Supernova in her Stare | OPEN

And so it came to be that an ever so cursed being heard the lamentations in her sigh, beholding the silhouette drawn against the pale moonlit sky with curious eyes. There was something she could not quite put her finger on, but whomever she was beholding held a certain grace she could not say she'd ever seen with any other person she encountered thus far. Not in this world nor the previous, nor the one she truly hailed from. And that caught her attention in full, just watching from a distance as not to disturb, yet somehow every sigh she uttered reached her without any interruption. Drew her closer to intrude upon the solemn sight of this individual. Even though being here at this time had never been her true intention, with the former demoness' curiosity piqued she could not turn back. Her instincts just didn't let her.

Even though she'd only arrived in Tilbur Village to see for herself how grand the smithies were, how masterful their craftsmanship, and to perhaps arm her so she might travel by herself rather than to depend upon the grace and kindness of merchants or travelers alike. Swords, spears, jewelry and more, yet her funds were far less than the prices they offered, so she'd scavenge for the odd job to remain afloat. Rumours caught her fancy just like the stories they told, and fearful or in awe as some of the villagers might have been, Kyrenai found herself out at night, this very night, for that very reason. No drowsiness or fatigue to keep her to bed, instead an instinctive curiosity that called her to traverse the streets. Even if it was for naught, the nip in the air felt soothing, and the beauty of the stars and moon that graced the night sky made her midnight escapade all the more worth it. Only to come across the person in question.

And after contemplating even longer, watching, waiting, not willing to disturb, Kyrenai decided at last. She'd join the figure; and as she stepped forth from the shadows into the moonlight her pale hair seemed all the more luminous. A simple bow of the head, both in greeting and silent request to allow her to get closer, for she wished not to intrude if not wished as such. Speaking only this, though she knew not why.

"Even the solemn moon has the stars to keep it company in the dark night sky. May I do the same for you?"

[417]

First the night had been chilled, keeping both the drowsiness at bay and her senses on alert, but the moment the person before her stood she recognised a litheness she’d describe to a woman. Crimson eyes shone upon a pale face, illuminated in the darkness and complementing the mysteriousness surrounding her. How she could’ve missed the giant claymore on her back however, Kyrenai had to guess, as was the sudden length of the female. At least their greeting appeared friendly in kind enough for Kyrenai to move closer as well, albeit only a few steps, beholding her until something chased the chill of the night away. There was warmth coming from the woman’s physique; not unbearable, but dare she say pleasant this late at night, while she spoke back in similar riddles.

Yet the white-haired one only nodded, watching as they joined her side to side, somewhat more than an arm’s length away from her, but still close enough to hold a proper conversation if needed. And as she faced the moon so did Kyrenai follow her example, letting the silence overtake her until her fellow star-gazing companion spoke anew.

“Kyrenai Artanis, oh young Stargazer.” she spoke solemnly, addressing the woman, while keeping her eyes trained on the lunar orbital in the sky. There was nothing betraying any worry in her form or voice, pure tranquility and ease fueling her being. Even if she were to be struck down here and now, she’d make peace with it. Her cares were elsewhere, as were her worries. Even when the angel showed her warning in more curious manners, rather than her face contorting so did the very fabric of space around her, yet all she got from the sealed demon in her mortal body was but a chuckle. A most pleasant smile settled upon her lips. ”If the stars could outshine the moon without losing their life, they would. But that would make the moon a most lonely beacon in the sky; don’t you think?”

Kyrenai turned her head, looking up at the woman inches away from floating and nodded softly, a soft breeze picking up. ”I try, Stargazer, but try as I might, my life has long since been burnt and what you see is but a shimmer of what it once was. What I hope to regain, soon enough.” Silently she stared at the hand she outstretched towards the sky, allowing a ripple of lightning to run past her skin; enough to illuminate her arm and hands, and to watch the lightning dance upon her fingertips before dying down again. Pure, white-hot lightning. Her eyes closed as the light faded away, the subtle orange shine in her eyes too fading with it. ”Tis all I can muster, my most pathetic shine.”


[461]

Darkness gave way to light, quite literally at that. Kyrenai turned to gaze at the luminous wings that now adorned her conversational partner's back, leaving her both flabbergasted and amused at the same time, knowing she too was not what she appeared. And somehow, that was a soothing thought to have. When the light remained she glanced over her shoulder, only to see a most intricate flame dancing upon the angel's palm, its warmth surprisingly powerful given the distance still between them. The white-haired one smiled gently as she allowed herself to bask in the flame's warmth, like a gentle caress warming her chilled muscles as her gaze too found its way back towards the sky. All the while listening to the woman's voice.

