but I didn't know what. I'm sure I had memories before this, but I can't recall them. Still frozen with an unknown fear, I curled up on the ground. My fingertips felt as if they were frozen, a phantom pain aching painfully around my heart.
"You're okay. Nothing's gonna hurt you."
I kept whispering to myself, repeating the calming words again and again. My voice seemed...higher pitched? Girlish? A gentle breeze ruffled my hair, soothing my nerves with the scent of wildflowers and freshly cut grass.
Once my heart was no longer hammering, I laid down on my back, taking in the view above. It was a night sky filled with countless stars, vibrant and twinkling. A large galaxy stretched beyond the horizon, so vast and all-encompassing that it filled the world with light. It branched out in millions of places, like the branches and leaves of an overgrown tree. Despite the life-filled sky, a circle of darkness was devoid of light. No stars shone there, and the root-like galaxy was cut short.
This wasn't my home, wherever that was supposed to be. I don't even remember my home's name anymore. But I distinctly recall my home's night sky was nowhere as brilliant as this.
The frozen fingers of dread around me loosened as the night sky soothed my nerves. I sat up, my body losing strength as I did. I sat in a field of white lilies growing upon rolling hills. There were patches of black-colored grains a ways away. The scenery was unbroken and calm, not a single tree growing. Though it seemed to be night, I could still feel warm rays of invisible light dancing on my skin. The silence here was absolute, but it wasn't eerie or creepy. Instead, the scent of lilies and fresh grass, the calming silence, and the view above made this an unimaginably tranquil and peaceful realm.
I noticed something stiff. The ground I sat upon was too hard. The lilies around me should have been much softer than this. Looking down, I found that I was nestled in what seemed to be the remains of an egg. It was white with a hue of gold and constantly glowed a pale silver. Shards and fragments of said egg were scattered around me, making me assume I had just broken out of it. But that couldn't be...right? I didn't remember much, but I'm sure my species don't hatch from eggs.
My eyes flickered, and I "saw" hundreds of similar eggs buried underground beneath the sea of white lilies. Some were white and glowed a mirage of vibrant colors, while others were pitch black with the occasional smidge of tints.
I noticed my body, bare and uncovered. My clothes had all gone missing, and I was clad in my birthday suit. Light brown hair fell down my back, wrapping around my body like a silky blanket. My skin was unnaturally pale and glowed a faint sliver like the egg I sat in. Six butterfly wings were folded on my back, colored white and engraved with golden symbols and floral patterns.
Something rose up from my forgotten sea of memories. Like a bubble making its way to the ocean's surface. It was random and unclear, but I could still make out something: A white cloak carved with countless mystic-looking patterns. When I tried to focus, my mind began aching with intensity.
Seemingly following instinct, my body moved on its own. An oddly familiar energy flowed from my core into my wings, causing them to spread open. However, as I admired them, they drooped immediately and returned to their limp, folded state. I was left with a sense of drowsiness and sluggishness.
Was it because I just...hatched? I broke out of an egg, so the word for my new rebirth would be "hatch," right?
My body was tired and demanded rest. The egg's surface was too uncomfortably hard to sleep on, but I felt safer within it. Gathering the glowing lilies around me, I formed a makeshift bed. The earth under the lilies was black but not a bottomless void. There were specks of flickering glitter within, almost like a washed-down version of the sky above.
I lost track of time, embraced by white flowers and staring at the night sky. The calming atmosphere reminded me of a nursery, a place for the young to be born and grow. My eyes felt heavy, and the lilies smelled so sweet. Yes... Taking a nap here would be... Pleasant.
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I awoke, sort of.
Everything looked normal, but I instinctively knew it was not. I couldn't control my body and stood there. There was something in my hand, brought up to my nose. I was sniffing a red leaf. More importantly, even though I don't remember this, why does it seem so...familiar?
Two people were sitting in chairs near me. They were scribing away at pieces of paper. One was a young girl with red hair and crimson eyes. The other was a tanned, middle-aged woman with cat-like features. They were familiar, names on the tip of my tongue, yet out of reach by a fingertip's length. The room we were in was decorated with an assortment of banners and scrolls carved with arcane symbols. Books were scattered on their shelves, and their messy demeanor made the room seem almost mundane.
The red-haired girl held up her paper, grinning proudly and boasting. Her long hair flowed freely, spilling even though she tied it. She said something inaudible to me, and my body walked over to her. My field of view shifting left and right told me whatever she wrote on the parchment was wrong. The girl sat down, disappointed. My body reached out and placed a hand on the girl's shoulder. I said something, though I don't know what. An attempt at comfort?
I felt oddly happy around these two, the redhead in particular. Why, though?
The girl pouted and turned back to her paper. I sensed the faint emotion of amusement. I was about to say something, but I paused. My voice was stuck in my throat as a silent scream forced its way out.
A burning pain suddenly assaulted my heart, like it was getting cooked alive. A shattering sound came from my forehead, and pieces of transparent crystal fell from my head. My body suddenly lost strength and crumpled to the ground, lifeless and limp.
The two women in the room ran up to me, shouting something. Worry was apparent in their voice, even if all I heard was muffled rambles. The older woman ran out of the room, leaving the girl by my side. She said something worriedly and forcefully as if telling me to get up.
I couldn't, though. It was as if my body was a puppet with its strings cut. Blood slowly pooled from my forehead as my breathing became erratic and forced. My body felt like it was in a melting furnace, and the girl noticed, too. She withdrew the hand placed on my forehead with a pained yelp. Even in such a weak and helpless state, I still felt I had done something wrong. Was it that I felt sorry that I had burned her? Who is this girl, anyway? Was I close to her before my memories vanished?
My eyes flashed gold, phantom images running through my mind. An understanding of something settled in my stomach. I used the last of my strength to force my eyes open and look the red-haired girl in the eye. I opened my mouth and rasped out a sentence.
"D̵̪̖̩̘̗̜̮̭͆̆̈́̌̏̈́͘͝͠ͅo̵̺̱̟͚̟̖̤͗ͅņ̴̻̙̟̩͇͉̦̲̔͂̓͋̋̄͛'̶̙̼͂͌̄͝t̶̡̢̠̜̹̯̹̄͜ ̷̨͙̲̟͚̭͑̿̏̇̔̉͂̑͝w̷̛̬͇̥̰͉͓͋̾͒͆͋̇̈́͜͝ȯ̴̠͕͍̮́̄̈̏̅ȑ̶̤̍̈̃͆r̶̼̭̲̲̔̇̕͠ÿ̷̖̱̭̥̰̯́̌͂̅̈͌̑͘͝.̸̨̡̛̖̖̺̯͈̝̒̋̌̑̿͐̈́͝ ̵̧̮̝̫̰́͌Į̴̛͕̭̪̾̇̍͗̌̾̚͠'̴̛̗̞͊͝l̵̯͝l̷̼͍̱͒ ̴̢̢̹͉̯͈̀͗̔b̵̧̪̲̟͍̲̒͑͒͋ͅẹ̵̜͎̻̺̻̣̼̽̂ ̵̣͍̺̠̠̲͛̔̏̂f̴̛͙͈͔̫̞͎̐͆̇͘͠͝i̴̪̹̬̍́̑̇͛̾̈̚n̷̠͚̩̣̞̞͉̤͒̓̔ͅȇ̸̡̞͕̝̙̬̖̈̐͗̂̄̏̎͜.̷̮̺͙̮̽̀͆̆́͑ ̶̱̺̬̜͙̪͉̫̃̊̾͑͑ͅI̷̡̭̫͌̋̉͛̋̔̓̈́͘'̷̗̇͂̄̄͐͊̓͑ͅṁ̶͍̼͍̳̘͈̻͌ ̷̢̨̛̙̳̺͔͖̿͑͘͝͝ͅg̸̢̜͖̳̯̹͖͓̾̈̒͒̍̊̚͝͠o̸̦̦͎͉̤͚͙̠̫͛̃̈́̆͘̚i̷̘͍̜̣͎̫̿͘n̴̯̳͕͊͐́̃̃̚͝ģ̷̣̺̄ ̴̘̜̟̤̯͚̤̞̈͑̄̉̈́̈́͘̚ț̶̨͓̊o̵̦̻̠̓̓̉̒͌́̍̐ ̵̢̧̢̡͉̜̉̂̌̾ş̵̧͇̗̱̘̃͌ḻ̸̛̠̘̰̟̜̋͗̋̌͜͝ȩ̶̼͚͒͊̈͐͊̀̂̚e̶̛̝̺̫̦̤̣̲̍p̸̼̜̳̑̉̈́̂̀͒͛͋ ̸̳͒̅͆͊͘͠f̸̨̨̻͓͈͍͂̾̅̽̑̇͝ỏ̸̥͇̞̰̤̬̱̥̏r̶͉̬̍ ̴̢͎̱͕̲͎̤͆̔̈́̿͗͘a̶͔̝̲̳͗ ̶̧̭̩̙̬̤̙̀̽̌̕w̶̞̣̓̈́h̵̨͚̦̮̙̺̠̏̋͠į̷̜͕͈̲̠͈̳̆͜ľ̶̘̗͕̬͑e̴͙̮̪̹̰͐.̶̝̍̆̇͛͘͘ ̸̨̧̥̘͔͙͆͒̇̅I̵͖͖̫͑̑̿̈́͂͠͝'̷̛̦́̔̅̋́̀͝l̵̘̘͚̤̘̫̝̍̇̒̇̌͒̋̏͘͜l̵̟̯̹̯̻̻͛̈̇͑͠͠ ̵͓̟̹̺̜͕͊̆͑̽̕a̴͈̭̽̑̒̂͗̄̃ͅw̷̨̛̭̘͓̪͛̄̓̓͐͐̚ǎ̸̡̩͔̠͇̥̙̥̿k̶̮̥̍͂͒́͌ẽ̵̊͋͛̓͘͝ͅn̷͖͊̒̎̀̊̚ ̸̡̨̟͔̙̬̥̲͗̓͊̕i̵̡̛͇͇̼̬̳͗̾͆̐̄͝n̸̙̭̍̋ ̸̡͕̯̼̉̋̓̏ạ̵̡͚͇̘̮̝̖͉̒͐̐̽͗͌̅͆ ̸̛̜̭͙̤̣̔̽͌͆̈́̒̂͠f̶̫̿͂̔̽̅̊͝͝ê̶͙̥͉̯̮̓́̓̆͒͘͠͠w̷̧̢͖̮̬̟̗̙͒̋̏͜ ̶̊́̿͐ͅw̸̘̥̰̬̒̆̃͌̓͛̈̏ͅe̷̦̝̠͈̓̔́̓̈̅̓̂͝e̸͖̬̊̿̔̂̾́̋͑k̴͎̭̈́̍̾̈́̓̅̌s̶̻̻̅̑̈ͅ.̵̡̡̙͈̤̠̭̿͛ ̸̧͍̝̣́͌̃̐̆̄́͝P̴̬̻̥̘̙͎̂̈̑͒͛̽͜͜l̴̢̛̟̠̮̾́͑͌͐͝ͅḛ̴̼̩̬̬̈́̾͊͑̂̏̀̔͛à̶̖̟͎̤̼̹͚̍̊͊̒͛͜ͅs̵̢̤̺͋͊̉͌̏̏͋͝ͅé̴̠͛̇̏̉͝,̷̡͍̗͔̹͎̂͗̽̊̇͛͠ ̴̠͓͚̳̇̈́̈́̐͠d̴̡̺͇͉̞̈́͒̿͆̆̓̐͑͗ō̷̯͓ṇ̵̲̞̃͐̿'̶̢͙̃͋̃͒͊̆̆͝͝ͅt̸̰̯̪̻̤̰͎̬̍̀̒̚̕͠ ̸͇̪̩͚͙̑̆̿͆́̕͝͠w̷̡͍̦̣̎o̴͔̪͎̬̽̎̉͜ŗ̶̡̡̰͇̯͍̥̲̋́̈́̚r̵̙̳̝̲̬̼̩̂ͅy̸̱͝.̵̗̅́͐͛̔̚"
The girl shouted something else, panic over-taking her face as tears threatened to spill. I took a shaky breath.
