honeybeeOnce I understood my purpose, I chose my path. Bidding Edward and Emma fare well, I left our home, following alakai's lead as he made his way to the stars. I followed him as he showed me what to do, an intensity in my gave as I watched his motions. The two simas watched quietly as his hands glowed with the colors of the northern lights, the stars shifting to follow his movements. "Before the dark, this was to Zodiacs responsibility." He spoke softly, watching as the darkness of dusk begin to morph until the previously empty sky became broken by a few small specks of light. "This is not my strength, nor my ability, which is why I can only control a few stars at a time. You, however, can control many. You are the artist and the stars are your story." He turned his head back to her as a playful grin grew on his features. "Have you said your farewells?" "I have." Despite the confidence in my voice as I spoke, I felt anything but. My legs trembled slightly with the excitement and my wings were tucked against me with anxiety. He snorted at my obvious lie, though he chose to let it pass and my gaze expressed gratitude to him. "Well then, let's get going."Suddenly, the stars came racing towards us, seeming to collide as the drew close and splitting as he stood before me, creating a shimmering mesh of stardust between them which appeared like a veil. My eyes were left wide, as I watched on. Alakai raised an eyebrow quizzically. "I didn't expect you to be the dramatic type," Alakai spoke. A grumble echoed as a being emerged from the gate. Tall, feathered, and ferocious, the quetzacoatl looked anything but friendly though he carried a noble and wise are with him. Aliastor frowned at Alakai. "Are you certain this is the one the stars have chosen?" "I don't see any other three-eyed beings around here, aside from yourself that is." Nodding sharply, the dragon turned to me. "Listen closely young one. These times are changing. The old stars are dying and with them, we require new stars to fill their place. You are destined to rule these stars, manipulate them to tell the stories of the ancients. Before you can fulfill such a role, you must first gain the knowledge of the stars." Silence prevailed as he fell quiet, turning to the gate. I moved to follow him, only to turn to where Alakai had been moments earlier. A gasp of surprise escaped me, seeing how everyone I had been standing around was gone. Aliastor waited patiently as I observed our new surroundings. Books filled the shelves, a seemingly never ending set of shelves reaching up into the sky. A starry mist preserved the records, surrounding me and filling me with warmth. Aliastor moves further into the archives as I rushed to follow him. "This is the Celestial Library. An archive of all the lives and stories of those to have walked this earth." "Do you live here?" I asked, curiosity bubbling within. "I do. As will you, once you've learned to control your abilities. Come Now." He stopped before a door, pushing it open with a single winged talon. "This is your quarters. Make yourself at home, young star keeper."
The days after meeting Aliastor were some of my most memorable ones. I was constantly learned, always discovering new things about the universe and the lives within it. He told me of alternate timelines, periods of great wars and peace. Soon, I found my favorite story to be one of a small dragon, a princess who could change the earth and tame the skies. Born as a hatchling, she was the first to discover the dark secret of the king's advisor. She moves on to save the king from his frozen demise by his most trusted comrade. She discovered the sister of the frozen rebel, who was left frozen and abandoned by those who could save her. She rescued the frost princess, who later fell in love with the king, and the small dragon was left, free to roam the earth as she wished and to share her story to all generations. It was a story that I remembered fondly. I've always looked up to the smallest dragon and I adore how, when aliastor spoke of it, his eyes lit up with memories and nostalgia. Over time, I became puzzled at his expression, wondering how a story can evoke such emotion from someone. Finally, after years of hearing stories from him, I worked up the courage to ask. "I'm rather surprised you haven't figured it out yet." He spoke softly. Then, the pieces started falling together. "Y-you were there!" I spoke, feeling rather shocked. "Indeed. I was only present for the ending portion of it, and I was only a hatchling, but I remember the stories of my people. I remember the gray dragon, she'd always come by my families den and tell me of her most recent travels." The dragon pulled a book from the shelves, setting it before me. His name, engraved in silver, rested on the spine. "Every person has a story. Even I. This is my story."
I treasured that book, just as I treasured the library. I kept it with me, even as I grew and matured. My mannerisms became calmer, more graceful especially as I reached adulthood. I read many of the books resting on the shelves, often times reflecting their stories through constellations and using these constellations as gateways through the worlds. I became comfortable with my life, until the days that Aliastor began to fall ill.
I was lost. For as long as I've ruled the stars, Aliastor had been there supporting me and advising me as I continued my journey. Suddenly, I was faced with the possibility that he will guide me no longer. He became weaker through the following days and, on one day, he called me to his cavern with a broken voice. Somehow, I knew his time had come. Despite knowing, the sight of my closest companion, tired and weak, caused my heart to clench. "Ambriel." He spoke gruffly, voice cracking with illness. My eyes teared up at his weakened state. "My time has almost come. You have learned all that I can teach you. My purpose is fulfilled." "Aliastor, please. I'm fearful. I can't do this without you." He chuckled softly. "OH Ambriel. You've never needed me. You've had this ability since the beginning. It is your gift and yours alone. You will be fine without me." Harsh coughs escaped his chest as I pushed my face against his jaw with compassion. "I have lived to see many lives, young Ambriel. I have been through many struggles, seen much of history. Every book has an ending, and I am nearing mine." I stayed with him all of that night, until his chest stopped moving and his eyes closed into eternal peace. Breaking down, I bit my lip as sobs escaped me. I was alone again. The familiar bitterness of loss and grief filled my being. It was a repeat of Gemini all over again. I felt the tears spilling and creating rivers down my cheeks dropping softly to the earth with a soft bell sound. Wait, a bell sound? Opening my eyes, I looked to where the tear had landed on my fallen friend, a light shimmer from where the tear had come from. It was the tear from my third eye, the one in the center of my head. Suddenly, a memory came to me.
"We are special beings, ambriel. With our gifts of sight, we can do things that others could only imagine." It was one of our first lessons. We had traveled down to earth, to study those who inhabit it's surface. Young and ignorant, I feeling confused once I realized that Aliastor and I were the only creatures with three eyes. All others simply had two. I asked Aliastor about it and he simply chuckled, giving me this statement.
Realization came upon me as I watched his still form silver, glimmering like the tear that slid across his skin. His body broke apart, brightening until the light was completely blinding. Once the light had faded, in the place of Aliastor was a small egg. Shimmering stars circled the egg, keeping it in its lightened embrace. Stepping forward gently, I gasped as the stars circled me too, transporting me to her gallery of the stars, and observatory ai had created to arrange the night sky. From there, a constellation seemed to grow, gaining light until it became the center of the sky. It was a new constellation, one I had never seen before. A three eyed, feathered dragon soared across the skyline, seeming to circle the moon and lead the stars on their trek across the sky.