Chapter Ⅲ: Stars

                                    

                                          


                          
The stars were said to watch over all who gazed up at them,  when it rained it was said to be the stars mourning, and during the day when you couldn't see the stars it was said they were resting so they could shine brightly once the moon rose.
                          
The stars were also said to be the souls of the fallen, watching over friends and family they had left behind
                          
A lone Voltaris sat in the cold watching the stars, her eyes shining brightly as she thought about all this. She wondered if her son was watching over her? Or any other fallen Voltaris.
                          
She sighed, Amaya could see her breath in the cold air she was used to the crisp frigid air entering her lungs living on Mt. Velgren her whole life she was used to the harsh conditions.
                          
The stars reminded Amaya of snowflakes, each one slightly different. To some they all were the same, but Amaya had learned to look closely at things, or you might miss what's important. Amaya sighed, getting to her feet she had been away from her daughter, Ember long enough.
                          
She walked back through the dark the stars were fading into the early morning light by the time she had walked all the way back to the camp she saw Achillean holding a very sleepy Ember she smiled slightly thankful that he agreed to watch her while she went out to watch the stars the Nestoris smiled slightly Amaya smiled back once she got to the camp she took Ember from his arms since she was small she was easy to carry she let out a little cough Ember had been sick since Amaya had left the Voltaris camp
                          
"How far are we from the nearest healer?"
                          
"A few days why?" Achillean's golden gaze met Amaya's
                          
"Ember, she's been sick since I left the main Voltar-"
                          
"You know where the main camp is?" the Sendaris from last night spoke up 
                          
His eyes were dark pools of emptiness that scared Amaya.
                          
"We are not to be attacking the Voltaris,"
                          
"We could eradicate them for good! We co-"
                          
"Enough!" Achillean hissed.
                          
 Amaya flinched slightly; she had not known Achillean for long, but she had never seen him so angry before.
                          
...
                          
Night had fallen as soon as it had risen, the stars were once again out, shining brightly
                          
She enjoyed watching them. There were few great things about having grown up on Mt. Velgren, but Amaya loved watching the northern lights. The colors dancing across the sky like a river always amazed her. She wished she could see them now it had been many years since she had seen them. Part of her wondered if the spectacular lights still appeared during the night. She glanced down at Ember, her little hand holding Amaya's 
                          
The snow wasn't thick here so the small child was not having any trouble walking across the open plain Achillean had invited them to travel with them for the time being Ember was slowly learning to trust him through the skittish  Voltaris would need time, after the attack with the Sendaris she didn't trust so easily. Amaya paused glancing up at the star-filled sky she could clearly see each star her eyes drifted to a certain one it seemed to shine the brightest out of all of them. It wasn't the North Star, but a new star perhaps? Amaya didn't know until her heart ached a feeling of loss.
                          


                          
It was her son's soul star.
                          


                          
Amaya smiled through the weight of loss her son had died protecting Ember, it may not have been legendary or filled with Impossible feats, but to Amaya it was full of honor, dying to protect someone who could defend themselves, was to Amaya the bravest thing an Ardoni could do.