Star Crossed In Time

The last memory flashes through my mind, my mother smiling sadly at me as she sends me into the sky. My heart refuses to watch you leave me so my tears blur the memory. The sky up there is tragically beautiful, like a graveyard of stars. I don't want to leave your warm embrace...

I try to stand but my mother quickly says "You need to stay in the liquid starlight for a little longer my dear. You've been away for so long, it's the reason you're struggling so much with your powers. Soak in the water for a little longer."

"Pull the energy in the water to you and harness it." She says giving me a warm smile. All I want to do is run over to her and hug her but I listen to her and begin pulling the energy in the water to me. What had she called it? Liquid starlight? 

It felt amazing... it almost felt like I had been surviving on bread my whole life and suddenly I'm given a grand meal with dessert! Unlike before, the energy is so easily absorbed and seeps deep into my bones like a warm hug.  

My eyes begin to glow as I slowly close them, soaking up all the energy in the silver water. My skin starts to give off a slight glow and continues to grow brighter the more I absorb. This feeling... it felt like the time I was just a star. 

My silver hair begins to grow longer as my skin takes on a new life. The silver flower on my forehead begins to change as well. It glows a bright silver light and when the light dims, the mark left is of a beautiful star.

The light coming from my body becomes so bright, it's blinding! As the last bit of energy is absorbed, the light slowly slips back into my body. I slowly open my silver-green eyes and take a deep breath. I feel so whole... and strong. 

As my powers settle, my solid green eyes land on my mother's figure. I stand up and quickly walk over to her but as I touch her, I go straight through her. I look to my hands with confusion then back to her sad smile as she says "I can only be here with you in spirit. I'm still sealed in the divine tree but I can still see and speak with you this way."

A wave of hot anger burns through me as I say "Seeing me and speaking to me isn't enough. I will pull you out of that damn tree and burn it to the ground when I'm done." My mother's face shows a look of panic as she quickly says "You can't do that! You'll have the entire Higher Heavenly Council after you! You're strong but I don't think you can face all of them." 

I give her a knowing look but I don't say anything. No point in worrying her. I look around the cave one more time before turning back to my mother saying "I will see you soon." I turn away and disappear mid-step.   

All I have to do is think of Bai Lei and I'm suddenly pulled in a direction. When I reappear, Bai Lei has his hand out, moving what looks like the Northern Lights in a dark vast sky. He pauses and quickly turns to look at me in shock. 

"Nova?" He calls out to me in confusion as I give him a warm smile. I walk over to this man and watch with a smile as his dark red eyes watch my every move. Those eyes... I saw them gazing into the abyss when I was nothing more than a star. 

They're the eyes that pulled me to this world... the only light I saw in eternal darkness. Sometimes in order to understand others, you have to swim in the very waters that drowned them. I traveled through madness to find myself... the new me and I love the person I've become. I fought to become me and I'm grateful for my struggles because, without them, I wouldn't have stumbled across my strength.

His red eyes rake over me with surprise before he says "You're different... what happened?" I ignore his question and wrap my arms around his waist, burying my face in his solid chest. What would he do if he knew I'm a star that fell for him, literally.

I smile and rest against him as he wraps his strong arms around me with concern and confusion. He begins stroking my back in that calming way he always does, making my smile grow. "Lady Mei is my mother," I say breaking the silence.

Bai Lei's hand freezes on my back as I continue "I just came back from meeting with her. She cleared a lot of things up for me but I have to save her. The Higher Heavenly Council locked her in a divine tree." I lean back and look up at him as I wait for his response.

He has a blank look on his face but I see a million and one things running through his mind so I wait. I look up past him in awe. I've never been here before... The Northern Lights sway in the dark sky and stars of all kinds blink in and out like flashing lights.  

When I look back to Bai Lei, he's looking down by our feet with a look of shock and confusion. I frown and look down to see star constellations dancing and spiraling around my feet! I step out of his embrace to get a better look and to my surprise, the star constellations follow me! 

Pure joy fills me as every star constellation, every star, comes rushing to me with excitement. I step back and twirl around with a small giggle as the stars follow my every move. I lightly hop to the side, dragging one foot along the ground, and watch with joy when it resembles a shooting star in the dark sky.

I lean down and with just a thought, I drag my fingers along the smooth dark marble floor causing ripples like the surface of water. The stars follow my touch and when I swipe my hand up, the stars burst to life in the room!

The stars begin floating around the room, no longer stuck in the floor below. They burst into life and shoot around the room before spinning around me in delight. My white and silver dress dances in the wind created by the stars. The stars fly in and out of my hair making me giggle at the feeling of joy they give off.

Bai Lei watches Nova with shock as the stars literally come to life at her touch! They actually react to her touch... he watches everything with a surreal feeling. Why are they reacting like that? Why is it like they're answering her call... no, it's like they're drawn to her. Like they're greeting someone they know... like family and friends... It was breathtakingly beautiful.  

A star brushes across my cheek, causing me to giggle but when I look up, I see Bai Lei watching me with glowing red eyes. I ignore the stars as I give him a warm smile. He stares at me so intensely, I feel like I might just burst into flames but I don't move. It's those eyes... 

"Why was your mother sealed into a divine tree?" Bai Lei asks in a low strained voice. I stare into his glowing red eyes as I say "Because she created me." His glowing red eyes flash with a dangerous light as he asks "Created you?" 

I lightly lift my arms as all the stars begin circling around me in a protective manner. His red eyes begin glowing even brighter as he says "Impossible" I allow my power to seep out and instantly feel my green eyes mixing with the glowing silver light, much like an illuminated glass marble. 

The stars begin to condense around me as they press themselves against my body, making me glow. "I was just a star, much like these. Lost and searching when I saw a pair of glowing red eyes. I followed them to this world and fell." 

A lone star shot up into the air then began falling, like it was helping me retell the story. I hold my hands out and catch the "falling star" as I say "Lady Mei caught me and fell in love at first sight. I was dying... She brought me to a cave and gave me her own blood and essence, bringing me to life as the person you see now."  

"I will spare you all the details for now but what she did went against the rules. She sent me away to keep me safe but before she could bring me back, I got lost and she was imprisoned. I'm going to release my mother and anyone who stands in my way will die." 

Bai Lei's breathing looks unsteady as he tries to digest everything I just told him but he quickly says "I will kill anyone who tries to harm you, little star. Mark my words... no one will touch a hair on your head"