The Legend of Caelestella

Swallowed, engulfed. Astar awoke, the space around him was dark. A harsh wind that came from an unknown source sliced past him. Astar curled up, hugging his knees and pulling his shirt closer around his arms. 

'Astar.' A voice called from behind him, it was sweet and thick, a voice like honey. It was familiar, soothing, and warm. 

A silhouette appeared near him, a slight glow reflecting off her pale skin. Her ears were slightly pointed and her hair was a mousy brown. 

'Mum..?' Astar choked.

Vyltria opened her arms, a welcoming gesture. Astar ran, falling into her arms, a comfort he'd missed, but how was his mother here? Where was he? Vyltria tapped his shoulder.

'What's wrong, Mum?' Astar asked, taking a good look at the face he'd so missed all these years. Vyltria pointed with her slender fingers, to the ground behind Astar. He turned, looking behind him. On the ground lay a figure, resting in a puddle of water. Astar crept closer, inspecting the dull figure. It was Haruki, was he sleeping? Astar looked back at his mother, she stood there silently observing. Astar turned back around, his breath caught in his throat. He let out a blood-curdling scream.

'Haruki!' He yelled. A large section of Haruki's chest was missing, a puncture wound where his heart should be. His eyes still rested peacefully, the water he'd been laying in was tinted a deep red. Astar sat beside Haruki's body, trying to stop the bleeding with his hands. He began to panic. 'Haruki! Please, Haruki. I need you don't go!' He sobbed. His tears fell past his knees, joining the river of blood he knelt in. He turned back around to his mother. 'Mum, what do I-' but Vyltria wasn't there. 

There, where his mother had stood, was a man. Tall in stature with dark eyes and a sinister grin too wide for his head. He stared in horror as he watched his mother's skin melt off the man, had his mother been the man the whole time? The man's body began to convulse, a tearing sound appeared as large, bony structures grew from his head. Large horns settled on his head and a sharp tail flicked behind him. Two large wings rested on his back. His body stopped writhing and he looked back up at Astar, the same grin, too wide for his jaw, plastered his face. A devil.

Astar fell back, gripping onto Haruki. 'Please, Haruki. Help me.' He cried.

'Astar!!' Someone yelled. Astar opened his eyes, the sun glared at him, blazing heat pressing on his skin. 'Astar! Are you okay?' It was Haruki. Haruki was in front of him, holding his hand, a worried look on his face. It was Haruki, he was alive. Astar leapt forward, throwing himself into Haruki. He continued to sob, clinging onto Haruki with all his might. He wouldn't let him go, he never wanted to see him in the state he'd been in during his dream.

'Are you okay? You were crying in your sleep, you wouldn't let go of me.' Haruki told him.

Astar wiped his eyes. 'I thought you died,' he said. 

Haruki chuckled slightly and held Astar's head in his hand. 'I promise I won't do that to you.' He assured him. 

Astar looked at Haruki. 'It was almost as if someone was inside my mind.'

☆

A smirk flashed across his angular face. He broke into a wide smile, too large for his face. Tormenting his prey. Kezran knew it was unhinged. Did he care? No. He had spent the past six thousand years waiting, planning and attempting to find the perfect subjects for his plan. Surely he deserved to have some fun while he was at it. The terror on that kid's face as he watched the two most precious people in his life disappear.

 Pure bliss for someone as sick as him. Maybe he could make the kid slowly go insane? No, he needed the kid to be sane in order for his plan to work, it would have been delightful though, to watch that tormented mind slowly unravel.

☆

'How much further?' Elva whined from her position in the saddle behind Phyre.

'Hush, Elva.' Phyre told her. 'We don't know its precise whereabouts. It could be a day or it could be a week.'

Elva shoved her head into Phyre's back and said something that was muffled by the fabric of Phyre's clothes. Astar looked around, many people were tired, they'd spent the past two days travelling through the canyon with barely any stops. A few people were asleep in their saddles. Ellie was deep in slumber, resting against Milli's chest. Dock was rubbing his eyes, fighting against the sleep that crept up on him, Ashr was slumped in front of him, faintly holding the reins as he snored softly.

'Ooft!' Came a muffled sound from directly behind them. Astar turned his head to find that Dasheil had fallen asleep, his large stature flopped over Aiden's smaller one. Astar giggled a little and Aiden gave him the thumbs up to let him know he was alright. Astar yawned loudly and reached up to stretch his arms above his head, Eldrin heard this and turned around, finding half of his team asleep.

'Let's stop here for the night.' Eldrin said. 'We won't be able to rest peacefully once we get closer to the dungeon portal.'

'Are you sure it's even safe for all of us to sleep?' Dasheil asked, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand, his warm brown skin glimmered beneath the sun. He must have awoken when Eldrin began to talk. 'We've just been attacked by a clamour of harpies and a carnivorous plant yesterday.'

'We will take turns keeping guard throughout the night, preferably in pairs.' Phyre told them. Everybody seemed to agree with Phyre that this was the correct way to approach the situation, and so they once more dismounted and began to work together to set up a campground.

By the time they had finished setting up their campground the sun had completely set, leaving them in darkness besides the many stars that littered the clear sky above them. Astar sat down by the campfire, huddling himself into Haruki's side. The rest of the group sat down together, laughing about stories they were sharing. 

It was good to see his friends still enjoying themselves despite the situation they faced. Someone said something to Haruki that made him laugh a little, sending Astar's head bouncing slightly.

Astar watched the fire that flickered in front of him, its smouldering tendrils flickered out as they reached the uppermost point of the flame. The fire danced its warmth around the group, but it also seemed sinister. One wrong move and such a beautiful and warm thing could cause disaster.

Then the fire began to reflect him as well.