Celestial Saga: Exiled to Earth II - Chapter 20：Stage NINETEEN

As soon as the little girl and the dark aura surrounding her dissipated into nothingness, the dimension too, completely shattered. Soon, they found themselves back to the old, dusty room with the broken mirror right in front of them. However, their emotional moments were short lived. As soon as they got back, they felt ANOTHER overwhelming presence. This time, it’s much stronger than any presence they have ever felt in their lives. All were worried except for Freyja, who had a peaceful, nostalgic smile on her face. “Frey?”

She stepped closer and touched the broken mirror gently, lovingly. “It’s alright. You can come out.”

As if heeding Freyja’s command, the mirror shone so bright, they were blinded for a few seconds. The light subsided soon, and revealed a young man, around 5’11 in height with shining blonde hair and golden eyes. His hair tied in a long, messy ponytail reaching up to the back of his knees. He is wearing a white, knee-length sleeveless robe with knee-high boots and elbow-high fingerless gloves.

“Lenfi! It’s you Lenfi!” As soon as he saw Freyja, he jumped to her like an overly excited little boy. “You’re back! You’re back! You came to get Avice, didn’t you?” He hugged her tight and rubbed his cheek on her head. Seeing Aya, Van and Scarlet speechless, Freyja gently pushed the young man away, but held his hand firmly.

“I sort of remember him.” She explained, “I remember being with him back in Celestia. Though only a little bit.”

“The name is Avice!” He introduced himself with a toothy grin. “I am a guardian of the Lenfiare!” Avice pulled Aya’s hand, grabbed her and levitated. Soon after, dizzy Aya found herself flying with Avice around the house. “Yay! I’m free!” Avice shouted in glee, Scarlet pale as she watched.

“Um… hi?” Van greeted, not sure how to take this hyperactive guy.

“Alright Avice, you have a lot to tell us.” Freyja called him back. Instantly, he dropped the almost fainted Aya on Van, and returned to Freyja’s side as fast as he could. “Yes Lenfi, I do have a lot to tell you.” His face and voice turned serious.

“Before anything, can you explain why you are trapped in that mirror and how is that little girl related to all this?” Freyja asked, all four of them are all ears.

Avice’ carefree face shifted to a serious one. “I see that you haven’t fully regained your memories.” He smiled and continued, “You were sent out of Celestia, with nothing but the celestial core fused with yours, and the five celestial guardians to protect you. But…” Avice clenched his fists. “… Someone followed you and sealed all of the guardians off. Because of my wings, I was the only one who escaped and got you way further, to this world. While he wasn’t able to follow us here, the long dimension travel weakened your already unstable core and your physical celestial body was destroyed.”

“Who chased after you? Is he a celestial too?” Scarlet joined in.

“Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to see his face or recognize him. But, he is most definitely a Celestial.” Avice sadly replied.

“And then, I took that little girl’s body, right?” Freyja urged him to continue.

Avice nodded. “Actually, we arrived in this world the moment that little girl was born. Back then, I had to search for a stronger and more compatible body to house your aura core but I couldn’t find any. It took me a couple of years to find that little girl again and confirmed that her body is the only one fit to be your temporary vessel.

But that time, that little girl was dying. Her life force was getting weaker and weaker. Your aura is already sealed by the Consort anyway, so her body alone was sufficient to sustain you, and so you used her body as a vessel.”

“And then she died soon after.” Van joined in. Avice nodded.

“Instead of passing on, the child wanted to stay and watch you. So, I helped her and hid her in that sub-dimension.”

“Why didn’t you appear before me back then, Avice? Why didn’t you tell me about Celestia early on!?” Freyja sounded agitated, Van tapped her shoulder to calm her down.

“The very reason why you were sent to this world, is for you to survive the rebellion. If I appeared before you, it will surely awaken your aura. If it did, we will be giving off our location. Not to mention, we will be destroying this universe’ balance. And in your state that time, I doubt you will have enough strength and control to do your job as a celestial.” Avice’ words made sense, Freyja couldn’t say another word. “So, I stayed with that girl in that mirror, watching you, and helping you as much as I could without revealing myself.”

