The Shattered Constellations Between Stars

Into the west side of the forest of Tivaria was a world of mystery.

This territory unfolds like a beautifully deceptive garden, where vibrant flora bursts forth in a kaleidoscope of colors, creating an illusion of paradise. Towering trees with twisted trunks form a verdant canopy overhead, their leaves shimmering in hues of emerald and jade, casting intricate patterns of light and shadow on the forest floor. Exotic flowers bloom in reckless abandon, their intoxicating fragrances wafting through the air, luring unsuspecting wanderers deeper into the lush greenery.

Yet, beneath this enchanting exterior lies a web of hidden dangers. The ground is carpeted with soft moss that cushions each step, but one misstep can reveal treacherous roots coiling like serpents, ready to ensnare the unwary. The paths meander unpredictably, leading explorers in circles or drawing them into dense thickets where the light barely penetrates, obscuring the true nature of the terrain.

In the heart of this garden, a cave yawns, its entrance concealed behind a curtain of flowering vines that seem to shimmer with an otherworldly glow. The cave is dark and cool, a stark contrast to the vibrant chaos outside. Inside, the walls glisten with moisture and are adorned with bioluminescent fungi, casting an eerie light that dances across the rugged stone. Echoes of dripping water create a haunting melody, while shadows shift like phantoms, stirring the imagination with whispers of long-lost secrets.

This cave serves as a hidden throne room, a place where a fallen constellation reigns in solitude, surrounded by the beauty he has twisted to his will. Here, he schemes and plots, his presence felt in the very air, heavy with unspoken power and the promise of manipulation. The deceptive garden flourishes under his influence, a testament to his prideful nature, inviting admiration while harboring perils that lie just beneath the surface.

“Even in the depths of my fall, I remain a crown above my wreckage, for pride flows through my veins like molten fire, and I will carve my name into eternity.”

Back at the dragons territory

Three months have passed and Nyx is now four years old.

During the rest of the year, she told Drac about what the system told her she should do.

“So you're saying if you eat 10 of each healing herb that Len showed you, then you’ll be able to get a skill called Restoration Mastery?” Drac asked.

“Yes, that's what it said.” Nyx agreed.

Restoration Mastery? Isn’t that a ‘S’ class skill? Interesting. Drac wondered, feeling even more intrigued by her new discovery.

After that Len would bring her the ten of each herb to consume as well as other fruits and vegetables.

Skill acquired: Restoration Mastery

Level: S

“What does the S mean?” Nyx asked in curiosity.

“Well Skills are categorized into a tiered ranking system that spans from F to S, with S representing the highest level of achievement. The levels are as follows: F (lowest),E,D,C,B,A,S.” Drac explained.

“Wow, that's so cool.” Nyx exclaimed in delight.

“Yes it is!” Len also agreed, laughing while flying around her.

“Len, what level of skills do you have?” She asked while grabbing him gently.

“Well I’m no constellation but my skills are level A and up, if I do say so myself.” He started with a smug look on his face.

“Really that’s awesome!” Nyx said with genuine enthusiasm.

“What about you Drac?” She then turned the question over to Drac.

Drac was snapped out of it by that question. He was watching her interaction.

“What was that little one?” He shook after his head.

“I said…what about your skills?”

“Well I am a constellation, though I have fallen, my skills are still superior.”

“Oh ok…but what level are they.?” She asked impatiently.

“They are unmeasurable.” He boasted.

“Wow…I want to see them.” Her eyes sparkled in awe.

“And you will…in due time, when that time comes, I bestow you one of my greatest skills.” He said in a soft tone.

“Well… when.?” She was getting impatient again.

“As soon as we figure out how to actually make you be able to see properly and not just the magic molecules.” He said amused by her antics.

“Ok.” Nyx said with a defeated tone.

She thought that it would be impossible for that.

“Drac?”

“Yes, little one?” He answered.

“Do you know how I was born?” She asked in a soft and fragile voice.

Drac was flabbergasted, he didn’t think she would be thinking about that.

He started contemplating what he should tell her.

He couldn’t necessarily tell her that he found her on the foot of his cave and he wanted to get rid of her because of the noises she used to make.

He had to come up with something good to tell her to make her feel better.

“Well…” he started.

“You were a gift to me by my creator. He saw that I was lonely and I needed someone to soften this hardened heart so he gave you to me, so that I may live again with a soft heart.” He lied with a reassuring tone.

“Really?” She asked with a sweet smile on her face.