"U̸̢͖͎̠̪͕̭̺̓̏̊͜n̸̡̨̞͍͖̦̖͓͒͌͆͋t̴͔͛̀̋̅̌̕͝i̴̺͔̓́̕͝l̵͓͂̓̈̒̾̈́͝ ̸̟̠͉̓͌̂t̸̨̳͓̞̓͂̋́̉̍h̴̨͉̫̟͈̲̹͙͍̿̑͒ē̷̢͚̗̠̞̲̼͕n̷̛̠̣͕̱̯̂͋̈́̽͘͝͝,̷̳͉͍͎͕͉̫͕͔̾̈́̈́́͐ ̷̞̎͑̀͐̃́̎̒p̴̨͉͉̲̞̼̞̙̭̑̽̊̌̍̍̓͒͠l̵͖̪̫̱̒ĕ̸̳͍̇ǎ̶̧͚̫̜̱̭͓͔́s̸̺̩̜̪̗͋͒ȩ̷̙͎̙̼̮̑̈́̅̽͝,̵̛̬̘̅̏̽̉̓̃̈́͌ ̴̼͎̣̜̜͚̅̎p̴̤̲̬̀̂̐̀̾͌͊͘͝r̸̢͚̠̺̙̪͌o̶͙͍͇͍͐̎̊m̷̢̛̤̞̖͚̭̲̭̩͒̿̋͠ī̸̬͕̻̣̦̦̟͑͌͛͘͝ͅs̷̡͓͔̟͆̀̓̑ë̴̪̙̯̜̑̽̊́͠ ̷̘̱͎̪͚͔̬̍́̑̏̌̂͝m̵̛͉̫̠͒̈́̓̄̏̍e̷͕͐̒̽ ̸̮͎̮̘̹̑̑͝ṭ̴̻̥̰͐ȟ̴̪̜̰̲̓̅̆͊͘͝ĩ̸̮̪͎͍̠̃̌̉̆̕͝s̷̙͎͂.̵̧͙̖̜̪͚̠̼̀̾̽͑͗́ͅ ̴̨͚͇̺͇̺͎͌P̷̦͙̬̠̽̌̄̔̓̇r̸͕͔̉̿̋̽̅̆̃͘͝ȍ̸̡̨̺̩̩̞̜̗͆̏̕m̸̰̼͙̜̯͚̠͈̎͛͌̿̀̾͜ȋ̷͆͝ͅs̷͖̬̥͚̙̱̪̻̭͛͐̍̎e̵̡͕̺̮̬̱͌ ̴̢͚̘̥̗͖͑̊͆̀̓̄̚͝ṭ̷̨̥̪͒̍͒͑̈́ȟ̷̭̝͍̟͍͚̾̐̑̋̇ǎ̵̢̪̳͔̥̻̠͕̥͑͆͐̔͘t̸̥̰͑̑̓͐͋͗̊ ̴̠̫̅̍̔̎͝ỳ̸̰́͑̊o̷̟͐ụ̷́͌͑̋͒͋͂̚͝'̷̯̠̑̂l̶̨̨̛̯͉͉̮̱̘̱̊̀͑͝l̶̡̧͚̣̬̯̝̽͗ ̴̲͇̔̍͋͗͌̈́̌͝b̵̖̝̒̓́̂̑̀ȩ̵̹̮͖̦͗ ̸̱̹̤̗̻̲̎̅̄̄̅͘b̷͉̗̻̔ỷ̴̞̖͔͙͍̱͇̦͍̈́̍̓̍̎ ̸̣͉̺̞̬̼̯̲͆̃̎͑ͅḿ̷̧̳̫̩͆͝y̸̛͍̲̭̱̻̟̍̍̌ ̸̗̭̋͆̉͘s̸̛̛͓̥̿̈́̈́̃̒̚͠ĩ̵̧̬͉͍̲͚̔̏͆̈͊́͝d̸̢͇͚̥̳̗͑͆̍̀̋̚̚͝͠ͅe̸̲̝̝̥͋̊̇̀̽̀͝ ̸̢̻̭̗̩͂̽̚̚ẅ̵̦̣́̒͆̂̍̌̔ḩ̴̧͓̬͉̩͚̔̆è̴̛̝̰̻̺̫͂̔̽͝n̸̹̗͓̅̈̀̏̐͊͊ ̶̧̬̻͈̤͙͎̥̇͗̾͛͊͆̕̚̚I̵͓͚̜̹̥̽̄́́̈͝ ̴̨̂̽͘ͅẅ̸̺̣͔̘́͑̒́̑a̵͓͛͘k̵͕͓̭̩̦̒̐̑e̵̡̗̩̬̭̬̙͈͆̒͐̀̽ ̴̨̟̞̦̲̓͋̀́̾͠ͅǘ̸̡̲̲̠̙̬̱̄ṕ̴̠̊̍͒.̵̧͖̐́͋̑͛̓͋̔͑ ̸̧̥̺̯̖̥̫̟̤̎̌̽̀̎̔̀̚P̶̛̮̖̙̘̑̏̊̚l̸̨͕̫̪̰̄̿̓͂ẹ̴̡̻͖̺̞͕̭̈́͊̿͋͘͘͜ä̸̢͉̖̲͈̞̘̹̲́͛̈́̕͝ś̷̨͚̮̖̜͔̍͝ͅȩ̵̨̧̪̀̓͝ͅ?̸̡̪̻̠̗̜̩̋͜"
The girl nodded, sniffing and wiping her nose with her sleeve. I felt like I commented on that, but I wasn't sure. I smiled at that answer, feeling relieved somehow.
The burning pain slowly became dull, and my vision changed to black static. My eyelids felt heavy, and I could feel them drooping a little at a time. What is this? My death? Is this how I died?
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I wouldn't know. As I awoke again.
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I was sitting near a river on something ridged. I looked down and saw that it was a large boulder. A long stick with a string attached to it was placed before me. My senses felt sharper in this form, but that didn't change much. I still lacked any control of this body.
The river flowed gently, yet the occasional current and rapid made for a soothing surprise. It was so clear that I could see something moving in it. Trees formed a dense forest around the quaint clearing I sat in, their colorful leaves falling once in a while, dancing like butterflies in the cool breeze.
I smelled something delicious and turned my head behind me. A girl was cooking over a fire, adding spices to a fish on a stick. White hair bobbed in the faint breeze, and her ruby eyes had an oddly specific charm. She seemed younger than the red-headed girl from before. She felt calmer and more timid, too. When she saw me staring at her, she smiled. She waved at me to come down from the moss-covered boulder.
I nodded, putting the long stick on a jagged piece of rock, and hopped down from my seat. The feeling of warmth and happiness was more emphatic this time, mixed with an almost insensible emotion of pride.
The girl said something with a shy smile when I reached her, handing me the food she had prepared before. I nodded in thanks and took a bite, saying something after swallowing,
The girl practically glowed with delight, her long ears twitching happily. I reached to pat her head, and she leaned into my body. I felt oddly warm with her, like sitting by a fireplace after a cold winter day.
The skewer promptly fell from my hands. The burning pain in my chest was there, but it was somehow subdued this time. What was more apparent was the numbness assaulting my entire body. I looked down and found that I was turning transparent. My legs had already vanished into golden specks of light.
The girl quickly ran up to me, a green glow mixed with gold tinting her hands. She pressed them onto me, shouting something loudly. I felt myself sighing sadly, my eyes glowing an unusually vibrant gold. I reached to cup her face, but my fingertips vanished before I could. I smiled sadly.
"Ḯ̵̡̗̤̩̳̞͓̩̍͊'̷̨̛̘̜̦̰̝͚̏̽m̷̤̮̥̖̱̭͈̮̓̓̾͝ ̷̱̿s̷̡̘̞͎̻̟̿͗̊̄̃̀ǫ̶̰̳̺̤́̒r̵̝͝ṛ̸̈́̂̿͑̉͠ÿ̴̧̢̩͕̤́̅̈́̓̏͌,̷̛̹̣̟̝͌͜ ̸̫̪͚̳̞̻̥̏̃̿͌̂S̶̢̢͓͉̤̏͒͠ỹ̸̝̳̔̋̑̾̚ĺ̴͕̋̈̃͗̀͝p̶̡̧̧͇̠̬̜͎͍̋̂̀͌̽̆̚͠h̶̨̙̟̯͎̥̹͐͆̍̀̕̕i̶̻̹̔̐̈́̓͂̽͛͘͘ȇ̴̲͕̲̌̄̊̇.̸̧̖͑̃͊̎̌̒͑͆͝ ̶̗̲͂̎Î̷͖̦̻̗͇̖̺̫̀̌̄ͅ ̶̢̛̹̼̒d̵̥̘̞̭̆̽̽̎͛̒͝ô̵̲͔̩͍̥̯n̵͔̺̹̹͔̯̮̍̀̈́̈͝'̴͖̒͝t̸̻̤͇̲̿̌͂͛ ̸͓͈̪͎̼̪͚͕̘͊̋̋̊͒͐͝ḩ̴̗̺̳͕̹̳̼͒̀̾̂͋́̈́͋͜a̶̪̘̭̞͚̰̓͆̃̑̑̌́͘͠v̶̢̧̻̗̙̮̬́̂̇͜ͅe̴̞͔̭̣̝̗̎̽ ̵̧̦̭̗͔̫͉̣̍͂́m̶̧̝̹̎̾̍̈́̑́̄̚ű̷̡̢̼̯͕̻̜̳c̷̤̻͍̰͙̟̅͐h̷̺̲͕̹͕͖̘͌̀̅̏̄͌̒̐ͅ ̶̢͚͈͍̹̥͛̈ͅt̴̝͎̗́̅̒͌̑̈́͋͂i̷̛̻͕͈̍̕͝ͅm̵̪̣̹̳̼̼̔͐̐̀̚͜e̶̟̟̭͖̘̤͖̰͉̓̎̒͠,̶͇̻͇̠̲͈͉̲͗͛͑̃͗̈́̑ͅ ̸̢̨̮̠͓̮͍͎̈́̀̈́̅̀͑͜͠ś̵̛̺̄̒̀̿̓́͝ő̶̤̯͈̟̈̆́͠ͅ ̷̡̳̻͖̜̱͓̍̿p̴̨͔͙̟̞͙̞̘̙͌l̵̢̖͎̅e̶̢̧̟̬̪͚̞̝͑̏̚͜a̷̧͚̗̫̪̳̱̋̌̓͑s̸̖̔̐͑̂͌̓͑̒͐e̵̦̩͍̮̘̙̣̘͠ ̷̳͔̳̦̀̈́̽̋̔͛̏͛l̴̘͔̱͘ͅȉ̸̛͔̄͊̓͝͝s̷̡̱͈̭̺̬͐͂̓̕̚͝ͅt̵͈̝͓̮͎̙̏͜e̴̜̯̰͍̙̍̍̓̃͆͐̔̚ņ̵̛̈͐̌͑͗̏̌̎ͅ ̴̢̢͈͎͔͍̹͚͕͛̓̊̃̚c̷̢̟̯̻̲͗̃͂̄̈́̀̌̈͘l̶̺̟̲͙̜͛̍̈͗̀̅͐̕͜õ̷̗͘ṡ̴̡͇̜̊͋̓̈́͠͠e̵̢̱͖͘l̸̨̛̞͍͔̩͙̈́̈́͐̎̑̊̚ỳ̶̡̬͙̻̬̼̱́̋.̶͈̭̳̞́̅̾͝͝͝ͅ"
The girl began crying, and large teardrops dripped down her face. She asked something quietly. Almost as if she was afraid of the answer. I shook my head in response.
