Chapter 194 - Glowing Up (1/2)
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.