“Yes, you are my special little one.”

She ran to hug him, and Len joined too.

“Are we a family then, me, you and Len?” She asked with a questionable voice and a small smile on her little face.

Drac raised an eyebrow at Len and Len looked away sheepishly.

“Yes we are.” He agreed after a while.

“Great!”

“Now let’s go Len, we have lots to explore.” She then grabbed him and Len went to sit on her head.

“Remember don’t go to the west part of this forest, it is dangerous.” Drac warned sternly before they went out of view.

“Ok.” They both said in unison.

The way to the forest wasn’t very long. They walked along the path that they usually walked which was clear of grass because they took it upon themselves to clear the path.

“What are we doing today Nyx?” She asked while skipping.

“I was planning on introducing you to my friends, would you like that?” He asked.

“Would I? Yes!” She agreed instantly.

They both walked a little further from the north but not far enough to go into someone else territory.

Then they came across a big tree.

This was called the Silverheart Tree.

This is a towering giant in the forest, with smooth, silver bark that gleams like moonlight. Its massive, gnarled roots twist deep into the earth, while its wide canopy of silvery-green leaves shimmers in the sunlight and glows softly at night. The leaves create a soothing, musical rustle in the breeze.

“Wow! This is beautiful.” Nyx said in awe as she came standing in front of the tree.

“It’s so pretty.”

“Yes it is.” Len agreed while leaving her head to fly in front of her face slightly. He gently kissed her nose in adoration.

“This is called the silverheart tree, this is where my friends live.” He explained.

He made a sound that sounded like birds chirping. It was the sound he made to make his presence known to them.

After that, one by one four small creatures, as small as Len, came from the tree and went towards them.

These were called the Aetherlings. They are tiny, humanoid creatures with translucent wings that shimmer like dragonfly wings. They all lived in the Silverheart tree.

Their skin comes in soft pastels or vibrant colors like sapphire blue and emerald green, and their eyes glow faintly in the dark. Instead of hair, they have flowing strands of light that seem to move on their own.

The four creatures made it down to them.

“Len, is that you? It’s been so long.” One that has fiery red locks said.

“Yeah we thought that the dragon might’ve eaten you.” One with an ocean blue lock, also reported.

They all laughed at this statement. Their laughs sounded like birds singing.

She was entranced by their laughs.

“And who is this?” The one with purple locks said as they all came closer to them.

“Yeah! Where did you get this human from?” The one with orange locks also said while gently poking her cheek.

She reached out and touched him back, laughed when he flinched back slightly, not expecting her to know where he was.

They all came around her and stared at her like a spectacle. They also started poking her slightly, while she chuckled at them.

“Can she see us?” They all questioned in wonder.

“Her eyes are closed but she seems to know where we are.” The red haired one said.

They also lifted up her silver locks in wonder while flying around her.

“Guys stop it.” Len said while pushing each one of them from her.

“You can’t do that to her and yes she can see you guys.” Len explained to them.

“How?” The purple one asked.

“Well she can’t see you guys per say, since she is blind but she can see the magic molecules around you guys thus making her able to see your figures.” He explained to them while standing in front of her protectively.

“Really she knows how to do that?”

“How?”

They all wondered.

“Drac taught me how.” She said amused.

“Who’s Drac?”

“It’s the dragon, he is the one taking care of her”. Len stated.

They all flew from her in fear when they heard that. She was confused. Why did they leave?

“It’s ok, I won’t hurt you guys or let him hurt you anyways.”

“How can we trust that?” The orange one said while hiding with the others behind the tree.

“Len, say something.” She whispered.

Len sighed, “ it’s true, as long we don’t hurt her or make her cry. He won’t hurt us.”

They all tentatively came from behind the tree, and flew back at her.

The one with the green hair came to her first.

“My name is Suli.”

“Hi Suli, I’m Nyx.” She introduced herself with a smile on her face.

Suli tilted her head left then Nyx tilted her head left.

Suli started to hum, while looking intently at Nyx, then after a while said to the others.

“She's good guys.” Suli shouted at them.

After that statement, they all went up to Nyx and introduced themselves.

“I’m Ryu,” the red one said with a broad smile on his face.

“I’m Nabi.” The orange one said in a small tone

“And I’m Guerim.” The purple one said.

“Do you want to see our home?” Suli asked her.

“Sure!” Nyx agreed.

They all turned around and flew up to the top of the tree where it was hollow.

“Come on, Nyx!” Ryu exclaimed.