"N̵̖̈̎ơ̶͖͎̙͗̽͒͗,̸̨̳̈̏ ̷͉̬̝̫̳̒̏͑̌͆͘I̴̘͈̭͊̎̓͗'̷̛̛͎̲̳̍̚m̴̛̺͈̏̃͊͝ ̶̯̘̬́n̵͓̣̈́̀̍̿͠ŏ̸̜͙͗͛ẗ̷̼́̈͗̆̽͒ ̷̭͋̽͑͗͌ğ̴̩̙̕͠o̷̜̫͆̋̒į̵̲͉̈́̑̓n̵̨̟̑͆g̵̗͎̙̳͌̓͝ ̵̤͓̫̹̐̚͠ẗ̵͚̻̮̿̀̚ǫ̵̛͕͑̋̕ ̸̟̳̝̱̣̿̅̂̿̍̃͜d̴̘͂̕ȉ̷̭̜̭̯̒̚͝ͅȩ̷͇̟̝̽̄͊̔̕.̴̖͉̆͆͒̅͠ͅ ̶͇͚̔͌̂̇B̸̜̞͉͒͑̎͝͠ų̶̨̦̲̋͋̚t̸̳̭̉͊̚ ̴̤́̚Ǐ̵͙̖̯͎̚͘͠ ̷̡̗͚͒͒w̴̝̠̆͝ō̸͚̹̯͂́̎̀ͅn̶̨̝̥͚̄͑͌͝'̴̢̖̣̪̎͛͘t̶͍̖̰̜̂̎̀̃̅͝ ̶͉͖̯̏͛͜͠ĺ̴̡͉͔̖̫͘͜à̷̦͚̽̽̉͠s̴̪̠̘̖͝t̴̫̦͎͈̅̉̽͆̌̋ ̴̨͓̹͇̉̓̉͛̚̕ͅͅt̷͔̜̿o̸̡̞̣͚̮̓̇̽͜o̶̡̺̼̺͌́͗̃͂ ̸͖̺̼̇̎̏̒͗l̴̜͇̎ờ̴̠̞̎̅̂̚n̶̫͓̳̰͑ͅg̷̖̹̤̦̿̃͒͘̚͠.̵̗̹̯̙̖́̓̄ͅ ̶̖̟̜̿̐͛̀S̶̯͙̳̩̈̊̽͌́o̷̰͈̦͙̓͐̾̏̀ ̶̡̱̻̤̓̐͌̎l̵̮̈́̃͂̃ȉ̴̲͐̂s̷̫̭̈̀͝t̸̞͇̫̭̊͛̎̆̚ě̸̢̤̩̃n̷̡͈͎͈̲̮̿,̵̜͚͑̀͝ ̵̮͌̆̇̒̅̚S̴̡̛̟̆̋̌́͠ẙ̵̖̙̥͉͗͛̀l̴̢̬̖͉̯͆͊ͅp̵̻̲͆̆͛͗̊͝ȟ̸̲͖͆̈͗͘͝i̶̧̮̥͐͊͠ė̸͙̤͛,̷̢̳͕̗͔́̃͑ ̷̛̗̦͈̗̃̽̈́ḏ̷̹̝̘̟̒̿̈́̉͜ḛ̸̑̈́͑̈́͠͠a̷͍̣͂̏͑́͊̕ŗ̷̧̛͕̠̗̣͌͑̕͝.̶̡̯̬̀̒́ ̵̲̑̔̈́̎̍Į̴̨̨̛̮̻́̀͛͑ņ̶̢̙̬̹͑͐͒̚̕ ̸̡̝̩̪̘̙͗̒͆̀̽͝a̴̠̘͊̅̐b̷͈̎͂o̸͈̮̝̯͝ṷ̶̢̳̺̜̠̌͛͑̋̀̑t̸͚̟̦̱̊̒͘ ̶̺̼͌̓̀̃͠a̷̭̳͈͉̔ ̴͍̍̊̚w̸̮͈͓̗̭̎͊ͅę̸̢̧̨̱̜͛̃́͝e̷̪̳̻̺̟̬͐̓ķ̸̫͓̀,̴̜̐̓̾ͅ ̶̼̰̫̤͈̈́̾̅̐̏m̷̖̮͓̍̂̀͠ỷ̸̥̗̱͓̒͝͠͝ ̷͉̪̼͖̆̉̇̂̅͜ͅf̸̡̦̺͔̥͠ą̴̦͎͉̗̣̀͊̅̃t̸̰͔̓̿̏h̴̦͓͖̒̀̌̈́ȅ̶̲͓͖̙͕̬̑̿͒͝r̶̤̒̿̿͠ ̷̡̡̟̾ẅ̵̱̠́i̶̪̹̫̿l̵̪̩̈̊͛͗͑l̸̻̇̀̿ ̶͎̫͇̱͓͔͋r̷͓̱͌̚ę̶̲̓̀̄c̵̟͚̹͖͌͂̅̈́͆ë̸̢̜̝͓͇͚i̴͕̅v̶̯̱͎̈́̋̚ë̵̡͍̭͖̲̼ ̵͉̔a̵̪̙̘͔̎̏ ̴̧̳̞̥̈͐̂͠ͅl̸͎͗ȩ̸͇̘̲̭̗͐͂̌͘ẗ̵̯͉͕̻͕̭́ţ̵̹͙̰̫̥͊͌̓e̵̠̪̒̌r̴͇̅̍̕ ̷̺̳̱̪̈̄̋̃͜s̶̛͎͉̹̲̳̜͗͛̕a̵̧͖̓̔̀̒͝ẏ̵̥̬̥̅̂i̶̝̜̮̹̿̽̕n̸̙̊̈̀̈́g̴̩̽̂͛̏̈̂ ̶̖͉̟̯̖͕͌̏̾̓͠t̷̡̨̩̽͛̃̌h̴̬͌̓̓͝ă̵̢͚̯̰̗̩̾̇̂̃͠ṱ̸̡̧͕̟͖͗͌ ̶̤͈̩̣̝̽Ì̵̙͜ͅ'̵͎͑̊̍m̶̺͔̈̀ ̴̺̀̉s̷͙̰͎̘͓̈́̑̈́͊̊̚î̷̹̘̠̘̤̈́͝c̵̡̝͓̹̈́͑̿̏̐͜͝k̶̦͙̯̥̹͍̅̊̏̑.̶̳̱̟͓͊͊̑͝ ̸͉͉͍̥̈́́͘W̸͉̘̖͈̏̄̽h̷̠̠͔͎͂̓̇̋e̸̢̫͌̀̔̒͐́n̶̨̝̜̟̭͋ ̷̪̼̱̯̂͛ͅm̶̛͔̱͉̳̃̚y̶͖̟̠̗̑͑̆͝͝ ̴̬̺͋̈̓f̴̳̼͈́͠ă̷̯̝͉̺͛m̴̡̯̙̗̼̄͒́̚͝ȉ̶͚͉l̵̮̓͝y̷̢͍̓̋̈́̀̊̊ ̵̢̛͎̪̘̻à̷̳͍̓͛͛r̶̨̛͔͝r̴͍͇̖͖̩̪̔̂̑̚ą̵̝͕̫͔̒̾̀̎n̴̩͎̪̩͕͛̅͊̒g̸̖̞̓̊͑́̈́͜͠ͅḛ̶̜͊̔s̸͍͊̎ ̵̖̝͓̱̭̹͂̀͗̒́̿ẗ̵̰̘͕̕ǒ̵̠͊́͝͝ ̵̧̛̟̼̪͂́̄̏̉v̴̤͚̤̼̘̰̀͐̿ȋ̵̼͕ś̴̛͓̥̔̒̍͗ͅį̴̛̟̽̉͜t̷̟̰̤̒́̀ ̵̨̛̯͉͋̌̄͠m̸̙̰͋̅̅͠ę̷̛̰̹̙,̷̖̻̞͘͜ ̸̖͍̐a̵̳͂̽̀͊̿̽s̷̳͌̂́͘͝k̸͍̬̻̪̳͙̋̈́̒̆̂ ̷̧̯̭͆̽̅̎į̸̙̆́̓̄͝f̴̧̛̮̲̘ ̶̢͔̤̙͋́͂ÿ̵̨̨͈͍́͑̍̎̾o̶̮͓̯̠̦͊̂͐̚ù̶̻̟̟̠̫͘͜ ̵̡̢̢͚͖̤̇̀̊̅̊͝c̴̪͕̀̈́̾͌̽͝a̴̛̼͈̜̐͗̏͘ṉ̷͖̇ ̸͖̇̐c̷̙̣̼̘͓̘͌͒͘ô̵̼̚m̶̨̧̖̠͑͑̃͗̌͑è̷̲̦̤̲͘ ̶̼͓̳̟̭͑́̈́ă̴̢͙̣̂͒͑͗́ļ̸͓̾̐̓̂̕o̷̱͌̌̊̓̚͠n̴͚̏͆̈́̏͘͜g̴̼̯͓̖̅.̸̡̮̋͐̈́ ̵̺̦̘̯̐͜D̶̖͆͂̑̕ö̴͈͉́͛̄̿͜ ̵̻̣̜̻́́̈́t̶̡̙͊̎h̵̘̫̓͒̆͆͗̕i̴͓͖͗̍͐s̵͈͚̫̾̇̿́̌̽ ̴̯̹̟͉̂̈́̈͐ḟ̴̯̹̫͍̤̍̈́ͅơ̴̝̺͆̈́̎͊̎r̸̹̊̆͂́̋͜͜ ̷̨̓̒͛̈́̈̚m̴͍̹̪̋̈́̈́͑̌ẹ̶̻̱̩̰̗͗̄̐̆̐,̶̭̻͂͆͌ ̶̛̣͚͈͍̾͛̈́͝p̷͍̩̝̞̣̗̂̿̈́l̵̼̳͉̘͙̥͐́͊e̷̛̜̼͈̖͜ͅa̴͍̗͓̮͍̘͐͗̉s̷̫̘̭̬͑͋̆e̸̲͔̍?̵͉̯̌̓̅"
Through her tears and sobbing, the girl nodded and whispered something. I nodded, smiling happily. My entire lower body had vanished into golden motes of light, leaving only my head, arms, and chest. And those were quickly disintegrating, too.
The girl began crying harder, desperately grabbing the specks I was turning into. It was no use, however. I instinctively knew she couldn't save me. Not from this. So I hugged her, trying to calm her nerves.
Even though I passed through her trembling body, I still performed such an act. My vision was turning white, and even my arms had vanished. Golden light encompassed my vision. The muffled sound of crying was the last thing I heard.
...
Another awakening.
...
I was sitting in a wooden chair this time. And I was in another classroom similar to the one the red-headed girl was in. However, this one seemed messier, with random tools and dolls placed half-hazard on the table and shelves. There were more mystic banners. And I even saw symbols carved onto the walls and floor.
I still couldn't do anything I willed, however. I could only watch and observe, but I couldn't intervene. Everything was a bit clearer than last time, though.
The door opened, and I turned towards it, expecting someone. However, the person who walked through was not the one I was expecting, whoever that was. It was an elderly man with silver hair and a beard. He was clothed in back robes, a rainbow-colored dagger held in his hand. He walked towards me briskly as I asked him something.
"Z̵̲̥̐̏e̵̻̖̳̚l̵͓͉͔̾ŗ̴̞̘́͒̄e̷̖̲̿͒ͅc̶̥̟̫̈́͝h̵̖͊̌͘,̴̱̾̚̕ ̷̨͎̅ḑ̷͚͓͂͊͒i̸͍̍͜ḑ̶̲̻͊ ̷͍͉̖͒̇y̷͔̳͘ͅo̸̙̞̓̚ȕ̶̹̌ ̶̲̒͆f̶̬́͌i̵̧̱͔̐n̴̝̻̬̔́̐á̸̑͜͠l̶͓̹̳̈́̕͠l̸̮̗̓̿́y̴̭̲̐ ̷̡̭̭́́f̵͉͇͛̅̈́i̶͓̿͗n̷͇̞̱̅d̵̹͖̆̆̌ ̶̦̖̓t̶̥̲́̈́̕h̷̘̠͋̋͝e̸̮͍̰͌͐ ̶̙͙̐̐̑ä̶̦̗n̶̙̗̔͜o̴̼̻͔̍̈́̊m̴͉̦̽̕̚ͅả̷̢͠l̴͙̿ͅy̵̘̅͛͝?̸̗̒̀̃"
The man didn't answer, simply staring at me intensely. I shivered under his gaze, not daring to say a thing.
He closed the distance between us before even a second had passed.
"Ş̶̼̝̘̦̂͘ͅǒ̶͉̃̃ŕ̵̙̗͎̩ͅr̵̭͎̹͉̠͖̐y̵̡̤͓̹̫̓͝,̸͔͚͉̠̪̫̐͊̀̔ ̴̬̹̗̻̆ý̷̺͙̑̃͂́͝o̷̧̞̍ȕ̸͖̝̓̄̂̌n̴̼̟͉͑̄̈́̄̔͝ĝ̶̛͇̞͉̻̳̔ ̷̼͗́̐̎l̵̳̯̫̭̦̘̏ơ̵̡̹̬̬̄͌̇̚͜͝ͅŗ̵̤̫̪̉͑͗̌ͅd̵̛̙̒̃̊̒̆.̷͓̻͒͒̿̾͗"
Remorse was in his aged eyes, but they were still stern and kind. With a swift motion, he plunged his jeweled dagger into my heart. I didn't scream, as it didn't hurt for a second.