Voyager?

Yes, that name was very much fitting to what she was at current. Travelling worlds, not quite with purpose as she once had been; but she knew that her journey still hid the long road ahead she had to traverse. "No need to worry about such things… for it might as well be so. Had I to explain the full extent of the play that was my life… is my life, you might think me a playwright in the flesh rather than an adventurer. Tis a long story, one that might tire you, I fear. Are you certain you wish to hear something that might ruin an otherwise tranquil night, Stargazer?" There was no other name she could call her rooftop companion, so she'd call her just that, until she knew. If she ever knew.


[260]

She smiled ever so softly. ”Then I shall take the honor and privilege of speaking more, for your years of waiting I have more than enough story left to tell, my friend.” Kyrenai nodded softly, leaning back a bit as her expression turned pensive. Where would be a good point to start? How detailed should she be, to this kindred being more wise than a first glance would allow one to think? It only took her a few moments more of purposeful silence before the white-haired one made up her mind, and took off. "Well, to start from the very beginning would mean we’d have to travel back to my point of origin… and the world I truly belonged to.” she gave the other one a curious look, at least wanting to see their reaction as she admitted to not being native to these lands. To the potential decline of the kindness the woman was showing to her. Yet for some reason she was not fearing the unspoken reply of the Stargazer’s body language.

“Because you see, I am not of this world. Nor was I from the world I came from prior to arriving in Vyldermire…My origins lay in a world even beyond that, though it was far more dull in comparison to both other worlds. More quaint, but dull nonetheless. No fancy magic like this world has, instead it had more technological advancements… but I digress. Regardless, it wasn’t a world that was meant for dreamers such as I, so when I got taken from it, I didn’t quite mind. I spent years in this new world, filled with magic and wonders, enjoying myself to the fullest in this new role I’d been meant to play. Yet for some reason I was called back to my old world, where only a handful of days had passed. Doctors deemed it amnesia, that I had been locked in a dream so realistic I had a hard time discerning what was real. They’d probably thought me a lunatic had I pressed on that I had been to another world.” Kyrenai smiled softly. Even though it had been forever, she still remembered that moment all too clearly. The way they looked at her, almost pitying her, until they grew tired of her ‘antiques’. Yes, she dreamed too much, but as a supposed adult one wasn’t allowed to step outside the rhythm society had carved for them; not without being looked at funnily by those that did not follow your tread.

”Imagine their reactions when I disappeared again months later!” This time she actually sounded amused, the rise of her voice close to laughter, but only for a moment before it died down again. ”Honestly, that's all I can do. Imagine. Because I never returned to my original world when I disappeared that second time. Would they have believed me had I returned after all this time? Although I doubt it, they’d most-likely claim I did this all to myself. Regardless, I thus became part of this new world, taking my ‘rightful’ place as a hero. That’s what they called me, and many others, Guardians, meant to protect others that came from beyond this fantastical world. I… didn’t know at the time, however. It’s awfully funny how they never tell what your new life will encompass, however… because if I had known, things would’ve turned out differently.”

Another, short moment of silence followed as the white-haired woman contemplated which events to add to her story. ”Maybe tis bold for me to inquire, but do you know what it feels like to traverse worlds in such ways, Stargazer? What it feels like to be needed, to be given the exact same things as every of the original inhabitants of a world, only for it to be no more than a hoax? As if the world itself decided to play tricks with your very being? That’s what happened. They trained me, the people, to be a hero of their kingdoms, to fight evil and protect them. I was granted a gift by their gods just like any other in their world, yet I never knew what mine truly was. It turned out to be a cursed gift, but mayhaps that was because I was torn in half when I became a permanent resident of said world. My sins became an embodiment of their own, they became flesh, and with it my sworn Nemesis. Yet we never met until years later, in what was supposed to be our final battle. The stereotypical Hero vs the Source of all Evil. A battle against myself. Beaten down and battered, my Nemesis graced me with the true explanation of my gift, which I had always thought to have been the desperation to protect whenever I failed to do so. And trust me, I failed plenty…” Her fists clenched in frustration, but her face remained tranquil as she continued, sighing softly. ”This gift of mine, and subsequently with it my power, came not from the world, but from the people I was meant to protect. More directly put, their deaths were what granted me power. Every time an Otherworlder like myself died in their world -ones I was meant to protect and guide- I would be blessed with a fraction of their power. While my Nemesis had been granted with the power to heal them. Every time she healed someone she’d become stronger as well… see the twisted fate? The maleficent card I was dealt? I needed power to protect them, but ironically I had to fail at that one thing I was destined to do to gain said power. So many I’d befriended died in vain, in mockery of this gift– and I hated them for it. Their gods, who enjoyed their games and pastime cruelty more than proper balance.” Kyrenai growled the last sentence, faulting herself for it just as much as she did the gods in said world. Her rage quelled just as quickly by the sorrow that followed.