“Can you climb?” Asked Guerim.

“Yes I can.” She answered, since she has to climb down and up a hill when she leaves Drac cave.

She started climbing the tree slowly, while Len was assisting her where needed.

“Why did she say that before Len?” Nyx asked while placing her foot on a branch while almost losing balance. Luckily Len was there to catch it and put it back in the branch.

“Who Suli?”

“Hmmhmm.”

“No reason.” Len said in a nonchalant tone.

“Really?” She was in disbelief, but if Len said it’s nothing then it’s nothing.

After a while they soon reached the top.

“You're so slow.” Ryu said in a matter of fact tone.

“Don’t say that Ryu, be nice.” Nabi said to him while hitting him slightly.

Nyx stuck her tongue out at Ryu.

“Hey!” He shouted.

They all laughed at his flabbergasted expression.

The scenery was beautiful, she was amazed.

She started in awe. Though she couldn’t see everything, she couldn’t see how they were shaped out and for that she was grateful.

After a while they took her to their home.

They all lived in the hollow part of the tree. The hole was big enough for her to get in and also move with ease.

She got in and inside was even more spacious. There were little houses scattered along the walls of the tree and it had grass and flowers everywhere below.

They all started playing and asking her questions.

After a while of playing she was getting hungry.

She had noticed that the tree had frites on it.

“Hey Len, I’m hungry.” She said while holding her stomach.

They all stopped chatting and looked at her.

“Is there anything here I can eat? Like those tasty fruits on this tree.” She stated.

“No you can’t eat those, they are dangerous.” Len answered her.

“I’ll go get some for you to eat.”

Before Len could go to the entrance, he was stopped by Ryu.

“What do you mean they’re dangerous!” Ryu exclaimed.

“Yeah we eat them all the time.” Nabi argued.

“Well that is because you guys are magic spirit creatures not human being’s.” He said in a matter of fact tone.

“You guys can eat it but not her and I won’t let you hurt her with them.”

“We won’t her, we’ll just check if she’s worthy.” Ryu stated.

During this interaction Nyx was wondering what was happening. Were the fruits dangerous or not, because she was getting really hungry.

Her belly growling interrupted their argument.

She will starve to death if she doesn’t get anything to eat.

“And you want to kill her by making her eat those fruits.” Len screamed.

She was getting even more confused.

Suli, seeing this, came up to her and explained.

“The fruits on the trees are edible to humans but only to those that they see worthy of their power.”

“Do you think you could take it?”

“I won’t know if I don’t try.” Nyx said. She just really wanted something to eat at this point.

Len, hearing this, flew to her side.

“You don’t have to do this please, I can fly really fast and get something for you to eat. The ones that you like and we know will not hurt you.” Len bargained with her.

The reason for Len’s worry is because the fruits on these trees were neither dangerous nor good. They literally had a mind of their own.

These fruits were called the Emberfruit and Aquabloom.

The Emberfruit is shaped like a small, elongated orb, about the size of a fist. Its surface is smooth, with a deep, fiery orange hue that seems to ripple with an inner warmth. Faint veins of molten gold run through its skin, pulsing gently and The Aquabloom is a round, pearlescent fruit, slightly larger than the Emberfruit. Its skin is a cool, iridescent blue, with swirling patterns that resemble flowing water. The surface is smooth to the touch but has a subtle sheen, like the surface of a calm lake under the moonlight. Tiny droplets of water often cling to its surface, giving it a dewy appearance.

The real reason for Len’s worry is because these fruits carried some special powers of Fire and Water. The emberfruit is fire and the aquabloom fruit is water and if they don’t think the person consuming it is worthy of their powers it will kill them.

“I know but it will take too long Len.” She wines.

“Yeah but…”

“It won’t I promise.” she cut him off with a smile

She looked towards Suli and asked her to get the fruits.

Suli went and picked one of each fruit.

She took the emberfruit in her hands and looked at its weird shape.

“Well here I go.” She stated while bringing the fruit to her nose to smell it. It smelt so sweet, she couldn’t wait to try it.

All eyes were on her.

Len eyes filled with worry, Suli eyes filled with wonder, Guerim eyes filled with fear, Ryu eyes filled with mischief with a small smirk on his face and Nabi eyes were filled with anticipation.

“Please, please, don’t get hurt.” Len prayed silently.

“Oh this is fun,” Ryu exclaimed under his breath while waiting for her to eat the fruit.

She took a bite.

It started burning her insides.