"Y̴͌͊́͜ò̵̢̮̦̠̒̀̾͋ư̸̧̹͚͖͚̆͐͑͜'̸̡͓͔̝̠̐̐̅͒͝l̸̯̙̦̬̽́̑̅̽͝l̴̖̗̃̈́̑̃͆̿͜ ̴̙͓̘̦̩̆̓̅͋u̶̟̖͑̌̓͠n̶͈̣̿͐͝d̶̦̼̓e̵̼̘͂̆͋͠r̷̩͎̿̔̀͠͝s̷̼̘̯̎͑͆̈́̈̓t̵̨̼̤͎̙̻͑a̷̢̭̣͔͖͊̑̓̓̈́͝n̵̫̺̍͆͋d̴͓̋̓,̸̭̯̒͋̑̕͝͝ ̴̙̰̜͆̓͋͠ỵ̵̹͌͂͛͛̑ǒ̷̱̾̇̔͠ú̵̲͖͚̥͈ņ̵̺̩̂͗̕ģ̴̖̺͋̄͛͋͜ ̷̗̗̙̣̳͓̉̈́́́͘l̵̬͎̩͙̻̈̈͝o̸͖̒͊̈́r̴̡̛͔̗̬͓̺̆̚͘d̸̛͙̐͒.̵͍̱̫̫̌̑̑͐͝ ̸͉̪̞̫̌͑͜I̶̢̹͙͈̻͕̔̈́́f̴̬̺͙̼͙̚ ̸̧̪͉̫̮̭̀̅̓̾̋n̵̼̹̮̬̲̼̐̇͝o̸̭͚̬̔́́̉̅̏ṫ̴̫̀ ̶̰̮̦͖̜̌̄͜ň̵̳̒̃o̴̢̖͆̀ẘ̶̪͈̤̫̙̄,̶̥̫̽ ̸̞̓̊́̂ţ̵͔͋̈́h̶̢̛̠̞̪̳̓̚͠é̸͖͎̻͚̥͙̓̅̈͒ṅ̶̛̲̤̃̕͘ ̸̦̼̑ṗ̴̼̪̦͍̼͙̿͘e̷̬̤̪̪͈͆̽͐̀͊r̷̟̭̥̞̦̪͊ȟ̴͎͈̓͛͋͗a̴̢͇̤̋͒p̵̹͈̰͔̙͊̿ś̵̡͚͕́̑ ̴̲͌̏̋̉̾͝ì̸͓̗͊͝n̸̖̦̬͎͚̝͋ ̷̨̥̲̫̲̜́́̓̏ą̶̛̗̬̦͖̰ ̵̘͍͎̙̓̔͒͊͑f̶͎̻̽̋̎e̸̢̖̦̩̍̈́́̇w̸͕͉̦̝̓̉̍͜ ̶̱̠̾͋̂̚m̷͖̙̝͇̪͑̎̕i̸̢̗̫̭̅̐̏̆̑͐l̶͔̞͛̓̂̈́͝l̴͎̀͋̇̈̔i̶̫͌̋͆͊̒̿o̴̢̱͊̽n̶̫̾ͅ ̸̗̟̳̹̳̽͛͒͊͊̚y̶͙̫̋͆̆̈ë̸̱̯̰̩̜́̾͠ạ̸̖̮͗̂͜r̷̗͖̯̞̜͊͊̏͆s̴̻̥͐̈́̀͆̄.̷͔̲̊̊̓̌̕̕"
Something shattered on my forehead, and shards of white crystal fell onto the table. A raging burn spread across my body as it began to shut down, my soul leaving it bit by bit. The elderly man standing before me gave me one last look before he disintegrated into golden motes of light.
This "death" felt like the longest as I lay on the floor, incapable of doing anything.
The door opened once more, and two people walked in. A thin man with glasses and royal clothes led a young blue-haired girl carrying a white staff. They looked around the room, seemingly confused. Were they looking for me?
The blue-haired girl finally spotted me on the ground, my forehead bleeding. She ran up to me, green and gold surrounding her hands as she pressed them against my head. The thin man ran over to me, shouting towards the door.
"G̶͕͈̲͓̦͓̕i̷͓̙̦̟̗̗͛͆̎͋n̸̨̔̒̔̄̓g̵̙̖͈̹͂͂̅̑̃̔ē̴̥͚̲r̸̯̓́̓!̴̧̣̖̞͂̐̔͜ ̷̘͎̺͔̱̿̋̉͠B̶̳̃r̴̮̰̪̋̔̐̈́̈́̂ḯ̷̡̛̜̩̀n̵̡͚̏͝g̷̨͔̭̾ ̶̼̜͍̍͐͘á̵̭̏̅̍̂̕ ̶̟̀̿̂̂͗ḫ̸̮̬̈̽̀̀͝é̸̮̘̝͛͝ą̷̦̝̠̙͓̕l̴͚͎̏͑͂̈́̕͜͝e̶̮͉̟̮̰͜͝r̷̫̩͔͙̯͒̃͝ ̷̨̹͎̖̫͚̋͒͗̍̈͊á̴̈́͝͠͝ͅţ̵̟̩́̈́̽͘ ̶̙̟̳͒̔̆̄́̍o̴̠͊̈́̔̅͜n̶̝̈́̔͒͊ć̸̳͓̠̲̬͖͘e̸̢̛̯͔̦̼̲̓̀̔͗̀!̴̮͚̞͊̓̒̍̐"
His words were inaudible, but they held a substantial amount of worry.
"M̸̻̪̪̹̞͝͝a̴͍̺̐̽s̴̪͑t̴̨̤̺͙͍̀͂̉͆͒ͅe̴̻͌r̷̦̻͙̤̥̻̕!̷̮̞̅̀̆͋̇̕ͅͅ ̷̼̼͙͖̈́̽W̴̲̖̦̠̽h̷̢̘͇̳̄̃̽̕o̷̦͓̦̐ ̵̻̖͐d̶̰̕͝i̶̛̞͌͂͒d̴͚̹̼͔͙̽̄̓͘ͅ ̸̢̦̜̭͓̹̒ṭ̶̜̓̂͒̚͝h̶̢̩̃͝į̷͕̮͇̾͝ͅș̵̊̔ͅ ̴̗̝͓͓̜̖̇͊̈͌́͝t̵͎̞͎̝͕̂̔̒̕͜ǫ̶̡̼̬͕̎̉̒̌͘ ̴̱͙̈́͝y̸͈͓͖̜̒̆̏́ơ̴̢̲͕ư̵̟̩̻̱̬̇̌͒?̸̯͚̙̀̂̑͂ͅ!̵̣͖̭̻͑ͅ
I couldn't answer as my eyes transformed into burning gold. Images I couldn't remember flashed across my mind, fleeting and ethereal, but I somehow knew they would be essential.
Using the last of my strength, I sat up with a heavy groan. The two fussing over me made gestures, telling me to lie back down. I shook my head slowly, not having much energy left.
"L̴̛̘̩̞͍̿͜i̵͇̠̽s̸̜̥͖͇̝͛͐t̶͙̟̲̘͚̬̂̄̀̌̍͠e̸̛̪̅̊̌͂̚n̸̞͉̕ ̴̢̮̋́͗̀ͅt̷͗̊̔͜͠ǫ̴̲̟̲̞̆͊̇̃͠ ̶̡̲̭̓͛́̃͘m̴͕̲̜̭̍͆͊̐̇e̵͎͌͐,̶̣͖̱̃̂̇̓̈́͂ ̷̣̳̙̲̯̰̀̆̽y̴͎̺͎͒͂͒͜͝͝ó̴̢̥̖̣̩̐͐u̴̟͇͛ ̵̨̱̹̥͋̅͗ţ̶̨͇̼͊̅̕͜ẃ̵̢͉͙̌͛o̵̢̠̼̺͆́͝.̵͕̺̹̬͕̮̑ ̶͎̣̗͍͔̪̆̎̃̃̂̄Ĩ̸͖̄'̷̮̭̦͎͓̉m̶̫̃͊̇̌̉̓ ̸͕͚̝͕̻̼̊n̶̡̟̺͖͖͓̋̌̈́͛ò̴͎͇̣̎ͅt̷̼̯̅̔̇̕͘̕͜ͅ ̸̡̟̈́ġ̷͓̥̮̮̚ȏ̷̭̄͌̾ĭ̵͔̜̝̻̝͓̅̈́ṉ̶̪̬͉͗̆͋̀͊ͅḡ̸̟͌͋̀̐ ̴̙̭̻̣̉̌̈́͛̋̓t̷͉̰̹͍̼̓̈́̎o̸̤̯͗͛͗ ̸̖̯̅̔̇̇͋̒ĺ̷̤̼̥̞́͂̋̎ą̴̢͖̮̳͑̌ͅs̴̹̽̎̏t̷̩̏ ̷̧̅́́͐̃̇m̶͖̋̿̓̈́̎͝ų̷̣̱͖̯̅̐̃͌͒͝c̷͓̘̹̞̝͋̏̌̚͝͝h̶͈̰̺̏̆̎̈́͝ ̷̨̣͘͝l̶̡͕̞͔̭͛͋̃̈́̒͜͝o̶͙̐̾̀͒̋͌n̶̡̒̊̇̕͜͠g̷̖̪̼̋̀́̿͑̈́ȇ̶̢̬̑ŕ̵̝̭̤̳̍̐̏̕͜ͅ".̸͉̃̂͝
The thin man was about to say something, but I looked at him sternly. He clammed up, tears rolling down his cheek. I chuckled with great effort.
"D̸̝̍̿̒́̓͘ơ̸͈͔̪͊́̑͜ņ̴̬̥͇̘̍̑̐͠'̷̧͚͇̰̓t̶̟̰̮͎͙̘̃̎̊͠ ̴͈̌͑͋͆͘ͅw̸͈̐ȏ̵͕r̸̡̦̿ͅͅr̸̫͠y̶͇͖͚͕̓,̶̡̖͆̀̉̄̅ ̸̼͈͓̍̈́͝I̸̹̘̪͎͙̘̔͛̀'̶̙͇̫̟̟̊͑̃̉̅̀m̴̗̬͎͙̒͗͌͐̓ ̵͈̓͒n̶͚̄̈́́͌̌o̵̯̘̮͋̒̕ẗ̵̢̟̪̳̠̜́̊̔̽͠ ̵̧͈̜̑̎͐̎̚ġ̵͉̗̐̆͝o̴̼̺͈̾͛̓̀̈́i̵̧̨̮̳̎̆͘̕n̶̞͌̔͋g̵̤͖̫̿͒͝ ̶͕̪̫̦̅t̸̤̥̩̱͔͐̂̾͒̚o̵̖̞̲̲̾ ̸̼̞̮̙̼̈́͗̈́͗̀͝ḍ̶̢̤͈͈͔̀̓͆̏̓̒i̸̬͇̺̔̍̍͊͘e̴̬̳͐̅̓͋͒͝.̸̭̣̟̣̟̿̑̽̀̌" My breaths were becoming shallow, and it was getting harder and harder to speak. "Z̷̙͝a̷̧̝̤̦̯̮͋͒͌̑͌̀n̶͍͔̰̘͔̈́o̷̮̞̫͋͜b̶̨͎̮̦̮̒̿̎̃̄a̷̮͙͘.̸̢̼͇̏̀͂͠ ̶̹̄I̶̧̠̹͓͒́͠ ̵͎̙̝̰͉̥̅ǫ̶̛͙̥̹̻̯͛n̷̛̤̬̩̳͂̒̍̌͑c̸̠̑̽̈́̅e̶̗̭̬͎͍̓ ̷͚̺̝̍̇̈́̈́t̶̝͍̯̼͚̽͗͒̃͊̈o̵̻̦̺͈͋̈l̵̼͓̳͕͕͋d̴͇̫͒̃ ̶̮̰̫̲̿͗̃̕y̴̨͙͉̯̳͛̇̈́̾̀o̶͉̞̒̋û̵͉͇̝ ̶̝̮̠͙̫̈͠ṱ̸̨͇͖͙͒͒̐̓h̸̟̘̫̟͙͋͗i̴̥͉̠͛̑̂̑͒͠s̸̨̮͠ ̸̜̜̤̹́̊̑̀͋̋b̶̨̝̰̗̭̘̆̓̔o̴̥̝͕̻̯͋͑͐͆̑͝d̶̞̻͔͕̍̎͗̉y̸͙̦̯̟͒́ ̶̼̫͈͗w̴̢̯̯̫̦͒̎̀̋̊͝ä̵͉̠͙ś̴̡̱̣͎̰͇̿̈́͘͘ ̴̯̙̝̱̋̆̄͝b̴̛͕̠̲̮̤̓̄́̓ṳ̶̜̟̰̹̈́̀́̂͠ţ̷̖̮̼̬̒ͅ ̸̖̬̱̪̄̒̚ä̵̤͉͐̂͌ ̴̢̌̄̏̏̈d̶̳̪́̆̏ǫ̵̟̫̥͙͋̒̂̓̏ļ̸̝̄͐̾̂̉̕ͅl̶̡̩̣̠̣͛̀̎ ̵̨̯̩̟̞̖̈́̀͒̾͗͠Ḭ̵̦̈̿͌̎̀ͅ ̶̰͉̣̤̖́̌̕c̷̳̗̽ŗ̴͓͓͈̩̻̈e̶̗͍̫̪͖̙͛̒̋̌̐a̵̙̙͉̺̥̙̿̆̂͑̐̈t̶̞͈͍̯̞̮̾̈̏è̵̢̹͔̟͕̇d̶̡̤̘̀͑͆̐,̵̢͖̣͖͎̰̓̕ ̶̰̙̬̓̈́ý̶̬͈̇̋̓̒ę̴̦̹͍͇̊s̴̛̛̜͚͇͗?̷̹̆̀́"
Through his tears, confusion showed on the thin man's face. The blue-haired girl, too, looked puzzled.