”I… I lost myself in the madness that followed. After losing all of it I refused to be a playball for those divine bastards any longer. And… Tis a period of time I’m all but proud of, but tis part of the story, so I will continue it nonetheless. In my rage I turned against everything I ever stood for. Steeled my heart until their deaths no longer affected me as much, denied myself the warmth of mortal connections, nor the cheerfulness of camaraderie. Nothing but rage-fueled revenge drove me as I turned against the flock I was meant to protect and slaughtered them for their power. Tens of thousands, nay, hundreds of thousands. Until I had no equal. Fate laughed upon me cruelly once more, however. The last group I came upon turned out to be people from my original world… friends and comrades I’d known since I was young. And for the first time in forever I faltered. I couldn’t kill them like I had the others, thus, I decided, I would do everything in my power to bring them home safely. And I did, at a most harrowing cost.” A short pause. ”Even in my almighty state I still found myself bested by a being stronger than me, and in a last, desperate attempt I invoked the most ancient of rites for an inconceivable, yet temporary, boost in power. My existence.”


”They all lived because of it, so I do not think it was in vain, but… according to the laws that brought me to that world, and most-likely this world too, I no longer exist. My memory, legacy and very imprint on my original world has been erased, as if I never existed in the first place, and because of it my status as being from another world too was retracted from the world I was staying in at the time. In short, I simply “was”. Everything I’d ever done, forgotten. Any friendships or deeds, erased. I decided to carve myself a new path, and hunted down my Nemesis, to kill her and claim back what was mine… to become ‘whole’ again; yet with slaying and retrieving her power came my sins. And with my sins came a new forme, and the moniker of said world’s evil. I took it with dutiful negligence, to become the “True Evil” they’d come to call me, and in a way they were right. I had fallen to gain power, but I took my solitude in stride. Twas my punishment for invoking such dreadful a rite.” Another, deep sigh escaped her as she leant back, allowing herself a short reprieve before she’d continue the last part of her story. Somehow it was refreshing to spill it all, to get it all off her chest, yet she worried for the reaction she’d be receiving if she stopped now. yet she doubted her woes of her more recent past would quell the evil she’d wrought in the longer, forlorn past. She would not blame the Stargazer if they judged her for it, however. Not even if she came to be resented for it.

”I masqueraded as the Evil they saw me for as I took over the demonic side of my Nemesis’ power. Her minions enslaved to my will, and kept in tow so they would not step out of the line I had drawn for them; so they would not hurt the innocents that now feared me. Yet as fate dictates, heroes were sent to destroy me and my supposed armies. They all were beaten, but I refrained from killing them, not wanting any more blood on my hands, lest they persisted and did not take the many chances to retreat. For thousands of years this continued; some of their heroes joined my cause when they managed to see through the blind faith for their world’s propaganda, and together we guarded the Gates behind which demons gathered, so none could leave. Still… even dutiful burdens grow dull over the many centuries spent. I started craving death, release from my fate; a solace none could grant me. Until one appeared that could. Yet this warrior sought to spare my life in equal kindness and respect… We became friends, against all odds. Eventually, even lovers…” Oh, how she’d loved them. Still did, deep inside, even after all that heartache. ”Alas, where I had eternity, their time was limited. So I entrusted them with part of my power, my immortality; whereas mine was all-encompassing, as I could not be killed by age nor mortal means, they were granted the ability to reincarnate without memory, chipping away at my immortality every time they did. Cycle after cycle I would search them out again, watch over them until their coming of age, tell them of our history like they were but fairytales. And every time we would fall in love once more. Until she was brought to this world…And I could not stay behind.

Yet again I invoked forbidden rites. Since I merely “am’, there is no counterpart for me in this world to summon me from, so I did the unnameable and tore through the very fabric of time and space, so I too could pass over to this world called Vyldermire. The feat however usurped all of my power, my immortality and my might. I was saved by a kind stranger when I was bound to drown, one I would so boldly dare call my first, and mayhaps best, friend in this new world thusfar. But as you can see, I am but a blank slate right now. One who’s reason for trespassing and defying the laws of time and space too has fallen to naught.”

Only now did she dare turn to fully face the crimson-eyed angel, ready to accept the judgment they’d choose to bestow her with. It was a most genuine, saddened smile that graced her visage when she looked at the Stargazer.

”But as I’ve learnt, such is my life, and my story. Only meant to punish me further.”




[2011]