“But of course, it is impossible to keep you hidden forever. Little by little, your aura awakened on its own and that is something I cannot really stop. Until one day, you left this universe, on your own, while still in the body of that little girl. I couldn’t stop you in time. I’m sorry.” Avice continued his explanation, walking towards Freyja. He knelt before her, and wrapped his arms around her waist, sinking his face on her belly. “You must already know that, that little girl was left with mostly your negative feelings of living her life. You did share the body briefly too. Then, you left to that other world, and got her body killed. When you returned, your aura is fully awake and it caused a disturbance in this world’s balance. She is one of those affected, and turned like that. The animosity in her grew so strong, that even I was imprisoned. After all, that girl has already been a part of you. She knows how to stop me, and you, and this house.”

Freyja hugged Avice back, stroking his long golden hair. “Thank you Avice. Really. And I’m sorry for taking such a long time. I’m sorry for leaving the two of you for so long.”

“No Lenfi, I’m so happy… you came back for me.” Freyja felt Avice’ hug tighten. She could tell, despite his cheerful appearance, how hard things had been for him. Freyja tightened her hug. “It’s okay Avice, we’re together now. And we’re going back to Celestia.” Avice let go and touched Freyja’s cheeks with his cold hands. He touched Freyja’s forehead with his. Closing his eyes, he whispered: “Lenfi, you can have these back…”

Freyja nodded and closed her eyes, feeling a warm surge of aura flow from her forehead, through her entire body. Memories, one after another, started flowing in Freyja’s mind, so vivid, so clear.

~ o 0 o ~

“Freyja…” She heard a voice. A very warm and familiar voice. She opened her eyes, and saw the face she’s been longing for. A pale, silver haired young man, with emerald green eyes. When she first woke up in an unknown world, she was thirteen years old. In her confusion, men clad in black robes suddenly appeared and tried to kill her. She couldn’t understand, she was so scared. But this young man saved her. His name was “Kirin…” Freyja whispered.

She followed the young man stubbornly. At first, he was cold to her. But gradually, he opened up to her. She too, felt the same. He was first a means of survival to her, but eventually grew to be an irreplaceable existence in her life.

Together, they travelled, trained, faced dangers, hardships, and shared happy moments together.

Together they met friends, a blonde rune-master named Alaric, and Kirin’s younger brother, Keon.

They uncovered the secret behind Freyja’s celestial ancestry, and all together, journeyed to find her two ‘celestial guardians’, Astrid and Aria.

Astrid, is quiet, serious and extremely protective. He turns to a rune blade, far grander and stronger than the white aura blade Freyja summons by herself. Aria is gentle and has a woman’s face. He can heal wounds fast and quickly dispel auras.

With Astrid and Aria’s help, Freyja remembered the face of her Father, Kinju Alfiore Leafen of Celestia and her mother, Reyrah Fiega of Serleira. She remembered both the good and bad memories of Celestia, how she used to be so naughty and spoiled, how the Alfiore loved her so much, how brilliant Lady Reyrah was in both war and court, how Celestia was razed by rebels who wanted to take the throne from the Leafen clan. Though still unable to remember his face, a man killed the Alfiore right before Freyja’s eyes. In terror, she fled, with her guardian Astrid. Reyrah then, fused the celestial core, the main power and source of life of all Celestia, into Freyja’s own aura core. It was painful, it was as if she’s being ripped into tiny pieces. Then, she pushed her into a vortex, and sent her on a far, far, far away world.

Freyja cried, laughed, sighed, as she remembered all these.

Avice, the guardian right before her, is called ‘Celestia’s wings.’ Except for the monarch herself, he has the best and strongest wings in all of Celestia. He can fly the highest, furthest, and fastest. In Freya’s childhood, she would always ride Avice and escape to other parts of the floating capital. He was once her closest playmate and partner-in-crime. Both Freyja and Avice couldn’t help but chuckle, remembering those times.

And then, just before Freyja was sent back to this world, she was killed by Kirin’s father, Aneurin Aethelmaer. But when her corpse was thrown into the ocean, someone helped her. He powered her aura core, so she can regenerate her physical body. She’s still unsure who that person is, but she’s definitely in his debt.

Freyja opened her eyes, and saw her friends, Aya, Scarlet and Van staring at her. Obviously, they have a ton of questions for her. She gave them a reassuring smile.

“I remember everything.”

~ o 0 o ~