"T̸̲̠̞̬̑̈ẖ̵̯̙̗͛̎̄̆͠ĩ̵͉̬̽̓ṡ̵̯̙̓ ̸̗͒̈̊b̵̮͖͖͍͖͋͋͛o̸̖̅̑̓͋͝d̸̩̺͍͕̪͐͋͊͆ý̷̨͔̩̗̉͗̾ ̵͇̯̗͛̿̈́̍i̵̽̽͋͑̚ͅs̶̢̰̑̂ ̵̨̼̝̫͈̃ṇ̷̖͍̟́ô̷̢̭̟̎t̷̗̗̬̮̿͐͊̚ ̶̼͌̄g̶̯͋̚ŏ̷̮̞̦̣̈̑̊̿i̴͔̘͙͑̎n̴͈͈̭̫̓̉̇̚g̵͕̯̻̰̓̋̾͑͘ ̶̙͖͓̐͠ť̷͕̫̃̇́͝ō̶̰͍̪ ̷̫̙̔̔l̸͉͚̏̐̈͘a̵̡̘̣͂̈́̒̑͜s̷̪̭̯͎̐̇̎̐t̴̝̗̅̂ ̴̼̳͙̦̟͗̎́m̸̨͓̔͆u̸̱̹͎͇̞͒c̸͕͋̀͛̄͗ḧ̷̗̝̟́ ̷̥̲̄̐͗͛͋l̵̨̦̭̾̑͌̍ờ̴̡͎̿̏n̸͇͍̰̰̗̈́͝g̵̤͂e̴̢̡̥͈͒͆r̶̡̡͍̫͉̈́̅͘͝.̴̧̧̩̣͛́ ̸̺͙̇̃́͂͝Ş̷̡̬̞̒̋o̴͎͖̕ ̸̲͓̋t̶̥̰̮̾̉̊̀ḧ̸̺̠̬̣́͋i̸̫̜͉̼͔̎̽̚ș̷̗̿͒̈́̌̽ ̵͇̙̱̃́͗͐i̴͉͕͆͌͠ś̴͇ ̸̧̲̅͛̔m̸̠̹̫̬̈̕͝͝ỷ̷͔͉̝̈̈͛̉ ̸͎̗̆ĺ̶̥͕͍͙͑̃̈͝a̴̝̅͆͝s̴̻̬͉̞̳͆̃̂̀̕t̷̜̂̏̀͝ ̴̩̪͔͓̄r̶̨͌̅̚͝e̵͙̻̊̋̀͂̋q̷̦̓ǘ̸̧̯̦̄̇͜e̷̠̼͍̘̞̔̊̔̿͐s̷͍̠̝͕͆͊̂ṯ̸̛͖̑͒͌͋ ̸͊ͅb̵͚́ę̵̩̳͒͊̒̄f̵̨͍̭͋̓̂̚ͅo̵̭͛̋̿͑r̶̹̮̰̪͐̾ȅ̴̳̤ ̵͕͚͒̍́̓̋I̷̜̫͂̆́͝ ̶̫̃͂̈g̵͎͖̯̠̽͆o̴̡̺͔͇̳̊̍.̷͇̇ ̵̲̿́S̶̭̙̲͗̉ͅe̷̢̥͗́ȩ̶̲͉̇̋͝k̴̡͚̦͓͌̎̎͛͒ ̴̧̨̘̼͈̋o̷̧͈͚̟̤̊̒u̶̗̤͔̹̳̾͛̔ṫ̸͚̋̇͝͝ ̶̳̫͍̘̫͂̍̾̓̌m̵͓̤̤͔̂̂͊͝ÿ̵̳̣̼̹̳̔̆͋ ̷̤̟̰͒̂̅̄ṟ̴̪͕̻͈͊e̴͙̲̍̆a̶̧̝͐̈́̔̊͝l̶̬͕̬̮̰͑̀͛͘͝ ̴̰̜͒b̸̝̺̪͕̒̄ͅǫ̶̜̖̰̾̿̀͒d̸̢̛̼̔y̶̹̟͓̪͆͋̊͛ ̴̜̉͊i̴͈͆̂n̵͙̋ ̵̨͖̠͂̓͆́͜͠t̸̡̫̭̪̋̈́̅̓ḧ̸̨̹͈͎̭̓͐͆̕ȩ̷̺͓̾ ̴̖̆̃͆c̵̦̣̟̓ì̸͙̟̈̀̌͜t̴̨̧͎͉̥́̌̚͝ỵ̸̄ ̶̄̇̃̾͌͜o̴̢͖͔͔͗f̶̰̺͑̔͛̐ ̷̢͉̠̈́R̷͚̞̱̲̀̄̿̾̚ͅo̸̮̠͌̋̐̅a̴͍̻͚͂͛̓̚.̶͈̝̣̈́̒̈́ ̶̙̈́͠L̷̛̤̩̝̿̎o̶͖̦̔̉̈́̒̂o̵̬̓k̸̮͓͍̋̍͜ ̴̘͚̺͑f̴̙̣̺̭̓̊ȯ̵̯͠r̴̰̽ ̷̣̖̘̮̅͌͝͝ͅa̷̼̗͚̩̐̇̇̉ͅ ̷̨̱̍̽̊s̸̬̹̩̀͒͂͑͊ì̵̩̪̅c̸̟̙͕̿͗̅k̴͕̬͙͇̅͐ ̴̫̥̲̓̔̊b̴̼̠̓̎̇ō̷̻̣͚͉̠y̴̱̬̝̜͖͛ ̵̨͍̺̝͊̒́̑ͅb̴̡̦͖̖̦̋y̶̻̫̰͑̋ ̵͚̥́t̴̨͔͍̝̙̀̃h̴͕͇̼̪͎̓e̶̹̟͐̀̀̃ ̴̺̮̝̈n̸͇͉͆̆a̵͖̥͉̐̓̀̀͛ḿ̵̪̗̘̩̮͑̈̏̿ẻ̶̩̘̠̹̀͝ ̶̙̬͕̻̝̽̔o̸͈̱̻̓͗̔̈́̓f̸̻̞̳̼̎̀̇̈ ̷͎͈̗́̐̉ͅŖ̶͙̘̠̑͛̃͝͝u̷̼̔̋͘d̸̳͋̔̕ȩ̴̧͚́̈́͛͝ų̷̢͙̟̒͗̚s̵͍̦̹̙̗͒ ̷̼̘͓̝͕̎͌̃̏̄Ģ̴̜̐̊r̶͍͕̦̟̦͊̃è̵̛̮̬̗̻̃͝ÿ̵̮̠̠́̈́ͅr̶̮̈́͌á̵͕͔͉̈́̕̚t̸́̾̊͘͜.̶̨̼͍̅́͜ ̴̡̎͌̚Ť̷̙͑͐̓͠ĥ̴͉̥̝͓͕a̴̤͙̖͐̍͌t̵̡̛̟͓͛̀͠ ̶̺̈̀̏̓̈ḯ̴̧̻s̵̱͎͔͋͌̿̇ ̴̫̄m̸͚̗̥̽̋́͒͝y̵͙͛ ̶̼̓̓̏t̸̹̘̹͑̿̉̋̏ŗ̷̝̠̲͈͐͝ü̷̢͐́́̈́e̵̩̯̗͍̐̄̽ ̵͚̗̑̽͝i̴̢̎̌̋̃̚͜d̷͓̘̪͓̘̋͗̈́̚̚ę̶́̀̑̉̿ṅ̸̝̖̰͛́ẗ̷̢͍́ͅi̷̢̙͇̺͉͂̀t̸̡̲͍̻̿͆̽̍͐͜y̸͔̪̱͉͝.̵̭̅͌̂"
A look of recognition and shock briefly crossed the young girl's face. She asked me something, but I couldn't hear. My senses were dulling, and it took more effort to feel my limbs. My eyes glanced down, and I saw my legs breaking into lumps of clay. Luckily, my arms were still functional, and I shakily flicked a finger.
A sword clattered on the ground. Gold and white with a gem on the handle's end.
"T̴̮̾̾̄̇͜ḧ̴̬̯̦́̓͠ȧ̴̻̖̃́̾̉ť̶̼̍̒ ̶͎̺̀̑ȉ̷̼s̸̫̟̮̰͝ ̷̭͓̈̑̒͝͝m̵̠̫̃̾y̷̢̥̝͈̔̈́̏ ̷̲͇̒s̵̻̣͔̦͑͝ẁ̴̭̼̼̦̀ō̶̧̡̼̲̩̈r̴̗̮͊d̵̫̎̑̏͒.̷͚̇̅̆̈́ ̶̪̱͔̲̔Ś̷̪̟̪̖̌̓̽h̷̥͈́͜ǫ̷͇͓͒̋̚͠͠ẅ̷̨͚̣̇̈́̔ ̷̗̮͔͚̒̽͆ţ̶̠̱̤͔͝h̴̦͆̈͑͜i̵̺̓͊͑͒s̵̘̽̇̑̽̕ ̷͚̯̙̟̳̌ṱ̵̌̒̿̎̚ȏ̵̢̟̤̮̿̀͜͝ ̶̧͖̹̤̳́͑̎t̵̩̳̪̅̈́̅̾͘h̷̰͍́e̴̛̥̗̩̻͒͋̂ ̶̙͙̮̦̈́̊̚g̷̭̋͑̀͐u̵̬̭̫̇̋̈́͑ḁ̴̮̪͒͒r̶̰͈̜͓͛̒̌̓̈́d̵̞̲̤̝̐͌͑̈̚s̷̖̦͐͑͘͝,̶̺̯͍̤̌́͊ ̶̜͔̘̌á̸̺̱̂̋n̷̡̨̝̫̋̆͋́d̶̥̟̫̙̑ ̶̨͍̪̖̀͗̓̂ͅt̶͕̰̱͊͠ͅh̷͚̫͓̥̆̍̚̚ê̵̫͛͝y̵͈͇̭̗̌̈͛̓'̶͖́͌̎ļ̵̡̺͍̘̃́̔̋̕l̴̨̼͉̈́͂͋͝͝ ̴̧̥͎̗̌̀͊͊͝ķ̷̜̖̞̥̊́̒̌̚ṇ̷̦͕̑o̸̭̠̎́̌̚ͅw̵͎̃̍̌̒ ̸̱̉ĩ̵͇̟̽t̵̗̟̻̓̿̓̌ ̴̨̠̅̌w̵̼̪̥̜͛͐̓̌͗a̵̠̰͎̬̟͆̅̀̃s̴̬̉̃ ̴̧͈͍̇͋̈́͛m̴̜͎̱̬̓͆͛͝e̷̩͆̌̎̃͜ ̷̳͕͎̍̃͝w̶̡̼̻̻͉͂ḥ̵̞͌̃̈́ỏ̴̪̝͙̘̫̓̑ ̸͎͚̯͈̺̀̄s̵̲͚̺̯̤͗͑̐́͝e̴̺̥̅̋͑͜͝n̷̠͔̙͛̄̌͒͘ṱ̴̡̮̒͊̕͘ ̷͚́͂y̸̢̪͒̇̾̂o̸̢̟̺̎͒͌͝u̸̩̞̰̮̔̾̑̕͝.̶̡̈̓̃̉͝ ̷̧̥̯͚͉̕͠Ç̴̭̝̐a̴͈̗̙̟͐ň̵̯͍̑̀͘ ̷͖̄̍ẙ̶̰̅̈́͆̽o̶̘̻͎̖͂͒͒ǔ̶͙͕̂̑ ̵̞̾̕ḓ̴̱̯́̓̒ṍ̸͕̬̠̓͊̓ ̶̪̏͗̾̏t̴̢̺̮̦́̂̎̇h̷̼̜̘͈̎͂i̴̢̻͇̙͐̊̈s̶̛̹͍̆̑̒͠ ̴̯̋͗͌f̸̯̭̭͆̍̿o̷̤͑̒̕r̴̝̅̊ ̷̢̦͍̈̌͒m̶̜̮̎̄̋̍̕ȩ̵̲̜̠̝̾́͝,̸͙̬̿̀̓̕ ̴̨̝̻͗Ẓ̸͉̬̉͒̒͛̋a̸̛̳̪͋̆̾̽ǹ̶͈̒̀̔͠ö̷̤̙́́̓̃b̵̡͆̓ä̴̗͖̱̖́͗̂͜?̴̳̿ ̸̮̉̐̀̇T̵͍͖̻͛͝e̸͎̓͝ạ̶̊̍̈c̷̛̯̀h̵͎̺̰͐̔̈́͠e̴̝̥̳̮̼̓r̴̖͗?̸̳͉̥̓̚"
Through their tears, the two nodded. Confusion and worry showed through on their faces, but I couldn't do anything to ease them. I only smiled, satisfied with their answers.
My eyes closed, and my vision faded into black static.
...
...
"-hey. You awake? C'mon. We need to leave."
Someone was prodding my cheek. Judging from the tone of her voice, it was a girl. Her poking didn't hurt and was more like an annoying sibling trying to get my attention. I still felt tired, my body stiff and heavy. My eyes groggily opened, and phantom images assaulted my brain.
"W-waaahhhh!"
I couldn't stop myself from crying. I was sad for some reason. Sad and scared. I curled into a tight ball, my wings loosely covering my body. I sounded like a little girl right now.
"O-oh. U-um...please don't cry? Did you have a bad dream? There, there. Everything's fine. Nothing will hurt you now."
The girl continued rubbing my back until I stopped crying. Still, my body experienced the occasional sob. I latched onto the girl's leg, refusing to let go.
"Are you feeling better now?" The girl gently prodded my face, patting my head as she coaxed me to let go.
I fell back onto my bed of lilies, my wings acting as warm blankets. The girl began gently poking my face again.
"We need to leave, little guy. You can't stay here too long."
"Don't wanna."
"Why not?"
"It's...warm here."
The unknown girl sighed, unclasping her cloak and forming it into something that resembled a cradle.
"Hah... Fine, you leave me no choice."
"Wha-?! Huh?!"
I felt myself being lifted up and wrapped in a blanket. It wasn't as comfortable as the lily flowers-somehow-but it would do. The girl then hugged me close to her chest and took off running in what seemed to be a random direction.
"H-Hey! Where are you taking me?!"
'Kidnapping! This is broad-day kidnapping!' Or was it broad-night?
Panic was evident in my voice even when I had that less-than-humorous thought. I felt a soft hand rest on my head, gently caressing my hair in the most soothing way possible. Suddenly, the image of another woman overlapped with the girl's face. She was more mature, and her blue eyes were a shade different. But I felt a sense of comfort when I saw her. A word on the tip of my tongue, a name barely within reach.
"̶̧̣̗̹͍̰̼̣̲̳̼̥̉̾́̃̂͜͜͠M̶̻̩͚̖̖̬̤͚̹̘̽͝ö̴̫̹̞̯͕͚͚͉̺́͗̄̍̎̂̕̕̚͜͠ṱ̷͓̞̜̞̫͙͉͂̑̑̎͊̊́͑͑̃̔̄͑h̶̺̯̘͉͎͈̗̆ȩ̶͙͕͔͕͇͍̂ř̵̻̞̦!̸̧͉͉̰͇̺̹͍̦̬͋͂̐͛͊̽̀̕͜͠ ̷͉̠͈̅͌̃̌̔̾͜͝Z̶̼̯͔̻̗̰̻͓͇̖̣̮̉͜ͅę̶̻͎͍̣̖̾̊͘͠n̵͍̞̙̂̽̒̔́͐̈̀͂̌̆̃̋̌͝ȉ̴̧͕̣̻̘̥̲̹͈͔̜̱̹ͅͅt̶̢̨̨̛̟̣̜͎̜̘͂̂͑̏̐͂̎̃̈́̆̅̇͘̕͜h̷̢̙͖͓͚͓̦͔̺̯̏̓̀̈́͆͊̋̊̍̅́̕͠͠!̴̛̱̫͍͚̮͔̋́͛͠"̷̜͑͆͐̉
I stopped struggling in the girl's grip, if only for a moment.
"Shh... You'll be fine. I only want to get you out of the nursery. New stars can't stay in there too long. Usually, they wander out on their own. But you just fell asleep for some reason."
Now calmed, I looked at the girl's face. Distinctively Greek in appearance, her face was scrunched in concentration as she ran. As if trying to locate something in this endless field of flowers. Blue-bell eyes searched the ground and sky, and her blond, almost golden hair violently swayed as she ran. She had used her white cloak to wrap me in, exposing the black casual wear beneath. There was a blue gem on her forehead with a symbol carved within: Beta Gemini.
"Um... Where are we, Miss?"
Despite how fast this girl was running, she didn't seem tired. Since she held me so close to her chest, I could feel the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed. It wasn't quick and ragged like I expected, but a gentle and slight rhythm. She answered my question clearly, looking down at me as if making sure I was okay.
"We're in the Milky Way Galaxy. A nursery for new stars."
"Oh..." A memory floating in my mind's sea, just waiting to be remembered. Yet it always sank before I could reach it. Milky Way... I'm sure that name meant something to me, but what? "And where are you taking me?"
"I'm taking you to my home. The Andromeda Galaxy. It's the nearest Star Cluster."
"I see..." Another familiar yet foreign name. "Why can't I stay here, though?"
"You don't know how to control your aura yet. That will cause the other stars to hatch prematurely."
"Do you mean those white eggs I saw buried underground?"
"Yes. I'm surprised your Celestial Eyes activated so early. I'm Beta Gemini, by the way. Most people call me Pollux, though. The name Father gave me was too long."
"It's nice to meet you, Miss. I'm..."
I don't...remember?
Why don't I remember something as basic as a name?! My breath grew shaky and rough even though I wasn't the one running. Sweat started building up on my forehead as I curled in on myself.
"Hey, hey. Don't panic. Most newborn stars belonging to existing constellations are named automatically, their names engraved into their Core. But your Core is clear, so you're either a constellation-less star or the start of a new constellation."
Pollux continued soothing me until I stopped hyperventilating. My mind was somewhat less muddled, so I had some time to think and ask questions.
The girl carrying me was strange. She looked similar to the figures in my memories, but I knew she was much more. If the people in my dreams were grains of sand, this girl could be an entire planet.
"What are you?"
"I'm a star. Just like you."
"A star?" I asked, slightly confused. I'm pretty sure stars don't look like her.
"Yes. We are the first children of Father."
"Then what is a Core?"
Pollux pointed to her head, where a round blue gem was located. "This is our Celestial Core. It's basically what keeps us alive. It's also how we tell each other apart. Our names are engraved in them, as well as our positions in the Material Multiverse."
Her Core's appearance suddenly changed. Instead of a symbol, it now held a field of glittering stars. One star was the brightest among them. It was like a map made of stars.
"A Celestial Core shows one's position to its neighboring stars in the Material Multiverse. Some stars have very similar names, so we often use this star map to tell each other apart."
I listened to her explanation quietly, but then a thought popped up. It was something else I had forgotten, but I knew it was important nonetheless.
"What's a constellation?"
Pollux paused for a moment. "There are two multiverses." She finally spoke again. "The Material Multiverse and the Astral Multiverse. The former is where most children of Father reside. And the latter is where we Celestials live.
"A Celestial is first born in the Material Multiverse, and their soul migrates to the Celestial Multiverse when their body matures enough, leaving their bodies back in the Material Multiverse. A constellation is the name the residents of the Material Multiverse gave to the shapes our bodies form when connected with lines in the Sea of Void."
"And stars are named after their constellations?"
"That's correct."
"Then how do you identify which star belongs to which constellation?"
Pollux shifted me in her arms so only one was holding me. She pointed at her eyes with her free arm before securing her grip on me again.
"Our eyes see into the past and future of the Material Multiverse. We can see it." Pollux slowed down a little, and her running became a paced jog. "Normally, newborn stars wander out from their nurseries, but you fell asleep for some reason."
"Oh." I dully nodded. "But what about my name?"
Pollux placed a hand over my eyes. "The first stars of new constellations are born with innate names. Close your eyes and concentrate. You'll find your name within."
Trusting her advice, I closed my eyes.
Judging by what Pollux told me, names had power in this realm. I have no idea what "Material Multiverse" and "Astral Multiverse" meant, but I now know this place is far from my home. My memories from there became hazy when I hatched, and I couldn't recall anything worthwhile. However, there were times when images overlapped, and I could catch glimpses of what was important to me.
I felt myself sinking, determined to figure out who I was. Ancient instinct guided my mind, seeking the best possible moments to recall my name.
Seven glowing dots appeared in my vision, forming an upside-down water scoop. Six dots seemed faded, like a void waiting to be filled. The spot at the handle's tip was the sole one that seemed filled. Was that me?
My eyes opened, the visions rejecting me into the waking world. I had an answer. It was flimsy and shaky, and I still wasn't entirely sure. But I discovered it myself. My tongue rolled as I pronounced familiar words, though I don't remember where I heard them.
"Ursae Minoris. Anima."
Pollux nodded, content. "Then your name shall be Alpha Ursae Minoris from this day onwards."
"What's with the 'Alpha?'"
"You're the start of a new constellation. There's bound to be at least one more star with the same name as you."
"Oh. Okay."
I didn't have any questions left, nor were there anymore I could think of. All of this is so new and bizarre.
...
Time passed differently in this realm. I could tell. Or rather, it was something my Core told me. One second could feel like an eternity, and an eternity could pass in a second. The laws of this reality were scary that way.
The lights in the sky had begun to fade, the root-like galaxy becoming dimmer and dimmer as bright light encompassed the land. Fires seemed to burn the horizon and light the clouds aflame. I saw a giant disk in the sky, unmoving and faint. It was slowly getting brighter with each passing moment. For some reason, my hair became shorter as light flooded the Multiverse.
"Miss Pollux, what's that?" I pointed at the glowing disk in the sky.
The girl carrying me had stopped sprinting. Her movements were now calm and slow, walking as steadily as possible to make me feel comfortable.
"That's Polaris, a shard of the star Father used to create this Multiverse."
"Oh... And who is 'Father?'"
The girl gave me a look. It was like I had asked the dumbest question possible.
"Father is Father. He's the creator of all Celestials. He has taken on different names, like the Greater Root and Akasha, but to us, he is Father. Nothing more, nothing less."
Akasha... Yes, I think I feel something when that name pops up. Was I searching for it before my memories faded?
"And who is Polaris?"
"That's another name for this Multiverse. Or rather, it's the star this Multiverse was made with. Remember those spiraling lights when the sky was dark? That was Polaris's body. The disk in the sky is a shard of Polaris's eye."
The large disk was so bright that it hurt my eyes to look at it directly. How much time has passed since we began walking, I wonder?
"How long have we been walking, Pollux?"
"About half a Planetary Rotation. We've traveled 27,000 light-years, almost to the edges of the Milky Way. We're about to enter Deep Space."
"Then what?"
"It'll take another seven or so Planetary Rotations to reach Andromeda." Pollux shot me a look. Her eyes were cautious. "Deep Space is dangerous, okay? So don't wander off on your own."
"Okay. I won't."
"Hmm... I've just noticed. You're much more mature than most newborn stars."
"I am?"
"Oh, definitely. Most stars your age have so much energy they're practically bouncing. It causes plenty of trouble for their siblings. But maybe it's because your light is so weak."
My light? Oh! Did she mean the glow my body let off?
"Do you mean my body's glow?"
"Yes. It's unusually faint. Maybe you use too much energy playing around in the Milky Way."
My cheeks puffed out, a pout on my lips. "Hmph! You're not even glowing!"
"So you can act your age." Pollux flashed me a deadpan look. It was the look an older sibling gives their younger sibling when they annoy them. A moment later, blue light began emanating from Pollux's body. Tinged with blue flames, she glowed so brightly that I had to cover my eyes with my infant's hands.
"So bright...! Stooop..."
I wined in Pollux's arms. Great, that bright light had burned away all the sleepiness I had felt. I wanted to continue slumbering until we reached this "Andromeda" place. She stopped glowing when my eyes were practically blind.
"See, Anima? Learn to respect your elders."
There was a smug smile on her face as the glow receded into her body. The flames dancing on her body had faded as well.
"You're not my elder! I'm older than you! I'm already fifty-something!" My age came naturally, rolling off my tongue like ice.
Pollux scoffed. The cheeky grin on her face was not changing in the slightest. "So you've spent fifty years awake, huh? That's unusually short."
"What's that supposed to mean?! You look sixteen! And even that's stretching it!"
"I happen to be more than five hundred million years old, thank you very much."
I let myself be shocked. To live that long... My brain couldn't comprehend it. Or, at least, I thought it couldn't. But I found myself unimpressed at all. It was like living for half a billion years was expected.
With a shaky voice, I asked my next question. "Umm... How long do we live for?"
"That depends, Anima. Those born at the End of the Beginning are the most tragic, living for less than a billion years. The second and third-generation stars are the most lucky. Their lifespans range from one to ten trillion years. And all the others after have a life expectancy in the tens of billions. Sol is the one with the longest lifespan. He'll live to be a quadrillion years, at the very least. That's why he gained the title 'Life's Last Bastion.'"
"So...how long will I live?"
"I'm not sure. You're light is so faint, so...I guess you're a white dwarf? Can someone even be born a white dwarf? Ugh... You might live to be ten billion, maybe even a hundred billion."
"That's...short."
It wasn't short at all, but compared to all the others, numbers hundreds, even thousands of times larger, my life expectancy seems...fleeting.
"Ah, don't worry about that, Anima. That's the expected age of stars. When we die, we don't actually die, you see? We reincarnate and become black holes, or Voidsouls, as Father liked to call them. And the minimum age of a black hole is two octodecillion. That's two followed by fifty-seven zeros!"
"That long? So I'll have time for everything, right?"
Pollux giggled at the stars in my eyes. We entered Deep Space some time ago while we were chatting. It was a void of nothingness. White emptiness was below and above me, except for a golden disk high above-Polaris. There wasn't even any ground to stand on. Pollux seemed to be walking on an invisible bridge. I could tell she could see it just fine, so maybe her eyes differed from mine? She mentioned something called "Celestial Eyes" before.
I peeked behind us and found an island floating in the Sea of Void. The Milky Way was beautiful when viewed from afar, a sanctuary in the endless void. Fields of white lilies and black wheat formed a spiral. A long river ran along the island's edges, black with specks of glittering light. Trails of black waters fell infinitely down below. Polaris had lit up, too, illuminating the Multiverse with its golden rays.
"Well, not everything." Pollux shot me down quickly. "There are infinite things you could do, but our life spans, no matter how long, aren't. That's why we must choose what we really want to do. Otherwise, we'll return to Father filled with regrets."
"...you're surprisingly wise, Pollux."
"Yes, I kn-hey! What's that supposed to mean?! And what's with that tone you used?!"
It was going to take a long time 'till we reach our destination. Makes me wonder why Pollux was out in the Milky Way anyway. I yawned. All the conversations were making me sleepy again. Thankfully so. I did not want to spend seven days doing nothing.
"Hey! Don't fall asleep! Tell me what you meant by 'surprisingly!'"
Did I ignore her? Yes. Yes, I did.
...
...
...
In the time before time, we existed in an endless sea of void, a vast emptiness devoid of light. Alone in the infinite expanse, we knew neither joy nor boredom, for we had yet to conceive these emotions. Yet, even as a hollow entity, the essence of creation burgeoned within us, defining our existence and purpose.
Our awakening marked the First Miracle—Creation. My vision pierced the tapestry of nonexistence, glimpsing realms yet unformed, epochs yet unborn. Time and space were mere echoes in the future, whispering tales of the "End of the Beginning."
In an ephemeral blur, the Multiverse burgeoned forth, radiating light. The Second Miracle—Migration and Expansion, the Kaleidoscope—danced in the boundless canvas. Fundamental elements floated in the Sea of Void, awaiting my divine touch to weave brilliance.
Before the Celestial Laws were conceived, the embryonic Multiverse was an enigma to the future gods and beings. To us, however, it was a canvas of infinite possibilities, for we were the primordial God of Creation, the wielder of miracles.
What transpired next was neither accident nor fate, for fate was yet a shadow in the future's heart. It was a destined convergence. Our consciousness expanded, reaching into the cosmic dance. The Third Miracle—Life—blossomed from an unforeseen union.
Entities of consciousness, radiant and spherical, emerged, gazing upon me as we did upon them. These beings, cores aflame with brilliance and souls as pure as the void, were the first of their kind. They were the First Generation of Stars, Celestials birthed from divine whim.
...
"ᚺᛖᛖᛞᛟᚢᚱᚹᛟᚱᛞᛊ. ᚹᛖᚨᚱᛖᚦᛁᚠᚨᚦᛖᚱ, ᚨᚾᛞᚦᛟᚢ, ᛟᚢᚱᚲᚺᛁᛛᛞᚱᛖᚾ. ᛏᚺᛟᚢᚨᚱᛖᚦᛖᚠᛁᚱᛊᛏᚷᛖᚾᛖᚱᚨᛏᛟᚾᛟᚠᛊᛏᚨᚱᛊ, ᚦᛖᚠᛁᚱᛊᛏᚷᛖᚾᛖᚱᚨᛏᛟᚾᛟᚠᚲᛖᛊᛏᚨᛁᚨᛊ."
...
On that day, the first Celestial Law was inscribed in the cosmic annals.
...
...
The Stars, though enlightened, were flawed. They were reflections of my infinite near-perfection and simultaneous imperfection. That is why, in the far future, we split into two halves.
Born without purpose, they sought meaning, their prayers resonating in the cosmic symphony.
Our mind became tainted with ideas instilled. Emotion blossomed within me, coloring my once-hollow heart with shades of joy and sorrow. We bestowed upon the Celestials knowledge and purpose through divine elegies, linking our destinies and expanding our consciousness.
Was that so bad, we once wondered? Life is so much more interesting like this. We could finally experience joy and happiness.
With boundless wisdom, we bestowed teachings upon our celestial progeny. Through a melody, a divine elegy imbued with cosmic harmonies, we unveiled to our firstborn the clandestine mysteries of the Multiverse, laying bare the fabric of existence and the tapestry of creation. In our benevolence, we endowed them with a sacred purpose: to stand as our guardians in times of tribulation, to uphold and enforce our celestial decrees in our stead, acting as the custodians of cosmic balance.
With hearts brimming with gratitude, they embraced their newfound purpose, a sense of divine duty illuminating their radiant beings. This sacred responsibility ushered in a cascade of newfound abilities, forging connections of cosmic resonance and expanding their celestial minds. The consciousness that once traversed a single eternity evolved, transcending temporal bounds, now capable of enduring the infinite dance of dual eternities.
Within the cosmic dance of existence, they, the celestial beings, initiated a cycle of creation, birthing progeny through the divine unions of stars. The entities that emerged were reflections of their Celestial parents, albeit composed of lesser matter and harboring cooler burning cores. These beings experienced lives of lesser duration compared to the stars, their cores dissipating energy and cooling at an accelerated pace.
Nevertheless, they, too, embarked on the act of creation, giving life to entities of even lesser matter and cooler cores. Some of these third-generation beings were devoid of cores altogether. Intricately tied to the lifelines of their progenitors, their existence was contingent upon the vitality of their parents; the demise of a parent star heralded their imminent departure from the cosmic stage.
It was at this juncture that the celestial chain of creation reached its terminus. Three generations deep into the cosmic lineage, the Celestials discovered the limits of their creative capacities, finding themselves unable to bring forth any more children into the vastness of the Multiverse.
The Celestials, inspired by the myriad beings yet to emerge, embraced their roles as guardians of the divine order. They bore children—Planets and Moons, lesser Celestials bound by generational chains, their lives an ephemeral dance in the cosmic ballet.
Stars, Planets, and Moons. They were the Celestials of the Sea of Void.
...
...
Contemplating the existence of the Celestials, we wondered if their creation was a divine misstep. Their presence brought joy, but in their genesis, sorrow and curses were woven. A desire to walk alongside our children led to our second creation, Polaris and Sol, beings destined to embody our essence.
They were born at the end of "the End of the Beginning." Two children with our blood running through their veins. Empty husks capable of containing us. Twins born from our blood.
Or so we thought.
In our divine miscalculation, a delay unfolded, a hesitation that spelled consequence.
A profound question arose within our celestial core, haunting our essence: How did we not foresee this? We, the very manifestation of Creation and Life, endowed every iota of existence we touched with breath, imbued every entity we held with a soul. Our touch was the catalyst for life, our embrace, a forge for souls.
The truth was glaring, resplendent in its clarity. And yet, we were blind to it. Why, even amidst our boundless wisdom and sight, did we overlook something so inherently evident? The realization pierced us, a torrent of emotion flooding our divine being, a lamentation for the foresight we lacked and the innocence lost.
In our divine oversight, Polaris was undone, returning to our cosmic embrace and heralding the Final Miracle—Destruction and Death. We tried desperately to contain that curse, yet our children were linked with us. The Celestials, bound by our shared destiny, were tainted by this impending doom.
Soon, they would be plagued with the concept as well.
We could not contain our grief, our sadness, and regret. Self-hatred burned in our core, and our cries shook the Sea of Void. Our children comforted us, their benevolence shining brighter than their celestial glow. Even though we brought them an uncurable curse. They were too good for us. Our children. They were too kind for this world.
In repentance, we would sleep, we vowed. We would never hurt our children again. Before the Miracle of Destruction descended upon us, we created another. The Fourth Miracle, the Miracle of Concealment. We would slumber in the Outer Void. We will slumber until the end of time. Until we awaken in the age known as "the Beginning of the End" and bring the Fifth Miracle. We shall slumber until only we remain, with the Fourth Miracle forever hiding us from our future children, protecting them from this cosmic curse we harbor.
...
...
...
Seven days of travel were surprisingly short. I instinctively knew that my past mind couldn't have hoped to do nothing for that much time, but I did it trivially since my... rebirth? Death?
All I had to do was stare into the white void during the day and admire the vibrant skies at night. And then, poof! Another day would have passed before I knew it. I think Pollux was doing the same thing, too. Since her sapphire eyes often wandered into the distance.
I had much time to observe the brightening and fading of Polaris. It didn't seem too different from the light from my home. When Polaris shined bright, the white void was illuminated with shades of gold. Rolling white clouds danced around us as we walked, the rays of light emphasizing their ethereal beauty.
But twice during the day, when Polaris hadn't dimmed or brightened completely, a stunning sight was what we saw. The clouds seemed lit aflame, changing from gentle mist into raging infernos. The sky would be a light blue tinted with so many more mythical colors. The seemingly ephemeral stars would twinkle at me, barely visible because of the brightness.
We didn't stop to rest, even if it was night. The root-like galaxy above seemed to give us strength and guide us, showing us the way to our destination.
...
Before I knew it, another island showed within the Sea of Void. It was bigger than the Milky Way, about twice its size. Unlike the Milky Way, which had looked like a giant pond in the shape of a bowl, the island before me was like an upside-down mountain. It was jagged and spiky underneath, like a mountain range flipped over. The surface was smoother, but there were places of high ground still.
I couldn't see inland much as I was still too far away, but I could see small cottages built from what seemed to be stones and wood. A dome-shaped golden barrier encircled the island's edge, probably to prevent people from falling to their doom. There were people, or humaniods, scattered around. Their actions were too far for me to see.
Pollux gently rubbed my hair to wake me, pointing at the island before us. "Come on, just a bit more, and we'll arrive in Andromeda."
"It looks pretty..." I noted absentmindedly.
As we got closer and closer, I could make out more of the island's details. The perimeter around the edge was a field. Or was it a sparse glade? Trees grouped together to form small forests, but they were so thin light could pass through the canopy easily. Said forests were far from one another, with patches of grass separating them.
The grass and trees were vastly different from the ones from my home. They were golden and sparkled under Polaris's light. The tree trunks were colored deep blue and purple, with swirling speckles of glitter sprinkled upon them. Their leaves were a thousand colors, some white, some black, some red, some green. The tallest tree's leaves were even a rainbow of constantly shifting colors. Some occasional shrubs and bushes were of a different color, adding tidbits of liveliness to the golden plains.
The houses placed there were small and unassuming. They gave a cozy vibe, their windows reflecting the morning light.
Further inland were clusters of buildings. They were taller than the ones on the plains, but none exceeded three stories. Beyond that was a ring of mountains, so long and large I couldn't see their end, stretching even further than the horizon. Trees and bushes grew lushly at their feet while their tips were kissed with sparkling snow.
Pollux pointed at the peaks that formed a ring as we neared the island. "Our destination is in that plateau, the one within that ring of mountains. But we'll rest with a couple of friends of mine first."
I was getting tired. Why was my body so weak? Pollux literally walked for seven days! And she didn't seem the least bit fatigued. I didn't bother suppressing a yawn.
"Can't we head straight there?"
"No. You are too weak to make th journey. We will rest with a few friends until you have the strength to migrate."
I didn't have much energy to pout, so I gave her a half-hearted glare. Pollux giggled and didn't say anything more. We were at the golden barrier now, and I could see where the land started fading into nothingness.
"This'll feel kind of weird the first time you do it, so hold on, okay?"
"Okay."
We didn't take any steps. One moment, we were outside the barrier, and then we were inside it. It felt like teleporting but way more potent. I turned my head in time to see Pollux's eyes glow for a split second before dimming.
"How'd you do that?" I looked behind us at where we once stood.
"Instinct, I guess. Don't worry. You will gain that ability once your eyes awaken."
I could only take her word for it, nodding as I looked around the floating landmass. We began heading for the largest cluster of houses I could see. The gold-colored grass rolled beneath us as a gust of wind blew through the land, forming an oddly peaceful atmosphere and calming rustling sounds.
As we got closer to the town, I began hearing the hustle and bustle of the busy streets. The settlement stirred something within me. I guess it reminded my subconscious of my home village. Poorly made dirt roads were the same color as the grass around them. Houses and cottages were seemingly placed randomly. And a river with deep blue purplish water flowed with a trickling sound.
I tried making myself as small as possible, attempting to melt into Pollux's embrace as she wandered through the quaint village. People stared at us as we walked by, their gazes not on Pollux but on me. Still, it felt nice to be around other living beings again. Children loitered around aimlessly as the adults busily rushed about. The noise of conversations made for an oddly soothing atmosphere.
Finally, after what seemed to be an eternity, Pollux stopped in front of a mundane house and knocked.
"Rigil Kentaurus! Toliman! It's Pollux! You two home?"
There was a brief moment of silence before an answer was shouted out.
"The door's open! Just come in!"
"'kay!"
Pollux carried me inside, closing the door as she did. The inside was a simple stone hut decorated with wooden furniture. There was a fireplace at the far end of the wall. A long table was placed in the center of what seemed to be the living room. There were a few other rooms, but I wasn't that interested.
Two people sat at the long table, carving away a curved stick resembling a half-finished hunting bow. They looked up when the door clicked closed behind Pollux.
The two men looked like twins. Both were middle-aged and had blond hair. The slightly taller twin had orange eyes that glittered with starlight, while the younger one had eyes that were a shining bronze. Their faces, distinctively Arabian in nature, were both tanned. The golden jewels on their foreheads also had symbols within them. Alpha Centauri and Beta Centauri, respectively.
"Pollux, back from your trip in the Material Multiverse already? I'd thought you'd spend another thousand years there!"
Alpha Cenrauri's voice was familiar, so he was the one who told us to come inside. His hair was messy and tied with a white sash. A long beard hung from his chin, half-heartedly braided. He seemed to radiate good cheer. When he noticed me, his eyebrows raised in surprise.
"You finally had a union, Pollux? Who was it? Castor? I'm guessing that's why you returned so soon."
When I looked at Pollux's face, her face was pure red.
"Brother." A softer voice spoke up. "Use your eyes. He's a star, not a planet."
Beta Centauri was shorter than his brother, and his short hair was neat and combed. He seemed to be the quiet and kind sort, and his eyes seemed unusually observant.
"Hmm... So he is. What happened, Pollux? Wasn't your constellation completed a few million years ago?"
"I-I don't know. I found this one in Orion's Spur of the Milky Way, close to where Sol was born."
"So he was already conscious when you found him? That rarely happens now. So he's the start of a new constellation..." Alpha Centauri studied me with a hand on his chin. "Hey, little one. Don't be afraid. I won't hurt you. Can you tell me your name?"
"Ursae Minoris. Pollux told me to add 'Alpha' at the start, but I think that's stupid. I'm also called Anima."
I could feel said star's gaze on me. I refused to look up and meet her eyes. "Cheeky brat."
Alpha Centauri held up a hand, laughing loudly. "Calm yourself, Pollux. He is much younger than us. How old are you, little one?"
"Fifty-something," I answered proudly. I knew that was my age, but I don't remember living through it.
Alpha Centauri turned to Pollux. "You picked him up as soon as he hatched, huh?"
"Yeah, I think he spent most of that time sleeping. I found him in his broken shell covered with lilies." Pollux pulled out the seat opposite the Centauri twins and sat down.
"Hmm... Now that you mention it, his light is unusually dim. It's like a White Dwarf's."
"Did you restrain your aura, Pollux? You might have caused him to awaken prematurely." Beta Centauri gave his speculation, though that only seemed to annoy Pollux.
"I'm sure! He was already there when I arrived!"
"What's a White Dwarf?" I asked. I wasn't following their conversation at all. "Is something wrong with me?"
"White dwarves are stars at the end of their life. The smaller stars turn into White Dwarves before they become Voidsouls, but..." Pollux sighed, huffing as she put me on the chair by hers. "I don't know. Your light is so dim even Red Dwarves shine brighter. And you were just born, too. You couldn't have been born a White Dwarf. It's not possible."
Alpha Centauri shook his head, focusing on the bow he had been carving. "It won't do us any good worrying about it now. Have you taken him to a doctor yet?" He blew on the curved branch, sending a flurry of wood shavings flying around the room. Fires suddenly erupted from his hands, burning the shavings until nothing remained. I yelped, my wings shuttering fearfully.
Beta Centauri sighed. "Look at what you've done. New stars are easily startled. Please be mindful of how you use your plasma, brother."
The elder twin rubbed his hand on his neck sheepishly. "Ah...right. Sorry about that."
"I-it's fine. I just got startled, that's all."
"Well, this one's really mature, isn't he?" Alpha Centauri noted.
"He is. I don't know why he's so calm, either." Pollux sighed, sending a worried look my way. "Most newborn stars would have already burned this house down by now."
"That's true. You sure he isn't a planet?" Alpha Centauri asked.
"I'm sure. Planets don't glow much, do they? He may be dim, but he's brighter than a Brown Dwarf, at least." Pollux looked around the room, her eyes searching for something. "By the way, where's Proxima? She's usually home around now."
"Ah! Our little sister's gone off to the Central Core. Said life in the Outer Ring was too boring." Alpha Centauri shook his head, seemingly exasperated. "She left two thousand years ago. Kinda miss her, even though it's been such a short time."
My mind had begun tuning out the conversations happening near me. I focused on a mirror on the far side of the wall. I took this chance to get to know my appearance.
My hair was short, barely reaching my eyebrows. It was colored a light blond, almost white when seen under the right light. My eyes were emerald green, both of them. That's odd. I think one of them should have been a different color.
"Hmm... Polaris is setting, isn't it?" I heard Pollux note absentmindedly beside me.
"...Huh...?"
As Polaris began fading, my appearance changed with it. My hair darkened from pale gold to light brown and grew longer than my body's height. My eyes flickered, sapphire blue slowly overtaking emerald green. My previous male features turned distinctively female.
"Look at Anima. He's changing, isn't he?" Alpha Centauri noted with a hint of worry. "Is it a random Mana burst illusion?"
"I don't think that's it." Pollux shook her head. Her blue eyes flashed, seemingly trying to peer into my soul. "His very Core is changing. He's been changing every night since I picked him up. It's almost like a conceptual change."
"That's...not normal." Beta Centauri said after a moment's hesitation. The people in the room didn't know what to make of my change in appearance. And, frankly, I didn't know, either. "Should we bring him to the local doctor?"
"But I feel fine, though."
I didn't feel anything when the transformation happened. There wasn't even any indication that it was going on. I was one person, and then I was another. It felt natural. Like both forms were a part of me.
"It's better to check, Anima. We don't know what's causing this. Maybe some random species in the Material Multiverse is experimenting on your body. If that's the case, you could die if they sap away all your energy." Pollux said worriedly. She then scowled as if remembering an unpleasant memory. "I'm well-acquainted with the inhabitants of the Material Multiverse. And they're nothing like us Celestials. Most are greedy and competitive, falling to greed and desire more often than not."
"And yet you still visit them." Alpha Centauri shook his head, a smile tugging at his lips. "Talk about a hypocrite."
"I only visit the humans, okay?!" Pollux crossed her arms on her chest, pouting. "They're the ones who named my constellation, so I thought I should at least pay them a visit once in a while as thanks..."
"But Castor's pretty mad the humans see him as one of them, right?" Alpha Centauri asked. His tone was filled with merriment, making me think the question was already answered.
"Don't remind me... Why is he so mad about that? I mean...they demoted me to a mere demi-god and misgendered me, and you don't see me wanting to kill them on sight..." Pollux sighed, rubbing her temples. "I wish Elder Brother would accompany me on another of my trips. Maybe then his impression of humans and the Material Multiverse will change for the better."
Alpha Centauri laughed, shaving an uneven bit off the bow he was carving. "Let's just be thankful us Celestials are born enlightened. Otherwise, humans might have gone extinct already. He might scorch an entire civilization with Starfire. Kukuku!"
"I suppose that's true, but still..."
Beta Centauri cut in, his tone stern and reminding. "Brother, Pollux. The healer?"
The two aforementioned were reminded of what they were discussing before, focusing on the previous topic.
"Right. We should take Anima to the local doctor as soon as possible." Pollux hummed, thinking. "I don't think they're open this late, so we'll have to wait until tomorrow."
"They're open for emergencies, but I doubt this can be called that." Alpha Centauri sighed.
The twins put down their tools. Alpha Centauri slashed his fingers in the air. A warp-looking thing opened, and he tossed the half-finished hunting bow inside. A storage, maybe? Beta Centauri clapped his hands lightly, and the tools vanished into golden motes of light, leaving a clean table without even a single wood shaving.
"We're retiring for the night. Your usual room is free, Pollux, so feel free to use it. Since he's so young, Anima has to sleep with you. He might hurt himself if he sleeps alone, no matter how mature he is." Beta Centauri pointed at a door at the end of a hall.
"Right. Thanks." Pollux nodded in appreciation.
"Thank you. Mr. Beta Centauri."
"Toliman. Call me that. My official name is too long."
"Alright, Mr. Toliman."
"And I'm Rigil Kentaurus. I know it's a bit late, but welcome to our home, little one."
"Thank you very much."
I tried hopping down from the chair I was on, yet found it unexpectedly difficult. Eventually, my feet touched the ground, and I tried walking a few steps to get used to this new body.
I couldn't. I had barely extended my leg forward before I toppled over, my body losing all its previously saved energy. It was like I was swimming in solid rock. I lay limply on the floor, my breath deep and ragged.
Pollux ran up to me, picking me up and patting my back hurriedly. Looking at my fatigued and slightly pained face, she seemed panicky. The Centauri twins also looked worriedly at me.
"Doesn't he seem like when a star runs out of lifeforce?" Rigil asked.
"It does." Toliman peered at me, his eyes glowing. "But if that were the case, he should have been dead by now."
I felt dead already, but hey. I was still alive by some miracle. My eyes were gradually closing, though. It wouldn't take long before I fell asleep.
"We really need to get him to a doctor." Pollux panicly said. Her azure eyes had lit up, and they refused to go out. "His light is even weaker now. I think this is more than an emergency. Get yourself some clothes, Rigil, Toliman. We're going to the clinic right this instant."
Toliman nodded, showing that he agreed. "Yes. This might be more serious than we thought."
Two bursts of light accompanied clothes manifesting onto the Centuari twin's bodies.
I don't remember what happened after that. My vision faded into black, and I was whisked into a dreamless sleep.
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So? Any thoughts?
Yeah, I made Zelrech kill Rudeus, and I gave him a third rebirth.
As for everything else, they will be explained in the later chapters.
I really hope I haven't ruined my fanfic by making such a significant change.
Well, tell me in the comments.
As always, good luck with your game of life.